An officer afforded him the support of his
arm. At his last look towards Hamish, be beheld
him alive and kneeling on the coffin; the few that
were around him had all withdrawn. The fatal
word was given, the rock rung sharp to the sound
of the discharge, and Hamish, falling forward with
a groan, died, it may be supposed, without almost
a sense of the passing agony.
Ten or twelve of his own company then came
forward, and laid with solemn reverence the remains
of their comrade in the coffin, while the
Dead March was again struck up, and the several
companies, marching in single files, passed the
coffin one by one, in order that all might receive
from the awful spectacle the warning which it was
peculiarly intended to afford. The regiment was
then marched off the ground, and reascended the
ancient cliff, their music, as usual on such occasions,
striking lively strains, as if sorrow, or even deep
thought, should as short a while as possible be the
tenant of the soldier's bosom.
At the same time the small party, which we before
mentioned, bore the bier of the ill-fated Hamish
to his humble grave, in a corner of the churchyard
of Dunbarton, usually assigned to criminals.
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