THE LASS OF THE LILYWHITES.

Evening Star, Issue 12871, 21 July 1906, Page 3

THE LASS OF THE LILYWHITES.

— A STORY OF THE INDIAN MUTINY. By Major R. Sterling, Author of ‘The Bonnie Belle of Waitley,' etc., etc. CHAPTER XI. . MUTINY BREAKS OUT —HOW A BRITISH OFFICER MKT DEATH. " Escape by timely flight The flames and horrors of this fatal night, The foes already have possess’d our walk.* YIBGIL. At Futteghur events moved quickly. The Brigadier had fully comprehended the situation from tho first, and, as he liad said, the leaders had claimed that tho rising should be over tho whole length and breadth of the land. Men who had been sentenced to three or even six months’ extra drill, with deduction of pay, for failing to keep step when marching past, or some equally trivial mistake while at drill or on duty, galled by such treatment, and with a mastering desire for revenge, had pledged themselves to exterminate the hated “ whites.” Impatient waiting for tho signal and showing slight indioaiaons of insubordination, twenty troopers of one regiment alone, stationed at Meerut, wore sentenced to various terms of imp rifionment. Thus the white officers, surrounded by a eea of native prejudice, were with senseless severity using the despotic power in their trust, and thus they scuttled the frail bark _ upon which they floated, prematurely bringing mattem to a crisis. How well the natives loved the European officers was made manifest, as, like beacons, station after station flare out in mutiny. First, Barrnckpore, Meerut, Delhi, Cawnpore, then it came to Firtteghur’s turn. Early morning seemed to b© the favorite time for th© awful work. In th© fort, at nightfall, five ladies I'eeted preparatory to making an escape by the river in th© early morning. _ A covered boat, secured to a small jetty opposite the Brigadier’s bungalow, was in waiting, a faithful Hindoo being _in charge. At three o’clock in th© morning ilronnitng shots were heard all over the station, while at, four th© barracks wore in a blaze, and volleys of musketry were kepi up. It was then that Captain Pacer galloped into the fort-, and, as he passed the sentry at the gate without a challenge, a glance was sufficient to comprehend how matters stood. The roan on guard lounged about with their rifles in hand ready for

the diabolical work, and ho had only gone some twenty yards when a bullet whizzed past, his bead as he turned the comer of the magazine. Stopping in front of the Brigadier’s bdngalow, be found the true soldier standing, fully equipped. Miss Allington and tho other ladies urged the gallant commander to com© with them in the boat.

“ No,” h© said, “ I have a doty to perform other than that of saving the remnant of a poor life,” laying h«3_ gloved hand on his left breast, 1 ‘ hnt, ladies, yon have only one doty, and that is to save yourselves, if possible, and there is the only way,” pointing to the boat. “ Ah, bnt, uncle,” pled Miss Allington, “you might come and be our protector. “ No, no, Alice dear, yon would not i persuade me to do a cowardly action. Tho Government have doomed me to die, so , let me meet my fate in peace. Here is I Captain Pacer, who. lam sure,^ will be j only too pleased to do that doty.” Musketry firing now rattled over the cantonment, and streams of fire shot up [rom every point as bungalow alter bungalow was fired, then the church and mission station became a sea of smoke and flame, j Mr Denholm rushed up to the small com- I pany, only half-dressed, while in his left | hand he grasped his beloved Bible. Nearly i out of breath, he cried: “ Flee, flee every- ] one ; the Fakir is coming with tho whole rabble behind him. Oh, the horrid deeds, | Ib© dreadful work they have done.” The 3 oar and tbo rush of an immense crowd approaching nearer was now heard, and Captain Pacer spurred the noble roan to the river, the four ladies carried Miss Allington to the boat, and tb© Hindoo shoved it into the middle of the stream, while the Brigadier stood calmly in front of the door of the bungalow, the young preacher just behind. The great mob soon surrounded the house. Ah! gallant Wormwdl, how bravely you met your fate. How the stentorian voice uttered that last “ Halt! ” without a tremor. The infuriated mass was surging around when the General shouted “Halt! gentlemen, soldiers.” As he spoko. the corporal of the guard levelled his rifle at the Brigadier’® breast and fired, and the old man, staggering backwards, fell hail, within the verandah. In a moment twenty

.■words ■were swinging over th© prostrate body, but before the leader knew or noticed th© young preacher in the shade, he had received a stunning Wow on the forehead with tb© clasped binding of tho Bible, ;md at the same time tho weapon was snatched from his hand, and with right and left swinging cut© Mr Denholm cleared a passage to tb© edge of_ the river, and, tumbling down through th© root fronds of a date palm* h© found himself in the bottom of a small boat. Th© looting of tho Government stares now went on merrily, the Nawab and his brother mperintendending. The Brigadier’s bungar low was stripped of every article of value, and then fired. Two sweepers dragged the General’s body to the river’s edge and tossed it in, while hundreds of black fiends

clapped their hands, laughed, and cheered. Tb© body of the old General moved into a deep pool beside the palm trees, and there it appeared to settle. The plundering continued for an hour or two, after which the mob, mad with spilling blood and loaded with plunder, rushed off to get rid of th© on© so that they might secure more. Just as things had quietened down, the ironds of the palm tree through which Mr Denholm had, disappeared were gently opened out, and a black face with two piercing dark eyes looked down upon him. The young preacher was on his knees in the bottom of the boat, and beside him lay the mangled corpse of the late commander, stripped of all the gay trappings. A glance at the face and tho missionary shuddered with horror. “Accursed wretch! Rend of the evil one! Hast thou come to gloat over thy work?” be cried, wildly. “ Hush! hush! ” siiid the Fakir. “ There are many about, and your life depends on quietness.” “What care I for life now?” answered the young man. “Indeed, Mr Denholm, you seemed to care very much for it only an hour ago,” replied the priest; “ but it was not to argue I came here. Here are clothes and food fat you,” dropping a parcel into the boat. “ Move down the river in the shadow of the trees on this side, then cross with the sharp current to the other side; yon nill meet someone there who will give a helping hand to you.” Not for the life of him could Denholm thank the Fakir for this seeming kindness, yet he followed his directions. With prayer on his lips, he guided the small boat with the stream, and then with vigorous paddling hj. safely touched the opposite side a few males below. Here, stranded on a sandbank, lav the boat with the ladies. How suspiciously they watched the coming of the -smell craft, what a relief to each when they saw Mr Denholm working the paddles, and, with outstretched hands, Miss AUington cried: " On! Mr Denholm, whore is by uncle? ” Although that ory contained all the pain of a broken heart, Mr Denholm answered it not. H© steadily worked his boat to tli© side, and, lifting a heavy object from it, placed it among th© long reeds on the bank; then went back to the help of the ©there. After a little, he managed to get th© boat to the bank and land them at the same spot. No amount of solicitation by the ladies could force him to speak; not even the pearly tears of Miss AUington could open th© sealed lips. Laying her hands on his shoulder and her cheek to hia, she urged Idm to teU her th© worst, but all be could do was to hold up his right band with the BiW© in it and point at the blood-stained *dgau

IVn she kissed the book and bis lips. ' “I know,” she said. “You lost the parson in the man, but you made yourself ten times dearer to me, if that were possible, i Now speak of my uncle.” j “ Yes! yes! ” lie replied. “ You shall s®o all that now remains of your good and! kind friend.” And he led the way to tho spot where the body of tho old Brigadier , was bidden. “ 1

' Who can describe the scene? Let a veil hide the horror, grief, and pain. With a paddle and sticks the six wrought to scoop dut the narrow bed. Never did Mr Denholm offer up a petition to' the Great White Throne with greater fervor than he did by Chat lonely grave on the banks of the blood-stained Ganges. After a brief consultation it was decided that, they attempt again to make their way down the river. The larger boat was then shoved out into the water, Mr Denholm taking charge of the steering. They had almost reached mid-stream when there was a loud boom, and a nine-pounder shot passed high overhead, while from the bank they had just left came the flash of rifles and the rattle of musketry. The rebels were upon them.

CHAPTER XIT. THE LILYWHITES EMBARK. —ON THE ROUTE

TO LUCKNOW. “ They take— Not that themselves arc wise, but others

weak; But, grant that those can conquer, these

can cheat, ’Tis phrase absurd to call a villain great .” Pope.

The good ship Galapool sped on its way with its living freight. The voyage gave every indication of being a fast one, but not as fast as the necessity of the case demanded. Twelve davs out the officer on

watch sighted right ahead huge flames reddening the midmight sky, showing they were now nearing the Cape De Verde group of volcanic islands, on the western point of Africa. A bright beacon they display, acting as a guide to the mariner, for hero he must change his course after coaling. The men of the Lilywhites had got settled down to their confined space, and con-

fined enough it was. The forepart of the vessel was allotted to them, the whole be-

ing divided into messes of . six, with just room for four in the hammocks, while

other two kept watch, changing every four hours. This arrangement compelled a third of the men to be always on deck scrubbing and washing. In this connection a system of petty tyranny was instituted. During the day the whole of the men were crowded on the upper deck, when a call would be suddenly given for the watch to “fall in,” the roll quickly called, and all who could not struggle through the mass on deck in time to take their places in the ranks were marched oS to the guard as prisoners, and reported as being absent from “watch.” Soudria was on guard on the twelfth day when the Teapot, a well-known character in the regiment, and another were placed under his charge for the same “ crime.” The Teapot had been twice done out of three days’ “ beer cut.” A whispered conversation took part between the sergeant and him, and on the case being called before the commanding officer a surprise resulted, Teapot declaring that he would not have been there save for a reason. “Wen,” asked the Colonel, “what is the reason?” “ Just that all the beer disallowed to the men gees to the sergeant’s mess,” was the reply. | “What do you eay to that, Sergeant 1 Seaton’ Is that correct?” the Colonel , asked. I “ I believe so, sir; but the mess sergeant l will he able to say exactly if it is eo.” “Sergeant Seaton, don’t yon know whether you get extra beer or not?” demanded tie ColoneL “Well, no, sir, I do not know.” Jack never drank beer, and if h© had said so j there would have been another pint stopped I to the mess, and he was not eo strict a j temperance man as to adopt that course, j “You must be a heavy drinker, surely, not to know th© difference between a pint o! beer and a quark Send for tho mess I sergeant.” | These both admitted the truth of the j statement, and from them the beer drawn j for men undergoing purusliment was orj dered- to be thrown out. After that few i men were confined for being “absent from i watch.” There was no consideration given j to the question of waste. -It did not appear as if either the man or the country had to pay for this, or any other part of the men’s rations. Shipload after shipload of soldiers were rushed out to India to quell the mutiny of their dark fellow-men of the ranks. How much neglect and tyranny they endured before taking that extreme course will never be known. Yet here were officers to care for as well as command, but how much of the former did they receive? • After eighty days the good ship Galapool was nearing Calcutta with a thousand men huddled together in the fore-quarter, while about fifty officers occupied the luxuriant after-quarter; yet they were both | destined to punish the company’s native soldiers. In the first week in October the Ulywhites entered the Hooghly, and in th* j evening of the fifth they marched: into Fort William, the great storehouse that commands the City of Calcutta. Fox six days they were allowed to rest, and during that time news from up-country was eagerly sought after and discussed. Th© rebels held th© great north-west plain, extending from Nepaul on the north to the frontiers of Bombay in the south; from the Punjab on the west to Benares on th© east. Meerut, Agra, aud Allahabad were in the keeping of the company’s troops, Delhi md the Residency of Lucknow still held out. The position of affairs at Ownpore was dreaded, but not known, save that Havelock was pushing forward for its relief. Sir Colin Campbell was still at Calratta completing arrangements for the advance of his small force, and the Lily whites were impatiently doing duty in the fort until another regiment should land to relieve them. The first experience of Beveridge’s in India was as a sergeant in charge of the main guard over twenty-one political prisoners. His heart went out to the poor fellows in confinement—two Europeans and a number of half-castes. Seaton, although on guard twice during tie week, had somewhat responsible duties to perform; still, they were more pleasant than Steen’s. His first duty was to guard the ex-King' of Oudo, and the other was to take charge of nine superior prisoners, one of whom was the ex-Primo Minister of Oude, a man of large intelligence, yet hav mg great superstitions. His custom every day was to treat the guard to sweetmeats and other refreshments. Having secured a cage of small birds, bo let them free in his room, and if they went out of the door and flew down the passage without being dis Inched he was cheerful all day, this being a sign that he would be set free; while if they rested in his room the prisoner was sad, believing that he would not be released., Thus with hope and disappointment the once great man passed hie time in prison. At last the order came that the regiment was to proceed by train for Runagungs, a wild desolate spot a hundred miles above Calcutta, this being the terminus of the railway at that. time. Everything was bustle from that on. Although the men had their light clothes to wear, they were ordered to take a full home kit, with bed and bedding. On arrival at the cane or seedy-grass huts on the slightly rising ground at the terminus, Beveridge looked about him and exclaimed : “ Man, Seaton, this is Airdrie about a hundred years ago; we are going into a gipsy encampment.” It was here that company after company, and regiment after regiment, were lodged for a day or two until conveyances were ready to carry them further up the country, a tremendous effort being made by the Indian Government to cope with the emergency. Every machine that could carry was pressed into the service, the great bulk of the men and their baggage being carried in games drawn by four bullocks, while smaller portions were carried by pony and coolie dock—the bullocks doing about thirty miles a day, the coolies sixty, and the ponies fifty. The main body of the Lily whites, eight hundred strong, had been despatched in the first i three da®s. Seaton was greatly amused

at the mode of transit, four men* being • told ott to each pony carriage. Across the trams two bamboo rods were tied. Three coolies got hold of the one in_ front, two grasped the second, and four pushed; thus nine darkies were engaged to convey every four whites, the day’s journey being from nine to twelve miles. • The wheels were kept going night and j days, two soldiers resting inside each« carriage, while two kept watch. In five j days Benares was reached, and the troops > were conveyed across the river in boats propelled by paddles, the power being obtained by a score of coolies walking a tread-mill wheel. The mint was converted into a depot for the troops, and here Seaton was glad to meet his mend ■ Beveridge. The Color-Sergeant, ip a moralising mood, stood with his back against the outside gate watching the natives dragging their heavy loads for the lordly renumeration of threepence x per day. “No wonder,” ho thought, “there ! is discontentment. The wealthy tnoving about in great state, seated in their howdahs, with dome-shaped canopies. How haughtily they look down from their elevated position on the back of a huge elephant upon the suppliant crowd, crouching at the dusty roadside as they pass.” Near the river the Holy Temple, with its thousands of priests, was surrounded by a multitude of devotees. Truly a] country of princes, priests, and beggars, ] with the lordly Briton to rule over all. ; Beveridge and Seaton were not allowed i long to rest in the Holy City. They bad only time to inspect the tigers and leopards kept in the far corner of the building when,the bugle sounded the assembly, and the bullock-waggons were waiting to take the Lilywhites on to the next stage, Allahabad. Here the leading parties had a few days to rest. They were now within the region of the rebellion, and must move in larger bodies. On 2nd November the several detachments arrived, and the regiment was ready for the work of suppressing the mutiny. Sir Colin Campbell was assembling a storming force at Cawnpore for the "relief of the residency of Lucknow, ic Lilywhites, roused by the atrocities committed by the natives when thev had thrown off the yoke of their white masters, longed for an opportunity to mete out to them a proper chastisement. On the 4th the camp was struck, and a fine show the regiment presented on parade when ready to entrain. Here, in accordance with Royal warrant, Captain Ellerton was promoted to the rank of major, and proudly he rode along the line watching each section being told 06 to the compartments in the carnages. It was only a forty miles’ ride, the Doab railway being only completed to Chunmea. Then, after a march of eighty' miles, they would join the force assembled at Cawnpore, to be led on to victory. It is well that Providence has hidden the future

from all, as otherwise it would have been with a tardy step the men of tho gallant corps would have marched away from Allahabad that morning. (To be continued.)