Page:The tourist's guide to Lucknow.djvu/49

Rh rear, Up to the 30th June, 1857, the day of the battle of Chinhut, we continued to draw our stores and supplies of clothing and other necessaries from Constantia, but, after that disastrous day, we were deprived of this re-source, since all communication with the outer world was then cut off,andjwe were left with the bare suit onour backs, with which we had to go through the siege, and which was considered a great hardship.

50. Sir Henry Lawrence allotted to us for our quarters, the house of the native banker, Sah Beharie Lal, which was situated at the extreme south of the intrenchment and forming one of the outposts in that quarter. It was, throughout the siege, much exposed to the enemy’s fire. By the end of the siege this house had been so battered as to become almost untenable. It was built after the usual style of native houses, having a square of one-storied buildings with a two-storied reception-room in the centre, and, I need hardly say, it was quite inadequate to our requirements. We continued our school studies in the intrenchment till the day of the battle of Chinhut, after which the boys and masters were compelled. to give their attention to other duties. On that day all our servants, except the cookand Bhistie (water-carrier), left us, and thereafter the boys had to do all the drudgery usually performed by menials.

51. Sir Henry Lawrence’s exertions to provision the garrison were unceasing. The Commissariat Department was constantly at work getting in, from the district and elsewhere, grain, which, with a large quantity of ghee and oil, were stored within the precincts of the Residency. The swimming bath on the east of the General Hospital was filled with wheat. Stores of firewood and charcoal were also laid in; and the racket court was filled with fodder for the oxen. Fortunately we possessed an abundant supply of excellent water from numerous masonry wells within the intrenchment.

52. About the middle of June the fortifications of the Residency began in earnest; defences capable of resisting the assault of Artillery were now being rapidly thrown up. At the time when the blockade was commenced only two of our Batteries were completed ; parts of the defences were yet in an unfinished condition ; and the buildings in the immediate vicinity, which gave cover to the enemy, were only very partially cleared away. The greatest annoyance we received was from the native buildings, which,