A few only of the officers had tents; for these, as well as all other necessaries of war, were wanting; and the troops who had, for some little time, been in camp there, had raised all sorts of shelter from the weather.

Some had constructed little huts of turf, thatched with straw or rushes; others had erected little tents, some of sailcloth obtained from the shipping, others of blankets, coarse linen cloaks, or any other articles on which they could lay hands.
All were in high spirits at the prospect of the termination of the monotony of continued drill, and of the commencement of active campaigning.

Huge fires blazed everywhere, and the country, for some distance round, had been completely stripped of its wood.
Everywhere was life and bustle.

Men were cleaning their arms, preparatory to the march of next day.

Others were cooking at the fires.