These irregulars I saw in all their glory on Langar day, 1913; and, in many cases, they seemed to know little of drill and discipline, to wear their own clothes or old-world uniforms, and to carry antique weapons. Some were old, others were boys, and I was told that these picturesque soldiers guard the palaces of His Highness and the great nobles of Hyderabad, furnish escorts, and in the districts, protect the treasuries, escort the mails, and help to discover and arrest dacoits.
The Regular Forces date from 1858 A.D. When the attack was made on the British Residency in Hyderabad, in 1857, most of the Contingent troops had gone to British India to fight there against the mutineers; and afterwards Sir Salar Jung I thought that in an armed State like Hyderabad there ought to be a State army on which H. H. the Nizam could depend in case of internal insurrection and rebellion. So in 1858 he gave power to the Raja of Wonpurty to organise a small army, with guns, which was to be called "the Nizam's Field Force." To this little army more men and more guns were added, also Nawab Nizam Yar Jung's Cavalry; and in 1868 the Nizam's Field
