by a sort of shuffling step, twisting their hands about so as to keep time with the music, and sometimes covering their faces with their veils, and ever and anon throwing them open again. I believe the one who screams loudest is accounted the best singer by the natives, who are passionately fond of the nautch, while to Europeans it is insufferably tiresome. When one set have gone on in this way for about a quarter of an hour, and screamed themselves out of breath, they are relieved by fresh hands in better wind, who again enact the same game with little variety of entertainment.

The nautch girls are generally splendidly dressed, in bright coloured satins, and gauzes, and are profusely ornamented with gold and precious stones. Some of them have small golden bells attached to their ancles and toes.

After about two hours of this nautching, the company were informed that a variety of fireworks, which had been prepared for their amusement, were about to be let off. Most native entertainments end in a display of this kind, and the natives excel in pyrotechny. We all went into the meidan to witness this exhibition which was well worth seeing, although decidedly much inferior to what I have seen when a boy at Vauxhall Gardens.

ICE ESTABLISHMENT.

121

At Agra, there was an establishment for collecting a stock of ice in the cold weather, sufficient to last for the three hottest months succeeding it. The means by which it was obtained were rather singular. A number of square pits were dug about three feet deep: these were nearly filled with a thick layer of straw, and upon this were placed a number of small flat earthern saucers. Into each of these was poured a little water every night, and in the morning, before break of day, there was generally a thin sheet of ice formed in each saucer. This was collected by a number of coolies* employed for the purpose, and placed in the ice-house, which was a pit excavated to some depth below the surface with a mud wall raised round the mouth, and thatched

over.

The coolies lived in villages adjoining, and were assembled every morning by the beat of a large drum at the ice-house. This infernal drum used to wake me every day in the cold weather, about two hours before the bugle was sounded for morning parade; and, much as I liked the ice, I certainly often wished the drum somewhere else. The expense of making the ice was defrayed by a subscription, each contributor to which

Native labourers.

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ICE ESTABLISHMENT.

sent his servant every night in the hot weather for a certain quantity. This, when delivered, was closely enveloped by the cooly in a couple of thick blankets, and immediately on arriving at home with his load, it was popped into a basket thickly padded all over with wool and closely covered. By this means the ice was prevented from melting for eight or nine hours, and any bottles of water, beer, or wine shut up with it were delightfully cooled.

No one who has not been in the East can imagine how great a luxury it is, in so hot a climate, to be able to get a glass of cool water. For six months in the year, it cannot be obtained otherwise than in a tepid state, unless cooled by artificial means.

RUMOURS OF WAR.

123.

CHAPTER VI.

Rumours of war-Departure from Agra-Arrival at Meerut-March towards Affghanistan-Women of the 44thThe Begum Sumroo-Manufacture of shawls at Loodianah-Camels-Cross the Sutledge-The Punjab-Loss of baggage-The irregular horse-Forced. marchesThe Seiks-Crossing rivers-Cheyt Sing-Burial of the dead, &c.

An

ABOUT this period we used to hear rumours, from time to time, that things were not going on in Affghanistan quite as well as could be wished. At the latter end of 1841 accounts were received that the inhabitants had risen en masse, and beaten our troops on more than one occasion. order suddenly arrived in January 1842 for the regiment to proceed to Meerut, which was hailed by every one as a prelude to a march upon Cabul. On arrival at Meerut, however, we were ordered to dismiss our baggage animals and go into barracks. In a day or two, one hundred men and three subalterns of the corps under the command of

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MARCH TO SAHARUNPORE.

Captain B- were ordered to proceed forthwith to the fort of Saharunpore as a guard over Dost Mahomed, the ex-King of Cabul, who was confined there. This was not likely to be a very pleasant duty, as the strictest vigilance was required, and we were given to understand that one subaltern would always be on duty, day and night, to keep an eye on the Dost's motions.

I was one of those named for this service; and four or five days after our arrival at Meerut, our detachment proceeded on the march to Saharunpore. On the march I found that an assistant surgeon of the Company's service, who had been appointed to take the medical charge of the detachment, was an old school-fellow. We agreed that after we had reached our encampment, and breakfasted, we would go out shooting, and have a talk of old times, should we find no game. Accordingly we did so, and had wandered five or six miles from the camp when we were overtaken by a messenger, who had been sent after us with the intelligence that an express had arrived in camp,

"Bloody with spurring, fiery red with haste,"

bringing orders for us instantly to return, and that the men were striking the tents, and getting ready for the retrograde march, as quickly as possible, We