three o'clock in the afternoon
We were soon settled in barracks ; and then began a series of entertainments on the side of the civic dignities of Cork , which soon led most of us to believe that we had only escaped shot and shell to fall less gloriously beneath champagne and claret . I do not believe there is a coroner in the island who would have pronounced but the one verdict over the regiment -- `` Killed by the mayor and corporation , '' had we so fallen . First of all , we were dined by the citizens of Cork -- and , to do them justice , a harder drinking set of gentlemen no city need boast ; then we were feasted by the corporation ; then by the sheriffs ; then came the mayor , solus ; then an address , with a cold collation , that left eight of us on the sick-list for a fortnight ; but the climax of all was a grand entertainment given in the mansion-house , and to which upwards of two thousand were invited . It was a species of fancy ball , beginning by a dejeune at three o'clock in the afternoon , and ending -- I never yet met the man who could tell when it ended ; as for myself , my finale partook a little of the adventurous , and I may as well relate it . After waltzing for about an hour with one of the prettiest girls I ever set eyes upon , and getting a tender squeeze of the hand , as I restored her to a most affable-looking old lady in a blue turban and a red velvet gown who smiled most benignly on me , and called me `` Meejor , '' I retired to recruit for a new attack , to a small table , where three of ours were quaffing `` ponche a la Romaine , '' with a crowd of Corkagians about them , eagerly inquiring after some heroes of their own city , whose deeds of arms they were surprised did not obtain special mention from `` the Duke . '' I soon ingratiated myself into this well-occupied clique , and dosed them with glory to their hearts ' content . I resolved at once to enter into their humour ; and as the `` ponche '' mounted up to my brain I gradually found my acquaintanceship extend to every family and connexion in the country .