THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
149 
Ali, the principal officer of the Bajah of Cooch Behar's troops, a very 
intelligent and able native, who had been for many years in our service. 
We let the friendly Bhooteas go, and, pursuing our way, arrived about 
6 p.m. at Chichakhatta, where I found assembled the contingent of the 
Bajah of Cooch Behar, under the said Captain Hydyut Ali, who was most 
pleasant and hospitable. He had about 300 men of every nation and 
race in India whom he was drilling into shape, and it is but fair to record 
the untiring zeal shewn, and the hardships borne by the men, without 
a murmur. One portion of this force, the cavalry, performed an unex¬ 
ampled amount of work, shewing the same devotion and daring that had 
gained them an undisputed renown, when serving our own government 
under the title of “Battray's Sikhs. 55 As post carriers, they were exposed 
to continual surprises and ambushes, but never hesitated in their duty, and 
at times two or three, and these sometimes sick with fever, would have to 
remain for weeks, nay, months, on detachment, miles away from support 
or succour, open day and night to attack, from overwhelming numbers of the 
enemy. 
Captain Hydyut Ali expressed himself astonished at the length of my 
day's march, which he put down at thirty-six miles. I had been nearly 
twelve hours doing the distance, and most of it had been at a good pace. 
Deducting two hours for halts and stoppages, and putting our pace at three 
miles an hour, it would give a distance of thirty miles, which I should think 
was about it, through a country hitherto untrodden by a European. 
As Captain Ali promised me an escort further on, I sent back the 
men who had brought me thus far, and gave the Dootma guides their 
reward; as a reconnoitring party of cavalry was to proceed next day to 
Huldeebaree and Lunkermuck, I had no hesitation about their returning 
through the “ disagreeable neighbourhood '' under so good a protection. 
On the 25th Eebruary, after breakfasting with Captain Ali, I started 
by the road the Left Centre Column had taken in their advance, which 
had been in existence for many years, probably many hundred, and had 
been the old line by which the commerce of Bhootan reached the plains 
of India at the end of the last century. This road was clearly marked and 
often upon a high embankment, passing through magnificent forests of timber 
as it approached the foot of the hills. 
At the foot of the Himalayas, at a post called Myna Gong, about 
fourteen miles from Chichakhatta, there was a detachment of the 3rd 
Ghoorkas, and a considerable depot of provisions, &c., &c. A sawar, 
one of Battray's old Sikhs, came in while I was here, he had been waylaid 
while carrying the post from Bala Pass, by about forty or fifty Bhooteas, 
who dashed at him from ambush and seized his horse's bridle; but, using 
his spurs, he broke away, though not without several sword cuts. 
The ascent from this to Buxar was by a mountain path, leading for 
two miles through wood, which at length allowed a full view of the 
mountain ranges, and raised one to the cool air and fresh breezes which 
render the climate of the mountains so delightful a change from the still 
deadly calm of the hot plains. The road was peculiarly good, and shewed how 
great the thoroughfare must have been in the old days, when the trade 
between the two countries was in existence. It was easy of ascent to 
both elephants and ponies* there were only one or two nasty portions in 
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