Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-11-14

and an action e1sued in which she was
defeated. She was wounded in the eye
BY an arrow, and her son-s youth Of
eighteen by this time-was severely
wounded and sent to the rear. At this
moment the heroine received another
wound as she directed the retreat from
her elephant, with her face to the foe.
Seeing her troops giving way on all
sides before the pressure OF the con-
ouerors she, in the spirit of Saul with
his srmor- bearer, snatched . dagger
from her attendant and stabbed herself
to death. The strange structure nesr
Jabalpur, known as the MADAM Mahal,
is her monument to this day. 1t stands
on a single gigantic boulder on the
Narbada bank, and il q familiar object
to visitors TO the celebrated Marble
Rocks" Of whom few, probably, are
aware Of her romantic story. In mo-
dern times there have been many other
distinguished Indian ladies, the best
known being. perhaps, Joanna Nobllis,
commonly called " Begun Samru," or
Sombre. Every ore knows something
If this lady from the accounts Of He
Der, Sleeman, Bsilie Fraser, and other
travellers. She was of Arab eXtrac-
ton. and succeeded to the little princl.
palitv of Sardhana on the death Of
Walter Reinhardt, in May, l77S. The
story of this man would bear relating,
but not in this place. Suffice 1t here
to say that he was entitled to the de-
sicnation Of the Last OF the COndot-
teri, being a soldier of fortune of the
school of the Middle Ages of Europe,
who rose from the ranks to be gene
raj and a prince. The Begun was his
slave, not bis wife, as is plain from the
fact that his lawful wife and the mother
of his children long survived him.
Being a Christian, he could not have
got priest TO cousecrate a bigamous
union with the Church s rites. The
territory, being military tief, did not
in such lawless times necessarily de-
yolye on the heirs-st-lsw. Relnhardt
left SOD, but the slsve-glrl was able
and astute, and having obtained re-
cognition from the Emperor a. Delhi,
she assumed command Of the brigade
and administered the affairs of the tief.
Three years later she availed herself of
the occasion of the baptism Of AlOy-
sius, her stepson, to be herself bap-
tised. The first scene in which she
appeared conspicuously as a public
character was in the spring of l7SS,
when she accompanied the Emperor
Shah Alan in an expedition into Rajpu-
tana, taking with her contingent Of
troops under the well-known Irish ad-
venturer, George Thomas. On the 9TH
Of April the Sardhana force was the
means of saving the Emperor from a
very critical position before the walls
Of Gokalgarh, a fort in the Rewarl
country. This place was occupied by
contumaciOus chief, whom it was
considered requisite to coerce, but who
made a vigorous sortie against the i'm
perialists on the morning in question.
The bcsiegers were thrown into utter
confusion, the attack upon them being
complete surprise. The rebels had
penetrated 10 the very tents OF the
sovereign, when the Begun and Thomas
appeared at the head Of three batta-
lions and field-piece manned By Euro
pesn gunners. Deploying, with the
gun in his centre, Thomas opened fire
with grape and musketry, aud with
such immediate effect that the attack
was arrested and time afforded for the
Mughal cavalry to form and charge.
The result was the repulse Of the gar
rison and the capture Of the fort. In
the durbar that ensued the Emperor
embraced the Begun as his daughter
and bestowed upon her patent, With
the title Of "Zebunnissa " The Glory
Of the Sex. Colonel skinner related
that he had often seen her leading her
troops through tho tumult and carnage
Of battle. At this time she was. &C
cording TO Thomas, plump and lively
brunette. fair for native, and vita
large and sparkling eyes. She spoke
Persian as well as Uindustani, and con-
Quoted her business with Assiiuity, re-
ceiving reports and issuing her orders
behind q curtain, as long as her native
employees were present. 10 social ~
teIcourse with Christians, however, she
assumed her place at the table, only
taking care to be served by maid-ser-
wants, and to have all male native at
tendants excluded from the room.