The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-19 00:00:00

TANTIA TOPES.

For the sake of its description of this extraordi-
nary freebooter, we extract fromlast night's Gazette
the following deposition of Aman Singh, Tubseel-
dar, taken by the officiating political agent, Camp
Goodall, Jan. 17 :

"My name is Aman Singh, Tuhsceldar of Ajub-
ghur. On the 14th January, 1859, I heard guns
firing about 11 o'clock a.m. Five sowars came from
the direction of Sainthal, and a buneah whom they
had plundered of a camel came and complained. I
at once came out to the garden, outside of Ajub-
ghur, and I saw a number of sowars assembling. I
sent a man to inquire why the sowars had come,
and to inform them that if they came in the direc-
tion of the city I would fire on them. One of the
sowars accompanied my man back ; he said that he
had come from Dewsa, and was with the Shahzada
Ferozeshah. I informed him that there was no road
via Ajubghur for a force, and asked his reason for
coming; he then said that his people had been sur-
prised at Dewsa early that morning, and that they
had lost a great deal of property, and that a num-
ber of men had been killed on both sides ; and he
said that he intended to stay there, and get russud,
and procure money from me, and added that if he
did not receive 20,000 rupees he would sack Ajub-
ghur, and take russud by force. I refused to give it
him, and said that if he sent one of the sirdars I
would speak to him about it.
" The sowar went to his force, and brough a Ka-
nojia Brahmin, named Ghoree Shunkur. I inquired
who was his sirdar, told him that I had received
information of his approach, and was prepared for
him with my guns. He replied that he knew all
about my Hindostanee Fouj, and would plunder the
city if he did not get supplies. I said he would
find it difficult to plunder the city, as my men were
ready, and recommended him to go past the city by
another road, and that if his Sowars did not keep
together they would be fired upon.
" I was then told that Tantia was behind, and
that he would come up directly, and then the city
would be plundered.
" I then requested to have an interview with
Tantia alone, outside his force, but they refused
this, but offered to give me (dhurma) if I went into
their force alone. My people did not wish me to
go, but I said there was no way of saving the city,
as we were so few, and they numbered 4,000, and
that if they did attempt any treachery I would
destroy Ghoree Shunkur, who gave me the safe-
guard, before they could kill or seize me.
" I then went on horseback with Ghoree Shun-
kur to Tantia Topee. I was accompanied by one
servant and two Sepoys. A Rajpoot Thackoor
seized my bridle, and tried to prevent my going
into Tantia's camp. I refused to get off my horse
until Tantia and Ghoree Shunkur came to one side,
where I got off, and they also dismounted. I sat
down with•Tantia and Ghoree Shunkur.
"Tantia then told me that if I wished to save
the city from plunder I must pay 20,000 rupees. I
refused to do this, but Tantia, being very much
confused with the beating he had received in the
morning, agreed to go,, provided I gave him four
Chowkeedars to show him the way outside the city,
and they went on eight miles, and encamped at
Bamun, in the Ghazika Tanna pergunnah ; there
they plundered the village, and got some russud by
force. Tantia has a round face, is copper-coloured,
and is slightly pock-marked ; he has a rather fiat
nose, has a stubble beard, and seems to have been
unshaven for a month ; he is a strong middle-sized
man, about 40 years of age.
" The force under Tantia is much distressed, and
Tantia's horse, a cream-colour (Koorla), was very
[
thin; and the horses of the Sowars were in bad
condition and galled. There were about 3,500 or
4,000 people of all sorts ; there were between 100
or 200 foot, the rest were Sowars ; 20 charpoys
were carried along, containing the wounded, and
20 more followed ; there were also a number of
men on foot and horseback wounded. There are
also a lot of men wounded in the different villages
on their line of march.
" They say they were completely taken by sur-
prise on the morning of the fight, and that they
lost between 600 and 700 men, but that they killed
200 of the British.
" The Begarees who accompanied them from
Ajubghur report that a number of the enemy had
dispersed after leaving Ajubghur, and they tried to
bribe the villagers to allow them to remain con-
cealed. I consider that they received such a blow
that they will now disperse, as numbers of the
Sowars are men from the neighbourhood of Jhug-
gur and Shekawattee."

FRESH WATER ON BOARD PASSENGER SHIPS.—
The Gazette of yesterday contains an order in council direc-
ting that any passenger ship may now be cleared out and
proceed on her voyage having on board, in tanks or casks,
only half the quantity of pure water required by the " Pas-
sengers' Act, 1855," to be carried for the use of the passen-
gers, provided there be on board an efficient apparatus for
distilling fresh water from salt water, such apparatus ttl be
provided under certain regulations,