their swords to their scabbards, there was a general unbending amongst the former, and the laugh and the joke and the news went round. "Well, Rantipole, how does the grey carry you? What did you give for him?" "250 dibs" (i.e. Rupees); "wouldn't take 400 for him at this moment." "Isn't he a little puffed in that off fore leg?" said Captain Syphax, drily. "No, not that I know of." "Who was at Mrs. Roundabout's hop last night? they say that old Crosslight, the brigade major, was more than ordinarily attentive to the widow." "Oh! I didn't hear that-by the way, Tom, when does your affair come on ?" "Nonsense! how do I know ?" "Hear him! hear him! hear the Benedict !" 'Rantipole, I'll bet you five gold mohurs," said one of the subs, "that my old Toorkie beats your new purchase once round the course, P. P." "Done! but I don't sport gold mohurs; say five chicks, and it's a bet; or I don't mind if I make it ten."

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Chicks, Tom?" said I, aside; "isn't it rather an odd thing to bet fowls on a horse race? this is another of your Indian customs, I suppose, the reasonableness of which is not apparent at a glance." Tom stamped and laughed at my query, like a madman, to the astonishment of all present. "Here," said he, in a whisper, and pulling me aside, "You great Griff! chicks are sequins, or chequins, abbreviated to chicks ;-not fowls, as you imagine: have you never heard that before?" Never," " said I. "What's the joke, Rattleton, what's the joke?" said the Colonel, good-humouredly; "come, let's have it, and don't keep it all to yourself." "Oh, nothing, sir, nothing particular, sir," said Tom; "nothing, but rather a Griffinish query of my friend Gernon's, which tickled me a little." "I am afraid you are rather too hard upon him," said the Colonel; "remember, Rattleton, I could tell a few stories of Griffins if I chose." Tom felt the rebuke, and had the laugh turned against him.

The colonel addressed me, and, in a very kind and encouraging manner, eulogized the way in which I had acquitted myself on my first appearance in public, adding, "I hope we shall send you to your regiment up the country quite a proficient, and calculated to reflect credit on your instructors in the Zubberdust Bullumteers."

As our worthy commandant was anxious that I should have an insight into the various branches of military duty, the adjutant was desired to make me attend regimental courts martial, invaliding committees, guard mountings, &c., that I might see how these duties were carried on. The first court-martial I attended was a regimental one for the trial of a black drummer for theft. Tom took me to the bungalow of the superintending officer, who is always an European, and whose duty it is to conduct the proceedings which he records, assisted by the regimental interpreter, who is also the quarter-master of the regiment. Shortly after our arrival, the native officers composing the court made their appearance; they were all large, portly men, singular compounds of those moral antipodes, the European and the Asiatic; or, to put the case more strongly, of JACK BULL, and JACK SEPOY. Instead of the black military stock of the English officer, they wore, over white cotton collars, necklaces of gold, formed of massive embossed beads, each almost as large as a small bean or nutmeg; the overalls of the majority had been pulled up over the Dotee, or waistcloth, a Hindoo article of dress, containing almost cloth enough to serve for the envelopement of a mummy. This swathing of the loins, gathered into a bunch behind and before, renders a considerable amplitude of waistband indispensably necessary, and causes, moreover, very often an unseemly protuberance under the jacket flaps on the hinder regions, ornamental no doubt in a dromedary or Hottentot Venus, though any thing but improving

to the appearance of a military man. In spite, however, of these little drawbacks, or, perhaps, I should say humpbacks, there was much in the general appearance of these Indian veterans, which to me, as a novice, and not altogether an unobservant one, was exceedingly striking and interesting, not having yet had an opportunity of observing them so leisurely; to those, however, accustomed to see them daily, these feelings doubtless had long since died away. Two or three were aged men, whose snowy whiskers and moustachios contrasted strikingly with the swarthy hue of their well-chiselled and manly countenances; gold and silver medals hung on their breasts, mementos of past services under a Coote, a Baird, a Harris, a Lake, or some other of the many commanders who have led the brave and faithful sepoy, where'er in this hemisphere Britain has had a cause to maintain, and whose deeds are chronicled in some of the brightest pages of Indian military history. "How is it, Tom," said I, "that the European officers, who have shared in the same dangers, and who have fought in the same fields, exiles from home and kindred, and grilling under your fiery sun here, are not also honoured with medals for remarkable services ?" "Upon my life, Frank, I can't tell you; it is one of those profound mysteries which it does not become unassisted reason to probe too closely, there must be some latent policy in it, though it is far beyond the ken of ordinary mortals. My old native officer, Subadar Davy Persaud, one day, in my presence, asked your friend Captain Marpeet, when lounging at my bungalow, what was the reason of it? 'We are puzzled, Sahib,' said he, 'to make it out; they are either of no value, and given to us, as baubles are to the Baba Logue (children), or else you gentlemen, who led us on, and shared in our dangers and hardships, are very ill treated by the Kumpany Ungruis Bahadour, in not being allowed to share in the distinction, which we should pride much more if our officers did share it."" "That seems like a poser," said I. "It does," replied Tom; " 'tis plausible; but it just shews into what errors mere unassisted reason may lead us." "But what said Marpeet to it? he is a right loyal man, and always sticks up for the 'Honourable John."" "Why," said Tom, "Captain Marpeet, being a bit of a logician, proved syllogistically to old Davy Persaud that all was as it should be, thus: It is well known,' said he, and an established fact, that the Honourable Company are liberal, generous, and considerate masters; that they don't do illiberal, impolitic, and inconsiderate things,-ergo,' and there Mar. peet brought his conclusions to bear in high style, and regularly demolished Davy Persaud's position; ergo, this must be all right, though appearances are the other way.' Your friend, however, confessed to me afterwards, that when at home he should have been glad, could he have sported a bit of ribbon at his button-hole, or something of the sort, just to shew that he had frozen patriotically on. the mountains of Nepaul, and struck a blow for old England at Laswarrie and Putpergunge."

I was much surprised, and not a little amused, to observe that each native officer was accompanied by an attendant, generally some simple-looking Coolie youth, carrying his chair, and odd three-cornered pieces of furniture some of them were. "Tom," said I, sotto voce, "there seems to be no want of chairmen at your meeting; but, seriously, tell me, is it usual for the native officers to carry about their chairs in this sort of way ?" My friend answered that it generally was, and that not only native, but European officers did the like, subal"The possesterns' bungalows not being usually overstocked with furniture. sion of a chair, by the way, and the right to sit in it in the presence of his European officer," added he," are prerogatives on which the subadar or jemadar sets Asiat.Journ.N.S.VOL.37.No.145.

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a high value." "Enlighten my griffinism a little, Tom," said I; "and expound the cause thereof." "Why, the reason," rejoined my friend, " is, I believe, this. No inferior in India ever sits in the presence of a superior, unless squatting on his heels on the ground may be so considered; and you must have perceived that a chair is never offered to a sepoy or non-commissioned native officer, under any circumstance of long detention or the like, which it would perhaps be to Europeans of the same rank in those cases; in fact, if it were, it would be stoutly refused, and the man would think you were bantering him. But when promoted, when he gets his commission, he acquires a status in society, is an 'uppiser' (an officer), one of the sirdar logue, and in some respects on a par with his European superior. He now sports a gold necklace or kanta; and sets up a chair and a tattoo (pony), as indispensable concomitants of his newly acquired rank-riding on the one, and in all probability sitting on the other, for the first time in his life. I have been a good deal amused," continued Tom," to see them sometimes, when seated opposite their houses, or rather huts, in the lines, enjoying their otium cum dignitate in these same chairs, illustrating amusingly enough the invincible force of habit-legs partly doubled up under them, feet slantingly projecting under the arms thereof, instead of depending before, according to the usages of Christendom. Blacky does not readily adopt new habits and European improvements; or if he does, he often mars their object by engrafting on them something of his own." "I dare say," said I, "from what I have seen, that this is true enough." "A gentleman up the country, for example," continued Tom, some time ago, wished to introduce the use of the wheelbarrow into his garden, with other English improvements; when next he went there, he found the coolie, or gardener's assistant, to his astonishment, carrying the wheelbarrow on his head, with a load of gravel. Why, a week ago, I gave my vagabond bawurchee (cook), whom, you know, I sent to the right-about yesterday, a tin flour-dredger, that I might be spared the mortification of having my food unnecessarily manipulated. The very next time I went to the bawurchee khana (cook-house), I caught the villain taking the flour in pinches out of the perforated head of my dredger, as one would take a pinch out of a snuff-box, and sprinkling it over the cutlet; and, as I live, I fished the body out of a pitara, or basket, filled with red pepper and a wooden small-tooth comb, and enveloped in the folds of his greasy turban. Ah! I fear that nature designed natives and jackasses to be managed by the cudgel!" "Why, that is Captain Marpeet's principle to a T," said I. "Sound threshings, according to him, with some races, are meant to answer the purpose of sound reasonings with others; it requires caution, however, in applying that principle. For example, it would be far from safe to try it on some of those big-calved fellows one sees behind the coaches at home, eh, Tom?" "You're right, Frank-you're right; I see the drift of your remark. It does seem unmanly to thrash those who cannot and will not retaliate. But they're confoundedly stupid and provoking; and your crouching spaniel always invites a kick."

By the time we had terminated our "aside," the native officers had saluted, and after some little fuss and rattling of their huge sabres, had settled down into a quiescent state, each man in his own proper chair, and wearing his hat cum privilegio as bravely as my Lord Kinsale himself. The superintending officer, a smart young Light Bob, was in readiness with his recording apparatus-his foolscap, and his pen and ink. The interpreter opened his book, containing the forms of oath to be administered to the assembled Christians, Mahomedans, and Hindoos, all cordially united to administer the common

right of every creed and colour-justice. I cannot help remarking here, how harmoniously your military men, whose trade is war, consort together, in spite of difference of creed, whilst, singular anomaly, guerre à l'outrance is so frequent amongst those who profess a mission of peace. Many, however, will ascribe this to indifference; but, if so, happy are its fruits! The blackbearded Moollah stood by with the Koran, wrapped in many a fold of linen, to guard it from the polluting touch or look of the infidel, whilst the regimental brahmin, his forehead marked with bars of ochre and pigment, indicative of his sanctity, was also in attendance, holding in his hands a brazen vessel, filled with the Gunga ghale, or Ganges water, in which was immersed a sprig of (as I was told) the sacred toolsie. On these two symbols, or foundations of their respective faiths, the Mussulmans and Hindoos are sworn. The superintending officer now directed the prisoner to be brought in, and an orderly sepoy immediately called out Aundo Bridgemaun !” "What does he mean by that?" I inquired. "He means," said Tom, "bring in the prisoner,' bridgemaun being the native way invariably of pronouncing the English word 'prisoner.'

The first native sworn was Rustum Khan, an old Mahomedan subadar. After saluting with deep respect the volume of his faith, he received it from the Moollah on the palms of his hands, holding it thus, with a look of profound veneration, whilst the regimental interpreter recited the form of the oath, which he repeated after him. The Hindoos received the vessel containing the Ganges water in their hands, and were sworn to judge impartially in like manner. The trial now began. The prisoner, a poor little black devil of a drummer, was asked by the interpreter, if he was guilty, or not guilty; to which he replied, “Jo up ka kooshee," as interpreted by Tom, whichever my lord pleases.' This naïve reply made the superintending officer relax his judicial gravity. The interpreter also smiled. The stolid old subabars, however, could perceive nought but stupidity in it, evidently, and one of them angrily said to the prisoner, “ Guddah (ass), say one or the other." Being, with the exception of a few words, wholly ignorant of the language, I could not, of course, follow the examination. The reader may, however, rest assured that he has not, in consequence, lost any information which it would be of much consequence for him to know. The superintending officer and interpreter seemed to have it all their own way, rebuking crude judgments and irrelevant questions, &c. (just as a judge bothers a stupid jury); laying down the law to the subadars and jemadars, who nodded like Chinese mandarins, in deep acquiescence to their superior wisdom, saying “such bheet and bhote khoob." The native officer, before coming into Court, has generally (i.e. in five cases out of six) made up his mind after a long bhat cheet (chat, or discussion, as to the guilt or innocence of the party), touching both the act and its criminality; but is guided in his verdict or decision, nevertheless, pretty much by what the European officers may say to him: his own peculiar notions of justice and good evidence are, perhaps, clear enough; but, confused by European refinements, the sublimity of which his untutored mind cannot reach, he yields himself passively to be guided by the dicta of the Sahib Logue. Upon the whole, when the Court was cleared, and Tom and I repaired to his bungalow, I felt that I had added something to my little stock of experience, in having witnessed this mode of administering justice in a sepoy corps.

The next thing of the kind I attended was an invaliding committee, a body assembled periodically for the purpose of examining those soldiers whose age or infirmities rendered them unfit for further active service. We observed the

maimed, the halt, and the blind, assembled outside the bungalow where the committee was sitting, and, on entering and taking our seats, we found the principal surgeon questioning an old grenadier, who Tom informed me was unwilling to go to the invalids, and striving to convince the doctor that good service might yet be had out of his battered tenement. Tom informed me that two classes, widely differing in their respective objects, usually appear before these committees, viz. those who wish to stay, and those who wish to go. The one, loth to relinquish full pay and the prospect of promotion, though perhaps toothless, stiff in the joints, and wholly unfit for active service; the other, in whining tones, exaggerating his infirmities, and representing himself as a martyr to all the ills that flesh is heir to. It is, of course, the surgeon's business to examine into their state of health and disease, or their fitness or unfitness for service, and to be guided as little as possible by the interested representations of either. The system of granting pensions to old and worn-out veterans is an admirable one; it binds the native soldier to us more strongly than any thing else, and is one of the firmest foundations of our power in India. Frequently, at a more advanced period of my Indian career, have I had occasion to observe its admirable workings. I have listened to the old veteran, in his native village, with pleasure, surrounded by his children and children's children, as he has recounted his deeds, shewed his medals and his scars, and spoken with, I believe, sincerely grateful feelings of the generosity of the "Kumpany."

NORTHERN AUSTRALIA.

A correspondent has favoured us with the following narrative of a passage from Sydney to Port Essington, north coast of New Holland, through Torres Straits :

“The Britomart, brig-of-war, in convoy of the Morley, Capt. Evans, and Sesostris, Capt. Row, sailed from Sydney on the 4th May, experiencing more bad weather than is usual at this period of the year. At the Bird Islands, they fell in with the ships Duillus and Samuel Winter, which, in proceeding by the outer passage, had wellnigh gone on the barrier reef, being saved by a glimpse of moonlight, which enabled them to see the hull and bowsprit of a wreck, supposed the Fergusson. These ships imagined themselves fully fifteen miles from the reef. The captain of the Fergusson was very positive as to the superiority of the outer passage, but it must now be apparent that the inner is the safer one, if not so quick-at all events, until the outer reefs shall be more correctly surveyed. So palpable to the eye are the dangers of this passage, that any soldier, even, if taught to march upon a point,' might, with King's chart before him, and his 'instructions' at hand, almost take a ship through. What a pity it is that Capt. King did not margin his charts with the outlines of a few of the leading points and headlands! one sketch is worth a dozen descriptions, close and correct as his for the most part are. Two things seem pretty plain-that a merchant ship should allow of no unnecessary delay in the passage, and that not more than two should proceed together. In clear weather, under easy sail and with a good look-out, there seems nothing to prevent a ship from getting on to Cape Cleveland or Brooke's Island before anchoring. The latter is better than Goold Island, in the course towards which is a reef, where the brig had 3 fathoms on one side and 10 on the other. This reef is, however, very limited in extent, as shewn by Capt. Stanley being unable to find it again, although he employed half a day in the search. The following is a brief summary of the passage: