CHAPTER I The Strom Bursts.

Otago Witness, Issue 2085, 8 February 1894, Page 39

CHAPTER I The Strom Bursts.

The Storm Bursts. N a snltry evening in the first week of Jane 1857, six officers were gathered round the mess tabla of the th Regiment Bengal Native Infantry, stationed in a small cantonment in the centre of Bundlecand. For days past the air had baeia full of rumours. The ordinary tappal (post,) had csased to rnn. Intelligence bad been received of the mntiny of the 3rd Bengal Cavalry at Meerat on May 10, and shortly afterwards all direct communication with the outside world had ceased. Rumours of further outbreaks at Lucknow and Cawnpore had filtered through the bazaar; but what credence could be placed on these reports no one knew, The colonel commanding the th was also in command of the station. The force under his orders was but a small one, compased of his own regiment — one company of which was on detachment some 20 miles aw ay_and a field battery of Golundaozo, or native artillery. Hitherto his men had been quiet, and in spite of disquieting rumours had performed their duty as usual ; bub an air of gloom had settled over the station which nothing was able to lighten. The colonel had sent out several men — some sepoys In undress, whom he believed he could trust, others civilians, but none had returned with news.

It was about 9 p.m , the dinner had been eaten almost in silence, as it was impossible to Bpeak freely before the native servants on the one subject which filled every heart. Now the cloth had been removed, and the wine and dessert laid on the table, cheroots were lighted, and each individual gave a sigh of relief as the servants departed. "Scott, tell the punkah coolie he can go," said Colonel Shaw, as he threw open bis white mess jacket, " and just give a look round the verandah and see that no one is about," he added, as Lieutenant Scott rose from bis chair to carry out bis wishes. The officers present at mess were those who were unmarried, or who, like the colonel, bad their families in Europe, and consisted, besides the colonel and Lieutenant Soott, of the doctor (an old grey-haired bachelor who should have retired long ago bat was afraid of finding himself with nothing to do, and preferred therefore to remain on in harness), one captain, and two more lieutenants. Three captains and three lieutenants were married men, and resided with their wives in the cantonment.

" Well, gentlemen," said the colonel, when privacy had been secured, " another day has passed and no news I The Subadar Major told me this morning that they have it in the bazaar that General Wheeler is besieged in his cantonment at Oawnpore by the Nana, the Thakoor of Bithoor 1 But I can't believe it 1 I won't believe it I Why, I saw and spoke to the Nana only a few months ago. and a fine polished gentleman be is I Yes, I repeat, qaite an English gentleman I " and the colonel's red face grew'almo3t purple with indignation ; "and now they want to make out that he is in open rebellion against us and has tampered with the loyalty of the sepoys 1 " No one answered as the colonel ceased speaking, but all looked gravely before them.

"I know that rascally 3rd Cavalry mutinied, and it is likely enough that some other regiments may follow their example, as they know we are short of European troop 1 ? sines the last draft was sent to the Crimea, but then all regiments are not as happy bath in officers and men as ours ! I must tell you, gentlemen, that only this mornirg I had a deputation of all our native officers. The Jemadar-adjutant was spokesman. He said they wanted to assure me that as they had eaten the company Babaudars salt, they intended to be true to their Bait 1 Quite spontaneous on their part, and very gratifying — very I " and here the old man blew hi* nose, and was evidently greatly affected.

" Yes," said Captain Greathed ; " very gratifyin.es colonel, but I rather think the native officers of some of those regiments which have rebelled would have said the same."

" What do you mean, Captain Greathed 7 Do you mean to imply that my men will not be true to their salt ? I would trait them with my life though every other regiment in the Eervice mutinied I Thirty-five years, Captain Greatbed, have I served in this corps. I know every man in ir, and every man knows me. I do not believe there is one that would raise his hand against me or any other officer in the regiment."

As he spoke these words a peculiar rattling sound wa9 heard in the distance, followed by another and another. The officers started from their seats and gazed with open eyes for a moment at one another, and then a young lad, a "chokera" of Scott's, burst into the room and shouted, " Sahibs 1 Sahibs ! the sepoys are comiDg 1 ' and fled away into the night.

" I don't know what this may moan. It may be the mutineers have come down from Cawnpore, or elsewhere, and oar men are

defending themselves. Arm yourselves and meet me as soon as you can in the parade ground," said poor Colonel Shaw as he hastily picked up his forage cap and hurried over to his house, which adjoined the mess house.

The cantonment of Budragaon was an oblong, with the native village and bazaar in the midst. The native infantry Tines lay at one extremity, and beyond them the parade ground, whilst the Golandauze Artillery was at the other extremity. An upper and lower road formed the long sides of "the parallelogram, the one ending in the north and* the other in the south end of the parade ground, after skirting which they united in one aud formed the trunk road to the sout h.

Scott, as fast as he could, ran to bis bungalow, situated on the lower of these two roads, with one or two others ; the greater number and the larger and more important houses being on the north road.

When he arrived he found all dark and not a soul on the premises. He quickly buckled on his sword, looked to and loaded his revolver, and placed a quantity of cartridges loose in the breast of his jacket, and then hurried to his stable. Here, agiin, all was desolate, and he wasted some time in hunting fur hi 4 saddle and bridle and preparing his game little Arab. At last all was ready, and springing into the saddle, he made his way to the parade ground.

He had thus to pass the end of the lines of huts occupied by the sepoyp. The night was not dark, as there was a young moon, which would go down about two or three in the morning, and it was now but 10 p.m. As he passed the lines he could see that they were alive with people, and a hum came from them as though from an angry hive of bees. He was saluted with shouts of " Look I look I There goes one. Maro I maro 1 " — showing that he was perceived ; but the cries were from young boys, women, and children — the men were evidently away.

He rode on to the parade ground, but all was still. As he approached the northern end, however, he could see something on the ground, and, riding up, be saw poor Colonel Shaw lying dead on his back. He had been Bhot down at once by the very men he thought he could trust and confide in. The men whom he had known and grown up with for 35 years — men who had gone out shooting with him, played cricket with him, whom be had ever been ready to help with his money and his sympathy in all their domestic troubles, men who had not a grievance or complaint against him. These were the men who had shot him down on his own parade ground, and then had wantonly bayoneted him over and over again, and one, more brutal than the rest, had struck him on his poor dead face with the butt of his musket, splitting open the skull and laying bare his brains. Near at hand lay two more officers, who had evidently ridden up with the colonel, and had met the same treatment. Scott ground his teeth as he viewed their mutilated corpses ; but this was the time for action, and what was he to do 7 The whole band of sepoys, after wreaking their brutal spleen on the colonel, bad gone down the north road towards the other end of the town to join their comrades of the Golundauze. As Scott sat for a moment to think of what course to follow, the distant roar of voices rose into a shout, and the sky grew lurid with the flames from the thatch of a large house which had been fired by the rebels.

"There goes poor Kennedy's house! My God 1 what has become of Mrs Kennedy 7 "

As the thought flashed through him, he remembered his great friend Sinclair, who lived in the next bungalow to himself, and who had only three months before brought his bride to live with him ! In an instant his plans were made. It was useless to linger on in Budragaon ; he would try aud get Sinclair and his wife to join him, and see if they could not make their way to Seonee, a post some 60 miles away, not very large, but on the direct road from Nagpore to Allahabad, and hence likely to ba visited by Madras troops on their way to BangU.

In most regiments there is some one officer who devotes his time and attention to sport. If elephant, tiger, or bear cannot be obtained he will go after duck or snipe ; thus, by being constantly out for days or weeks together with only his native servants, or shikaree?, he not only learns to speak tbs language like a native, but he learns the lay of the country about him for many miles. Just such an officer was Scott. ; for 30 miles round Budragaon he kaew every inch of the country, and if anyone could hope to find his way across country, through unfrequented byway 3if necessary, he could.

At once wheeling his horse, he galloped back by the way he had come, and passing his own bangalow, he turned in at Sinclair's gate. As he rode up to the front a white form rushed on to the verandah. 11 Oh I Jack, I am glad yon are back." "It is not Sinclair, Mrs Sinclair ; it is me, Scott," he gasped out.

11 Ob, dear 1 Where is Jack ? What shall I do, Mr Scott 7 " criad the poor womvn.

" We mu«t get out of this place as quick as we can," said Scot*;. " I will g?t your horse ready at once."

•<I can't gol I cn't, indeed, without Jack," said Mrs Sinclair; but Saofct had already ridden off to th<* stables, and in a few minutes appeared with Mrs Sinclair'sgrey Arab ready saddled, leading ie and his own horse by the bridle. By thi3 time five or six houses were in fla-nes, and the crie3 of tb3 crowd came nearer and nearer. Mrs Sinclair would not mount, or leave her husband, although Scott had under the stress of circumstances pointed oat that her husband was probably already dead, and her fate, if she fell 'into th 9 sepoy's hands, would be worse than death I

Much valuable time was lost, and as he was at his wifcs' end, the sound of a horse galloping into the compound was heard, and Sinclair rode up pale as death.

" Thank God 1 " ejaculated Scott. " Now, Mrs Sinclair, have you anything to cover that white dress 7 ' "Yes, I have alight waterproof."

In a few minutes, dnring which Scott had explained to his friend his proposed plan, Mrs Sinclair returned, enveloped in a dark cloak, and was mounted upon her horse, and all three were quickly galloping down the road.

The sepoy lines -were passed and the parade ground,, and soon they were stretching along the main road, SoQtfc bad ridden on abe^d, and left the

husband and wife together for a time, when they saw him pull up and heard his shout — ■

"To the right 1 To the right," and he at once leapt his horse over the Bmall ditch by the road side and broke across cauntry, an example they qaickly followed. A* they did so half a dozen shots rang out from the shadow of some trees before them.

" I saw the gleam of arms," said Scotfc a3 they caught him up, " and guessed that the brutes had posted a picket to cut off any who might attempS to escape by the road." He then led them a detour of some half mile round, when they struck the road once more, and cantered steadily forward.

"Our one danger now," said Soott, "isKalinjah, where we have a detachment. There is a chance that they have not yetheard of the outbreak here; if they have they may be on the lookout for fugitives ; but fortunately I was in command of the company there for some weeks, and know the ground well. The moon will be down in about three hours, and we might slip through the pass in the dark. It is between 20 and 30 miles from this, and we must make good way so as to cross the dangerous part before daybreak." After this no words were spoken and nothing heard but the steady tramp of the three horses as they cantered on into the unknown future.