Life and Work in Benares and Kumaon, 1839-1877Kennedy, James
History
Life and Work in Benares and Kumaon, 1839-1877
Kennedy, James
India -- Description and travel; India -- History -- British occupation, 1765-1947 -- Biography; Missionaries; Missions -- India
We saw other places of interest, such as the Muchee Bhawan, the fort in
which our soldiers were previous to the siege; the Kaisar Bagh, an
extensive garden, filled with showy, lofty houses, where the King of
Oude and his numerous retinue had resided; the Chuttar Manzil, a
handsome building where public entertainments were given; the gateway at
which the gallant Colonel Neil fell--now called Neil Gate; the
Secunder Bagh, a garden with a high wall, where a large body of the
enemy was posted, and which was stormed by the 78th Highlanders, who
shut up every exit and killed every soul, many of the Sepoys fighting
desperately to the last. Two thousand bodies were taken out of the place
and buried in the adjoining ground. We observed on the walls the marks
of the bullets, and even the indents made by the swords and bayonets,
while this carnage was going on.
[Sidenote: GENERAL LA MARTINE'S INSTITUTION.]
A French adventurer of the 18th century, General La Martine, had risen
to great power and wealth in the service of the Kings of Oude. He
erected a splendid mansion in Lucknow for the support and education of
boys of every creed--Christian boys to be brought up in the Christian
Government's religion--and richly endowed it. Similar institutions were
established in Calcutta and in Lyons, La Martine's native place. This
institution has proved a signal blessing to European and Eurasian
families. On the outbreak of the Mutiny the teachers and pupils betook
themselves to the Residency, and under the leading of their Principal
took an active part in the defence. La Martine had so little confidence
in the kings whom he had served for years, that he ordered his body to
be buried in a vault under the building, which he knew would prevent a
Muhammadan from making it his dwelling-house. This was accordingly done.
While we were at Lucknow we were most hospitably entertained by a
missionary of the Church Missionary Society, to whom a large native
mansion had been made over by the authorities on account of the owner
having taken an active part in the rebellion. On Sabbath I preached in
Hindustanee to the native Christians, and we attended the English
service held in a building which had been an Imambara, the name given to
a building where Muhammadans of the Shiah sect worship.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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