Middletown transcript., 1891-06-04
THE SIEGE OF SUNDA OUNCE.

ION the 1st of July, 1857, th'
Indian Mutiny was at it
height. For ten days tht
little British station at Sunda Gunge
had been besieged by the insurgent
Sepoys.
The station was divided into two
portions ; the lower, consisting of the
Indian village, and the upper, part o.
which, including the magazine and
the British residency, was strongly
fortified. Within this portion the
English residents had retired on the
first signal of approaching danger
The rebels, fortunately, possessed only
one small piece of cannon, which had
proved quite Intellectual against the
walls of the inclosure. Provisions
were not scarce; and up to the
present moment the garrison had en-
tertained strong hePes of being able
to hold out until relief arrived.
Suddenly new and unexpected
QdDg6r udQ dLleCu'
The building inclosed within the
notifications formed an open square.
In the middle of the sqaare was the
we'll which supplied the garrison with
water. About 5 o'clock in the after
noon group of several persons was
standing within the shelter ofan arch
way which opened into the square,
and gazing with looks of consterna-
ton and dismay in the direction the
well. r
The cause of their alarm was
singular.
The town was situated at the foot
of range of hills, and from one
particular point upon the slopes out
side the walls the we'll in the middle
of the square was visible. This the
Sepoys had at length discovered.
Their single piece Of cannon was at
once posted at this point and brought
the bear exactly on the we'll within
the town. The result of this pro-
ceeding is self. evident. If one of the
garrison would now venture into the
square for the purpose of fetching
water, he would run an imminent
risk of being blown to atoms by a
volley of grape shot.
The group Of spectators looked in
silence at the well. The same thought
occupied the minds of all. There
were women in the garrison-delicate
English ladies. girls and children
and within the room set apart for the
purpose of hospital wounded men
were moaning for water. Water, at
all costs, must be had-even in the
face Of q vigilant enemy and loaded
cannon. But how?
Over fringe of mango trees and
the tops of some low bungalows to the
right of the square knot of dusky
figures could be deserted at a certain
point on the hillside. The dark point
marked the spot where the cannon
was posted. Even as the spectators
looked toward it the cannon boomed-
there came puff of smoke and a
fash of fre-and at the same moment
the ground about the mouth of the
we'll was torn up by fierce hail of
shot. The gunners were trying their
range; and what is more, it was only
too evident that they had found it.
The spectators looked significantly
at one another. Four of the group
we're English soldiers the rest were
natives. Of the latter two were water
carriers, each of whom carried about
his waist large, hollow belt Of skin,
capable of containing several gallons
OF water. The duty Of these men was,
in ordinary times, one Of no particular
danger. But now the case was
altered. There they stood, trembling,
their dusky faces turned to a sickly
yellow, as they stared at the space OF
shattered ground which the storm of
shot had torn up all round the mouth
of the WELL The other natives were
all Sikhs /; and these, with the i'm
passive courage of their race, looked
on calmly and betrayed no emotion.
Of the Englishmen, two were
private soldiers and the other two
we're officers-Colonel Dundas, the
officer in charge Of the garrison, and
young Lieutenant, st. George Vane.
The Colonel was a tall, gray man,
grave, stern and martial. The Lieu
tenant was young man Of not more
than FIVE or six and twenty, with blue
eyes, fair mustache and careless, hand
some features, much bronzed by ex-
posure to the sun.
The Colonel was the first to speak.
"This is an awkward business,
Vane," be said. We might drive
towards to the well, but they will cer-
tainly be blown to pieces, and we
shall get no water And at night,
with this moon, it is as light as day.
One could see mouse stirring"
"True," said Vane. refecting.
g Yet-stay One of us might go out
alone and try to bring in water. If
they hit him, as they most likely will,
three or four others can be ready to
rush out, and may bring him in, and
the water as well, before they have