tageous position, &c.; as well almost might an American, from the result of the revolutionary war, assert the absurdity that the English are not brave soldiers.

A few instances of sepoy gallantry may not be misplaced. In 1751 a battle was fought in the Carnatic, in which the European troops fled from the field, while the natives continued the contest. In the battles which were fought in Bengal, from 1760 to 1763, Mills says, that the sepoys behaved with conspicuous gallantry. In 1780 Capt. Popham, with a force consisting of native troops, having stormed the fort of Soharghur, took by escalade the particularly strong fortress of Gwalior. Sir Eyre Coote had declared the attempt, with so feeble a force, "absolute madness." It was defended by a scarp sixteen feet high, then a steep ascent of forty yards, and finally a wall of thirty feet high, The sepoys are said to have mounted the rope ladders with "amazing activity." In 1780 Colonel Bailley, with 150 Europeans and 2000 sepoys, was attacked by Tippoo with the "flower of his army and a prodigious superiority;" he sustained a severe conflict for several hours, and repulsed the assailants; a subsequent reinforcement rendered the number of his troops 650 Europeans and 3000 sepoys. The attack was renewed by Hyder and Tippoo, with sixty guns and nearly their whole army. Hyder's guns were principally managed by Europeans, and his regular battalions chiefly commanded by Frenchmen. The utmost gallantry was displayed by both Europeans and sepoys; no doubt, the admirable conduct of the former had its full influence on the latter; every assault was repulsed, until two tumbrils blew up, which spread such confusion that our troops were finally routed; almost all the sepoys were killed. The above account is taken from Mills, which, however, is disputed. In 1782 Tippoo, with twenty guns, 10,000 horse, 10,000 infantry, and 400 Frenchmen, commanded by Colonel Lally, a most expert soldier, attacked Colonel Braithwaite's detachment of 100 Europeans, 1500 sepoys, and 300 native cavalry. Mills says, "The annals of war can seldom exhibit a parallel to the firmness and perseverance which he and his little army displayed." After twenty-six hours' incessant fighting, when a great portion of the party were killed, and the rest worn out with fatigue and wounds, the 400 French, flanked by horse, charged with bayonets; then, but not till then, the sepoys broke.

Colonel Humberstone in 1782, with 900 Englishmen and 3000 sepoys, repulsed Tippoo with 20,000 men, and a portion of Europeans. In 1780, Colonel Carnac, with 5000 sepoys, was surrounded by Sindia; a night attack was made on Sindia's camp, and he was completely routed. In 1791, Capt. Little, with three battalions of Bombay sepoys and a body of Mahratta cavalry, attacked one of Tippoo's commanders, drawn up in a position of extraordinary strength, with 10,000 men; to the astonishment of the Mahrattas, who gave no aid whatever, he routed them, and captured all the guns, though with heavy loss. The sepoys had been thirty-six hours under arms actively employed, with out refreshment. Mills says, "This is allowed to have been one of the most spirited and brilliant actions of the war." Major Goudie, with one battalion of Europeans and six battalions of sepoys, took by assault the almost inaccessible fortresses of Rajcotta and Nundydroog. In 1799, Colonel Montresor with four battalions of Bombay sepoys, was attacked by Tippoo with the principal part of his army. They

defended themselves for six hours with great gallantry, until a reinforcement arrived. In 1804, Colonel Monson, with five battalions of Bengal sepoys, attacked and took by escalade the fort of Hinglaisghur. Mills says, "It was a fortress of great natural strength, and the gallantry and skill with which it was attacked, forms one of the brilliant incidents of war." Even the unfortunate retreat of the same officer soon after from Holkar with all his army, is not without redeeming features whenever he turned on his pursuers. On the banks of the Chumbul, he beat up the enemy's camp. On the banks of the Baunass, the greater part of his force having crossed, one battalion and the pickets were attacked by cavalry, infantry, and guns. Monson led them to the charge, and captured some of the guns, but overpowered by numbers, he was compelled to abandon them and retire. Monson was a man of undoubted courage, but, like the generality of the officers of His Majesty's army, to which he belonged, he is said to have had a contempt for the sepoys. Such a feeling must deprive a commander of all energy; without confidence in his men, he cannot possibly act with resolution. Is it not, then, an injustice to the sepoy to place him under such command? He sees that he is distrusted, (though at least as brave as his opposing countrymen,) and finishes by distrusting himself. This last remark is only meant to be applied when a detachment is composed of sepoys only. When they are mixed with Europeans, the King's officer, encouraged probably by the presence of the men he was accustomed to command, appeared to forget his former distrust, and would have acted with abundance of energy.

In 1804 Ochterlony, with a battalion and a half of sepoys, defended Delhi for eight days against Holkar with all his infantry and guns. Delhi is ten miles in circumference, the fortifications were ruinous. An assault and escalade was attempted, but repulsed with loss. At the first siege of Bhurtpore, in 1805, a most gallant European regiment, which had covered itself with renown in former actions, driven to despair by repeated unsuccessful attempts against an impracticable breach, broke while moving to the assault, and abandoned its place at the head of the column. This place was taken by a native regiment, which continued to advance, and planted its colours nearly at the top of the breach-" By G," said Lord Lake, "little Grant has got in." He had, however, to undergo the bitter pang of seeing "little Grant" driven down again; but surely the men who could make an attempt where an English regiment had failed, must possess some higher quality than mere passive courage. In the last war with the Mahrattas, Colonel Scott, with two or three battalions of Madras sepoys, was attacked at Seetabuldee, near Nagpore, by the Rajah of Berar with an infinitely superior force. They defended themselves with the ut most gallantry from a succession of assaults, though these assaults were headed by Arabs. The combat had continued a considerable time, when a close was put to it by Capt. Fitzgerald, who, with four troops of Bengal native cavalry, charged and completely routed a body of between 2000 or 3000 Mahratta cavalry. In the same war Capt. Staunton, with a battalion of Bombay sepoys, was attacked by the Peishwa with 20,000 men, near the village of Corrygaum, I think; he posted his detachment in the village, and repulsed assault after assault, though these were again headed by Arabs, and succeeded in repulsing them for several hours, till the arrival of a reinforcement.

In the Nepaul war, after several armies, with considerable proportions of Europeans, had met with reverses, a native detachment, under Colonel, now Sir Jasper Nicolls, a King's officer by the bye, was the first to gain success, by storming the heights at Almorah. This was immediately followed by various successes, particularly that obtained at Malown by Ochterlony's army, consisting exclusively of natives, with the exception of some European artillery. By his able manoeuvring, Ochterlony brought at once under English control the large mountainous tract between the Sutlej and the boundaries of Nepaul, in Kumaon. Here we find the sepoy engaged in a totally new species of warfare, a mountainous war; but he was commanded by men who trusted in him, and he was successful. It is worthy of remark, that this too was, in a great measure, a war of small detachments, and of skirmishing. I trust the narration of these latter instances will not induce any one to deem me guilty of the absurdity of drawing a parallel between the English soldier and the sepoy. I well know the superiority of my countrymen, and hope it may ever continue, as on that, indeed, hinges the permanence of our rule.

This enumeration is here closed, though by no means exhausted. No reference need be made to the actions of greater importance, whether from the numbers or their consequences, such as Madras, Wandenach, Pondicherry, Cuddalore, the battle and siege of Serin gapatam, Plassye, Buxcu, Assye, Allyghur, Delhi, Agra, Deeg, and Mahidpore. In these the proportion of Europeans was consider able, and for them the writer of the "Considerations" probably claims almost the whole praise. Perhaps even he will not refuse to the sepoys a portion of the merit which was claimed for his countrymen by an Irish Major, who, in consequence of the gallantry of the Irish brigade at Comona, was selected to be the bearer of the despatches to the French King. "But do you tell me nothing of your gallant countrymen?" said the monarch." Sire," replied the exile, they endeavoured to imitate the conduct of your Majesty's subjects." But who ought to be the best judges of the sepoy? Should it not be the men whose liberty and life depend on his conduct? These men trust him implicitly, if only opposed by Asiatics, even with a great superiority of numbers; and they do not fear an encounter with Europeans, if a proper proportion of Englishmen fight by the sepoy's side. If he is to be expelled from our ranks; if other mercenaries are to occupy the place which he has filled with some credit; may the change never extort the exclamation at some Asiatic Fontenoy," Cursed be the laws which deprive me of such subjects!"

This article has reached a greater length than the writer anticipated; his observations on the remarks against the officers of the Indian army, and on the other subjects noticed in the "Considerations," must be deferred for a future paper.

The comparison in the "Considerations" between the officers of the King's and of that army, might, perhaps, have been spared, the utility of it not being very obvious; but having been produced, it may be found that the latter have little cause to shun the scrutiny, whether directed to military points, or to the station they each hold in literature,

S. S.

RECOLLECTIONS OF A SEA LIFE.

BY A MIDSHIPMAN OF THE LAST CENTURY.

THE late officers of L'Incroyable, now prisoners on board the frigates, although treated with every hospitality, soon began to feel the want of those luxuries which had been so fully supplied to them by their liberal employers. In vain was the single roast fowl presented for a bonne-bouche, after the pea-soup and salt-pork had gone their round, and been relieved by a dish of salt-fish at the bottom, and a sea-pie at the head, in which the King's Own served a more substan tial purpose than merely to flavour it. The Frenchmen dropped some sarcastic remarks upon English good living, and began to talk about the dainties they had left behind. Their entertainers thought it a pity that they should not be allowed to share them, and upon these very considerate views being represented to the Captain of one of the frigates, he permitted a boat to be sent on board for some of the good things. The boat was liberally supplied with kegs, which contained each a turkey, a goose, or a nice round of spiced beef. The kegs were filled up with lard, which excluded the external air, and preserved the valuables within; but their contents were certainly not equal in flavour to poultry that had not undergone this mode of preservation. To the difference of our palates, now so much pampered, we had become sensible; for we had abundant opportunities of comparing them with the produce of the poultry-coops, which was also in excellent condition. When the boat had been laden with the above articles, together with cases of dried and preserved fruits, we heard some sinister observations about the abundance of the live-stock, and the account given by the Frenchmen on board the frigate of their thriving state. The boat, however, being pretty well filled, shoved off with what she had got; and, as the breeze was now springing up, we hoped that we should make sail without being favoured with another visit. But we were not to be let off so easily. As soon as she was cleared, she returned with a message, intimating that a portion of the live-stock was to be sent. A cackling, henceforth, commenced among the hen-coops, which were robbed of nearly half their inmates.

When the ambassador employed on this mission came to the turkeycoops, he exclaimed in a tone of disappointment-" Here are but two! you have not eaten seven already? The Frenchmen tell us they left

nine.

The Lieutenant commanding said, "There certainly were more in the morning. Send for Jean, le Poulailler." (Jemmy Ducks, we should have called him.) Our commanding officer was not yet acquainted with the joke that was in progress, but the youngsters knew very well that he would have no objection to it. Jean, le Poulailler, who had been retained in his former station under the new regime, understood what was going on, and shrugging up his shoulders, pronounced-" En voilà tous.' "I declare," says a midshipman of the boat, who had been in her in her former trip, "I thought I had counted seven." "Oh!" replied his compatriot of the opposite in

* Continued from page 472, Part III. for 1831.

f

terest," they had their feathers spread out, man." Perhaps they had," said the other, who thus allowed himself to be persuaded out of the evidence of his senses. The boat shoved off, and returned to the frigate. She was hoisted up, and we all made sail.

When every thing was quiet and in order, the ingenious young gentleman who had accounted for the numerous appearance of the turkeys by the spread of their feathers, stepped over from the lee-side of the quarter-deck, and touching his hat as he passed the Lieutenant to windward, said, "It is time to give the turkeys a little air again, Sir." And going up to a colour-chest, which stood abaft the mizen-mast, and which had been emptied of its flags for the occasion, opened the lid, while the French Jemmy Ducks took out five glorious fat turkeys, and restored them to their wonted habitation.

In due time we arrived at Spithead, and as the F had come from the Mediterranean, we were all put in quarantine. Two persons came on board to see that the quarantine laws were duly observed, and to supervise the smoking of letters previous to their being handed into the boats, by means of a long rod slit at the end. When these grave and consequential persons came on board, they told us that there had been some disturbance in the fleet, but that it was all now settled. This was soon after the 23rd of April, on which day Lord Bridport had resumed the command of the grand fleet, with authority from the Admiralty to say, that the complaints contained in the petition of the seamen should be redressed.

But

Bad as the treatment of the seamen had been, it seems probable that their mutinous combination which presented this petition, would never have been organized, had it not been through the instrumentality of some of the disaffected on the land. At all events, the delegates had their correspondents on shore after the mutiny had broken out. it is a curious fact, that these incendiaries on the land had no power to excite the men who took upon themselves the direction of this mutiny, farther than to secure the objects which their first petition embodied; and that the men did not allow themselves to be led to make innovations or amplifications upon this, their first petition, when they ascertained their power, on seeing the concession of the Government after it was awakened to look at the urgency of the case by a second refusal of the fleet to put to sea. This concession was as complete as the tardiness to resolve whether it should be made or not seems unaccountable. The first act of decided and general mutiny was on the 14th of April, after several anonymous letters had been written by the men to Lord Howe, whom they styled "The seaman's friend," knowing that his Lordship affected that character; but naval officers of that day thought that he did so invidiously in reference to them.

On that day the signal was made to weigh. The men of the fleet, instead of repairing to their respective stations, simultaneously ran up the rigging and gave three cheers to show their unanimity. In this general act of insubordination the marines were included, which rendered any effort of the officers to put it down by physical force so hopeless, that it was not attempted. These circumstances would seem to have been sufficiently imperious to call for a prompt decision on the part of the Government. Upon the 23rd of April, when the seamen had the promise of redress and pardon through Lord Bridport, they