Page:Victoria, with a description of its principal cities, Melbourne and Geelong.djvu/159

 first position amongst his fellow-pupils, and his talents and acquirements soon placed him the first amongst the competitors for College prizes, which eventually, on his first trial at the examination of the Commissioners, obtained an ensigncy for him, without purchase, in the 40th Regiment.

On the 26th of November, 1847, he first joined his regiment in Galway, and served with it for four years on home service, two of which were in the south of Ireland, where his memory is still revered and kindly spoken of, from his affable and courteous manner.

In September, 1849, he purchased his Lieutenantcy, and from his diligence and attention to his duties as a soldier he was appointed Adjutant of the regiment, and, as such, embarked with the headquarters for Australia, in July, 1852, in the ship Vulcan; in December of the following year he was promoted to a company by purchase, shortly after which he was selected to command the pensioner force called from the neighbouring colony of Tasmania to quell the disturbances at the Gold Fields. Tranquillity being restored at the diggings, he proceeded to Hobart Town with his command.

It was during his stay with the 99th Regiment in that city, that the author and his brother officers became intimately acquainted with him, and were led to love and esteem one whose untimely fate so soon after they had to deplore.

On the 8th of December an express steamer