THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
125 
chosen for artillery purposes are the best that can be procured, and of those 
attached to ns in this instance three were “ koonkees,” as those are named 
which are employed for catching their wild brethren. The two rocket- 
stands, rockets, and sticks were carried on another elephant. 
The men employed as gunners were the company of Eurasion, or Native 
Christian Artillery, commonly called half-castes; they were rationed and 
clothed the same as English troops, a matter to be regretted in a campaign, 
in consequence of the great extra trouble it caused the commissariat in 
having to supply fresh meat, rum, and vegetables ; but Captain Cordner, who 
commanded this company of artillery during the Cossiah and Jynteah 
campaign, assured me that the better feeding greatly increased the strength 
and endurance of the men; I must say, that the ease with which they 
completed long and wearisome marches over sticky, bad ground, often wading 
knee deep in water, with a burning sun overhead, reflected great credit upon 
. them; their small size and delicate frame, however, was not quite up to the 
heavy and laborious task of mounting and dismounting the ordnance and 
heavy gun-carriages when coming into action, or packing up when ceasing 
fire. 
The objection to the 12-pr. howitzer employed was that it could not be 
carried, either on a mule, or by two men when slung on handspikes, and 
taken by a narrow mountain path; but the greater weight of metal gave 
the gun far greater precision of fire and range. These guns were, I believe, 
identically the same as what are employed in boat service in the royal navy, 
and not Armstrong guns, as is everywhere reported when speaking of those 
of the other half-battery which were lost in the disaster at Dewangiri, and 
which were attached to the force called the right column. These guns 
were never intended by any artillery authority to be used purely for 
mountain service, neither were the arrangements for the carriage of 
ammunition and stores equal to such a service; indeed, in the simple and 
very necessary requirement of rope, there was at first a lamentable deficiency, 
and materials for repairs there were none. 
The following days the remainder of the force, consisting of the 12th 
Khilat-i-Ghizie regiment, under Colonel Stevens, arrived at Bijnee, and the 
general orders for the guidance of the columns about to enter Bhootan were 
promulgated. Amongst other regulations every man, of whatever creed he 
might be, was obliged to take quinine daily, as the low, marshy, uncultivated 
country we were about to pass through bore the worst of characters, and by 
competent judges was named pestilential in the best of seasons, and deadly in 
the rains. 
In the absence of medical men to the different corps some officers had to 
attend, and, indeed, personally weigh out and deliver the dozes of quinine. 
It was laughable to see the distortions of face as the obnoxious draught 
went down, but the peremptory orders of the Commander-in-Chief prevented 
any objections on the score of creed, as is too often allowed in the army of 
India. After a .time the men grew to like the medicine, and I have seen 
the same who would at first spit the flavour away, actually grumble at the 
smallness of the dozes a week afterwards. I ought to mention that the use 
of arsenic as a cure and preventative for fever was also recommended : a 
medical record of the respective qualities of these medicines would be 
interesting and useful. 
