24 MAJOR W. HODSON. 



trunks, and brass basin for washing. I will get 

 a sketch of the camp to send you. 



"Nov. 18. — This nomad life is agreeable in many- 

 respects, and very healthy, and one sees a great 

 deal of the country ; but it destroys time rather, 

 as the march is not over generally till half-past 

 nine or ten, and then breakfast, a most eagerly de- 

 sired composition, and dressing afterwards, do not 

 leave much of the day before the cool evening 

 comes for exercise, or sight-seeing and dining, and 

 by nine most of us are in bed or near it." 



By December 2 the Governor-General had pitched 

 his camp near Umbala, where a large portion of 

 Gough's army was already mustering for its march 

 towards the frontier : Hodson got leave to ride on 

 and see the troops assemble to greet the Governor- 

 General. " I never saw," he wrote, " so splendid 

 a sight : 12,000 of the finest troops were drawn 

 up in one line, and as I rode slowly along the 

 whole front, I had an excellent opportunity of 

 examining the varied materials of an Indian army. 

 First were the English Horse Artillery, then the 

 dashing dragoons of the 3rd Queen's, most splen- 

 didly mounted and appointed ; then came the stern 

 determined - looking British footmen side by side 

 with their tall and swarthy brethren from the 

 Ganges and Jumna — the Hindoo, the Mussulman, 

 and the white man, all obeying the same word 

 and acknowledging the same common tie ; next to 

 these a large brigade of guns, with a mixture of 

 all colours and creeds ; then more regiments of 

 foot, the whole closed up by the regiments of 

 native cavalry ; the quiet - looking and English- 

 dressed Hindoo troopers strangely contrasted with 



