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ARRIVAL AT SIMLA.

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is expected to do so in the course of the day. I hope, however, our soldiers will come across him, and save us further trouble with him.

(Diary) 21st September.-Yesterday asked the General, who says he didn't see why I shouldn't go to Simla; determine accordingly on leaving to-morrow morning. Ride up to camp and make arrangements; return with Arthur Becher. Send off things. Go to Palace, where all are, and say good-bye. King brought in by Hodson-see the old scoundrel!

22nd September.-Pack up, breakfast, and off just at 10 A.M. Very slow work in one of those heavy penny-a-milers, and didn't get to Kurnaul till after nine. Had some eggs and tea at the dâkbungalow, where Mackinnon pays me a visit, and then off again. At Piplee got into a doolie-slow work; a disgrace to Government that this road has not been completed.

23rd September.-Not in at Umballa till past ten. Enjoy a bathe and breakfast at the hotel very much. Ascertain that there is no horse dâk available, so lay a dâk of bearers, and on again at 1 P.M. in the doolie; rather hot work, but it seems the only way of getting over the ground without sacrificing another day, and I have promised to be at Simla to-morrow. About twelve, or nearly so, when I reach Kalka.

24th September.-Just as well that I went to Mrs Bain's, as the old lady was very civil-got up to make me a cup of tea, and had my doolie put to rights. About 1 A.M. I started; tedious work. At Kussowlie at sunrise, and at Kukree Huttee at ten, where I had breakfast. Reach Syree about half-past four, and there found Seymour's pony, which took me to Ellerslie; and then (thankful indeed ought I to be to God) I had a happy meeting with F. and the dear children.

CHAPTER XIV.

LETTERS RECEIVED AND DESPATCHED AFTER THE FALL OF DELHI.

Colonel H. B. HENDERSON to Colonel Keith Young.

LONDON, 9th September.

I have been nearly the whole day at the Mansion House, busy about the Fund collecting here for the sufferers by the late Mutiny. I say late, though I deeply fear it is incorrect so to describe it. It is the last and most absorbing subject here with all interested in India; and oh! how I wish I could hope that by the time this letter reaches you it could be so far quelled that it could truly be called the 'late' Mutiny by you all! But it is so spread in its consequences just now, and your means of punishing it are at present so scanty, I dread to think that its murderous course will be unchecked until the troops now on the way shall be fairly up the country and falling foul of the rascals. Unless there is a break up amongst them, meantime, with your limited means, you can scarcely get possession of Delhi and put down the numbers elsewhere.

I know not what you will all think in India of the exertions made to get up a Fund for the sufferers from this Mutiny, but it is wonderful the present excitement and sympathy in England. Even those who have no friends in India are deeply anxious for news from it. The Mutiny is the subject of conversation and intense interest with every one; the atrocities committed have roused the general feeling in Europe, and India was never so much thought of as at this moment of suspense. All are eager for the mails, and all breathing vengeance on the cruel murderers of women and children.

The subscription list at the Mansion House is daily showing

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an increase. To-day, at the close of the books, it stood at £17,000, and still meetings are getting up all over the country. I have undertaken a duty in which my heart is in the work; but it is very onerous just now, and I have not a moment to myself. I will endeavour to enclose a list from the Times of the subscribers to the Fund-£8000 goes to Lord Canning by this mail, which, with the £2000 by the last, will make £10,000 thus early remitted. It is intended to reserve, by a new resolution of another General Meeting, a part of the Funds for the sufferers who may arrive in England, ladies and children here, and others; there are many already who require aid, and much will have to be done in England. The Fund is expected to be very large. See what a handsome contribution there is from the Emperor of the French and the Garde Imperiale.

Good-night, and God bless you, my dear Keith. At times the old soldier comes about me, and I could wish I were some years younger and helping to punish the cruel wretches you have to deal with, instead of enacting Honorary Secretary only to a Fund here; but I should do little good out with you, and can only send you heartfelt good wishes.

10th September.-I had intended to enclose a subscription list, but I have not one available. It appears in the Times of the 9th (yesterday); it amounted to upwards of £16,000, and to-day the Queen has sent £1000, two other large donations bringing it up to about £20,000.-Yours anxiously and affectionately,

H. B. H.

Colonel KEITH YOUNG to Colonel H. B. HENDERSON.

SIMLA, 12th October.

MY DEAR H.,-This mail will bring you excellent tidings of the progress of affairs in India; and my own belief, and that indeed of all I have spoken to, is that this country, and especially Simla, will for the future be safer than it has ever been. My future movements are awaiting the orders of our new Commander-in-Chief, Sir Colin Campbell, and we know nothing at present of his movements or intentions. It is generally believed, however, that he will come up country, and that we (that is, Colonel Arthur Becher, who is up here, and myself, and other Staff officers) will join him probably at

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THE GWALIOR MUTineers.

Cawnpore, when he will march up to Umballa or Meerut and make one or other his headquarters, or perhaps he may come up to Simla; and, notwithstanding the clamour made apparently at home about the Commander-in-Chief residing at Simla, I really don't know that there is a single good reason against it, and certainly there are many in its favour the real objection I believe to be that the Commander-in-Chief ought not to be living in a good climate when so many of the troops are living in a bad one. Whatever may be done about the Commanderin-Chief making the hills his residence, I trust that as many European troops as possible will be located in the hills. Had it not been for the three European regiments that went down from the adjacent hill stations in the highest state of health, we should never have taken Delhi: braced up as they were by the invigorating hill climate, they stood the hot weather and rains much better than the 8th, 52nd, and 61st, who had had no such advantage, and whose enfeebled constitutions were in many instances unable to bear up against the terrible wear and tear of the life in camp in the hot weather and rains.

You may imagine how delighted I was to get up here again, and after Delhi was altogether in our possession-the wretched old King, too, whom I saw when he was first brought in—I lost no time in getting away. You will see what has been going on there since I left by reference to the public papers; and so well have matters been progressing of late, that unless Sir Colin Campbell hurries up there will not be much left for either him or the troops now arriving to do, except to fix upon the proper places for locating them so as to keep the country quiet.

The Gwalior mutineers, those in Rohilkund and in Oude, are the only bodies now remaining of any importance. Penny talks of going into Rohilkund and settling matters there; and Greathed's Column, which was marching on Hatrass and Agra by the last accounts, having relieved Allyghur and sent the enemy flying in all directions, will probably be strong enough for the Gwalior scoundrels-but you will have later information from the papers than I am able to give you. I saw yesterday the last accounts hitherto received from both Showers' and Greathed's Columns, and nothing could be more satisfactory than the progress they

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are now making. It is only to be regretted that one Column at least was not sent off earlier after the assault, and the Bareilly mutineers might have been prevented from crossing into Rohilkund, which it is now feared they have done; but Wilson, though he took Delhi, is not quite a Sir Charles Napier. What would not such a man have been worth during the late crisis?

SIMLA, 31st October.

MY DEAR H.,-In one of the last letters I sent you I enclosed a numerical abstract of the Force before Delhi on different named dates, which I hope found its way safely, as you would have been able to judge from it how unreasonable was the clamour that was at one time raised against the Force and its commanders for not taking Delhi-just jumping over the 'garden wall,' as Mr Vernon Smith, or some member of the House, facetiously termed the defences of the city.

It is surprising what ignorance there is at home about matters out here, even amongst those to whom the best sources of information are accessible. You may have noticed, perhaps, that Colonel Sykes in the debate in Parliament (on the 11th August, I think it was) explained to the House the cause of the mutiny in the 3rd Cavalry at Meerut, stating that it was in consequence of the commanding officer attempting to force the greased cartridges on the men, the real truth being that the cartridges which the men refused to take were common blank cartridges of the same make and material exactly as had been used in the regiment for years; and before the Court-Martial was ordered, this fact was clearly ascertained by a special Court of Inquiry assembled for the purpose, before which it was satisfactorily shown that the cartridges had been made up in the regimental magazine.

Colonel H. B. HENDERSON to Colonel KEITH YOUNG.

AIX LA CHAPELLE, 20th October 1857.

MY DEAR KEITH,-Your long and welcome letter from before Delhi, of 26th August, was received here three days ago.

You seem to think that the impatient desire to get hold of Delhi was overruling, in England, all other considerations; but you may rely on it, every one whose opinion is worth having fully

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