Those, however, belonging to Natolia are subject to the bey or sangiah, who superintends the distribution of their subsistence, &c. in the same manner that he does that of the cavalry which is attached to his department.
The only weapon they carry is a hatchet; but the neighboring villages or the public magazines belonging to the artillery, are obliged to supply them with pickaxes and other tools that may be wanted in their profession. They are strictly forbidden the use of a sabre or fusil.
Whenever the Turkish army is on its march, the musellims are obliged to go forward every preceding day, in order to prepare the way for its progress.
During a siege they are frequently attached to the garrison guns, which they work in the best manner they can; and when a town is besieged by the Turks, the musellims are employed in the trenches, from which duty they derive considerable profit; so much so, that the Janizaries are extremely jealous of them on these occasions. They are, in a word, the most formidable body of infantry which the Turks possess; for the groundwork of every species of attack or defence, and the management of all warlike machines rest upon their exertions.
The INFERNAL. Strada gives a very curious and interesting account of this machine, in his history of the Belgic war.
The infernal was tried by the English at Dunkirk and St. Maloes, and by the Dutch and English under king William. It is likewise mentioned by Grose in his history of the English army.
The only time during the present war at which its dreadful powers have been attempted, was in the month of December, 1800, when a conspiracy was formed and emissaries under the direction of one Jackson, sent from London to destroy Bonaparte. It failed as to its immediate objects, but proved by its collateral effects, that the invention is as destructive as the most sanguine destroyer of the human race could wish.
To INFEST, infester, Fr. This word is more strictly applicable to places than to things.
To Infest a place (infester un lieu) signifies to frequent any particular spot for the evident purpose of doing damage, to create uneasiness and to commit depredations. Thus free-booters or thieves are said to infest places.
INFINIMENT PETIT, Fr. Infinitely small. Modern calculators call, by this name, every thing which is so exiguous that it cannot be compared to any other quantity, or which is smaller than any other assignable quantity. The new calculation which has been adopted among geometricians respecting quantities that are infinitely small; is called the calculation of infinitesimals.