they are fighting in earnest with swords, spears, and matchlocks. The
_water_ of the Byswara division is considered to be very little
inferior to that of Banoda, and we get our sipahees from these two
divisions almost exclusively.

Captain Magness's corps is, at present, attached to the Nazim of this
district, with its guns, and squadron of horse, as an auxiliary
force. Over and above this force, he has nine regiments of Nujeebs,
detachments of other Corps, Artillery, Pioneers, &c., amounting, in
all, according to the musters and pay-drafts, to seven thousand seven
hundred and seventy-eight men, for whom thirty-seven thousand seven
hundred and ninety-three rupees a-month are drawn. Of these, fifteen
hundred are dead or have deserted, or are absent on leave without
pay. Their pay is all appropriated by the commandants of corps or
Court favourites. Fifteen hundred more are in attendance on the
commandants of corps, who reside at the capital, and their friends or
other influential persons about the Court, or engaged in their own
trades or affairs, having been put into the corps by influential
persons at Court, to draw pay, but do no duty. Of the remaining four
thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight, one-third, or one thousand
five hundred and ninety-two, are what is called _sufarishies_, or men
who are unfit for duty, and have been put in by influential persons
at Court, to appear at muster and draw pay. Of the remaining three
thousand one hundred and eighty-six present, there would be no chance
of getting more than two-thirds, or two thousand one hundred and
twenty-four men to fight on emergency--indeed, the Nazim would think
himself exceedingly lucky if he could get one-third to do so.

Of the forty-two guns, thirteen are utterly useless on the ground;
and out of the remaining twenty-nine, there are draft bullocks for