Chapter 9

           The"star-spangledbanner"suspendedaboveFortInge,asitfloutsforthfromitstallstaff,flingsitsfitfulshadowoverasceneofstrangeandoriginalinterest.

           Itisapictureofpurefrontierlife—whichperhapsonlythepenciloftheyoungerVernetcouldtruthfullyportray—halfmilitary,halfcivilian—halfsavage,halfcivilised—mottledwithfiguresofmenwhosecomplexions,costumes,andcallings,proclaimthemappertainingtotheextremesofboth,andeverypossiblegradationbetween.

           Eventhemise-en-scène—theFortitself—isofthismiscegenouscharacter.Thatstar-spangledbannerwavesnotoverbastionsandbattlements;itflingsnoshadowovercasemateorcoveredway,fosse,scarpment,orglacis—scarceanythingthatappertainstoafortress.Arudestockade,constructedoutoftrunksofalgarobia,enclosingshed-stablingfortwohundredhorses;outsidethisahalf-scoreofbuildingsoftheplainestarchitecturalstyle—someofthemmerehutsof"wattleanddaub"—jacalés—thebiggestabarrack;behinditthehospital,thestoresofthecommissary,andquartermaster;ononesidetheguardhouse;andontheother,morepretentiouslyplaced,themessroomandofficers’quarters;allplainintheirappearance—plasteredandwhitewashedwiththelimeplentifullyfoundontheLeona—allneatandclean,asbecomesacantonmentoftroopswearingtheuniformofagreatcivilisednation.SuchisFortInge.

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