MILITARY AD VENTURES. 21 



were sufficiently near to fall in should it 

 be requisite; but in a friendly country, 

 and within a few miles of our own capital, 

 and in the midst of our own dominions, 

 there was little chance of a surprise, 

 though I found out afterwards, to my 

 great discomfort, that too much confidence 

 cannot be placed in appearances; but 

 more of this anon. 



We were now within a kos of Chinsura 

 (I should explain that a kos is two English 

 miles) when we heard the continual beating 

 of the tam-tam, announcing to the tired and 

 foot- worn soldiers that the tents of the camp 

 were in sight, to the great joy of the men, 

 many of whom were not in an enviable 

 state from having imbibed too much arrack 

 the previous evening in company with 

 some warrior who could sleep off the 

 effects of the drowsy god, instead of 



