m at Hydrabad.

Our force is now nearly all arrived, all except the Bombay grenadier
regiment, which is to form part of ours, (i.e., the first brigade,) and
not the 19th regiment, as I told my father. We have now here two
squadrons of H.M. 4th Light Dragoons, the Queen's, and the 17th
regiment. The native regiments are, the Grenadiers, the 5th, the 19th,
and the 24th; there is also a due proportion of horse and foot
artillery, together with some native cavalry, making in all 5500
fighting men. We are now about fifteen miles from the sea, and we got up
quite safe, although there is a very dangerous bar to cross, and all the
boats were not so lucky as ours, as the horse artillery lost fifteen
horses; and a boat belonging to a merchant of Bombay went down, in which
goods to the amount of one thousand rupees (100l.) were lost.

Our camp presents a very gay appearance--so many regiments collected
together; and altogether I like this sort of campaigning work very well,
although I expect that we shall be very hard put to it when we march, if
we do not get more means of conveyance. The wind is blowing such
intolerable dust into the tent that I can hardly write. The captain of
the vessel which brought us from Bombay came up here last night, and
returns to-day about eleven o'clock, and sails this evening for Bombay;
I shall give him this letter to take, so that you and my father will
receive my letters at the same time. As long as I keep my health I do
not care where we go or what we do. The doctor has just come in and put
me off the sick list. It is getting very near eleven o'clock, and the
captain will be off directly, so that I must conclude my letter, hoping
you will, for this reason, excuse its shortness; and with best love,
&c., to all at home, believe me ever your most affectionate brother,

T.W.E. HOLDSWORTH.

P.S. I have not any horse at present, which I find a great
inconvenience. I sold what I had at Belgaum, before I left it, at a dead
loss, as I expected to get plenty here on my arrival, but have been
wofully disappointed. There were some splendid creatures for sale at
Bombay, which was very tempting, but they asked enormous sums for them.
I wonder where I shall eat my Christmas dinner! This is the first
European army that has been on the Indus since the time of Alexander the
Great.

LETTER III.

Camp near Tatta, four miles from the Indus,
January 1st, 1839.

My DEAR FATHER,--I write to wish yo