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130 sistent enemy. He had to choose a spot the situation of which should lend itself easily to succour from the side of Allahábád. From that direction alone was succour to be expected. In a military sense, then, it was doubly advisable to select a locality the approaches to which from the Allahábád side should be easy. Such a locality seemed to be at hand. In the centre of a large plain, with a tolerably clear space all round them, were two barracks, formerly used as the hospitals of the European regiment, but at the moment unoccupied. The locality was about the best he could have chosen. He has been blamed since alike for not choosing the magazine and for not choosing a place of refuge immediately on the river. But the magazine was an impossible locality. It was seven miles distant, and to reach it one had to traverse the lines of sipáhís and the native town. A barrack or large house on the river bank would undoubtedly have been the best place of refuge had any such of sufficient size existed, but there was none. The position chosen fulfilled some necessary conditions. It lent itself to aid from Allahábád. The space around it was tolerably clear, the only drawback being that on its left front, at a distance of about 400 yards, was a row of unfinished barracks then in course of construction. These might be used either by the defenders as an outwork, or by the rebels as a substantial place of cover, for their attacking parties.

It is further due to the memory of Sir Hugh Wheeler to add that no one then anticipated that the sipáhís, if they should mutiny, would endeavour to slaughter the Europeans. After the events of the 10th and 12th of May, at Mírath and Dehlí, the cry amongst the sipáhís had been to march to the centre point, to the ancient capital of the Mughals. By attacking the position on the plain they could gain neither loot nor glory. Such an