Page:The Indian Mutiny of 1857.djvu/431

Rh of this girdle. It seemed, therefore, that the chances of escape for Tántiá were small indeed.

Yet so extraordinary was the vitality of this remarkable man that for more than nine months he kept all the troops I have mentioned, and many others, in a state of perpetual movement against him. On the 28th of June 1858 he and his small following were baffled by Brigadier Roberts in his attempt to gain Jaipur. Two days later Holmes foiled him in an attempted raid on Tonk; on the 7th of August Roberts caught and defeated him near Sanganír. This action was a type of all the actions fought by Tántiá. It was his wont to occupy a strong position covered by skirmishers. These skirmishers held the position long enough to ensure the retreat of the main body. On this occasion Tántiá escaped; fought Roberts again, on the 14th, on the Banás, and again escaped. As he fled towards the Chambal the pursuit was taken up by Parkes, who, however, was misled by false information. Tántiá then moved on Jhalrá-Patan, of which he took possession. Levying there a heavy contribution, he made as though he would march on Indur, but finding two British columns at Nalkérah, he moved on Rájgarh. Thence, on the approach of Michel, who had succeeded Roberts, he fled into the jungles, was followed, caught, and defeated by Michel, again fled, and for a moment disappeared from view. Napier, meanwhile, had had troubles of his own to contend with. Mán Singh, Rájá of Narwar, had rebelled against Sindhiá, and Napier had despatched Smith to coerce him. Smith not being strong enough, Napier had followed, had compelled the evacuation of Narwar, and had despatched Robertson in pursuit of the rebels. Robertson had caught and defeated a division of them, commanded by Ajít Singh, on the Parbatí river (September 4), and had then returned to