ickness, and so forth, that
(although I have experienced each of these in many varieties) I think
it quite unnecessary to recount such trifling adventures; suffice it to
say, that during our five months' trajet, my mad passion for Julia
daily increased; so did the captain's and the surgeon's; so did Colonel
Lilywhite's; so did the doctor's, the mate's--that of most part of
the passengers, and a considerable number of the crew. For myself, I
swore--ensign as I was--I would win her for my wife; I vowed that I
would make her glorious with my sword--that as soon as I had made a
favorable impression on my commanding officer (which I did not doubt to
create), I would lay open to him the state of my affections, and demand
his daughter's hand. With such sentimental outpourings did our voyage
continue and conclude.

We landed at the Sunderbunds on a grilling hot day in December, 1802,
and then for the moment Julia and I separated. She was carried off
to her papa's arms in a palanquin, surrounded by at least forty
hookahbadars; whilst the poor cornet, attended but by two dandies and a
solitary beasty (by which unnatural name these blackamoors are called),
made his way humbly to join the regiment at head-quarters.

The --th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry, then under the command of
Lieut.-Colonel Julius Jowler, C.B., was known throughout Asia and Europe
by the proud title of the Bundelcund Invincibles--so great was
its character for bravery, so remarkable were its services in that
delightful district of India. Major Sir George Gutch was next in
command, and Tom Thrupp, as kind a fellow as ever ran a Mahratta through
the body, was second Major. We were on the eve of that remarkable war
which was speedily to spread throughout the whole of India, to call
forth the valor of a Wellesley, and the indomitable gallantry of a
Gahagan; which was illustrated by our victories at Ahmednuggar (where
I was the first over the barricade at the storming of the Pettah); at
Argaum, where I slew with my own sword twenty-three matchlock-men,
and cut a dromedary in two; and by that terrible day of Assaye, where
Wellesley would have been beaten but for me--me alone: I headed nineteen
charges of cavalry, took (aided by only four men of my own troop)
seventeen field-pieces, killing the scoundrelly French artillerymen;
on that day I had eleven elephants shot under me, and carried away
Scindiah's nose-ring with a pistol-ball. Wellesley is a Duke and a
Marshal,