The Kanzas news., 1858-08-07
Russells's Letters from India.
A Night Picture of the Ganges, &c---Flight
- - OF the People.
Special Correspondence of the London Times.


tance outside the fort, andin going out about
II O'Clock at night, to the tree under which
slept, one of those grand speetacles which
can only be witnessed in Indian warfare,
met my view.
The moon shoue brightly on the Ganges
and white sandy plains beyond its waters
it lighted up the bridge of boats which
trembled and heaved aud shrieked under the
heavy pressure of steady line of camels,
elephants and oxen, which went with soft
tramp across it, and were lost in the dis
lance in small black streak-it brought
out in sharp outlines, or cast into deep shade
the ruined houses, the fort, mosques of the
city, the bazaar camp, the figures of the
huge animals which passed US softly, like
black clouds-and it revealed the masses of
baggage animals escorted by the wild Sikh
horsemen which were streaming to that mar
row point whence they were to debouch up
on Rohilcund; all was life and motion with
out sound, except hum of voices, the tu-
multi of the bridge, and an occasional shrill
flourish upon his flexible horn, by an ele-
phant who was anxious to tell his friends he
was going TO battle.
MARCH OF THE TRoePs-A PICTURE OF THE
ssr ELEPHANT.
As the soil was sandy and heavy at the
other side of the river for several miles, the
march had to be made on the backs of these
grand old creatures, three of which were
waiting in the fort for the Chief, Gen. Mans
field, and the aids-de-c camp, and others were
detailed for the use of the head. quarters
camp staff. I had not been long asleep un
der my tree when l was awoke by Col
Pakenham calling out, "Where is my ele-
PhanG?" in very much the same tone of
voice as man in club would ask the wal
ter for his hat. TIE elephants were pune
tual. At the word of the Mahout the an
cient pachyderm who was TO carry the Quar-
termaster- General, Col. Mcpherson, Mai.
Stewart, Deputy Assistant, Adjutant Gene
raj, DR.. Machinnon, surgeon to the head
quarters, and myself, kneIt down with inf
mite condeScension, and permitted ladder
to be placed against his side, by which we
mounted to contrivance just like the body
of an Irish jaunting car strapped over his
back.
We preferred that mode of mounting to
the more usual way of putting .one's foot
on the animals proboscis; and holding on
By the lower flap of / is huge India rubber
looking ear, while he, by gentle curl up
ward of his omni6cent snouI. raises the ri
der to his back-or to the equally popular
mode of seizing his tail, and putting our
foot against his hind leg, which the animal
elevstes at the word of command till the BIZ
ped is high enough to scramble to his seat
in the howdah.
We sit back, two at each side, nicely bal
anced, and, having undergone two smart
cha 1f al-ox H.
in Two great heaves, fore and aft got to his
feet. proceeded on our journey. cannot
say, Notwithstanding the honor and glory
of the tking, that the elephant is an animal
which makes favorable impression as a
means of locomoIion. The only thing to
which can compare the pitching fore and
aft, as he rises and falls in his stride,
is the riding of light collier brig in a tide
way. One of our party was soon sickened,
and the others were engaged, with great Sc
verify of aspect, in holding on to the sails of
the vessel like grim death to backstay."
We passed along above the dust, with a
sensation, and before two O'Clock
in the morning our line of elephants had
delicately picked their way by their noses
over the bridge of boats, and were in Ro-
plodding through the crowd of
animals of an inferior order-man and beast
towards their destination. And SO we
went on I'LL dawn. very sleepy. and very
tightropey and noddy. We reused up to
an attitude of attention at the sight of
broad and deep looking river, which looked
anything but inviting under lhe combined
rays of the setting moon and the rising sun.
This was the Ramgunga, and the bridges
of boats few yards above US were those
which had been secured by the victory at
Allabgunge. after the sad affair at Rhada-
NOW.
The Lord Satib's elephants were just
crossing the bridge, and SO ours were drlv-
en- to the ford, and at once plunged into the
stream. As these sagacious and highly IN
beings are horribly fond of prsc-
tical Jokes, we watched the depth OF the
water with some anxiety, lest our elephant
should avoid the trouble of swimming by the
simple expedient of letting his feet drop.
and walking on the bottom. while the top Of
his proboscis held above water supplied him
with air: but the stream was not more than
sig or seven feet deep, and We crossed with
out an involuntary ablution.
THx xsExY's CAMP.
We were still in a sandy plain. but few
miles more brought us to sight of the en-
emy's camp, and of Walpole's. and soon
we came on traces of the fght, hideous
bodies, bIoated and diseolored. lying all
over the plain, with focks of vultures pull
ing out their entrails and dogs crunehing
their bones. Sometimes these horrid crea-
lures crept inside the followed corpse to
pick at their leisure, and by their movement
gave the dead revoI4insr IN, itaf;oY, of life
These men, lying far apart, had fallen by
the sab.es of Hagarth's Cavalry. and the
fire OF Foomb's and Remington's guns and
for two or three miles, they marked the hne
Of our pursuit. /
Our route Lay by several villages The
houses we're roofess and ruined. Nos |