168

LETTER FROM LONDON.

you can understand why war-steamers were not sent out by our Government with the troops for India.

Your two last letters are a great comfort to us, and from my heart I thank you for writing them, in all your trouble and confusion. They both came together: one dated 17th May, from Simla, and the other 27th May, from Kurnaul-which you had reached after so hot an express ride in a mail-cart. We pray you may not feel bad effects from the exposure; and deeply, most deeply, do we pray and hope you may be preserved by a merciful God with your dear ones in all the dangers now rife around you all.

Tell Charles Chester, with my love, that I wrote to Lady Eardly Wilmot and told her of his message through you, and have received a thankful reply. I was very glad to hear that he was so active, and that he was your best leader in camp; I always thought he would prove this, and only hope his health will stand by him. We are longing to have F. and the Babas home, and away from such scenes. A letter to a friend of ours, from one of the Simla party, states that the families there were contriving plans to get to Kurrachee and thus home by steamer. Oh, how I hope that some such arrangement may be feasible, and that F. and your children are now on their way to us! India for the next two or three years, whatever the present result, is no place for European ladies with children, and in many places for ladies at all. May God in His goodness preserve and bless you all, and keep you all safe and well.

CHAPTER VIII.

SIEGE OF DELHI-continued.

Colonel KEITH YOUNG to his wife.

CAMP, DELHI CANTONMENTS, Saturday, 1st August.

We have had very heavy rain, and for about four hours or more this morning it came down in torrents, quite inundating the country. It has now left off, and the air is delightfully coolso much so that I am wearing one of the nice flannel shirts you sent me, and find it very comfortable: almost every one in camp wears these flannel shirts-I mean the officers, and you see them of all hues and patterns.

There is nothing much to tell you since yesterday. To-day is the grand Festival of the Eed, and the gentlemen in the city commenced early in the morning, and have been amusing themselves all day, firing off their guns and making a great noise. I was told just now that they had also made an attempt to attack us on the left; but it must have been a very slight one, as no one in our camp heard of it till it was over. The whole of the convoy, with the Kemaon battalion, came in this morning; they must have had a sadly wet march for the last two days.

Still no cossid or letter direct from the force coming up; but there was a very good account received to-day from Meerut, from Toony Simpson, about this fight near Futtehpore and the advance of our troops, under Havelock, I fancy, as I see he was at Allahabad on the 1st. It would seem now that there was only one fight after all, according to Simpson's informant, a Native, who says he was present when the rebels ran into Cawnpore chased by our troops, who, after settling matters at Cawnpore and at Lucknow, had gone on to Futtyghur-which by some change of

170

ARRIVAL OF KEMAON BATTALION.

fortune, after having been lost once, had come into our possession again in some unexplained way. From Futtyghur, it was said, the troops were coming straight here; but really nothing seems known for certain about this. Perhaps they may go via Agra, and this is not unlikely; but we must soon know.

The massacres at Cawnpore and Futtyghur are still not cleared up; but they are believed to a certain extent. Simpson says that at Allyghur all is quiet, and that the revenue is being collected for us in the districts at the rate of from fifteen to twenty thousand rupees a day; this speaks more in our favour than almost anything else. It is mentioned that some of the Cawnpore rebels who have arrived in Delhi gave out that the army of Europeans opposed to them was twenty thousand strong; and they describe the regiment that wears petticoats (78th Highlanders) as perfect fiends to fight; while there is another regiment, they say, which has come from Lunka (Ceylon), who are cannibals! This is the 37th. Possibly enough this nonsense is believed by half the people in the city.

You would have noticed that one of the late papers in mentioning Oude said that all at Salone were safe, having gone to Allahabad. George Hall tells me that this is the station where his wife's sister was, so I trust to find that no harm has befallen her. Mrs Goldney, too, has escaped; but no tidings of her husband.

Mactier and I are just going to have our frugal tiffin—a bit of toast and a glass of wine and water. We sometimes, but very seldom, treat ourselves to a sandwich; but I never go to the mess now to have a regular tiffin, as some do. We have at last left the Artillery mess and joined the Staff one. I was sorry to leave the Artillery, but it is a long way to go these dark, rainy nights; and the Staff mess is not a stone's-throw off. It seems a very fair one, but rather too many members-some twenty and more sit down to dinner.

Tiffin over, and nearly half-past three, so I must think of finishing this, as there is no chance of the dâk coming in. Mactier sends his kindest regards, and says, 'It's a weary, weary world,' and wishes to know what your opinion is on this point!

(Diary) 1st August. The large convoy and Kemaon battalion came in this morning, and a precious row they made, commencing at about three. They had a terrible drenching, poor fellows;

THE EED FESTIVAL-ATTACK BY ENEMY.

171

it rained bitterly till nearly twelve o'clock, and the camp must be quite flooded in many parts. The enemy still at the canal with their guns, and threaten our rear if they can cross. At five, word brought that their bridge is broken and they have retired. Grand attack on Hindoo Rao's in force after Eed.

CAMP, DELHI CANTONMENTS, Sunday, 2nd August.

Our hopes of a grand row in the city yesterday at the Eed Festival have not, apparently, been fulfilled-at least the only newsletter received from the city alludes to nothing of the kind. The King had issued strict orders against killing cows, or even goats, in the city, and this, if acted upon, must have satisfied the Hindoos; and instead of fighting amongst themselves they all joined together to make a vigorous attack to destroy us and utterly sweep us from the face of the earth, when it was arranged that the King should perform his evening prayers in our camp!

I told you that a large party of them had tried to get to our rear; but their attempt at a bridge over the canal entirely failing, they went back and joined in the attack with the people from the city, from which the whole force was said to have come out. Our right front, in the direction of Hindoo Rao's, was their grand point of attack, and at about six o'clock in the evening all Delhi nearly must have been out, judging by the noise they made. We all went soon after five o'clock, when the enemy were said to be in great force, to the Mound battery, and there we stayed with the Brigadier-General till between eight and nine, when, things getting a little quieter, and it being reported that the enemy could make no impression on our posts, we were not sorry to get back to dinner. Such a yelling and bugling as the scoundrels made! But though they had sworn to take our batteries, they never came nearer than four or five hundred yards, and then a volley or two of grape sent them back again; they kept at it, however, more or less the whole night long, and even at twelve o'clock to-day the firing had not wholly ceased. We do not know what their loss has been, but it is reported to be great. Our men for once, fortunately, remained in their entrenchments, and we have lost very few-only ten killed and wounded Major Reid reported this morning; but amongst the killed, unfortunately, is Captain Travers of Coke's regiment, who was shot through the forehead.

172

LETTER FROM A Delhi spY.

I send you rather an amusing account of the fight, given by a man who came in from the city this morning. The men who fought us are said to be principally the Neemuch mutineers, this being their first meeting with us. I hope it is true that they are badly off for caps, for they must have fired off an immense number of them in this attack. I hope the scoundrels will profit by this lesson and leave us alone now until our reinforcements arrive, and then we shall be able to smash them effectually.

No intelligence direct from Havelock yet, but a letter from Agra, of the 27th, says that he had gone against Bithoor, the Nana's place, and utterly destroyed it. I have just been writing a letter to Havelock giving him the news here, and telling him how anxious we are to hear of his doings. To-day or to-morrow the messengers that were first sent to him are expected to return here.

6 A.M., but there were The firing was going

This morning we had Divine Service at very few present, only eight or ten of us. on at the time, and most of the troops were either out or in readiness to go if required; so at my recommendation Mr Rotton dispensed with a sermon. There was to have been the Sacrament also, but this was postponed on account of the small attendance.

All the wounded are getting on well-Chamberlain, Daly, Money, and Seaton. Arthur Becher is progressing fast towards

recovery.

We hear that the 26th Native Infantry have bolted from Lahore, but without arms.

Translation of a Letter from the City, dated night of the

2nd instant.*

The King reproached the troops for not carrying the Ridge. They replied that neither Artillery nor Cavalry could mount the Ridge, and that they were consequently helpless and could not take it. The mutineers allow that they lost two thousand men killed and one thousand wounded in the last fight; and they are much discomfited. Both Cavalry and Infantry are asking for leave

* This was one of many letters received during the siege, from Natives inside the city and who were in our pay, coloured in a high degree to please us.— H. W. NORMAN.