Page:John Russell Colvin.djvu/51

Rh Bárásat, Landed proprietors and Police Inspectors were not sure that a zealot was such a mine of profit as he had seemed to them. 'From June 27, Mr. Alexander,' wrote the Court of Directors later, 'had been constantly warned by unmistakable signs of the coming storm, but failed to provide for it.' On November 6 it descended on his head.

The zealots had begun to assemble in great numbers. By November 6 they had gathered. They began their operations in the time-honoured way in which the Muhammadan in India declares war against his Hindu brother. They seized and killed a cow, sprinkling the blood over the walls of a Hindu temple, and hanging up the carcass in front of that building. Then, a Brahman was killed. With the slaughter of a cow and a Brahman, vengeance had begun prosperously. The Hindus turned out to oppose Títú Mian and his host. Another Brahman was claimed by vengeance. From November 8 to 10, the word of his Lord and of Títú Mian grew mightily. Parties were especially sent out to lay hands on all Police Inspectors. Kishen lál Rái may have paid a visit to Calcutta about that time. Mr. Alexander appeared on November 15 with a few Calcutta militia and a body of police. Him, as was meet, the Wahábís speedily routed, with loss of killed and wounded; and now vengeance should have felt herself satisfied. The magistrate of the adjoining district, Krishnagar, Mr. E. D. Smith, came next day on the scene, preceded by a numerous body of police,