The Press.
London, England, 1857-10-24 00:00:00

PUONAH.

Treasonable placards in the Mahratta language
have been discovered in the city of Poonah, one
posted on the entrance to the Government Vernacular
School in the Boodhwur Palace, and the other on
the entrance to the Poonah College in the Visram
Bagh. The placards purport to he proclamations
from the Nana Sahib of Bhitoor, who styles himself
"Punt Prudhan Nana Sahib Peshwah," offering
rewards to those who will murder all the Europeans
in Poonah, as well as the Governor and the Com-
mander-in-Chief. The rewards are on a sliding
scale, commencing with the Governor, for whose
head the ridiculously small sum of only 5,000 rupees
is offered, and gradually descending to judges and
magistrates, for whose heads 500 rs. are considered
ample. The lowest (observes the Poonah Observer)
sum offered for any European is 100 rs., but the
Nana Sahib, it seems, values the brains of an editor
more highly than those of our civilian friends, and
has generously promised 2.01 0 rs. to whoever will
bring the editor of the Poonah Observer, dead or
alive, into the "presence." This is a tribute to our
worth that has quite oppressed us, and we hope some
of these days to be enabled to repay the Nana, as he
deserves, for his friendly regard for us. The Nana
goes on to say—or somebody here says so for him—
that he is advancing towards Poonah with a mighty
and victorious army to assert his rights to the throne
of the Peshwahs, and that he hopes, when he reaches
Allundee (sixteen miles off) to find that his capital
of Poonah will then be "cleared of all Feringhees."
The promised rewards, on proof of the violent death
of the parties, are to be paid to those who have
obeyed the orders he has issued for the massacre of
all Europeans in the Deccan—an order which is to
be obeyed under pain of a horrible curse, which is
unfit for publication. Our old friends the civil
authorities of Poonah, we understand, look upon the
whole affair from a jaunty and jocular point of view.
We admit that it will be a joke, and a very good one
too for the Nana, if he can get British officers, sup-
posed to be burdened with ever so little common
sense, to treat these placards in that light.
TIIE ACTION AT NUZUFFGHUR.

A corresrontlent of the Lahore Chronicle sends
the following description of that most brilliant action
in the present campaign, which took place on the
instant, at Nuattighur, about twenty miles from
the camp at Delhi :--" Information was received
In camp that a force of the enemy, to the number of
7,000 of all arms, with eighteen guns, bad marched
from Delhi, with a view of crossing the Nuzuffghur

Jheel Drain; in order to operate in our rear, and cut
off our supplies. A moveable column, in all 1,000
Europeans and 2,000 native troops, under the com-
mand of Brigadier-General Nicholson, was ordered
to march on the 25th inst., at four a.m., to Nuzuff-
ghur, to check such a movement. Atter a harassing
march through a heavy country the brigade reached
a village some nine or ten miles from camp; a halt
was made, for the purpose of reconnoitring the road,
and gaining information of the enemy's movements
and position. A cavalry picket was discovered some
distance ahead which tried to intercept our recon-
noitring party, but did not succeed. From the re-
ports of the villagers, we heard that the enemy had
crossed the bridge, and were encamped or were
preparing to encamp at Nuzuffghur. The march was
immediately resumed, and after a further ten-mile
march (in the course of which we had to cross an
extensive sheet of water about three feet deep),
arrived at Nuzuffghur at half-past five p.m. Here
we found a sharp fire of musketry and light guns
directed on the advanced column, which was halted
there. Brigadier-General Nicholson then gave the
order to the Ist Europeans and 01st Foot to fornt
line, and addressed a short speech to them, pointing
out how, in the Crimea, the gallant 93rd and other
regiments achieved suoh brilliant successes by the
careful reserve of their fire, until close to the enemy,
and exhorting the men in the present instance to
emulate that example. A troop of horse artillery
formed on either flank of this line and galloped for-
ward and opened fire on a serai, which the enemy
had occupied in force, with four guns in position.
At the same time, the word was given " line will
advance," and with fixed bayonets the whole stepped
off as steadily as if on parade, straight on to the serai.
When within a short distance, the charge was made,
and with a British cheer they rushed forward and
captured the building with its four guns, doing great
execution among the defenders. The enemy beaten
from here retreated towards the bridge, several other
guns being taken en route. They again attempted to
make a stand at the bridge, but were speedily broken
by a well-directed fire of artillery, and four more
guns were taken here. We marched homeward{;
next morning at half-past four, reaching the "half.
way house" at about twelve, where we halted for two
hours, and then to camp, where we arrived very
tired, but in high spirits at our success, at six
o'clock. Our loss was estimated altogether at about
120 killed and wounded. Thirteen guns were cap-
tured, and great loss inflicted on the enemy."
SUFFERINGS OF A LADY.

We take the following from the Punjaubee Extra,
dated August 27, 1857 :—" Mrs. Leeson, the wife of
Mr. Leeson, deputy collector, made her escape from
Delhi on the morning of the 19th. Poor creature,
she was almost reduced to a skeleton, as she was
kept iu a sort of dungeon while in Delhi. 143
Chupprassees, who, it appears, have all along been
faithful to her, aided her in making her attempt to
escape. They passed through the Ajrnere gate, but
not wholly unobserved by the mutineers' sentries, as
one of the Chupprassees was shot by them. It
being dark at the time, she lay hidden among the
long web-grass until the dawn of day, when she sent
the ChupprassPe to reconnoitre, and as luck would
have it he tame across the European picket stationed
at Subzee Mundee. So soon as he could discover who
they were he went and brought the lady into the
picket-house amongst the soldiers, who did all they
could to procure her safety. As soon as she arrived
inside the square she fell down upon her knees and
offered up a prayer to heaven for her safe deliver-
ance. All she bad round her body was a dirty piece
of cloth, and another piece folded round her head.
She was in a terrible condition, but I feel assured
that there was not a single European but what felt
greatly concerned in her behalf, and some even shed
tears of pity when they heard the tale of woe that
she related. After being interrogated by the officers
for a short time, Captain Bailey provided a dhoolie for
her, and sent her under escort safe to camp, where
she has teen provided with a staff•tent and every-
thing that she requires."