ARRIVAL AT HOME.

337

that I did not like it at all, having no wish to leave the corps with which I had served in many eventful scenes. No sooner did my letter arrive, than she forwarded it to the Horse Guards, and the Commander in Chief, on the circumstances being explained to him, was kind enough to cancel the appointment, leaving me in my old place.

338

REMARKS ON INDIA.

CHAPTER XIII.

SUPPLEMENTARY.

Remarks on India-The Indian army-Native regimentsSingular feat-Lieutenant Mayne-Horse artilleryCaptain Abbot's troop-Foot artillery-Costume and pay-Penurious system-The Sepoys-Local CorpsOfficer's pensions-Pay of officers-A subaltern's expenses-"Boat allowance"-Troops in the PresidenciesAnglo-Indian Army-The Seiks-The Zemindars-Affairs of the Punjab-Hopes for the future.

A FEW years ago, little curiosity existed among the generality of people in England, respecting the affairs of the Indian empire, unless they happened to be connected in business with traders there, Even when families had members of their own blood in the service of the East India Company, they hardly knew what situations they filled,

THE INDIAN ARMY.

339

or what duties they performed, but supposed that their chief employments in India were riding in a palanquin, eating curry, and smoking a hookah.

Since my return to England, I have met with many people who have been most anxious to gain information as to the resources and military powers of the British in India, and I have, therefore, given a sketch of the different branches of the AngloIndian army, describing their various customs and avocations, their mode of living, their pay, and other particulars. I have done this in the form of a supplement, that those of my readers who care not for such things, may have a fair excuse for leaving unread that which does not interest them.

The European portion of the Company's army is composed of horse artillery, foot artillery, and infantry. Of these corps, those of the horse artillery consist of the finest-looking men. To account for this, I have heard that the first pick of the recruits who are sent out on the Company's establishment falls to the share of this branch of the service. The foot artillery have the next choice, and the regiments of infantry the last. In Bengal, there are nine troops of horse artillery, five battalions of foot artillery of five companies each; one corps

340

NATIVE REGIMENTS.

of engineers, two regiments of infantry, and one of sappers and miners, which compose the whole of the European force in the service of the Company in that presidency. There are, in addition to the Europeans, four troops of Native horse artillery and two battalions of Native foot artillery, of ten companies each.

The bulk of the force is composed of natives. Of these there are eleven regiments of regular cavalry, seventy-four regiments of infantry of the line, with eight corps of irregular horse, and various contingents and local corps. The regiments of regular cavalry are very fine looking men, and well mounted; but I do not think them equal to the irregulars. The regular troops are armed like our dragoons, and have saddles and bridles of the English pattern which, I think, renders them much less effective than they would be if they were furnished with their own national weapons, (in which they have more confidence) and if they had their horses caparisoned in the Hindostanee manner. The irregular cavalry are all mounted and armed in the native fashion, and some of the feats which these wild riders perform are very extraordinary.

They will gallop on horse-back, at full speed,

past a bottle placed on the ground at a considerable distance from them, and then throwing the reins on their chargers' neck, will turn round and fire their long matchlocks at the bottle, and often break it with a single ball. Another singular feat which they are in the habit of performing, is to take up a tent peg, driven deep into the earth, on the point of a spear. The horseman at a given signal, lays his spear in rest, charges in full career at the tent peg; and, burying the point in the wood, it is seldom that he will fail to get it out of the ground, and take it away upon his lance. They can throw themselves under their horses' bellies, or hang down on one side by the mane, and perform a great variety of feats of the same kind, while their steeds are going at full speed. Many of them galloping past a brass lotah,* will throw themselves out of their saddles; and, hanging by one hand on their horse's neck, with a single stroke of their tulwart in the

* Vessels which are used by the natives when drinking

water.

↑ A native sword. Those weapons used by the irregulars are generally of exquisite temper, and are highly valued by them, having perhaps been in their families for several generations.