THE GOORKAH KNIFE.

Colonist, Issue 50, 13 April 1858, Page 3

THE GOORKAH KNIFE.

(From the Calcutta Engli' hman, January 23.) . The pure . Goorkahs-are, beyond all-doubt* the best native soldiers in the field we have ever h&i ;" witness the- deeds iaf Reid's regiment befoie Delhi (which is, however, the only hill regiment which has done much).,.. By all means let us employ as many, of these men.as we can, evea though Nepaul be the only, independent} State in India., But-the real Goorkahs are ex? ceedingly scarce ; they are hardly to. J)e had ; and the hiliinen., who have been amalgamate^ with them, th >u«h in many respects better, and les-s prejudiced than the plains people, are nothing like the ie.il Goorkahs. Besides,: they hate tlie plains, aud suffer much in health there;,an<l the-Goorkah regiments are very trouMesom'e about .their families, the whole of which they carry about .with them from canton? ment- to, cantonment; and are always leaving companies to look after them, > and -so on. I hope that the Goorjtah regiments mayibe much 'increased, but they must always be limited both in numbers and in the duties they perform, Elsewhere they are;- spoken of a5 " ,the little * gal ant Goorkahs," " panting for blood," &c.^ . The chief war implement of the Goorkahs i$ the koorkerie, or curved, knife,... which ha,i proved very formidable to the rebels, and withwhich they encounter a foe at close quarteis,..or dispatch abounded man. ■ ' , ;.

The last Overland Mail brought the follow? ing account of an incident in which the brave: Goorkahs figured :— • ■ .

' Coloned- Wioughton, who was moving to* wards the eastern frontier of Oude with some 1500 Goorkahs and two guns, was met by some 5000 of the enemy with seven guns. The mutineers deployed with beautiful accuracy, dis* playing at last a sjlid line nearly two miles long. They dii not, however, charge, but opened a heavy fire upon the Goorkahs. The little men—tliey are not abive five feet—disapproved the proeeediug, and vyith their usual pi lick', flung themselves forward on -enemies three times their own number. T^ie curved' knives made quick work. Ten minutes after their charge the enemy had disappeared, leav: ing four guns and 700 bodies on the field. These Goorkahs are men for whom Sir Charles Napier had so strong, and, as it has proved, so well grounded, an admiration."

Mr. Sfcocqueler, in liis useful "Oriental In"! terprefer," thus speaks of the past services of our allies:— !

"The Goorkahs.are mountaineers of Nepaul; and from the time of the British campain hi that couiltry a good understanding has been established with the.-c hill people, and they now freely ; . v ente.r the British army, and are among the most.' faithful, active, and courageous of our troops: In the battles of the Sutlej in 184S-4Q, the 06orkah battalion particularly distinguished itself., Beside.s the iJrrjfle, the. Goor-i kahs'carry kborkeries, formiduble cfkiteauxdfc chasse. • -