A pair of pistols may be considered a most necessary part of an officer's outfit. They should not be too long and heavy. Barrels about six inches in length, and twenty to twenty-four bore, I should recommend as the best size. They should also be furnished with spring-hooks at the side to fit on a belt, and the triggers should be made to pull exceedingly light, or they never can be used with accuracy. A general fault with pistols is their being made so excessively stiff in this respect that it is impossible to keep the sight on the object when firing. They ought to be purchased of some eminent gun-maker, on whose respectability dependance may be placed.

Nothing of this kind should ever be selected from the stock of Birmingham rubbish with which outfitters are in the habit of tempting young and inexperienced persons going out. They are generally got up in a very showy manner, in smart cases, often with German silver furniture, in order to catch the eye. Avoid them -they are often unsafe, and never to be depended If the outfitters can make them go off their hands, they do not care if they never go off afterwards; and certainly in many cases it would be desirable if they did not, they being more likely to injure the persons firing them, than any one else.

on.

As every military man should know something

of the manufacture of fire-arms, I should advise those who desire information on the subject, to purchase "Greener on Gunnery." Mr. Greener I believe is a gun-maker at Newcastle, and evidently a most scientific and superior man. I was greatly gratified by the perusal of his book. It affords abundance of most important information, and will enable any man carefully reading it, to defend himself from the chance of being taken in by any of the many thousand unsafe and rascally-made guns and pistols (often bearing the names of our best makers) which are weekly turned out at Birmingham, and not only distributed over all the kingdom, but shipped out to the colonies, where of course a reference to the person whose name they bear is out of the question. Many, for want of ability to detect the imposition, have purchased them and lost their hands, or been otherwise seriously injured by using such vile imitations. Strange that people, for the sake of a little gain should, with a total disregard of the fatal consequences to their fellowcreatures, continue to manufacture and proffer for sale these regular man-traps.

A short period disgusted me with Chatham garrison. There was no way of killing time, but strolling down the town, and then strolling back again, or playing at billiards from morning till

night. Nothing in the way of getting up a flirtation with a pretty girl at the pastry-cook's, or any other little amusement of the kind was known of. These young misses who are generally so susceptible in country towns, were here so accustomed to see soldiers at every turn, that they absolutely thought nothing of them: a fact decidedly any thing but gratifying to the vanity of the young ensigns, who had persuaded themselves that they were not to be looked upon with impunity, whereas they were reluctantly compelled to admit that the belles of Chatham had seen, and not fallen in love at once, or in fact ever dreamed of such a thing. Even the servant maids did not cast a second look when the irresistibles passed the door steps they were scrubbing.

18

AUTHOR EMBARKS

CHAPTER II.

Author embarks for India-Shipmasters on shore different persons from shipmasters at sea-Reflections on leaving home-Story of a shark-The flying Dutchman-Catching turtle in a calm-First sight of India-Pilot comes on board-Anecdote of a tiger-Shooting at Diamond Harbour-Arrival at Calcutta-Indian servants-Indian cities-The beggars - Fakirs—Marriage processions Hospitality of the European residents of Calcutta.

.

THREE other young men who had been appointed to my regiment determined with me to cut the dull life which we spent at Chatham, and to go out to India at once. We accordingly applied for leave to find our passage out to join the regiment, thus making a pleasant party together. This was granted, and we came to terms with the master of a ship of 800 tons burthen, then lying in the West India Docks. After some bargaining, we each obtained a separate cabin for the government

allowance, and in the month of October, 1836, embarked at Gravesend, nothing doubting but that we were going to the finest country in the world, and that we should find the master the same liberal, off-handed, and good-natured fellow he appeared on shore. In fact, we considered ourselves especially lucky in finding such a man, whose sole pleasure, he informed us, consisted in trying to make his passengers happy and comfortable in his ship, and to enliven the tedious monotony of the voyage by every means in his power. They were his friends, his guests; of course, he could not afford to take them quite gratis, but he made nothing by them-not he; no, the pleasure of having friends around him at sea amply repaid him for any pecuniary loss.

No sooner did the Captain come on board than the anchor was hove up, and we proceeded to Portsmouth, where the remainder of the passengers were to embark.

The night they came on board we had a severe gale of wind, and were obliged to put back to Ramsgate. The first part of our voyage was thus rendered very unpleasant. Most of the passengers were very ill, and I almost regretted the exemption from sickness which I enjoyed. Few of the others could leave their cabins, and the dinner and breakfast tables were deserted and unsocial. If I