or SFOYS, natives of Indostan serving in a military capacity under the European powers, and disciplined after the European manner.

The Seapoys of the English East India company compose perhaps the most numerous, regular, and best disciplined body of black troops in the world. They are raised from among the natives of the country, and consist of Moors or Mahometans, Raja-poots, Hindoos, Pariars, besides many intermediate casts peculiar to themselves; the whole modelled in all corresponding particulars, and disciplined in every respect as the army of Great Britain.

The military establishments of Bengal, Madras and Bombay, have each their respective numbers, that of Bengal exceeding the rest. The Seapoys are formed into complete, uniform, and regular battalions, as our marching regiments at home, being intended to represent and answer fully to every purpose in India to the like troops in Europe. A battalion consists of 700 men, of complete effective strength. In each there are eight companies, including two flank ones or grenadiers. They are respectively commanded by their own black and European officers; to each company there is attached a subaltern, who takes the command, under whom are two native commissioned officers, bearing the rank of subedar and jemadar; of eight subalterns, five are lieutenants, the other ensigns; exclusive is a staff, of adjutant and surgeon. The black non-commissioned officers answer to our sergeants and corporals, and are called havildars and naigars. There is also to each corps an English sergeant-major, drill and store sergeant; to each battalion is a band of drums and fifes, and to each Sea

Scapoys each a pair of colours. A captain commands the whole.

Their jackets, which are made entirely after the European fashion, are of a red colour with yellow facings (as worn by all the infantry of the company on the Coromandel coast). The remaining part of their attire resembles more the country or Indian habit, and consists of a dark blue turban, broad and round at top, descending deep to the bottom, the sides of which, of a concave form, are crotched by a white band, running in front, fastened under a rope above. As an under garment, they have a jacket of linen. A dark blue sash girding, to answer the turban, goes round their middle. On the thighs they have short drawers, fastened by a scolloped band. Their legs are bare, which renders them more ready for action or service. Their arms are a firelock and bayonet; their accoutrements or cross belts black leather, with pouches the same.

A battalion drawn out cannot but strike the spectators with a lively and fanciful military impression, as they unite in their exterior traits respectively Indian and European.

They are brought to the utmost exactness of discipline; go through their evolutions and manoeuvres with a regularity and precision equal to, and not surpassed by European troops. In action they are brave and steady, and have been known to stand where Europeans have given way.

Their discipline puts them on a footing with European troops, with whom they are always ready to act in concert.

Their utility and services are evident: they secure to the company the internal good order and preservation of their territorial districts, which, though possible to be enforced with a strong hand by Europeans, requires numbers, and can only be conducted with that ease and address peculiar to the native forces of the country.

They are considered with respect in the eyes of the other natives, though they sufficiently, and with a good grace, feel and assert their own consequence. In large garrisons, where the duty is great, as Madras, Pondicherry, Trichinopoly, Vellore, &c., two or three battalions might be present together, exclusive of Europeans. If sent singly up the country, they are liable to be detached, sometimes by one or more companies being sent to a station dependent on the chief garrison or headquarters, otherwise they are dispersed through the districts, four or five together, with a non-commissioned officer (this is a part of the service which is called going on command), on hills, or in villages, to preserve order, convey intelligence, and assist the tahsildar, renter, or cutwall of the place, in cases of emergency. They also enforce the police, and prevent in such cases the country from being infested with thieves, which otherwise have combined, forming a banditti, to rob passengers and plunder cattle, of which there are so many instances upon record. As for such British officers in the company's service as are attached to battalions, they are obliged to follow the fortunes and destinations of their men, with their respective corps, leading a life often replete with adventures of a peculiar nature. An individual in such cases is frequently secluded from those of his own colour when up the country, or detached upon command, where in a frontier garrison or hill fort in the interior parts of India, none but natives are to be found. Here he might live as he pleases, being perfectly absolute within his jurisdiction. Such stations being lucrative, with management may produce great fortunes. Neither is the condition hard to a person conversant in the language of the country, or that of the Scapoys called Moors (which most officers in the company's service acquire); otherwise the lots of society is not compensated by other advantages, as you forget your own language, grow melancholy, and pass your days without comfort.

The peace establishment at Madras consists of 30 Scapoy battalions, but in time of war is augmented as occasion requires; or frequently each corps is strengthened by the addition of two companies, which are reduced again in time of peace, the officers remaining supernumeraries in the service. In garrison they are quartered in barracks; they live agreeably to the usage of the country, sleep on the ground on a mat or thin carpet. In their persons they are cleanly, but appear to best advantage in their uniform. Off duty they go as the other natives in poor circumstances; and have only a cloth round their middle and over their shoulders. As to the different casts, the Moormen or Mulmulmen affect pre-eminence, as coming into the country by conquest. In their persons they are rather robust, and in their tempers vindictive. Their religion and dress is distinct from the Hindoos, who are mild and passive in their temper, faithful, steady, and good soldiers. The Pariahs are inferior to the others, live under different circumstances, dwell in huts, and associate not on equal terms with the rest; they do all menial offices, are servants to Europeans, and think themselves happy when by them employed, though they are equally good Scapoys.

Having thus treated of the company's Scapoys, we shall observe that they are kindly attentive to their officers when often in circumstances requiring their assistance; are guilty of few vices; and have a strong attachment for those who have commanded them. That acute historian Dr Robertson has remarked, as a proof that the ingenuity of man has recourse in similar situations to the same expedients that the European powers, have, in forming the establishment of these native troops, adopted the same maxims, and, probably without knowing it, have modelled their battalions of Scapoys upon the same principles as Alexander the Great did his phalanx of Persians.