They remained in the town until some battalions of recruits
poured out from the fort, to drill on the grounds between it and the
town. The first four that passed were, as Dick learnt from the remarks
of some of the bystanders, composed entirely of boys--some of them
Christians, thirty thousand of whom had been carried off by Tippoo, in
his raid on Travancore; and the young men were compelled to serve,
after being obliged to become, nominally, Mohammedans. After the
Chelah battalions came those of Tippoo's army.
"These fellows look as if they could fight," Dick said. "They are an
irregular lot, and don't seem to have an idea of keeping line, or
marching in step, but they are an active-looking set of fellows, and
carry themselves well. As to the Chelahs, I should say they would be
no good whatever, even if they could be relied on, which we know they
cannot be. They look dejected and miserable, and I suppose hate it all
as much as their officers do. I should back half a regiment of English
to lick the twelve battalions. I wonder Tippoo, himself, does not see
that troops like these must be utterly useless."
"I don't expect he thinks they would be of much use," Surajah agreed.
"He only turned them into soldiers to gratify his hatred of them.
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