Sir Colin's selection of Commanders caused considerable heart-burnings, especially amongst the senior officers who had been sent out from England for the purpose of being employed in the field.

But, as the Chief explained to the Duke of Cambridge, the selection had been made with the greatest care, it having been found that 'an officer unexperienced in war in India cannot act for himself ...

it is quite impossible for him to be able to weigh the value of intelligence ...

he cannot judge what are the resources of the country, and he is totally unable to make an estimate for himself of the resistance the enemy opposed to him is likely to offer.' Sir Colin wound up his letter as follows: 'I do not wish to undervalue the merits of General or other officers lately arrived from England, but merely to indicate to your Royal Highness the difficulties against which they have to contend.

What is more, the state of things at present does not permit of trusting anything to chance, or allowing new-comers to learn, except under the command of others.'-- Shadwell's 'Life of Lord Clyde.'] [Footnote 2: The late Captain Oliver Jones, who published his experiences under that title.] [Footnote 3: Literally 'blue cow,' one of the bovine antelopes.] [Footnote 4: A few days afterwards, when we were some miles from the scene of our adventure, I was awakened one morning by the greyhound licking my face; she had cleverly found me out in the midst of a large crowded camp.] [Footnote 5: Peel had changed his 24-pounders for the more powerful 64-pounders belonging to H.M.S.