ed down the quantity of flies
carried out of my own tent. The ordinary kitchen-baskets served out to
the regimental cooks by the commissariat for carrying bread, rice, etc.,
will hold about an imperial bushel, and from one tent there were carried
out five basketfuls of dead flies. The sight gave one a practical idea
of one of the ten plagues of Egypt! Being now rid of the flies we could
lie down during the heat of the day, and have a sleep without being
tormented.

The defeated army of Lucknow had flocked into Rohilcund, and a large
force was reported to be collected in Bareilly under Khan Bahadoor Khan
and Prince Feroze Shah. The following is a copy of one of Khan Bahadoor
Khan's proclamations for the harassment of our advance: "Do not attempt
to meet the regular columns of the infidels, because they are superior
to you in discipline and have more guns; but watch their movements;
guard all the _ghats_ on the rivers, intercept their communications;
stop their supplies; cut up their piquets and _daks_; keep constantly
hanging about their camps; give them no rest!" These were, no doubt,
the correct tactics; it was the old Mahratta policy revived. However,
nothing came of it, and our advance was unopposed till we reached the
jungle fort of Nirput Singh, the Rajpoot chief of Rooyah, near the
village of Rhodamow. I remember the morning well. I was in the
advance-guard under command of a young officer who had just come out
from home as a cadet in the H.E.I. Company's service, and there being no
Company's regiments for him, he was attached to the Ninety-Third before
we left Lucknow. His name was Wace, a tall young lad of, I suppose,
sixteen or seventeen years of age. I don't remember him before that
morning, but he was most anxious for a fight, and I recollect that
before we marched off our camping-ground, Brigadier Hope called up young
Mr. Wace, and gave him instructions about moving along with great
caution with about a dozen picked men for the leading section of the
advance-guard.

We advanced without opposition till sunrise, and then we came in sight
of an outpost of the enemy about three miles from the fort; but as soon
as they saw us they retired, and word was passed back to the column.
Shortly afterwards instructions came for the advance-guard to wait for
the main column, and I remember young Mr. Wace going up to the
brigadier, and asking to be permitted to lead the assault on the fort,
should it come to a fight. At t