the then existing regulations (viz., that no officer could draw his Indian allowances until he had reported himself in his own Presidency) myself and friend (an officer in the 6th Bengal Cavalry, since dead) determined at once to march from Bombay to Mhow, (a distance of four hundred miles) in the month of June. After having made every arrangement, we started and roughed it amazingly, via Baroach and Baroda. This march gave me an introduction to the Bombay officers. Better men never lived; their hospitality was unbounded, and there was the greatest difficulty in getting away from them. Our side of India call them "ducks ;" why they are so called seems not to have been quite settled one version is, their fondness for the Bummelow fish, salted and dried, called duck. Another, and current in the Presidency, is, that during our Pindaree and Maharatta campaigns the Bombay troops kept the field in their tents (not the best in India), and used to visit their guards and make their reports on charpoys (or rude India couches)

floated on pots-a common practice among natives during a very high overflow of the rivers in the rains. Be this as it Be this as it may, take the Bombay officers as a body, they are a right good set of men, rough and ready, and hospitable in the extreme. As to their fighting qualities, the Deccan, Ghuznee, and Khelat, the Persian Gulf, and Mooltan, have borne ample testimony that the Duck is a very rough customer.

I arrived at Mhow, the only station in the Bombay Presidency in which Bengal troops were then serving. The force consisted only of a troop of horse artillery under then Captain, now Lieutenant-Colonel Lawrenson, with Captains Edward Christie and Apperly, both since dead: the former killed in the retreat from Chillianwallah, where he had a troop, and the latter a victim to fever. On arriving at Mhow I took up my quarters with poor Christie, and of course called upon the General commanding there, Major-General Brooks, well known as one of the best officers in the Bombay army. I received the greatest attention from the General;

it made the deeper impression by reason of the difference of our respective ranks. The setting in of the rains prevented my proceeding at once to join my regiment in Bengal; I was therefore compelled to remain at Mhow. Our affairs in Scinde were at this time anything but satisfactory. The political and military authorities. were at issue. The Murrees, a tribe of hill Scindians, had given us an awful lesson at Nafoosk, in the destruction of the detachment under Major Clibborn; Lieutenant (late Major) Lewis Brown, the bravest of the brave, held Khahun besieged by hordes; in fact, all the Scinde hills and plains were rising, and as recent events under Sir Charles Napier have proved, at the instigation of the treacherous Ameers-Meer Roostam being the greatest fool (seventy-nine years old), was also proved to be a great knave; whilst Ali Moorad, the knave, was allowed to turn Queen's evidence, and obtain what he had for years been seeking-the destruction of the Khyrpoor dynasty and possession of the Ghuddee or throne.

It became necessary, in consequence of the disturbed state of Lower Scinde to despatch a force to the frontier; and as the rank and position of Major-General Brooks pointed him out as a fit person for the command, he received instructions from the government accordingly. As a Bengal officer I had no desire to share in this expedition, but the General having done me the honour to conceive a favourable opinion of my personal activity, he further marked his sense of that quality by appointing me his aidede-camp. To this accident I am indebted for my share in the events I am about to describe.

The route from Mhow to Scinde, dictated by ordinary convenience and a regard to speed, was rather roundabout, because of apparent topographical difficulties. A dawk (or palanquin post) journey to Bombay, and thence by steam up a portion of the Indus, was the most obvious course; and by this route Major-General Brooks proceeded to join his command in Scinde. But it was impossible for me to take the same route, by reason of the expense and

the deadly character of the jungle which intervened, and which made it a matter of serious difficulty to procure more than one set of bearers at a time. No other way then presented itself but to march across the great Beccaneer Desert to Sukkur, and an order was accordingly issued by the General directing me to join him with all possible speed.

Determined to obey the order, although the route had never been attempted before, I sold off my marching establishment at a frightful loss, and procured five riding camels of questionable power, and started at once, via Indore, to Neemuch. I here got the doubtful camels changed, and at once faced the great Indian Desert-a distance, going as straight as I could, of six hundred and eighty miles. At Indore I stayed a few days with the then hospitable Resident, Sir C. M. Wade. At Neemuch, a British military station, I remained to get everything ready. Several friends in the 4th Bengal Lancers then stationed at Neemuch, assured me I had a very pleasant grind before