THE STATION. 47
head quarters was “a shame,” regimental duty was “a bore,” and the sepoys were “niggers.” That hateful word, which 1s now constantly on the tongue of all Anglo-Indians, except civilians and missionaries, made its first appearance in decent society during the years which immediately preceded the mutiny. The immorality of the term is only equalled by the absurdity. To call the inhabitants of Hindostan “niggers,” is Just as unreasonable as it would be for Austrian officials to designate the subject populations of Venetia and Hungary by the collective title of “serfs.” In the eyes of an English planter, or railway-contractor, there is no distinction of race or rank. Khoonds and Punjabees, Pariahs and Coolin Brahmins, bazaar-porters and Rajahs with a rent-roll of half a million, and a genealogy longer than that of Howards and Stanleys, are “ niggers ” alike, one and all, with the prefix of that profane epithet, which has been the Shibboleth of the Englishman abroad since the days of Philip de Comines. And so, in a Bengal corps, whether he were a grey-bearded Mahomedan soubahdar, the arbiter and exponent of regimental custom and tradition, or a high-caste Rajpoot, or a Sikh veteran marked with the scars of Sobraon ; every man knew well that he was dubbed “nigger” by some slip of an ensign, who could not tell his right hand from
