The new regiments of cavalry, which appeared to have been equipped or raised since our last rencontre at Ferozepore, were a brigade of lancers, (a laughable caricature of the British regiment, which they were intended to resemble,) two corps of cuirassiers, and some mail-clad irregulars; the latter uncommonly fine, rough-and-ready looking fellows—light troops which, well-handled, would cause much inconvenience at outpost or guerilla-service, unless their appearance belied them. I was told by an officer of an ingenious device which he saw practised by the Sikh infantry. When wheeling into a parade-line, a string had been laid on the ground, which was invisible to a looker-on at a short distance, and when the word of command was given, each regiment wheeled up to this mark, and thus formed a pretty correct line without any trouble in dressing or posting markers. The evening closed in so soon at this season, that we had little time afforded us to observe their progress in manœuvring, as the extensive line toiled through the manœuvre of changing front, whilst the artillery enveloped the whole scene in dust and smoke. The Sikh artillery is, however, beyond a doubt, the most effective branch of their service, working with great rapidity, and firing with almost as much precision and regularity as the British, who have been their model.
During the progress of this review, three or four officers, having left their horses in charge of some Sikh soldiers, mounted the elephants which had been sent by the Sikh sirdars as calculated to give a better view of the field than could be obtained on horseback. The review being over, these officers, returning to the spot where their horses had been left, found, to their dismay, that chargers, horse-trappings, and Sikhs had vanished. Search amongst such a host of men and beasts, in the dusk of evening, presented very small chance of success; so, endeavouring to reconcile their minds to the severity of fate, they returned to camp. A complaint of the loss was immediately forwarded by the British political agent to the Sikh authorities, who promised that the horses should be recovered or their owners indemnified. During our halt at Ferozepore, a few days afterwards, the horses were restored to their owners, mainly owing, it is supposed, to the enormous value attached by one of the officers to an animal of decidedly unprepossessing appearance, whose unaccountable value and good qualities were possibly known only to his master. The Sikh thieves had been palpably ignorant of the value of their prize; for this extraordinary charger, (though always belonging to the lean kind,) had now been suffered to dwindle away until he became a close resemblance of an engraving which I remember having seen, a few years ago, in the London engravers' windows, entitled, "The Nightmare." The facetious quadruped is represented with its head tied to a knocker, and grinning in the face of the alarmed house-owner, who appears at the door dressed in his night costume, with a rush-light in his hand and a blunderbuss under his arm.
Several more petty thefts were committed on our camp whilst in the vicinity of the Sikh army; and in some instances the dexterity of the thieves was not inferior to that of the many renowned practitioners throughout Hindostan.
Four days march from the Sikh camp brought us once more to the banks of the Sutlej, which we crossed in boats, re-entering the provinces at the point from which the army had started on this long and wearisome tour. Ferozepore, which we had left a mean native town, was now embellished with extensive, white-washed bazaars; and a neat little fort in the centre of the town was occupying the attention of our engineers. The ground, which had been covered by the canvas-abodes of a portion of the army at the close of the year 1838, was now, in January, 1840, the site of a large cantonment, which had risen, as if by magic, within the space of fourteen months, and was then tenanted by three regiments of native infantry and some artillery.[68]
From hence, we shortly afterwards dispersed in different directions, to occupy our allotted quarters. We marched through Khytul and Kurnal, to occupy our former quarters at Merut, which we had no sooner reached, than the excitement of the campaign being over, the sufferings and privations which all had undergone began to tell severely upon their health, and many a gallant fellow was committed to his last resting-place in the sombre burial-ground of Merut.
FOOTNOTES:
[59] Punjaub means, literally, five rivers.
[60] "Mad as a hatter," is a favourite term of comparison.
[61] The chiefs take care to provide for this. Colonel Ford, a British officer in Runjeet's service, had three villages given him for pay, out of which he was allowed to make the most. This was the usual practice; but the people are now growing stronger.
[62] The disposition of Eastern states, like the character of froward children, may be tested by these trifling humours in their behaviour.