ANCIENT INDIA. 



27 



and spears, to tame horses and elephants, and to drive in 

 chariots. Thus, having reference to the conditions of the 

 period, the circumstance is tolerably clear that great attention 

 was paid to the drill and training of troops in ancient India. 



The relative value of old and of young soldiers was per- 

 fectly demonstrated during the expedition of Alexander to 

 the Punjab, the army with which he successfully met Porus 

 having consisted of veterans inured to battle ; the circum- 

 stance however still bears its lesson that the same army, 

 worn out by fatigue and sickness, absolutely refused to 

 advance from the banks of the Jhelum to Palibothra, that is 

 Patna, as that great commander originally intended. Had 

 his ranks been reinforced, and more ample provision for his 

 sick and wounded existed, there is every reason to believe 

 that his original intention would have been carried out. 



2. Uniform. — That soldiers wore a particular dress or 

 uniform in the time of the Mahabharata appears to be placed 

 beyond doubt. Thus in the great war for the restoration of 

 the Pandavas the respective armies wore armour, and were 

 otherwise well dressed. Babhruvahana, Eajah of Manipura, 

 on the occasion of being visited by his father Arjuna, ordered 

 that all his troops should be in readiness in their parade dresses, 

 also that all the men and women of that city should go out 

 in procession, and, according to the record, a very gorgeous 

 procession thus took place. The ancient armour alluded to 

 appears to have for the last time been represented in the 

 chain mail worn by the Khatsa soldiers during the Punjab 

 wars of 1845 and 1843 ; the more usual uniform, alluded to as 

 the quilted jackets, is still seen in the north of India. 



3. Bations.-— The scale of food, particularly during war, 

 appears to have been peculiarly liberal. Thus when Bhima 

 started for his battle against the Asura, his provisions were 

 a waggon load of kichri (rice and dholl, Cajanus Indica) a 

 nne buffalo, and a huge jar of ghee, that is clarified butter. 



