tement,
pistols loading, &c. Fell in an hour before daylight; cavalry sent out
in all directions; staff and field-officers galloping about like mad
fellows; remained under arms till day had fully broke, when we were
dismissed, but commanded not to stray far from camp: great excitement
all day; Cunningham's horse sent out to reconnoitre; returned late at
night, reporting that they had patrolled sixteen miles in advance, had
closely examined the shikargur in question, and could find no traces of
the Beloochees,--a strong suspicion, however, remained that there were
Beloochees in our neighbourhood.

_Sunday, 27th_.--Under arms an hour before daylight; no further news;
camp quiet. As I was to be on out-lying picket this evening, rode out
after breakfast to look at my ground, which appeared rather strong,
intersected with ravines, brushwood; &c., and a good place to hold
against cavalry. Mounted picket at five o'clock, P.M., fifty-seven rank
and file, two serjeants, four corporals, and one bugler, a chain of nine
double sentries, the right resting on the river and the Hydrabad road,
and the chain running along a dry nullah, till it communicated with the
sentries of the 5th regiment's picket; a corporal's party of three men
detached in advance to an old ruin on the left front; a picket of
cavalry about two miles in advance, with videttes on some high ground. A
beautiful moonlight night, and not very cold till about one o'clock in
the morning; lay on the ground and thought of what was going on at
Brookhill and fancy ball at Torquay; visited my sentries continually;
the men in high spirits, and very much on the alert; nothing
extraordinary occurred.

LETTER V.

Camp Kotree, four miles from Hydrabad,
February 6th, 1839.

MY DEAR FATHER,--I wrote to you a few days ago from Jarruk, informing
you of the melancholy fate of three of my brother officers; but having
received your letter since, dated Nov. 20th, containing the bill for 670
rupees (or 70l.), and informing me of the news of Kate's intended
marriage, I could not let slip an opportunity which has just occurred,
by our having got possession of Curachee, of writing to Kitty, and also,
at the same time, of informing you of what has occurred since. You will
receive this at the same time as you do the other, since it will arrive
at Bombay in time to go by the same overland mail.

I wrote to you on the 31st; and on Sunday, the 3rd of February, we
marched out of