Letter Two.
Perminacote, five miles from Vicur, right
bank of the Hujamree, one of the branches of the Indus, December 8th, 1838.
MY DEAR KITTY, — I wrote to my father, about
ten days ago, from the ship in which we came here, stating what I then
knew about this expedition; but having since received your letter, and
my father's, dated Sept. 4th, I cannot think of going on this bloody campaign
without first answering yours. Things look now a little more warlike. The
Ameers have endeavoured to cut off everything like a supply from this part
of the country, and we have to depend in a great measure, at present, on
the supplies brought by the shipping. We have nothing in the shape of conveyance
for our baggage. We expected two thousand camels and five hundred horses
here for sale; but they are not to be seen at present, and where they are,
or when they will arrive, no one knows.
News has been received, it is said, from Pottinger,
the Company's political agent at Hydrabad, the principal town of the Ameers,
that they have called in their army, consisting of 20,000 Beloochees, as
they tell Pottinger, "for the purpose of paying them off"; but he says
it looks very suspicious, and that they are also fortifying the various
towns on the Indus. He has been expected here for the last two or three
days, but has not yet arrived. Report also says that he has been fired
at in his way down.
We are kept in the most strict discipline,
and have a great deal to do. Out-lying and in-lying pickets every night,
the same as if we were in the presence of an enemy. This is a very pleasant
climate at present, though excessively cold at night-time, as we feel to
our cost when on picket, sleeping in the open air, with nothing but our
cloaks to cover us; and some nights the dew is excessively heavy, which
is very unhealthy, and has laid me up for the last few days with an attack
of rheumatism. However, I hope to be out of the sick list to-day. There
is such a sharp, cutting, easterly wind, that I can hardly hold my pen.
It averages from 80 to 84 in the shade during the hottest part of the day,
but that is only for about two hours. However, in the hot season it is
worse than India; and we have proof here, even at this time, of the power
of the sun occasionally; so I hope that we shall push on for Shikarpoor,
and join the Bengal army, under Sir H. Fane, as quickly as possible, as
we shall then have some chance of getting to Cabool, which is said to be
a delightful climate.
We are still totally ignorant of our future
proceedings, except what I have stated above. We are in great hopes that
we have not been brought here for nothing, and that we may have a chance
of seeing a few hard blows given and taken ere long. Hydrabad and loot
is what is most talked about at present. It will, however, be a most harassing
kind of warfare, I expect, as the force of the Ameers consists of Arabs
and Beloochees; a regular predatory sort of boys, capital horsemen, but
not able, I should think, to engage in a regular stand-up fight. I think
their warfare will consist in trying to cut off a picket at night, breaking
through the chain of sentries, and endeavouring to put the camp in confusion,
&c. &c.; so that the poor subalterns on picket will have anything
but a sinecure there; however, it will be a capital way of learning one's
duty in the field. By-the-bye, I forgot to tell you, amongst other rumours
of war, that an Ameer was down here a few days ago to obtain an interview
with Sir J. Keane, who refused to see the Ameer, or to have anything to
do with him, and told him that he would soon talk to him at Hydrabad.
Our force is now nearly all arrived, all except
the Bombay grenadier regiment, which is to form part of ours (i.e., the
first brigade), and not the 19th regiment, as I told my father. We have
now here two squadrons of H.M. 4th Light Dragoons, the Queen's, and the
17th regiment. The native regiments are, the Grenadiers, the 5th, the 19th,
and the 24th; there is also a due proportion of horse and foot artillery,
together with some native cavalry, making in all 5500 fighting men. We
are now about fifteen miles from the sea, and we got up quite safe, although
there is a very dangerous bar to cross, and all the boats were not so lucky
as ours, as the horse artillery lost fifteen horses; and a boat belonging
to a merchant of Bombay went down, in which goods to the amount of one
thousand rupees (100 pounds) were lost.
Our camp presents a very gay appearance —
so many regiments collected together; and altogether I like this sort of
campaigning work very well, although I expect that we shall be very hard
put to it when we march, if we do not get more means of conveyance. The
wind is blowing such intolerable dust into the tent that I can hardly write.
The captain of the vessel which brought us from Bombay came up here last
night, and returns to-day about eleven o'clock, and sails this evening
for Bombay; I shall give him this letter to take, so that you and my father
will receive my letters at the same time. As long as I keep my health I
do not care where we go or what we do. The doctor has just come in and
put me off the sick list. It is getting very near eleven o'clock, and the
captain will be off directly, so that I must conclude my letter, hoping
you will, for this reason, excuse its shortness; and with best love, &c.,
to all at home, believe me ever your most affectionate brother,
T.W.E. HOLDSWORTH.
P.S.— I have not any horse at present, which
I find a great inconvenience. I sold what I had at Belgaum, before I left
it, at a dead loss, as I expected to get plenty here on my arrival, but
have been woefully disappointed. There were some splendid creatures for
sale at Bombay, which was very tempting, but they asked enormous sums for
them. I wonder where I shall eat my Christmas dinner! This is the first
European army that has been on the Indus since the time of Alexander the
Great.
