SOLDIERS' SLANG.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTITOR:'1
SIR,—The examples of soldiers' slang given in your review of Ms. T. O'Toole's book are for the most part Hindustani expressions, not exactly pure, though simple. " Atcha " means good ; " Doolally tap" is Deolali fever ; "Blighty," for home, is Belaiti (European) ; " Belait " is a Bengali corruption of the word " Wilayat," which means any country, but is applied by the Indians particularly to Europe or England. A similar substitution of " B " for " V " or " W " occurs in the word " Bundook," which is derived from Vencdik or Benedik, the Arabic name for Venice. The crossbow was introduced into Egypt from Veniee and was thence called Bundok by the Mamolukes and Arabs. The vowels being omitted in writing Arabic, the change of vowel sounds in pronouncing words is of common occurrence. When firearms were introduced into Egypt the name of Bundok was trans- ferred from the crossbow to the musket. It is used in India to signify any kind of hand-gun. Another Indian word used by " Tommy Atkins" is " cooshie," which is the Persian " Khushi," signifying pleasure
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