Subaltern of the Indian Army - Facts and reflections by a Subaltern of the Indian Army

FACTS

AND REFLECTIONS

BY

A SUBALTERN

OF

THE INDIAN ARMY

First Published in

LONDON

by:

JAMES MADDEN, 8, LEADENHALL STREET.

1849.

THE facts, and reflections embodied in the following pages were originally committed to paper for circulation among a few private friends. Influenced by their opinion, and by an anxious desire to clear away the misty veil which clouds the perceptions of aspiring youth and fathers of families, the Author has had the temerity to encounter public scrutiny, and challenge critical approbation. Seven years of experience of what is facetiously termed the Gorgeous East have, he conceives, qualified him to speak of India life. He merely endeavours to describe what came under his observation, and if the result of his labours should deter one individual from venturing into the Companys Service under the impression that talent and conduct, unaided by interest, will insure advancement, he will enjoy the satisfaction of not having written in vain.

IN the month of June, 1841, I was informed, much to my delight, that my wishes had been realized, and that my friends had obtained for me, without much trouble, the appointment which I long had coveted. Then poured in congratulations, five-pound notes, and various other tokens of affection and regard, to such an extent that I fell sensibly in my own estimation, believing that I must be a most unpleasant kind of individual, or probably a great nuisance, people appeared so particularly delighted at my approaching departure. Parties, fetes, &c. &c., were given in my especial honour; toasts and healths were drunk, and I invariably remarked that every ancient friend of the family hoped and trusted, at the conclusion of a set speech, that I should live to be a Major-General (thereby prognosticating for me a much longer stay in our Indian possessions than I anticipated), or probably some sentimental youth with long hair, pale face, and Byronic style of shirt collar, would most kindly hint at the probability of my dying a glorious (?) death on some bloody field, with barbarians to perform the usual obsequies to my remains!

Having made a tour of the continent of Europe twice, without having seen much of England, I, before leaving my native country for a term of years, made a rapid run through a few counties, and returned to London for the purpose of taking the necessary oaths before my honourable masters. On the 8th June (memorable day !) having been previously well instructed, I was led with two other victims into the presence of six or seven of the august individuals who, conjointly with the Board of Control, conduct the affairs of our Indian possessions. If some good genius had only whispered a hint of my career, how quickly would I have vanished from the sight of the potentates never to reappear ! But unfortunately no such interruption took place, and the usual forms having been completed, and the usual fees paid, I strutted forth from the dingy old pile in Leadenhall- street, and certainly felt a few inches taller when holding in my hand a parchment document, constituting and appointing me a cadet on the Honourable East India Companys Bengal Establishment. For the next ten days I was the object of universal grief and sympathy. Tears, wailings, and moanings distinguished the household, and even the awful sin of having managed for the previous six months to awaken the whole establishment, about three oclock in the morning, on my return from some gay party, was temporarily forgotten in sincere regret at my approaching departure. Old men with large families and large entailed properties, after their second bottle of claret, mumbled out sentences in which I could distinguish Waghorn, steam communication, delightful trip, splendid opening fine field for younger sons, pay and prize money plentiful, oriental luxuries and magnificence, all professions overstocked at home, and such like popular delusions; and one venerable acquaintance actually informed me that a friend of his heard from a nephew of his who was in Madras, who heard it from a friend of his who was in Bengal, that there were not sufficient subalterns in the army to take the staff appointments, and that there was to be an increase of one lieutenant per regiment to perform them.

There is something in leaving home for a distant country which strikes us forcibly in after years. Anxious at the moment to escape a certain thraldom, with the delightful prospect of being ones own master in view, the threshold of our paternal mansion is passed, the ceremony of parting with all those we hold most dear quickly gone through; but how few are there who do not in after years recall the last moments spent with families and friends, and mentally reproach themselves for the minutest neglect of him or her who may be beyond the reach of letters and protestations of affection !

I left London on the 25th of June by the Portsmouth mail, after taking one fond look at the scene where my happy youth had been spent, Combe Wood, near Kingston, Surrey. I forgot in the joyous excitement of travelling that I was about to leave the land of my birth, friends, relationsall, to be a comparative wanderer with a set of villainous, lying Asiatics. The dirty town of Portsmouth was soon reached, and after experiencing its delights for two days, the good ship Seringapatam, one thousand tons, W. F. Hopkins, commander, was telegraphed, and on the evening of the 28th June, 1841, I quitted English ground. Few who suffer from sea-sickness have a very distinct recollection of the first five or six days of their residence on board ship. I can only remember that when the pilot left us, an extraordinary sensation of apathy possessed me.

Sea voyages, and more particularly that to India, have been so often described, that I shall merely glance at the subject. The ordinary tomfoolery was enacted in crossing the line. The strictest etiquette was observed with regard to places at the cuddy table, and the positions of the young men and young ladies, arranged with the admirable tact of a chaperon of twenty-five London seasons. This is deemed necessary, because many of the young ladies are going out to friends in India whose ideas of an eligible match do not always accord with those entertained by the adventurous young ladies themselves; and most of the fair creatures being under the protection of the captain, it behoves him to be watchful of his charges until they have been delivered to their relations and consignees. Then, after certain tables in arithmetic, called pay and allowances, have been fully explained, and their value illustrated, the interesting protegees are told to use their own discretion; and it is to the credit of their sagacity that they seldom or ever make a mistake. The young lady who marries the oldest civilian, with the handsomest allowances and largest liver, is considered the most sensible of her sex.

Many uphold that life on board of ship is very happy; while others maintain a contrary opinion. I most decidedly agree with the latter class. A more monotonous, stupid and miserable mode of passing existence there cannot be, and right glad was I when we cast anchor in the Madras roads on the 22nd of September, 1841.

Madras, seen from the roads, has nothing very prepossessing in its appearance, and the terrific and most dangerous surf renders landing very annoying. The boats are, however, admirably adapted to this purpose, and of late years accidents have been almost unknown. The native boatmen are constantly on the look out to render assistance; and two or three silver medals, suspended to a ragged jacket, attest that in some instances a nearly naked, half starved wretch has performed good service. I had the honour, together with my brother cadets, of being presented to the Town-major of Fort St. George, and also the fort-adjutant. The ideas of independence of some of the young men were most frightfully outraged by our being placed under the charge of a particularly red nosed serjeant, of whose drinking propensities we afterwards had a most satisfactory proof. After our presentation had been effected in due form, we were let loose, and of course became the prey of the numerous blackguards who infest the localities patronised by cadets. Madras boasts of two or three hotels, chiefly supported, I imagine, by Bengal officers, who remaining for so short a time, do not think it necessary to obtain introductions to any of the hospitable residents of the Presidency and its vicinity. I selected the Clarendon, a very different establishment from its namesake in Bond-street. The charges are enormously high, and every thing very unsatisfactory.