Clothing.
Duty and
employment
SIRHIND DIVISION.
113
Detachments.—A detachment was left behind in charge of the regimental depôt
on both occas ons during the absence of the head-quarters. A detachment, 58 strong, was sta--
tioned at Jullundur from 17th February to 6th November ; and a small detachment, number-
ing 22 men of all ranks, was told off as an escort for His Honour Sir Henry Davies during his
stay at Malairkotla from 3rd March to 7th Anril.
III. Topography, &c.—Umhalla is a very large and scattered station, consisting of the mili--
tary cant nment, with regimental and sudder bazars, and the city at a distance of six miles; the
whole cantonment occupying a space of, I should think, about five miles in-length, from north
to south and two in breadth from east to west. The spot on which the station is situated
is an extensive, but irregular, plain, broken by occasional slight eminences and small
nullahs and water-courses. The Himalayas to the north, stretching as far as the eye can
reach, terminate the plain in that direction. On the south and west side the country is
almost level, and the only decided boundary of the extensive Sirhind plain that is to be
met with in those directions is the Sutlej river, and on the east side the river Jumna.
The different regimental lines and European barracks are built in echelon : the native
cavalry in advance and furthest north. The ground immediately round the latter is not
much broken, but lies low ; and there are several nullahs in the neighborhood, dry in the hot
season, but filled by surface and rain water in the wet season and after heavy rain, but owing
to the light, sandy, and permeable nature of the soil, it all soon disappears, and therefore has
not time to become impregnated with animal and vegetable substances. The atmosphere is
in consequence comparatively free from noxious gases or offensive effluvia. Next to the
native cavalry lines are the two batteries of horse artillery, and beyond, and to the south of
them, run the European cavalry and infantry barracks—solid substantial fabrics, built com--
pletely of well-burned brick, and roofed with tiles. On the extreme south and left flank are the
native infantry lines, completely isolated and intersected from the whole garrison by the Scinde,
Punjab and Delhi line of railway, which crosses the grand trunk road for some distance in that
neighbourhood. The European barracks consist of 25 distinct buildings, built in double rows of
echelon, facing east and west, so as to catch the prevailing winds, and separated by five
parallel, broad, well-metalled roads. There is sufficient barrack accommodation for a force
of about 4,000 Europeans if the inner verandahs of each barrack are occupied for sleeping
purposes.
Detach ments.
Topography, &c.
V . L i n e s , b a r r a c k s o r h u t s . — W h e n t h e r e g i m e n t t o o k o v e r t h e l i n e s f r o m t h e 1 5 t h
Bengal Cavalry, they were condemned by both a station and regimental board of survey
as uninhabitable from faulty construction, overcrowding, and consequent indifferent ventilation,
and being very much out of repair ; but all these drawbacks have been rectified by a liberal
outlay of money on the part of the native officers and men, amounting (I have been informed)
to nearly Rs. 1,000, and now the huts are clean, well ventilated, and there is ample accommo--
dation for all. The numerous clumps of mango and other large umbrageous trees, freely
interspersed throughout and around the lines, are not only pleasing to the eye, but afford
very grateful shade to the men during the great heat in the summer months.
VI.
Drainage.—The drainage in and around the lines seems good and effective ; and even
after heavy rain, isolated pools of water are, from the permeable nature of the soil, very rapidly
absorbed.
Lines, bar-
-racks or huts.
Drainage.
VII. Conservancy and latrines. —Moveable wooden screens on wheels placed over trenches
have been adopted as latrines—an arrangement that seems to answer the purpose; but not--
withstanding the most watchful surveillance, some of the men still adhere to their former
habits, and obey the calls of nature in the fields, or wherever any available or suitable cover
is at hand, and they can evade detection. All stable litter, solid d é b r i s , a n d f i l t h a r e c o n v e y e d
away daily in Crowley's and other conservancy carts to some distance out of cantonments,
where they are burnt and utilised by the native farmers.
VIII . Water-supply .—This i s o b t a i n e d f r o m s i x m a s o n r y w e l l s t o a c o v e r e d - i n r e s e r v o i r ,
fed by the aqueduct, which conveys water for the use of the troops and residents in the station.
It is ample for all purposes—at least at the native cavalry end of the station—and is pretty free
from impurities ; but the supply for the European barracks, residents, sudder and other bazars,
and native infantry lines, is very defective—so much so that all the artillery and European
cavalry horses had to be watered twice a day during the months of May and June at the wells
and reservoir in the native cavalry lines. In order to meet this want, several large wells
have been sunk close to the bed of the Tangra stream (some six miles from cantonments beyond
the village of Babeeal), and a large covered-in cutting, or aqueduct, is now being constructed
to convey the water from these wells to the south and extreme end of the station. It is calcu--
lated that by this means the supply will be immensely increased ; and if the experiment succeeds,
more wells are likely to be sunk, and the water pumped up by steam power, so as to obtain a
sufficient quantity for irrigation, ablution and all other purposes.
IX. Diet.—Very careful supervision is exercised over the regimental bunniahs regard--
ing the different descriptions of farinaceous food supplied by them to the men. Each man
spends about Rs. 4 a month on this description of food, with ghee, spices, and fuel wherewith
to cook them ; and the majority use animal food, fish and vegetables besides.
X. Clothing.—The clothing of the men, now parade and undress, is in every respect
ample and suitable for the seasons of the year.
XI. Duty and employment.—The duties are light, and are not in any way calculated to
injure the health of the men. They consist of ordinary parades, mounting guards, and
escorts.
Conservancy
and latrines.
Water-supply.
Diet.
D 1