PREFACE. IX 



rote; perhaps engaged a " moonshee ;" and, after some years, 

 was able to converse a little with his own soldiers in their 

 native tongue. Regiments, with their full complement of 

 companies, were not half officered, and most of the compa- 

 nies were commanded by lieutenants, the captains being 

 absent on some staff-appointments away from their corps. 

 The native officers, in fact, did all the substantial work of 

 the regiment, with the exception of the European quarter- 

 master and paymaster (John Company's hard bargains having 

 little else to do than spend their time in the manner I have 

 mentioned in a succeeding chapter), and could have had no 

 very exalted idea of our military zeal or general morality. 

 One circumstance, it is true, tended greatly to conciliate the 

 Sepoy troops. The religious ceremonies of both Hindoos and 

 Mahometans were treated with the greatest respect, and 

 every facility and leave granted for their performance. An 

 officer would have been cashiered for insulting their creed in 

 any way, and no attempt at proselytism, at least that I ever 

 saw, took place at Jaulnah. That religious fanaticism, fos- 

 tered by a native press, is one of the chief, if not the only 

 cause of the present outbreak, there can be no reasonable 

 doubt. It is the only point upon which all castes and 

 opinions will rally together, as each sect hates each other, 

 but would combine for this one grand object. Imprudent 

 missionary attempts at conversion amongst the higher castes 

 may also have conduced much to inflame their minds ; at 

 all events, it has given us a pretty good lesson and which 

 may be eveAually beneficial never again to trust the higher 

 castes as soldiers ; and, as we must have a native army, to a 



