Page:Allan Octavian Hume, C.B.; Father of the Indian National Congress.djvu/25

 deeds of which I have before spoken. . . and bore noble witness to the courage and constancy of the national character. This English Magistrate and his assistant, in the face of an insurgent population, nobly strove to avenge themselves upon men who had a few days before murdered our own people.' They returned to Etawah, and 'for a while British authority as represented by Allan Hume was again in the ascendant.'

"The troops at Etawah still remained faithful ; but not for long ; for a few days later they also mutinied. They plundered the Treasury, burnt and looted the bungalows and released all the prisoners from the two jails. The ladies were got away safely to Agra Fort, escorted by loyal officials. The men remained at their posts trying to restore order. Mr. Hume began to raise local levies and hoped he might weather the storm, but all was in vain. News of disaster after disaster came in : the tide of the mutiny rose hourly, and by June 17 it was clear that the lives of none of the English there were safe, and that no good would result from their remaining at headquarters. They felt compelled to fall back upon Agra, and escaped during the night, reaching the Fort in safety.

"From the Agra Fort Hume kept in touch by correspondence (which was secretly conveyed) with the officials of his district, whom he knew to be still faithful. By proclamations and private letters he tried to let every one know the true state of things from the British point of view and to keep alive feelings of loyalty to the State.

"On July 5th a battle was fought at Agra. The rebel force consisted of two thousand of the best-drilled native soldiers with a troop of Bengal Horse Artillery. It was a sanguinary engagement in which many officers were killed. Hume was through it all serving with a