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FYZ

479

proper dresses, and it was supposed by all, except the confidential persons of the nazim's household, that he had sent us away. "We remained in captivity in rear of his zanana in a reed hut nine days, treated kindly, having plenty of food, and a daily visit from our keeper."

Another

officer gives additional details



"The troops mutinied on the night of the 8th, but did not come down to the city till the morning of the 9th of June. Orr and Thurburn slept at my gateway. Bradford, being obstinate, slept at the Dilkusha.

We

had about a hundred armed invalids. We tried to raise levies, and with Man Sing's co-operation might have succeeded. As it was we failed. We collected 400 or 500, but the greater portion were rather a source of apprehension, and I was obliged to get rid of them. " During the night of the 8th, the jail-guard (6th Oudh Irregulars) and others left their posts, and the mutineers stationed themselves so as to prevent all communications through the city. I was unable to warn Bradford. They came down upon us in three divisions, with two guns attached to each ; and having no means of resistance we bolted from gateway towards the Akbarpur road. at first intended to go to Shdhganj but fearing the sowars, who were most bloodthirsty, I turned off as soon as we .got out of sight, and made for Rampur, but finally went to Gaura". I knew the zamindars well in these parts. changed quarters in the evening to a pandit's at no great distance, and thence went to Shahganj. had at that time the Azamgarh mutineers coming on the Tanda road, and those from Benares on the Dostpur and Akbarpur lines. Bradford managed to get away on foot. I had lent him my Arab for the were afterwards told that these brutes flight, but he could not find it. of sowars followed us as far as Bhadarsa, but we saw nothing of them.

my

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"

The day

after

we reached Shahganj, Man Singh

sent to say that the

troops would not harm the .ladies and children, but insisted upon our being given up, and were coming to search the fort that he would get were all night going across boats, and that we must be off at once. country to the ghat at Jalaluddinnagar, during which time we were robbed by Man Singh's men of almost all the few things we had managed The ladies took some of their valuables to Shahganj. Of to take with us. course we had only the clothes on our backs however, we got off first in two boats, but afterwards in one, eight women, fourteen children, and The heat, too, suffered great misery and discomfort. seven men. were plundered by Udit Narain, one of the Birhar men ; was terrific. and when they took Orr and me into one of the forts I fully expected to be polished off; and all the ladies got ready to throw their children into the river and jump after them. However, God willed it otherwise, and Madhoparshad, the Birhar babu, came to the rescue, entertained us hospitably for five or six days, and then forwarded us to Gopdlpur, where we

We

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were comparatively

safe.

In this way we dropped down the river on the 9th, a little before sunWhile dropping down, a sepoy of the 22nd (Tegh Ali Khan), who had not joined the mutineers, was observed following in a canoe. He "

rise.