The
irrigation is all from wells and pools. In the villages we came
through, we saw but few of the sipahees of our army home on furlough;
they are chiefly from the Byswara and Bunoda districts. We found our
tents pitched upon a high and dry spot, with a tight soil of clay and
sand. After the heavy rain we have had, it looked as if no shower had
fallen upon it for an age. The mud walls of the houses we saw on the
road were naked, as usual. The rapacity of the King's troops is
everywhere, directly or indirectly, the cause of this: and till they
are better provided and disciplined the houses in the towns and
villages can never improve.
The commandant, Imdad Hoseyn, of the Akberee or Telinga Regiment, on
duty with the Amil of the Poorwa district, in which our camp was last
pitched, followed me a few miles this morning to beg that I would try
to prevail upon the Durbar to serve out clothing for his corps. He
told me that the last clothing it got from the Government was on the
occasion of Lord Hastings' visit to Lucknow, some thirty-three years
ago, in 1817; that many orders had been given since that time for new
clothing, but there was always some one about Court to counteract
them, from malice or selfishness; that his father, Zakir Allee,
commanded the corps when it got the last clothing, and he succeeded
him many years ago. The Telinga Regiments are provided with arms,
accoutrements, and clothing by Government.
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