BEITISII SOLDIERS. 329 



between both cities — that is the presence of a regi- 

 ment of British infantry; a provision that Great 

 Britain never neglects in any of Jier colonies, govern- 

 ing her subjects by appealing to their fears of the 

 bayonet, wielded by a hireling and remorseless 

 soldier}'. This regiment is about leaving its station 

 here for the seat of war in India. I conversed freely 

 with several of its members, and although they dis- 

 played no symptoms of fear at the prospect of being 

 engaged with an enemy, still there was a total lack 

 of enthusiasm or patriotism. From the atrocities so 

 glaringly held before the public by the English jour- 

 nals, as committed b}' the Sikhs on British residents 

 in India, I had expected to find an eagerness on the 

 part of the gentlemen with the red coats, to avenge 

 their countrymen and countrywomen so barbarously 

 maltreated; but so wags the world, one half caring 

 not or feeling not for the miseries or misfortunes of 

 the other half. 



Now I shall change the subject from a considera- 

 tion of the biped portion of the population to an 

 analysis of the condition and quality of the quad- 

 rupeds. On account of the trouble and expense 

 attending the procreation of the horse, he is here 

 quite a dignified animal, and is only used by the 

 aristocratic portion of the population for the lightest 

 draughting. His high price, too, ensures his careful 

 treatment ; and all who can afibrd to keep a carriage, 

 whose business requires its use all day, change the 

 animal and put a fresh one in the traces at noon. 

 The reason why the horse commands so high a price 

 here is, that the Government interdicts the introduc- 

 tion of mares into the island ; whether the climate is 

 28* 



