The Press., 1889-12-19

 break should more clearly reveal our situa- ton. Twice during that wait tiger came proving about us, and just before daylight . great hyena would have dashed at one of the horses had not pistol shot frightened him off,
 Daylight bettered our situation somewhat. While it at once put an end to the hope that we could proceed further with the carriages, it revealed to us half completed temple, thus far erected out of huge blocks of stone, and showed us that fresh water and plenty or wild fruits were at hand The temple walls had been run up about ten feet. inclosing square of a quarter of an acre. There was only one opening thus far, which was for the main entrance. At the further end was the dividing wall, making an inclosure about fifty feet across by twenty the other way This inclosure also had an opening, and as soon as we had made a nasty inspection Of the place we got the horses and carriages into the main inclosure, and set apart the smaller one for. the people, The walls of this part were fifteen feet high, rising plumb from the earth, and could not be scaled with out ladders, while there were seven of us with rifles to guard the archway, which was not much larger than common door
 While we were not sure that the driver could be trusted, he was sent back to the main road to cover our trail if possible, and to lie in hiding and pick up such information as he might He had no sooner departed than we watered the horses, hid them away in the jungle to forage, got water for the people, and then made scant breakfast on some sandwiches which one of the ladies had been thoughtful enough to bring along. There were plenty of wild gourds around the old ruin, and in an hour we had ten gallons of water slowed away for emergency. It was the season for many wild fruits and roots, and before noon our commissary department would have stood siege of four or five days There were three children in the party, the oldest only 8 and the youngest I, but not one of them uttered complaint. Even the youngest seemed to realize the situation and to have determined not to add to the anxiety of it in the slightest Long enough before noon we heard the firing of guns from the spot where the Lucknow highway had been barricaded, and, as was afterward known to me alone, over one hundred fugitives were slaughtered at that point that day.
 The driver reappeared about o'clock. He had reached the road and effaced the wheel and hoof marks just in time A party on horseback, led by my body servant, was out looking for us, and they not discover that we had left the road From their talk our man learned that the native soldiery were to re- volt that morning, and that the town of Seetapore was to be given up to plunder The whole country was up in arms against British rule, and the anticipated rebellion was at last fact We were in a thinly set tied district, as he learned, and might remain undiscovered for several days if we kept quiet The mans loyalty could no longer be questioned, and he was taken into our conf dence and his advice asked for. He advised us to remain where we were until obliged to move on, and all agreed that this was the wisest policy. We felt that our greatest danger lay toward the highway from which we had turned off, and that evening, after a day of undistunbed peace, accompanied the driver back to the point from which he had made his observations in the morning. Ma tives were passing in great numbers, some going toward Seetapore and some the other way. We soon heard enough to prove that the expected revolt had taken place, and we heard men boasting of the bloody deeds they had performed The cantonment had been burned, most of the town laid in ashes, and every European who had remained had been hacked to pieces The native soidiery were now scattering in detached bodies, each on its own account, to rob, murder and join hands with some organized force to push the rebellion.
 We were awake the whole night ong, and our place of concealment was in a thicket along the edge Of the road. About midnight party coming from the east met one from the west just opposite us, and in minute or two recognized the voice of my body servant He had been down the road to the east look ing for me, having eight or ten villains with him, and, having failed in his search, was now asking for information. None of the other could enlighten him, and as he rode away l heard him saying something about searching the thickets for our party. We returned to the temple at day break to find that the people had passed quiet night. The horses were cared for, a breakfast made on fruits and roots, and after having slept for three hours l took the driver and set out for the south to see if we could not find a. way through the jungle to permit us to reach the Lucknow road. After skirting the thickets for half a mile we found an opening. At this juncture the driver claimed to be very sick, and his demeanor and appearance bore out his state ments. He had violent pains, as if taken with collie, but after an hour he felt able to return to the temple, leaving me to follow the route until could see if we would be able to reach the road. After an hours walk | found that we could, and in great good spirits set out on my return.
 It was very sultry day, with no air stir ring, and I had to travel slowly It was fully three hours after left the temple be- fore approached it on my return. Every thing was quiet, but the moment l entered the main inclosure noticed that the vehicles were gone In the center of the inclosure lay the body of the servant, his head cut clean of his body but neither in that nor the smaller inclosure could find any of the others of the party, living or dead. They had, it seemed, been surprised, made prison CTS, and carried off in the vehicles No sooner was | satisfied of this than dashed away for the jungle, and set out in the direc- tien of Lucknow That night fell in with party headed for the same haven, and we reached it in safety next day, to be penned later on.
 It was not until British rule was firmly re- stored that l returned to Seetapore. Almost the first familiar face my eyes beheld was that of my treacherous servant, who had let go of the native cause just at the right time to ingratiate himself with the conquerors, and had been put in position of trust I, however, caused his speedy arrest and trial, and only then did it come out that every. soul hiding in that ruin had been taken to spot about 8 mile away and butchered in cold blood. Ten of the forty or fifty natives implicated were captured, and these were hung on the same gallows at one time In defending his case in court the servant said to the judge:
 Most worshipful sahib, but for this one tmeaning mel all would have been spared. Had he not run away, we should have killed him alone and simply robbed the others. F-t- -l-