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