Quite the contrary.

The men were crowded into small badly-ventilated buildings, and the sanitary arrangements were as deplorable as the state of the water supply.

The only efficient scavengers were the huge birds of prey called adjutants, and so great was the dependence placed upon the exertions of these unclean creatures, that the young cadets were warned that any injury done to them would be treated as gross misconduct.

The inevitable result of this state of affairs was endemic sickness, and a death-rate of over ten per cent.

per annum.[1] Calcutta outside the Fort was but a dreary place to fall back upon.