292 BRITISH INDIAN GOVERNMENT. 



submission. Its composition is perhaps more remarkable 

 than that of any army ever levied. India is subjected to a 

 foreign yoke by her own troops, paid with her own money. 

 It might at first appear that a conquering state could not, 

 without the utmost peril, rely on such means Yet the 

 conduct of the sepoys or name troops, under British com- 

 manders, has entirely removed all such apprehension ; 

 having been employed more than half a century in extend- 

 ing British sovereignty over India, during ' which they have 

 frequently distinguished themselves. On the plain of 

 Assave, and on the bulwarks of Seringapatam, they fought 

 side by side with European troops. Their fidelity has not 

 been less remarkable. It was put to the severest test when 

 the subsidiary force stationed at the capital of the peishwa, 

 consisting partly of troops levied within his territories 

 were assailed at once with earnest solicitations and high 

 bribes to join the ranks of their original sovereign. They 

 all remained incorruptible, and officers, some of whom were 

 of low rank, brought to the resident large sums of money 

 which had been offered as the price of desertion. It is, 

 however, of importance that they should have a commander 

 who understands their character and treats them kindly. 

 There is scarcely any thing which they will not undertake 

 for one of this description. Their mutinies have not been 

 frequent. The dreadful one at Vellore, in 1806, undoubt- 

 edly originated from the rash interference with usages con- 

 nected with their ideas of religion and oider,--a compulsory 

 change in the form of the turban, and a prohibition to re- 

 tain on the face, while on service, the distinctive mark of 

 their caste. It was fomented also by Mussulman chiefs, 

 who hoped by that means to re-establish the fallen dynasty 

 of Mysore. The great mutiny of 1809, excited by the 

 ri-rour of Sir George Barlow, was confined to the European 

 officers ; and while it raged in the garrisons of Hydrabad, 

 Seringapatam, and MafluTipatan, the native soldiers are said 

 to have been ignorant of its existence. 



The political situation and feelings of the Hindoos ac- 

 count for the facility with which they have lent themse ves 

 to their own subjugation. Long obedient to the absolute 

 rule of for.-ii.mers, whose manners and religion they du- 

 nked, almost all their national attachments were obliterated. 

 Rammohun Roy observes, that the peasantry in general are 



