"Crocodiles; and higher up the river, sir, great turtles, which will
snap a man, or a horse, or a dood to pieces in no time."
It was the same evening that I was standing looking at the low, far-off
shore, with Captain Brace, and I said quietly--
"I say, that little stout Mr Binns--"
"Mr Commissioner Binns," said the Captain. "Give him his full title.
What about him?"
"Was he telling me travellers' tales about the crocodiles--muggers, as
he called them--and the risk of bathing?"
"Oh no; they swarm in this muddy river. I wonder they have let that
come down."
He pointed to something floating at a short distance from the ship, and
I looked at it with curiosity.
"Some dead animal?" I said.
"A dead man, Vincent. We are going up the estuary of the sacred river,
you know, and it is the burial-place of the great cities which are upon
its bank."
I turned away from the floating object with a shudder of horror, and was
silent for some minutes, but broke out with--
"But the great turtles--will they drag a man or a horse under water, and
eat him?"
"I have never seen it," he replied; "but I have seen them attack a
dood."
"What is a dood?"
"A camel; one of a troop fording the river. It had plunged into a deep
hole, and before it could struggle back into the shallow it was pulled
under, and never rose again."
"Ugh!" I shuddered; "how horrid!"
"Yes. You will know the danger if ever you have to take your men across
a ford."
A couple of days later we were anchored in the great stream in front of
the city of palaces, and I was gazing with eyes full of wonder and
eagerness at the noble buildings, the great flights of steps leading
down to the water, the constant procession of people to and fro, with
huge elephants gaily caparisoned and bearing temple-like howdahs, some
filled with Europeans, more often with turbaned chiefs or people of
importance. The white garments and turbans of the natives gave a light
and varied look in the bright sunshine, while amongst them were the
carriages of the English residents, the handsome horses of officers, and
the gay uniforms of the English and native troops, from whose weapons
the dazzling sunshine flashed.
"Yes; plenty of the military element," said Captain Brace, pointing out
different figures in the busy scene. "Take my glass," he continued.
"That's a sepoy regiment. You can see their dark faces."
"Yes, I see," I cried eagerly.
"Do you see those two mounted men in white, with lances?"
"Yes; who are they?"
"Sowars of the native cavalry; and that little half troop behind--you
can tell what they are?"
"They look like English hussars," I said.
"Right. Part of the eighth, I should say. They are stationed here."
"But they are not the East India Company's men."
"No. Part of the regular army. Those sowars are some of ours, and--Ah,
you are in luck," he cried, taking back the glass and using it quickly,
before lending it again. "Look: there are some of the horse brigade."
"Artillery?" I cried excitedly.
"Yes; and in review order. A troop of our horse artillery with their
guns."
My hands trembled so that I could hardly bring the glass to bear upon
the long line of men, but at last I had it correct, and excitedly saw
them file by at a distance, the sun glancing on their polished brass
helmets with long trailing plumes of red horsehair; their blue heavily
braided jackets looking as if suddenly cut off by the men's white
breeches, and then again by their heavy black boots.
It was to me a gallant show, and I drew a long, deep breath as I counted
the guns with the men mounted upon the limbers, and watched attentively
till they passed out of sight.
"Well," said my companion, "what do you think of our brigade?"
"Oh!" I ejaculated, "I wish I belonged."
A very brief reply, but the tone made my sad-looking companion smile
sadly.
"Ah, Vincent," he said, "you can only see the parade and show. Yes; it
is very bright and fresh to you, but the time will come when all that
pomp will be very irksome to you, and you will wish that the Company
would let you dress simply and sensibly in a uniform suited to this
terrible climate, and in which you could use your limbs freely without
distressing yourself and your horse."
"But they look magnificent," I said.
"Yes, brilliant, my lad, brilliant; but there is another side to
soldiering besides the show. There! all this sounds as if I were trying
to damp and discourage you, but I have had seven years' hard work out
here in India, Vincent; perhaps, when you have been here as long, you
may talk as I do."
"I shall not," I muttered to myself. "I should be a poor soldier if I
did. What did you say?" I said aloud.
"I said that to-morrow morning we go ashore, and I can introduce you at
head-quarters when I go to report myself. But, Vincent, my lad, what
luck it would be if you had been in the horse brigade, and found
yourself appointed to my troop."
"Yes," I said, rather non-enthusiastically, for my hopes went in quite a
contrary direction.
"You would rather not," he said, gazing at me sadly, and I coloured up
like a girl, for I felt that he had read my thoughts. "I'm afraid you
don't like me, my lad."
My face burned as I said, "I've tried hard to like you ever since we
met."
"Tried," he said, smiling, as he raised his brows. "Ah, well! that is
frankly spoken, after all," and he walked away, leaving me feeling that
I had hurt his feelings by showing that I did not like him in the least.
We met next day, and I went with him to report myself, the officers I
saw making more than one jocular allusion to my being so much of a boy,
but good-humouredly telling me that I should soon correct that. Then
followed my introduction to my company in the artillery, where with my
Brandscombe knowledge I was soon able to hold my own, and obtained some
little notoriety from the interest I took in the horses which drew our
heavy guns. I never let slip a chance either of being present at the
parades of the horse artillery, visiting Captain Brace often; and I am
afraid very selfishly, for I felt little warmth for him as a man, though
a great deal for him as an officer, as I admired his bearing and the way
in which he handled his men.
And so a year passed away, and then came a day when I had to appear at
head-quarters, where I showed myself, feeling that I was in disgrace for
some reason or another.
I was kept waiting for some little time before an orderly bade me follow
him, and directly after, I found myself in the presence of four
stern-looking officers, who began to question me severely, one beginning
as soon as another ceased.
I suppose my replies were satisfactory, all being on technical matters
connected with field-gunnery, but what it all meant, unless I was to be
promoted, I could not tell.
At last the officer who seemed to be the head, turned to me.
"Look here, Lieutenant Vincent," he said; "this sharp examination is due
to the fact that some pressure has been brought to bear, to have you
transferred to the horse artillery."
I turned scarlet with excitement. "Well, sir, we naturally resent this,
as we are proud of our horse service, and do not want some lout with
interest to back him, foisted upon us. It would be degrading, but I
tell you frankly that we are favourably impressed."
"Thank you, sir," I said.
"We have carefully gone into your antecedents. We find that you are the
son of a distinguished officer in the Queen's service; that your career
at Brandscombe was excellent, and we learn nothing but good of you in
connection with your year's work here."