The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-11 00:00:00

Campbell, was advancing effectually to relieve the garrison,
and the way in which he afterwards achieved his purpose'
has acknowledgedTbritcgozn
with
ty
i all
I awsas excellent.
ao w
utting upwas
grim and suspicious woman, and, when thwarted or annoyed,
(
acted with prompt cruelty. She understood well her er i-
thi
raeepißpyrrfiootairesshiol
Von, and on rumours reaching her of the frequent defeatPof
equanimityh e r troops
O n 1
tt
,o
I cosfhheet her. She
assc
hi
,i irritable if! troacabanl
treated
Commander-in-Chief
r o
.ini thene .with
i htl ries
greatft
hde-
gree.e
r
yehnet
severity, and abused me frequently, calling
me Ii: ill or
unbeliever, a hypocrite, a slut, and a serpent nho would '
yet
sting her benefactors. Her treatment of me at last became
cruel. I tried to bear up with her ill_humour as well as I
could, for to have said a word to her would have been need-
less. Death, I knew full well, stared me in the face should
my conduct be in the least offensive.
"One morning she entered my apartments in a 'frantic
state, and commenced, as usual, ealling me names. I thought
it was one of her•usual fits, but way eyes were opened when
she said, ' Your general is approaching, but will find it no
easy task to take Lucknow, for we have done all in our
power to strengthen our defences. You are, I am sure, very
pleased to hear of his coming. 1 can see it in your very
countenance. Wretch, you shall die rather than escape. I
therefore advise yeu to prepare yourself to-day, and make
your peace with Alla, for to-morrow at dawn of day you
shall be shot.' The reader can imagine my state of mind at
this unexpected and appalling news. To die now when I
had survived so many hardships. But God in his wisdom
sent me succour and consolation in my own servant.
" Theladies of the Begum's household are allowed servants
or golants, slaves, as they ere called. The one in attendance
on me proved a faithful creature to me in my time of need.
This poor ilt-used creature entertained an aMetion for me
because I was kiNd to her. The slaves are not generally
treated well • , they are frequently thumped, kicked, and
abused by the ladies. They approach their ' m:stresses with fear
and trembling; thus the slightest kindnessg s a great way
with them. On
hearing from me my sentencece.
'd with
she ,at tears in her eyes, ' Mistress, I will try to make you effect
your escape from this place, for what the Beg um once says
is never recalled. I heard before I entered
these
apartments
that you were to be shot tomorrow; but, thank God, there
is yet time left to act. You must go into the garden by the
backdoor, and I will wait for you at midnight under the
pepul tree at the further extremity of the garden, where
you must chantee your clothes fur coarse apparel which I
.1 ili provide :or you. The guards know me and will allow us
to pass without molestation. We will proceed to the Moul-
vie Sahib; and when you are once under his protection the
Begum dare not touch you. I will provide you with a few
rupees, which you must present to him on your approach as
nt,zzar or present. He will be pleased if this re-pect is
shown to him. Use flattery, and approach him as if you
were his slave.'
" I accordingly waited till the appointed time, and when
I was convinced that all was quiet I made my way in the
dell( from the palree as noiselessly as I pessibly could.
I met my faithful companion at the appointed spot. A;',:er
changing my apparel I threw the clothes I had taken off
into a well. After wending our way along an avenue or
grove of trees, we were challenged by a sentry on duty. My
companion explained that we were proceeding to join our
husbands at the Mot 7vie's camp. We wet e allowed, after due
seatch, to proceed on our way. At dawn we reached the
Moulvie's camp. The General Sahib, we were informed, was
not to be seen till 8 o'clock, at which time he would drill his
men. Ater waiting with feverish anxiety for two hours
there was a bustle among the men, and I was informed that
they were preparing for drill and were to have a sort of
sham-fight. In a short time the plain was covered with
infantry, cavalry, and artillery. The bugle sounded the
' arsernbly' and those who bad not jollied the ranks rushed
to them from all quarters. The hum of voices suddenly
ceased as I perceived a cavalcade proceeding from the Moul -
vie's quarters. 1 was Wormed that the General and tee
stall' were approaching. Moulvie Ahmetloollah Shah was a
middle-aged man, and had a somewhat distinguished mien.
I could sec that he had won the respect and coulidence of
Ms men. After riding w ith his staff from regiment to regi-
ment, inspecting them, the infantry were made to go through
some manoeuvres. The cavr!ry had to wheel round, trot, -
and charge the infantry, while they formed squares and knelt
to receive the charge, and, when the troopers were within
a short distance, fired a volley in'o them ; they wheeled and
retreated, and then the artillery opened fire on them.
" Various other manoeuvres were gone through. The
infantry regimen's marched in open column, while the
bands played `The Blue Bells of Scotland' to their slow
march, the troops and horse artillery en the right and left.
The force assembled, I was informed, consisted cf 20,000
men of all arm.. Merching in this fashion, they reached
the General Moulvie's pairee, when the order wee given to
halt, front, dress, advance for general salute, and to my
utter astonishment, `God save the Queen' wt s struck up
briskly. After lodging arms the whole force was dismissed,
the men cheering on the Moulvie expressing himself satis-
fied with the way in which the manoeuvres were gone
through.
" After the parade I approached with the rupees in my
hands • with suitable pleases I won the Moulvie to interest
himself in me. ' Nobody,' said he graciously, but in en
upstartish way, ' n ;II molest you. Take apartment, in the
palace, and have the slaves to attend you. You have fol-
lowed our creed, and we must protect you.'
" I was very comfortable so long as I remained at the
Moulvie's palace, end was free from all espionage from the
men as well as women ; for the Moulvie wee a despot, and
could es-der any person under him to he put to death, and his
orders would be cheerfally envied out by his soldiers ; in
fact, he was a determined sort of a per_ on, and as be had
taken an interest in me, I was not interfered with.
" I had made my escape from the Begum's palace in the
beginning of November, and remained under the Moulrie's
protection till the 12th of that month, when he went out
with his troops to meet Sir Colin Campbell, then advancing
to the relief of Lucknow. Before his departure he sent me
again to the Begum, with strict orders that 1 should be well
treated. She was still residing at the Kaiserbagb, and re-
ceived tie with moody silence.
" My feelings during the combat which ensued in Luck-
now may be imagined. I would have escaped at its com-
mencement if I dared, but to have attempted it would have
been certain den h.

" After a dreadful combat it became evident that the British
would be everywhere successful, and then began a ft ightful
rout in our camp. Horses, camels, elephants, and carriages
were prepared for the liegum end her household. The mu-
tineers were flying in 61i directiorfs. In the confusion I
escaped through a`loophole of the palace, but the shot and
i shells w eie still whistling around. 1 knew not what to do.
It was es ident I was lime cared for or thought of in the con-
fusion which reigned around me. From pursui,, therefore,
I had nothing to fear, but how to reach the English camp I
knew not. I advanced a short distance, but to have con-
tinued my courrx in that direction wes to encounter eartain
death, as an incessant shower of grape was pouring
in frign every side. In this extremity 1 had to join a body
of mutineers who took the direction to the north. I
wandered about—l cannot exactly say h-wlong. We made
a detour to Oude. I journeyed on foot, and put op ssith
coarse fare. I thoueht the can/rakes and distill now ienne
boucle'. I was strong, 1 was well treated, and able to bear
any amount of fatigue. Our numbers could not bave been
less than 1,000 men, with two guns ; but they were aug-
mented by fugitives joining in twos and threes daily. If Vie
British, after the retaking of Lucknow, inimediateiy had con-
tinued pursuing the enemy for days in every direction they
would by this time have been totally extinct. As for me,
my safety lay in accompanying them ; nor would they have
let me depart.
" Councils of war were hell emoeg the chiefs, but,
haying no regular leader to guide them and bring their
discussions to bear upon their movements, they wandered
about, a regular set of fugitives, until we were nearly 30
miles from Allaliabrul, when they clitLIC to a standstill. They
were now iu a fearful state of wind, and, It6tig exceedingly
stupid, could be made to hclieve anything, for nil they
cared for was to have their lives spared. The British never
hcfore contended with such contemptible foe:. I kept very
silent for days ; but when I found that the men were
ready to lake in everything, I spoke to them and called for
a council. They were eager to hear me.
" I explained to them that as their only hope wes in the
clemency of the Company Baliatloor, the best plan would be
to send me with a proper esccrt to Allababad, where I would
exp'ain their case to the Governor-General through the
magistrate ellilahabad, who, I said, was my cousin. I sailthat if they allowed me to niansge their affairs, they would
come off with their lives and liberty. I made them under-
stand that, though a Mal.onnnedan now, I had once been a
Christian, and, having influential relatives, I would urge
their kindness to rue as a sufficient ground for their lists
the British
looked more upon their sparing the life of one female than
the matter, they at last
and
were,
. ,
being spared. I tried to convince them that
the slaughter 01'500 wen..
They in fact, like drowning
..s n •-•
consented".ttf "After rtc:sjeotami neg
mcn, eager to catch at a straw to save their lives. I was
made to give, heave I started, to the Odds or captains cer-
tificates that I had Ir2en well treated, for they said it was
better to have something, in case I played them false. I
readily agreed to this, end drew up about. 30 certificates ac-
cordingly-, as they cost me but Ling, and I was very anxious
to get away from them. 1 lett them with a light heart, and
journeyed on foot high about, ten men. Oh! I cannot suffi-
ciently describe may feelings whet' I left them. I offered up
a silent prayer of tioolsai victg to Cod that Ile had safely
brought rue out of such slide r;ngs, degratiaticat, and misery.
After I eitss:•(l the Goners, gemintlats' landholders, thana-
dars, heads of Molos:41 police, one and all reb..ls at he!irs,
perhaps, and disaffected, hearing that I bed important de-
spatches front the rebel camp ior the Governor-General,
readily supplied me with prides and beater., and heap( d
presents on me. I at rived safe on the third day at my
so.cle's factor:, a day's journey from All ahabad. The old man
and his family at filst could not recognise Inc •' toy Maho-
medan costume, sunburnt face, and etnaciatedform tended
effectually to disguise me; but this was only for a few mo-
ments, and then I ]was clasped in their warm embraces. I
shall leave the reader to antgal; ; e the joy 0, meeting.
'*
" I shall now draw my hesty sketch to a close by inform-
ing the reader that I am very happy in the midst of friends
and re'atives at Calcutta, whither 1 came after residing witk
my uncle for a month.
" The date on which I reached my uncle's factory was the
20th of June, 1858, exactly one year since the Cawopure
massacre. lam now residing with my aunt and receiving
100 rupees a month from the Relief Fund, and I need bat dly
add that I am as happy and coadbrtable as I could wish
to be." .