was nothing to prevent the party from whom we had just escaped from giving information of our whereabouts as soon as they arrived at their destination. Such thoughts naturally filled our minds with extreme despondency, and we almost wished we had perished with the rest in the Main Guard rather than endure such torturing suspense.

By this time it was broad daylight, and we now found ourselves approaching the banks of a large stream (one of those tributaries of the Jumna which here intersect the country in several places), and we at once determined to cross. After considerable search we fortunately discovered a spot where, by dint of wading up to our waists, the whole party passed over in safety. There was some thin jungle lining the banks of the stream, and here, cold, wet, and weary, without a dry stitch of clothing on our backs, we lay down to rest. I shall never forget the blank look of despair depicted on every face when, as the morning advanced, the utter helplessness of our position forced itself upon us. There sat the poor Misses Forrest, their dishevelled hair hanging down their backs, without a particle of covering for their heads. There lay their unfortunate mother, her head resting in the lap of one of her daughters, and, though suffering excruciating pain from the gunshot wound in her shoulder, yet never uttering a word of murmur or complaint. Mrs. Fraser sat close by, bewailing the untimely end of her little babe, who, she imagined, together with her sister, had perished in the Main Guard, both having been lost sight of in the panic and confusion which ensued when the firing commenced. Subsequently, however, it transpired that a Christian drummer belonging to the 54th had hidden them under a dark archway, and after the sepoys had left the enclosure conducted them unharmed to cantonments, whence, together with some of the other residents, they had escaped in a carriage to Kurnaul. The little girl, however, died from exposure and want of proper nourishment. The rest of our party lay all about, under the best shelter we could find, keeping a sharp look-out on all sides to see that we were not surprised-all except poor Forrest, who was lying some distance apart, in a more or less prostrate condition, having been much hurt from the recoil of a howitzer during the defence of the magazine, besides being struck in the hand by a musket-ball.

The few scraps of bread and meat we had brought with us were now produced, and we each took a mouthful-without exception the saddest meal I have ever made. While thus engaged,

and discussing our future plans, we were startled by a villager coming right upon us without our having noticed his approach. After observing us for a few seconds, he passed quietly on his way without remark. But the incident made us feel very uneasy, and we determined to shift our place of concealment without delay. Just as we were about to recommence our journey we suddenly discovered that Forrest had disappeared. In vain we searched for a good half-hour, shouting out his name at the top of our voices. There was no response, and we were in the act of moving off without him, when I fortunately chanced upon the very bush where he had concealed himself. It seems he had been watching us all the while, and at first refused all our entreaties to get up and join us, saying he felt so thoroughly worn out from all he had gone through that he would far rather be left to die where he was. With the greatest difficulty we persuaded him to rise; but it was evident, after proceeding a short distance, that the ladies were equally exhausted, and their remaining strength would soon be spent. The sun, moreover, was now high in the heavens, and the day was dreadfully hot. None of the party had adequate protection for their heads, and the unfortunate ladies had to put the skirts of their dresses over theirs to avoid sunstroke. Unluckily, we were now crossing a comparatively bare plain, with only a few patches of dhak jungle scattered here and there, and far away from water. Making our way to one of these patches, we halted once more. It afforded but slight shelter from the burning sun, and we were, moreover, consumed by a parching thirst. We suffered so much from the latter that Salkeld and Wilson volunteered to go and look for water. They had been absent nearly an hour, and we were becoming anxious on their account, when all of a sudden we heard a tremendous yell, and, looking up, perceived them both running back in our direction, chased by a number of half-naked villagers armed with spears and lathies' (long staves bound with iron). Concealment being no longer possible, we all jumped up, and in a few moments found ourselves completely hemmed in by some thirty or forty natives, who crowded round with such threatening looks that we feared the worst. Presently several others came up, less scantily clothed, who seemed more civil, and offered to conduct us to their village, where they informed us there were some more 'sahib-logue,' whom they had found wandering about in the morning. Believing this to be merely a ruse to get us into their power, we declined at first to accompany them, when one of them said he would go

and fetch some token to assure us of the truth of their statement; and whilst he departed on this errand the rest showed us the way to a clump of trees, some distance off, where better shelter was procurable from the fierce heat of the midday sun. As we were almost dying from thirst, we asked them to fetch us water; and shortly after they returned, bringing a pitcher of milk and some coarse chuppatties, which we gratefully accepted.

And now, who shall describe our delight as we recognised in the distance the form of poor Colonel Knyvett, of the 38th Native Infantry, accompanied by Lieutenant Gambier, of the same corps, and Mr. Marshall, the European merchant at Delhi, the latter carrying a musket on his shoulder with a fixed bayonet! Great were the congratulations poured out on both sides at this unexpected meeting; and their surprise at seeing us can be easily imagined, for they fully believed that every soul in the Main Guard had been massacred. From them we learnt that as soon as intelligence reached cantonments of the catastrophe at the Cashmere Gate, the majority of the residents who had conveyances at their disposal beat a hasty retreat by the trunk road in the direction of Kurnaul, which station, it was hoped, they would reach in safety. Others less fortunate took to flight on foot, amongst them being Colonel Knyvett and Gambier, who remained at the Regimental Quarter Guard expostulating with their men till long after dark. But all remonstrances were fruitless. They were told at last to be off, and some of the ruffians actually fired several shots at them as they ran across the parade-ground.. For the remainder of the night they had wandered about the country in the same plight as ourselves, the poor old Colonel being almost dead with exposure and fatigue.

Our party now amounted to thirteen in all, but, rack our brains as we might, no feasible means of escape presented itself to our minds. At every moment we were informed that the 'Telinga log,' i.e. sepoys, were scouring the country in search of fugitive Europeans; but the day wore on, and the afternoon came, and these reports turned out to be false. At length we endeavoured, by the aid of a heavy bribe, to secure the assistance of the villagers, and eventually signed a paper agreeing to pay the sum of Rs. 10,000 if they would take us in safety to some European station. As an earnest of what we said we gave them nearly all the money we happened to possess, viz. thirty odd rupees, in addition to two or three valuable rings; on which they promised to bring some ponies to enable the ladies to ride as far

as Meerut, walking being out of the question in their footsore condition. The evening, however, drew on apace, and we instinetively felt they were only deceiving us; and when some of them returned, and said the ponies were not procurable that day, but that if we would wait till the next they might be able to get them, our suspicions were fairly aroused. We felt convinced their only object was to detain us till the mutineers in Delhi should be apprised of our whereabouts; so we determined to be off at once rather than run the risk of falling into their hands.

The sun was sinking beyond the far western horizon, through a murky haze of reddish dust, as we again resumed our wanderings on that sultry summer evening wheresoever fate might lead us. We gave one last look towards Delhi ere setting forth. An enormous black cloud hovered over the site of the cantonments, which, from the appearance of the smoke that ascended from the smouldering bungalows, to blend at last with the inky mass above, appeared between four and five miles distant. The villagers pointed towards it significantly, and intimated that all India was destined to share the same fate. With sorrowful hearts we turned away, not knowing whither to go. As the short Indian twilight began to close in we found ourselves on the banks of the Jumna, but the broad, swift current as it rolled hoarsely by filled us with despair. How could we ever hope to cross? We turned to some of the natives, who had accompanied us, and inquired if they could point out a ford. There was none, they assured us, within miles; but after a while one of them suggested our proceeding to a place not far off where it might be possible to get across. A few hundred yards brought us to the spot, but the water seemed far above our depth, and on one of us attempting to cross he found it was as much as he could do to prevent himself being carried away by the current. As we looked on despairingly, a cry was raised that the sepoys were upon us! It was better to be drowned than be shot down by them, so we madly plunged in. God only knows what would have become of us-for we must inevitably have been submerged-when, the report turning out to be untrue, we retraced our steps to the bank. The natives now offered to carry us across one by one, if we would venture to trust to their guidance. It seemed of such vital importance to get across the river that we determined to hazard the experiment at all risks. It was a bold resolve, and I well remember the courage of the ladies well-nigh failed them at the last moment. Finally, grasping a native on each side firmly round the neck, they were all in turn taken securely across,

and the whole party landed safely on the opposite bank. We now endeavoured to persuade these men to accompany us to Meerut ; but this they positively declined to do, and immediately commenced clamouring for reward. We flung them a few rupees and walked slowly onwards. Darkness by this time had set in, and it was with great difficulty that we picked our way through the fields. Although the night was warm we suffered much from cold, owing to our dripping clothes, and our teeth chattered in our heads like so many castanets. Soon after quitting the banks of the river we were, to our surprise, rejoined by the same three or four men who had assisted us to cross, and they now offered of their own accord to show us the way to Meerut. This seemed strange after their former point-blank refusal, but we said nothing, and silently followed in their wake. The sequel proved what treacherous rascals they were. On pretence of avoiding villages which they said were infested with robbers, they took us a long circuit across country, till at length, just as the moon was rising, we arrived on the brink of a wide stream, which they informed us was the river Hindun, and invited us to cross. Now we were well aware that the river in question was miles away, and it instinctively occurred to our minds that this was the identical river we had that evening already crossed. The probable truth then flashed on us: a pursuing party from Delhi had doubtless arrived at their village after our departure, and their object now in enticing us to recross was to deliver us into their power. Feeling sure that our surmise was correct, we refused to listen to their entreaties, and seeing we were not to be taken in, they hastily fled, and we saw no more of them. Meanwhile, during this altercation some of the party had lain down to rest on the sandy bank by the edge of the stream, and I also, feeling thoroughly knocked up, soon fell into a profound slumber. How long I slept I know not, but I recollect waking up with a piercing sensation of cold. The damp appeared to have eaten into one's bones, and my limbs ached to such an extent that I could scarcely stand. I was in the throes of a sharp attack of ague, from which I had already repeatedly suffered during my sojourn at Delhi. and quiet as I looked around. The moon shone placidly down from above, and, lighting up the water with a silver streak, shadowed forth our prostrate forms clear and distinct on the white sand. The eldest Miss Forrest was lying next to me; she also had just woke up feeling intensely cold and miserable. The others gradually awoke one by one, and we again moved on

All was still