flung up towards the sky, and immediately afterwards, what looked like a vast black balloon ascended, as if in pursuit of it, showing us, in its dispersion, that it was smoke. Then after a perceptible pause there was the noise of a violent explosion, and at the moment I felt a pluck at my knees that made me involuntarily sit tighter. This compression was the passage of the great air-wave, for the Cawnpore Magazine had just been blown up. We were almost beat with the morning sun. I remember I dismounted at a well, and poured water on my head, then got some neem leaves, soaked them, and put them in my sola hat. But even then I was so giddy I could scarcely manage to proceed. However, we approached the cantonments, and found the soldiers all under temporary shelter in the barracks round about, and soon got amongst friends. I saw some men I knew in the verandah of an empty bungalow, and went and talked with them for awhile, and then, passing into a chamber, lay down on the threshold, and in a moment was fast asleep. When I awoke I looked up, and beheld the General entirely by himself, sitting down close by. I scrambled up, and begged pardon for having intruded. into the house, which I had no idea had been selected for him. But he was in a most gracious mood, begged me not to go, and said he had read accounts of the war in the Peninsula, and a life of Wellington, by an officer of my name; and then, when I told him it was an uncle of mine, Moyle Sherer, he asked me if he was still alive, and so on. Then he launched a little into the events of the last few days, and spoke with great satisfaction of what had occurred. I remember, especially, he divided the occurrences into grades of importance. "The affair at Futtehpore, the engagement at Aong, and what will be probably known as the battle of Cawnpore." Though exceedingly interested in what he was saying, I took an early opportunity of making my bow, as I was clearly an unbidden though a politely-treated guest. And now, having shaken off the effects of the sun, and got some tea, it began to occur to me that I ought to go into the city. So having found my horse, I went to Colonel Barrow to ask him if he would give me a trooper to take care of me, as I wanted to visit the Kotwalee, the headquarters of town government, a name still retained under the new police, though the ancient office of Kotwal is abolished nominally, the people insisting on using the word. Barrow consented at once, and as the trooper was Bews, we started, alertly enough, on our mission. VI CAWNPORE RE-OCCUPIED As Bews and I entered the city, we were met by a man with a small kettle-drum; and, without orders, he put himself just before us, and proclaimed the restoration of the former rule. Whether he had in a similar manner proclaimed the Nana cannot well be known; but he diligently rattled away, sonorously shouting an intimation, framed on the same lines as the one mentioned to have been used by the rebels in Banda, but worded as follows: Khalk-i-Khuda Mulk-i-Kampani Bahadur We passed through some streets till we reached the principal thoroughfare-the Chouk-at the head of which stood the Kotwalee, a two-storied building, with arches in front, forming a balcony above. Here we dismounted, ascended to the upper story, and were almost immediately surrounded by a crowd of people, many of them Bengalees. They professed themselves delighted with our return; but were rather afraid of the soldiers, and thought that, if measures of retaliation were taken, the innocent might be confounded with the guilty. We said that, as far as we knew, no indiscriminate punishment was at all likely to be inflicted; and told them the best way of showing their loyalty would be to offer their services for useful work. Bengalees are always ready to write; and one of them improvised paper, inkstand, and a table, and commenced writing placards, somewhat as follows:-"This house belongs to one Mokerjea, very loyal subject. Please not to molest." I was requested to sign these, and they were supposed to be talismans, which, when presented to the excellent Thomas Atkins, would assuage that warrior's angry disposition. Fortunately for all parties, Atkins was not permitted to roam into the city; and my talismans were never put to a rude practical test. Amongst those at the Kotwalee was a tallish Hindoo, of an able but rather forbidding face, who was pointed out by some of the others as the "former Deputy-Collector." I knew nothing about him and had never heard his name before; and, therefore, when he came forward and bowed, and said he hoped our return would be fortunate, I bowed back, and replied that I hoped it would; which, under the circumstances, was a safe, if not striking remark, A rather energetic Baboo, who had been in the Commissariat, having put himself forward, I asked him to remain with me, and help in making arrangements; under his guidance we pursued our way from the Kotwalee, down the Chouk, and out of the town by another way. In course of time we reached Mahomed's Hotel, which had been, as we were told, the headquarters of the Nana; and on stopping, were received by the landlord. I have often thought since, that considering this man had not left his house when the Nana was there, that the building was close to the scene of the massacre, and that English feeling was not in its calmest mood, it showed wonderful presence of mind on his part to pursue his occupation exactly as if nothing had happened. He was quite frank and confident, and from first to last incurred no suspicion, and underwent no troubles. Of course, some months later he had to fly before the Gwalior Contingent for a few days; but he returned immediately afterwards; and I left him, in 1860, hotel-keeping with the utmost composure. Mahomed showed us over the house, and we saw where the Nana had slept, and how another bedroom had been fitted up with choolees for the preparation of his food. This word signifies a small structure in wet mud, of nearly horseshoe shape, which, when dry and firm, supports a brass pot over burning sticks. From the hotel, not a hundred yards' walk led us to the celebrated Beebeeghur. First let me say that this appellation does not mean the "ladies' house," as indicating the spot where the ladies were killed; the building had the name previous to the Mutiny. It was understood to have been a dwelling provided by a European for his Indian mistress, and was therefore constructed in the Oriental style. It was of one storey, with a court in the middle, and a tree grew in the court. Bews and I were certainly among the first who saw it; but Colonel Fraser-Tytler had been there, and one or two others. But there is no question that the aspect of the place, when we entered, was entirely unchanged. It was precisely in the same condition as the first Englishmen who did see it found it to be in. The whole story was so unspeakably horrible that it would be quite wrong in any sort of way to increase the distressing circumstances which really existed. And I may say once for all that the accounts were exaggerated. attack had evidently been made from the front entrance, The |