Time was up at six o’clock, and not too soon, for fighting had commenced at ten o’clock in the morning, and all were ready to drop with fatigue. Then the signal was given to cease, when the whole, or uninjured men were counted on each side; and to the intense disgust of the English who were ever proud of their prowess, and the great and exceeding joy of the unhappy Eastern the latter had won by just three men. Thus the patient and persevering Eastern worsted for once the bold and hardy Northerner. Then a ringing cheer burst forth from the thousand Indian athletes, and their friends; which was caught up by the people suspended above, filling the whole air with its shout of glad triumph. After all, Right had overcome Might in this great struggle, which finally settled the dispute of many generations. Among the two thousand contestants only twelve casualties occurred; in other words, twelve men lost their lives in the encounter. Of these seven were Hindus; but they died in a glorious cause and their names were handed down to posterity by the erection of a splendid malachite column on which was inscribed their names and a graceful tribute of their countrymen’s gratitude in verse. This was composed by their beloved minister, whose splendid appeal at the Great Tribunal had failed to move the hearts of their judges; but the little verse, noble in its simplicity and tender pathos, brought the unconscious tear to the eyes, not only of the admiring Native, but also to the Briton himself, who no longer grudged the Eastern his well-deserved victory. CHAPTER III ‘Of queenly mien, of loveliest form, and eyes Like gems set in translucent skies. And all the beauty of the Court was dimmed By fair Igerna: to Uther’s eyes she seemed To stand a peerless pearl; a diamond divine; Beyond all price, and fitted most to shine In kingly coronet of the great on earth, A prizeful jewel of unbounded worth. ... All women she outvies In every gentle grace. Her voice now thrilled With soft delight his ravished ears, and filled His listening soul with music’s harmony, Sweet as the rippling water’s melody.’ _Idylls, Legends and Lyrics._ The Royal Observatory was a stately building of great height erected close to the old building in Greenwich Park, which latter was kept as a show place, and used also as a lecture hall for students of Astronomy. The lower apartments of the new building were occupied by Mercia and her household, while the upper rooms were devoted to the purposes of her profession. A suite of rooms on the left wing were set apart as workshops for Geometrus, whose spare time was always taken up with planning or perfecting some wonderful astronomical instrument more powerful than the world had hitherto seen.