Page:Sir Henry Lawrence, the Pacificator.djvu/188

Rh Up to the 24th of May, by which time he had made himself secure against a certain class of attack, no news had arrived of any measures against Delhi. As yet the Muhammadans alone, with all Delhi and its neighbourhood, especially the Gujars and other predatory tribes there, had thrown off the British rule. On the other hand, the Oudh districts were not yet disturbed; the mutiny was not extending, and the native States were giving no sign of joining in the rising. But there is nothing in Sir Henry's language or letters showing that he realized to what extent this was due to the precipitation of the rising and to the Mughal proclamation at Delhi.

It was not until the last week in May that the Oudh districts began to be disturbed. On the 25th isolated detached officers still moved from station to station with ordinary precautions; and the 29th was the first day on which intelligence reached Sir Henry of the raising in Oudh of the green standard of Muhammadan revolt and of a murder that meant rebellion. He had already begun, on the 21st and 27th, to send off parties of troops — generally of cavalry, but sometimes of all arms — to move over the Province, partly to remove the disaffected from the most likely seat of temptation to mutiny, and partly on the chance of employing them and thus turning them to some advantage, or otherwise neutralizing any evil tendencies which might exist and which would only be increased by idleness.

The following letter to Lord Canning shows Sir Henry's position and views on May 27: —