[392]. When corporal Jones first heard the voice, Skelton was singing,—
“Bright, bright are the beams of the morning sky,
And sweet are the dews the red blossoms sip.”
This simple incident sufficiently shows the confidence and coolness of the diver in so novel and hazardous a duty.
[393]. Much of the information about the labours of this summer has been collected from the ‘Hampshire Telegraph,’ ‘Army and Navy Register ‘Manuscript Journal of the Operations.’
[394]. Afterwards became a sergeant, and served at Gibraltar. In October, 1852, he was pensioned at 1s. 9d. a-day. Being a skilful mechanic, he obtained on the day of his discharge, employment as a blacksmith in the royal carriage department in the arsenal.
[395]. Fraser was a successful modeller, and although a carpenter by trade, made himself useful as a wood engraver. Many of the wood-cuts in Colonel Pasley’s ‘Practical Operations of a Siege,’ were executed by him, and although they exhibit but little artistic merit, they yet afford scope to show how he adapted himself to circumstances. He also assisted in the task of engraving the most difficult of the plates to the ‘Architectural Course.’ None of his works in this line betray any ambition, but his models were put out of hand in a skilful and workmanlike manner. As a whole, he was a man of singular simplicity. In July, 1849, he was pensioned at 2s. 3d. a-day, and retiring to Kilochunagan, settled down as a farmer.
[396]. Became a sergeant, and after serving at Corfu and China, was employed in the expedition under Lord Raglan to Turkey, Bulgaria, and the Crimea, where, from disease contracted in the trenches in front of Sebastopol, he died in camp before the conclusion of the siege.
[397]. ‘United Service Journal,’ ii., 1841, p. 267.
[398]. ‘United Service Journal,’ iii., 1841, p. 563. Carlin became a colour-sergeant, and prior to his discharge had served at Gibraltar and Malta, Turkey and the Crimea. When at Portsmouth, he received from Lord Frederick Fitzclarence a gold pen and engineering pencil-case, in return “for his most useful services in carrying out instruction in musketry, in which he proved himself to be exceedingly clever in calculations of a rather puzzling nature, and to be a most zealous, active, and painstaking non-commissioned officer.”