Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-07-23
FROM RUSsELs LETTERS FROM
INDIA.

Oui Nhiup lhut'Ni presents the most PIC
turesquo groupings in the world. At night
when the camp fires light up the swarthy
faces of the native followers, or the moonlight
falls on their motionless bodies, wrapped in
shroud-ike folds of white, or his masters
tent, and SO thickly that one can scarcely step
without rousing slumboring IIndoo-in the
heat Of the day, when the trees cast their
dark shadows on the parchod yellow plains,
and afford shifting shelter to the syces,
bheetics, kelassios, and all the various tribes
dependent on the march Of the armics--at ov-
cry hour all around us, there are 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 Oricntialism which begins in Turkey in
Europe and ceases with Burmah and China.
What is it ] cannot describe. but feel and
know that it 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. Sukeram, the
syce, IS experimenting the shoeing Of horse.
In order to do so he has complicated himself
with that animals hind legs in fantastic
and traditional manner wonderful TO behold.
lie has seated himself on his launches as
only an Oriental can, between the horses
legs one of which he has pulled over his
shoulders so as TO present the hoof to the
iauier while his disengagcd arm is passed
round the other leg of the animal, which "ac-
cepts the situation as it has been handed
down to him for thousands of years.
Sukeram is grave handsome fellow, with
a white turban on his head, one end ofwhich
floats over his shoulders. and white piece of
cotton wrapped round his loins, leaving his
brown body and legs to shine in the blazing
sun. He looks as intelligent as most Eng
lishmen. but in reality he has no idea, or will
not have one. Of any earthly duty beyond the
care of that horse, whose tail he has just fas-
tened to a strap passed round the fetlock.
His wifc-for he has a faithful attendant in
all his marchcs-whosc arms are covered with
brass rings from wrist TO elbow. and on whose
ankles jingling bands of metal make pleasant
music as she walks, is mixing up his rice and
curry in bright brass pot, covered in one
long fold of cotton so that a small imp is
perchod, obstreperous for bis meal, and see he
gets it, so dolicately and decently, that our
ladies at home might envy the process. for a
fold of the robe is opened, the tawny body
disappears inside, and is covered by the robe,
and only pair of legs are left visible, which
soon, by their easy modulations, give tokens
of the satisfaction Of the youthful proprietor
with the treatment he is receiving inside
The smith, brawny fellow in short pair
of drawers and yellow turban, whose mus
ces stand out like those of a bronze Hercules,
is using the most extraordinary looking i'm
plements of iarriery 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 out
door apprentice of the smith, and whose only
business seems to be the abstraction of smoke
from huge pipe, is seated on the ground
watching the operation. But, as watching is
an act on the due performance Of which every
Oriental operation in great measure de-
ponds, it is not left to the apprentice alone
a tame monkey and parrot take an intense
interest in it, and great tall Sikh, all black
eyes and whiskers, moustaohes and beard,
and shining white teeth, with real swash-
bucklcr swaggor and stride, is coming over to
join them. Judging by his turban, he is one
Of the Wales Horse. Light limbed sinewy
and active, the air of those fellows makes us
appreciate the yalor of those Englshmen who
crushed the race in battle.
have never seen finer mon, so far as the
look goes, than many of those Irregular
Horsemen. or troopers of the Punjaub Caval-
ry but if an automical, though not an eques-
trian, 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 arc not well developed.
Many of them are exceedingly handsome,
and all have fine eyes and teeth they divide
their boards at the chin, and plat them with
their whiskers, which they turn up and knot
in a bunch on the top Of the head, under the
turban, to prevent the ends of the hair split
ting, and on state occasions they comb out
these masses of black hair, of which they are
very proud Their shoulders are broad and
square, their arms muscular, their hands and
feet very small and well shaped. The gene
raj dress and equipment of these irregulars
are large turban, the color Of which denotes
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 offhead
or thigh at a cut the former bears at least
one pistol, and over the shoulders is slung a
carbine, or rifle, or cartouch box.
Their legs are cased in jack-boots, but
some regiments still allow the men to wear
their national trousers, fitting close to the
skin from the hip to the ankles. Our friend
the Slkh, however, is not popular IN the
the horso-shoeing circle, and after some at
tempts to get into conversation, in which he
is more successful with the parrot than with
any other members Of society; he walks off,
taking with him few nails, the loss Of which
is presently discovered whereupon the Sikh
is called many names (bohind his back and
out of hearing and becomes more unpopular
than ever.
JonN SMTus.--John Smith is a sort of
omniprosence A learned scholar contends
for the universally of John Smiths name,
not only in our own, but among all lands.--
Commencing with the Hebrews, he says they
had no Chinese names, and consequently
,Johps--in Hebrews the name stood simply
iShemi or Shemd In other nations, however,
the John Smith is found full, one and undi-
vided. Let us trace il;
Al