mud houses, which had the appearance of stone at a distance. Some of
them were tolerably high, certainly; but the most wretched-looking
things possible. This is the case with most towns in the east. Like
Dartmouth, they all look best à la distance.

I am sorry to say that we have a great many men in the hospital now, and
four officers on the sick list; two of them very unwell. All the cases
are bowel complaints, and most of them dysentery. This is the case
generally. While on the march, soldiers seldom feel it; but when the
halt afterwards comes, then they get touched up awfully. However, it is
not to be wondered at, when one considers the quantity of duty which
they have to perform at present. Out-lying and in-lying pickets, and
guards, &c.; add to which, the being suddenly transported from the
climate of India, to which most of them have become inured by a
residence, on the average, of twelve years, to this comparatively cold
and changeful climate, is enough of itself to shake them a little. They
have also done what no Indian troops have done before: in marching in
India, almost everything is carried for the soldier; he merely carries
what he does on parade--viz., his firelock and accoutrements. Our
regiment though, by-the-bye, has always carried a blanket, with a clean
shirt and stockings and flannel waistcoat wrapped up in it, that they
may be enabled to change as soon as they have marched in. On this march,
each man has carried his knapsack, with his kit in it, twenty rounds of
ammunition, a havresack with his day's rations, and a small round keg
containing water, the weight of all which is no joke. While at
Bominacote, we fully expected to have a little fighting after passing
Tatta, and on our arrival here we heard a report which induced us to
believe that we should have a brush with the Ameers very shortly; but it
appears now that the Ameers have seen the folly of such proceedings, and
have determined to receive us amicably, and to assist our passage