The Express.
London, England, 1857-10-02 00:00:00

JOURNAL WRITTEN AT CAWNPORE LAST

JUNE.

We are glad to be able to present our readers with
the first authentic narrative which has been rctrived in this
country of the events at Cawnporc, immediately preceding
the massacre of the garrison.
This painful but singularly interesting document is thus
deathbed by the officer from whom it was received :—" I
MI stabled to send you a translation made by myself of about
ose-helf of the native journal kept at Cawnpore during the
siege. It is, lam afraid, incorrect in some trifling particu-
lars, but It is in the main a true translation. It was written
so badly that the natives could not read Norse of the words,
and I was obliged to omit them to make the translation read-
able without them. The names of the European merchants
cannot be identified, but I have translated them as well as I
could."

For some time back there we. a report in Cawnpore that
the government would serve out to their army cartridges
which had been prepared in the bladders of pigs and bullocks
Memel of paper and that them cartridge° had arrived, or
ware expected shortly, from England. On this account the
min of the Sepoye, both II indooe and filmeulmans, having
become estranged from their allegianee to government, they
funned plans for the destruction of the Christiana.
the government officers perceived (that the &pop, disobeyed
=ll' '.ll° Biro"ondu hrrialftg, son of
Nee Rao rashly., dammed, went to the treasury for the pur-
pose of weighing out the treasure. At that time the Sepoys
the treasure said, We will not let you take sway
Cutreasure; " and although the collector tried his utmost to
bed the treasure on the elephants, the fiery' would not let
him take it away. The collector then 'aid, If this is your in-
tendos; next Monday guards of European soldiers shall be
seat to the megerme end treasury." On bearing this, the
15Mand havilder, and pleader, unanimously answered,
shall not be eri long as we are alive, because in those
two poets a guard of European soldiers never was, and never
shall be placed, and moreover, if the magamine or treasure
should go on conimand, we will accompany it."
The collector then went away, and when the gentlemen of
the station saw that the whole of the troops were acting ia
opposition to orders, and had become mutinous, they seat kw
three or four hundred revelry and infantry belonging to
Nana dormant, from Bottom, for their protection aades-
sietance, and plowed them near the maganne, and the Nair
himself, with Joined bands, told the Judge, collector, and
general, and other high Miens, in whore attendance he
remained, that he would smut the government to the
greatest extent of his power, but at the time of the
death of Beim Rao realm% whichhappened about
three years ago, • portion of the reithwa's pension (one
lakh and 2.1,000 re. per annum) to the itineunt of 62,000 n.
was due, and the government confiscated the whole of it;
and although he son Dhoondu aforesaid solicited that a part
of that pennon should be continued to him, yet the 40V0T12.
meet otHcea answered him, " We are the heirs of Nee Itso
rattail you will not get • fraction." Several of the officers
air:ln a new light, and froro that identical Dhoends
solicited the assiitanos of his doom forgetting the
enmity of hie heart. The offieersizoiel end mill when
they perceived, that the Sepoys had unmanageable, and
that thin* wee duty commotion, among them, commenced
digging a ditch and making entrenchments .round the new
hospital which had been bath for the sick of three in-
fantry and one cavalry regiments ; and for the prepara-
tion of this entrenchment, thousands of workmen,
receiving double wage. (i. e.' 4 =AM per diem),
were employed; and in four or nee days the fortification
was completed, and on all foot sides mina were dug;
and all the officers, civil and military, with 200 Europeans,
and women and children, assembled there, having first ool-
leeted supplies and ammunition, and one lakh of rupees in
cash; and on that day, Ve.,Tneadey, the 2nd June, 11487, the
officers repaired to the fort where several guns of various
sires were stored, and spiked them with their own hands, and
returned to the hospital.
In the meantime, certain workmen informed the native
offieere and troopers of the 2nd Cavalry that the English
were digging swine from the hospital in the direction of their
(the cavalry) barracks, for the purpose of blowing them up;
adding that if they did not immediately leave, and take their
horses with them, they would be blown into the air. Ac-
cordingly, without bee of time, rho whole of the cavalry
turned out and amerobled on the parade ground with flashing
eyes, and clamorous for blood.
At midnight, Thursday, the 4th June, the 2nd cavalry
and Ist Regiment Native Infantry, having loaded their
muskets and pistols, proceeded in the direction of the officers*
bungalows, with the intention of burning them ; and, on
arrival at the treasury and magazine, they took possession of
both, end commenced loading the tretrure--computed at
fifteen Willa some people say more—on carts and bullocks.
When about 90,0011 rupees remained to be removed, no
carriage being available, tho native officets gave the order to
plunder it; and immediately the Sepoys and others carried
off what remained. !laving helped themselves to as much
powder and =munition as they wished, the 2nd Cavalry and
le Native Infantry took violent possession of two iron gone,
which Dhoondu Nana had with him in hie camp, near the
magazine; and with these guns they proeceded to confront
the European officers, and also showed • disposition to use
violence to the Nana himself.

At that time the Nana was present, and with joined hands
told the Senoys that he was on their aide; and that, although,
as far as outward appearances showed, he had come to saint
the office», yet, from his heart and soul, he was the deadly
enemy of the English.
After this the Nana remained with the &pop, end they
all elected him their commander; and on that day, Friday,
the rith June, the Nana went inside the magazine and re-
leased all the primates., amounting to about 400, who were
ironed and fettered; and, haring opened the door of the
armoury, gave the order that whichever prisoner was willing
to fellow him should arm himself with gun, pistol, or sward,
se ha laud beet, and if any of them preferred going to their
hour, they could do so. At that time hundreds of ped-
aling*, MEd citizens, and fiepoys belonging to the Nana,
said elan to the company, joined together, and each man
took from the armoury what arms he wished ;
and, having sent a great quantity of property to
their homes, the 2nd Carslry and Ist Native Infantry formal
the intention of going to Delhi ; and their intention was to
present the treasure and ammunition to the king, who in
sitting upon the throne at that city, and remain in hie
melee.

On that some day, in company with Nam Dhoonde rant,
they encamped at the village of Knliyanpore, about five
mile. to the went of the city of Cawnpore, but two regiment.,
the 53rd and 56th, remained behind. These last ntllllol regi-
ment. bad been from the fleet dieplessed, end on folf.Utit of
the cartridges had shown anger; but they had not the slight-
est intention of creating a disturbance. However, the 2nd
Cavalry and lot Native Infantry went down armed to their
parade ground and called out the native deem" iced Sepoye.
After a lengthened debate ammet non of the
different percuanona, the Mossubnans hay tog joined
together, proclaimed that if them two regiment.. would
not join them they would be Gateau. from their readier and
ageless, end said, "We will cut off each other's buds and
serrifieo our lives upon ibis very spot. end you would bring
dishonour among yourselves. At length, atter WU. h de-
bating, they brought these two regiments over to their own
way of thinking, and made preparetinm to go to the village
of Kuliyanpote, where the 2nd Car. end let N. 1., and Nana
Mende Pent, were encamped. Several bad Sepo)s formed
• plea to kill the ofilawe of their respective memento. At
that time reveal °elixir', bareheaded, fell at the feet of the
Sepoye end begged for their live., and many Sepo)e ehowed
them mercy, end let them go, when they made off nod sought
the protection of the hospital or the iatrenched camp ; whetet
the two regiment", the 53rd and 56th, having armed them-
eaves, accompanied the mutineer, to Kohyouspore.
When Nana Dhoondu Put saw that the three native !te-
mente and the 2nd Light Cavalry had completely thrown off
their allegiance to the Company, and were thinking of going
to Delhi, be, with joined hands, represented to the native
officers that it would not be correct to proceed toward. Delhi
until they had entirety destroyed the Offi,ll. and European
meridiem and women and children of the Christian religion ;
end that they eleald, if pouble, by deceiving the officers,
accomplish this grand object, or that they would be good for
nothing. The native officers and Sepoys approved of this
speech, and took counsel to kill all the Christiane, and phut-
dering as they went, on Saturday. the 6th June, they re-
turned to the euheders tank, near the Owat Tole, and hay-
ing placed • 24. pounder on the welters ride of the
English encampment, at the distance of five hundred yards,
end one 4-pounder to the northern side, end one 4-
to the southern side, commenced firing upon tElrosar-
pital, in which about one bemired gentlemen, mili-
tary and civil, and about two hundred European eoldiere
and, more or leee, one hundred Landsmen, of the Christi/Le
religion, for fur of their lives, had ueetubled. At that
time in the city of Cawnpure it was no if the Day of Judg-
meat had come, and when the Sept'''. of the infantry and
troopers of the cavalry, the jingling of whore sword web-
berds and the tread of whose hone.' feet resounded on all
sides, proceeded with the guns of various size., and outvote
shim from the magazine, through the Owat Tolo, which
forms part of the aiburte of Curnpure, toward!. the in-
trenched camp, I the writer of thee journal, wee repent,
sad sew thinwith my own eye.. and heard what was going
on, and bodies of &pop., both 'linden and Mussulnian, were
shouting. From one side the cry came, " Victory to Rajah
RIM Chund ;" and some were calling ont, Shout, ye
faithful army, Allah has routed the Kaffir..." In
fact, every one was saying whatever came uppermost
in hie mind ; and all the shops in the city had been
closed for vernal days, but in whatever shop the Sepoys en-
tered to ink for sugar or goor they plundered everything be-
longing to the citizen that they meld find, so much no that
plunder and o wee the coder of the day. Every
violent man dotwhat came into hi, mind, and the trooper,
got posseesion of a note, the interest of which amounted to
25,060 rapecs, belonging to Eruen-oo•DsUth and Dab.