The gallant defenders offered something more than a passive resistance; every mine of the enemy was countermined; every new battery was met by a fresh barricade. The Sikhs, inspired by the example of the Europeans, vied with them in courage; when provisions ran short, they sallied forth one night and brought in four sheep. One of them was dangerously wounded; singular to relate, this was the only casualty that happened to the little garrison; all the others escaped with slight scratches or bruises. When the supply of water failed, the Sikhs dug a well underneath the house, and continued their labour till they found a spring; in short, the honours of the defence are equally divided between them and the Europeans. For seven days and nights the siege went on, and the gallant little band had to defend themselves against three thousand assailants. They looked for assistance, but they looked in vain; the authorities at Dinapoor seemed to have left them to their fate. They might have left their stronghold with all the honours of war; the mutineers, weary of the siege, and almost despairing of success, were willing to spare their lives, but all their offers were contemptuously rejected. They would never condescend to negotiate with rebels: they would rather fight it out to the last. We must now direct attention to the steps which had been taken for the relief of the little garrison. As we have already mentioned, Major-General Lloyd was in command at Dinapoor; it was unfortunate that the control of military affairs, at such a moment, should have been vested in one who was worn out with years and infirmities, and should have been enjoying his well-earned pension at home. Arrah lay within his district, and it was his duty to take measures for the relief of its gallant defenders. This duty was peculiarly distasteful to a man whose culpable irresolution had already led to such disastrous results, and for two days nothing was done. Mr. Taylor, the civil magistrate at Patna, within whose district Arrah was situated, assembled all the European residents at his house as soon as he heard of the outbreak at Dinapoor, and invited them to act with him in case of an attack. This took place about one o’clock on the 25th; two hours afterwards a distant firing announced that the mutineers were engaged with the European forces; soon after, the report reached Patna that they had marched off in the direction of Arrah. Mr. Taylor at once improvised an expeditionary force of about one hundred men, made up of Sikhs, Nujeebs, recruits, and volunteers, and despatched it that same day in the direction of Arrah, to watch the movements of the mutineers. Mr. Mangles, who held the appointment of assistant-magistrate at Patna, joined this expedition as a volunteer, and accompanied them on their march till they were recalled by the commissioner, who had received alarming reports from the neighbouring stations, and deemed their presence necessary for the safety of the principal town.