II SCENES AT BANDA THE Magistrate, as has been said, occupied his own bungalow, and the three officers attached to the wing of Native Infantry lived in their usual quarters. It cannot be doubted that our passage through the district aided in bringing the brooding mischief to a crisis. Mayne was displeased with the Deputy-Collector for leaving the riverside; but it is doubtful whether he could have retained his post more than a day or two longer. For, very shortly after, it was reported that a body of Irregular Cavalry had crossed the Jumna at that very place, had raised the green flag in the village, and had had the new proclamation announced by beat of drum : Khalk-i-Khuda. Mulk-i-Padshah. That is to say "The World is God's; the Empire the King's; the Army is in command." We had a right, of course, to expect all Government servants to be staunch and loyal; but, perhaps, allowance was not always made for the fact that many of the subordinate officers were not by nature suited for posts of danger, nor had they ever professed to be able to meet trying emergencies. Mayne was a sanguine man, and, up to the time of the disturbances, had had a firm hold of his district; but he could not conceal from himself that his authority was crumbling away, as bad report succeeded bad report, and the Thanas and Tuhseelees were, one after the other, isolated from the sudder or central station. He placed some reliance on one or two native chiefs; and to a certain extent they did, it is believed, prevent outrage getting the upper hand. At his request some of our Futtehpore party patrolled the city on horseback before bed-time the second night. The larger merchants had engaged bodies of matchlockmen, who sat before their doors, or occupied balconies, armed and dressed in a manner highly picturesque, if only of partial efficiency. On the third night, however, of our arrival, just when we were thinking of starting citywards, there was a cry of fire, and going into the garden we saw that a bungalow in the lines was burning. One of the officers, Fraser, soon rode up, and with the most praiseworthy desire to prevent anxiety said he thought the fire was a mere accident, and that, in the hot season, thatch and timber did get uncommonly inflammable, there could be no doubt. This, perhaps, was not very satisfactory, but we thought it would do for the city. When we got down there, however, we found a good deal of excitement; but we explained to several groups that an accident had occurred through the extreme dryness of the weather, and as the fire really was put out, and no other bungalow caught, after a time some degree of confidence seemed to be restored. It was on the third morning, I think, that an astounding spectacle broke upon my view. Who should walk in, im portant and serious, to be sure, but still in an ordinary sort of way, but Joseph Manuel? It has been said his habits were mostly native, and his dress that curious compromise affected by native Christians, smoking-cap, chupkun and shoes with strings; but on this occasion he appeared in the character of a fukeer—a loin cloth, and another miscellaneous cloth tied round his head. He stated that Badul Khan had been willing to escort him to the West, but that he had dreaded the journey, and had gone into the town to see if anyone would give him shelter. Finding, however, that the Mussulman faction was entirely at the head of affairs, he determined to start at night, and try to join us. It was from him the particulars of poor Tucker's death were obtained, and I have reason to believe they were substantially true. One point only has been omitted from his narrative. He always stated that the Deputy-Collector, Hikmut Oollah, was present, and, indeed, read passages from the Koran. He was probably mistaken in this particular. The Deputy was a timid and wavering man, notwithstanding his abilities; and there seems no doubt, from what came out at his trial, that he was not at first disposed to take a prominent part in the revolt. Of course, Joseph's appearance filled one with remorse for having left him; but his restoration to strength and endurance during these troubled times was altogether a phenomenon-a possibility upon which no one could have reckoned. He had escaped molestation on the road, passing as a mendicant, and, indeed, one Zemindar had ordered him food, and begged him to rest himself. Wonders were not to cease, for, scrambling along at night, and purchasing shelter from poor people by day, a young clerk, the only one that had remained at Futtehpore, but who, at the last moment, could not be found, and who, as we took it, had made off-turned up in Banda, and could only explain his disappearance by a bout of dissipation, which, at least, seemed strangely unseasonable. Inquiries plainly showing that the bungalow had been fired by the Sepoys, Mayne very properly thought it necessary to take certain precautions. Some of the small community had, at the Nuwab's invitation, taken up their quarters in his Palace, and Mayne thought it would be well, for a time, at least, to abandon his house, and move also to the Palace, whither the Nuwab was anxious he should at once come. So we all abandoned the bungalow, and went down to the town. You entered under a handsome gateway, and then found a large enclosure, on one side of which was one of those picturesque buildings based on Mahomedan architecture, but not devoid of incongruities and hybrid additions. There was one large hall, sufficiently enclosed, and provided with means of cooling the air, lofty and spacious, full of all kinds of old furniture, crockery, ornaments, and rubbish of different kinds. This was our saloon. Men slept in the verandah around this place, and the two ladies in little inside apartments. The imagery of that Palace was easy enough to take in at the time; but it has not been so easy to get rid of again, and I suppose it will remain in one's mind, as long as life lasts, connected with the ideas of suspense, anxiety, and mental trouble. The nights were fatiguing, for, in addition to the heat and mosquitoes, there was constant disturbance. Chowkeedars came and bawled, sentries kept shouting out, and patrols of sowars frequently rode by. Memory recalls most vividly the ring of the hoofs, the jingle of the bridles, and the excited voices asking for and giving the pass words. The Nuwab was very civil, and we were well provided for. He was a youngish man, small and slight, but very active in frame, and with a lively kind of fatuous manner about him. Very badly brought up, and pampered with every indulgence by his elder female relations, he had gone wrong, morally, pretty well as far as he could; but his natural disposition was easy and good-natured, and he seemed free from resentment, for Mayne had naturally often had to thwart his wishes to keep his property straight at all; but he showed no alteration of manner in face of the misfortunes which were threatening the British power. Once or twice he came in the evening and sat with us, and I remember his offering a small contribution to the general entertainment. He had a figure, a leopard or something of that sort, whose head was secured by a magnet, and could be separated momentarily from its body. "His Highness," cried one of his household, "will now cut off the head of this little animal." His Highness was scarcely equal to the task, having had rather too much liqueur, aniseed, or what not, and was, moreover, seized with a fit of hiccups. With the assistance of an attendant, however, he at last succeeded in decapitating his leopard, and general applause succeeded. Like most native households, the Nuwab's establishment contained one or two Christians of mixed parentage, who filled different posts connected with the servants or the estates. There was a handsome young man named Bruce, who was Agent in village management, and a stout, dark man called Captain Shepherd, who was supposed to command a heterogeneous lot termed the Palace Guards. Matters were growing worse daily between the officers C |