MacDermott had the honor of carrying the King's colours of his regiment, and the additional satisfaction of being present at the surrender by the garrison of Fort Bourbon, Martinique. In 1810, as war with America was imminent, Mr. MacDermott accompanied his regiment to Quebec, and saw no inconsiderable service in that quarter, being severely wounded, but almost miraculously preserved from death. During the campaign the total loss in his regiment alone was 45 officers and over 900 men. He returned to England in 1815, when his regiment relieved the Coldstream Guards at Windsor, and he remained there for two years, when he embarked at Fortsmouth for Malta. During a tour which he made in his leave of absence from the regiment he visited France, Switzerland, and Italy, seeing all places of interest in those countries "famed in song and story," including Mount Vesuvius and the ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii. Mr. MacDermott thus records his impressions of Mount Vesuvius in 1819, at a period when it was very active:—"From the hermitage, half-way up the mountain, the ascent is very rough, over sharp-pointed heated lava; a stream of which, six feet wide, and four miles long was then flowing, falling over a cliff, and filling a valley beyond. Seen in the dark it was of bright red colour, but in daylight was dull and dark. The crater was nearly a mile in diameter, and threw up large stones and ashes to a great height, accompanied by a fearfully roaring noise. The travellers were enabled to look down towards the bottom of the crater, but from the confusion of flames, gases, and smoke no correct idea cotdd be formed of its depth. … The ascent of the Mount occupies several hours, but the descent on this side is effected with great rapidity. The travellers agreed to attempt it. You step with one foot on deep fine ashes, which slide down with you twenty or thirty feet; you then put down the other foot, sliding down in like manner, and so on alternately until you reach the bottom. The danger consists in overbalancing
