1 1
2 INTRODUCTION. 0
3 if the rear was detained, lest that division, being separated from the
4 guides, might lose its way among the «and hills. To prevent this, a
5 siijnal was pnst along the line by beat of drum, when anv rirentn-
6 stauce occasioned a stoppage in the rear, and a tnimpet, sounded
7 tirom time to time at the heatl of the line, kept all informed of the di-
8 rection in which the column was proceeding. The heavy sand made
9 marchiiig iaiiguuig that we were obliged to allow camels ibr half
10 tlie iofiuxtry S^ys, thit Hiey might ride by turns, twa on a camel ;
11 we hid besides ci;|s«as (or large pannkn on cameb), for the sick.
12 Hie wmojanoe of Che march was greatly moreased by the mcredible
13 mnnber of a sort of small biin» which stuck to every thing diat toadi-
14 ed them* and occasioned great uneasmess. They aie however useful,
15 inasmudi as they farm a fivoorite fiiod Ibr horses* and the seed is
16 eaten even by men. Hie wmt of water, and the quality of that wUdi
17 we. met with, was also a great hardship to our men and followers ;
18 and, though the abundance of water mektos sfibrded occasional relief
19 to their thirst, its effect on their health was by no means salutary.
20 Such were the combined effects of fatiffue, bad water, and the exces-
21 sive use of water melons, that i L^reat proportion of the natives who
22 accompanied us became aMicted with a low fever, accompanied by a
23 dysentery ; and to such a degree did this extend, that thirty Sepoys,
24 without reckoning followers, were taken ill in tlie course of one day
25 at Nuttoosir, and forty persons of all descriptions expired during the
26 first week of our halt at Bikaneer. The great difference between the
27 temperatine of jdie days and n^hta no doubt ooirtribated to this moiw
28 taiUl^. Even the English gentlemen' used to su£kr fiom cold doicing '
29 the night marphes, and were happy to kindle a large 6re as soim aa
30 we reached our ground j yet the sun became poweefol 90 early in (he
31 . moffttii^ that we always yfoke with a fiveiiah heat whidi lasted till'
32 sunset The Europesns, howevo', did not suffer any serious iUness.'
33 Some instances of violent inflamation in the eyelids wet^ the only dia>
34 orders of which we had to complain.
35 Our march to Bickaneer was attended with few adventures. Parties
36 of plundoeis were twice seen, but did not attack our baggsge. Some
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