CHAPTER XVII. 



The junction of the English detachment with Ragobah's allies 

 having been thus happily effected, before I proceed with an account 

 of the campaign, I will endeavour to describe the heterogeneous 

 mass called a Mahratta army, from the observations which I made 

 during a long residence among these extraordinary people. 



The Mahratta armies are generally composed of various nations 

 and religions, who consequently form a very motley collection: 

 they wear no regular uniform, are under very little discipline, and 

 few in the same line, either of horse or foot, have similar weapons; 

 some are armed with swords and targets, others with match-locks 

 or muskets; some carry bows and arrows, others spears, lances, or 

 war rockets; many are expert with the battle-axe, but the sabre is 

 indispensable with all. The men in armour make a strange ap- 

 pearance; a helmet, covering the head, hangs over the ears, and 

 falls on the shoulders; the body is cased with iron net-work, on a 

 thick quilted vest; their swords are of the finest temper, and the 

 horsemen are very expert at this weapon ; they are not so fond of 

 curved blades as the Turks and Persians, but prefer a straight two- 



