Fit as Fiddles and as Hard as Nails

At 10.30 p.m. the battalion fell in on parade north of the camp and we marched quietly to the two paddle-steamers awaiting at the jetty. Embarking by the aid of a brilliant moon, all were aboard by 11 p.m., much earlier than we had anticipated. Each paddle steamer carried 300 men; we were packed tight on the double decks.
Half dozing we waited till 2.30 a.m., when we cast off from the shore, swung round with the current and moved silently down the stream. The other steamer followed; the gunboat took up the rear. The moon had long since sunk below the horizon, but the stars, shining with tropical brilliancy, illuminated the sky so that we could easily distinguish the banks of the river, and discern the vessels steaming /