Page:The Land of the Veda.djvu/247

Rh return and resume it. Saturday night we lay down to rest, not to sleep. The mounted patrols that went round every fifteen minutes would call out to the watchman attached to each house in such boisterous tones that sleep was impossible; and it almost became distracting, from the manner in which it made the poor children startle and cry until daylight broke. It was a solemn Sabbath. We had but ten persons at the native service, and less at the English one; people seemed afraid to come out. A rumor got afloat that Sunday was to be our last day; that the Sepoys intended to murder the Europeans on that Sabbath.

Our class-meeting was a solemn, but profitable, time. We used it as if it were our last. Had it been, I think each of that little band (seven in number) would have been found of God in peace. We lay down again to seek rest, but it was short and disturbed repose. Monday morning came; I tried to find palankeens for our journey, but all were away; so I obtained some bamboos and rope, and took three charpoys, (an article like what our Lord referred to when he bid the man “take up his bed and walk,”) turned the feet uppermost, put on the bamboos, and threw a quilt on each, and we were equipped. I left three native Christians in the house with Joel, besides two watchmen for night. That evening, at six o'clock, the news arrived that the Sepoys had risen in Delhi, murdered the Europeans, and proclaimed the Emperor. The details were frightful. Just then Judge Robertson appeared upon the scene, and inquired if I too was yielding to the panic? I told him all. He was incredulous. I asked him why he thought so confidently that there would be no rising? He told me he was so advised by Khan Bahadur, the native judge, who assured him there was no cause for alarm, and guaranteed him personal protection under the hospitality of his own roof. Judge R. expostulated with me for leaving, and had not my arrangements been made for going, the influence of his words might have prevailed to lead me to put it off, and we should have shared his sad fate. We were ready when our bearers came at nine o'clock, and I went into my study once more. I looked at my books, etc., and the thought flashed across my mind