The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-06-23
RUsSELs LETTERS FROM INDIA.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BRITISH CAMP.
Our camp, indeed, presents the most picturesque
groupings in the world. At night when the camp
fires light up the swarthy faces of the native fol-
lowers, or the moonlight falls on their mOtionlcss
bodies wrapped in shroud-like folds of white, each
lying by his camel his bullock his elephant his
masters tent, and so thicky that one can
scarcely step without rousing a slumbering
Hindoo-in the heat of the day, when the trees
cast their dark shadows on the parched yellow
plains, and afford shifting shelter to the
syces bheesteS keasSies, and all the various tribes
dependent on the march of armies-at every hour,
all around us, there objects which possess that
extraordinary combination of form and color which
has induced so many men to deceive themselves and
others, and to tell untruths about ''the gorgeous
East, that Orientasm which begins in Turkey in
Europe and ceases with Burmah and China Whatit
cannot describe butt feel and know that exists
just before my tent at this moment there is group
which could not be met with in any part of the
world beyond the regions | have indicated. Su-
keram, the syce, is experimenting the shoeing of
a horse. In order to do so he has complicated him
self with that animals hind legs in fantastic and
traditional manner wonderful to behold
He has seated himself on his launches as only an
Oriental can between the horses legs, of which
he has pulled over his shoulder to present the
hoof to the tarrier; while his disengaged arm is
passed round the other leg of the animal which
''accepts the situation it has been handed down
to him for thousands of wears.
Sukeram is grave, handsome fellow, with a
white turban on his head, one end of which floats
wrapped round his loins, leaving his brown body
and legs to shine in the blazing sun. He looks
intelligent as most Englishmen, but in reality he
has idea, will not have one, of any earthly
duty beyond the care of that horse whose tail he
has just fastened to strap passed round the fetlock.
His wife-for he has faithful attendant in all
his marches-whose arms are covered with brass
rings from wrist to elbow, and on whose ancles
jingling bands of metal make pleasant music
she walks, is mixing up his rice and curry
in a bright brass pot covered in one long fold
of cotton, 50 that only he" arms and feet are
visible, and on her hip small imp is perched,
obsreperous for his meal and he gets it, deli
catey and decently that ladies at home might
envy the process, for fold Of the robe is opened,
the tawny body disappears inside and is covered by
the robe, and only paP of legs are left visible,
which soon by their easy moduations give tokens
of the satisfaction of the youthful proprietor with
the treatment he is receiving inside.
The smith, brawny fellow in a short pair of
drawers and yellow turban, whose muscles stand
out like those of bronze Hercules, is using the
most extraordinary looking implements of tarriery
with great Skill but any motion of the horses heel
must inevitably catch him right on the bridge of
the nose.
A young man, who may be perpetual outdoor
apprentice of the smith, and whose only business
seems to be the abstraction of smoke from a
huge pipe, is seated the ground watching
the operation. But, watching is act on the
due performance of which every Oriental opera
tion in great measure depends, it is not left
to the apprentice alone-a tame monkey and par
rot take intense interest in it, and great tall
Sikh, all black eyes and whiskers, moustaches and
beard, and shining white teeth, with real swash-
buckler swagger and stride, is coming over to join
them. Judging by his turban he is one of Wale's
Horse. Light limbed, snewy, and active, the air
of those fellows makes appreciate the valor of
those Englishmen who crushed the race in battle.
have never finer men, so far as the look
goes, than MANY of those Irregular HOrsemen, or
troopers of the Punab Cavalry; but if anatomi-
cal though not an equestrian, objection might
be made to them, it would be that their legs
and thighs though exceedingly straight, are thin
and small, and that their calves not well devel
Oped
Many of them exceedingly handsome, and
all have fine eyes and teeth; they divide their
boards at the chin and plait them with their
whiskers, which they turn up and knot in a bunch
the top of the head under the turban to prevent
the ends of the hair splitting, and on state oc-
casions they comb out these masses OF black hair
of which they are very proud Their should
broad and square, their arms mus
cular, their hands and feet very small and we'll
shaped. The general dress and equipment of these
irregulars are large turban the color of which de-
notes their regiment tunic of carky blue or gray
fastened at the waist by sash and belt from the
latter of which depends broad curved sabre. keen
as a razor which will lop off head or thigh at a
cut the former bears at least one pistol and over
the shoulders is slung a carabine or rifle, and car
touch box.
Their legs are cased in jack-boots, but some regi-
ments stlll allow the men to wear their national
trousers, fitting close to the skin from the hips to
the ancles. Our friend the Sikh, however, is not
popular In the horse-shoeing circle, and after some
attempts to get into conversation, in which he is
more successful with the parrot than with any oth-
er MEMBER OF society," he walks on takhg "noar Tin n
few nails, the loss Of which is presently discover
ed, whereupon the Sikh is called many names lDe-
hind his back and out of hearing, anu pecohes
more unpopular than ever.