THE RETURN OF THE "BLACK WATCH," FROM AFRICA.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1820, 5 June 1874, Page 2

THE RETURN OF THE "BLACK WATCH," FROM AFRICA.

{ [EUROPEAN 1 MAIL, APRIL 7/.]

The Black Watch arrived on M£rch 22. All Portsmouth ; went; out .[tp^ee them come ashore, 1 and. Jail. /Poriaipputh witnessed their home march .ftpm^th'e dockyard to the Cambridge Barracltp. The' spectacle of these 6CK> andodd Highlanders marching into the town will be remembered by the,, youngest of the. spectators when their'hair hasbecome'silvered with age;M.J[t was such a scerie as-one -always remembers,.. and* as one is the better for remembering? " The decorations, .in the streets remained as -they,, were, whdn the 23rd Fusiliers marched in ; j the route was the same as on that occasion, ; and the Black Watch. , was honored as Englishmen delight to- honor; their defenders. The Governor's: Green wis again the : . central point* of > attraction. Here were assembled some 1 5000 spectators —ladies in bright but not spring .toilettes bein g in the proportion of ( 'a.bouit : se ve n ia two ef the sterner sex 7 Turn which way you would, the eyes lit upon, people — oh the old church! towei', on *thV..hbuse?',tqp& l at the ; windp,ws, arid pn. the disused,; fortifications, . which., form.; t wp : 7 sides ;qf ; the square. Frome time to time detachments of the Royal Marine Artillery, Royal Engineers, and *Army Service Corps took np their position on the Governors Green, less, I per haps j to act as' guards of ;i hono|r than to keep the ground. The bands of the Marine; ~ Artille,ry,<'and the Royal Marines played alternately, and the arrivals of the ivarious detachments only served to whet- the appetite for thosfe coming next. Joseph Gungl's pretty "A B 0 "Polkaj played by the .'Marine Artillery band with that precision for which they are justly' notedj was' still ringing in our ears when there was a movement in the, crowd indicative of the long-expected moment having at length arrived ; and then, looking towards the gaily-decorated Naval Club, wesaw a J mass of bayonets flashing in the hot sunshine] saw the well-remembered' uniforms of the 42nd, aud the tall spare figure. of Colonel M'Leod riding at the head of his men. The Highlanders, amongst whom are ' about 130 of the 79th Regiment, who volunteered to make up the complement of the 42nd when they wereorderedto the Gold Coast last December; do not weiti'^e Ashantee, uniform as did the Fusiliers, but are in their' 'plaid jackets and trews. Heading the Highlanders came a detachment of 100 th Regiment under Colonel ' Harripgton, and hardly have the, kilts and > sporrans of the bandsmen of the 42nd come into sight ere a mob of roughs storm and carry the entrance. The axes of .the: pioneers (the implements which did good service all the way from Cape Coast Castle, to Coomassie), the blue and white plumes of General Viscount Templetown and his staff, the tattered colors of the escort, the flashing of - the bayonets, and the smart uniforms of the troops make up a picture such as au artist who does not ' object to painting detail would love to tranfer to his canvas. Lord Templetown, Colonel Elliott (one of _the heroes of the ever memorable Baiakjava charge), Captam Lascelles, Colonel Petrie, and the ' other -"members of the staff 'took up their position the centre of the ground,, and r^hen "the .strains .of .tf/See the' Conquering Hero ppmesy".and; ' 'Hpine Sweet' Home" died away, the.) ..^eter^n general said to the men, "We^bidryqu a hearty welcome," ,anfl then called for three cheers ,,f or, ,th^ warriors, .which were heartily given, although the Portsmouth

people have yet to learn the art of cheering.; * Then the Mayor came forward (Mr Kenj), and the worthy chief magistrate, addressing Colonel M'Leod, congratulated him and all the regiment on their safe return in fitting terms. The mayor expatiated upon the gallantry of the 42nd, and.wasanswerednWith^DMiedike.brevity by Colonel M'lieodr 7Cheers for the 42nd' and for the Queen were 'given, and then the " Black Watch -"-marched off to "theif'bafrScks. IhtHeTSiasToTTlS military festival came' very sad news^ A telegram was received announcing the death of Major Baird, the officer who was erroneously reported some time .ago as decapitated bjsi the Ashautees. The trnth was that he had been badly wounded, and was put aboard the Victor E mmanuel, the 'hospital 'ship. ■ It' was hoped he wa* recovering from 7 hia i ' hhrts ; ' and some ladies, relatives of the gallant officer, were there, thinking;- perhaps; he would come home in thejSanriatiari.Hli''- i-I