reception; and a guard placed over them from the ranks of the Sixth
regiment, which had lately marched in from Allahabad.
"I saw that many of the ladies were wounded," says one who watched
them go by. "Their clothes had blood on them. Two were badly hurt, and
had their heads bound up with handkerchiefs. Some were wet, covered
with mud and blood; and some had their dresses torn, but all had
clothes. I saw one or two children without clothes. There were no
men in the party, but only some boys of twelve or thirteen years of
age." Another eye-witness remarks: "The ladies' clothing was wet and
soiled, and some of them were barefoot. Many were wounded. Two of them
I observed well, as being wounded in the leg and under the arm." To
such a plight had come the bloom which once, fresh from the breezes of
home, charmed and puzzled Calcutta; and the toilettes whose importation
and inspection supplied matter for a month's conjecture, and a week's
happy occupation. Where were now the tact, the cultivation, and all the
indefinable graces of refined womanhood? Simplicity and affectation,
amiability and pride, coquetry and reserve, discretion and sweet
susceptibility, were here confounded in a dull uniformity of woe.
Four Englishwomen, and three others of mixed parentage, were
appropriated and carried off by the soldiers of the Second Cavalry; a
corps which, now that the fighting was over, never lost an opportunity
of distinguishing itself. These men were summoned into the presence
of the Nana, who remonstrated with them at some length, and insisted
that the whole seven should be restored without delay. It may be that
he regarded his prisoners as hostages, and was unwilling that they
should be scattered about in places where he could not lay his hand
upon them at the precise moment when his life or power might be at
stake. All obeyed promptly, with the exception of Ali Khan, a young
trooper, described as of "a fair complexion; height about five feet
seven inches; long nose; dark eyes; wears a beard and small moustache."
This fellow had selected, as his share of the booty, the youngest
daughter of Sir Hugh. He must have been one of a pair who were observed
"leading away from the boats a lady on horseback. She wore a green
chintz gown, which appeared to be wet. She seemed to be eighteen or
nineteen years of age." Ali Khan now contrived to spread a report
that his victim flung herself down a well, after killing her captor,
his wife, and his three children. His device met with extraordinary
success. In Hindostan it is never a very difficult matter to find
witnesses who will swear to anything; and, before long, a private in
the Second began to remember that he had been passing his comrade's
door when Miss Wheeler came out, with a sword in her hand, and said:
"Go in and see how nicely I have rubbed the Corporal's feet." Another
individual, blessed with an elastic memory, had been present at the
dragging of the well, and had seen "Missy Baba taken out, dead and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account