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Show 4 PERSONAL ADVENTURES of probation to qualify us for the enjoyrnent of our future conquests. Although fully prepared " to rough it," even in the Arnerican sense of the term, our initiation into the hardships of a military career, during a sojourn of several n1onths at the fort, realized, at the outset, our worst anticipations, and there \Vere few an1ongst us who would not have gladly exchanged for active service in the field the confinement and discomfort .that we endured here previous to our embarkation. Between severe and constant drilling, and the rnost culpable irregularity in the supply of provisions, we had a tolerable foretaste of what \Ve should have to encounter when we canle to deal with the sterner realities of a soldier's life. And yet, strange to say, although the previous habits and education of many amongst this motley assemblage of adventurers of different n:: tions but ill adapted thetn for the privations and dull uniformity of this sort of life, and still less for the close companionship of the uncongenial spirits with whom they were compelled IN CALIFORNIA. 5 to associate, there was comparatively but little repining, a general determination seeming to have been arrived at to look at everything under its brightest aspect, and to aecept the incidents of our position, distasteful though they might be, in the true spirit of stoicism And, after all, there is a sunny side to every phase of this much-abused exi~Stence of ours. Our life at the fort, although n1iserable enough, Heaven kno\vs, was not altogether devoid of amusement and instruction to those \vho are fond of the study of character. As, in the course Df the following narrative, I rnay have occasion to introduce son1e of my companio11s to the notice of my readers, some previous acquaintance with their peculiarities may serve to give greater zest to the little episodes iu which they play a part. The butt of the detachment, and general target for the witlings, was a young Swede named 'Vettermark, who presented in his person a curious compound of the most opposite qualities. Brave as a lion, yet querulous under privations; deeply read, yet sin1ple as a child |