The Press., 1889-12-19
THE SEP0YS' DEFENSE.

had been in India ten months when the first meeting among native troops occurred. The English have been hastily criticised that ,as civil and military officials in the several provinces were not better posted, and that ; more vigorous measures were not taken at the outset to crush the rebellion. No European, no matter what his position or how keen he was, could have foretold the widespread mu- tiny, and in most instances the native troops so greatly outnumbered the European that the military authorities were powerless to quell mutiny. Long enough before the first nutiny occurred everybody knew that the country was restless, and that incendiary addresses were being made and rebellious documents circulated, but the natives played their parts so well as to deceive military men born and reared with them.
 Soon after my arrival at Seetapore, in the territory of Gwalior, the signs of an out break became so menacing that made pre- parations to depart, but was induced to re- main by the representations of the British officers. They declared their utmost faith in the native soldiery, and to this was added the protestations of the body servant who had been with me for half year He was an intelligent, well educated Sepoy, who had travelled extensively with Europeans, and who was well posted in the manners and GUS toms of the natives He solemnly assured mo that the outbreaks at Delhi, Agra. Nus seerabad and other places were owing en- tirey to local causes. and that no general disaffection existed. As I afterward came to know, this fellow, while telling me this, was not only acting as spy for the mal- contents. but had carefully appraised my personal property and made his calculations to kill me and take possession.
 There were over 5000 native soldiery in camp at Seetapore, and nothing in their con duct up to the 1st of June gave rise to the slightest suspicion that an outbreak was in- tended. On the morning of the 2d revolt was ripe. The commandant was informed that ths entire body of native soldiery had determined to throw off the yoke and join the rebellion, but that all Europeans would have an opportunity to leave the place in safety Lucknow was only fifty miles away, ard all could reach that place. Strangely enough, this warning was ridiculed by the military, although discipline in the canton ment was at an end and one-third of the na- tive soldiery were intoxicated. saw this as rode out to the camps from the town, and although assured that there was not the slightest cause to run away, returned to the house of my cousin, who was in the civil service. and at once made preparations to leave. My servant used his utmost efforts to prevent my going, but when I found that two-thirds of the citizens were also making preparations to leave. determined to take the safe side
 When I set out from Seetapore on the high way for Lucknow it was in a carriage, in which were my cousin, his wife, another civil official named Roberts and his wife, and a young man named Chester, who was clerk in Roberts employ The driver was native who had been in the service of my cousin for fifteen years We had our rifles and pistols and plenty of ammunition, and all the small valuables about the house were packed in the carriage Two miles out we overlook simi- lar outfit, which contained three civil officials, two of whom were married men and had their wives and children along. As all were acquainted it was agreed to travel together, and the journey during the afternoon was entirely safe and pleasant. We passed many natives, all headed for Seetapore, most of whom saluted us courteously, and ain hour before sundown, when we had made seven teen miles and drew up at a government bun galow to refresh ourselves, we felt rather cheap at having run away SO soon. There were no other travellers at the bungalow, and after resting for an hour we were discussing the idea of return to Seetapore, when native woman, whose presence none of us had detected, showed herself to my cousins wife. She proved to be woman who had been in the ladys employ for several years, and had left her to get married, and now lived near the bungalow She stated that the soldiery at Seetapore would rebel on the morrow and sack the town and slaughter all Europeans. and that body of natives over a hundred strong had that afternoon rendezyoused with in half mile of the bungalow and then pro ceeded to point three miles down the road, where they proposed to stop and slaughter all Feringhees seeking to escape to Lucknow They had reached the spot selected by this time, and our escape by the highway was thus cut off.
 This native woman refused to see anysof; the men of the party or to speak with any of the other ladies besides my cousins wife, and was gone before we knew of her warning. No one doubted her information, and for some time we were unable to decide on a plan of action. It was finally decided to drive on about two miles and there take cross road known to exist, and thus flank the force gath cred for our destruction. It was dark when we left the bungalow, and we reached the cross road without adventure. After passing up this road for mile or two we began to look for an opportunity to head to the east again, but we drove three miles before we found it. Then it was blind road leading onrouSu uedNy JuuSlo auu over very rough ground Had it not been bright moonlight night we could not have travelled ten rods upon this route With everything in our favor we made but slow progress, and, after following the road for about two miles, we found that it ended at an old quarry, and beyond this was a jungle which one could scarcely penetrate on foot. Everybody at once realized that we were in fix. It was now midnight, and to return to the highway was to place ourselves at the mercy of the first band of marauders astir. We could not; go ahead, and how were we to remain in that desolate spotl
 As the Indian wars of America have fur nished unnumbered instances of the heroism of American women, so did that outbreak in India prove to the world the courage of hun. dreds of English females of all ages, from graEdmothers to maidens As we stood be- sips .he carriages in that lonely spot consult ing as to what should be done, not a woman spoke word to show cowardice or despair It was by the advice of Mrs Roberts that the horses were detached from the vehicles.