1829.] Twelve Years’ Military Adventure. 161 
This is followed by another story, of a man who used to beat his 
maty-boy, and who, in order to indulge himself at his leisure in this 
very noble recreation, called him into a bungalow at the bottom of his 
garden, when, having locked the door, he told the boy that nobody was 
within hearing, and that he was determined to rub off a long score of 
punishment which his disobedience had contracted. “ Master, sure 
nobody near?” asked the Indian. “ Yes, yes, I’ve taken good care of 
that.” « Then I give master one good beating,” replied the boy ; and, 
being the stronger of the two, he was as good as his word, after which 
he ran away for ever. The story is a good one; and though neither 
new, nor Indian, it may be said of it—se non é vero, é ben trovato. 
Poor Captain Grose, son of the antiquary, and who was killed at 
Seringapatam, had left a reputation for wit and love of fun, which was 
still fresh when our author was in India. The airs which the staff- 
officers of the army then were in the habit of giving themselves, and 
which are said to have been equally offensive and ridiculous, provoked 
a whimsical retort from him. 
** Having had occasion to make some communication to head-quarters, he 
was received much in the usual manner by one of the under-strappers, who 
told him that no verbal communications could be received, but that what he 
had to say must be sent through the medium of an official letter. He hap- 
pened, some days afterwards, to have a party dining with him, and among 
others were a few members of the staff. In the midst of dinner a jack-ass 
came running among the tent-ropes, exerting his vocal organs in a manner by 
no means pleasing to the company. Grose immediately rose, and thus 
addressed the intruder : 
“< T presume, Sir, you come from head-quarters. I receive no verbal com- 
munications whatever, Sir. If you have any thing to say to me, Sir, I beg 
you will commit it to paper.’ The will- which Captain Grose made the night 
before the storming of Setingapatam, under a presentiment of his fate, was 
quite in character. It began with the apostrophe of “ O my nose!” and 
among other bequests contained the present of a wooden sword to an officer 
of rank to whom he bore no good will, and who was supposed not to be 
endowed with any superfluous quantity of personal valour.” 
At Hurryhur, that detachment of the army which the author accom- 
panied was joined by that under the command of the Duke of Welling- 
ton, then Major-General Wellesley. This occurred soon after an event 
which has been frequently alluded to by the enemies of that distin- 
guished personage, and which, as it has been almost always misrepre- 
sented, ought to be set in its true light. The author had the details of 
the circumstance from Colonel M‘Kenzie, who accompanied the duke 
on that occasion ; and his explanation is, in every respect, satisfactory. 
That it was felt. at the time, that no imputation could rest upon Colonel 
Wellesley, is quite clear ; because, if there had been the slightest foun- 
dation for such a charge as has been brought against him respecting this 
affair, his military reputation must have been (and not undeservedly) 
destroyed. His subsequent career is a sufficient reply to the malignant 
whisperers who have ventured to attack him ; but, as that reputation has 
, in some degree, a matter of national interest, we are not sorry 
to see the particulars made public, on such authority as Colonel M‘Ken- 
zie’s :— , 
“Shortly after the investment of Seringapatam, Colonel Wellesley, who 
commanded what was called the Nizam’s detachment, was ordered to dis- 
lodge the enemy from the ground intended as the scene of our operations 
M.M. New Series.—Vou. VII. No. 38. 
