i - 
 i 
 
- 
 
 TOLD IN THE VERANDAH 
 
". . . . te lling some prodigio us tale 
 Of knights -who sliced a red life-bubbling way 
 Thro twenty folds of twisted dragon, held 
 All in a gap-month 'd circle his good mates 
 Lying or sitting round him, " 
 
 GARETH AND LYNETTE. 
 
JOLD IN THE VERANDAH: 
 
 PASSAGES IN THE I.IKE OK COLONEL 
 I!0\VI.ONG, SET DO\VN BY HIS ADJUTANT. 
 
 ff 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 \..\\\ RI-:NCE \.- 
 
 16, IIKNKIKTTA STRKICT, C'DVKXT (iAKDI-'.N. W.C. 
 1892. 
 
LONDON : 
 
 PRINTED BY WOODFALL AND KINDER, 
 
 70 TO 76, LONG ACRE, W.C. 
 
NOTE. 
 
 WITH one exception, the tales here collected have 
 appeared in the Madras Mail For permission to 
 republish them I am indebted to the Editor. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PA(;K 
 
 THE FIERY CROSS OP CHURRUCKPORE . . 1 
 THE DEMON OF THE JHOOT .... 14 
 A SLIGHT MISTAKE ...... 26 
 
 TIGER DAWK .38 
 
 THE COLONEL SCOUTS 49 
 
 THE COLONEL'S MIDNIGHT CHARGE ... 65 
 
 COLONEL BOWLONG'S ADVENTURES WITH THE 
 
 KOH-I-NOOR . . . . . . .77 
 
 NANGLE'S NIECE ...... 107 
 
 COLONEL BOWLONG AND THE SEVEN SISTERS . 128 
 
 A PANDOURADE 147 
 
 THE COLONEL'S DUEL 165 
 
 THE SECRET OF THE SNOWS .... 185 
 
 DIDONE; OR, THE COLONEL'S LOVE TALE . 206 
 
 THE WHITE SOWAR 259 
 
THE 
 
 FIEEY CROSS OF CHURRUCKPORE. 
 
 THE long Indian day had blazed itself out ; a 
 soft breeze stirred the passion-flowers in the trellis- 
 work ; and the clear tropical moonlight. streaming 
 through leaf and tendril made the ends of our 
 cheroots glow red and dull like expiring gas-jets 
 subdued by electric light. It was after mess, and 
 we were sitting in the verandah smoking, "and 
 talking shop. 
 
 " The best formation for repelling a converging 
 attack," observed Colonel Bowlong, " is a cross." 
 
 Whereupon his hearers experienced a sensation 
 of the happiest anticipation. The Colonel was a 
 perpetual source of gratification to the regiment ; 
 whether he discoursed upon war, love, travel, or 
 the chase, he was never commonplace, he was 
 seldom prosy, but, I must add that when the 
 exigencies of the narrative appeared to demand 
 it, he was not scrupulously nice in the accuracy of 
 his details. Yet, in spite of this acknowledged 
 
 B 
 
The Fiery Cross 
 
 blemish, he never failed to command the sympa- 
 thetic, nay, the respectful attention of his audience. 
 The man who sat next to the speaker having 
 advanced some flimsy objection, based upon mere 
 tactical considerations, to the Colonel's proposition, 
 the latter proceeded to maintain his thesis by 
 illustration. This was all that was required, and 
 the interlocutor relapsed into smoke and silence. 
 
 " If any proof of the value of the crucial arrange- 
 ment were wanted," resumed the Colonel, "you 
 have it in the example of the fiery cross of Chur- 
 ruckpore. I suppose none of you fellows have 
 even so much as heard of that affair, yet in '57 all 
 India was ringing with the story, and if it hadn't 
 been for the servile devotion of Simla to red tape, 
 the cross would be one of our established infantry 
 dispositions at the present day." 
 
 The Colonel paused, and called for a whiskey- 
 and-soda, an unfailing prelude to an ariecdote. 
 
 For a few moments he remained absorbed in 
 thought. We waited until he had taken sufficient 
 time to marshal his ideas, and then plied him with 
 questions in order to start him. 
 
 "What sort of cross was it, Colonel? Greek, 
 Latin, or St. Andrew's?" 
 
 " How many men does it take to form it ? " 
 
 " Has it ever been tried in action ? " 
 
Of CJiurruckporc. 
 
 " The cross is on the Greek model," was the 
 reply. " It can, if necessary, be composed of only 
 four men (but they must be men, mind you), one for 
 each arm ; and it has been tried, so far as I know to 
 the contrary, only once, and that was at Churruck- 
 pore on the famous 7th of June, 1857." 
 
 The Colonel lighted a long cheroot, and con- 
 tinued: "I formed one of the arms of that 
 cross ; old Hookerson, of the Shekawutties, was 
 another ; Fleam, the Vet, was the third ; and Jack 
 Wimbledon, the crack shot of Bareilly, made the 
 fourth. I'll tell you the story if you like." 
 
 There was a responsive hum of joyful assent, 
 and three men who had been playing pool in the 
 adjoining room broke up their game, and stood by 
 the door to listen. 
 
 The Colonel glanced at them complacently and 
 proceeded: "On the 1st of June, 1857, as every 
 one knows, the entire Churruckpore Depot mutinied. 
 We four were the only officers in the station, and 
 the rascals took the opportunity of each mother's 
 son of us being on the sick-list, to march off to 
 Delhi. Why they didn't shoot us, passes my com- 
 prehension. Perhaps they forgot us, or what was 
 everybody's business was nobody's. 
 
 " We were living in Fleam's bungalow ; our 
 ia Doctor had gone to the front, so we had to 
 
 B 2 
 
The Fiery Cross 
 
 fall back on the Yet. Strange to say we all had 
 game legs, which, however, seemed somehow to 
 bring us into Fleam's proper branch of the business. 
 John Wimbledon's right leg had been carried off 
 by a round-shot in some fight to the northward, and 
 he had been sent to us to pick up a little before 
 going on to Calcutta ; he had a wooden leg, it's 
 true, but he was too weak to use it. Fleam's own 
 thigh had been damaged by a kick from a horse. 
 I had been chucked out of a buggy, and had 
 sprained both knees ; and old Hookerson was very 
 dickey in the feet with gout. 
 
 " A day or two after our Johnnies went marching 
 home, we received word that a lot of mutineers 
 from Meerut were coming round our way. They 
 had heard that some Sahibs had been left unex- 
 pended in Churruck, so they were making a little 
 detour to repair the omission. This was serious 
 news, but on the following night Hookerson received 
 a message in cipher to say that Sir Colin Camp- 
 bell had heard of our danger, and was coming up 
 to us by forced marches. It was a race between 
 the Highlanders and the Pandies, and we four lame 
 men formed the winning-post. It's not often that 
 the post takes much interest in a race, but it was 
 very much the case on this occasion, I can tell you. 
 
 " Well, at last, authentic information reached us 
 
Of Churriickpore. 
 
 that the Sepoys had beaten Sir Colin by twelve 
 hours, and would be knocking at our garden gate 
 the next morning ; so that night, after dinner, we 
 held a council of war and arranged our plans. 
 
 " We could not hold the house, for it was straw- 
 roofed, and we should have been burnt like mice in 
 a barn ; we therefore resolved upon meeting them 
 in the open. The formation selected was that of 
 the armoured cross ; the idea of the cross was mine, 
 but the notion of the armour, I admit, was Fleam's. 
 
 " The mutineers were not expected till seven 
 o'clock the next morning, so we had a good night's 
 rest, and were called at five. We then had our tea 
 and toast comfortably, and made our servants carry 
 us into the centre of the brigade-ground in front of 
 Fleam's bungalow; there they placed us in four 
 long-armed Madras chairs, back to back, each at 
 right angles to his right and left-hand man, legs 
 up, feet outward, and a large metal dish-cover tied 
 to each foot. 
 
 " We had rifles and revolvers, fowling-pieces and 
 pistols, with heaps of ammunition placed handy, 
 and upon one arm of each man's chair was a 
 brandy peg. Our medical adviser would not allow 
 us any more, and he was right, for it might have 
 spoilt our figure of merit. Old Hookerson had 
 hoisted an umbrella over his head, for he could not 
 
The Fiery Cross 
 
 stand the sun, and in the centre of the cross was 
 a hog-spear, from which floated the flag of the 
 station commandant. 
 
 " We knew that if we could hold our own till 
 evening we should be saved, a messenger having 
 arrived during the night with the assurance that 
 Sir Colin would, at all hazards, be up by sunset. 
 The only weak point in the cross was Jack 
 Wimbledon's wooden leg, for the servants were 
 unable to fasten on the dish-cover ; they grew 
 nervous and shaky as the light strengthened, and 
 they were keen to be off, so the timber was left 
 unarmoured. Well, seven o'clock came, and we 
 knew that the rebels were coming too, for we could 
 hear the approaching band so we tossed off our 
 pegs to the health of the party and prepared for 
 action. 
 
 " The enemy marched in to the tune of ' Annie 
 Laurie ' ; they were in close column of sections, 
 and evidently had no idea what there was in store 
 for them. As soon as they came within range, 
 Wimbledon opened the ball with a right and left. 
 ' Hurrah ! there go the Colonel and the Drum- 
 Major/ he shouted, and again fired two shots in 
 quick succession, this time bringing down the 
 Adjutant and the Second-in-command. Upon 
 this the column changed its direction to the left, 
 
Of Churruckporc. 
 
 and straightway received the contents of old 
 Hook's heavy battery. This didn't*- suit them 
 either, so they continued the wheel, and came into 
 my focus, whereupon I let drive two barrels of 
 my elephant-rifle right into the brown of them. 
 Gad ! such a confusion you never saw in your 
 life ; the band stopped ' Annie Laurie,' take my 
 word, and the regiment fell back in very wide 
 skirmishing order. 
 
 " Then they opened fire. How the bullets did 
 ring on the Britannia metal, and send the chips 
 flying from the chairs ! but we shot ten times as 
 steadily as they did, and we kept them at a very 
 respectful distance. Hour followed hour with 
 nothing to break the monotony of the fight. The 
 enemy lacked heart and we lacked legs. The heat 
 was killing, but the smoke kept off the sun, and 
 we sat under a reg'lar sulphurous canopy, as the 
 poetic sportsman calls it. 
 
 " Once, though, I felt sure they had closed with 
 us, and had rushed the Wimbledon arm. It was 
 about noon, and by that time they had got well 
 round us, and were firing briskly from every side, 
 but they were making specially heavy practice on 
 Wimbledon. All of a sudden I got a thundering 
 crack on the back of the head from something that 
 came flying from the rear. ' Only my wooden 
 
8 The Fiery Cross 
 
 leg shot off,' shouted Wimbledon ; ' the black- 
 guards have got my range now.' They had got 
 his range, and a few minutes later he ceased 
 firing. 
 
 " ' Something's gone wrong with Jack,' said 
 Hookerson, who was on my left, and could see 
 him, ' I'm afraid he's done for.' So he was, and 
 to save the rear from a rush, I had to send every 
 second shot backwards over my head fatiguing 
 work when kept up for several hours under a June 
 sun. 
 
 " At about two o'clock there came a groan from 
 my right ; it was from the Vet. ' What's the 
 row with you ? ' I asked ; and looking round I 
 saw poor Fleam's head hanging over the side of 
 his chair. He had been shot through the temples. 
 
 " I reported the casualty to old Hook, and 
 though he, by virtue of seniority, was in command 
 of the cross, I ventured to point out the necessity 
 of his opening a reverse fire. He told me not to 
 dictate to him, that he was directing the defence 
 and had entered the service before I was born, 
 &c. Nevertheless, he took up the double duty, 
 though he growled that to do his own work pro- 
 perly was as much as he could manage, without 
 having to keep another man's front clear ; but he 
 was always a grumbler, was Hookerson. 
 
Of CJiitrruckf)ore. 
 
 " There was luckily no wind, and the smoke, as I 
 have said, hung round us in heavy cloucM, rendering 
 it impossible for the enemy to discover how many 
 of us were still alive, and to this I ascribe our 
 ability to hold them at bay so long. 
 
 " I was in prize form that day and shot like 
 Cupid. Hookerson also levelled very effectively, 
 and did a lot of damage to the enemy before they 
 grassed him, which luckily didn't happen till 
 nearly the close of the day. The sun was just 
 setting, and, as I afterwards told his widow, it must 
 have been between half-past six and seven when I 
 heard her lamented husband grunt. He gave just 
 such a grunt as he used to give when he had a bad 
 twinge of gout, only the gout made him swear too. 
 
 " ' Toe nipping you, Hookereon ? ' I asked. 
 
 " * I've had something that will cure me of all 
 that,' he gasped ; ' chap in yellow turban shot 
 me, he's a marksman, notch him, or you're a 
 dead man ; I hand over to you charge of the 
 defences. Good-bye.' And I was left alone firing 
 right, left, rear, and centre ; pistol, revolver, 
 smoothbore, and rifle, as fast as I could load and 
 loose 'em. It was hard work, I can assure you. I 
 could not do it now, but I was young then, and, 
 moreover, I felt that upon my efforts depended the 
 character of the new formation, to say nothing of 
 
io The Fiery Cross 
 
 my own life, which counted for something, for life's 
 worth having at five-and-twenty. 
 
 "At last the enemy discovered that they had 
 only one man to deal with, and I heard their 
 bugles sounding the advance. I slipped my hand 
 into the cartridge-barrel by my side, for I was 
 determined to sell my life dearly. Gad ! sir, the 
 barrel was empty ! " 
 
 The narrator paused for a moment, and then 
 suddenly inquired, looking round the silent audi- 
 ence, " Did you fellows ever hear the pipes play 
 1 Gillie Callum?'" We replied that most of us 
 had enjoyed that harmonic treat. " That tune," 
 said the Colonel slowly and solemnly, " makes my 
 heart jump like a champagne-cork, and sets my 
 blood dancing like the wine. Well, when I found 
 that I hadn't a shot left in the locker, I put down 
 my rifle, kicked off the dish-covers, and drew my 
 sword. The sepoys were coming on with fixed 
 bayonets, but they approached me cautiously, they 
 didn't like the look of the cross, though three- 
 fourths of its garrison were dead men. There 
 was a moral effect about it that held 'em back a 
 bit, and saved my life. All at once I heard the 
 bagpipes skirling out ' Gillie Callum.' The sepoys 
 heard it too, and halted. ' Game's won,' said I 
 to myself, and, sheathing my sword, I lighted a 
 
Of Churruckporc. \ \ 
 
 cheroot. I hadn't had a smoke since the morning 
 too much occupied for 'baccy, you can well 
 believe. I took it calmly enough, you'll say. but 
 I admit that I felt glad the fight was over. I. 
 was tired and thirsty, and there was no doubt 
 about it that matters had been run a trifle close. 
 It was a pity, though, I never had a shot at the 
 chap in the yellow turban, just for the sake of 
 old Hook. 
 
 " Well, the Highlanders came on, and the sepoys 
 went off, and Sir Colin cantered up to the cross 
 where the flag was still flying, cut all to ribands, 
 though it was. He looked at it, and he looked at 
 me in his grim way, and I could see that he was 
 fairly puzzled. 
 
 " ' Why do you go into action in an arm-chair, 
 sir, and where are your men ? ' he growled. 
 
 " ' I can't use my legs, Sir Colin, and I haven't 
 got any men,' I replied. 
 
 " ' But where are the troops that fought this 
 battle ? ' he inquired, and he waved his hand 
 round the corpse- strewn field. 
 
 " ' In these four chairs, sir,' said I. 
 
 " It was a long time before I could make the old 
 Chief understand how it was done, but, by George ! 
 when he did grasp the notion, no man could have 
 recognized the work more handsomely. 
 
12 The Fiery Cross 
 
 " He got me the V.C., and under the inscription 
 ' For Valour ' Havelock had engraved : ' In hoc 
 signo vinces,' classical scholar was Havelock. 
 The Governor-General, when he pinned the 
 decoration on my coat a year later, as I sat 
 in a long arm-chair in front of all the troops 
 in and around Delhi, was pleased to say that 
 the distinction had never been more gallantly 
 earned or more appropriately bestowed. Those 
 were his very words. 
 
 " Lord Canning's observations on this occasion 
 were endorsed by all the most experienced military 
 men of the day, who agreed that no feat of arms 
 performed during the Mutiny could for skill, pluck, 
 and originality, hold a candle to the fiery cross of 
 Churruckpore. 
 
 " And you fellows never so much as heard of it. 
 Such is fame ! " And the Colonel threw away his 
 cheroot, and rose to go. 
 
 We asked no vexatious questions as to matters 
 of detail : how he loaded his weapons ; what sort 
 of show the cross would have made in front of 
 artillery ; or how they saw the enemy through that 
 " sulphurous canopy" of smoke; we urged no such 
 trivial objections ; and we sternly suppressed some 
 feeble jokes of our funny man about seats of war, 
 companions in arms, and other fatuous nonsense, 
 
Of Churnickpore. 13 
 
 but it was whispered among us that it w^s a thou- 
 sand pities the old gentleman's unwonted modesty 
 forbade him to wear his well-earned decoration, 
 or even to show it either to his warmest admirer, 
 or to his dearest friend. 
 
THE DEMON OF THE JHOOT. 
 
 SNAPPER, our last joined, had just returned from 
 a shooting excursion to the Kudri Mukh, during 
 which he had bagged a hind, wounded a brocket, 
 and seen a tiger, which, from its mangy appear- 
 ance, he opined to be a man-eater. On the evening 
 of his return, the cornet's adventures formed the 
 main subject of discussion at mess, and the 
 extreme cunning of the man-eater having been 
 adverted to, Colonel Bowlong, in illustration of 
 the almost devilish ingenuity sometimes displayed 
 by those velvet-footed ogres, told us the following 
 singular story : 
 
 "When I first joined the Pandours," said the 
 Colonel, " the Deccan was ringing with .the awful 
 depredations of a tiger known throughout the 
 country to the south of the Nerbudda as the Great 
 Jhoot Demon. This truculent brute was the very 
 incarnation of ravage, he rendered high-roads im- 
 passable, depopulated whole villages, and reduced 
 
The D CHI on of tJie Jhoot. 1 5 
 
 formerly prosperous tracts of country to^the con- 
 dition of a howling wilderness ; moreover, he 
 killed every shikari, native or European, that 
 tried to hag him. It did not matter in the least 
 whether he was stalked on the most scientific 
 principles, or laid in wait for with all the precau- 
 tions that foresight could suggest ; the result was 
 monotonously the same the man was always killed. 
 But, strange to relate, this tiger was never seen in 
 a beat ; he had his lair in the most inaccessible 
 part of the Great Jhoot, and he went on his war- 
 path only at night. There was a singular circum- 
 stance, too, about the creature's method of killing ; 
 it was always by a heavy blow, without the action 
 of either tooth or claw ; the blood was then sucked 
 through an orifice made over the jugular vein, and 
 he was never known either to mangle the body or 
 to return to it. This striped vampire would enter 
 cottages in the dead of night, cottages of which 
 the door and windows had been barred and bolted 
 and, with a populous village around him, would 
 silently drain the blood of an entire family. Before 
 the bodies of his victims were cold he woul'd have 
 sucked the life from some unlucky being thirty 
 miles away. How he effected an entrance into 
 closed houses baffled conjecture ; one thing alone 
 was patent : the doors were never forced. The 
 
1 6 The Demon of the Jhoot. 
 
 people were satisfied that this was no ordinary 
 tiger, but a man-tiger, or a man that by eating a 
 certain root, or by means of self -exercised enchant- 
 ment, had become transformed into a wild beast. 
 All the Bhoomkas, or tiger - charmers, of the 
 country had tried their art upon him in vain, and 
 it was asserted that a spirit sat upon his head and 
 gave him warning of any danger that lay in his 
 way. It was also affirmed that, like all man-tigers, 
 this brute had no tail. The Demon's devastations 
 had been going on for a great many years, 
 and from this fact alone it was clear that he 
 must be enormously old ; the natives declared him 
 to be at least a hundred, and this conclusion was 
 supported by the brute's almost supernatural 
 cunning, which he could have acquired only by an 
 experience far surpassing in duration any ordinary 
 feline existence. 
 
 " As he never returned to a kill, and could not 
 be got at by beating, the only way to obtain a shot 
 at him was by sitting over water, and that plan 
 offered a chance of success only in the very height 
 of the dry season, when drinking-places were few 
 and far between. Of course the first thing to do 
 was to discover the pool that he frequented ; this, 
 though difficult, was practicable, for the animal 
 had such enormous paws, that the print identified 
 
The Demon of the Jhoot. 1 7 
 
 him at once ; his pug was a good deal larger than 
 a soup-plate ; it was known throughout a tract 
 of a hundred square miles, and the sight of it 
 sent a churchyard shudder through the whole 
 country-side. 
 
 " About six months after I joined the Regiment, 
 two of our subalterns had spotted the Demon's 
 drinking-place, and, going out one night, had sat 
 together in a tree over the water ; neither of them 
 was a bad shot, and each could claim some 
 experience in the matter of big game ; they had a 
 powerful battery, and it was a moonlight night. 
 Nevertheless, they were found the next day lying 
 dead at the foot of the tree with awful fractures, 
 and a small hole in each of their throats. One of 
 them before he died had scrawled something with 
 his finger on the sand, but all that we could 
 decipher was, ' Look out for a ....' No one 
 could interpret this satisfactorily, but the general 
 opinion was that the warning referred, in some 
 way or other, to a lion or a leopard. The prob- 
 lem, however, that remained for solution was, 
 how a beast that could deal a blow like a mammoth 
 inflicted a bite like a rat. But we solaced ourselves 
 with the thought that when Culverton returned 
 from England there would be an end of the tiger, 
 Culverton, you know, was the man that for a bet 
 
 c 
 
1 8 The Demon of the Jhoot. 
 
 of a thousand rupees shot a hundred tigers in 
 one year. The best shots and the most experienced 
 sportsmen in India were not in it with Dick 
 Culverton ; and right glad we were to hear that 
 he was coming out before the end of his 
 leave. ,. I believe it was solely the report of 
 the death of the two poor boys that brought 
 him back, for no sooner had he arrived, than 
 he sent men out in all directions to gather 
 news of the Demon. In the course of a day or 
 two word was brought that the tiger had drunk on 
 two consecutive nights at a little pool among some 
 rocks in the jungle, five miles off. So away went 
 Dick, unattended, but full of confidence and with 
 two of the best breech-loaders I ever saw. The next 
 morning they brought him back on a litter ; he 
 was still alive, but he had sustained the usual 
 injuries, and they were invariably fatal. He 
 was unable to speak, but retained just enough 
 vitality to motion for pencil and paper ; the 
 poor chap, however, could scrawl only two 
 letters before he died. The letters were 'A. M.' 
 "We were all much exercised as to what on earth 
 these characters could signify ; some thought that 
 they referred to the time when the tiger came ; 
 others that they declared the Demon to be a 
 human being, perhaps a jungle madman ; but the 
 
The DCDWH of the Jhoot. 19 
 
 idea of a cannibal lunatic depopulating a whole 
 country-side was too wildly horrible to be generally 
 accepted. We soon ceased, however, to speculate 
 upon a mystery which could be made clear only by 
 powder and bullet. A deep gloom settled upon the 
 Regiment, for there was not a man among us who 
 did not love poor Dick. 
 
 " As for myself, I firmly resolved as I rode back 
 from his funeral to avenge him without delay. I 
 said nothing to anybody about my intention, for I 
 was then but little more than a boy, and probably 
 the Colonel, if it had come to his ears, would have 
 forbidden the attempt. But I quietly promised the 
 shikaris a hat-full of rupees if I got the tiger, and 
 sent them out to search for his next drinking- 
 place. Going to the rocks would have been use- 
 less, for it was known that he never came twice to 
 any spot where he had killed. In the meantime I 
 set to work to cast bullets for an old number four 
 elephant-rifle that formed part of my battery. 
 The next day, it was reported to me that the tiger 
 had the night before drunk at a stream eight miles 
 from the scene of the last tragedy. I accordingly 
 lost no time in setting out on my best pony to 
 inspect the place. It was a very wild, lonely spot, 
 and thoroughly tigerish. For a long distance, both 
 above and below it, the bed of the stream was dry, 
 
 c 2 
 
2O The Demon of the Jhoot. 
 
 but the drinking-place, which was merely a large 
 pot-hole, still contained above a foot of water. A 
 solitary mimosa- tree hung over the pool, but 
 as all the men who had latterly gone after this 
 animal had taken to trees, it occurred to me that 
 he would naturally be on the alert for an attack 
 from above, and as he evidently could climb like a 
 cat I should perhaps have a better chance on the 
 ground ; so I had a square place made of leafy 
 branches with a small hole to shoot through, and 
 at sunset I entered the ambush. I had no one 
 with me. A lakh of rupees would not now have 
 bribed a native to sit up for the Demon, and as I 
 wanted to have all the glory to myself, I did not 
 invite any of my friends. 
 
 " The sun went down and the night came on ; it 
 was just full moon, and before the light topped 
 the trees I grew very anxious, for where I was 
 sitting it was too dark to see a yard in front 
 of me, and I might have been chopped in cover 
 without seeing my assailant. Now and again I 
 thought I heard a stealthy footfall. "What it 
 was I could not for the life of me guess now 
 it was to the right, now to the left some- 
 times in front of me, sometimes in rear ; then 
 the gentle patter was followed by a slight creak- 
 ing noise in the branches of the neighbouring 
 
The Demon of the Jhoot. 2 1 
 
 trees ; then it ceased for a moment, ^ind after a 
 little time there it was again around me as before. 
 Just as the full light of the moon fell upon the 
 stream and illuminated the surroundings, there was 
 an almost inaudible rustle of leaves close behind 
 me, and, turning on the instant, I saw a little 
 grey- brown paw very cautiously putting aside the 
 twigs of my shelter and behind the paw I could 
 discern two small green eyes attentively regarding 
 me. ' A lungoor ! ' I said to myself as it vanished 
 from view. A monkey ! that's what the lads and 
 Dick Culverton meant to tell us, and, by George ! 
 there's mischief here. 
 
 " Moved by a sudden inspiration, for which I 
 cannot to this day account, I hastened from the 
 shelter and ascended the adjoining tree. I had 
 scarcely time to seat myself comfortably upon one 
 of the lower branches when I saw the lungoor 
 returning, followed by the most repulsive-looking 
 monster my eyes have ever beheld. You talk, 
 Snapper, of your tiger being mangy ; this one was 
 absolutely naked, nude as a nut, bald as a bottle, 
 not a hair anywhere a huge, ghastly, glabrous 
 monstrosity, a very Caliban of tigers, as big as a 
 bison, and as long as a crocodile. 
 
 " As the ghastly creature crept after the monkey, 
 he followed the slightest curve and deviation of 
 
2 2 The Demon of the Jhoot. 
 
 his guide with the delicate alacrity of a needle 
 under the influence of a magnet. The adroitness 
 displayed by the tiger was suddenly converted 
 into a subject of horrified wonder, for as the 
 brute approached the ambush he turned his hideous 
 face up to the moon, and I could see that his 
 eyes were of a dull dead white, without light, 
 intelligence, or movement. The creature was stone 
 blind. For all that, he evidently knew, or thought 
 he knew, what lay before him, for the saliva of 
 anticipation was clinging to his wrinkled jaws like 
 a mass of gleaming icicles. The monkey, when 
 it had come within jumping distance, giving a low 
 signal-cry, made one vigorous spring into my late 
 shelter, alighted upon my camp-stool and sprang 
 out again on the other side. He was instantly 
 followed by the tiger, who fell like an avalanche 
 upon the stool, crushing it to matchwood, and at 
 once began to feel about on all sides for his ex- 
 pected victim. Now was my chance ; beneath me, 
 in the broad light of the full moon, lay the Demon 
 of the Jhoot. I aimed steadily at a deep furrow 
 between the huge shoulder-blades and held my 
 breath for the shot; at that moment the keen 
 eyes of the monkey caught sight of me, and the 
 little animal uttered a shrill note of warning ; 
 but it was too late, my finger was upon the trigger, 
 
The Demon of the Jhoot. 23 
 
 and I fired both barrels in quick succession. Half 
 a pound of lead through the spine ^ould have 
 killed a mastodon ; the Demon rolled on to his 
 back, stretched his massive legs quivering in the 
 air, and opened his enormous mouth in a gigantic 
 gasp for breath. He then gave one roar, such a 
 roar ! It combined the notes of concentrated 
 savage fury, intense physical pain, and, yes, it's 
 a fact, the keenest mental agony. Before the 
 awful sound had ceased to reverberate through 
 the forest, the Demon of the Great Jhoot was 
 dead. 
 
 " The action of the monkey upon the fall of his 
 companion was remarkable. At the first sound of 
 that trophonian cry he sprang back again into the 
 shelter, and climbing on to the tiger's body began 
 to search eagerly for the wound. One of the 
 bullets had come out somewhere near the chest, 
 and the lungoor addressed himself with feverish 
 activity to the hopeless task of stanching the 
 blood with twigs and leaves, at the same time 
 making plaintive lamentation in the monkey 
 tongue. I gave the tiger five minutes' grace, and 
 seeing that he did not move, I descended the tree 
 and tore down the wall of the shelter in order to 
 have a good look at him. Upon seeing me, the 
 monkey, applying his mouth to the tiger's ear, 
 
24 The Demon of the Jhoot. 
 
 strove with passionate cries to arouse the dead 
 beast ; failing in this he rose upon his hind-legs 
 and, standing upon the body, defied me to 
 approach. Pushing the frenzied animal aside with 
 the butt of my rifle, I proceeded to examine the 
 quarry. The bullets had done their work well ; they 
 had entered the back close together and you could 
 have put your fist into the hole. I stood for some 
 moments gazing in mute marvel at the enormous 
 dimensions of the creature that I had stricken 
 down in a fraction of a second. What sur- 
 prised me more than anything, though, was to 
 observe that the tiger, in addition to being 
 without hair or eyes, had neither tooth nor claw. 
 He must have been, as the natives declared he was, 
 nearly, if not quite, a hundred years old. The plan 
 of his operations was now clear enough. The 
 monkey was his scout. It was the monkey that 
 entered houses by unguarded apertures and opened 
 the doors. It was the monkey that discovered the 
 positions of the shikaris ; in short, the monkey 
 played the part to the tiger that the jackal does to 
 the lion, or the pilot-fish to the shark, and some- 
 thing more, for as the tiger was both toothless and 
 clawless it was the monkey's duty to cut the 
 victim's throat. ' And,' I soliloquized, as I be- 
 stowed a hearty kick upon the hideous carcase at 
 
The Demon of the Jhoot. 25 
 
 my feet, ' this blind machine of carnage that, left 
 to its own unaided faculties, must long since have 
 fallen before the rifle of the sportsman, or have 
 starved miserably in the jungle, has been battening 
 upon the life-blood of the young, the gallant, and 
 the fair, a cancerous presence discharging no 
 other function than the maintenance of one 
 malignant life; and that this was possible was 
 due solely to the impish perversity of an ape, 
 a malicious midget, that, not satisfied with the 
 puny mischief achievable by its own hands, had 
 allowed itself to become attached in some 
 mysterious manner to this moribund mass of 
 death-dealing matter, supplying the monster with 
 all that was lacking to it in sense and intelli- 
 gence.' As I thought of the unspeakable evils 
 resulting from this tremendous combination, I 
 turned in order to brain the accursed monkey with 
 my rifle, but the Plutonian imp had skipped." 
 
 " But, Colonel," interposed Snapper, " how do 
 you account for the tiger following the monkey 
 so accurately in all its windings, seeing that 
 Stripes was stone blind ? " 
 
 " Oh ! that's plain enough, Snapper, plain 
 enough, my boy," replied the Colonel, " the tiger 
 followed Jacko by scent." 
 
A SLIGHT MISTAKE. 
 
 OUR Senior Major, on leaving a ball at the 
 Residency the night before, had got into the 
 wrong carriage, and it was not until he found him- 
 self deposited at another man's house that he dis- 
 covered his mistake. " Such slips are very easily 
 made on a dark night," observed Colonel Bowlong. 
 "I once made a wrong shot myself that occasioned 
 an immense deal of explanation and letter- writing 
 before my version of the occurrence was accepted. 
 My adventure, however, was not connected with a 
 carriage, and the circumstances attending it were 
 by no means of the gay and festive order. The 
 thing happened in this way. I had been at home 
 on leave. I had first taken six months on urgent 
 private affairs ; this I had converted into sick 
 leave, and had got it extended to two years. Then 
 I screwed a year's extraordinary leave, and applied 
 for more, but the task-masters would not see it, 
 and hounded me back to duty ; so at the eleventh 
 
A Slight Mistake. 27 
 
 hour I took my passage by the P. and^). Catama- 
 ran and sailed for Calcutta. The voyage was un- 
 eventful until we got into the Bay of Bengal, and 
 then we ran into the north-east monsoon. Every 
 day the weather grew worse, and one evening, as 
 we were going down to dinner, the skipper whis- 
 pered to me that we were in for a cyclone. 
 
 " All that night the storm raged ; hour by hour 
 the wind increased in volume ; and when the day 
 broke great green seas were sweeping the ship from 
 stem to stern. Not a soul dared venture on deck, 
 and our only hope lay in the engines. At last a 
 wave got into the engine-room, and the fires being 
 swamped, the ship lay like a dead Leviathan ex- 
 posed to the growing fury of the gale. Most of 
 our passengers were ladies, and the scene of 
 despair that I witnessed in the saloon when news 
 came that the boiler -fires were extinguished, I 
 shall, I trust, never see repeated. I was glad, 
 however, to be able to give the poor women a 
 little comfort. I had made the principle of these 
 circular storms my special study, for when I was 
 stationed at Galle I used to do a bit of yachting 
 in a six-tonner, and many a cyclone had I avoided 
 by my practical acquaintance with the laws that 
 govern this particular form of atmospheric dis- 
 turbance. 
 
28 A Slight Mistake. 
 
 " I had spent the morning with the Captain as- 
 sisting him with information and suggestions, the 
 value of which he afterwards treated somewhat 
 lightly. By comparing his observations with my 
 own I had succeeded in fully grasping the hang 
 of the storm that we were then struggling with ; 
 BO, watch in hand, I explained to the ladies the 
 course that the cyclone was travelling, telling them 
 how in the northern hemisphere the path of the 
 tempest was contrary to the direction followed by 
 the hands of a watch. The secret is well known 
 now, but then it was my own. I informed my 
 listeners that I did not estimate the extent of the 
 cyclonic area to be more than three hundred miles, 
 and told them the rate at which I computed the 
 storm to be travelling. ' So you see, my dear 
 ladies/ I concluded, ' that in about half an hour 
 we shall find ourselves at the central point of the 
 hurricane ; we shall then be in absolutely still 
 water, when the engineers and stokers will be 
 able to bale out the engine-room and relight their 
 fires, while the sailors will have time afforded to 
 them to repair damages all round, and during 
 this interval I will, if the Captain allows it, take 
 some of you for a little row round the vessel.' 
 
 " My prediction was fulfilled. In half an hour, 
 or a trifle less, we were lying absolutely motionless 
 
A Slight Mistake. 29 
 
 in the very heart of the cyclone. I never in my life 
 beheld such a scene. The sudden lull from the 
 raving tumult of the last twenty-four hours was 
 almost oppressive. It was about five o'clock in the 
 afternoon, and all around us there was a dull, 
 yellow light that might have been reflected from 
 the abode of the lost angels. On all sides of us 
 for the space of half a mile the water was smooth 
 as a mill-pond, and was covered with sea-fowl of 
 every kind; while beyond the circumference that 
 bounded this oasis of calm, the tempest whirled in 
 an unspeakably grand and mighty mass of billow, 
 scud, and cloud. 
 
 " After regarding this unprecedented scene for a 
 few moments, I hastened to the Captain and 
 begged that I might be allowed a boat in order to 
 take some of the ladies for an excursion across 
 the still water, but he would not hear of it, and 
 refused me in the most peremptory style. He 
 asked me if I was out of my senses, and when I 
 persisted, he was inclined to be unflattering in his 
 language. * The storm will be on us again in a 
 moment,' he added, ' and besides, all hands are 
 required to make the ship clear and tight for the 
 next round.' Nettled and disappointed I turned 
 away ; then I did a thing that, looking back over 
 the gulf of many years, I must admit savoured 
 
30 A Slight Mistake. 
 
 somewhat of fool-hardiness. I went to my cabin, 
 and dressing myself in a bathing costume that I 
 used to wear at Trouville, a perfectly correct get-up 
 and very fashionable, I joined the ladies who had 
 assembled on the quarter-deck for a little exercise. 
 4 Since the boating trip is forbidden,' I said, ' I am 
 going, without permission, for a swim,' and before 
 the Captain could stop me I was overboard and 
 striking out among the sea-gulls and Mother 
 Carey's chickens. I thought I was doing rather 
 an original thing, you know, swimming about in 
 the centre of a cyclone, and I may fairly assume 
 that there are few men who can point to a similar 
 achievement. 
 
 " I was surprised to find in the course of my 
 swim, not only birds of all kinds resting on the 
 surface of the water, but fish and water- snakes 
 and marine monsters floating about half sub- 
 merged, and occasionally putting up their heads 
 for air, very much as one sees fish at breathing- 
 holes made in the ice ; sharks of enormous size 
 were visible, but owing either to the coldness of 
 the water or to the exhausting concussion they 
 had undergone for many hours, they were perfectly 
 inert, making not the slightest attempt to molest 
 me, and I swam here and there among their ugly 
 snouts and broad backs as unconcernedly as though 
 
A Slight Mistake. 31 
 
 they were so many niussucks in a swimming-bath ; 
 in fact, I found myself at last laying my hand 
 quite carelessly on their cold dorsal fins. Conceiv- 
 ing an irresistible desire to observe the hurricane 
 at close quarters, I swam to the very edge of the 
 storm-skirted tarn, and there floated within two 
 feet of the tremendous masses of rapidly eddying 
 rain, sea-fog, and spray that, bellowing and 
 thundering, flew past me like flocks of titanic 
 witches speeding to a Hell- Sabbath. 
 
 " Every moment some poor storm-battered bird 
 fluttered out of the limbo and sought shelter in 
 the tarn, while several, as though cast by invisible 
 hands from behind the storm-curtain, fell into the 
 refuge stunned or dead. 
 
 " The rush and whirl so close to my eyes made 
 me absolutely giddy, and as I turned away to gaze 
 upon the placid lake I thought of the lines some 
 fellow once wrote up in a public-house : 
 
 ' Large elements in order brought, 
 And tracts of calm from, tempest made.' 
 
 " I have met with something of the sort in 
 In Memoriam," quietly remarked our Senior Cap- 
 tain. 
 
 "Ah! yes," replied the Colonel, "quite so, I knew 
 the quotation had some connection with an inn. 
 Well, to proceed with my adventure. All at once 
 
32 A Slight Mistake. 
 
 I noticed a sudden movement among both birds 
 and fish. In an instant they were on the alert, 
 and all began to swim briskly in one particular 
 direction ; from this I knew that the centre of the 
 storm must be shifting. A slight scud now drove 
 in gusts across the surface of the ocean-lake, 
 and it occurred to me that it was time to get 
 on board again. On turning, however, to where I 
 had a moment before seen the vessel, I found 
 to my uneasiness that a heavy curtain of mist 
 had descended, completely hiding the steamer 
 from view. I swam with all my strength to the 
 spot that I computed ought to be the ship's 
 position, but she had vanished in the fog ; there 
 was not a sound to be heard, and riot a spar to be 
 seen ! 
 
 "I confess to you that I began to. grow a bit 
 anxious. Every minute the mist deepened, until 
 at last I was in complete darkness. Now I heard 
 the mad shriek of the wind that told how rapidly 
 the storm was converging upon me ; the hitherto 
 perfectly still water of my marine lagoon began to 
 swell with the surge of the approaching billows ; 
 in five minutes the quiet pond around me would 
 be transformed into a maddened waste of shriek- 
 ing, bounding, mountainous foam. I now admitted 
 to myself that I had been indiscreet, but I was 
 
A Slight Mistake. 33 
 
 young. Youth is reckless ; and my youth wa's very 
 reckless. I had, however, but little time for 
 thought, for with a deafening reverberation the 
 cyclone was upon me. As the giant rollers caught 
 me in their grasp I felt coiling round my left 
 arm what at first i took to be a water- snake, but 
 which, in trying to disengage myself from it, 
 I discovered to be a rope. I hauled upon it, and 
 to my ineffable joy it did not yield ; it was evidently 
 attached to the ship, and had probably been 
 thrown overboard for my succour. As the waves 
 lifted me in their onset I pulled myself up hand 
 over hand in the darkness, and in a few moments 
 found myself upon the deck. The sailors were 
 just battening down the companion hatchway and 
 they allowed me to slip through before they closed 
 the passage. Cold and dripping, I staggered, more 
 dead than alive, to my cabin, and putting on dry 
 clothes, threw myself on the nearest berth and fell 
 asleep. 
 
 " When I awoke it was morning, the storm was 
 over and a bright sun was shining. I was very 
 hungry, and the animating clink of plates and 
 cutlery in the adjoining saloon warned me that 
 the stewards were laying the table for break- 
 fast. Dressing hastily, I entered the saloon 
 as the people were taking their seats, and I 
 
34 A Slight Mistake. 
 
 never in my life made a better breakfast. When 
 I had finished, I looked round the table, expecting 
 to hear some remark upon my escapade, and to 
 receive congratulations upon my safe return ; but 
 no one addressed me, and to my intense surprise it 
 dawned upon me that I did not recognize a single 
 person present. There was a new set of stewards, 
 and the Captain, too, was changed. Then for the 
 first time I observed that I was arrayed in a suit 
 of check tweed ; now I had no clothes of this 
 pattern in my kit, and I was certainly wearing 
 navy-blue serge the day before. I marvelled what 
 could have happened to me. Was it possible that 
 the great peril I had so recently encountered could 
 have deranged my reason ? I cast my eyes down 
 in painful thought, my glance fell upon my plate, 
 and there I saw the name, not of the Catamaran, 
 but of her sister ship, the Masula. The truth then 
 flashed upon me I had boarded the wrong ship ! 
 It so happened that the passenger whose cabin I 
 had entered had been shut out at the closing of the 
 hatches ; he had then found shelter in a deck 
 cabin, and having overslept himself did not disturb 
 me in my unsanctioned tenancy. 
 
 " The Masula was homeward bound, and as no 
 opportunity of which I cared to take advantage 
 presented itself during the voyage for my shifting 
 
A Slight Mistake. 35 
 
 to an outgoing steamer, I found myself, in the 
 course of about three weeks, dining comfortably at 
 No. 14, St. James's Square. Would you believe it, 
 that when I applied for a trifling extension of 
 leave, not only was my very reasonable application 
 contumeliously rejected, but I was ordered to 
 be off to India by the next steamer, and was, 
 moreover, in the most harsh and arbitrary manner 
 directed to explain why I had presumed to return 
 to England without orders. 
 
 " Setting aside as the mere raving of an irrespon- 
 sible clerk the injunction to return to India in such 
 indecent haste, I applied myself to the task of 
 trying to make the India Office understand how 
 it had come to pass that I had missed the Cata- 
 maran in the Bay of Bengal, and by a pure mis- 
 conception had gone on board the Masula. I 
 pointed out how easily such a thing might occur 
 at night during the hurry and confusion of a 
 cyclone, and begged that in the foregoing cir- 
 cumstances a protracted term of leave might be 
 granted me in order to enable me to recover niy 
 nervous energy, which had been subjected to so 
 unusually severe a strain. They treated my letter, 
 however, with the most offensive disregard. On 
 my return from a short trip to Paris and Vienna I 
 wrote to them again, and receiving no reply, con- 
 
 D 2 
 
36 A Slight Mistake. 
 
 suited my agents as to what was to be done. 
 They at once cautioned me that something serious 
 might be brewing, and recommended me to drop 
 the question of leave and to apply sharp for per- 
 mission to return to India. I acted upon this 
 suggestion, but my application was point-blank 
 refused. I now became seriously afraid that they 
 were going to retire me, or perhaps cashier me 
 right away, so I thought it best to go straight to 
 the India Office and lay my case before the Secre- 
 tary of State. He listened very attentively to 
 my story, occasionally making a note upon his 
 blotting-pad, and when I had concluded, he said, 
 looking at me with a peculiar expression of counte- 
 nance, * Well, Mr. Bowlong, in all my life I never 
 heard such a remarkable adventure as the one you 
 have just been good enough to relate to me, and 
 I feel sure you will excuse me if, for the satisfac- 
 tion of my colleagues, I find it necessary to seek 
 some measure of confirmation of such a singular 
 narrative. The Catamaran is, I believe, now at 
 Singapore. For the present I grant you a week's 
 extraordinary leave.' 
 
 " I suppose he telegraphed to the Captain, for in 
 the course of a day or two I received an official 
 letter stating that although Cornet Bowlong' s 
 explanation could not be regarded as on all points 
 
A Slight Mistake. 37 
 
 satisfactory, his account of the circumstances had, 
 nevertheless, been accepted ; he, however, was 
 directed to exercise sufficient discrimination on 
 any future similar occasion, to avoid the recur- 
 rence of such an obvious irregularity. In reply I 
 assured the India Office that I would never be 
 guilty of a like indiscretion again, and I have 
 scrupulously kept my word." 
 
TIGEE DAWK. 
 
 THE discourse after mess had turned upon the 
 denizens of the merry greenwood, and one of us 
 happening to observe that a tiger in search of prey 
 would, in the course of a single night, cover thirty 
 miles or so of country, Colonel Bowlong remarked : 
 " For a tiger, thirty or forty miles is an ordinary 
 night's work ; I have known one do over seventy 
 in less than six hours." 
 
 " How did you manage to follow him, Colonel ? " 
 asked our Senior Captain. 
 
 " I didn't follow, Parkinson," was the bland 
 reply. " I accompanied." 
 
 There was a dead silence, broken only by the 
 rush of the soda-water that the mess-boy was 
 pouring into the Colonel's tumbler. 
 
 " I didn't follow, I accompanied that tiger," 
 repeated the Colonel ; "it was one of the most 
 remarkable episodes of my life." 
 
 " May we hear about it, Colonel ? " inquired 
 Parkinson. 
 
Tiger Dawk. 39 
 
 The Colonel looked at his watch. " It's getting 
 late, but the story is not a long one, and I don't 
 mind telling it to you, for it is, perhaps, the first 
 time that you ever heard of Master Stripes in the 
 capacity of a carrier. 
 
 " It was just after I landed as a griffin. I was 
 on the march to join my regiment at X., and having 
 halted too long at Z., a small station on the road, 
 I determined to shorten the remainder of the 
 journey by striking across the Great Jhoot jun- 
 gles, where in after years I obtained so many of 
 my best trophies. 
 
 " I was riding a little Gulf -Arab that I had 
 bought in Bombay, and, having sent on my kit 
 in advance, I was working my way through the 
 jungle by chart and compass. 
 
 " After I had ridden about twenty-five miles it 
 began to get dark, and I was looking out for a 
 little jungle hamlet where I intended to sleep, 
 when I suddenly felt myself flying through the air, 
 and turning a back somersault into the bushes. 
 
 " A tiger had sprung on my horse's neck, knock- 
 ing him heels over head, and was calmly devouring 
 him. 
 
 " How I escaped injury beats me altogether, I 
 lay as still as a stone, thinking it best not to stir 
 hand or foot till Master, or as it turned out to be 
 
4O Tiger Dawk. 
 
 Mrs., Stripes had finished dinner, and started for 
 home. 
 
 " The brute made a hearty meal off my unlucky 
 horse, and then, having leisurely wiped her 
 whiskers with her paws, got up, yawned, and 
 stretched herself. 
 
 " I naturally concluded that she would now be 
 off ; not a bit of it ; she had kept her cold grey 
 eye on me all the time she was eating, and now 
 with a purr of satisfaction she stepped over to 
 where I was lying. 
 
 " ' So I'm to be the next course,' I thought ; 
 but she was not after entremets and relevees, her 
 little game was on a different line. 
 
 " I felt her teeth feeling down my back for a 
 loose bit of coat to lay hold of, and in a brace of 
 seconds she had nipped hold of me by the skirt of 
 my shooting- jacket and had swung me over her 
 shoulder as Eeynard carries a cottager's goose, and 
 off we went, not at a lobbing, four-mile-an-hour trot 
 like a jackal, but at a brisk hand-gallop, varied 
 by occasional leaps over low obstacles and sudden 
 turns to avoid interposing trees. 
 
 " The motion was pleasant rather than otherwise, 
 and my position was not so uncomfortable as you 
 might suppose it was like travelling on a narrow 
 velvet couch resting on very supple springs. But 
 
Tiger Dawk. 41 
 
 i unking along through utter darkness on the back 
 of a wild beast, albeit an animal you have never 
 ridden before, soon becomes a trifle tedious ; and 
 I was thankful when the rising moon revealed the 
 objects that we were passing. 
 
 " The journey now began to assume a real interest. 
 We stopped for water twice, once at a pool, and 
 once at a small stream, for the drink at the first 
 halt was interrupted by a shot from a shikari. 
 My companion, who escaped by a miracle, the 
 bullet having grazed her left ear, charged with a 
 roar of expostulation to the foot of the tree on 
 which her assailant was seated, and for an instant 
 I thought I was free ; but she was back like light- 
 ning, and in a twinkle we were pursuing our 
 onward course. 
 
 "While she was lapping at the second brook I 
 managed to mix a little brandy and water in the 
 cup of my flask, and that was all the nourishment 
 I had till I got to X. At times my gee-gee 
 attained a very high rate of speed. I fancy we- 
 must have been passing animals of her own 
 species ; they were not visible to me, but their 
 neighbourhood was apparently obvious to her. 
 Once we absolutely flew, and the pace was so 
 severe that it took away my breath. I had no 
 conception that any quadruped could go so fast. 
 
4 2 Tiger Dawk. 
 
 We had suddenly come upon a gigantic bull- 
 elephant standing in the middle of a little glade ; 
 the moon fell full upon him, and he loomed in his 
 solitary grandeur like a bronze colossus of the 
 waste." 
 
 The Colonel seemed pleased with this expression, 
 and he paused to reward himself with a drink. 
 
 " That elephant," he continued, " presented a 
 truly majestic spectacle, and I regretted that I was 
 not on foot with a rifle in my hand. He scented us 
 at once, and with trunk and tail erect, and his long 
 curved tusks gleaming in the moonlight like ivory 
 scimitars, he charged trumpeting straight upon 
 the bushes through which we were trying to creep 
 unperceived. 
 
 " Take my word for it, we put on full steam then ; 
 he didn't follow very far, but we kept at high speed 
 for about a quarter of an hour when we slackened 
 a bit, having to pick our way through a herd of 
 sleeping bison. Did you ever hear a bison snore ? 
 I assure you the stertorous breathing of that herd 
 made the leaves of the trees rustle. 
 
 In one place we came on a large leopard devour- 
 ing a sambhur fawn. Spots snarled at us and pre- 
 pared to abdicate; but we had no time to stop 
 for refreshment, and we bounded over the quarry 
 as if it were a log. 
 
Tiger Dawk. 43 
 
 " Once my bearer, for no cause perceptible to me, 
 bucked about twenty feet into the air. I think 
 she must have come upon a snake ; I observed 
 several very fine specimens of the hamadryad 
 coiling among the branches of the sal-trees. 
 
 " Later on we scattered and drove into the trees 
 a column of monkeys on the march. They were 
 four deep just like soldiers, with a grand old white 
 bearded ape leading the van. The way those 
 monkeys from their place of refuge chattered and 
 abused us would have made you die with laugh- 
 ing. 
 
 " It must have been a little past eight in the 
 evening when we started, and we kept going till 
 about two the next morning, w r hen coming to some 
 rather open and rocky ground, the tigress turned 
 sharply to the left, cleared a large boulder like 
 a deer, and deposited me in a spacious cave. 
 
 " The moonlight flooded the interior, and showed 
 the floor to be. littered with dry bones ; two 
 brindled cubs were sleeping side by side in a 
 corner on a heap of blood-stained sand. 
 
 " I saw it clearly now. I was to be utilized as 
 infant's food. I was a plump young person, and 
 should have afforded some very pretty picking. 
 
 " The full hideousness of my situation became at 
 once apparent ; there I lay like a pheasant in a 
 
44 Tiger Dawk. 
 
 larder waiting till the returning appetite of my 
 possessors prompted them to assimilate me. I 
 say the returning appetite, for the threshold of 
 the cave was strewn with feathers and soft down. 
 It was clear that the little brutes had the previous 
 evening managed to catch a peacock, and had so 
 gorged themselves that they did not wake even to 
 welcome their fond mamma. At any rate there 
 was a respite for me till the morning. 
 
 " I am satisfied that the tigress from the first 
 believed me to be dead, and I took precious good 
 care to do nothing to disturb the conviction. She 
 was tired with her night's work and was soon 
 asleep, but her enormous body lay between me 
 and the cave's mouth. Jump over her ! I was too 
 stiff with bruises to make it safe to try gymnastics. 
 
 " As day dawned, the intensity of the horror 
 deepened. With the light came new circum- 
 stances of terror, for I observed things now that 
 in the dim moonlight had escaped me. Among 
 the bones that strewed the floor I noticed many 
 that were human ; the tigress was evidently in the 
 habit of bringing home this kind of prey for the 
 sustenance of her cubs. 
 
 " The aspect of my four-footed companions, even 
 as they slept, was repulsively ferocious, and I 
 began to fear that I should be tortured to death 
 
Tiger Dawk. 45 
 
 by the little demons much as a sparrow might be 
 vivisected by a brace of clumsy kittens. 
 
 l< I shuddered as the light grew stronger, for I 
 knew that the animals might now wake at any 
 moment, and begin the day with early break- 
 fast. 
 
 " All at once a roar from the jungle broke upon 
 the stillness, awakening the echoes for a mile 
 around, and in a few moments another and a 
 nearer roar told that the owner of that formidable 
 basso was approaching the cave. 
 
 " This, then, must be the old male tiger, and from 
 the sound of his voice he was not in the best of 
 humours ; perhaps less fortunate than his wife 
 and weans, he had failed overnight to secure a 
 supper. 
 
 " A third tremendous roar announced that the 
 jungle tyrant was at hand, and as I heard the dry 
 leaves crackle under his heavy paws, I felt that of 
 a verity my last moment had arrived. 
 
 "But the event had been ordered otherwise. The 
 roaring had aroused the tigress. Kising quickly, 
 she placed herself with a low ominous growl across 
 my recumbent form, and I could hear the gentle 
 tapping of her tail upon the sand. 
 
 " It was now light enough for me to perceive 
 the massive clear-cut head and shoulders of an 
 
46 Tiger Dawk. 
 
 enormous tiger in the opening of the cave. He 
 saw me at once, and advanced with his savage 
 eyes glaring, his lips drawn back, and his huge 
 fangs displayed. 
 
 " But the devoted mother, ah ! how I blessed 
 that sweet maternal instinct, was not going to 
 suffer her offsprings' tit-bit to be gobbled up by 
 her lazy bully of a husband. She crouched for a 
 moment, and then went for him like a poisoned 
 arrow. 
 
 " They rose on their hind legs, grappled, and fell 
 outside the cave. The tigress was active enough 
 to whip her weight in wild-cats, and the tiger was 
 as strong as an elephant. 
 
 " They tugged and tore at each other's throats, 
 and used the claws of their hind paws in the feline 
 downward drag with the most awful effect. There 
 was no roaring, they were in deadly earnest, and 
 fought mute. 
 
 " I have seen wild-beast fights at native courts, 
 and have read of gladiatorial contests in the days 
 of Imperial Eome, but to understand the full 
 majesty and glory of animal fury worked up to 
 the wildest pitch of frenzy, commend me to a 
 tiger-fight in the desolation of the woods, with the 
 conqueror's prize a living man ; and to fully 
 appreciate the more delicate points of the situation, 
 
Tiger Dawk. 47 
 
 the palm of victory should be embodied in the 
 observer." 
 
 " Stupendously grand as was the spectacle of 
 this magnificent contest, I could not await the 
 catastrophe. Whichever combatant won, my fate 
 would be the same, so I suddenly recollected that 
 I had an engagement, and hastily slipping out of 
 the cave, I dived into the bushes, and made the 
 best time I could straight ahead. 
 
 " In about an hour I came to the edge of the 
 jungle, and there found some grass-cutters belong- 
 ing to the very regiment I had come to join. They 
 told me that the station was close by, and showed 
 me the nearest way to cantonments. 
 
 " As I went up the road I overtook the officers 
 of my new regiment returning from parade, and 
 introduced myself to them. 
 
 " The Adjutant inquired whether I had brought 
 my charger. 
 
 "'My charger! 1 I replied,' 'no, thank the 
 powers.' 
 
 " * You have accomplished your journey from Z. 
 very quickly, Mr. Bowlong,' said the Colonel, 
 curiously scanning my torn coat, and generally 
 disreputable appearance. 'In your letter to the 
 Adjutant you said that you were to leave only 
 yesterday.' 
 
48 Tiger Dawk. 
 
 " ' I left Z. yesterday morning.' 
 
 " ' Then how did you travel ? ' 
 
 " ' I did the first twenty-five miles on horseback, 
 sir.' 
 
 " ' And the remainder by palanquin, I suppose ? ' 
 
 "'No, sir.' 
 
 "'By cart?' 
 
 " ' Not by cart, sir.' 
 
 " ( Then how on earth did you come ? ' 
 
 " ' I did the last seventy miles or so by tiger,' 
 said I, demurely, trying to look as though I had 
 not performed the most striking feat of the 
 century. 
 
 " * By tiger ! ! ' they all exclaimed, with a chorus 
 of incredulous laughter. ' By tiger ! ! ! ' And when 
 I told them the story, bless you, I could hardly get 
 'em to believe it." 
 
THE COLONEL SCOUTS. 
 
 " AN Intelligence Department," observed 
 Colonel Bowlong one evening, "is an exceedingly 
 difficult concern to organize, and a still more 
 troublesome one to manage. Unless you have at 
 the head of it a man of solid judgment, all-round 
 experience, and consummate tact, it is bound to 
 prove a failure. I ran the show for Sir Hugh 
 Rose in his Central Indian campaign with distin- 
 guished success ; but then I dispensed with the 
 time-honoured practice of employing spies. I 
 left the beaten path there, as on most other 
 occasions in my life, and the results that I achieved 
 were stu pendous!" 
 
 " What was your system, Sir ? " inquired 
 Snapper, ever zealous in pursuit of knowledge. 
 
 " Nothing elaborate about it, Snapper. I de- 
 pended for my intelligence upon one person alone, 
 none but he knew about my plans, none but he 
 was allowed to execute them. I had perfect faith 
 
5O The Colonel Scouts. 
 
 in his loyalty, courage, and acumen, and he never 
 failed me that person, gentlemen, was myself." 
 " You did your own scouting, Colonel ? " 
 " I did it all, and then went to my tent and 
 wrote my report for Sir Hugh, whose admira- 
 tion at what he was pleased to term my mar- 
 vellous agency was enough to make me laugh 
 in his face. I never told him / was the agency, 
 he would have forbidden me to run the risk ; he 
 often said that Bowlong was worth a Brigade to 
 him." 
 
 " Did you dress as a native, Colonel ? " 
 " Not always. I had to do so sometimes, but my 
 disguises were many. I once made a sketch of 
 the enemy's position with my head in a chatty a 
 water-pot, you know." 
 
 " In a chatty ! and where was your body, sir? " 
 " In the water. It was simple enough : Tantia 
 Topi and the Eani held the fords of the Shagra- 
 nundi river and had thrown up formidable en- 
 trenchments on the left bank. Sir Hugh wanted 
 to know all about their position, so I went a mile 
 or two up-stream and then took to the water with 
 rny chatty. I swam cautiously down till I could 
 see their outlying picquets, then I slipped my head 
 into the chatty and floated. I had brought a 
 stylus and a plate of tin coated with wax, and as 
 
The Colonel Scouts. 5 r 
 
 : 1 
 
 I slowly passed the enemy's batteries I traced the 
 lines and marked the position of the guns. I also 
 noted how the troops were stationed. I was well 
 satisfied with my work, and was floating on when I 
 observed, through my peep-hole, a boat coming. 
 It evidently contained people of consequence, for 
 there were two red umbrellas in the stern. The 
 boat passed close to me, and I could see the 
 occupants ; one was a young, good-looking woman, 
 and the other a middle-aged, care-worn man. 
 It was the Kani and Tantia Topi. " All will go 
 well," Tantia was saying, " if they attack on the 
 right or left, but if they go for the centre they will 
 carry it." " Why did you put no field-guns 
 there ? " asked the Eani. " I wanted our artillery 
 elsewhere," was the reply. " We know the tactics 
 of these white people it is the flank, the flank, 
 always the flank that they work upon " and the 
 boat passed by. I floated on, and when I was 
 clear of Tantia's patrols I landed and returned to 
 camp. Sir Hugh, confidently relying, as he 
 always did, upon rny information, at once massed 
 his troops, went straight for the centre, and 
 carried that apparently impregnable position in 
 seven minutes and a quarter, with the loss only 
 of a drummer-boy's toe. The lad was nipped in 
 the ford by one of those abominable river-crabs. 
 
 E 2 
 
52 The Colonel Scoiits. 
 
 "I once had a comical adventure while swimming 
 under a chatty. I was passing along a line of 
 sentries, when one of them I don't know what 
 possessed him took a steady shot at my covering : 
 a regular pot shot, ha ! ha ! Well, I dived at the 
 flash like a dabchick, and when I came up again 
 the body of the chatty was gone, and my astonished 
 head rose into the rim. The rascal had turned 
 my tile into a necklace; so there was an end 
 of my observations for that morning, and I had 
 to dive again and swim past the line like an otter. 
 
 " I had another rather narrow escape on the 
 banks of one of those Central Indian rivers. We 
 had as usual been driving the enemy before us, and 
 we believed him to be in full flight ; but from cer- 
 tain small facts that had come under my observa- 
 tion I was persuaded that Tantia was about to 
 steal a march upon us, so I left Headquarters 
 and kept for a day or two about ten miles ahead 
 of the army. I was on foot, and was dressed as a 
 fakir. One afternoon I found myself at the bank 
 of a river, and while debating whether I should 
 cross at once, or wait for our advance-guard, a 
 party of natives drew near, carrying a corpse for 
 cremation. I sat down in order to watch their 
 proceedings. On arriving at the ford, they placed 
 the body half in the water and prepared to con- 
 
The Colonel Scouts. 53 
 
 struct a pyre. They had brought a number of logs 
 with them, and there was plenty of brushwood 
 about. The pile was soon ready for the corpse, 
 but just as the mourners had placed the body 
 on the wood, a party of Mahratta Cavalry galloped 
 down to the other bank and began fording the 
 stream. I knew what that meant. Tantia was 
 doubling on us, and these men were his advance- 
 cavalry. The wily Hindu was making a dash at 
 our communications. On seeing the sowars the 
 villagers ran away, while I crouched behind a 
 bush. I had no desire to be interviewed, for 
 although I could understand the lingo, I could 
 not speak it well enough to undergo a cross- 
 examination, and Tantia's men had a playful way 
 of hanging suspected spies up by the heels. I 
 hid till they had passed, and then an idea struck 
 me. I knew that in five minutes the entire rebel 
 army would be crossing the ford, and it was 
 important to know its strength. This sudden 
 change from retreat to a forward movement 
 might be the result of a material increase of 
 force, and it was necessary that the fact should be 
 made clear. In pursuance of my plan I carried 
 the corpse to the water, and gave it a shove with 
 my foot that sent it floating down the stream ; then, 
 taking its place on the pyre, I covered myself with 
 
54 The Colonel Scouts. 
 
 brushwood, and lay close. In about ten minutes I 
 heard from the other bank the sound of marching 
 men, the neighing of horses, and the roll of tum- 
 brils ; then a confused splashing in the stream, 
 and a great hum of voices, warned me that the 
 army was crossing, and uncommon quick they 
 were about it. In less than half an hour they 
 were all across, horse, foot and artillery; and I 
 noted, as I had suspected, that the brigades were 
 much stronger than when I had last seen them, 
 and that the number of guns had been doubled. 
 
 " As the soldiers streamed by the pyre I could 
 hear them remarking that they had interrupted 
 a funeral, and some, confound their officiousness, 
 picked up the logs that lay scattered around and 
 threw them on the top of me. When they had 
 all gone by I tried to extricate myself, but, gad, 
 sirs ! I was pinned pinned like a mole in a trap 
 couldn't move hand or foot. Here was a nice 
 position ! The funeral party might at any moment 
 return to complete the ceremony. Awful situa- 
 tion, wasn't it? arid the beggars did come too. 
 No sooner had the last soldier disappeared in 
 the distance than back all the mourners crept, one 
 with a conch, another with a pot of ghee, and a 
 third with a torch. They were evidently afraid 
 that more troops were coming, and the thought 
 
The Colonel Scouts. 55 
 
 made 'em nimble, for before you could say ' knife ' 
 the Slokarn was chaunted, the brush-wood was 
 ignited, and the ghee was scattered over the logs. 
 You may imagine that I did not remain silent 
 under this infliction. I roared at the top of my 
 voice, reg'lar good opera- singing, I can tell you, 
 and the mourners, thinking that a devil had 
 entered the dear departed, flung down torch, 
 conch and ghee-pot and made the best time they 
 could back to the village. They had not had 
 time to light the pyre in more than one corner, 
 and the brushwood in that part being damp, the 
 combustion was very slow. Still the flames made 
 progress, and I could hear the crackling and 
 hissing of the wood as the fire crept on. I had 
 noticed, moreover, that the logs on which I lay 
 were dry as tinder, and I knew that when the fire 
 reached the centre there was an end of me, for the 
 weight of the wood above was enough to hold 
 me down until I was roasted. I will not attempt 
 to describe my feelings the horror of the situation 
 must be sufficiently apparent to you all. But 
 what troubled me more than the awful death that 
 was slowly creeping up was the thought tha 
 information, which, if conveyed to Sir Hugh Eose, 
 might perhaps save our army from disaster, was 
 pigeon-holed in a mass of burning timber. 
 
56 The Colonel Scouts. 
 
 "Fortune, however, had not altogether deserted 
 me. I had perceived through the crevices of the 
 logs that the sky above me was rapidly becoming 
 overcast, and I now heard the sound of distant 
 thunder. A heavy storm was brewing ; if it burst 
 in time the rain might extinguish the fire and I 
 should have at least a momentary respite. 
 
 " But the flame had at last overcome the damp 
 brushwood, and was making its way to the dry 
 logs. Every minute the crackling grew louder and 
 the smoke denser, while I could feel my surround- 
 ings becoming hotter and hotter. Hungry tongues 
 of flame came leaping up here and there, and now 
 and again showers of vicious sparks were tossed 
 into the air by the rising wind. I could hardly 
 breathe now, and I was turning deadly faint, when 
 phit, phit, phit, came the big rain-drops, fizzle, 
 fizzle, fizzle went the fire, and then, with a 
 deafening roar, the tempest broke. Down came 
 the rain in streams, in torrents, in water-spouts. 
 I never saw such rain ! the air at once turned 
 quite cold, and I now chattered and shivered, 
 where a moment before I had reeked and sweltered. 
 The fire was put out in a brace of shakes, but 
 I was still a prisoner, and I was satisfied that as 
 soon as they could get hold of a priest to exorcise 
 the demon, the funeral sportsmen would be at 
 
The Colonel Scouts. 57 
 
 their games again and I should be cremated right 
 away. 
 
 " The violence of the storm increased, and for 
 the space of two hours the tempest raged grandly. 
 Gradually a sound, of which I had hitherto taken 
 but little notice, began to arrest my attention; 
 every minute it increased in volume, and I 
 recognized it as the lapping of water round the 
 pyre. The river was rising and had already over- 
 flowed its banks ! then a wild hope possessed me 
 that the tide might swell high enough to float the 
 pyre. Higher and closer rose the eddies, and I 
 could perceive the welcome water stretching far 
 beyond me across the land. Then joy ! I felt the 
 cold element touch my fingers ; soon it was swirling 
 round my neck and ears, but still the logs above 
 me did not move. Was I then saved from death 
 by fire, only to perish by drowning ? No, my luck 
 was too good for that. With a great surge a wave 
 swept over my face, and I held my breath des- 
 perately ; then I felt the top weight gently 
 removed, and I floated out into the stream sur- 
 rounded by the materials that were to have reduced 
 me to ashes. 
 
 " On feeling myself at last free and unhurt 
 I was nearly mad with joy ; for the first ten 
 minutes I shouted, plunged, and flung myself about 
 
58 The Colonel Scoiits. 
 
 like a hilarious porpoise. Then I recollected that 
 I was the depository of intelligence, which it was 
 vitally important should be placed before the Chief 
 without delay, so I pulled myself together and 
 swam steadily for a mile or two down stream. 
 When I felt safe from the enemy's flankers I landed 
 and made for our camp at the double. No sooner 
 had Sir Hugh heard my report than the bugles were 
 sounding the ' fall in,' and the trumpets were 
 tootling ' boot and saddle,' and before nightfall we 
 had marched ten miles to the rear. The next 
 morning Tantia, thinking he had only a detach- 
 ment before him, came on light-heartedly with his 
 entire force, and I never in all my bom days saw 
 troops undergo such an elaborate licking as Sir 
 Hugh inflicted upon that army in the space of 
 about sixty minutes. 'It's all due to Bowlong,' 
 said the Chief afterwards ; ' Bowlong's worth a 
 brigade.' 
 
 " One night, as Sir Hugh was sitting down to 
 dinner he said to me : ' Bowlong, I'd give a 
 thousand rupees to be able to question one of the 
 Eani's people.' We had not picked up a prisoner 
 for several days ; I had been laid up for the past 
 week with a bad bout of fever ; little or no infor- 
 mation had been gathered by the patrols, and we 
 had altogether lost touch of the enemy, At the 
 
77ic Colonel Scouts. 4 59 
 
 General's words I rose from the table, and, pre- 
 tending to recollect an engagement, left the tent. 
 Mounting my favourite Arab, Morning Star, and, 
 taking the syce with me, I at once started for 
 the front. Cantering past our outlying pickets, I 
 very soon found myself in hostile territory, for I 
 could hear sounds that plainly told me a portion 
 at least of the Hani's army was encamped not very 
 far from our advanced vedettes. It was necessary 
 to be cautious, so I dismounted, and stole along 
 a ravine that brought me almost face to face with 
 one of the enemy's" sentries. He was leaning on 
 his musket and crooning an old Mahratta song. 
 While I was debating how to capture him I was 
 startled by a sound behind me that I recognized to 
 be the shuffling tread of a bear. I stood on one 
 side to let the animal go by, and, to my astonish- 
 ment, I saw it pass close to the sentry, apparently 
 without in the least disturbing him. * Oho ! ' 
 thought I, ' bruin is a weed in these parts, and 
 the sentries mind him no more than we do a 
 field-mouse.' My plan was formed on the instant. 
 I glided back to where I had left my horse, and, 
 taking the horse-cloth, I put it over my head and 
 body, and, imitating a bear as well as I could, 
 crept slowly up to the sentry. He did not move a 
 limb ; in the dim starlight he mistook me for a 
 
60 The Colonel Scoiits. 
 
 brown bear. I crawled nearer and nearer ; and 
 when within reach of him I put out my arms and, 
 catching him by the legs, threw the astonished 
 warrior heavily on his back and rammed the 
 corner of the rug into his mouth. There was no 
 necessity for further violence ; the man was so 
 startled at the unexpected attack that he swooned 
 right away. So taking him in my arms I bore him 
 down the nullah, and with my syce's assistance 
 carried him quickly into camp. When I reached 
 the General's tent, he and his staff were just 
 coming out to smoke. 
 
 " * Here's your prisoner, sir,' said I, saluting. 
 
 " ' Bowlong,' cried Sir Hugh, ' you are unpar- 
 alleled ! ' 
 
 "I sat once rigged up as a baboon in a large 
 banyan-tree overhanging the Grand trunk-road 
 along which the enemy's army was marching to 
 attack our camp at Jhansi. Some of the sepoys 
 saw me, and pointed up, saying, * Wah ! what a 
 fine ape ; he must be a descendant of Hanuman 
 himself.' In return I chattered and made the 
 most hideous faces imaginable at them, and when 
 any swell came by on an elephant, I threw a hand- 
 ful of small figs in his face, drawing upon myself 
 the choicest abuse in his vocabulary. But all 
 that time I was carefully noting the strength of 
 
The Colonel Scouts. ^ 61 
 
 each battery, squadron, and battalion that filed 
 below. 
 
 " Once, when disguised as an animal, I nearly 
 got killed by our own men. It was a ridiculous 
 incident, and came to pass in this way: For some 
 days past we had been moving over country 
 abounding in antelope, and the creatures were so 
 tame and unsuspecting, that a number of them 
 had been trapped by our camp-followers. I had 
 procured the skins of a couple of black-buck, and 
 with a little manipulation had made myself a very 
 effective animal disguise. My unintermitting exer- 
 tions had worn me to a skeleton, my waist was like 
 a wasp's, my arms and legs were thin as spindles, 
 and, dressed in my skins, I passed at night for a 
 stately old buck of but little more than the average 
 size. We were advancing before daylight one 
 morning in quarter-distance contiguous columns, 
 all ready to deploy into line, for the Kani was just 
 in front of us, retreating slowly, undetermined 
 whether to stand or run she had recently been 
 getting some very hard knocks, and was a little 
 sick at the sight of a red-coat. Between the two 
 armies was a large herd of antelope, and as we 
 advanced the animals moved, grazing, in front of 
 us ; but they were much nearer to the enemy's 
 line than they were to ours. Sir Hugh was 
 
62 The Colonel Scouts. 
 
 extremely anxious to know whether the Rani was 
 making any attempt to take up a position. The 
 sun had not yet risen, and it was so dark that obser- 
 vation from our side was impossible ; even if it 
 had been daylight the clouds of dust raised by 
 the retreating army so completely shrouded it, 
 that we might have blundered into an ugly trap. 
 So getting hold of my property-box, I rigged my- 
 self out as a black-buck, and covering myself 
 with my military cloak I rode as hard as I could 
 to the front, then, telling the mare to trot to the 
 rear with my cloak, I dismounted, and mingled 
 with the antelope. It was at once evident to 
 me that the fighting Queen had had enough of 
 the retrograde movement, and was about to make 
 a stand. Her army had reached some low hills, 
 and the regiments were rapidly forming line to the 
 rear, which, of course, brought them face to face 
 with us. By the waning starlight I could see that 
 the Queen had a strong force of infantry and field- 
 guns in the centre, w^th cavalry at the flanks, and 
 howitzer-batteries dotted along the rear, on ground 
 sufficiently elevated for them to fire over the line. 
 I had seen enough, the position was a strong one, 
 and it was time for me to get back and com- 
 municate the state of affairs to Sir Hugh. But 
 when I turned, I saw to my intense disgust a long 
 
The Colonel Scouts. 63 
 
 line of our own skirmishers advancing to the 
 attack, and I knew that in a minute or two I 
 should be in the centre of a storm of bullets. 
 The enemy began to throw out light infantry on 
 their side, and the antelope were driven gradually 
 nearer to our people. I kept well in the centre of 
 the herd ; the animals were growing alarmed ; the 
 does ran this side and that, and the bucks began 
 to make great springs in the air. I imitated them as 
 well as I could, so as to keep up the character until 
 I was safe behind our own lines. Nearer and 
 nearer came our skirmishers, and I heard the bugles 
 sound * Commence firing.' At the first reports the 
 antelope turned in a body to the left, and swept at 
 lightning speed round the flank of the enemy's 
 position, while I remained curvetting about, and 
 expecting every instant to be shot down. At last 
 our people came up, and some of the men caught 
 sight of me indistinctly through the smoke. 
 * Shoot him, Jack,' cried one. ' Stick him, Bill,' 
 shouted another. ' Catch him alive,' roared a 
 third, making a grab at my horns. * Steady, men, 
 leave the animal alone,' thundered the Commander, 
 and, as the line doubled past, I made a rush, dodged 
 the supports, and, divesting myself of my outer 
 covering under the shelter of a rock, made my way 
 to the General and gave him an account of the 
 
64 The Colonel Scouts. 
 
 enemy's position. He at once altered the order of 
 his attack, and won the most brilliant victory of 
 the campaign. You may well laugh, Snapper, at the 
 way I deceived 'em all, but, mind you, I don't for 
 a moment pretend that it could have been done 
 by daylight ; this particular disguise was only for 
 night-work, and you must remember that in those 
 days I was a man of pre-eminent agility. 
 
 " When the campaign was over I brought the 
 circumstance to the recollection of the officer who 
 had commanded the skirmishers, and having 
 explained matters, I told him that, humanly 
 speaking, I had to thank him for my life. 
 
 " ' Well, do you know,' said he, * thinking over 
 the affair afterwards, I often had my suspicions 
 about that antelope ; there was something to my 
 mind not quite natural about it.' 
 
 " * Why, what was wrong? ' I asked, rather nettled, 
 for I prided myself on the fidelity of my person- 
 ations. 
 
 " ' Well, Bowlong, it was this : I had in my time 
 seen a good many antelope one way or another, 
 and, 'pon my word, I never, in the whole course 
 of my experience, saw one that bounded so grace- 
 fully or that bucked so high.' " 
 
THE COLONEL'S MIDINGHT CHARGE. 
 
 THE perfect harmony of our regiment was at 
 one time somewhat impaired, but fortunately the 
 discord was only for a season. The jarring 
 element was introduced by a " doing -duty" 
 Major, a man who prided himself upon his hard 
 common sense and critical acumen, or, as less 
 gifted people called it, his general " cussedness." 
 Report said that he had been at Cambridge ; it 
 was rumoured even that he had at one time read 
 for the Bar ; he had certainly written a book, a 
 much rarer feat in the " sixties " than in the 
 " eighties," but " Tackle on Tactics " is now as far 
 away in the ewigheit as are the manoeuvres that 
 it tended to obscure. 
 
 Towards our Colonel, Major Tackle observed a 
 malign neutrality ; but to the rest of the regiment 
 he was actively hostile. Himself a magazine of 
 dry fact, and gifted with more than his fair share 
 of the dialectic faculty, he readily crushed us in 
 debate. We certainly were not a reading regiment, 
 
 F 
 
66 The Colonel's Midnight Charge. 
 
 neither were we severely logical ; our acquaintance 
 with Mies lettres was meagre, and I fear that I 
 must add that our historical knowledge was 
 scandalously defective. 
 
 No sooner had the stranger within our gates 
 ascertained the general weakness, than he began 
 to harry us as a hawk might harry the tender 
 fledgelings of a dove-cot, and with this man's 
 presence we were afflicted during a period of 
 six months, one week, and three days. We once, 
 however, saw him silenced and put to rout, a 
 circumstance that was long cherished as a golden 
 memory. 
 
 It was a big night at mess, the 100th Hussars 
 were dining with us, and our number-one Cham- 
 pagne had diffused geniality around. Even the 
 Major was a shade less cynical than usual, and as 
 for the Colonel, he was in topping form. We 
 asked for the story of Churruckpore, and he gave it 
 in his happiest manner, adding one or two interest- 
 ing details that in former recitals had escaped his 
 memory. Major Tackle, who regarded with cold 
 suspicion everything that lay beyond the region of 
 his own experience, and would have resigned his 
 commission sooner than have accepted an unproved 
 assertion as a fact, sat during the narration, glass 
 in eye, glaring gloomily at the ceiling. 
 
The Colonel's Midnight Charge. 67 
 
 No sooner had the Colonel finished his recital, 
 than we heard the harsh voice of the critic break- 
 ing through the hum of admiring satisfaction with 
 which the account of that gallant feat of arms was 
 invariably acknowledged : 
 
 " That achievement of yours, Colonel Bowlong, 
 is, without exception, the most remarkable episode 
 in military history that it has ever been my fortune 
 to hear recounted. Now, may I ask you a few 
 questions, sir, regarding certain points in the 
 narrative that appear to me to be, ahem ! a little 
 obscure?" 
 
 The tone of the Major's voice, and the peculiar 
 smile that played over his thin lips, warned the 
 Colonel that mischief was afoot, and he parried 
 the attack in his own inimitable manner. 
 
 "A trifle, sir, a mere trifle. I have done better 
 things than that, thank God ! Why, at Churruck 
 I was assisted by three of the coolest men in 
 the Bareilly division ; but at Delhi, at Delhi, sir, 
 I was alone." 
 
 " And what, pray, did you do at Delhi, sir?" 
 inquired the Major, unsuspectingly following the 
 herring that was being drawn across the track. 
 
 " At Delhi, when the fate of British India hung 
 quivering in the balance, I turned the fortune of 
 the day single-handed." 
 
 F 2 
 
68 The Colonel's Midnight Charge. 
 
 " Single-handed ! " ejaculated Tackle, with an 
 incredulous smile, "single-handed, did you say?" 
 
 " Single-handed," replied the Colonel, sturdily, 
 "and armed only with a trumpet." 
 
 " Marvellous indeed ! it reminds one of the fall 
 of Jericho. Your feats, Colonel, are positively 
 Homeric," said the Major, with an air of scornful 
 indulgence. 
 
 " I was followed by five-hundred horses, you 
 must know," interposed the Colonel with a sly 
 wag of the head. 
 
 "You were followed by five-hundred horse!" 
 exclaimed the Major triumphantly, "five-hundred 
 is not, as a rule, you know, held to equal unity." 
 
 " Five-hundred Worses, Major Tackle, not horse," 
 replied the Colonel ; " I was followed by five-hun- 
 dred riderless horses, with not so much as a strap 
 to their backs." 
 
 " May we be favoured with an account of that 
 singularly unique exploit ? " asked the Major, add- 
 ing under his breath : ' Quousque tandem abutere 
 patientia nostra ? ' The remark, however, was lost 
 in the general expression of eagerness to hear the 
 tale ; upon which " The enemy," for such was the 
 name that Tackle had earned for himself, settled 
 himself comfortably in his chair, and screwing his 
 eye-glass more firmly into his eye, fixed a con- 
 
The Colonel's Midnight Charge. 69 
 
 temptuously sceptical glance upon our commanding 
 officer, who proceeded as follows : 
 
 " On recovering from my injury after the affair 
 at Churruckpore, I rejoined my old regiment, the 
 ' King's Pandours,' then commanded by Lashem 
 Harde, whose ruling idea was that good cavalry 
 could do anything from furnishing a vedette to 
 taking a man-of-war. 
 
 We formed part of the flying column sent by 
 forced marches to capture the fort of Muzbutjak, 
 a deuced strong place, but quite unprepared to 
 resist an attack. In fact so notorious was the 
 negligence of the garrison that the General had 
 determined to take the fort by escalade. 
 
 The column advanced cautiously with the 
 cavalry scouting just a little in advance ; our 
 leading files sighted the fort at daybreak ; the gates 
 were open, and as all the appearances disclosed a 
 sense of absolute security, the idea occurred to 
 that madman Harde to rush the place with his 
 troopers, so without waiting for orders, he took us 
 across the open at full gallop, dismounted us at the 
 bridge, and led us at the double into the gateway. 
 
 " But the garrison, as you will see, were not 
 caught quite napping, and they had spotted us as 
 soon as we emerged from cover. Between the 
 outer and the inner gate was one of those zig-zag 
 
70 The Colonel's Midnight Charge. 
 
 approaches peculiar to Indian forts, and the regi- 
 ment was soon crowded together like herrings in a 
 barrel. In the rush I tumbled down, and by the 
 time I had picked myself up again the last man 
 was disappearing round the angle. Then came a 
 roar like that of a hundred-and-fifty pounder, and 
 when I turned the corner I saw the entire regiment 
 lying dead, or dying, in front of me." 
 
 The Major here snorted scornfully. 
 
 "In the inner gateway," proceeded the Colonel, 
 paying no heed to the interpellation, " the enemy 
 had posted an enormous gun, loaded with chains, 
 bullets, slugs, and spear-heads, and on the top of 
 all they had rammed down a cask of tenpenny 
 nails. The iron blast, gentlemen, had simply 
 blown away the regiment ! " 
 
 The Major here emitted a sound between a grunt 
 and a hiccough ; his face was very red, and he 
 appeared to be in danger of suffocation. 
 
 " Yes, gentlemen, there lay the redoubtable 
 Pandour regiment, every officer and man dead as 
 the door-nails that studded him." 
 
 " Pray tell me, Colonel, how many men," asked 
 the Major, his lips quivering with suppressed in- 
 dignation, " how many men, sir, do you compute 
 were killed by that single discharge ?" 
 
 " Five-hundred, Major, five-hundred," said the 
 
The Colonel's Midnight CJiarge. 71 
 
 Colonel airily, and then, correcting himself, and 
 holding up an arrestive finger, he added in a tone 
 of lofty moral rectitude, " Stop, I am wrong, Major 
 Tackle I am wrong ! Five-hundred was our full 
 complement. My troop Sergeant - Major, Sam 
 \Vashball, was in the base-hospital, and I, of course, 
 was not among the victims ; the number destroyed 
 by that discharge was four-hundred and ninety- 
 eight." 
 
 The Colonel gazed blandly at the Major for a 
 moment, and then resumed : " In the above cir- 
 cumstances I thought it best to halt a bit, so I lay 
 down by a buttress, and waited for reinforcements. 
 The infantry were not far behind, and in a very 
 short space of time the fort was in our hands. 
 
 " The question then, was how to dispose of the 
 horses, for the animals having been left outside 
 the fort, had every one of them escaped injury. 
 The General might have drafted them to other 
 corps, but he would still have been a cavalry regi- 
 ment short, so he froze to the nags, and applied 
 for drafts to fill the saddles. In the meantime I 
 was put in charge of the manege, and better- 
 trained cattle you never saw. I used to exercise 
 them by trumpet-call, sounding the calls myself. 
 I am by no means a bad trumpeter/' 
 
 The Major grinned bitterly, and glanced signifi- 
 
72 The Colonel's Midnight Charge. 
 
 cantly round the table, but he failed to evoke a 
 responsive smile from even the youngest and most 
 irreverent stranger. 
 
 " I used to have little field-days of my own," 
 continued the Colonel. " It was beautiful to see 
 those animals at work ; they could perform every 
 manoeuvre in the cavalry drill-book, and a great 
 many in the infantry, and I added one or two 
 of my own. The Tommies called 'em ' Bowlong's 
 babies,' and all the fellows off duty used to come 
 over and look at us, just as though we were a 
 circus- troupe. 
 
 "Well, after the capture of Muzbutjak, our 
 column joined the army outside Delhi, and it was 
 decided that my riderless command should be 
 broken up. On the day that I received the order 
 I went round the lines, and gave every nag a bit 
 of carrot, for Hodson's fellows had just brought in 
 a bandy-load, and I had begged a handful or two 
 for rny beauties. They knew there was something 
 up, and whinnied like children. I felt like whinny- 
 ing, too, but did not like to expose niy weakness 
 to the syces. I assure you I went to bed that 
 night the saddest man in the Army, and couldn't 
 sleep a wink for thinking of next day's parting. 
 
 "About midnight I heard a shot, then another, 
 then a bugle went, and in half a minute earth and 
 
The Colonel's Midnight Charge. 73 
 
 air shook with the roar of cannon and musketry. 
 Bullets, round-shot, shell, and shrapnel came 
 crashing into the camp like hail the din was 
 awful. The whole Delhi garrison had turned out 
 to try once for all if they could not, by a tremen- 
 dous effort, drive us from the ridge and sweep us 
 off the face of creation. And they precious nearly 
 succeeded ; it was only my nags that saved us. 
 
 " I had no regiment to join, so, just to see what 
 I could of the fight, I climbed up the flagstaff 
 which stood on the spot now occupied by the 
 memorial tower. 
 
 " The night was very dark, and I could not dis- 
 tinguish much of what was going on, but from 
 the heavy firing in the direction of Subza Mundi 
 it was evident that the attack was of a desperately 
 determined nature. Soon I heard our bugles call- 
 ing up the reserves, and in a minute or two every 
 available man was hurrying to the front. I could 
 now make out by the flashing of the enemies' guns 
 that they were rapidly taking up position after 
 position in advance of their original alignment, 
 and it was evident that before long we should be 
 fighting for our lives in the camp itself. 
 
 " Now, defeat at that juncture meant the rising 
 of the Punjab, and tee-total collapse throughout 
 India ! 
 
74 The Colonel's Midnight Charge. 
 
 " A round-shot carried away the flagstaff on 
 which I was seated, and as I rolled on the ground 
 I resolved upon a desperate enterprise. There 
 was no time to be lost. I mounted my horse and 
 galloping to the lines ordered the syces to turn 
 the horses loose. I then sounded the fall-in, and 
 in a minute four-hundred and ninety-nine of the 
 finest horses in India stood behind me drawn 
 up in squadrons. I led them at a trot through 
 the camp, made a pretty wide circuit to the right 
 rear, cantering unperceived in the darkness round 
 the enemy's flank, till I was well in rear of them ; 
 I then formed line, put myself six horses' lengths 
 in front of the centre, and advancing successively 
 at the walk, trot, canter, and .gallop, I sounded 
 the charge my word, sir, we did fly over the 
 ground ! You, gentlemen," turning to some of 
 our guests, " have seen only charges made by 
 ridden horses carrying the weight of a trooper and 
 his accoutrements, in addition to that of their own 
 trappings. You should see a charge without 
 riders. It is like a stampede of mad mustangs." 
 
 The remark evoked a maniacal laugh from the 
 Major, whose face was now turning a fine navy- 
 blue ; but nobody heeded him, and the narrator 
 proceeded : 
 
 "I had taught my cattle, as they advanced 
 
T/ie Colonel's Midnight Charge. 75 
 
 to the attack, to neigh, or rather to scream ; and 
 we swirled along, leaping, bucking, squealing, and 
 roaring like a legion of devils. Slap-dash we burst 
 into the very thick of the enemy. Off went their 
 cavalry full gallop back to Delhi. The guns were 
 silenced in a moment ; I can see now the long 
 lank gunners, with their lighted linstocks, leaping 
 over their pieces like harlequins in a pantomime. 
 The infantry broke and ran, and in all direc- 
 tions you heard nothing but ' douro Bhai, Slicitan 
 ke gliore, douro douro Bhai ! '* Such a yelling 
 skedaddle was never witnessed. 
 
 " On we went helter-skelter till we came to our 
 own line, when we made a rapid wheel, and I found 
 myself in front of the General and his staff. I 
 halted the regiment for a moment just to report 
 myself. I had only my trumpet to salute with. 
 
 " ' You glorious young fellow,' began the General, 
 but I had no time for sweet nothings. 
 
 " ' The enemy is in full retreat, sir ; I am about 
 to pursue,' said I, and bringing my trumpet to the 
 recover I wheeled the regiment, and chased the 
 flying army up the road past Ludlow Castle and 
 the Kudsea Bagh up to the Cashmere Gate. We 
 then gave the trembling foe three squeals of 
 triumph and trotted leisurely home. 
 
 * " Run brother, the Devil's horses, run brother, run ! " 
 
76 The Colonel's Midnight Charge. 
 
 " When I counted the horses there wasn't one 
 missing, but, strange to say, every one of 'em had 
 lost all his upper front teeth ! " 
 
 " How do you account for that, Colonel?" we 
 asked. 
 
 " I couldn't account for it till the next day, 
 when we found the dead sepoys lying thick as peas 
 on the ground over which we had charged, and every 
 man Jack of 'em had a splinter of a horse's tooth 
 driven home into the back of his skull ! Curious, 
 wasn't it? A glass of wine with you, Tackle." . . . 
 But the Major's chair was vacant, its occupant, 
 after struggling for some time with suppressed 
 emotion, and, feeling apoplectic symptoms rapidly 
 supervening, had gone home. 
 
COLONEL BOWLONG'S ADVENTURES 
 WITH THE KOH-I-NOOR, 
 
 " HAVE I ever come across a Thug ? " ejaculated 
 the Colonel in reply to a question of Snapper's, " I 
 should rather think I have ! Why, in February, 
 '49, the whole of Thugdom between Lahore and 
 Calcutta went for me, and I beat 'em horse, foot, 
 and dragoons. They didn't hold a card in the 
 game. How was it ? I suppose you have all 
 heard the story of Sir John Lawrence and the 
 Koh-i-noor, how it came into his charge after 
 Dhuleep Singh's capture, and how he left it in 
 the pocket of an old drill-waistcoat, which the 
 butler sent to the wash, first, however, taking 
 out the piece of glass lest it might cut a hole in 
 master's * west.' Oh, yes, Sir John got the piece 
 of glass back, that servant never lost anything 
 which he thought was absolutely worthless. Well, 
 the let-off gave old John such a turn that he 
 obtained Lord Dalhousie's permission to send the 
 stone down to Calcutta to be lodged in the Mint 
 
78 Colonel Bowlong's Adventures 
 
 there, and he applied to the General Commanding 
 the Army of Occupation to detail the most trust- 
 worthy officer in the force to take the gem down. 
 
 Sir Hugh, without hesitation, selected me for 
 the service, and sent me to the Chief Commissioner 
 to receive my orders. After a long look at me, and 
 a remark as to the questionable policy of selecting 
 so young a man for such a critical enterprise, Sir 
 John began to enlarge upon the dangers of the 
 road, and the prodigious value of my charge, 
 whereupon I related one or two of my adventures, 
 just to show him, you know, that I was not quite 
 helpless in moments of emergency. Our conver- 
 sation then took a general turn, and upon parting 
 with me the old civilian shook me cordially by the 
 hand, and said : 'If any one can do it, Mr. 
 Bowlong, I am convinced that you, sir, are the 
 man.' It was arranged that I was to start for 
 Calcutta that day week, and I was to manage the 
 business according to my own ideas. Sir John 
 had told me that the trunk road swarmed with 
 robbers, dacoits, Thugs, and all the rest of them. 
 The Thugs alone caused me anxiety, for a robber 
 comes at you fair and straight, but a Thug has so 
 many dodges and disguises that you never know 
 when he is after you till the string is round your 
 neck. 
 
with the Koh i-noor. 79 
 
 " The day before I was to start, my syce fell sick 
 and died it turned out afterwards that the Thugs 
 had poisoned him in order that one of the fraternity 
 might get his place. No sooner was the poor 
 chap carried to the burning- ghaut, than first one, 
 then another, then a third eminently respectable 
 person of the syce persuasion came to apply for 
 the vacant billet. They were all unusually clean, 
 tidy, decent-looking men, and as each was provided 
 with a sheaf of unexceptionable characters I had 
 some difficulty in making a selection. I chose the 
 most active of them, but, on reflecting that none 
 had produced a reference to any person then resi- 
 dent in Lahore, I thought it best to secure some 
 further guarantee of my new retainer's respecta- 
 bility. Accordingly I rode over to Tomlinson, who 
 was the head of our Intelligence-department, and 
 asked him to test the man's record. Tomlinson 
 replied that there was an old native Police- Ser- 
 geant, he called him a darogah, living near at hand 
 who knew every scoundrel in the Punjab, and if 
 the policeman had nothing to say against Luxman 
 Dass, for that was the name of my new groom, 
 I might safely conclude that he was fairly immac- 
 ulate. In half an hour the darogah arrived, and 
 was ordered to interview the syce. The white- 
 bearded veteran salaamed and withdrew, but in a 
 
8o Colonel Bow long's Advent^lres 
 
 moment he returned. ' The man has fled,' he said, 
 and added calmly, 'three Thugs came in this 
 morning from Jullunder, possibly he is one of 
 them. I shall pursue, capture, examine, and 
 report ; and, again saluting, he left the room. 
 Before nightfall I got a line from Tomlinson, 
 which ran thus : ' Your fellow is caught. He is 
 one Drigpal, a notorious Thug, against whom we 
 have evidence enough to hang a regiment ! ' This, 
 I can tell you, opened my eyes pretty wide ; the 
 Thugs had evidently got scent of my mission, and 
 it was clear that I had now to reckon with the 
 most formidable confederation of thieves and mur- 
 derers in^Asia. I therefore decided upon adopting 
 a disguise, and accordingly stained my face and 
 hands, and assumed the dress of a Pathan cossicl. 
 The great diamond was handed to me by Sir John 
 in the presence of two secretaries, and I left 
 Lahore the next morning an hour before gun-fire. 
 
 "My journey was uneventful till I passed the 
 fords of the Sutlej, where my adventures began. 
 Shortly after crossing the river, I was accosted by 
 a Mahomedan gentleman, grandly dressed, and 
 mounted on a fine horse, but without attendants. 
 He addressed me most courteously in Hindustani, 
 and, after representing the insecurity of the road 
 between that point and Uniballa, proposed that for 
 
with the Koh-i-noor. 81 
 
 the purpose of mutual protection we two sons of 
 Islam should travel together. But though young 
 in years I was too old in experience to be caught 
 by such a very transparent device. It was alto- 
 gether too thin, so I replied coldly that I preferred 
 to travel alone. He, however, showed marked 
 unwillingness to be shaken off, and, chatting 
 pleasantly, continued to ride by my side. Seeing 
 this I put on my battle-face, and producing a 
 pistol told him that he was at liberty to ride ahead 
 or in rear, but that if in a short five minutes he was 
 within range of my pistol I should without more 
 ado have a crack at him. He saw I meant mis- 
 chief, so with a moral aphorism, and a polite bow, 
 he checked his . horse, and allowed me to forge 
 ahead. When he was completely 'out of sight I 
 turned sharp off the road, and took shelter in a 
 roadside thicket, with the object of discovering 
 whether my affable friend was on my trail. In 
 about ten minutes he came up at a long swinging 
 trot, at the same time keeping a wary look-out 
 ahead. In the short space of time since we parted 
 he had so completely altered his appearance that 
 had it not been for his horse and trappings I should 
 hardly have known him to be the same man. The 
 voluminous turban had given place to a tight skull- 
 cap ; the flowing drapery had been exchanged for 
 
 G 
 
82 Colonel Bowlong's Adventures 
 
 a close-fitting angreka ; and the ample beard and 
 whiskers had vanished. Conceive my surprise 
 when I recognized in the lithe, clean-shaven person 
 that rode stealthily past me the eldest and most 
 respectable of the three syces that had contended 
 for my patronage the day before ! I saw nothing 
 more of my Protean friend, but I have very little 
 doubt that he rode ahead of me all the way to 
 Calcutta warning the entire Thug community 
 en route. 
 
 11 During the remainder of that day and on the 
 following, I observed nothing more disquieting than 
 a line of loaded camels and an occasional hackery, 
 but early on the third morning, as I was riding 
 along in the uncertain light of the false dawn, my 
 horse shied violently at an object lying in the road. 
 As nothing would induce him to pass the obstruc- 
 tion I dismounted and found the cause of his 
 terror to be a venerable old man, who was 
 lying bleeding from many wounds. In reply to 
 my questions he stated that he had been reduced 
 to his present sad condition by a band of bud- 
 mashes, who, after maltreating him in this fashion, 
 had robbed him of a few copper coins that he 
 carried in his waistcloth, and had left him on the 
 road to die. It would have been sheer inhumanity 
 to allow the old fellow to bleed to death for 
 
with the Koh-i-noor. 83 
 
 want of a little attention, so I carried him to 
 the side of the road, bound up his wounds, and 
 gave him some water, which I procured from a 
 neighbouring pool ; and having done this I felt 
 that I could with a clear conscience commit him 
 to the charge of the first person that passed by. 
 But when the sun rose not a soul was in sight, 
 and I waited impatiently hour after hour for the 
 appearance of a wayfarer ; noon came, and the 
 sun began to decline, and my patient was still 
 upon my hands. 
 
 " It was impossible for me to loiter much longer, 
 and I was beginning to accept the necessity of 
 leaving the old man to the chances of war, when a 
 beautiful young woman came along the road. She 
 was sobbing bitterly ; her fine eyes were dim with 
 tears ; her raven tresses hung down her shapely 
 back, her dress was picturesquely dishevelled, and 
 she kept uttering in a low melodious tone the name, 
 ' Raindeo.' The sufferer faintly signed to me to 
 summon the maiden. On beholding the old man 
 the girl gave a cry of joy, and, running up to him, 
 threw herself on her knees by his side ; then, taking 
 his hands in hers, she cried : ' Oh, my father, 
 what barbarian has maltreated you thus ? When 
 you came not home last night I feared for you, 
 but when the morning dawned, and you were still 
 
 G 2 
 
84 Colonel Bowlong's Adventures 
 
 away, I said, alas ! he is dead, and I have found 
 you, found you.' When the first burst of the girl's 
 emotion was over, I told her that I must be making 
 my way onward, and proceeded to untether my 
 horse preparatory to a start. But she eagerly re- 
 presented how utterly it was beyond her unassisted 
 power to get the wounded man home, and earnestly 
 begged that I would help her to convey him to his 
 cottage, which was but a mile away. She pleaded 
 so piteously, and presented a picture of such perfect 
 helplessness, that I had not the heart to leave her 
 and the possibly dying man by themselves on that 
 solitary road. So, leading my horse with one 
 hand and supporting the feeble steps of old Kamdeo 
 with the other, the girl assisting as well as she 
 could, I walked slowly in the direction where I was 
 told lay their hut. The distance to the domicile, 
 however, was nearer three miles than one, and our 
 progress was so slow, and our halts were so fre- 
 quent, owing to the incessant attacks of faintness 
 which overcame the invalid, that it was past 
 sunset before we reached the little homestead. 
 That night there was little or no moon, and to 
 attempt to get any further on my journey till the 
 next morning was out of the question, so I yielded 
 to the cordial invitation of father and daughter to 
 accept their modest hospitality for the night. 
 
with the Koh-i-noor. 85 
 
 They provided food and shelter for my horse, and 
 made me share their simple meal of wheaten cakes 
 and dall. After a cheroot I grew drowsy, and 
 throwing myself down in a corner I wished my 
 kind entertainers good night, and in a moment was 
 asleep. 
 
 " I don't know how long I had slumbered, when I 
 dreamt that I was walking through a magnificent 
 tropical forest, admiring the beautiful vegetation, 
 and the striking effect of the sunlight glancing 
 through the interlaced branches ; when, all at 
 once, to my extreme consternation, I saw, swinging 
 down from the topmost boughs of a tall banian- 
 tree, the baleful head of an enormous python. In 
 vain I tried to evade the darting horror, quick as 
 lightning it followed every movement that I made, 
 and in a moment the hideous reptile had thrown a 
 coil round my arms, and another round my neck. 
 Struggle as I would I could not free myself from 
 its folds. I felt the constriction on my windpipe 
 growing every instant more oppressive, and in 
 one last frantic effort for freedom I awoke awoke 
 to find my charming hostess pinioning my arms, 
 while my venerable host was drawing the fatal 
 pliansi, or Thug's noose, with all his force around 
 my throttle ! Most fortunately for me, the old 
 rascal's self-inflicted wounds had weakened him 
 
86 Colonel Bowlong's Adventures 
 
 beyond his calculation ; had he been able to bring 
 an ounce more power to bear upon the slip-knot 
 I should have been strangled before I could wake.. 
 Even as it was I had to employ my utmost exer- 
 tions to shake myself free. When at last I got 
 upon my legs I reeled and fell against the wall. I 
 had undoubtedly been drugged at my dinner, but 
 my great natural vitality just sufficed to overpower 
 the poison, and I was sufficiently master of my 
 actions to be able to draw a pistol and drive a 
 bullet through the old ruffian's heart. The girl, 
 seeing that their attempt had failed, slipped noise- 
 lessly out of the house and vanished in the darkness. 
 
 Weak and tottering as I was from the effects 
 of the drug I made no attempt to resume my 
 journey till late the next morning, and even then 
 I did not find myself equal to a ride of more than 
 ten miles ; indeed, it B was several days before all 
 trace of the poison left my system. It was fortu- 
 nate for me that during this interval of depression 
 there occurred nothing calling for any unusual 
 mental or physical exertion. Another bit of 
 excitement, however, was soon to follow. 
 
 " At the close of a long day's march I had 
 arrived at the bank of a broad river. The stream, 
 having been swollen by heavy freshets from the 
 hills, was in full flood, and to cross it that night 
 
with the Koh-i-noor. 87 
 
 was impossible ; so, lighting a fire, I cooked my 
 meal Indian fashion, and prepared to bivouac 
 under a tree. As I was drawing my cloak around 
 me preparatory to bye-o, two sepoys tramped up 
 and, after a long look at the river, determined not 
 to try the ford. Seeing me camping under the 
 tree they asked permission to halt by my fire, and 
 leave being given they began to cook their dinner. 
 They were frank, cheery fellows, and one of them 
 wore the Gwalior Star. They told me they be- 
 longed to the 170th Bengal Infantry, and having 
 taken part in all the engagements of the late cam- 
 paign were now going home on furlough. They 
 offered me a cheroot, and some tempting-looking 
 sweetmeats which they said they had bought that 
 morning, but after my lesson in the hut it was my 
 rule to accept no article of consumption from a 
 stranger, even though he wore Her Majesty's uni- 
 form, and was distinguished by a military deco- 
 ration. My new companions were in no degree 
 offended by my refusal, and, after some further 
 friendly remarks, betook themselves to rest ; they 
 were evidently dog-tired and were soon fast asleep. 
 As I lay smoking beside them I thought over 
 all that they had told me, and I suddenly remem- 
 bered that the 170th Regiment had been present 
 neither at Guzerat nor at Chillianwallah, and these 
 
88 Colonel Bow long's Adventures 
 
 sepoys had talked fluently about the gallant conduct 
 of their corps in each of these actions. The more 
 I sifted their story the more I discovered it to 
 contain statements not only inaccurate, but im- 
 possible. My suspicions were now actively aroused, 
 and observing that in choosing their positions for 
 the night they had placed themselves one on 
 each side of me I adopted such measures of 
 precaution as the circumstances allowed. I 
 quietly exchanged coverings with the man lying 
 nearest to me, and shifted my position so as to 
 leave him in the centre and myself on the flank ; 
 then, cocking both my pistols, I lay watchful as a 
 weasel awaiting the result. At about three o'clock 
 in the morning the man who slept furthest off 
 arose, and gliding noiselessly across to where I was 
 lying, placed his hand gently on my head, and 
 hissed low in Hindustani : * It is time.' 
 
 " ' Good,' I replied with a yawn and a stretch. 
 
 " 'Well, brother, rise and help,' he rejoined. 
 
 " ' I am too tired, do it yourself,' I grunted, 
 and, pretending to be overpowered with fatigue, I 
 turned heavily on my side and began to snore. 
 
 " ' Slothful pig,' he growled, ' I will report thee 
 to the Guru.' 
 
 He then left me snoring vigorously, and 
 cautiously approached his comrade, who, covered 
 
with the Koh-i-noor. 89 
 
 from head to foot by my cloak, occupied my 
 former -relative position. My back was to the 
 pair, and I did not see what was going on till 
 I heard a horrible gurgling noise, and, turning, 
 I beheld the man who had been speaking 
 to me in the act of drawing a noose to the 
 utmost stretch of tension round his unfortunate 
 companion's neck. I need not say that I made 
 no effort to interfere with this act of truly poetic 
 justice. In four or five minutes the strangler 
 slackened the strain, and finding that his prey 
 was quite dead, he removed his knee from the 
 victim's chest, and threw off the covering 
 preparatory to rifling the body. The starlight 
 which had not been bright enough to reveal his 
 comrade's features was just sufficiently clear to 
 throw a glint on the bright buttons of the uniform. 
 Appalled at his mistake, the murderer turned 
 towards me as though to satisfy himself as to my 
 identity, but only to see me covering him with a 
 long cavalry-pistol. 
 
 " In a second he was grovelling before me on 
 his face, crying : ' Amdn Amdn ! '* 
 
 " ' Mercy to a Phansigar ! ' I cried, * I would 
 as soon show mercy to a crocodile. But,' I 
 continued, ' I will give you a chance carry 
 * Mercy, mercy ! 
 
90 Colonel Bow long's Adventures 
 
 that body to the river, and swim across with 
 it, or I drop you dead.' You see I knew that 
 in the morning people would be arriving at the 
 ford, and I did not want to be subjected to the 
 cross-examination of the police when the body 
 was discovered. The Thug was not slow in accept- 
 ing my conditions. Springing to his feet he 
 dragged his dead companion to the water, and 
 precipitately committed himself and his ghastly 
 convoy to the current. So long as he was within 
 easy shot of the bank he towed the corpse con- 
 scientiously ; but when he thought himself out of 
 range he yelled an obscene defiance, and allowed 
 the body to go drifting down the stream. He then 
 struck out with might and main for the opposite 
 bank, which, at the pace the river was flowing, I 
 knew it to be a million to one against his ever 
 reaching. I then felt that I might indulge in a 
 little sleep. When I awoke the sun was high, and 
 the river having resumed its normal condition the 
 ford was practicable. About midstream, a little to 
 the right of the ford, an uprooted tree had been 
 washed against a sandbank : a number of crows 
 and a vulture were busy among the branches ; and 
 a nearer view enabled me to recognize as the 
 object of their solicitude the man who had so 
 readily taken to the water a few hours before. 
 
with the Koh-i-noor. 91 
 
 " A day or two after this occurrence I again 
 turned the tables upon one of these human ser- 
 pents in a manner that he found both startling 
 and disastrous. I was sleeping in a village serai, 
 of which the only other occupant was a wretched- 
 looking beggar, who lay perfectly still, wrapped up 
 in a bundle of squalid rags. The night was 
 intensely hot, and both of us had placed a lotah 
 of drinking water by the side of our sleeping 
 mats. Although I had no reason to suspect my 
 fellow-lodger of sinister designs, I nevertheless 
 adopted the simple precaution of placing a thin 
 piece of muslin on the surface of the water 
 intended for my drinking. "Waking in the middle 
 of the night, parched with thirst, I struck a 
 match, and carefully examined the contents of my 
 lotah. The muslin was still floating on the water, 
 but it had intercepted a quantity of fine brown 
 powder that most certainly was not there when I 
 went to sleep. 
 
 " I stepped across to where the beggar was lying, 
 and, having satisfied myself that he was not awake, 
 I took the liberty of examining the contents of an 
 old deer- skin bag on which one of his lean brown 
 arms was resting. Among a variety of nonde- 
 script articles I observed a long narrow handker- 
 chief of faded yellow silk, it was weighted with 
 
92 Colonel Bowlong^s Adventures 
 
 a .bullet at one end, and was stained with blood. 
 I noticed also a folded leaf containing the remains 
 of the preparation that had been so considerately 
 added to my beverage while I slept. It was clear 
 that the man before me was a Thug poisoner, and 
 I thought it no sin therefore to return the attention 
 that he had paid me, by transferring the powder 
 from my lotah to his, but without the intervention 
 of the muslin rag. 
 
 " Early the next morning I was aroused by a 
 series of shrill, yelping cries, and I beheld the 
 pseudo-mendicant staggering wildly about, grasp- 
 ing at the walls for support, and clutching at 
 imaginary substances in the air. As he reeled 
 around in drunken frenzy he at one moment 
 laughed maniacally, nodded his head gaily, and 
 clapped his hands, and the next he broke into 
 loud lamentations, foamed at the mouth, and 
 made the air around him thick with malediction. 
 It was evident that he was under the maddening 
 influence of datura. I never saw a fellow so 
 completely off the handle in my life. Bedlam was 
 a patch upon him ; but I couldn't wait to watch 
 his vagaries, for I was afraid that his yells would 
 rouse the village, and I should be seized as a 
 poisoner, so I lost no time in mounting my nag, 
 and as I cantered away the vociferations of my 
 
with the Koh-i-noor. 93 
 
 would-be murderer grew fainter and fainter in the 
 distance. 
 
 " A day or two afterwards I entered, as I after- 
 wards learnt, the very heart and focus of the great 
 Thug system. My route lay in close vicinity to the 
 gloomy jungles of Jabri, in the depths of which 
 was situated that foul old temple of black stone 
 where the Jamaldevi Thugs worship their goddess, 
 with bloody rites and lascivious incantations. 
 Within a few miles of me were the notorious 
 Gaurhari caves, where Sleeman discovered deep 
 graves containing murdered people buried by 
 fifties, one above the other, the head of one at the 
 feet of the next, in the approved Thug fashion. 
 Little did I know when I halted at the roadside for 
 the night that I was about to sleep within a fur- 
 long of the gruesome grove of Kali, the most 
 notorious Bel, or strangling-place, in Oude. 
 
 " I had tethered and fed my horse, eaten my 
 dinner, and made myself snug for the night, 
 when I heard a sort of banshee wail coming 
 from the road, and shortly after there appeared 
 what, in the uncertain light of the fire, seemed 
 to be a little East-Indian lad, shabbily dressed 
 in clothes of the nondescript European fashion 
 adopted in those days by the families of 
 soldiers. He told me in broken Hindustani that 
 
94 Colonel Bow long's Adventures 
 
 he had fallen from a baggage-waggon accompany- 
 ing a detachment of British troops on the march 
 to Lucknow. The fall, he said, had stunned 
 him, and when he recovered his senses the detach- 
 ment was out of sight. Would I give him a little 
 food, and allow him to lie for an hour by my fire ? 
 I of course assented, and gave him the remains of 
 my dinner. He munched my chupatties, sitting 
 the while in sullen silence with his back turned 
 towards me. He then got up and said that it was 
 time for him to proceed on his journey. Wishing 
 me good-night he offered me a rose, saying : ' Take, 
 good rose, fine smellings,' and being more than half 
 asleep I foolishly allowed him to put it to inynose. 
 In an instant the world swam round me, and then 
 everything became dark. The last thing that I 
 remember was a malignant grin of ferocious 
 triumph that flashed across the face that bent over 
 me 
 
 "When I opened my eyes I was alone, my 
 turban and cummerbund were lying loose at my 
 feet ; my pockets had been turned out, the contents 
 of my haversack littered the ground, and my heart 
 sank into a death-like faintness as I realized that 
 the little leather bag containing the Koh-i-noor 
 had been removed from my neck ! ! 
 
 " The tremendous fact stared me in the face. 
 
with the Koh-i-noor. 95 
 
 The priceless gem, for which a king might have 
 risked his empire, was gone ! I started to my 
 feet, vowing to recover the Koh-i-noor although I 
 had to cut my way into the most secret recesses of 
 the black pagoda. But which way was I to go ? 
 Seeking the high road I mechanically turned to 
 the south, and I at once felt that my instinct 
 had guided me aright. Keeping on the grassy 
 side of the road I ran in silence, and in those 
 days I could run like a Ked Indian. After going 
 at top speed for half a mile my heart gave a 
 great bound as I saw a little ahead of me a short, 
 dark figure. It was moving at a good pace, and 
 I had still to gallop to win, but every now and 
 then the figure would stop in order to hold 
 something up to the light of the moon that had 
 now just risen, and as it examined the thing the 
 creature would hug itself in ecstasy, and leap high 
 in the air with frantic joy. 
 
 "Where a break in the trees allowed the moon- 
 light to stream in a bright cascade across the 
 road the imp stopped once again in order to gloat 
 upon the treasure. In another moment I had 
 him tight by the throat, stretched on the ground 
 beneath me. No sooner did he feel himself in 
 my grasp than he became absolutely passive ; 
 he uttered no cry; he attempted no resistance, 
 
96 Colonel Bowlong's Adventures 
 
 and made no effort to escape, but accompanied 
 me back to my bivouac, dumb and torpid as a 
 dying fish. Arrived at the fire, I saw, what 
 I had not discovered at his first appearance, 
 that the creature, so far from being an Eurasian 
 boy, was a middle-aged Purbeah dwarf, suffi- 
 ciently light in colour to pass, when dressed 
 in European clothes, for an East Indian. As 
 he paid no heed to my imperative demand for 
 the restitution of the diamond I produced a pistol 
 which, in the hurry of the pursuit, I had left in 
 my holster. He regarded me stolidly, but made 
 no reply ; in vain I thundered at him ; in vain I 
 threatened his instant destruction ; not a sign of 
 intelligence would he give ; not a word would he 
 vouchsafe. I examined his pockets, his clothes, 
 even his long hair, but the diamond was not to be 
 found. Could he have flung it away on the high 
 road ? The very thought so maddened me that I 
 seized him in my arms, and swung him over the 
 fire which was now burning briskly. ' Speak, you 
 stunted Satan,' I shouted, ' speak, or in you go ! ' 
 As I held him over the flames a tongue of fire shot 
 up, and singed one of his crooked legs. The 
 pigmy's obstinacy was not proof against this 
 ordeal ; he struggled fiercely, but I held him 
 tight. Again the flame shot up, this time 
 
with the Koh-i-noor. 97 
 
 wringing from him a smothered cry. As he 
 opened his mouth I saw behind the blackened 
 teeth a tell-tale radiance. In another moment the 
 glorious gem was in my hand, and the dwarf, his 
 motions stimulated by a well-planted kick, was 
 speeding over the adjoining fields. 
 
 " After the overpowering excitement of such an 
 adventure, sleep was impossible. I felt that the 
 only way to obtain relief for my over-wrought 
 nerves was a gallop through the cool night- air ; so, 
 after once more carefully secreting the Koh-i- 
 noor, I mounted my ever-ready horse, and betook 
 myself to the road. It was lucky that I did so, for 
 the dwarf, as I read afterwards when the Thuggi 
 Commissioners published their famous report, 
 made a bee-line from the toe of my boot to the Bel, 
 and, having roused his comrades by the announce- 
 ment that the bearer of the Koh-i-noor was within 
 two hundred yards of their nooses, he quickly 
 assembled an armed party, which he led to my 
 bivouac. They, however, found nothing there but 
 the embers of the fire that had rendered me such 
 signal assistance. 
 
 " I rode thirty miles that night before I drew 
 rein, and although, when I dismounted, I believed 
 myself to be in comparative safety, I, in point of 
 fact, had halted at the most dangerous part of a 
 
98 Colonel Bow long's Adventures 
 
 road known among the Thugs of the vicinity by 
 the humorous name of ' Strangle Street.' Nothing 
 unusual occurred, though, until I was well on my 
 next, day's march, .when,. as I was passing a little 
 wood jifcafc bordered the highway, a bullet whistled 
 by my left ear, . arid.' the shot, was followed by 
 another -that displaced; my .turban. .1 had not 
 time, to get'. at! rny. pistols, and. barely managed- to 
 draw my sword when .a man, well armed and 
 mounted, came charging down on me from the 
 cover of the trees. As he approached, I made my 
 horse swerve, and my assailant missed his swoop, 
 but he quickly wheeled, and made for me sword 
 in hand. He laid about him like a windmill, but 
 I carefully parried every cut. This must be the 
 Thug of war himself, I thought, and I shall have 
 to do all I know to beat him. At last I got a 
 chance. Warding off a tremendous back-hander 
 at my neck I gave him point at the fifth rib, and 
 he at once fell to the ground. At that moment 
 I heard the sound of cavalry coming down the 
 road at a gallop, it turned out to be a detachment 
 of mounted police, led by a Eissaldar. 
 
 " ' Shahbashf ' cried the leader. \ You have killed 
 the most famous robber of the country side ;. we 
 heard that he had taken the road, and .we. have 
 been after him ever since the morning. You ,will 
 
with the Koh-i-noor. 99 
 
 obtain a great name for this, but your presence 
 at the Police-station is necessary in order that 
 your deposition may be recorded.' And having 
 given orders for the removal of the body, the 
 Kissaldar, with me at his side, led his men across 
 country to the place where the police were 
 quartered. 
 
 " At the entrance to the village we were met by 
 a party of elders headed by the Lumbardar", a fine 
 old man of very dignified appearance. He gave 
 me a kind and "courteous greeting, praised my 
 skill and daring, and thanked me in the name of 
 the community for having freed the neighbourhood 
 from an intolerable scourge. My conversation with 
 the village worthies, followed by the tedious for- 
 malities attending the writing of my deposition, 
 and the filling up of innumerable forms, rendered 
 it late before I found myself at liberty. The Lum-. 
 bardar then earnestly represented that as the 
 comrades of the dead man would certainly lie in 
 ambush \ on the road, and would 'most probably 
 kill me, to the enduring disgrace of the neighbour- 
 hood, in 'general/ and of that hamlet in particular, 
 the most prudent course for me would be to remain 
 in the village till daybreak, and then to accept 
 the escort of the mounted police for about five 
 miles, when I should be clear of * Strangle 
 
 H 2 
 
ioo Colonel Bowlongs Adventures 
 
 Street,' and should find myself in open country, 
 where there was no danger of an ambuscade. I 
 agreed to the proposal, and was invited to take up 
 my quarters for the night in the police-station. I 
 sat up till a late hour talking with the Eissaldar 
 and his troopers, and listening to thrilling narra- 
 tives of their encounters with Thugs and banditti. 
 They thoughtfully provided me with a hookah, a 
 form of smoking that I greatly disliked. I pre- 
 tended, however, out of civility to my hosts, to 
 take an occasional whiff at it, though in point of 
 fact I inhaled none of the fumes. At last, one by 
 one my interlocutors dropped off to sleep, and the 
 Eissaldar, concluding a shocking picture of the 
 lawlessness of the neighbourhood by the pious 
 aspiration that the gods would some day come 
 down and adjust matters themselves, spread his 
 mat and composed himself to rest. I tried to 
 follow suit, but for some inscrutable reason I could 
 not sleep. I was weary enough, and was sur- 
 rounded by the faithful guardians of the law, yet 
 some internal monitor cautioned me to be on the 
 alert, and I had every cause to be thankful that I 
 heeded the warning. 
 
 "At midnight one of the party got up and, 
 moving furtively, whispered something to the Eis- 
 saldar. I was at once all eyes and ears. ' He 
 
with the Koh-i-noor. 101 
 
 sleeps heavily,' said the first man, ' he is well 
 hookah-stricken.' 
 
 " ' He is certainly under the influence of the 
 hookah,' replied the Kissaldar, ' but do you forget 
 what the Guru said? ' 
 
 " 'Why wait for auspicious hours when the ante- 
 lope is already in the net ? ' growled the other. 
 
 " ' Eespect is due to the Guru,' replied the Kis- 
 saldar, sternly, ' and I will not have the man killed 
 till seven o'clock to-morrow morning. When he 
 is eating his breakfast I will give the shirnee 
 (signal), and you yourself shall throw the noose. 
 Now go to sleep and do not provoke the anger of 
 the goddess by disobeying the orders of the Guru.' 
 
 " Thus adjured, the first speaker, with a muttered 
 protest, retired -to his mat, and the silence of the 
 thannah was again unbroken save by the ster- 
 torous breathing of the sleepers. 
 
 "It was abundantly clear to me that this peaceful 
 hamlet was, so far as I was concerned, decidedly 
 unhealthy, so I waited for half an hour to make 
 sure that everybody was asleep, and then departed 
 without beat of drum. Before going, though, I 
 drew the Eissaldar's sword, and placed the blade 
 lightly across his throat, thus delicately hinting 
 the penalty due to a man who would shed the 
 blood of a guest. I might have spared myself the 
 
iO2 Colonel Bow long's Adventures 
 
 trouble of this appeal to his sense of the obli- 
 gations of hospitality, for I learnt in Calcutta that 
 in the whole of Thugdom this village for cold- 
 blooded atrocity took the cake, and that the entire 
 community was composed of Thugs. Police, 
 Bissaldar, Elders, Lumbardar, Eyots, and Guru ; 
 all were Thugs, deeply dyed in villainies innumer- 
 able, and flourishing on the proceeds of murder. 
 I stepped quietly out of the thannah, but, to 
 my extreme perplexity, could not find my horse. 
 It was, however, necessary to be off without 
 a moment's delay, so I prepared to continue 
 my journey on foot. When I was clear of the 
 village I saw an animal grazing on a patch of 
 grass-land, and I recognized with intense delight 
 my faithful steed, which had strayed away in 
 search of food. He was still saddled and bridled, 
 and in half no time I was on his back, making very 
 good time down the Grand Trunk." 
 
 The Colonel here lighted his sixth cheroot, and 
 called for another whiskey-peg. " Now, if I were 
 to tell you fellows," he resumed, " all that hap- 
 pened to me during the remainder of my journey I 
 should keep you here till gun-fire, and we have 
 parade to-morrow, remember. That Adjutant of 
 ours," and he shook his head in good-humoured 
 reprobation at me, " won't let us off, you know. 
 
with the Koh-i-noor. 103 
 
 Terrible hot soldier, our Adjutant ! so I must cut 
 my yarn short. Well, my life was attempted 
 in every conceivable fashion. Patriarchal old 
 gentlemen sitting under shady trees pressed me to 
 take shelter from the noon-day sun ; honest 
 travellers entered unaffectedly into conversation 
 with me, offered me the most beautiful sweet- 
 meats, and in frank good-fellowship begged me 
 to take a whiff of their hookahs ; beautiful young 
 damsels, in the direst distress, implored my 
 assistance ; wounded men rolled in agony on the 
 road, and besought me, in the name of Vishnu, to 
 give them a drink of water. But by this time I 
 was proof against the whole box and dice of them. 
 I was several times attacked by armed men, and 
 was twice wounded, once by a bullet, and once by 
 a spear, but I carried the Koh-i-noor in safety 
 through it all, and exactly three months after I 
 parted from John Lawrence at Lahore I entered 
 Calcutta, just hanging on by the slack, it is true, 
 for I was weary beyond words, and was, moreover, 
 badly hurt, and more than half-starved. I was 
 also consumed by fever, but I was successful, and, 
 I need not say, in consequence supremely happy. 
 It was Saturday night when I reached the capital. 
 On Sunday the Mint was closed, and by Monday 
 morning I was prostrated with ague. So I wrote 
 
104 Colonel Bowlongs Adventures 
 
 to Colonel A , who was in charge of the Mint, 
 
 asking him to come to my quarters, and receive 
 the treasure. 
 
 " Within an hour of the despatch of my note I 
 received a bit of paper on which was scrawled the 
 words * Babu Bhugwan Dass, Manager of the 
 Calcutta Mint.' Having told my servant to show 
 the gentleman in, a most respectable-looking indi- 
 vidual entered my bedroom and told me that 
 
 Colonel A had deputed him to receive the 
 
 Koh-i-noor. I, however, flatly refused to give up 
 the diamond to any one but the Colonel himself, 
 and my visitor seemed much hurt at my want 
 of faith. Finding me obdurate, he begged that I 
 would at any rate favour him with a glimpse of 
 the famous gem. But here again I was recal- 
 citrant. In his eagerness to prove how baseless 
 were my suspicions, he advanced, chattering volubly 
 the while, to the side of my bed, and as he drew 
 near, I saw lying in his sleeve a yellow silk hand- 
 kerchief, one end of which he held in his hand, 
 ' all in the old sweet way.' The sight of this bit 
 of silk was enough for me he would not be warned 
 off, so I pulled out a pistol, and blazed. The bullet 
 struck him in the hip, and, with a yell of pain, 
 he fell sprawling on the matting. 
 
 " At that moment Colonel A arrived, accorn- 
 
with the Koh-i-noor. 105 
 
 panied by two European assistants. I knew the 
 Colonel well, there was no doubt about liim. 
 
 " 'Sorry to have spoilt your Manager, Colonel,' 
 I said, ' but the beggar was going to noose me.' 
 
 " ' My Manager ! ' exclaimed the Colonel, ' Mr. 
 Purvis here is my Manager,' and he indicated one 
 of the attendant Europeans. ' This fellow,' con- 
 tinued he, looking at the wounded man, . ' is a 
 perfect stranger.' 
 
 " ' He is not a stranger to me though,' said 
 I, regarding the self-styled Babu more closely. 
 ' Why, Colonel, as I am a living sinner, he is one 
 of the men that tried to enter my service as syce 
 just before I left Lahore ! ' 
 
 1 'There was no doubt about it; the rascal was 
 the least respectable of the three disguised Thugs, 
 and was afterwards recognized by the Police as 
 one Feringeah, a well-known desperado who had 
 poisoned my syce, and was ' wanted ' also for 
 murder in the Dooab, where he was shortly after- 
 wards tried and hanged." 
 
 " Did you get any reward for all this, Colonel?" 
 inquired the Doctor. 
 
 " Reward, Doctor, bless you, no ! I did, some 
 years afterwards, suggest to the India Office and 
 the Horse Guards that such peculiarly good work 
 as mine merited some slight Government recog- 
 
io6 Colonel Bow long's Adventures. 
 
 nition C.B., good service pension, unattached 
 majority, or any trifle that might be going. But 
 you know the style. I was met by the reply 
 'Nothing on record.' As if that was my fault. 
 My prophetic soul ! it's twelve o'clock. There 
 goes the Adjutant. We shall all be late for parade 
 to-morrow. Good-night t'ye ! " 
 
NANGLE'S NIECE. 
 
 " PERHAPS the occasion when I found myself, 
 in more senses than one, most thoroughly up 
 a tree," remarked Colonel Bowlong, "was when 
 I brought Nangle' s niece out of the fort of 
 Comusgunge. Nanny Nangle was three years 
 old, her parents had perished in the massacre 
 at Cuttlepore, and we all said that the miracle 
 by which the child had escaped would be 
 more than equalled if her uncle succeeded in 
 rearing her. Major Nangle, I must tell you, 
 while he was the soul of good-nature, was the 
 very incarnation of laziness. How his work was 
 performed no man could tell; as for his private 
 establishment it was the veritable home of the 
 sluggard ; and had the care of stable and kennel 
 depended upon the proprietor, his horses and dogs 
 would have starved. He, however, possessed a 
 butler, old Ram Bux, the prince of extortioners, 
 but a first-rate domestic administrator, who always 
 
io8 N angles Niece. 
 
 turned out Nangle and his animals in unex- 
 ceptionable form. 
 
 "When Nanny arrived in a clothes-basket with 
 one or two of the survivors from Cuttlepore, the 
 old butler admitted her to a share of his super- 
 vision with the solicitude that he would have 
 extended to a supernumerary puppy or an addi- 
 tional pony ; I need not tell you that every mouth 
 he had to cater for helped to swell the old sinner's 
 nefarious income ; and Nanny's broth and pudding 
 were furnished with the regularity of the stable 
 gram and the dog-biscuits ; in fact, her mainten- 
 ance soon formed the most profitable item in Earn 
 Bux's weekly budget, where it figured under the 
 somewhat vague heading of ' chile expennis.' 
 
 "Nanny was a fair-haired, chubby little creature, 
 with large round eyes, and a wide mouth always 
 on the smile. She was full of fun, and her tongue 
 was never still. I seldom rode past Nangle's 
 house without first looking in to have a talk with 
 the child and to give her some sugar-plums, called 
 in her language ' tchweeties.' A week or two after 
 Nanny's arrival it became apparent to us all that 
 she had hopped out of the frying-pan into the 
 fire. Our garrison consisted of three sepoy foot- 
 regiments and two squadrons of the now notorious 
 Numuckhirarai Lancers, a detachment of which 
 
N angles Niece. 109 
 
 had started the revolt at Cuttlepore, and it was 
 soon pretty plain that these squadrons were about 
 to play the same game here. 
 
 " Late one Saturday evening news reached the 
 General that, on the following morning, we were 
 all to be scuppered in church. Upon this the old 
 chief immediately summoned the entire European 
 community to his house in order to decide upon 
 a course of action. As the last man entered the 
 Brigadier's compound the eight o'clock gun fired, 
 and then, as though it had been a preconcerted 
 signal, there arose a most violent clamour in the 
 lines, shouting, drumming, bugling, firing, as 
 though Hades had broken loose. 
 
 " ' My informant has misled me,' said the General, 
 calmly, ' I was told that the rising was fixed for to- 
 morrow ; there is no time to be lost. The ladies 
 and children will start at once for Allahabad. The 
 officers will accompany me to the lines.' 
 
 " There was no time for discussion, horses and 
 vehicles were on the spot, and in less than ten 
 minutes a dozen carriages were rattling along the 
 Allahabad road, while the General, accompanied by 
 some five- and- twenty officers, rode in the direc- 
 tion of the tumult. As we cantered across the 
 Parade-ground we encountered a squadron of native 
 Lancers uttering wild shouts of ' Deen ! ' and 
 
no N angles Niece . 
 
 making for the European quarter. Placing him- 
 self at our head the brave; old General .'.drew ' his 
 sword and ordered us to charge. At 'em we went, 
 full tilt; they were corning on at the gallop, and 
 we met fair ; their lances were slung and we took 
 'em by surprise. The shock was tremendous ; in 
 half a second men andjhorses were rolling about in 
 the moonlight like scattered nine-pins. I cut 
 down three of the mutineers and was then knocked 
 silly with the butt end of a lance. When I 
 recovered my senses I was lying in a buggy, 
 spinning along with the ladies towards Allahabad. 
 I then learnt what had happened. We cut up 
 the leading cavalry in style, but it cost us half 
 our strength, and while we were in disorder down 
 came the second squadron and sent us to the 
 right-about; .the General was killed and there was 
 no one to give .orders, so the survivors of our 
 party joined the main body of the fugitives. I 
 was picked . up by Nangle and was carried across 
 his saddle till :we: caughtyup - 'the:jcarriages. We 
 were not. pursued very far,; and, ^aite^ .'hard: going 
 all night, .when. the day;bi ; oke "we/ saw 'the walls 
 of Allahabad' gleaming in' the- rising sun. 
 
 "As we drove through the gateway some one 
 sang out, 'Hullo! Nangle, where's the little 
 girl?' 
 
Nangles Niece. 1 1 1 
 
 " 'By Heaven! ' gasped the Major, pale as death, 
 * I left her in the bungalow.' 
 
 "While still speaking he turned his horse's head, 
 and if some one had not seized the bridle he 
 would have galloped back to certain destruction ; 
 indeed, for some hours afterwards physical com- 
 pulsion was necessary to prevent his leaving the 
 fort. I never saw a man so transformed as was 
 the unhappy Major; his usual careless, sleepy 
 manner had changed to an almost maniacal rest- 
 lessness, and for a week or so it required all the 
 watchfulness that we could -exert -to prevent his 
 slipping out and returning" to the- station; -but as 
 the days rolled by, he gradually sank .into his old 
 lethargy; and after..a time. the child; ,w,ho at first 
 had been: the ojnly subject of his thoughts, was 
 hardly ever,.alludedto. 
 
 "As soon. as I was. well enough to get about I 
 began to make inquiries concerning poor Nanny's 
 fate, and from what I gathered from spies, and 
 native fugitives I came to the conclusion that her 
 life had , for. a second time been miraculously 
 preserved. Information from various quarters 
 focussed into the fact that a little European girl 
 had been sold by an officer's kitmutgar to the 
 Nawab of Comusgunge, a monster in whose hands 
 the child's future would be too hideous to con- 
 
1 1 2 Nangles Niece. 
 
 template. Something assured me that the little 
 captive was none other than our Nanny, and, 
 impelled no less by gratitude to Nangle than by my 
 affection for the child, I determined at any risk to 
 rescue her without delay. Having acquainted the 
 officer in command with my resolve, I received his 
 permission to take whatever steps I thought neces- 
 sary. Now Comusgunge was strongly fortified 
 and well-manned, the surrounding country was 
 swarming with mutineers, and but few men could 
 be spared from the Allahabad garrison, so an 
 attack by main force was out of the question. 
 After a long consultation with Kamran, the chief 
 scout,.! formed my plan of action, and, one moon- 
 less night, shortly after sunset, he and I left 
 Allahabad with a small party of Sikh cavalry. 
 Taking the most direct road to Comusgunge we 
 proceeded for about four hours at a good trot. 
 Suddenly Kamran laid his hand upon my horse's 
 neck, whispering that we were approaching the 
 rebel stronghold and must now proceed cautiously. 
 Leaving the beaten track we walked our horses 
 warily over the grass for about half a mile, and 
 then halted under the shadow of some trees, 
 while Kamran should go forward to reconnoitre. 
 Throwing his reins to one of the sowars the scout 
 crept towards the fortress in our front, which 
 
Nangles Niece. 1 1 3 
 
 in the mist might have been mistaken for a large 
 grey rock. In less than half an hour he returned, 
 and whispered that the great gate had just been 
 opened in order to admit a number of country 
 grain-carts, and if we were quick we might slip in 
 with the rear waggons, overpower the guard, and 
 carry off the child in the confusion. 
 
 " This was not exactly the plan that had been 
 decided upon, but it seemed under the circum- 
 stances as good as any other. In another minute 
 we were in the saddle cantering over the turf to- 
 wards the gate, the shouts of the bullock-drivers 
 and the groaning of the heavily-laden wheels 
 effectually drowning all sounds of our approach. 
 As the last cart rumbled through the archway I 
 cut down the sleepy sentry, and half a minute 
 afterwards my Sikhs had sabred the entire guard. 
 The whole thing was done so quickly and quietly 
 that not a shot was fired nor a word uttered. 
 As for the cart-drivers, when they saw what was 
 going on they threw themselves into the ditch 
 and, swimming across like water-rats, made for 
 the open country, leaving their convoy to its 
 fate. 
 
 " I now resolved to try to get hold of the child 
 without causing an alarm, which, as the fort was 
 crammed with men, might have resulted in the 
 
 i 
 
1 1 4 N angle s Niece. 
 
 slaughter of us all, for the sowars were not a 
 dozen, all told. So, leaving the Sikhs in charge 
 of the gate, with Kainran as my guide, I made 
 for the women's apartments in the interior of the 
 fort. Not a soul was stirring, but from many 
 quarters there came a great sound of music and 
 revelry, which Kainran explained by the word 
 Ramzan. The Nawab's retainers were celebrating 
 the termination of the Muslim Lent; and our 
 progress was unchallenged. When we reached the 
 Zenana gate we saw a huge Abyssinian negro, 
 armed with a short curved sword and a brazen 
 shield, leaning in a half-doze against the door- 
 post. In the twinkling of an eye Kamran's long- 
 dagger, driven violently down where the neck and 
 shoulders join, had turned the African's doze into 
 the sleep that knows no waking. The victim fell 
 with a groaning sigh, and lay motionless. 
 
 " Paying no further attention to him, we entered 
 the hall as cautiously as cats on ice, and, step- 
 ping over the sleeping forms of three or four 
 slave- women, we ascended a narrow stone staircase, 
 lighted at intervals by dim oil lamps. Kainran 
 appeared to be perfectly familiar with the place, 
 following all its windings and turnings with the 
 ease of a denizen in point of fact there were 
 few fortresses in Oudh that this able scout did 
 
Nangles Niece. \ 1 5 
 
 not know as thoroughly as he knew his own little 
 hut on the Goomtee. We soon found ourselves 
 in a long passage, at the end of which hung a 
 heavy felt purdah, and, silently lifting this, we 
 entered a large sleeping-chamber. Scattered 
 around on mats and cushions were nine or ten 
 sleeping women of various ages, and on a small 
 rug in the middle of them, like a wee white lamb 
 in a wolf's den, lay my little pal Nanny. She 
 was wide awake, staring at a moth in the lamp, 
 and crooning scraps of a nursery song. The child 
 recognized me at once, and holding out her 
 chubby little hand, cried, with her old cheerful 
 smile, 'You brought me tchweetie, Bowlong? 
 Long time I get no tchweetie.' 
 
 "Whispering to her not to speak, I lifted 
 her in my arms, but as I was turning to go I 
 most unfortunately trod on the finger of an old 
 woman who was sleeping near. The beldame, 
 uttering an exclamation of pain, sat up and 
 rubbed her eyes. I remained perfectly still, 
 hoping that she would go to sleep again without 
 discovering me, but Nanny, always full of con- 
 versation, remarked audibly, 
 
 " ' Dat ole woman 'mack me last night, tread 
 finger again.' 
 
 Hearing Nanny's voice the hag rose to her feet 
 
 I 2 
 
1 1 6 Nangles Niece. 
 
 and, realizing that some one was carrying off 
 her prisoner, she began to scream blue murder. In 
 half a second all the women were awake, and see- 
 ing two strange men in the sacred precincts of the 
 harem, they began to raise an outcry that might 
 have been heard at Allahabad. Such a scare you 
 never witnessed. It was a regular harem-scarum 
 ha ! ha ! 
 
 " ' Fly for your life ! ' shouted Kamran, and, 
 pitching the scurrying women to right and left, 
 he made a plunge for the door and led the way 
 down the corridor. With difficulty shaking off 
 two clamouring harridans who had seized me by 
 the legs I hastily followed the scout, but in the 
 darkness, losing sight of my guide, I took a wrong 
 turn. The building was a perfect rabbit-warren of 
 passages, and when at last I found myself in the 
 open air, I discovered to my extreme bewilderment 
 that instead of emerging upon the large court- 
 yard I had entered an enclosed garden. It was 
 impossible to retrace my steps, for the building 
 that I had just quitted began to ring with a 
 babel of voices in every corner and to sparkle 
 with lights at every casement. To increase the 
 anxiety of the situation a big drum began to 
 sound angrily from the central turret, while 
 shouts and musket-shots from the direction of 
 
N angle s Niece. 1 1 7 
 
 the gate told me that my followers were fighting 
 for their lives. A large door leading from the 
 house into the garden was now thrown open, and 
 twenty or thirty armed men, some of them carry- 
 ing lanterns, began to search for intruders among 
 the bushes. I was standing near a large peepul- 
 tree in the centre of the garden, and, seeing that 
 it afforded our only chance of safety, I climbed 
 with my little charge among the branches. After 
 carefully searching every square foot of the garden 
 the men assembled under the tree where we were 
 roosting. 
 
 " ' Old Khanurn was wrong,' said one ; ' the 
 Feringhee never entered the garden.' 
 
 " ' If he crossed the court,' said another, ' he 
 has by this time gone to Jehannum.' 
 
 " ' Lucky for him if he has,' said a third, ' for 
 the Khan has sworn to skin him alive for slaying 
 the Hubshi.' 
 
 " ' Bowlong dear, where my tchweetie?' sud- 
 denly asked Nanny in a stage-whisper. 
 
 " I luckily recollected that I had in my pocket 
 a piece of sugar-cane that I had brought to reward 
 my horse with after his long trot. This I handed 
 to my young companion, who chewed it appre- 
 ciatively. Some one in authority now entered the 
 garden ; he was accompanied by a number of men 
 
n8 N angles Niece. 
 
 carrying matchlocks and torches. I suppose it was 
 the Khan. 
 
 " ' Enough for to-night,' he said, ' the gates are 
 closed, the sentries doubled, the sons of swine that 
 killed the guard have been sent to Iblis, not one 
 has left the fort, and in the morning we shall 
 certainly discover the Feringhee and the baba. 
 Inshallah ! What's that ? ' he ejaculated, as 
 Nanny's piece of sugar-cane fell upon his head. 
 
 " ' Only old Khanum's monkey, Huzoor ! ' replied 
 one of the men, jerking a stone into the tree ; 
 ' the animal lives in this garden.' 
 
 " After a few more remarks, the .entire party 
 moved in the direction of the house. In a minute 
 or two the great door was closed and bolted, and 
 the garden was again dark and silent. I then 
 removed my restraining hand from poor Nanny's 
 mouth, and was overwhelmed with the little 
 damsel's reproaches for not allowing her to call to 
 one of the men, whom she had recognized, to 
 hand up her ' thugar-thtick.' 
 
 " Here was a nice quandary ! I was already 
 beginning to feel cramped, and I certainly could 
 not remain in the tree holding the child for a 
 lengthened spell. Without the shadow of a doubt 
 soon after the sun rose I should be made a prisoner. 
 I could not escape through the house, for the little 
 
N angles Niece. 119 
 
 postern by which I had emerged was now closed, 
 and the garden was surrounded with high walls. 
 
 " While I was taking in all the beauties of the 
 situation, something passed beneath the tree it 
 was a jackal, then came another, followed by a 
 third. The thought at once occurred to me that 
 where these jacks got in I could get out, so descend- 
 ing from my perch, with the child in my arms, I 
 followed the animals on tip-toe, and perceived 
 that, after making the circuit of the garden, they 
 vanished behind a large bush at the end of the 
 central walk. This bush, I found, concealed a hole 
 in the wall through which ran a small water-course 
 leading from the garden fountains ; the passage 
 was just large enough to allow me to get through 
 with a squeeze, but it was too small for me to pass 
 it with the child. I tried to persuade the little 
 creature to creep through in front of me, but shak- 
 ing her head violently she said the passage was 
 ' black bogey-hole,' and resolutely refused to make 
 the attempt. In order to encourage her I crawled 
 through to the other side, and to my surprise 
 found myself outside the fort walls on the margin 
 of the moat. When Nanny saw my head reap- 
 pearing she clapped her hands and cried ' Peep bo, 
 froggie ! ' but nothing would induce her either to 
 precede or to follow me through the culvert. TUis 
 
I2O N angles Niece. 
 
 was very mortifying, but what was to be done ? 
 It was impossible to go without Nanny, so I sorrow- 
 fully led her back to the peepul-tree, and, sitting 
 down with my back against the trunk and the 
 child sleeping in my arms, I waited philosophically 
 for the morning and its developments^ 
 
 " I have observed that in even the most critical 
 affairs of life circumstances present themselves by 
 means of which a sharp fellow can extricate him- 
 self from the very tightest toils. It requires nous, 
 of course, and the application of the principle is 
 limited to a select few most men never recognize 
 the opportunity. Dangerous, therefore, as my 
 position was, I was convinced that a chance of 
 escape would sooner or later present itself. When 
 day dawned I thought it prudent to re-ascend the 
 tree, and Nanny, who for the last hour had been 
 prattling like a young mina, wanted to know the 
 reason. 
 
 " ' Why you climb tree like monkey ? ' she 
 inquired. 
 
 " * Because,' I answered, ' if those Moormen 
 catch me I shall be skinned alive.' 
 
 " On hearing this Nanny disclosed much intelli- 
 gent interest. 
 
 " ' Will they 'kin you with a pin ? ' 
 
 "/ No, my dear, with a sharp knife.' 
 
N angles Niece. 121 
 
 "' Blood come?' 
 
 "' Yes, plenty of blood.' 
 
 " ' You cry ? ' she inquired, with plaintive sym- 
 pathy. 
 
 "'Very loud.' 
 
 " Nanny's eyes opened wide. 
 
 " ' May Nanny see, Bowlong dear ? ' 
 
 " ' Not if Nanny talks so loud,' I said severely ; 
 ' little girls that talk loud never see people 
 skinned.' 
 
 " This had the effect of somewhat checking the 
 flow of my companion's speech, and in the silence 
 that ensued I had an opportunity of carefully 
 observing my surroundings. To scale the walls was 
 impossible, for they were enormously high, and 
 there were no trees near them ; but I noticed, what 
 had escaped me in the darkness, that in the wall to 
 my left front was a door that clearly gave access 
 to the courtyard. This, however, brought me but 
 cold comfort, seeing that the door was fastened by 
 a padlock, and even if it had been open it pre- 
 sented no advantage, for to show myself in the 
 courtyard by daylight was simply to invite imme- 
 diate death or capture. 
 
 " ' Dere's old Khanum,' said Nanny, de ole 
 woman dat always 'mack me. She come to feed 
 Bandhur.' 
 
122 Nangle s Niece. 
 
 " Turning my head, I saw an old woman, carry- 
 ing an earthen pot, enter the garden from the 
 postern-door, and in response to her call a huge 
 ape came bounding towards her from a distant 
 hiding-place. After the animal had devoured its 
 breakfast, the old woman played with it, holding 
 up her bunch of keys for the animal to jump 
 at. The ape made several springs and at last 
 clutched the keys, which he put into his mouth. 
 In vain his mistress tried to recover the booty; 
 the creature, after hopping round her mowing and 
 grinning for a minute or two,' made a bee-line for 
 his lair, passing in his course under our tree. At 
 the foot of the tree lay the piece of sugar-cane that 
 Nanny, the night before, had let fall among the 
 Khan's retainers ; the monkey at once dropped the 
 keys and, seizing the delicacy, pursued his way 
 without stopping, while the old woman, unaware of 
 what had happened, followed him, hurling clods and 
 stones and asthmatic execrations. When she had 
 gone by I slid down the trunk, and, having picked 
 up the keys, rejoined Nanny in the tree, where I 
 proceeded to examine my prize. Upon the bunch 
 there were only two door-keys, one of medium 
 size, evidently belonging to the postern, and a 
 larger one that I felt sure opened the door leading 
 into the court. 
 
Nangles Niece. 123 
 
 " While Khanuin was pursuing the monkey, the 
 morning-gun was fired (their hours were latish at 
 Comusgunge), and the report was followed by the tap 
 of a tom-tom and the sound of a horn. Soon the 
 hum that marks the awakening life of a large native 
 fortress began to make itself heard, and I realized 
 that the crisis was approaching. Presently a key 
 turned in the lock of the great door, which, creak- 
 ing on its hinges, admitted a crowd of men, who 
 had come to renew the search of the preceding 
 night. To my infinite concern I observed that 
 they did not now confine their scrutiny to the 
 shrubs and undergrowth, but sent one of their 
 number to explore the branches of every tree large 
 enough to shelter a man. They worked slowly 
 and systematically, and it seemed as though 
 nothing short of supernatural power could save me 
 now. Yet I did not even then despair. It was 
 clear that my chance had not come yet, for I 
 attached no importance to the episode of the drain, 
 seeing that the child's resistance had nullified that 
 apparent opportunity, and I felt satisfied that the 
 situation, like all the many other positions of 
 danger that I have occupied, would carry with it 
 the materials of escape. 
 
 " ' Those men looking for Bandhur ? ' inquired 
 Nanny. 
 
124 N angles Niece. 
 
 " * No, dear, not for Bandhur,' I replied. 
 
 " ' Then they come to 'kin you, I tink,' she 
 rejoined, with animation. 
 
 " ' Hush, hush ! ' I whispered, as the searchers 
 were corning unpleasantly close, ' if you hold your 
 tongue, Nanny, I will take you outside and give 
 you sugar-cane and prunes, and oh ! such a lot of 
 luddoos.' This appeal to her better feelings, lulled 
 the vivacious little maid into temporary silence, 
 and before she spoke again I was prepared to carry 
 the first part of my promise into effect, for the 
 chance had come." 
 
 The Colonel paused in order to light a fresh 
 cheroot, and as he slowly puffed it into a glow he 
 looked round the circle of his listeners with an 
 amused smile at our expectant faces. 
 
 " How in the world did you do it, Colonel? " we 
 asked in chorus. 
 
 " How did I do it ? Why in the most simple 
 and natural manner possible. As the search- 
 party drew near my hiding-place, I noticed that 
 the sun, which was well up, was rapidly losing 
 its lustre, its beams were growing murky, and a 
 dark rim was stealing over its disc. I did not 
 require a second look to tell me that what I 
 saw was the penumbra of an eclipse, and I re- 
 collected that this was the day on which the 
 
N angles Niece. 125 
 
 almanack had foretold a total obscuration of the 
 sun. As the light rapidly faded, the men below 
 began to look anxiously to the East; they ad- 
 vanced more and more hesitatingly, and the zeal 
 of the hunt visibly slackened. When the gloom 
 deepened, they gathered into a knot and took 
 hurried counsel together, the result being a laugh- 
 ing stampede back to the house. Luckily for us, 
 these warriors did not quite like being caught in 
 the uncanny darkness caused by the sun's struggle 
 with the dragon. 
 
 " ' I tink all people go to bye-o,' whispered 
 Nanny, somewhat puzzled. ' I want my conjee, 
 Bowlong dear ? I, too, velly sleepy,' and she 
 yawned and stretched herself. 
 
 " I had precious little time to talk to Nanny 
 now. No sooner was the garden clear than I 
 descended with her to the ground, nipped like 
 lightning to the courtyard-door, found to my 
 immense delight that the key fitted, and then 
 stepping gingerly across the quadrangle, passed 
 the gate guard and sentry unobserved in the 
 obscurity, and before you could say ' knife ' I 
 was making the best time I could up the high- 
 road. 
 
 " ' Now give prunes and luddoos,' commanded 
 Nanny, hi the tone of one not to be trifled with 
 
126 N angles Niece. 
 
 any longer. 'Bowlong, you promised you give 
 such a lot of tchweeties.' 
 
 " I assured her that in an hour or two she 
 should roll in sweeties, and then, as I had to 
 make hay before the sun shone, I kept my breath 
 for my running, and continued to carry my little 
 prize at the double towards Allahabad. As the 
 eclipse disappeared I, still going strong, ran up 
 against a horseman, whom, in the returning light, 
 I recognized as the faithful Kamran. 
 
 " ' Welcome, Sahib ! ' he cried, triumphantly. 
 ' I knew you would free yourself, and I have 
 been waiting here for you these six hours with 
 your horse. The Sikhs, alas ! have all been cut 
 up. We are certain to be pursued. Mount, 
 Sahib, and ride hard.' 
 
 " As the mid-day gun fired from the ramparts 
 of Allahabad we cheerily answered the challenge 
 of the sentry and cantered over the drawbridge. 
 Nanny, though a trifle hungry and excited with 
 her ride, was none the worse for the adventure, 
 and when her uncle's violent and somewhat 
 hysterical greetings intermitted sufficiently to 
 allow her to speak, she gave the assembled gar- 
 rison an animated and somewhat jocose account 
 of the episodes of the night. She concluded by 
 remarking with a decidedly injured air, ' Naughty 
 
N angles Niece. 127 
 
 Bandhur took my thugar-thtick, Nanny got no 
 tchweeties, and they never 'kinned Bowlong.' ' 
 
 " What became of Miss Nangle, Colonel? " asked 
 Snapper, when the laugh over the child's innocent 
 truculence had subsided. 
 
 "Nanny, if you please, is now Her Grace the 
 Duchess of Falconbridge and Mistress of the Fans 
 to the Queen," replied the Colonel. 
 
 " Did you ever remind her of this little adven- 
 ture, sir ? " 
 
 "Not I, Her Grace and I move in different 
 planes ; you may take your oath she knows nothing 
 whatever about the affair. What could a child of 
 that age remember ? and she would never hear the 
 story from Nangle, it showed up his own careless- 
 ness, don't you see. Would you believe it, when I 
 referred to the matter one night at the ' Senior,' 
 only ten years after I put his rescued niece into 
 his arms, old Nangle couldn't recollect a word of 
 it? Why! the old idiot almost as good as said that 
 the thing had never happened ! " and the Colonel 
 indignantly threw the end of his cheroot into a 
 corner and called for his carriage. 
 
COLONEL BOWLONG AND THE 
 SEVEN SISTERS. 
 
 " WHAT was the greatest danger that you ever 
 encountered, Colonel?" The querist, as usual, 
 was Snapper, who was always hunting the good- 
 natured chief for a tale. Colonel Bowlong had 
 just risen from a game of whist, at which fortune 
 had steadily followed him round the table, and as 
 he lighted a six-inch cheroot we knew by the 
 radiance of his face that he was good for a yarn. 
 
 " My greatest danger, Snap ! " puff-puff-puff 
 " well, indeed, that's hard to say, that's precious 
 hard to say. I was in a pretty tight corner at 
 Comusgunge, and I don't think my life would 
 have commanded a favourable rate of insurance 
 when I missed my ship in the Bay of Bengal, 
 but I am inclined to think that I passed through 
 my greatest peril at Saugur, in the summer of 
 185 . We marched from Jubbulpore in January 
 of that year, and the night before we reached 
 Saugur the Colonel, having called up all the 
 
Colonel Bowlong & the Seven Sisters. 129 
 
 Subalterns to his tent, addressed us something as 
 follows : 
 
 " ' Look here, you boys, for the last ten years 
 the Pans haven't had a married man among 
 'em, except Vickers,' Vickers was the vet * and 
 you know what his folly cost us. Since that man 
 haltered himself our annual loss in horses has 
 pretty nearly equalled the casualties of the whole 
 Sutlej campaign ! I can trust the Captains ; I can 
 trust the Majors ; and, begad, I can trust myself ; 
 but I am afraid for you soft Subs. Now, by the 
 King of Clubs, if any of you lads brings a woman 
 
 into the Eegiment, I'll I'll ' The Colonel's 
 
 anger at the very idea so overpowered him that he 
 could not finish the sentence, and he abruptly 
 dismissed us with a wave and a snort. 
 
 " Our arrival at Saugur was the signal for all 
 sorts of gaieties : tiffins, dinners, picnics, dances, 
 and races were the order of the day, and we 
 youngsters very soon made the acquaintance of all 
 the girls in the place. They were a nice lot, and 
 hi the main good, sensible young women who 
 assisted to make things pleasant for the community 
 without looking at every bachelor they came across 
 as a possible husband. There was one family, 
 however, the Puckerows, that I observed all the 
 men fought desperate shy of. The father, a 
 
130 Colonel Bowlong and 
 
 retired officer, was dead, and the mother, with 
 seven unmarried daughters, occupied a large 
 rambling house in a tangled compound just out of 
 cantonments. This house was popularly called 
 the ' Spider's Web,' the occupants, two bullock- 
 bandy loads of 'em, by Jove ! used to come to 
 everything in the station that was going as 
 regularly as a parson attends church. Each of 
 the Puckerows had a nickname : the mother was 
 called the ' Spider,' the girls were the ' Oonth,'* 
 the 'Pouchie,'t the 'Flycatcher,' ' Pickles,' 'Fluffy,' 
 'Ginger,' and 'Jo.' Colonel Harde regarded this 
 truly formidable family with the liveliest apprehen- 
 sion, and frequent and solemn were his warnings to 
 us regarding them. He pointed out how they had 
 been for many years upon the war-path, and knew 
 every artifice of the old campaigner so thoroughly 
 that if a fellow spoke to one of them but three 
 times in one week, material would be afforded 
 whereby the old spider would mesh him into an 
 engagement.' 
 
 " ' They have tried every arm of the service 
 without success, and if they catch a Pandour,' 
 added he, with pathetic fury, ' the Regiment 
 deserves to be disbanded ! ' 
 
 * Camel. t Insect. 
 
the Seven Sisters. 131 
 
 " We all assured the Colonel that nothing was 
 further from our minds than wedding-cake, and 
 that if it were otherwise we would not go to the 
 Puckerow nest for a helpmate, even though there 
 were not another girl in Asia. But the old warrior 
 only shook his head despondingly, and muttered 
 something about the proverbial weakness of subal- 
 terns and the guile of the garrison girl. 
 
 " Time went on, and when the ground was a bit 
 soft after the summer rains we had a sky-meeting, 
 and I rode my mare Chitmunk in the Garrison 
 Hurdles. It was a stiffish course ; a lot of men 
 were spilt ; and, to my surprise, I won the cup by 
 a length. I was in great spirits at this my first 
 score between the flags, and at the race-ball that 
 night I drank half a drop more fizz than was quite 
 good for me. You may imagine that I had trifled 
 a bit with the wine-cup when I tell you that I 
 found myself waltzing with one of the Puckerow 
 girls. Each time that I passed the Colonel his 
 face grew redder, and his warning frown more 
 ominous ; once I distinctly heard him stamp his 
 foot, and, well it was not a blessing that he 
 murmured. But I was in no humour to comply 
 with the storm signals. After the dance, my 
 partner asked me to take her into the supper-room. 
 There was a small table by the window that 
 
 K 2 
 
132 Colonel Bowlong and 
 
 afforded a secluded retreat, and Miss Puckerow 
 thought she would sit there. I don't know what I 
 said, I only know that after talking very volubly 
 for a few minutes I suddenly woke to the con- 
 sciousness that my companion was looking at me 
 tenderly, and was saying something with horrify- 
 ing earnestness. I listened with a palpitating 
 heart, and my hair bristled with terror as I heard 
 her say, 
 
 " ' And therefore, Mr. Bowlong, as I have heard 
 the truth from your own lips, I will gladly be your 
 loving little wife.' 
 
 " I had been hooked by the ' Pouchie ' ! 
 
 " Freed from my passing lunacy, and shivering 
 with the shock as I realized the full meaning of my 
 recent action, I hurried into the garden. I don't 
 know what led me there, perhaps it was the instinc- 
 tive desire of a hunted animal to get away from its 
 pursuer. As I left the well-lighted verandah I ran 
 violently against a man emerging from the 
 darkness. It was Charlie Eochester, who had 
 been seeing a lady into her carriage. 
 
 " c Hullo ! Bowlong ! ' cried he, ' you seem in a 
 precious hurry. What's up ? ' 
 
 " I took him by the arm, and led him into a 
 side-walk. 'I'm ruined, Eochester, smashed up, 
 pounded and ruined,' I gasped. 
 
the Seven Sisters. 133 
 
 "' What's the figure?' he inquired, adding 
 kindly, * I landed a hundred gold mohurs on the 
 Chitmunk to-day, you can have 'em if they'll do 
 you any good.' 
 
 " ' No, no, it's not mohurs it's matrimony ! ' I 
 groaned. 
 
 " * That's a sight worse than any amount of 
 debt/ said he, gravely; 'but let's hear all about 
 it. I've been cornered myself, Dukie, before now. 
 Who is she ? ' 
 
 " The " Pouchie," ' I whispered faintly. 
 Eochester gave a low whistle. 
 
 " ' Thunder and turf! she'll land you if any one 
 can.' He mused for a moment, ' Hold on a bit,' 
 he cried, ' I've got it. Go in and propose to the 
 balance.' 
 
 " ' The balance,' I stammered, ' what the deuce 
 do you mean ? ' 
 
 "'I mean this,' he said; 'propose to all of 
 them, one after the other, and seven to one you'll 
 escape in the confusion.' 
 
 " ' It's eight to one, Charlie, there's the " Spider " 
 to reckon with.' 
 
 " ' Blow the " Spider," propose to her too. There 
 goes the 'Eoast Beef,' and I have to take Mrs. 
 Honeysuckle into supper,' and he left me to con- 
 sider his advice. 
 
134 Colonel Bowlong and 
 
 " On examining the programme I found that 
 there were just six more waltzes. Having diligently 
 searched out the ' Pouchie's ' sisters, I engaged 
 one of them for each dance, and deliberately 
 proposed to each of my partners as we spun round. 
 I need not say that I was accepted by them all. 
 Desperation had now so completely got the better 
 of me that I think if there had been an * extra ' I 
 should have tried my luck with the ' Spider ' also. 
 
 " I dutifully assisted my seven brides-elect into 
 the two family bullock-coaches, and was over- 
 whelmed by a honeyed chorus of 'Good-night, 
 good-night, Mr. Bowlong,' accompanied by an 
 amorous flutter of small lace handkerchiefs from 
 seven different windows. I told myself that I 
 deserved kicking. I never felt so small, so utterly 
 mean, in my life. But I had to pull myself together 
 to meet the tempest that would burst in fury upon 
 me in the morning, for it was certain that as 
 soon as they reached home each dear girl would 
 confide her little secret to mamma, and a compari- 
 son of notes would convert that aviary of doves 
 into an eyry of eagles. I knew that family pretty 
 well by repute, and rumour had it that each 
 member was appallingly endowed with the gift of 
 speech. 
 
 " Next morning seven triangular pink notes were 
 
the Seven Sisters. 135 
 
 brought in with my early tea. I had not the 
 courage to read them, and to this day I don't know 
 what they contained. Shortly afterwards I received 
 a square, formidable-looking document, in the un- 
 compromising up-and-down hand of Mrs. Puckerow ; 
 it was superscribed * urgent.' I would gladly have 
 chucked this missive on one side with the others, 
 but there was a certain imperative, dominating air 
 about it that compelled respect, and I opened it 
 after the manner of a man under the influence 
 of hypnotism. It was curt, and, to my guilty con- 
 science, lucidly menacing. Mrs. Puckerow desired 
 me to call and see her at my * very earliest con- 
 venience on business of extreme importance. 1 All 
 these letters had evidently been written the night 
 before, for they arrived at gun-fire, and the ladies 
 could hardly have been at their desks before 
 daylight. I sent Mrs. Puckerow's letter over to 
 Rochester, asking for advice how to act. He sent 
 it back with a pencil scrawl, ' Say you were 
 screwed.' This was not far from the truth. I 
 still felt a bit chippy after the race committee's 
 champagne, so I had the mare out for an hour's 
 ride in the cool morning air, and then feeling that 
 I was as fit for the ordeal as I ever should be, I put 
 my horse's head in the direction of the Web. 
 " As I turned into the large neglected compound 
 
136 Colonel Bowlong and 
 
 I met ' Jo ' Puckerow in her old blue habit going 
 out for a rather late morning ride. She shook 
 her whip at me, and said in mock indignation : 
 ' You're a nice young man to go and offer mar- 
 riage to seven innocent maidens in one night, as 
 if you were the Sultan of Turkey, or the man in 
 the parable.' Jo's Biblical training, I am afraid, 
 was slightly defective. ' I'll tell you what it is, Mr. 
 Bowlong, you deserve to get it hot and heavy, and 
 you will, too, before it's all over ; there's such a 
 row going on in that house at this moment that 
 I advise you to turn round and come for a canter 
 with me.' 
 
 " * You're very good, but I must go and see your 
 mother and get it over,' I said, not quite knowing 
 what to make of Miss Jo's chaff, for she had as 
 much cause to be angry as any of them. 
 
 " ' Get it over!' she laughed, 'get it over! 
 You're pretty hopeful about it, I must say. You 
 propose to all of us in the evening, and then ride 
 over to morning-tea and say, " So sorry, quite a 
 mistake, meant entirely some other thing, la-di- 
 da," and expect to get it over! It's very clear you 
 don't know my sisters or my mother.' 
 
 "'Miss Puckerow,' I said, gathering a sudden 
 glimpse of hope from her laughing eyes, ' I can 
 see that you understand it all, and mean to be 
 
the Seven Sisters. 137 
 
 my friend.' She hadn't said anything to war- 
 rant that, but it formed a good working hypo- 
 thesis. * I know you'll help me. Tell me, like a 
 good girl, how to get out of this stupid business.' 
 
 " She thought a moment, and then replied, 
 'Well, I'll tell you what you had better do. Of 
 course you mean to say you were tipsy, don't 
 you, now ? And my belief is that you were a little 
 bit that way ; but that won't serve with the 
 girls ; Pouchie and Ginger ' (Jo was the only one of 
 them that recognised the family nicknames) ' have 
 had a tremendous quarrel about you already. 
 Pouchie says she accepted you first, and has the 
 prior claim, and Ginger declares that as you pro- 
 posed to her last, you clearly meant to throw over 
 the others ; and I am sure mother will not listen 
 to the excuse of too much wine for a moment, un- 
 less you explain that you were tipsy when you 
 spoke to my sisters, but sober when you proposed 
 to me. She'll then think it a very good joke, and 
 will laugh at the others. Don't be afraid that I'm 
 going to catch you. After the way you have 
 behaved I wouldn't have you, no, not if you were to 
 ask me a hundred times over. You're safe enough 
 with me. When the excitement at home has settled 
 down a little I will quietly throw you over. Will 
 that do ? ' 
 
138 Colonel Bowlong and 
 
 " * You undertake to throw me over, Miss 
 Puckerow ? ' I said, doubtfully. 
 
 " ' Most solemnly,' she said, holding out her 
 hand. 
 
 " We shook hands on the compact, and she 
 cantered down the drive, while I, with a sinking 
 heart, walked my horse up to Mrs. Puckerow's door. 
 
 " I was but eighteen you must remember, and it 
 was a bit of a trial to meet seven justly exasperated 
 ladies, each of them considerably my senior in 
 years, and immeasurably my superior in debating 
 power. I was ushered into the big drawing-room, 
 and left for a while to meditate amid the massive 
 black-wood furniture. As I entered the room I 
 was aware of a confused clamour of distant voices 
 in highly emotional dialogue, and I confess that 
 I trembled. Shortly after the servant had left 
 me these lively sounds gave place to a gruesome 
 silence, infinitely more ominous and awe-inspiring 
 than the preceding notes of strife, for it told me 
 that the combatants had now joined forces, and 
 were advancing with concentrated power and unity 
 of purpose upon a single objective point and that 
 point poor me ! The door opened with a majestic 
 swing, and the six Miss Puckerows, headed by 
 their mamma, entered the room in stately pro- 
 cession. Each lady glided to a seat in awful 
 
the Seven Sisters. 139 
 
 silence, like a shoal of sharks converging upon 
 a swimmer. They looked at me, and their eyes 
 flashed indignant reproaches, and as I modestly 
 lowered my gaze, and played nervously with my 
 riding-whip, I heard in the very rustle of their 
 skirts an expression of wrath and scorn. 
 
 " After a preparatory cough Mrs. Puckerow spoke 
 as follows : ' I believe, Mr. Bowlong, that I am 
 addressing an officer and a gentleman ? ' I bowed. 
 ' A Cornet of the King's Panclours ? ' Again I bowed. 
 ' Then I desire you, sir, to explain your unprece- 
 dented conduct of last night towards my daughters 
 the daughters of the late Major Puckerow, retired, 
 your superior officer. I need not undertake the 
 painful recital of what occurred at the ball, all here 
 present remember it but too well, but I demand, 
 and I have a just and absolute right to demand, an 
 explanation of your extra- ordinary behaviour.' 
 
 " * I'm afraid, Mrs. Puckerow, I must plead guilty 
 to an indiscretion,' I began. 
 
 " ' An indiscretion ! ' exclaimed Mrs. Puckerow, 
 with a tragic -start. * You call proposing to my 
 girls one after the other as fast as you can 
 speak the words only an indiscretion!' and the 
 speaker appeared to my bewildered gaze to swell 
 venomously. 
 
 " ' I mean, madam,' I replied, ' and I say it with 
 
140 Colonel Bowlong and 
 
 shame, that last evening I drank more champagne 
 than was good for rne, and I have come to offer 
 my sincere apologies to your daughters and to 
 yourself.' 
 
 " ' Too much champagne ! ' cried Mrs. Pucke- 
 row in threatening crescendo, ' then, sir, you must 
 be tried by court-martial and cashiered, drummed 
 out of your Eegiment for conduct unbecoming an 
 officer and a gentleman. But that is a matter for 
 Colonel Harde and your superiors. All that I have 
 to say to you is this, tell me at once, here, before 
 them all, which of my poor dear girls it is that 
 you desire to make your wife.' And she fixed me 
 with such a stony stare, and the twelve grey eyes 
 around me were so paralyzing, that although I 
 longed to say, ' not one of them,' I could not get 
 my vocal muscles to frame the words, so, acting 
 in conformity with Jo's suggestion, I replied with 
 affected frankness : 
 
 " ' To tell you the truth, Mrs. Puckerow, although 
 I greatly admire all your charming daughters, my 
 affections are set upon only one of them.' 
 
 " ' And which is that ? ' inquired the Spider, 
 with a slight thaw in her tone. 
 
 " I hesitated, could I, dare I, trust my fate to 
 an inmate of the Web ? 
 
 " ' I may as well tell you at once,' continued 
 
the Seven Sisters. 141 
 
 Mrs. Puckerow, ' that my daughter Mary ' (that 
 was Jo), ' when she heard how you had behaved to 
 her sisters, at once renounced her claim upon you. 
 She said that nothing on earth should induce her 
 to marry a man who could be guilty of such ex- 
 tremely heartless conduct, so I hope it's not Mary.' 
 
 " This decided me. 
 
 " ' What crushing luck,' I murmured, with an 
 air of the deepest grief ; c your daughter Mary is 
 the one I love.' 
 
 Upon this the six young ladies rose, and without 
 so much as bestowing a glance in my direction, 
 swept like scornful swans from the room, leaving 
 me alone with their mother. 
 
 " * Well, well, cheer up, don't despair, my dear 
 boy,' said the old lady, gaily, * faint heart never 
 won fair lady; no doubt Mary spoke hastily. I 
 will be your advocate, and I may tell you that in 
 matters of importance dear Mary always allows 
 herself to be guided by me.' 
 
 " I rose, shuddering, and took my leave. 
 
 "Late that evening I received a note full of 
 effusive congratulation from Mrs. Puckerow. She 
 had spoken to her daughter very seriously indeed, 
 and after much persuasion had succeeded in 
 winning the coy maiden's consent. Would I come 
 to a quiet family dinner that evening? The 
 
142 Colonel Bowlong and 
 
 other dear girls would forgive and forget, and 
 would receive me as a brother. 
 
 " Pleading a bad headache I declined the old 
 lady's invitation, and during the remainder of the 
 week I strenuously avoided meeting any member 
 of the family. I kept what had passed strictly 
 to myself, not even unburdening my soul to 
 Kochester, and I fondly hoped that I should 
 receive ' Jo's ' release without the matter corning 
 to the ears of the Colonel. But, in spite of my 
 reticence, disquieting rumours reached the Eegi- 
 ment, and fluttered about the ante-room, for Mrs. 
 Puckerow was so proud of her first spoil that she 
 spread the news of her daughter's engagement 
 far and wide, and my hesitating replies to the 
 point-blank questions of my friends served only to 
 confirm the damaging reports. ' But as yet the 
 fatal fact was unknown to my Commanding Officer. 
 By pure chance I ran up against ' Jo ' one evening 
 at the band-stand, and shortly afterwards I found 
 myself walking with her confidentially down a side- 
 path of the gardens. 
 
 " ' I think you treat me very badly, considering 
 how I have helped you out of your difficulties,' 
 began ' Jo ' with a pout. 
 
 "'Why, Miss Puckerow, what am I to do?' I 
 replied, beginning to feel uncomfortable. 
 
the Seven Sisters. 143 
 
 "' When a girl is engaged,' said 'Jo' dogmati- 
 cally, * she expects the man to show her a little 
 kindness, doesn't she ? ' 
 
 " ' Ye es, yes, quite so ; but you see, don't 
 you know, really and truly you and I are not quite 
 what you may call exactly engaged, are we ? ' 
 
 "'Indeed, but we are, most regularly engaged. 
 It is true I have kindly undertaken to let you off 
 in time ; but until I do so, please remember that we 
 are an engaged couple, and unless you treat me 
 very nicely, perhaps I shall not part with you 
 after all.' 
 
 " After this terrible threat I saw that I must 
 mind my stops, or I should find myself in worse 
 trouble than ever. Then followed a long con- 
 versation, in the course of which we came to 
 terms ; they were these : 1. I was publicly to 
 give out the engagement. 2. I was to send her a 
 ring. 3. I was to call at the Web, and take her for 
 a ride three times a week. 4. I was to walk with 
 her every band-night, 5. I was to call her Mary, 
 and was to be called by her Marmaduke. These 
 were the conditions imposed upon me. On her 
 part she merely renewed the covenant of release, of 
 which the time, place, and manner were to be left 
 entirely to her good will and pleasure. It is need- 
 less to say that from that moment the news ran 
 
144 Colonel Bowlong and 
 
 about the station like wild-fire, and in the course 
 of the following day I was summoned to the 
 Colonel's quarters. I will not attempt t o describe 
 that animated interview. Colonel Harde's 
 language in the quietest of times was forcible, 
 grandly forcible, but on this occasion he was 
 roused to the most tempestuous passion, and his 
 rhetoric, I assure you, nearly blew the roof off. 
 He did all the talking. I never had a look in, and 
 after the worst twenty minutes I ever experienced, 
 I left the house like a toad escaping from a red- 
 hot harrow, and when I recovered my scattered 
 senses all that I could recollect of this pulverizing 
 interview was the frequently thundered adjuration 
 to exchange without delay into another Eegiment. 
 From that moment the Colonel never let me 
 alone ; I was the one object upon which he con- 
 centrated his wrath, scorn, and denunciation ; he 
 bullied me on parade, derided me at mess, and 
 gibed at me in private society. I was constantly 
 summoned to the orderly-room for faults so trivial 
 that in former days they either would not have 
 attracted his attention, or would have been 
 dismissed with a laugh. In this state of affairs 
 it is needless to say that I sought about for an 
 exchange, in order that I might flee away and be 
 at rest. 
 
the Seven Sisters. 145 
 
 " About this period a new Civil swell canie to 
 the station. He was a commissioner, or a tax- 
 collector, I forget what they called him, but he 
 drew over three thousand rupees a month, and 
 lived in the biggest house in the place, so he must 
 have been a boss of sorts. This gentleman at 
 once began to make up to ' Jo.' He had met her 
 the year before up at Pindi, and I heard after- 
 wards that he had paid her a good deal of 
 attention there. After his arrival I found my 
 treaty engagements sensibly relaxing. First * Jo ' 
 knocked off the morning rides, soon she remitted 
 the evening walks, then she dropped the 
 1 Marmaduke, 1 and finally I received a note from 
 her mother returning me the engagement-ring, and 
 saying that it had at last become clear to her 
 daughter that, owing to the disparity of our 
 ages, and the incompatibility of our tempers, we 
 should never be happy together ; she therefore 
 released me from my pledges. The letter 
 concluded by asking me to come over that evening 
 to a quiet dinner. Under this was written in 
 ' Jo's ' hand, * Better not,' and scrawled across 
 the envelope in pencil by the same writer was 
 added as though by an after-thought, ' Never say 
 that I don't keep my word ! ' ! 
 
 " What luck ! " ejaculated Snapper, who had 
 
 L 
 
1 46 Colonel Bowlong & the Seven Sisters. 
 
 been listening breathlessly to- the recital, "out of 
 danger at last." 
 
 "Well, to tell you the truth, it was then that 
 my most imminent danger began, for I felt, now 
 that I had lost her, that I cared for Mary 
 Puckerow a very considerable deal, so much so 
 that I at once ordered my horse, intending to 
 gallop over to the Web, and swear that I would 
 never give her up, and, in fact, would marry her 
 right away. Just as I was mounting, Eochester 
 and some other fellows rode up and summoned me 
 to a pig-sticking expedition; they would take no 
 excuse, and escape was impossible. Being half 
 mad with vexation I rode a bit wild, and going 
 at a gallop over some blind ground my horse fell 
 into a nullah, pitching me on to my head. I 
 was taken home senseless, and for six weeks was 
 confined to my bed. When I got about again I 
 heard that ' Jo ' had married the tax-collector, 
 and had left the station. Matters having thus 
 adjusted themselves, my application for an ex- 
 change was withdrawn, and I was re-admitted to 
 the Colonel's favour. But to this day I have never 
 been able quite to satisfy myself whether ' Jo ' 
 meant to run straight from start to finish in that 
 affair or not. Heigh ho ! who's for whist ? " 
 
A PANDOURADE. 
 
 " THAT was rather tall tipple which you gave 
 the Gunners the other night, Colonel Bowlong," 
 remarked Parkinson, one evening, a day or two 
 after an unusually " wet " night at our mess. 
 "A bit of a tickler, wasn't it!" replied our 
 chief, complacently ; "it was a favourite drink 
 in the old Pandours." 
 
 " Was it peculiar to the Eegiment, sir ? " 
 "Yes, it was our own special brew. It was 
 invented on the field of Ferozeshah. We were 
 bivouacking during ' the night of horrors ' in the 
 midst of a Sikh battery that we had charged and 
 taken in our usual topping style, and one of us 
 having found a keg of brandy in a corner of an em- 
 brasure, we turned a kettle-drum into a punch-bowl 
 and filled it with the spirit. Eiding-Master Tipples 
 produced a bottle of cura9oa from his left holster 
 and a bunch of chillies from his right, and just as 
 we had completed the brew a shell burst into the 
 midst of us and set it alight. That was the origin 
 
 L 2 
 
148 A Pandourade. 
 
 of the celebrated Pandour Punch, otherwise known 
 as * Samson with his hair on, 5 and our first toast was 
 to the memory of Tipples, who, I forgot to mention, 
 received the shell where he had hoped to put the 
 punch. Yes, it is a noble beverage, and was once 
 a great favourite of mine. It gives me cold shivers 
 now, it always makes me think of ghosts." 
 
 " Did you ever see a ghost, Colonel ? " 
 
 " Ay, thirty-one." 
 
 "What! all at once, sir?" 
 
 " All at once, and only once ; a second experi- 
 ence of the sort would have driven me mad." 
 
 We instinctively drew our chairs closer round 
 our leader, for we saw that he was in the vein for 
 history. 
 
 " How was it, Colonel ? Do you mind telling us 
 the story ? " 
 
 " Well, it fell out in this way. About a year 
 after the destruction of the old Pandours I 
 have often told you about that business I was 
 carrying despatches from Sir Hugh Eose to the 
 Governor-General, and my route lay through 
 Eowdibad, the station where our Eegiment had 
 been cantoned up to the outbreak of the Mutiny. 
 Being quite alone, and knowing that the city, at 
 the best of times a place of very evil repute, was 
 seething with a fanatical and highly excitable 
 
A Pandourade. 149 
 
 rebel population, I determined to avoid the town 
 and to seek shelter for the night in the old cavalry 
 mess-house, which lay in the midst of the now 
 ruined and deserted cantonments, about a mile and 
 a half from the city. The last rays of the sun 
 were disappearing as I rode into the building no 
 difficult feat, for every door in the place had been 
 torn from its hinges, and there was no furniture 
 to get in one's way. The only room with a roof 
 remaining to it was the great dining-room, which 
 I had known in former days so full of life and 
 comfort, but which now confronted me in all the 
 hideousness of ruin that has not had time to 
 assume the picturesque adjuncts of age. As I 
 entered the room a jackal rushed past me, 
 resenting what he evidently considered an un- 
 warrantable intrusion upon his lair, and a cloud 
 of bats, disturbed by the clatter of my horse's 
 hoofs upon the boards, flew round and round, flap- 
 ping and twittering. Tethering my horse to an 
 old hook that in former days had helped to support 
 a wall-lamp, I wrapped myself in my cloak and 
 lay down as supperless as my nag. While I 
 lay waiting for sleep, my mind was busy with 
 reflections of the past. I conjured up the various 
 scenes of jollity that I had taken part in within 
 those now deserted walls; I thought of the gay 
 
150 A Pandourade. 
 
 dances, the uproarious banquets, and all the 
 roystering revelry of the wild, old days ; then T 
 reflected upon the fate of my old friends and 
 comrades. Of those who, a year or two before, 
 had filled these rooms with life and gaiety, there 
 was hardly a man or a woman that was not now 
 lying in a bloody grave ! To-night was the anni- 
 versary of the battle of Ferozeshah, when we 
 charged the great battery and saved the day. We 
 were justly proud of that exploit, and always 
 celebrated it by an annual dinner, and a tremendous 
 sky-lark after mess. It was an episode in a man's 
 life to have dined with the Pandours on a 
 Ferozeshah-night. ' Ah ! those mad times have 
 passed away for ever,' I said to myself ; ' tame 
 enough are the limbs that took part in the Bedlam 
 pranks and pandemonium war-dances ; tame enough 
 till they rally to the last trumpet.' 
 
 ' ' Tar dm tardra tar a tar a tardrard ! It was 
 a distinct cavalry call, and was sounded in the 
 compound, just outside the door. Springing to my 
 feet I disengaged my horse and mounted, for I 
 thought that I was in for a night gallop with half 
 the Gwalior contingent at my heels ; but imagine 
 my astonishment when I perceived the room 
 gradually lighting up until it was nearly as 
 bright as day. I then saw that things were in 
 
A Pandourade. 151 
 
 exactly the same condition as on the night when I 
 last dined there ; the room was carpeted with the 
 same old double pile, the walls were furnished with 
 the usual array of lamps, the long table, white with 
 snowy linen, gleamed with glass and flashed 
 brightly with gold and silver plate. Again the 
 trumpet sounded, and I knew it now to be the call 
 for mess. . With the last note of the cadence the 
 doors flew open, and the Colonel, old Lashem 
 Harde, rode slowly in; he was in the full dress 
 of the Eegiment, busby, sword and all, and was 
 mounted upon an enormous gaunt black charger, 
 with flaming eyes, a heavy mane, and a sweeping 
 tail; close behind him rode the two Majors, 
 followed by the Captains, Lieutenants and Cornets, 
 the regimental staff bringing up the rear, all being 
 mounted upon huge black skeleton chargers, with 
 glowing eyes and tremendous manes and tails. 
 The officers looked neither to right nor left, but 
 moved in solemn procession after the Colonel. 
 Harde led them at a slow march three times 
 round the room, and then all fell into their places 
 at the table, the Colonel in his old position in the 
 centre. I observed that the company did not 
 quite fill up the table, and that there was one 
 blank space. A growing horror seized me as I 
 realized that the vacant place was mine. Indeed, 
 
152 A Pandourade. 
 
 I at first felt a powerful inclination to ride round 
 and occupy it, but I wrestled with and overcame 
 the sinister prompting. Four mess-servants now 
 entered, staggering under the weight of what 
 appeared to be an enormous brazen bowl of 
 blazing punch, which, by a tremendous effort, they 
 hoisted on to the table in front of the Colonel. 
 It was the old Ferozeshah kettle-drum, but 
 greatly magnified. The servants then brought 
 trays covered with curious old goblets, the 
 handles of which, I noticed, were wrought into the 
 semblance of writhing and inter-twisted imps. In 
 a moment, by a process so swift that I was unable 
 to follow it with the eye, each man's hand grasped 
 one of these quaint vessels filled to the brim with 
 the flaming liquid. The Colonel, in a voice that 
 rang through the room and echoed among the 
 rafters, gave the order to draw swords, and as the 
 warriors sat with their faces flashing in the light of 
 the flaring goblets and the gleaming swords, they 
 presented a spectacle that I am thankful to think 
 the eye of man but seldom rests upon. 
 
 " The Colonel now shouted for a song ; his voice 
 was sepulchrally deep, and there was a harsh, 
 defiant, but at the same time despairing, ring about 
 it that sent a chill to my very marrow. But this 
 sensation was surpassed in horror by that which 
 
A Pandourade. 153 
 
 followed. The effect of the deafening notes of 
 the devil's ditty into which the assembly burst is 
 simply indescribable ; the sound was the very voice 
 of Gehenna ; through the song one heard every 
 scale and key and semi-tone of pain ; the hearer 
 felt that the singers were overborne by a despair 
 beyond the conception of a finite brain, while the 
 whole movement was accompanied by an undertone 
 of hideous forced hilarity that presented a revolt- 
 ing discord to the prevailing movement of lamenta- 
 tion and regret. At the end of each verse the 
 singers clashed their swords together savagely and 
 took a deep draught of the liquid fire. The 
 words of the demon doggrel were something like 
 these : 
 
 " ' Who knows the fate that waits him here ? 
 
 Ha ha! 
 ' Pest, disaster, bullet, spear, 
 
 Tra la I 
 1 To death, whichever course we take, 
 
 Life wends. 
 ' All's one but mark in death we wake ! 
 
 Sleep ends. 
 1 We wake to add the reckoning up, 
 
 [A low moaning] 
 
 1 To drink a never-emptied cup,' 
 
 [Here the voices burst into a brief tempestuous 
 roar of demoniac violence] 
 
154 A Pandourade. 
 
 ' What lies behind the sable veil ? 
 
 I trow 
 ' Brain would reel and heart would quail 
 
 To know.' 
 
 [The song now reached its wildest pitch of 
 intensity, frantic screams arose on all sides, and I 
 felt as though my head must burst if the ditty 
 lasted much longer] 
 
 1 Now we read the riddle well, 
 ' Here the secret we may tell, 
 1 And howl the mysteries of ' 
 
 " At this moment the Colonel's glance fell upon 
 me, and with an abrupt wave of his sabre he 
 stopped the singing. 
 
 "'A life,' he thundered, 'a life, a soul! ' and 
 he leapt his great charger towards me over the 
 mess-table. 
 
 " The whole company, as though moved by 
 electricity, immediately made for me ; some came 
 round at a gallop, others cleared the table, as 
 though it were a mere riding-school jump, and 
 those that were nearest to me made their great 
 animals wheel and face me. In a second I was 
 surrounded by a circle of merciless, menacing 
 faces. They were the countenances of the men 
 with whom I had for years lived on terms of 
 intimacy and good fellowship, but in not one of 
 
A Pandourade. 155 
 
 those deeply- suffering, desperate faces could I read 
 the slightest trace of human kindness or friendly 
 recognition, and I now knew, what I had before 
 only feared, that the beings pressing so savagely 
 around me were souls of the lost. I looked from 
 one to the other and recognized them all. But 
 what a change, fearful though undefinable, had 
 fallen upon them ! The first man that I noticed 
 was Charlie Eochester, in life the cheeriest of 
 companions, but the most pitiless of roues. I will 
 not attempt to describe that man's appearance. I 
 once found a very near approach to it in a quotation 
 from Andante." 
 
 "Dante, wasn't it, Colonel?" whispered the 
 Doctor ; "he describes people of that sort in the 
 * Inferno.'" 
 
 "I refer to the fellow that wrote 'Paradise 
 Lost,' " replied the Colonel, with some degree of 
 hauteur ; " but my memory is not good for those 
 things, and I can't give you the exact words. 
 The next man whom I observed was Venager, 
 the duellist, the man whose name had been a 
 terror to every station in which he had been 
 quartered. He used to boast that he had given 
 more work to the monument-makers than any 
 other man in the army, and that there was not a 
 grave-yard near which he had been stationed that 
 
156 A Pandourade. 
 
 he had not handsomely contributed to. This man 
 used to pick quarrels and kill men for the mere 
 lust of butchery ; to my own knowledge he had 
 destroyed twenty- seven of his opponents on the 
 ground ; how many he had sent away mortally 
 wounded or crippled for life I don't remember, and, 
 mind you, I knew him only at the close of his 
 career. The shape before me still wore its old look 
 of keen, murderous malice, reminding me how 
 persistently the victim he had marked down would 
 be followed up for a thoughtless act, a chance word, 
 or even an unconsidered glance, until he was 
 hunted into a corner from which there lay no 
 escape save by sword or pistol. Venager preferred 
 the latter weapon, but he was perfection at both. 
 In his pistol-duels his favourite object of aim had 
 been the head, in his sword-fights the heart. He 
 used to say : ' I like clean killing ; the head and 
 the heart are the only parts worth a curse ; plug the 
 brain and save your powder, or tap the ventricle 
 and save your time ! ' A very unpleasant person 
 was Venager, but we always treated him with re- 
 spect. The only man who ever had him properly 
 ' on toast ' was myself. I'll tell you the story 
 some day. 
 
 " Well, Venager presented a truly awful appear- 
 ance ; his haggard face, from chin to forehead, was 
 
A Pandourade. 157 
 
 now so riddled with bullet-holes that it looked like 
 a Turk's head after an hour's very straight car- 
 bine-practice, and his frogged and braided coat, 
 where it covered his left breast, was pierced with 
 stabs and drenched with blood. Close by Venager 
 was Macflint, the man who spent all his money 
 at cards and on the turf, leaving his wife and 
 child at home to starve literally to starve. The 
 fellow had three thousand a year, and his wife and 
 daughter perished in a London garret for want of 
 a crust of bread. Macflint, a g our me and gour- 
 mand of the first water, was in life heavy and 
 obese, but the form before me was that of a man 
 suffering the acutest tortures of famine; his 
 sunken cheeks, his restless, wolfish eyes, his claw- 
 like hands, and his skeleton body, which, though 
 clothed in uniform, disclosed the sharp outline of 
 fleshless bones beneath, long afterwards haunted 
 me. The Colonel, who had been the most merci- 
 less martinet in the Service, kept moving his 
 shoulders shiftily as though writhing in ceaseless 
 pain, and I had little doubt that his back was 
 lacerated with the stripes that he had unjustly 
 inflicted upon many an honest soldier. But I had 
 no time for further scrutiny, for the circle had 
 closed upon me, a ring of gauntleted hands eagerly 
 proffering the blazing quaighs. 
 
158 A Pandourade. 
 
 " ' Drink, sir ! ' thundered the Colonel. ' Drink, 
 truant and poltroon, take your place in the ranks, 
 and complete the complement ! ' and a wild demoni- 
 acal chorus of * Drink, drink ! ' resounded through 
 the room. 
 
 " The sound reverberated in my ears like the 
 roar of Niagara, and the heat of the reeking gob- 
 lets burnt my face like the flames of Etna. But 
 I determinedly resisted all attempts to force upon 
 me what I was now assured would make me free 
 of this devil's guild. Both I and my horse were 
 as though struck by catalepsy, neither of us could 
 move a muscle, so any attempt to escape was out 
 of the question. A dead silence fell upon my 
 persecutors as they waited for me to yield, the 
 only sound audible being the hissing and bubbling 
 of the beverage that seethed around me in a ring 
 of flame. For fully ten minutes I sat like one 
 in a nightmare, encompassed by these accursed 
 apostles of perdition, each mute as death, but with 
 his gleaming eyes fixed upon me in ferocious expec- 
 tation. 
 
 " * Out with his heart ! ' suddenly roared Lashem, 
 ' out with his heart and give it a hell-peg ! ' 
 
 Straightway a dozen swords were plunged into 
 my side, and in an instant my live and throbbing 
 heart, spitted on a lurid blade, was handed to the 
 
A Pandourade. 159 
 
 Colonel. He tossed part of the contents of his 
 goblet at it, but the falling fire divided before it 
 reached the palpitating organ, and fell in flaming 
 streams upon the floor. With a bitter execration 
 he tried again ; but still the flame divided, and a 
 third attempt was equally fruitless. 
 
 " * Too good for me,' bellowed the Chief ; ' you 
 try it, Major,' and he passed on the weapon. 
 
 " The Senior Major made the attempt, once, 
 twice, and thrice, but with no better result ; neither 
 was the Junior Major more successful. Each 
 failure evoked a burst of horrible blasphemy from 
 the rest, every man of whom had three trials, but 
 the fire shrank from the proffered sacrifice as though 
 repelled by the protecting influence of an unseen 
 power. The floor round our horses' hoofs was now 
 a bath of lambent flame, but not a drop of the 
 hell-broth had touched my poor heart, which at 
 first, indeed, pulsated wildly with terror, but, as 
 each successive attempt proved fruitless, soon re- 
 sumed its normal composure. 
 
 " ' Back with it ! ' thundered old Harde, with a 
 blood-curdling anathema ; ' he isn't one of us.' 
 
 " As he spoke, I saw a curious change come over 
 his face ; the expression was one of hungry, wolfish 
 envy. I looked at the others, some were as the 
 Colonel, others were wrathful and disappointed ; 
 
160 A Pandourade. 
 
 as for Venager, he was transfigured into the very 
 genius of fury. He made as though he would 
 charge me and cut me down, but though he 
 spurred his horse savagely, some restraining energy 
 was at work and held him back. 
 
 " ' Eake-hells, a toast ! ' roared Lashem, who had 
 now recovered his old air of supremacy. 
 
 " ' A toast ! ' they all yelled, and again some 
 occult action filled their goblets to the brim. 
 
 " The fiends turned their fiery eyes upon their 
 leader, awaiting his next words. 
 
 " ' Bowlong, when he's ready ! ! ! ' 
 
 " And amid a tempest of howls and curses the 
 infernal crew tossed off the flaming potion. When 
 comparative silence was restored, the Colonel, 
 standing up in his stirrups and raising his voice 
 to a higher pitch than ever, thus addressed the 
 assembly : 
 
 " ' Let me remind you, gentlemen, of the 
 occasion that brings us together this festive mid- 
 night. Officers of the Pandours, we meet to 
 celebrate the anniversary of the ever-glorious 
 victory of Ferozeshah, gained for the British 
 Army by the immortal gallantry of the Pandour 
 Hussars. Hip, hip, Hurra-a-h ! ! ! ' 
 
 "As he led the cheer he drove his charger 
 violently against the Senior Major, at the same 
 
A Pandourade. 161 
 
 time dealing that officer a tremendous back- 
 hander across the face with his sabre. The 
 Major turned fiercely upon the Colonel and 
 executed cut No. Seven with all his might upon his 
 Chiefs busby. Upon this every one attacked his 
 nearest neighbour with the utmost fury; men 
 shouted in pain and anger, their horses snorted in 
 terror, blades clashed, pistols exploded, and in the 
 heat of the melee the great table was overturned 
 and the lamps were swept from the walls, reducing 
 the room to its pristine darkness. The weird 
 combat, however, raged more fiercely than ever in 
 the gloom. I now observed that when a horse was 
 spurred a shower of sparks flew from his side, and 
 whenever one of the combatants received a thrust 
 or a slash a stream of fire gushed from the wound ; 
 the eyes, too, both of men and horses glowed like 
 live coals, and their breath was tinged with lurid 
 light. When the uproar was at its wildest the 
 trumpet suddenly sounded for the third time, and 
 the Colonel's voice rang out clear and distinct 
 above the tumult : 
 
 " * Officers of the Pandours, steady ! Halt, 
 return swords, threes right, gallop mar-r-rch 
 to ' 
 
 The last word was drowned in the clatter of 
 the horses' hoofs as the accursed troop swept 
 
 M 
 
1 62 A Pandourade. 
 
 like a whirlwind from the building. As the rear 
 section left the room a flash of lightning 
 illuminated the doorway, disclosing the cruel 
 bleeding face of Yenager turned in my direction, 
 with a smile of such concentrated hate and con- 
 fident anticipation of future vengeance that my 
 brain, already strained beyond endurance, whirled 
 like a catherine-wheel, and I tumbled fainting on 
 the floor. As I rolled under the table there flashed 
 upon my mind a passing recollection of early 
 days, but the next instant I was unconscious. 
 
 " I rose at the earliest flush of dawn, and by the 
 light of a few matches I carefully examined the 
 apartment. It was just as I had found it on my 
 arrival the night before, gaunt, bare, and empty, 
 and it presented not the faintest indication of the 
 appalling scene that had been enacted there only 
 a few hours ago. Mounting my horse, I hurried 
 away in the growing light, and never again set eyes 
 on Eowdibad. 
 
 "It was not until a year after this episode that 
 our troops fairly reduced the neighbourhood to 
 order. The first night that our people occupied 
 the town a Major Fitz-Hopkins took up his quarters 
 in the old mess-house ; the next morning his corpse 
 was dragged out of the ruins. There had been a 
 fearful thunderstorm during the night, in the midst 
 
A Pandourade. 163 
 
 of which the building had collapsed ; but what 
 puzzled everybody was that poor Fitz-Hopkins 
 evidently was not killed by the fall, for the only 
 injury discoverable was a wound in the throat, 
 caused, so the doctors declared, by the action of 
 fire. It was generally ascribed to lightning. I 
 may, however, observe that the date of this occur- 
 rence was the anniversary of the battle of Feroze- 
 shah. 
 
 " A year or two after this, finding myself in 
 Rome, I related the story to my friend the Vener- 
 able and Illustrious Cardinal Sortello Annibelli, 
 who, for many years, until expressly forbidden 
 by the Pope, had applied himself to the study of 
 demonology and the black art. I asked the 
 Cardinal how it was that the fiends were so 
 completely foiled in their efforts to consume my 
 heart, and I put it to him as an ecclesiastic, 
 whether it was incumbent upon me to attach any 
 importance to their blood-curdling toast, which 
 I confess had at times caused me some little 
 anxiety. My venerable friend replied that the 
 case was a very simple one ; the Eegiment, when 
 it was hurled out of existence, was one man 
 short of its strength of officers, and was serving its 
 penance with that man, as it were, seconded ; there 
 was no doubt about it that the absentee was myself ; 
 
 M 2 
 
164 A Pandourade. 
 
 and the spirits, failing to secure their comrade, had 
 got hold of the unfortunate Fitz-Hopkins. Their 
 work on earth being then over, they destroyed the 
 arena of their godless revelries. The failure to set 
 fire to my heart, the Cardinal opined, was due to 
 three causes, the first, my exemplary purity of life ; 
 the second, my consistent piety ; and the third, 
 and chief, my scrupulous nicety with regard to 
 truth. ' Maintain these virtues,' said His Emi- 
 nence, ' and you may laugh at the devil and his 
 legions; but,' he added with impressive earnestness, 
 ' mark me, caro Bologno, Signor Fitz-Hopkin' is 
 only doing duty, and should you fall away in any 
 one of the three particulars that I have enumerated, 
 I cannot guarantee that you may not have to fall 
 in with your old Eegiment on the day of the last 
 roll-call.' " 
 
THE COLONEL'S DUEL. 
 
 ONE evening we reminded our Chief of the pro- 
 mised account of his quarrel with Captain Venager. 
 "Oh, that stupid business," smiled the Colonel. 
 " Well, I suppose I must tell you about it ; but, 
 mind you, I am hi no degree an advocate for 
 duelling. It was to that accursed practice that 
 society owed such a scourge as Arnold Venager. 
 
 " My quarrel with him arose in this way : I was 
 telling them at mess of a curious incident which 
 had occurred during that afternoon, while I was 
 out snipe-shooting. The occurrence was rather a 
 curious one, and excited some little surprise; I 
 had bagged a snipe, a hare, and a bustard at a 
 single shot, but without hitting any one of them. 
 It happened like this : a snipe and a bustard rose 
 together, the snipe flying from me, and the bustard 
 crossing the snipe's bows from right to left ; the 
 bustard was a long shot for number nine, so I fired 
 at the snipe. Simultaneously with the report, I 
 saw through the smoke the bustard falling head- 
 
1 66 The Colonel's Duel. 
 
 long to the ground. On picking him up I found 
 lying under him a hare with its neck broken. 
 Examining the bustard, I saw tucked under his 
 left wing the snipe, with its bill driven well home 
 into the big bird's heart. The three were as dead 
 as a door-nail, but deuce a pellet had struck any 
 one of 'em. It was simple enough when explained. 
 The snipe had speared the bustard, killing itself 
 by the shock, and the bustard had crushed the 
 hare. No reasonable man would have found any- 
 thing in such a simple narrative to cavil at ; the 
 only incredible part of it was my missing the 
 snipe ; but Venager saw fit to doubt the story. 
 He burst into a roar of laughter, and then in his 
 most offensive manner asked : 
 
 " ' Why did you not say the snipe had drilled a 
 hole in an elephant, it would make a better tale ? ' 
 At this there was a general laugh, and I felt a bit 
 uncomfortable. 
 
 " ' I don't introduce an elephant into the story,' 
 I answered, ' because it would be at variance with 
 the facts.' 
 
 Venager smiled significantly and said : ' Faith ! 
 and that would be a trifle -for you ! ' 
 
 " Matters now began to look serious ; he was 
 evidently bent upon fastening a quarrel upon 
 me. 
 
The Colonel's Duel. 167 
 
 " ' What do you mean by that ? ' I asked, look- 
 ing him straight in the eyes. 
 
 " Venager now assumed his fighting scowl, and 
 replied so loudly that he was heard by every man 
 at the table : 
 
 " ' I mean simply this, Mr. Bowlong, that the 
 fables which you see proper so frequently to regale 
 us with are fit only for the pages of ' ' here the 
 Colonel looked unutterably solemn, and lowered 
 his voice to a tragic whisper " ' of Baron Mun- 
 chausen ! ' and slowly draining his glass, the 
 speaker rose and sauntered from the room. 
 
 " For a moment there was a profound silence, 
 a sudden chill had settled upon every one but 
 myself; not a man there but looked upon me as 
 one already lying encased upon a gun-carriage ; for 
 it was clear, after what had passed, I had no option 
 but to send Venager a challenge. Three or four 
 fellows near me tried to revive the conversation, 
 but the effort was lame and futile ; the only man 
 totally unconcerned was myself, and I felt that it 
 rested witii me to infuse gaiety into the company, 
 so I called for champagne, and sending it round, I 
 got up and, in my cheeriest manner, proposed my 
 own health and my opponent's destruction. As 
 the applause died away, we heard the wheels of 
 Venager's buggy going out of the compound. It 
 
1 68 The Colonel's Duel. 
 
 was his practice before a duel to retire to bed 
 early ; late hours unsteadied his hand. After 
 mess I retired to a quiet corner of the ante-room, 
 and there composed what was, in those days, called 
 a hostile message. I had no difficulty about that ; 
 the youngest subaltern who might have blundered 
 over accepting an invitation to dinner, knew well 
 enough how to write a challenge. My embarrass- 
 ment, however, "began when I tried to secure a 
 messenger. I wandered round the room, letter in 
 hand, dropping down confidentially first by one, 
 then by another of my friends, but not a man of 
 them could I induce to carry the cartel. I did not 
 know till afterwards that, while I was writing my 
 defiance, word went quickly round the room to 
 refuse to assist either Venager or myself in carrying 
 our quarrel to extremes. It was known that media- 
 tion with my opponent was out of the question, 
 intercession on my behalf would have been about 
 as effective as a plea to a tiger in favour of 
 a lamb ; but we could not fight without seconds, 
 so a strict neutrality was agreed to by all. Failing 
 to secure a messenger, I dropped the letter into 
 the station post-office, and calmly waited the 
 result. No sooner had Venager received my mes- 
 sage, than he hastily sought a friend to convey his 
 reply, and to administer to me a severe wigging for 
 
The Colonel's Duel. 169 
 
 the insolent irregularity of which I had been guilty 
 in presuming to forward a challenge by post. But 
 my enemy was as unsuccessful in his quest as I had 
 been in mine. Not a man in the Eegiment would 
 support either the one or the other of us. You see 
 the real fact was that the fellows did not want to 
 see me killed. There were no officers in the station 
 but ourselves; the Mutiny was brewing, and the 
 remainder of our brigade had been sent by forced 
 marches to Meerut, where we were daily expecting 
 orders to follow them. Here, for the first time in 
 his life, Venager met with a check, for it was alto- 
 gether opposed to Pandour principles to admit 
 civilians to a share in regimental quarrels. But 
 he was checked only for a moment ; nothing was 
 allowed to foil that man in his appetite for human 
 blood. 
 
 " In the matter of a second, my antagonist 
 succeeded no better than I had done, and after 
 having tried the fellows all round without suc- 
 cess, and having been on the verge of a quarrel 
 with more than half of them in consequence, he 
 sent me his reply by a mounted orderly. Of course, 
 my challenge was accepted, gleefully accepted ; and 
 the weapon chosen was the straight cavalry sword. 
 There the matter rested for the present. Venager 
 meant to kill me, and therefore dared not fight 
 
1 70 The Colonel's Duel. 
 
 without witnesses his record was so bad, that if 
 he had pinked me in a corner, things might have 
 gone precious hard with him. We used to meet 
 every day at mess, and it was amazing to see the 
 constrained air of courtesy that the duellist now 
 assumed towards me. In all duelling matters 
 he was a purist for punctilio, and he displayed 
 the same ceremony towards a man whom he 
 intended to kill as a heathen priest does to the 
 object of his sacrifice. I caught his eye, though, 
 more than once fixed on a spot on my waistcoat, a 
 little to the left of the third button, and, as I read 
 his thoughts, my reflections were not altogether 
 exhilarating. But I kept my head up, and put on 
 an appearance of indifference for in these and all 
 other matters where men contend together it gives 
 your opponent too much of a pull over you to let 
 him think that you funk him. But all the fellows 
 looked upon me as a doomed man ; sooner or later 
 we should find ourselves again cantoned with other 
 troops, and then there would be seconds in plenty 
 sixty a minute, ha, ha ! But Venager was 
 growing impatient at the delay, he became restless 
 and feverish, his appetite failed, he complained to 
 the doctor that he could not sleep, and his health 
 was evidently becoming affected by his balked desire 
 to contribute me to the Rowdibad cemetery. One 
 
The Co lonel' s Duel. 171 
 
 evening, after a long day with the duck, I was 
 riding back to cantonments a little late for dinner. 
 As I passed the station racket-court I heard some 
 one hailing me from the porch. 
 
 " ' Mr. Bowlong, a word with you.' 
 
 " I recognized Venager's voice, and pulled up. 
 He came forward, and said haughtily, 
 
 " ' The route has come. We march for Meerut at 
 nine o'clock. There is some fighting to be done at 
 Delhi life in a campaign being uncertain, I pro- 
 pose that we settle our differences before starting. 
 I have been waiting for you since four o'clock. In 
 half an hour the moon will be up, and we can 
 fight in the racket-court without disturbance. 
 Unfortunately we have no witnesses, but that 
 we cannot help. I have brought the weapons,' 
 and he held out two sabres. 
 
 " I chose one, and silently followed him into 
 the building. We ascended the narrow stairs that 
 led into the gallery, and sat down to await the 
 rising of the moon. Venager seated himself as 
 far from me as possible his way, I suppose, of 
 letting me know that, for the present, he desired 
 no further communication with me. On the 
 bench where I had settled myself, some one had 
 left a cigar-case, which, from its size, I knew 
 belonged to Batiscombe, our Junior Major. Frank 
 
172 The Colonel's Duel. 
 
 Idstone Batiscombe was popularly understood to 
 consume his own length in cheroots daily, and his 
 magazine was of the size and strength of a small 
 portmanteau. I was glad to find that the case was 
 full ; selecting one I struck a match, and by its 
 light I perceived Venager's evil eyes fixed on the 
 corner where I was sitting. It was too dark to see 
 me, but he kept his gaze on my position, like a 
 wild beast whose instinct tells him through the 
 darkness of midnight where the prey is lying. 
 
 " ' Have a cheroot ? ' I asked, as cheerfully as I 
 could, ' I've found Batiscombe' s case.' 
 
 " There was a pause, and then came the reply. 
 
 " ' I never smoke on these occasions, sir, and I 
 would advise you rather to occupy the next few 
 minutes in prayer, than to devote them to the 
 indulgence of boyish bravado.' 
 
 " I felt sat upon, but went on with my cheroot 
 all the same, and as I smoked I reflected that I 
 was about to do a very foolish thing. I was 
 going to encounter the best swordsman in the 
 army, and the most unscrupulous man in Asia, 
 I was going to fight by moonlight and without 
 seconds. That Venager intended to kill me I 
 had not the slightest doubt, and that he would 
 not be over nice in his way of doing it was 
 abundantly clear from all the attendant cir- 
 
The Colonel's Duel. 173 
 
 cumstances. The Kegiment was moving to the 
 front ; in a day or two it would be engaged in a 
 stormy campaign; no one would have time or 
 opportunity to inquire what had become of me ; 
 and the station being left without any European, 
 my bones would bleach before any one visited the 
 racket-court ; and as I pictured myself a corpse 
 lying locked away from the world, exposed to sun 
 and shower, vulture and crow, I confess I winced 
 a bit. 
 
 " ' Here's the moon,' said Venager, with a sigh 
 of relief, as the great silver orb tipped the back 
 wall and shed a flood of radiance into the court. 
 ' If you have no objection we will go down.' 
 
 " I stumbled down the dark staircase and 
 entered the court, closely followed by Venager, 
 who immediately shut and locked the door, putting 
 the key in his pocket. 
 
 " ' Now, sir,' he said, in a fierce whisper, as 
 he took up his position in the centre of the court, 
 where the moonlight fell clearest. 
 
 " My antagonist, having bowed to me with much 
 ceremony, performed the usual fencing - school 
 salutations with scrupulous exactness, and as I 
 clumsily followed suit I could not avoid being 
 forcibly struck by the lissom grace of all his move- 
 ments, which in their sinuous complexity resembled 
 
174 The Colonel's Duel. 
 
 the artless undulation of a serpent rather than the 
 studied action of a human being. At last our 
 blades met, and I had crossed swords with the 
 most formidable duellist of the age. And now my 
 eyes beheld such a sight of horror as to turn my 
 nerves to ice. The features of the man in front of 
 me had suddenly set into the mask of an old 
 Greek fury, growing so hideously distorted with 
 the rage of combat that the appearance of them 
 will remain branded upon my mental retina for 
 ever. His big black eyes glowed with more than 
 feline fire ; his lips were drawn tightly back, expos- 
 ing under his scant black moustache the close-set 
 white teeth gleaming in the moonlight ; his hard 
 square chin protruded savagely, like the muzzle of 
 a beast of prey ; his hair, which, after the fashion 
 of those days, was long, lay in tangled masses 
 upon his high, narrow forehead, and the whole 
 face gloomed with the scowl of murder. I could 
 hear the wild beast writhing within him in the 
 ravenous grinding of his teeth, and the hoarse half- 
 smothered curses that were hurled forth as though 
 shot from a volcano of blasphemy within. In a 
 moment the truth flashed upon me, and I knew 
 the secret of Venager's hideous career. The man 
 was mad and there was I, poor Pilgarlic, cut off 
 from all assistance, shut up at night within the 
 
The Colonel's Duel. 175 
 
 four walls of a lonely racket-court, in company 
 with an armed and hostile homicidal maniac. A 
 maniac, but one so skilful in the manipulation of 
 every weapon that no man had yet been found 
 able to stand before him and live. The situation 
 was certainly fraught with both difficulty and 
 danger, and, moreover, I freely admit, was not 
 unattended with some degree of anxiety. But 
 you must not think that I was exactly in the 
 position of a sheep before the slaughterer. I had 
 learnt fencing in France, and though as an all- 
 round swordsman I was but a child in the hands 
 of such a man as Venager, I possessed the know- 
 ledge of one manoeuvre that I felt sure would 
 astonish him. My old maitre d'armes had taught 
 me a thrust the coup de Grisier devised by him- 
 self and called by his own name : it was a sort of 
 half - arm riposte delivered as your adversary 
 attacked in tierce, like this " and as the nar- 
 rator described the movement with a dessert-fork 
 upon a mango, it seemed certainly to possess in 
 an eminent degree the merit of simplicity. Lay- 
 ing down his fork with a complacent smile, the 
 Colonel sipped his claret and resumed : 
 
 " You thus struck your antagonist in the centre 
 of the funny-bone and completely disabled him ; 
 in fact, if sent well home the blow might be relied 
 
176 The Colonel's Duel. 
 
 upon to prevent his ever using his sword again, at 
 any rate with that arm, as long as he lived. But, 
 of course, one had to wait till the man in front 
 exposed himself. . Well, Venager, after waiting for 
 an instant, made a trial-pass at me, which I 
 parried in excellent form. This seemed to surprise 
 him, for he apparently had regarded me as a tyro. 
 He then began to edge away to my left front, 
 disengaging as he moved, but at each disengage I 
 countered and turned with him. For a few 
 moments I began indeed to think that if I 
 remained strictly on the defensive I might perhaps 
 hold my own. But the hope was soon rudely 
 dispelled. Suddenly, like an arrow shot from a 
 strong steel bow, my opponent's sword leapt over 
 my guard and struck me with tremendous force 
 just over the heart. But, strange to say, instead 
 of finding myself transfixed upon the blade, I felt 
 only the slightest prick of the point. I was too 
 much confused by the rapidity of the movement 
 to try my cherished coup, and in the fraction of a 
 second, Venager had recovered his guard and was 
 looking curiously at me surprised, I supposed, that 
 I did not fall in a pool of blood. But seeing that 
 I was not yet what the French call une quantite 
 negligeable, he again began working away to the 
 left, and once more, like a shock of electricity, came 
 
The Co loners Duel. 177 
 
 the blow, straight as a line, for my pericardium. 
 Again I felt the puncture as it were of a needle, 
 but nothing more. If it had not been for the 
 smart, I should have thought that my opponent 
 had a button on his sword; but a moment's 
 reflection would have told me that such a suppo- 
 sition with respect to Arnold Venager was extrava- 
 gant to absurdity. After a feint or two at my 
 right shoulder he again drove his weapon, quick 
 as thought, against my left breast, repeating the 
 attack with apparent success again and again, but, 
 to his evident perplexity and to my bewildered joy, 
 his efforts resulted in nothing more effective than 
 would have been the case if he had been using a 
 blunted foil. It is true that now and again I felt 
 the slight pricking sensation that I have already 
 described, but I was satisfied that as yet I had 
 received no wound. At last I became accustomed 
 to his mode of attack; and as he was lunging at 
 me for the seventh time, I succeeded in accom- 
 plishing the Grisier coup. The result was magical, 
 his arm dropped as though struck by a bullet, and 
 his sword fell with a clang upon the concrete. In 
 half a second I had picked up his weapon and 
 tossed it over the wall. 
 
 " I could hardly believe my senses, Venager the 
 invincible was conquered. The change wrought 
 
 N 
 
178 The Colonel's Duel. 
 
 upon my antagonist by this unexpected termination 
 of our encounter was remarkable. For the first 
 time in his turbulent career he found himself at 
 another man's mercy, and though a determined 
 and persistent duellist, he was not altogether 
 reckless of his life. In all his contests he had felt 
 himself so immeasurably superior to those he 
 fought with that a duel made no great demand 
 upon his courage. At last a fitting test of his 
 fortitude had arrived, how would he acquit himself? 
 His fury at once vanished, and not a trace of 
 excitement was now perceptible. He stood before 
 me cool, collected, and serene, and I could see that 
 he had completely recovered his usual haughty 
 self-confidence. He was moving towards the door, 
 but I barred the way with the point of my sword. 
 
 " ' Why ! what are you going to do ? ' he asked, 
 amazed at my interposition. 
 
 " * Our quarrel is not going to end like this,' said 
 I, placing the point of my sword against his 
 waistcoat. 
 
 " ' Don't for a moment dream that I will apolo- 
 gize to you, if that is what you mean ; and have 
 the goodness to remove your sword,' said he, 
 with a menacing look. 
 
 " ' I will dispense with the formality of an 
 apology,' I replied, 'but I trust that you will 
 
The Colonel's Duel. 179 
 
 recognize the necessity of complying with my 
 desire in another matter ? ' 
 
 " ' Necessity is a strong word,' he sneered. ' Well, 
 state your desire,' and he carelessly attempted to 
 bind up his bleeding elbow with a handkerchief, 
 of which he held one end between his teeth. 
 
 " ' Up in the gallery yonder,' I replied, ' you very 
 considerately recommended me to say my prayers. 
 I did so, and with the result that you have now 
 experienced. May I retort the request upon you ? ' 
 
 "'What in the world do you mean?' he in- 
 quired, loftily. 
 
 " ' I mean that you shall kneel down here and 
 pray for the souls of all those unfortunate men 
 that you have hurried into an untimely grave.' 
 
 " ' Go to the d 1 ! ' was the contemptuous 
 
 reply. 
 
 " ' I shall certainly be under the painful neces- 
 sity of sending you to him,' said I, ' unless you at 
 once do as I have requested you.' He was evidently 
 startled at the firmness of my tone ; but still his 
 predominant feeling was anger. 
 
 " ' Do you think that because you have, by the 
 merest accident, come off best on this one occasion, 
 you can presume to take an attitude of compulsion 
 with me ! ! Have a care, young gentleman ; believe 
 me, you are treading on very dangerous ground. 
 
 N 2 
 
i8o The Colonel's Duel. 
 
 If you were prudent you would solicit my pardon 
 for provoking me to parade you, and would hasten 
 to acknowledge the gross absurdity of your account 
 of that adventure with the birds,' and he again 
 tried to pass by me to the door. But I resolutely 
 warned him back. 
 
 " ' Captain Venager, time presses, down on your 
 knees and make supplication for your victims, or 
 my sword shall pierce you as assuredly as the 
 snipe's bill transfixed the bustard,' and I put my- 
 self on guard with a tragic flourish. Venager 
 started with indignation at this fresh instance of 
 my audacity. 
 
 " * By the powers that made you,' he cried, in 
 threatening accents, ' before the week is out I will 
 teach you, Mr. Bowlong, such a lesson as will 
 make you wish that you had never been born ! ' 
 and he shook his left fist furiously. 
 
 " My reply to this menace was a fierce thrust at 
 his chest, which he avoided only by quickly stepping 
 backwards. 
 
 " c Would you murder me, you infernal scoun- 
 drel ! ' he shouted, as I followed him slowly up 
 towards the back wall. 
 
 "'You know full well,' said I, bitterly, 'that 
 you brought me here with the deliberate intention 
 of murdering me no doubt under the cover of 
 
The Colonel's Duel. 181 
 
 conventional forms, but of murdering me never- 
 theless. Now, sir, what is to prevent my dropping 
 you where you stand, and saying it was done in 
 fair fight, to which you forced me. Here are your 
 own swords to bear me out, and there is no wit- 
 ness to disprove the statement. By heaven ! to 
 kill you would be as meritorious as to shoot a 
 tiger or to crush a cobra. Down on your knees, 
 vampire, and pray for your murdered dead, or 1 
 drive my weapon home ! ' 
 
 " All the time that I had been speaking I had 
 continued to advance upon him, until I had forced 
 him, pallid and trembling with impotent rage, 
 into a corner. Of course, I could not kill an 
 unarmed man, but I pretended to be as ruthless a 
 ruffian as my antagonist, and such is the effect of 
 an evil conscience that he believed me to be in 
 earnest. 
 
 " ' Hold hard, you young madman,' he cried, as 
 I brought my sword's point within a hair's breadth 
 of his throat, c what, in the name of folly, is it that 
 you want ? ' 
 
 " ' Kneel,' I repeated, in my sternest accents, 
 ' and repeat what I tell you.' As I spoke I drew 
 back my sword and made as though his death 
 would be the immediate result of further hesitation. 
 For an instant he wavered ; he was balancing the 
 
182 The Colonel's Duel. 
 
 chances of a sudden spring and a struggle, but my 
 point was in a line with his throat, and behind him 
 was the wall ; the odds were hopelessly against 
 him, and seeing me rolling my eyes and displaying 
 my teeth just as he himself had done during the 
 fight, he thought he read his doom in my face, 
 and with an awful imprecation, down he went on 
 to his marrow-bones. Ye gods ! what a sight for 
 men and angels ! How I regretted that some of the 
 Eegiment were not present to witness it. Arnold 
 Venager, the destroyer, the pitiless tyrant whom 
 all men feared and courted, down on his knees 
 before the junior subaltern, and repeating a pious 
 formula which that exemplary young person was 
 carefully composing for his benefit. I made him 
 pray first for poor Jack Kichardson, then for Kegi- 
 nald Allaway, Clarence Payne, Dick Fitzmaurice, 
 and as many more as I could recollect, some two 
 dozen in all ; and then, hearing our trumpets in the 
 barrack-square sounding the ' fall-in,' I lowered my 
 sword and allowed my unwilling bedesman to get 
 up. We left the court in silence. Outside in the 
 moonlight stood our animals where we had tethered 
 them. When Venager had mounted he turned to 
 me, and growled : ' There is one soul that you 
 forgot to offer prayers for, but which will require 
 it before long.' As he sat bareheaded on his black 
 
The Colonel's Duel, 183 
 
 seventeen-hand Australian, under the shadow of 
 the trees, he looked like some demon huntsman 
 in an enchanted forest. 
 
 "'Whose soul do you refer to?' I asked, as I 
 scrambled on to my pony. 
 
 " ' Your own ! ' he thundered, and wheeling his 
 charger, he galloped headlong into the darkness. 
 
 " ' That means pistols next time,' I reflected, 
 ' and no coup de Grisier can help me at that game.' 
 But I had little time to ponder future eventualities, 
 my present and leading thought was how to get on 
 to parade before the Regiment marched, so I 
 spurred my pony and made full tilt for home. My 
 charger was standing ready saddled at the door, 
 belts, sword, and uniform lay on the cot, and in 
 quicker time than I had ever before done it, I was 
 on the parade-ground, following my Captain down 
 the line. Luckily for me, Venager did not live to 
 play the return match. Before the week was out 
 he had fallen at the storming of Muzbutjak." 
 
 "But, Colonel, how do you account for your 
 wonderful escape from those seven or eight thrusts 
 that were made at you? " inquired the Doctor. 
 
 The Colonel's eye twinkled : " Oh ! I had for- 
 gotten to tell you about that part of the business. I 
 owed my life, humanly speaking, to old Battis- 
 combe's cigar-case, which I had thoughtlessly stuck 
 
184 The Colonel's Duel. 
 
 into my breast-pocket. But it was mainly the mono- 
 gram that saved me, for and it proved the deadly 
 accuracy of Venager's hand and eye not a single 
 blow had missed the metal, which, as chance had 
 it, exactly covered and protected my heart. The 
 leather opposite the characters was simply cut to 
 ribbons, and the cheroots that lay between were 
 chopped into chaff. As for the design itself, it was 
 so hacked and twisted that Battiscombe actually 
 failed to recognize his own initials ! Indeed, few 
 of those to whom I have shown this interesting 
 relic have been able to detect in the tangle the 
 letters * F. I. B.' 
 
 " What's the joke, Doctor ? " 
 
THE SECEET OF THE SNOWS. 
 
 SIR MUNDUS TROTTER, M.P., while on a cold- 
 weather tour through India some years ago, spent 
 a day or two at our station and dined one evening 
 at the mess. He was an alert, vivacious little man, 
 and eager for information upon all topics relating 
 to India. During dinner the conversation turned 
 upon the Sepoy Mutiny, and our guest expressed 
 his surprise at the lack of authentic information 
 relating to the fate of Nana Sahib. 
 
 " Jules Verne will tell you all about it," observed 
 the Doctor, laughing. 
 
 " But that is fiction," interposed Colonel Bow- 
 long, " and Sir Mundus is inquiring after fact." 
 
 " Quite so," said the visitor ; " and it is to my 
 mind one of the most remarkable circumstances in 
 history that the fate of a man whose deeds are so 
 notorious should continue to be wrapped in 
 mystery." 
 
 " His fate is not unknown, Sir Mundus," replied 
 the Colonel, solemnly. 
 
1 86 The Secret of the Snows. 
 
 " Indeed, sir ! You surprise me," exclaimed the 
 other. "Are you, then, acquainted with the 
 secret ? " 
 
 " The end of that miscreant was known to only 
 three people," continued the Colonel. " Two of 
 them have gone to their long home the third, 
 sir, is now addressing you." 
 
 Sir Mundus slowly lowered the claret- glass 
 that he was raising to his lips, and, adjusting a 
 pair of gold pince-nez spectacles, turned towards 
 the Colonel with a look of profound interest, 
 mingled with growing personal respect. 
 
 " Were you, sir, then an actor in the closing 
 scene of that tremendous drama, the opening of 
 which was enacted at Cawnpore? " 
 
 " In truth, I was," responded the Colonel with a 
 sigh, as though the recollection came fraught with 
 tragic memories. 
 
 " Might I, Colonel Bowlong, without undue pre- 
 sumption, ask to be favoured with this momentous 
 fragment of unwritten history ? To hear it would 
 alone be worth a voyage to India." 
 
 " Shall we move into the verandah ? " said the 
 Colonel, courteously, as he rose from the table ; 
 " you may find me less prosy over a cigar." 
 
 All of us being comfortably settled in our 
 favourite chairs, with our Manillas well aglow, the 
 
The Secret of the Snows. 187 
 
 Colonel spoke as follows : " When Havelock made 
 his first attempt to get to Lucknow, he left Neill 
 and me in charge of his base at Cawnpore. As 
 we two sat at dinner on the night of the General's 
 departure, Neill said to me : * Bowlong, my boy, 
 I shall not die happy unless I know that the Bithoor 
 butcher has had his ' kail through the reek.' Of 
 course, I can't leave this post, but it is different 
 with you. Marmaduke, you are the man to run 
 him down. You shall have half a troop of cavalry 
 and a lakh of rupees, and as much time as you 
 like, 1 
 
 " ' I'll do it, Jamie,' I said ; ' I shall not want 
 the troopers, but I accept the time and the tin.' 
 
 " That was all that passed between us on the 
 subject. Long before gun-fire next morning I 
 was closeted with the high priest of the little 
 temple by the Suttee Chowra Ghat. This man 
 was a very slippery character. From his won- 
 derful knack of betraying his friends and cir- 
 cumventing his enemies, he had for years been 
 known among the natives by the name of * Bura- 
 balany,' or the ' old Twister.' At the outbreak of 
 the Mutiny he had attached himself to Sir Hugh 
 Wheeler, and had repeatedly warned him against 
 the Nana ; but finding the veteran deaf to his 
 cautions, and foreseeing his own ruin in the 
 
1 88 The Secret of the Snows. 
 
 destruction that overhung the confiding British 
 community, he cast in his lot with the mutineers, 
 and thenceforward was one of Sir Hugh's most 
 dangerous enemies ; then seeing the tide turning 
 with the approach of Havelock's column, he 
 promptly ratted from his rebel friends, and by 
 timely information of an important character 
 made his peace with the Sirkar, and had ever since 
 professed the strongest desire to assist us. He was 
 doubtless afraid that some ugly facts about the 
 massacre might crop up, and he thought it safest 
 to hedge. After a decent amount of beating about 
 the bush, I came to the point :' Where is the 
 Nana ? ' 
 
 "'He is dead.' 
 
 "' How dead?' 
 
 " ' Drowned, my lord, in the holy Ganges.' 
 
 " ' Are you certain of that ? ' 
 
 " ' Huzoor, did I not see him die ? ' 
 
 " ' Where, and when ? ' 
 
 " c Khudawund, be not angry with me ! On the 
 night that the victorious Havelock Bahadur drove 
 the rebel sons of dogs from Cawnpore, I procured 
 a boat, and taking it to Bithoor, received Nana 
 Punt at the landing-place. He entered the boat, 
 followed by a servant carrying a lantern ; a crowd 
 of Gunga Putras had accompanied him to the ghat. 
 
The Secret of the Snows. 189 
 
 He gave them the blessing of a dying priest, saying 
 with a loud voice : ' My sons, when this light is 
 extinguished, I shall be in the arms of Mother 
 Gunga.' We pushed off and rowed across the 
 river, then the light was put out, and the 
 Nana ' 
 
 " * Stepped ashore, mounted a horse that was 
 in readiness, and rode away,' said I, concluding 
 the sentence. 
 
 " Burabalang looked at me with a terrified stare. 
 He knew that it was deadly dangerous work 
 playing fast and loose with James Neill. 
 
 " ' Come, was it not so ? ' I demanded, sharply. 
 
 " ' The nourisher of the poor knows everything,' 
 muttered the Brahmin. 
 
 " ' There is one thing that I don't know, and that 
 you must help me to discover, namely, the Nana's 
 present hiding-place,' said I, trying to fix his 
 shifty eyes. 
 
 " The Twister was about to utter an elaborate 
 disclaimer, when I interposed, ' If you will help me 
 to lay my hand upon the Nana I will give you a 
 lakh of rupees.' 
 
 " The priest started as though electrified. I 
 had appealed to his ruling passion, and he 
 was evidently experiencing a tremendous mental 
 struggle. 
 
190 The Secret of the Snows. 
 
 11 ' But the sin,' he pleaded, ' the inexpiable sin ; 
 you will hang him. It will be owing to my help, 
 and he is very holy.' 
 
 " * True,' I answered ; ' but then a lakh of 
 rupees will enable you to purge yourself of a far 
 greater enormity than the seizure of a rebel and 
 murderer. See, I will add to the gift complete 
 indemnity for all offences that you may have com- 
 mitted up to the present moment.' 
 
 " This turned the trembling scale. The old 
 Twister sat for a moment nervously cracking his 
 fingers, then he said : ' I will lead you to Nana 
 Punt, but we must start at once, for he is moving 
 northward. Ah ! Govinda ! who is that ? ' 
 
 "I turned, and caught sight of a dusky figure 
 hurrying away from the door. I immediately 
 despatched my orderly in pursuit, but the fleeting 
 shadow had vanished in the mist. 
 
 " Before the sun was well above the horizon we 
 were on our way. I was disguised as a native 
 cavalry trooper, my face and hands being stained 
 with a vegetable juice, and my apparel carefully 
 selected by the Brahmin. I was well mounted, but 
 my companion, who was soft and portly, travelled in 
 a palanquin ; our progress, therefore, was so slow 
 that by nightfall we had done barely twenty miles, 
 and were still three leagues short of the Nana's 
 
The Secret of the Snows. 191 
 
 hiding-place. The bearers being dead-beat, refused 
 to proceed until they had eaten and rested, and as 
 the priest could neither walk nor ride, I proposed 
 to proceed alone ; but Burabalang represented that 
 without a certain pass-word, which he would not 
 divulge to me, I should not be able to obtain 
 entrance to the retreat. I had therefore to wait, 
 kicking my heels till past midnight, when the 
 Twister's team consented to go on. It was not till 
 the sun was rising that we found ourselves outside 
 the courtyard of a lonely mutt, or monastery, at the 
 edge of a thick jungle. A small window in the 
 massive gate was cautiously unbarred, and in reply 
 to a whispered question from within, my companion 
 muttered what sounded like ' Hari Bol,' upon 
 which the gate swung open. Burabalang explained 
 that he was the Nana's domestic guru, and that I 
 was a Bithoor sepoy flying from the English ; where- 
 upon the people of the mutt received us cordially 
 and gave us wheaten cakes and curd. They told us 
 that the Nana, having suddenly received intimation 
 of approaching danger from Cawnpore, had, accom- 
 panied by a few followers, ridden off shortly after 
 midnight, his point being a small monastery in the 
 heart of the jungle, some five-and-twenty miles 
 away. When the palki-bearers learnt that we were 
 about to penetrate the gloomy forest before them, 
 
1 92 The Secret of the Snows. 
 
 they fairly struck ; and neither the fear of punish- 
 ment nor the hope of reward would induce them 
 to trot another foot. Seeing this deadlock, I told 
 the Brahmin he must ride, and purchasing a stout 
 country cob, with a comfortable saddle, from one 
 of the lay brothers, I made my fat friend mount 
 and accompany me. When we arrived at the 
 jungle monastery Burabalang was nearly dead with 
 fatigue, and could hardly gasp out his ' Hari Bol.' 
 Here again we were late by some hours, and the 
 Nana had once more escaped us. The porter, how- 
 ever, put us upon his track, and after a brief halt 
 we resumed the pursuit. At the next resting-place 
 the bird had only just flown, 'and if our horses had 
 been able to do a mile gallop we should have 
 caught him ; but the animals were now suffering 
 from want of food, and it was impossible to get 
 them beyond the monastery gates. Here, then, we 
 had to halt twelve hours to enable our cattle to 
 pull themselves together. The Twister declared he 
 was a mass of aches and pains, that his head was 
 hot and his feet were cold, that he had a swelling 
 in his heart, and hot coals in his spine, and it 
 required all my energy and determination to prevent 
 his returning to Cawnpore. 
 
 " The course of the flight now took a north- 
 easterly direction ; the halting-places were some- 
 
The Secret of the Snows. 193 
 
 times temples, sometimes mutts, and occasionally 
 the private residences of Brahmins ; thus we 
 journeyed on for a fortnight, always from twelve 
 to twenty-four hours behind the fugitives. In this 
 manner we crossed Oude, forded the Gunduck 
 river and entered the Terai. It was now clear to 
 me that the Nana was heading for the hills beyond 
 Siliguri, in which wild country I feared he would 
 give us the slip. Continuing to pass ourselves off 
 as his followers, which in one sense we certainly 
 were, we had no difficulty in getting supplies ; our 
 horses now held out well, and Burabalang was grow- 
 ing as hard as a dervish. Halting for the night 
 near Kurseong we fell in with a shikari, who told 
 us that our friends in advance were encamped 
 within half a mile of us. Dead-beat though we 
 were we pushed on and came upon the Nana's 
 camp-fire, which he could not have left much more 
 than an hour before. Here we found one of his 
 followers dying from exhaustion. He recognized 
 Burabalang and spoke to him without reserve. 
 He told us that the Nana was now accompanied by 
 only two attendants ; five had died from fever, two 
 had run away, and one had fallen victim to a 
 snake. The Nana's original intention had been to 
 reach the Khylasa Mountain, but hearing that the 
 hill-people were murdering all the low-country 
 
194 The Secret of the Snows. 
 
 strangers that came in their way, he had turned 
 towards Darjeeling with the intention of seeking an 
 asylum at Lhassa. His sufferings had been excru- 
 ciating, and he kept up his strength only by 
 drenching himself with opium. The party, when 
 they left the Ganges, had been mounted on 
 Mahratta ponies of the rarest breed, and this 
 accounted for the way in which they had kept 
 ahead of us. We halted by the fire for some 
 hours, for our limbs were so stiff with the cold 
 that we were quite unable to sit on our horses. 
 Long ere the dawn, the Nana's retainer died, not, 
 however, before he had told us that warning 
 of my intended pursuit had been conveyed to the 
 Nana by a man whom I was employing in Cawn- 
 pore in a confidential capacity, and who had 
 overheard my morning's conversation with the 
 priest. Shortly after sunrise we resumed our 
 march, but our progress was very slow, for the 
 road was bad and we had no guide. We rode 
 through Darjeeling at midnight. Burabalang 
 implored me to stop for food and rest, but I was 
 afraid the Nana would slip on through Sikkim, 
 and it might take us years to run him down on the 
 boundless plains of Thibet. A little way out of the 
 town we came upon a dead pony, and about a mile 
 further on we saw another, from which we knew 
 
The Secret of the Snows. 195 
 
 that at any rate two of the fugitives were reduced 
 to Shanks's mare. At daylight I saw for the first 
 time the magnificent spectacle of the Snowy 
 Eange. Away to the left was Everest, with its 
 helmet-like top, and in front of me was Kinchin- 
 junga, gleaming like a king in silver armour 
 enthroned among his barons. That morning we 
 halted at a Buddhist temple, and here I noted a 
 change in the pass-word. ' Hari Bol' no longer 
 served ; the countersign now was ' mani pe mi 
 hun,' and the Twister declared that these words 
 would admit us into any monastery from Senchal 
 to Lhassa. The room that we occupied had been 
 vacated by the Nana that morning at sunrise, and 
 in the stable, lying at its last gasp, was the pony 
 that had carried the rebel leader from Bithoor. 
 
 " After a few hours' rest we again pressed 
 forward, and snow having fallen during the 
 previous night we could now track the fugitives by 
 their foot-marks. Burabalang at once recognized 
 and pointed out a short, broad indentation as the 
 foot-print of the rebel chief. Shortly afterwards 
 we learnt from some travelling Bhutia traders that 
 three low-countrymen were struggling on about 
 a mile ahead of us. We spurred forward, 
 anticipating an early end to our tedious chase, 
 when we suddenly found ourselves brought up by 
 
 o 2 
 
196 The Secret of the Snows. 
 
 a deep and rapid river, once spanned by a cane 
 bridge ; but the canes now floated uselessly in the 
 stream, the Nana and his followers having secured 
 a respite by cutting the suspending withies. 
 Darkness was now coming on, and it was necessary 
 for us to seek refuge for the night in a Lepcha's 
 hut, and to wait till daylight for our host to conduct 
 us to a ford. This threw us back twelve hours, but 
 we clung to the track like sleuth-hounds. At noon 
 that day our horses gave out and we, like our quarry, 
 had to proceed on foot ; my companion suffered a 
 good deal from the cold, but I kept up his spirits 
 by talking of the lakh of rupees that he was to 
 receive and by enlarging on the pleasures and 
 honours in store for him. At last we reached the 
 foot of the Snowy Eange, and here the divergent 
 footprints told us that the party had separated. 
 Two had strayed away to the west towards Nepaul, 
 while the third had pressed on steadily up the 
 slopes of Kinchinjunga. The marks that formed 
 this trail were short and broad. The priest was 
 in favour of leaving this track, which he pointed 
 out led to certain death, and urged me to follow up 
 the pair. I acquiesced, for I was certain that the 
 man in front of us could not escape, and I wished 
 to make sure of the identity of the others; they 
 were not far off, and their progress was evidently 
 
The Secret of the Snows. 197 
 
 slow and difficult. Every now and then we came 
 upon an impression on the snow showing where 
 one had stumbled and fallen, or had thrown him- 
 self down for a moment's rest. About noon we 
 came upon both the fugitives ; one was lying on 
 his back, the other on his side, and Burabalang 
 at once recognized them as palace servants of 
 Bithoor. The elder of the two was already dead ; 
 the younger one, who was dying fast, in reply to 
 our question as to the whereabouts of the Nana, 
 pointed faintly towards Kinchinjunga, and then, 
 exhausted by the effort, fell back and followed his 
 companion to the abode of Yama. Quickly re- 
 tracing our footsteps, we regained the Nana's trail 
 just as the sun was setting. As the night came on, 
 the cold became severe, and it was with intense 
 satisfaction that I observed a light gleaming a 
 little ahead of us ; it was from a fire in front of the 
 tent of a Thibetan pedlar, who readily gave us 
 food and shelter for the night. At dawn I roused 
 my companion and compelled him, though he 
 pointed dolefully to his swollen feet, to rise and 
 accompany me. He slowly trudged after me in 
 sullen silence, and we had not ascended more than 
 two miles when he sat down and refused by all the 
 gods of his Pantheon to budge another inch. 
 Testily bidding him return to the tent, I pressed 
 
198 The Secret of the Snows. 
 
 on, and with those short, broad footsteps in front 
 of me, I promised myself that in the course of 
 a few hours I should have captured the most 
 ruthless savage of the age. With no refreshment 
 save a few handfuls of snow, for I had to husband 
 my provisions, I continued clambering till sun- 
 down, then wrapping myself in a poshtin that I 
 had bought in the last monastery, I crept into a 
 cave that had probably once been the lair of a 
 wild beast. Here I ate a chupatti and drank a 
 little brandy; I intended to have a smoke, but 
 before I had lit my pipe I had fallen asleep. 
 The next day the sun and I were up together, and 
 Excelsior was still the word, but the snow being 
 deep and the gradient severe, nightfall found me 
 still at a considerable distance from the summit. 
 That night there was no cave for me, so I lay out in 
 the open. It was bitterly cold, but I managed to 
 snatch a few hours'- sleep, resuming my upward 
 march on the third day as fresh as a daisy. 
 
 "I still had a handful of dried peas and a 
 chupatti in my trousers' pocket, and this with a 
 few drops of brandy remaining in my flask fur- 
 nished my breakfast. At eleven o'clock I was 
 within hail of the top, and by noon, sir, I stood 
 upon the summit. The stillness of these Hima- 
 layan solitudes, the intense loneliness of the eternal 
 
The Secret of the Snoivs. 199 
 
 snows, the pervading sense of immutability, filled 
 me with the most solemn sensations, but as I looked 
 wonderingly around me I started with joy ; for, 
 seated not forty yards from where I stood was a 
 man; his arms were clasped around his knees, and 
 his head was leaning forward with the face turned 
 upwards towards the sky. A second glance, 
 however, convinced me that I was gazing upon a 
 corpse ; the eyes were staring stonily, the mouth 
 was drawn back with a sort of scornful'grin, and a 
 few light snowflakes that rested upon the livid flesh 
 remained unmelted. The face was that of a 
 Mahratta Brahmin, the holy mark was on the 
 forehead, the Peishwa's signet-ring was on the 
 finger ; the form before me was the Nana ! Yes 
 within reach of my good right arm crouched the 
 bloody butcher of Bithoor. Overpowered by my 
 emotions, I drew my sabre and cut down with all 
 my strength upon his neck. The blade shivered in 
 a dozen pieces, but made no impression upon the 
 body, which was frozen to the temper of adamant. 
 I might as well have tried to cleave the Pillar of 
 Asoka. The sound of the blow rang across those 
 silent wastes, echoing from peak to peak like a 
 voice from another world. As it died away in the 
 far distance, an avalanche fell into an ice-bound 
 valley, and an eagle, startled from his eyry, floated 
 
2oo The Secret of the Snows. 
 
 majestically to a distant crag. But snow was fall- 
 ing, and it was past noon, so, forcing the signet- 
 ring from the finger of the frozen figure, I lost no 
 time in commencing the descent. It had taken 
 me three days to get up, but I did the return 
 journey in six hours. Near where I had left 
 Burabalang I stumbled over, and nearly fell upon, 
 what seemed to me to be a boulder of ice, but 
 which a closer inspection proved to be the unfortu- 
 nate old Twister. The Brahmin, deprived of 
 my stimulating presence, had allowed himself to 
 sink upon a snow-drift, where he rapidly froze 
 to death. 
 
 "My journey back was devoid of interest. I 
 hastened by forced marches to Cawnpore, where I 
 delivered the ring to Neill, and explained how I 
 had accomplished my mission without spending a 
 cowrie of the lakh of rupees which he had pro- 
 mised to allot me. Neill lost no time in reporting 
 the result of my expedition to Havelock, and each 
 expressed himself to be perfectly satisfied with the 
 zealous manner in which I had hunted the Nana 
 to his death. But Havelock, always sensitive re- 
 garding the reputation of his subordinates, hesi- 
 tated to publish the story to the world. It was so 
 unprecedented, so full of marvel, so utterly in- 
 credible to those who did not know me, that he 
 
The Secret of the Snows. 201 
 
 feared it would evoke a storm of derision. You 
 see I had no further evidence to support my tale 
 than the ring and the frozen body on the peak, by 
 this time probably buried in the drifting snow. I 
 had not been able to report myself to the autho- 
 rities during the pursuit, and I had neglected to 
 do so in the course of my return. My sole witness, 
 the Brahmin priest, was dead, * and Bowlong's fair 
 fame,' observed the good General, ' must not be 
 lightly exposed to the aspersions of malice and the 
 attacks of ignorance.' I acquiesced for the time, 
 but was determined as soon as the campaign was 
 over to compel both Havelock and Neill to see that 
 justice was done me, but, as ill luck would have it, 
 within three months of my return to Cawnpore 
 their earthly career had terminated, and, for the 
 sake of the unimpeached veracity that is my 
 dearest treasure, I have preserved unbroken silence 
 till to-night. Some sort of version of the affair, 
 however, curiously enough, did get abroad, and for 
 a time it was believed that I had followed the Nana 
 to the top of Everest ! and had there pelted him 
 to death with snow-balls. This, Sir Mundus, I 
 need not tell you, was palpably absurd, for no 
 living man has ever yet set foot on the summit of 
 the highest mountain in the world." 
 
 Sir Mundus, taking from his pocket a large 
 
2O2 The Secret of the Snows. 
 
 note-book and a little pencil, now rose, and, grasp- 
 ing our Chiefs hand, said, in a voice of deep emo- 
 tion : " Colonel Bowlong, this feat of yours shall 
 no longer be hidden in the gloom of official neglect. 
 You, sir, shall emerge from the unmerited 
 obscurity in which you have for so long a period 
 languished. I will, with your assistance, now 
 proceed to note down the heads of your incom- 
 parable exploit, and when I return to England I 
 will, from my place in Parliament, proclaim the 
 matchless fortitude, constancy, and endurance with 
 which you, almost singlehanded, hunted down the 
 Tiger of Cawnpore. I will compel the British 
 Government to recognize your unexampled 
 achievement, or I will make the country ring and 
 sparkle with your wrongs. I will " 
 
 The Colonel, who had made several attempts to 
 introduce a word, now broke in upon the legislator's 
 eloquence. " No, no, Sir Mundus, your kindness 
 is unspeakable, and no doubt your influence is 
 very great, but I can't have my name dragged 
 into the House of Commons. The time that has 
 passed, my extreme disinclination to publicity, 
 my my sensitive regard for my character as a 
 truth-telling man ' 
 
 Here Sir Mundus eagerly interposed : " Your 
 brilliant action shall not continue to be hidden. I 
 
The Secret of the Snows. 203 
 
 will not hear of it, sir ; you modest heroes are 
 just the men that we Radicals must fight for ; the 
 blatant swashbuckler with the House of Lords 
 behind him can take care of himself, but silent, 
 retiring merit needs a mouthpiece, and, Colonel 
 Bowlong, you shall find that mouthpiece in Mundus 
 Trotter. From my place in Parliament I will 
 publish your achievement to the nation, and will 
 vindicate your claims." 
 
 The Colonel held up his hand imploringly. 
 "My achievement was the merest trifle, and claims 
 I have absolutely none." 
 
 Sir Mundus, silencing the old gentleman with a 
 dramatic wave of the arm, continued : " The 
 Secretary of State for India shall have no rest 
 until he has caused every record-office in the land 
 to be ransacked for evidence of your services. You 
 shall be made a C.B., Colonel Bowlong, perhaps a 
 K.C.B. From my place in " 
 
 The Colonel, who now disclosed symptoms of 
 serious agitation, here placed both his hands upon 
 the statesman's narrow shoulders. " Sir Mundus 
 Trotter, I beg you to listen to me. If you will 
 not have mercy upon my modesty, at least respect 
 the sanctity of the mess- table. True, we are 
 now in the verandah, yet you are still my guest, 
 and I have unveiled to you this secret of the 
 
2O4 The Secret of the Snows. 
 
 eternal snows in the assured confidence that the 
 mystery would never be made the subject of 
 public comment. I appeal to you not to give us 
 occasion to complain that Eastern hospitality was 
 betrayed by Western ingratitude. Spare us the 
 necessity and yourself the shame of such a sad 
 reproach." And the old man removed one of his 
 hands in order to mop his heated face with a large 
 bandana. 
 
 " Nay, sir, if you urge your protest on those 
 grounds, of course I yield," said theM.P., evidently 
 speaking with strong reluctance. " I yield, but, 
 believe me, this morbid self-depreciation does you 
 and yours very grievous harm ; you should be at 
 this moment a General Officer, and Aide-de-Camp 
 to the Queen. Think of it, my dear sir, and if 
 before I leave India I receive your permission to do 
 so, I will from my place in Parliament ." 
 
 "Enough, sir," smiled the Colonel with a sigh of 
 exquisite relief ; " enough, I have your promise. 
 Now we will close the evening with a bowl of 
 Pandour punch. Did you ever taste ' Samson with 
 his hair on,' Sir Mundus ? No ? Bless my soul ! 
 Here, mess-boy, quick, bring brandy and curaQoa, 
 three green chillies, and a box of matches." The 
 composition was soon prepared, and Colonel Bow- 
 long's solicitude for his guest was such that when 
 
The Secret of the Snows. 205 
 
 the politician was taken home in his host's car- 
 riage at midnight, although he still referred with 
 much emphasis to his contemplated exertions on 
 behalf of his friend from " plashinparlmnt," the 
 orator was in no condition to exert material influ- 
 ence upon a debate, and when he awoke the next 
 morning his mind, in so far as the events of the 
 previous night were concerned, was as colourless 
 as the snows that shrouded the Colonel's secret. 
 
DIDONE; 
 
 OR, 
 
 THE COLONEL'S LOVE TALE. 
 
 ONE evening we were discussing a wedding that 
 had lately taken place in the station, a union that 
 local gossip ascribed more to the enterprise of the 
 lady than to the advances of the gentleman. 
 
 " I can't believe," observed the Major, as he 
 gravely scanned the rowel of his left spur, " that 
 a woman ever went so far as actually, don't you 
 know, to propose to a fellow." 
 
 " Don't be too certain of that," chirruped the 
 junior Cornet, shaking his curly little head 
 sapiently, " I can tell you I've known some deuced 
 curious things happen over that line of country." 
 
 Colonel Bowlong regarded the lad approvingly. 
 "Snapper is right," said he. "Why, I myself 
 was proposed to in the most determined manner 
 when I was a young fellow, and by a very beautiful 
 young woman too. By George ! it required the 
 
Didond ; or, The Colonel's Love Tale. 207 
 
 help of an entire British Army Corps to enable me 
 to escape her." 
 
 " Was that in Europe or in India, Colonel ? " 
 inquired Snapper, in a confidential tone, as though 
 he and his chief were co-proficients in mysteries 
 from which the rest of us were excluded. 
 
 " The event took place in Africa," said the 
 Colonel, not so much replying to the Cornet as 
 addressing us all, and the circumstances are so 
 remarkable that I think they will bear repetition. 
 
 The speaker called for a whiskey-and-soda ; 
 whereupon we closed round his long arm-chair, 
 and the tale began : 
 
 " In the beginning of '68 I exchanged into a 
 Kegiment stationed at Aden, and before I had 
 joined it a month, I was, for my sins, sent on 
 detachment to Perim. Here I found myself 
 shelved for six of the hottest months in the year, 
 with nothing to amuse me but a few books and 
 an old telescope. I stood it for over a fortnight 
 and then began to think of suicide, but while I 
 was debating as to the least objectionable method 
 of making my quietus, a Suez buggalow touched at 
 Perim on her way to Massowah. My mind was 
 at once made up, and tossing all thoughts of 
 self-destruction to the winds, I handed over charge 
 of the Island to the sergeant, and, boarding the 
 
208 Didond ; or, 
 
 buggalow, sailed to Abyssinia, intending to spend 
 the remainder of my time in shooting elephants 
 and guinea-fowls. 
 
 " Find me out ! who was to do that? In those 
 days the Island was never inspected more than 
 once in five years. Have you never heard of the 
 sportsman who did his tour of Perim in Pall Mall ? 
 
 " On board the buggalow I made friends with an 
 old Coptic priest who was on his way to visit the 
 Abuna or Metropolitan at Magdala. The priest 
 easily persuaded me to accompany him as far as 
 the Tigre country, where he assured me I should 
 find plenty of game, and should receive hospitable 
 treatment from the inhabitants. We landed at 
 Arkiko, near Massowah, and there I purchased a 
 fine dromedary of the kind known among the Arabs 
 as wind-racers, or rapid-goers, but as my com- 
 panion's mount was only a feeble old donkey I had 
 no opportunity of putting my animal's speed and 
 endurance to the proof ; later on, however, as I shall 
 show you, he might have stood me in right good 
 stead. After a short but very interesting journey, 
 we arrived at Axum, and were warmly welcomed by 
 a Coptic deacon, Paul Erasmus by name, who, in 
 former years, had been a fellow- student of the 
 priest's at Cairo, and was now domiciled in Abys- 
 sinia. The deacon told us that, as it was custom- 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 209 
 
 ary to present all strangers of respectability to the 
 Princess Kegnant, he would arrange for our recep- 
 tion by Her Majesty upon the following day, after 
 which the priest would be at liberty to continue 
 his journey to Galla-land, and I should most 
 probably obtain permission to shoot in the royal 
 preserves either at Axum or at Adowa. 
 
 " On the day appointed for the interview, the 
 priest arrayed himself in his clerical vestments, 
 and I put on my full-dress tunic, which, in view 
 of the possibility of introductions at Native Courts, 
 I had rammed into my valise before leaving 
 Perim. It was a beautiful day, cold but with a 
 bright sun, and the whole town was en fete for the 
 Negus's birthday. At noon we heard a great 
 blowing of conches and firing of guns, which, we 
 were told, announced that the Princess had taken 
 her seat upon the throne, and in the course of a 
 few minutes a grand functionary of State, a sort 
 of Lord Chamberlain, dressed in a lion's skin and 
 three ostrich-feathers, came, accompanied by a 
 score or two of spearmen, to inform us that the 
 Far- Shining Didone, Queen of Adowa, Princess of 
 Axum, and heiress-presumptive of Lijkasa, King 
 of kings, Emperor of Ethiopia, and Negus of 
 Abyssinia, had commanded him, Limpopo, her 
 poor slave and herald, to communicate to us the 
 
 p 
 
2io Didond ; or, 
 
 fact that her pellucid Majesty had graciously 
 consented to concede to us the privilege of crawling 
 to the steps of her throne." 
 
 The Colonel here paused for a drink, and then 
 continued : 
 
 " This language, however, was purely figurative, 
 for, in point of fact, we walked into the hall on 
 our hind legs like Christians, and were ceremoni- 
 ously escorted by Limpopo to the royal dais, where 
 we were given a seat upon a stuffed giraffe ; the 
 skin was well tanned and, being filled with silk- 
 cotton, somewhat resembled the poitffe of a modern 
 drawing-room. The following conversation then 
 took place, the designation applied to us having 
 reference to the colour of our apparel. The 
 Princess began : 
 
 " 'Wherefore hath the ugly old black man come? ' 
 
 " ' To pray, your Serenity,' replied Limpopo, 
 who before admitting us to the presence had sub- 
 jected us to a severe cross-examination through 
 the medium of an interpreter. 
 
 " ' And the comely red youth ? ' 
 
 " ' To slay, Diaphaneity.' 
 
 " ' Where the praying ? ' 
 
 " ' In Magdala, Lady of Light.' 
 
 "' And the slaughter?' 
 
 " ' Here, if thy Brilliancy permitteth it.' 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 2 1 1 
 
 " * Doth the red youth slay warriors? ' 
 
 " ' Nay, Sunbeam, men he slayeth not, but the 
 elephant, the zebra, the giraffe, the hyena, the 
 quagga, and the double-horned rhinoceros he 
 moweth down like autumn rushes.' 
 
 " ' Hath he the heart to meet a lion ? ' 
 
 "'His heart containeth the courage of seven 
 lions, bright Star of the Morning.' 
 
 " ' Give unto each of them salt. The ugly old 
 black man may proceed upon his journey, the 
 comely red youth will tarry here.' 
 
 " During this curious scene the Princess twice 
 removed her veil and disclosed a face not unlike 
 that of a Circassian ; she seemed to be about four- 
 and- twenty years old, and, so far as I could discover, 
 was of a tall and graceful figure. On the little 
 finger of her right hand she wore an enormous 
 gold ring, in which was a fine turquoise surrounded 
 by rubies and emeralds ; this, I afterwards learnt, 
 was peculiarly an emblem of Tigrani royalty, in 
 fact, the ring alone constituted the Axum regalia, 
 neither crown nor sceptre being known to the 
 Abyssinians. 
 
 " On the day after our presentation, my Coptic 
 friend started for Magdala ; and I received a 
 courteously worded invitation, through Limpopo 
 and the interpreter, to occupy a small house 
 
 p 2 
 
212 Didond ; or, 
 
 situated within the precincts of the home-park. 
 The tenement was provided with such simple 
 articles of furniture as a single man might 
 require a heap of otter-skins formed my bed, 
 three stuffed quagga-hides did duty for seats, while 
 some pots and pans and a low wooden table 
 enabled me occasionally to display the skill of my 
 old negress-cook in a modest entertainment to 
 Paul Erasmus the deacon. There was a stall close 
 by for my dromedary, and not far off stood a 
 kennel full of hounds, which I was informed were 
 at my disposal. I was furnished with horses from 
 the Queen's stables, and had at my service the 
 royal huntsmen and a host of attendants. One 
 thing alone was forbidden to me, and that was to 
 pay for anything. Nobody was allowed to receive 
 money from me : whatever I wanted was at once 
 supplied free, gratis, and for nothing. In a word, I 
 was in clover, and so far as sport went, I made the 
 most of my unrivalled opportunities. I was in 
 the saddle every morning before daylight, and 
 spent the entire day either in the woods or on the 
 mountains, never returning to my cottage until 
 the sun had set and it was too dark to shoot. And 
 the bags that I made ! The interpreter's reply to 
 the Queen was very nearly literally correct, for I 
 secured specimens of all the animals he had 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 213 
 
 mentioned and of many more. The forests teemed 
 with big game, and although I sent all my finest 
 trophies to the palace and distributed an 
 immense number among the huntsmen, my stock 
 of heads and skins soon became so large that I 
 despaired of ever conveying a tenth part of them 
 to the coast. In the end I thought myself 
 superlatively lucky to be able to carry merely 
 my own head and skin there. But I could not 
 anticipate what was coming, and my happiness 
 was complete. In this way a month passed like a 
 flash. I had forgotten Aden, Perim, parades, 
 officer of the day, courts-martial, and all the round 
 of duties of the military mill as though I had never 
 laboured at it. As for the Princess, she stood to 
 me in the light of a good fairy who supplied my 
 wants before they were expressed ; but I neither 
 saw her nor heard of her until one morning, when 
 emerging from my hunting-lodge equipped for a 
 quagga-hunt, I observed the Queen mounted on a 
 fine white Sanga ox that carried a pair of horns 
 quite eight feet in span. Her Majesty was 
 followed by a phalanx of mounted spearmen with 
 wild horses' tails floating from the heads of their 
 lances. The party was making its way across the 
 park in the direction of the cottage, and very 
 picturesque it looked looming through the white 
 
214 Didond ; or, 
 
 mist. On her arrival, the Queen told me, through 
 an interpreter, that she had come to join in the 
 chase that day, and when she heard that we were 
 going to a part of her preserves known as the five 
 ravines, she expressed her confidence that we 
 should enjoy good sport. 
 
 " Her desire, of course, was law, and although I 
 was selfish enough to wish Her Majesty at Jericho, 
 I declared myself overwhelmed by her condescen- 
 sion and enchanted at the prospect of her com- 
 pany. The trumpeters performed a flourish, the 
 hounds bayed in answer, the spearmen waved 
 their lances, and off we went, the Sanga ox leading 
 the way. We had a great day with the quags : I 
 killed nine or ten, and the Queen, who was a capital 
 shot, accounted for five. She was radiant with 
 triumph, and on her way home announced her 
 intention of coming out with me again, and sure 
 enough she and her Sanga turned up true to time 
 the next morning, and so it went on until our 
 going afield together became an established 
 custom. 
 
 " I had now begun to understand the language, 
 and could manage to keep up a desultory conver- 
 sation with Her Majesty on passing incidents. She 
 was always ready to talk, and I soon formed a 
 most favourable opinion of her good sense and 
 
The Co lonel' s Love Tale. 215 
 
 amiability. At that time I never dreamt of any- 
 thing like love rising between us I regarded her, 
 in fact, as a right good fellow and a capital shoot- 
 ing companion. Ah ! I little knew what volcanic 
 elements lay beneath that smiling surface. 
 
 " One day a circumstance occurred which, if I had 
 read its significance aright, would have served as a 
 warning to me of rocks ahead. We were engaged 
 in a lion-hunt. The Queen and I had distanced all 
 the huntsmen, and when the lion turned at bay, 
 we were alone with the dogs. Seeing that the 
 royal beast was much confused by the determined 
 onslaught of some twelve couple of sturdy boar- 
 hounds, the huntress leaped from her ox and 
 gallantly charged the quarry with her light spear. 
 The weapon entered the animal's side and broke 
 off short, whereupon the maddened brute, shaking 
 himself clear of the dogs, sprang upon his new 
 assailant, struck her to the ground, and stood 
 roaring over her. I had a heavy rifle with me, and, 
 firing from the distance of four and a half paces, 
 it was no great feat for me to drive a bullet into 
 the lion's brain. I assisted the Queen to rise, and 
 found that she had been struck by the creature's 
 chest, but had escaped its claws, and though 
 considerably shaken and momentarily quite un- 
 nerved, she, wonderful to narrate, was uninjured, 
 
216 Didont ; or, 
 
 As I raised her from the ground she lay for 
 a moment in my arms, her great black gazelle- 
 like eyes regarding me tenderly. It was an 
 impressive scene, gentlemen : in the foreground 
 lay the dead lion, surrounded by the exhausted 
 hounds ; in the background stretched an expanse 
 of grey rock-broken waste, with not even a 
 mimosa to challenge its sterility ; and in the 
 centre was I, a not unpicturesquely-clad hunter, 
 supporting the half-fainting form of the lovely 
 Princess of Tigre." 
 
 " Believes every word he's saying," whispered 
 the Doctor to me ; " never witnessed such complete 
 self-delusion in my life." 
 
 The narrator went on : 
 
 " For a brief space she lay reposing in my arms 
 like a languorous odalisque. She soon pulled 
 herself together though, and, holding out her hand, 
 gave me the royal ring, which I placed respectfully 
 upon my little finger. In another minute she was 
 in the saddle, once more a vigorous young 
 Diana, loudly sounding her jewelled conch in 
 summons of her train. 
 
 " That evening Limpopo came to my dwelling 
 and peremptorily demanded the ring, explaining 
 that I was allowed to wear it only till sunset, and 
 that it was an unprecedented mark of honour that 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 217 
 
 it had been given to me at all ; but I refused to 
 surrender the jewel without an order from Her 
 Majesty, and the herald had to go back empty- 
 handed. Later on he returned with the required 
 command. It was written in Amharic and ran 
 thus : ' Give back the ring, beloved of Didone, 
 for it is not hers but the State's.' That loan of the 
 ring had a deep significance : it showed me to be 
 a highly-favoured person, and thenceforward Lim- 
 popo became my enemy. 
 
 " On that day week I received an invitation to 
 dine at the palace. It was the first time I had 
 been thus honoured, and it was clearly a sequence 
 of the lion-hunt. Donning my red tunic, I repaired 
 at eight o'clock to the royal domicile. Passing 
 through the outer court, the entrance-hall, and the 
 audience-chamber, I was led through many a 
 devious corridor to the royal apartments, and a 
 heavy curtain of tiger-skins being lifted, I found 
 myself face to face with the Queen. Didone, 
 attired in purple and cloth of gold, lay, gracefully 
 reclining, upon a heap of wild-swan skins ; she was- 
 attended by a single slave, a tall Nubian woman, 
 who, standing motionless with folded arms be- 
 hind her royal mistress, resembled a magnificent 
 ebony caryatid. The room was lighted by silver 
 lamps suspended from the ceiling, and was per- 
 
218 Didont ; or, 
 
 fumed with the delicate aroma of the diamond- 
 rose, the petals of which were strewn upon the 
 floor. 
 
 "Our dinner was served upon a large gold tray, 
 placed upon the carpet, and though seated a la 
 Turqiie, I made myself as comfortable as the 
 situation allowed. On the whole I dined fairly 
 well, washing down gilded quails and scented 
 apples with large draughts of a violet-coloured 
 wine, in flavour resembling Chablis. During the 
 repast the royal band sent forth from a distant 
 chamber a not unpleasing medley of conches and 
 kettle-drums, which was not loud enough to disturb 
 our conversation. After dinner, pipes and coffee 
 were introduced. Didone did not smoke, but in 
 order that I might not be without companionship, 
 she commanded the Nubian to seat herself at a 
 respectful distance and to afford me moral support 
 by consuming the contents of a narghile. 
 
 " The smoking over, my royal hostess arose and 
 led me through a long range of rooms filled with 
 curiosities in the shape of hunting trophies, and 
 specimens of various forms of barbaric art. These 
 having been leisurely examined and admired, she 
 conducted me to an apartment that I concluded 
 was her boudoir. It was more like a large jewel- 
 case than a room. The roof was delicately 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 219 
 
 arabesqued in blue and silver, and was supported 
 upon graceful columns of an antique Moorish 
 pattern. These columns, which were plated with 
 silver, coruscated with every motion of the observer, 
 for they were studded with precious stones. The 
 walls were hung with a rich tapestry of a deep 
 terra-cotta hue, relieved here and there by the 
 boss of a flower woven in with silver wire. Upon 
 a small enamelled table lay a highly- ornamented 
 dagger, slim and shapely as its owner, and by its 
 side was a round gold box. In the centre of the 
 room a tiny fountain splashed into a marble basin, 
 dashing its sparkling spray against the blossom 
 of a tromo, or giant serpent-flower, that diffused 
 dreamy fragrance from a silver jar. 
 
 " On the floor of an alcove were spread costly 
 rugs and cushions from Khartoum ; by their side 
 glowed the skin of the lion that I had shot 
 seven days before, and a large lamp of curiously 
 wrought iron swinging from the roof, withheld 
 rather than diffused the rays of the perfumed flame 
 within. 
 
 " Sinking gracefully upon the lion's skin, 
 Didone motioned to me to be seated by her side, 
 and taking up a dulcimer that lay near her, she 
 sang me a plaintive little Tigrani ballad which, 
 translated, runs something like this : 
 
22O Didond ; or, 
 
 " * Youth, dominion, treasure, health, 
 
 All, all are mine ; 
 Yet amidst this godlike wealth, 
 
 Yes, yes, I pine ; 
 
 That for which my nature yearns, 
 That to which my hope returns, 
 That for which my soul's heart burns 
 
 Canst thou divine ? " 
 
 11 ' Youth is but a fever- dream, 
 Empire but a marish gleam, 
 Beauty but a cynic's theme, 
 
 One boon denied ; 
 Shall I breathe the secret ? nay, 
 
 Spare, spare my pride, 
 Thou canst guess what I would say, 
 Yet, yet must hide.' 
 
 " There was a wild melody in the simple lay that 
 perfectly enchanted me, while the strain of melan- 
 choly infused into the words by the singer, and the 
 pathetic sadness of her face as she wailed forth the 
 concluding line, with her earnest almost beseech- 
 ing eyes fixed upon mine, went straight to my heart. 
 
 " The song was followed by a long silence which 
 neither of us seemed inclined to break, and the 
 only sound that for some minutes disturbed the 
 stillness was the splash of the little fountain. As 
 I sat enraptured by the music, glamoured by the 
 romantic surroundings, and growing every moment 
 more and more fascinated by the superb loveli- 
 ness of the Queen, the wilful beauty suddenly 
 
TJie Colonel's Love Tale. 221 
 
 stretched a shapely arm towards me, and with a 
 bewitching smile pressed the royal ring upon my 
 mouth. My ears were still ringing with the tender 
 notes of the dulcimer, my brain was throbbing 
 wildly with the strange significance of the ballad, 
 and my blood was coursing madly through my 
 veins from the effect of the violet wine. The 
 heavy perfume of the snake-flower, coupled with 
 the intoxicating fumes rising from a censer that the 
 night wind was slowly swinging to and fro, served 
 to deprive me of what little self-control and sense 
 of decorum still remained to me, and I stretched 
 out my arms to my bewitching hostess, whose glori- 
 ous eyes beamed upon me with so ravishing a 
 
 radiance and 1 was immediately floored by a 
 
 blow from the fist of the Amazon in waiting, 
 whose presence I had entirely forgotten. After 
 this I remember no more. I awoke the next 
 morning in my own cottage with a racking head- 
 ache and a confused vision of silver lamps, snake- 
 flowers, and eyes such as those which of old lured 
 the beholder into the realm of the Lorelei and the 
 Mist-maiden. 
 
 " ' That confounded blue wine,' I groaned, 
 * catch me drinking any more of it ! ' 
 
 " That day I shot badly, and was very nearly 
 expended by a rhinoceros which killed my horse 
 
222 Didont ; or, 
 
 and mortally wounded one of the huntsmen ; and 
 in the course of the evening I received a strip of 
 vellum on which was written, 
 
 " ' Pata, pata ai nireewis, ma ku flior, Dalitti 
 kosina.' 'Take care, take care, cherished one. 
 To her that shinest thou art very dear.' 
 
 " After this I ought to have packed up and 
 marched, but fool-like I lingered. In truth, I began 
 to find a difficulty in detaching myself from Axuni ; 
 this Ethiopian girl was gradually exercising a 
 mysterious influence over my volition, an influence 
 of which I felt the growth, but was unable to 
 resist the attraction. At first I fought hard 
 against the power that was enslaving me, but 
 after a time I ceased to struggle, and before 
 that week was over I was as firmly fixed to Axum 
 as a tree in the royal park. In a short time came 
 the crisis. 
 
 " We had gone out as usual for a hunt, when 
 the Queen, saying that she would not shoot that 
 day, suddenly dismissed our attendants and pro- 
 posed a quiet ride in the shade of the forest. The 
 day was intensely hot, and the increasing sultriness 
 indicated the approach of a storm. Conversing 
 gaily upon various subjects, Didone led me deeper 
 and deeper into the wilderness. Giant creepers 
 obstructed our path, tangled undergrowth and 
 
The Co toneV s Love Tale. 223 
 
 treacherous swamps added to the difficulty of 
 the way, and all the time the low rumbling of 
 distant thunder warned us, though in vain, that 
 prudence counselled our turning home. When I 
 thought we were inextricably entrapped in a wild- 
 looking spot, half moss, half bush, in the very 
 heart of the forest, Didone pointed to a tongue of 
 firm soil that led to a sort of oasis of slightly 
 higher ground, thickly embosomed in large black 
 trees of the densest foliage. From the centre of 
 this insulated grove jutted a massive rock, the 
 dark and gloomy appearance of which was well in 
 keeping with the sombre aspect of the surrounding 
 scenery. Every moment the sky became more 
 obscure, and the stillness of the forest grew more 
 intense : not a leaf rustled, not a bird twittered, 
 not an insect stirred. Didone dismounted and, sign- 
 ing to me to follow, began, lance in hand, to part 
 the thick rushes that grew round the base of the 
 rock. These I soon perceived concealed the entrance 
 to a cavern. My companion entered cautiously, as 
 though afraid of disturbing some wild beast ; and 
 as I followed her, I regretted that I had given my 
 arms to one of our attendants whom we had dis- 
 missed an hour before. The den was silent as 
 the grave, pitch-dark, and heavy with mephitic 
 vapours. 
 
224 Didont ; or, 
 
 " ' Father, it is Didone,' said the Queen, address- 
 ing some one who was invisible to me. 
 
 " ' Welcome ! ' replied a tremulous voice from the 
 recesses of the cave. 
 
 "'It is dark, father.' 
 
 " In a moment the red flame of a torch flared 
 forth and disclosed a man, bent with age and 
 emaciated by suffering, whose long white hair fell 
 in tangled masses upon his skeleton shoulders, and 
 whose cavernous eyes shone with an unnatural 
 brilliancy that told of a disordered intellect. With 
 one hand he held up the newly-lighted torch, and 
 with the other he steadied his tottering frame by 
 grasping a projecting fragment of rock. The hermit 
 evidently knew Didone well, for he expressed no 
 surprise at her visit, and after one piercing glance 
 at me, he for a time ignored my presence. 
 
 " ' What seeks my royal daughter of the sun ? ' 
 
 " ' How are the stars, father ? ' 
 
 " ' Bland as thy mother's eyes.' 
 
 " ' Doth the spark, thou callest mine, bid fair ? ' 
 
 " * Thy planet, daughter, gloweth like fine gold.' 
 
 " Didone paused for a moment and then in a low 
 voice continued : 
 
 " ' When Tagazze had doomed thee for a wizard 
 to the flame, whose was the hand that unbound 
 thee at the stake ? ' 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 225 
 
 " ' Thine, kindly orb, 'twas thine,' quavered the 
 recluse. 
 
 " ' Dost recall what thou didst swear to me as 
 thy chains fell among the smoking faggots ? ' 
 
 " The old man bent his head in silence. 
 
 " ' Speak, father, if three short years have not 
 dimmed thy memory.' 
 
 " There was no reply, and the Queen stamped 
 her foot petulantly. The hermit stood bowed 
 before her, the wind moaned through the cave, 
 and as it fanned the torch I could perceive 
 that the old man's eyes were fixed on vacancy, 
 and that his lips were moving as though in 
 communion with some invisible presence, but 
 no word escaped him in response to Didone's 
 question. 
 
 " * Must I tell thee then, perjured one, wretch 
 whose word is as the fleeting brook ? Thou didst 
 swear, Guldu, by the heart of Prester John, 
 yea, by the mighty Priest-King's heart thou didst 
 swear it, to do my best through earth, through air, 
 through fire, through water.' 
 
 " The old man replied hoarsely, 
 
 " * 'Twas even so, daughter of the day.' 
 
 " ' Father, thou shalt obey my bidding now,' she 
 said. 
 
 " ' Let the child of the dawn command, and 
 
 Q 
 
226 Didont ; or, 
 
 though she demand my life, yea, by the heart of 
 the dead Priest-King, Guldu will yield it.' 
 
 " For a brief space Didone was silent, and then, 
 as though by a tremendous effort, she cried, 
 
 " ' Bind us in the bond of blood at the point of 
 Prester's spear,' and as she spoke a loud roll of 
 thunder heralded the storm without. 
 
 " * Thee and him? ' inquired the hermit, trembling 
 violently, ' he is not as we are.' 
 
 " ' That is for my judgment thou art not the 
 arbiter ; thy word is passed, father, straightway bind 
 us twain.' 
 
 " The old man's eyes gleamed with a strange 
 brightness, his lips still moved, but no sound 
 escaped them. 
 
 " ' Thou art reading the future,' cried Didone, 
 ' while my concern is with the present. Leave thy 
 forecasting, comply with my behest and let me go.' 
 
 " ' Forbear, forbear!' wailed the seer, 'that path 
 leadeth to the flame that consumeth the heart. 
 Kather slay him with a poisoned kiss than be 
 coupled to him by the assegai. I hear thy sobs, 
 upon the midnight air, I see thy tears upon a 
 widowed couch ; there is still time to save thee 
 from thy sorrow ' 
 
 "' Peace, peace! thy word is passed. Conjoin 
 us in the bond.' 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 227 
 
 " She spoke with so imperious and minatory an 
 air that the old man, overcome by her vehemence, 
 replied : 
 
 " ' The soil that the death-flower loveth best is 
 the broken heart of a maiden ; come, stand before 
 me, thou and he.' 
 
 " And we stood side by side in front of the recluse. 
 
 " The torch lighted the rugged walls of the cavern 
 with lambent tongues of flame, which rose and fell 
 with the eddying wind, and as my eyes grew more 
 accustomed to the uncertain light, I perceived that 
 we were standing in front of an ancient sarco- 
 phagus. Kneeling before the tomb, the anchorite 
 spoke as follows : 
 
 " ' A thousand years have passed away, mighty 
 Prester John, since thou wert laid to rest ; and now 
 a daughter of thy royal line summons thee to her 
 bridal. May I disturb thy saintly slumbers ? Say, 
 royal Priest of Habesh, shall I roll back the guard- 
 ing stone and live ? ' 
 
 "As he uttered the last word a faint blue light 
 played for a moment over the marble and dis- 
 appeared. 
 
 " ' Ah ! he is benign, he is benign,' cried Didone 
 triumphantly. 
 
 " The old man clasped his skinny hands together 
 and groaned : 
 
 Q 2 
 
228 Didone ; or, 
 
 " ' Aye, it is written in the book of doom ; 
 daughter, thy hest must speed,' and with an effort, 
 which in one so frail surprised me, he pushed back 
 the heavy slab of black marble that covered the 
 sarcophagus. Within the tomb reposed a gigantic 
 skeleton. A golden fillet crowned its head, a silver 
 girdle encircled its waist, and an iron spear lay by 
 its side. Eaising the skeleton until it towered 
 erect against the rocky wall, he carefully removed 
 the girdle and bade each of us uncover our left 
 arm. Then with the spear blade, which was as 
 sharp as a razor, he lanced a small circle upon the 
 middle of the inner part of the fore-arm of each of 
 us, and carefully joining the two wounds, he bound 
 our bleeding arms together with the girdle. Then 
 raising the wrists of the skeleton, he for a moment 
 enclosed our necks in its bony grip, and as he did 
 so I seemed to feel the rigid clutch tighten on my 
 throat. Then slowly disengaging the fleshless 
 hands, he raised them aloft as though in the act of 
 blessing, and in a hollow voice chanted the following 
 
 words : 
 
 " ' Daughter, throb forth thy crimson pledge 
 Straight to thy loved one's heart, 
 Son, pulsate back thy living gage, 
 Her pledge's counterpart. 
 And one I bind as the winter wind 
 Is linked to the summer bloom, 
 
The Co loners Love Tale. 229 
 
 But one is bound as the rock to ground, 
 
 And each must abide the doom. 
 
 For joined by the rush of the scarlet stream, 
 
 By the pang of the Prester's spear, 
 
 By the silver zone, by the grasp of bone, 
 
 By the flow of the coming tear, 
 
 Ye both are knit in the crimson thread 
 
 For bliss may it be or pain. 
 
 Now seal the pact, for the rite is sped, 
 
 And the grave must close again.' 
 
 " Then the old man hissed in my ear : 
 
 " ' Nazarene, kiss thy bride.' 
 
 " Didone inclined her face to mine, and as our 
 lips met, the storm without burst forth in deafening 
 diapasons. Amid the roaring of the wind and the 
 crashing of the forest trees, the hermit's voice, 
 acquiring strength with every word, arose in solemn 
 accents : 
 
 "'By Death and Eternity, by Eternity and 
 Death, do I bind you. Death, and Death alone, 
 shall sever you, but in Eternity ye shall re-unite ; 
 by the spear of Prester, by the God Obi, by ' and 
 here his voice sank into an inaudible whisper 
 ' do I affiance you. Eternal is the bond, Eternal, 
 ETERNAL, ETEBNAL.' 
 
 "He ceased. The swelling thunder of the 
 tempest sounded our marriage hymn, while, as the 
 anchorite reverentially lowered the skeleton into 
 
230 Didond ; or, 
 
 the sepulchre, there seemed to arise from the 
 depths of the marble, a mournful ' Amen ! ' 
 
 " After letting us stand for a brief space where 
 he had placed us, the old man released our arms, 
 and devoutly restoring the girdle to the tomb, 
 replaced the covering slab. Then, turning to us, 
 he applied some styptic leaves to our lacerations, 
 and, blowing the expiring torch into a flame, 
 showed us the way to the mouth of the cavern. 
 
 " Hand in hand we issued forth, and mounting 
 our animals rode on through the deepening storm. 
 Didone was wrapped in thought, and seemed to be 
 deeply impressed either with the solemnity of the 
 rite or with the old man's warning which she 
 had so recklessly disregarded ; as for me, I was 
 completely dazed and bewildered. We rode home 
 without exchanging a word. 
 
 " After this awe-inspiring episode I felt, so to 
 speak, as though I could not call my soul my own. 
 The spirit of that weird rite had indeed entered 
 my very blood, the skeleton's hand was never 
 from my neck, Didone' s kiss was ever on my lips, 
 that doleful ' Amen ' was always in my ear. If 
 now and then under the influence of the morning 
 air, or a sudden flush of youthful health, my 
 spirit rose to thoughts of flight, I suddenly felt 
 the constricting fold of the fleshless fingers upon 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 231 
 
 my throat, and I heard the sacramental ' Eternal, 
 eternal, eternal ' echoing through the dreary 
 chambers of my brain, while, like a never-failing 
 refrain, came that voice from the grave sealing the 
 ordinance with its sad * Amen.' ' 
 
 "I wonder if the tale is true," whispered the 
 doctor to me, earnestly. " By Jove ! I believe 
 there's something more than hallucination here." 
 
 "On the day following this adventure," continued 
 the Colonel, " I arose to go afield as usual, but found, 
 to my surprise, neither animals nor attendants. In 
 place of the dozen or so of huntsmen that ordi- 
 narily grouped themselves at daylight around my 
 garden-gate, there stood Limpopo, stern and self- 
 contained as usual. He brought a message from 
 the Queen : * Didone, our Lady of Light, com- 
 mandeth thee to remain within to-day. Hounds 
 and horses must be rested. Thou thyself needest 
 repose, so doth her Brilliancy.' 
 
 " These being the orders, I spent the morning in 
 writing up my diary, and in cleaning my guns, after 
 which I lay down with a book and my pipe on a 
 heap of skins and soon fell asleep. About noon, 
 however, I was aroused by a terrific blowing of 
 conohes and beating of calabash drums. I started 
 to my feet and saw about a thousand armed men 
 drawn up outside my dwelling. They were headed 
 
232 Didond ; or y 
 
 by Limpopo, wearing his herald's robes, lion's 
 skin, ostrich feathers, and all the rest. He carried 
 on his head a small packet wrapped in a white 
 squirrel-skin, which, while he shot a malignant 
 glance at me, he deposited with extreme ceremony 
 in my right hand, saying : 
 
 " ' This, fortunate one, is from cur Lady of 
 Light, Didone the Queen, Didone the Lovely, 
 Didone the Chaste. Eeceive rejoice accept.' 
 
 " He then waved his spear, and the armed host, 
 discharging their muskets into the air, gave a yell 
 that might have been heard at Massowah. Lim- 
 popo then placed himself at their head and led 
 them back, with conches blowing and drums 
 beating, in a stately march to the palace. 
 
 " On removing the outer covering of the packet, 
 I found a sandal-wood box, within this was one of 
 ivory, inside which was one of silver, which in its 
 turn contained one of gold. This I opened with 
 much curiosity and found therein a cinder ! 
 
 "Suspecting from the parade which accom- 
 panied the presentation of this apparently 
 worthless article that it might symbolize some- 
 thing of importance, I stepped over to the house 
 of the Coptic deacon, and, relating the episode, 
 asked whether he could explain it and advise me 
 how to act. 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 233 
 
 " * That token is unmistakable,' he replied, 
 adding with an air of extreme interest, ' but 
 surely you have something more to tell me : the 
 cinder represents an advanced stage of friend- 
 ship. If you seek advice, half-confidences are 
 useless. Kelate to me without reserve all that 
 has passed, and I will to the best of my power 
 advise you. One thing, at least, is clear : some 
 sort of betrothal must have taken place between 
 you. The cinder but tell me the circum- 
 stances. The matter may be one of life or death.' 
 
 " Thus adjured, I told the Copt everything that 
 had taken place from the day of the lion-hunt till 
 the present hour. He smote his mouth with his 
 palm and said : 
 
 " ' I was sure of it the cinder could mean but 
 one thing. Didone invites you to fulfil your troth 
 by marrying her within the week, according to the 
 Amharic ritual.' 
 
 " ' And how is one to reply to such an invita- 
 tion ? ' I asked with a sinking heart, for I did not 
 want to spend the remainder of my life buried 
 away among the Abyssinian hills. 
 
 " * That is easily done,' he answered, with a 
 smile ; * you send the lady a red rose.' 
 
 " ' What does that imply ? ' 
 
 " * Joyful compliance, of course.' 
 
234 Didont ; or, 
 
 " ' Why " of course ? " ' I inquired. 
 
 " ' No man in his senses would refuse the over- 
 tures of an Abyssinian Queen,' he answered, 
 adding significantly, 'particularly after things 
 have gone so far as they have with you and the 
 Princess Begnant.' 
 
 " ' How does one convey a refusal ? ' I asked, 
 desperately. 
 
 " ' A refusal is expressed by sending your 
 admirer an old sandal, but it is a churlish action, 
 and in this case would be fraught with extreme 
 danger. Have a care what you do ; these people 
 are demons when you cross them.' 
 
 " ' Is there not a less offensive way of escaping 
 from the position ? ' 
 
 " ' A black stone is equally effective, but,' he 
 continued, earnestly, ' my dear sir, consider well 
 before you venture upon such an unequivocal 
 expression of contempt. You little know the 
 character of the woman with whom you are 
 dealing.' 
 
 " He continued for a time in the same strain, 
 but the delicacy of the dilemma stimulated me. I 
 shook off my torpor, and enclosing a black pebble 
 in the gold box, packed it as I had received it, 
 and that evening carried it myself to the palace. 
 
 " As I returned across the park in the gathering 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 235 
 
 gloom, I felt ray torpor re-asserting itself ; I seemed 
 to hear the mournful utterance of the skeleton; 
 its fingers were again tightening round my wind- 
 pipe, and through the rustling of the branches 
 came the words : * Eternal eternal eternal is the 
 bond ! ' 
 
 " On reaching the cottage I ought to have 
 immediately saddled my dromedary and made 
 tracks for the coast, but the re-action from the 
 sudden spasm of energy that had animated me 
 was complete. Every moment my inertia deepened, 
 and by the time I entered the house I felt as 
 though I were, for all purposes of manly volition, 
 wrapped hand and foot in a ponderous shroud of 
 lead. 
 
 " The next day when I opened my door for a 
 draught of morning air, I was confronted by three 
 of the royal spearmen, who instantly gave point 
 at me. I banged the door in their faces and 
 heard the three spear-heads pierce the wood. 
 I ran for my revolver, but found, to my extreme 
 astonishment, that all my weapons had been 
 silently removed during the night. I then 
 tried the back-door, but found it guarded as 
 closely as the front. I opened a window, 
 and narrowly escaped a vicious lunge at my 
 neck by a grim warrior on guard there ; in 
 
236 Didond ; or, 
 
 a word, the house was closely beleaguered by 
 armed men. At night they lighted large fires and 
 bivouacked under the trees, but still kept sentries 
 on my doors and windows. My food, which 
 hitherto had been of the best quality and oppres- 
 sively abundant, now became bad and scanty. 
 No one visited me, and the negress cook, who was 
 allowed to enter the house once daily, was mute to 
 all inquiries. Thus three days passed in miserable 
 uncertainty, and I began to think that I had been a 
 trifle too unceremonious in declining her Majesty's 
 alliance. On the evening of the third day I 
 heard the royal conches sounding, and I knew that 
 I might expect soon to receive a communication 
 from the Palace. Perhaps the Queen was about 
 to repeat her gracious offer. The royal music drew 
 near, the door was dashed open, and I saw Didone 
 herself, surrounded by a dozen stalwart Nubians 
 bearing scimetars, that glittered in the torch-light 
 and seemed as sharp as razors. The Queen was robed 
 in leopard- skins ; in one hand she carried the dagger 
 that I had seen lying on the table of her boudoir, 
 and in the other the round gold box that stood by 
 its side. She seated herself on an ivory throne, 
 brought by an attendant. Limpopo, in full war- 
 paint, and grasping an enormous spear, stood on 
 her right hand, and as he took up his position he 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 237 
 
 regarded me with a triumphant stare of gratified 
 malignity. As for Didone, I never before saw her 
 look so beautiful, but all trace of affection had 
 vanished from her face, her large eyes flashed with 
 anger, and her little hands played feverishly with 
 the dagger. 
 
 " ' Graceless jerboa ! ' she began, addressing me, 
 as I rose from my otter-skins. 
 
 " ' Thou leprous swine of the filthy black pit ! ' 
 interposed Limpopo, speaking in a loud, harsh voice. 
 
 " * Lady of Light/ I replied, turning to the 
 Queen, and ignoring the presence of the herald. 
 
 " ' Thou art alive/ continued Didone. 
 
 " ' By thy grace alone do I live, Lady. 5 
 
 " ' Thy pale hide still covers thee,' burst in 
 Limpopo ; ' thy naked quivering nerves are not yet 
 powdered with the chili-dust.' 
 
 " ' I am still unskinned, eternal star, and as yet 
 my nerves are unpeppered,' I replied, continuing to 
 address myself to Didone, and assuming an appear- 
 ance of calmness, though I inwardly shuddered at 
 the horrors that awaited me. 
 
 " * Ah ! but not for long, not for long,' screamed 
 the herald, in a rising burst of rage ; ' the flaying 
 knives are a-sharpening, and the yellow chilis are 
 crackling in the pestle. Dost thou hear me, 
 deaf adder of the swamp ? ' 
 
238 Didone ; or, 
 
 " Didone visibly trembled, but she repeated, 
 
 " ' Dost thou hear ?' 
 
 " ' I hear, sweet gleamer of the night,' I 
 answered, with an air of unconcern. 
 
 " ' And dost thou know the fate in store for thee 
 when thy vile casing hath gone, and thy writhing 
 nerves are tortured into madness ? ' thundered 
 Limpopo. 
 
 " ' I know not, orb of day. I am a stranger 
 in thy happy realm,' said I, regarding Didone with 
 a smile. 
 
 " ' The royal emmets cry for thy living blood,' 
 gasped my enemy, in a voice hoarse and almost 
 inarticulate with fury. 
 
 " * But now, even now, thou canst escape,' said 
 Didone, regarding me anxiously; 'even now thy 
 life is thine if thou sendest me the rose.' 
 
 "For a moment I hesitated; then a reckless 
 feeling of defiance possessed me ; they had bullied 
 me till I was stubborn and prepared for resistance 
 to the death. Had they gone another way to work 
 I might have surrendered, but, as it was, I re- 
 plied, 
 
 " ' Thy mercy, exquisite scintilla of high heaven, 
 is far beyond my poor deserts. I am unworthy to 
 receive the honour of thy hand,' and drawing my 
 pipe from my pocket I lighted it deliberately and, 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 239 
 
 placing myself at ease upon the skins, proceeded 
 to smoke as though I were alone. 
 
 " My words, coupled with this rude show of in- 
 difference, seemed to provoke the Queen to sudden 
 madness. The gold box that she carried contained 
 the bodies of the hairy variety of the red spider 
 pounded into a paste a poison of which the 
 slightest touch entails a lingering death of the most 
 hideous agony. Inserting the point of her dagger 
 into the mixture, she rose to her feet and rushed 
 towards me, saying : ' Flames consume my soul. 
 Thy heart's blood shall quench them,' but, catching 
 her foot in her long robe, she stumbled, and would 
 have fallen had I not caught her in my arms. 
 Carefully re-seating her upon her throne, I re- 
 spectfully handed her the dagger and the gold box, 
 both of which had fallen on the ground ; I then 
 resumed my place upon the otter-skins. 
 
 " During this scene her attendants had remained 
 immobile, Limpopo alone giving vent to his feel- 
 ings by a savage yell. The soldiers had apparently 
 been directed not to move hand or foot, except at 
 the Queen's command. For a moment Didone sat 
 gazing fixedly on the ground, her face flushing and 
 her bosom heaving with excitement, her fingers 
 twitching around the dagger, and her foot 
 passionately beating the floor. I fully expected to 
 
240 Didont ; or, 
 
 see the attack repeated. I was then ignorant of the 
 contents of the gold box though I afterwards 
 received instruction on this point from Limpopo 
 and should have considered myself fortunate if I 
 had been despatched then and there, for in com- 
 parison with the revolting atrocities that were 
 preparing for me, death by the dagger would have 
 been merciful. Didone's anger, however, gave 
 place to other emotions, and suddenly covering her 
 face with her veil she rose and hurriedly left the 
 cottage, followed by her body-guard and the herald. 
 "A week passed without either any change in 
 the method of my captivity or the slightest 
 alleviation of its rigour. On the morning of the 
 eighth day Limpopo zealously escorted me, heavily 
 ironed and closely guarded, to the audience- 
 hall. The vast chamber was thronged with hostile 
 faces, for the news of my insulting behaviour to 
 the Queen had excited universal indignation, and 
 there were few men present who would not have 
 thought themselves privileged to be allowed a few 
 minutes' loose lance-practice on my unhappy 
 body. Didone sat enthroned upon the dais, closely 
 veiled as on the day when I first beheld her, and 
 at the further end of the hall, confronting the 
 Queen, was a very remarkable-looking old man. 
 His nose was hooked like the beak of a vulture ; 
 
The Colonel's Love Talc. 241 
 
 his forehead was low and very protuberant, his 
 small black eyes gleamed stern and menacing 
 beneath his shaggy eyebrows ; a fell of curly white 
 hair hung half down his back ; and a snowy beard 
 descended to his knees. He was enthroned upon a 
 massive silver chair, and by his side stood a tall 
 youth, supporting an enormous book bound with 
 crocodile-skin and fastened with heavy gold clasps. 
 The old man was no other than Johannes Tagazze, 
 or Terrible John, Chief Judge of Abyssinia ; a 
 man who revelled in cruelty, and exhausted his 
 ingenuity in devising the grossest barbarities for 
 his victims, while his blind hatred for the white 
 race bordered upon madness. This was the man 
 whom Limpopo had persuaded Didone in the first 
 frenzy of her anger to summon from Magdala in 
 order to pronounce my doom. The book by his 
 side was the volume of the law ; it was written in 
 the Lisana Matzhaf, or clerical language, and as I 
 did not understand this obsolete tongue, the old 
 man translated what he read into Tigrani. 
 
 " On my arrival in the hall, I was placed in a sort 
 of raised pen in the centre, facing the Judge, who, 
 after glancing towards Didone, as though formally 
 asking leave to begin, addressed me as follows : 
 
 " * Listen, man doomed to death. Listen to 
 the fate assigned by the laws of Adowa to the 
 
242 'Di'dont ; or, 
 
 wretch that scorns the hand of royalty,' and the 
 old tyrant began to read from the volume, 
 emphasizing with an unctuous relish every phrase 
 of more than ordinarily cruel import. I need not 
 recapitulate the monstrous horrors to which he 
 condemned me ; suffice it to say that the terrors 
 announced by Limpopo formed but a small part of 
 the agonies allotted to me by the law. My execu- 
 tion, if I lived so long, was to last three weeks ! 
 The sentence concluded with the words : ' And thy 
 hair shall be spun into a mat for the royal feet, 
 and thy skin shall be formed into slippers.' 
 
 " He closed the book with a snap, and having 
 glared pitilessly at me for a few seconds, turned 
 to the Queen and inquired when she would wish 
 the tortures to commence. She hesitated for a 
 moment, and then in a faltering tone mur- 
 mured : 
 
 " ' Great Father of Pain, thy words are as the 
 merciful dew that falls on the valleys of Eas 
 Dashan, but the law of Habesh is above us all, and 
 by the law alone must we proceed.' 
 
 " ' And have I not expounded the law ? ' snarled 
 Johannes, regarding the Queen malevolently. 
 1 Am I not the Chief Interpreter thereof ? What 
 is it that the Eoyal Lustre would alter or amend ? ' 
 
 " * Doth not the law, tender Tagazze, enjoin 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 243 
 
 upon us heed, lest we shed the royal blood ? ' 
 inquired Didone. 
 
 " ' Aye, ye may find it so written in the third 
 verse of the second chapter,' said Tagazze, 
 addressing the crowd of upturned startled faces, 
 ' Her Brilliancy hath learnt it aright, whosoever 
 may have been her prompter,' and he glanced 
 ominously at those on the dais. 
 
 " ' My blood, gentle Johannes, mingles with 
 thy captive's. He and I are knit together by the 
 scarlet bond.' 
 
 " The Judge's cruel features, which during this 
 short passage had set like iron, now relaxed into a 
 ferocious smile. 
 
 "'Ye are coupled in the living link ? Say ye 
 so ? 'Tis true, Scintilla, that thy blood must not 
 be shed. No, the doomed slave may not be flayed, 
 neither may the emmets drain him, but he shall 
 nathless perish in the flame,' and waving his gaunt 
 hand towards me, he cried, ' Bear him to the 
 Judge's pit ! He kindleth to-morrow at daybreak.' 
 
 " At these words my guards, closing round me, 
 conducted me towards a low black-curtained door 
 at the side of the hall. 
 
 " 'Hold ! ' commanded Didone, her musical voice 
 ringing like a clarion. ' Cast him not into thy pit, 
 Johannes ; replace him in the lodge.' 
 
 B 2 
 
244 Didont ; or, 
 
 " ' To the pit ! ' thundered Terrible John, rising 
 from his seat in fury. 
 
 " * To the lodge ! ' cried Didone, and in obedience 
 to her signal some of the Koyal Guards attempted 
 to break through the iron hedge that environed 
 me. 
 
 " * Ha ! A rescue of the Judge's captive ! ' roared 
 Limpopo, brandishing his spear. ' Who is for 
 Johannes ? ' 
 
 " ' Who is for Didone ? ' shrieked the Queen, 
 springing to her feet, and throwing off her veil. 
 
 " Some twenty of her immediate followers ranged 
 themselves behind Didone ; but, with this exception, 
 the entire assembly gathered round Terrible John, 
 who, still standing rigid as an angry cobra, waved 
 his hand in triumph, and vociferated, 
 
 " ' To the pit with the dog ! Away ! ' 
 
 " The odds were so fearfully against Didone that 
 any further attempt to save me at that juncture 
 would have resulted only in the immediate mas- 
 sacre of her adherents, and amid much uproar 
 and confusion I was dragged through the side 
 porch, and thrust into a loathsome cavity without 
 light, and with but little air. 
 
 " I spent the night in reflecting upon the horror 
 of my position. As I told myself that but eight 
 hours lay between me and an excruciating death, 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 245 
 
 I asked myself whether I had not been a madman 
 to repel the advances of the Queen. Had I con- 
 sented, I should at this moment have been the 
 most powerful man in Tigre, Limpopo would have 
 been but a worm in my path, and I might have 
 defied even Johannes Tagazze. Why did I want 
 to go back to Aden ? Had there not been 
 instances of white kings ruling dark races ? 
 Didone was a lovely woman, an intelligent and 
 affectionate companion, and there was no doubt of 
 the depth of her love for me. What an insensate 
 fool, what a maniac I had been ! 
 
 " Before daybreak on the following morning the 
 mouth of my den was opened and 1 was led forth 
 to my death. We passed through the audience- 
 chamber, which, now silent and deserted, pre- 
 sented a marked contrast to the angry tumult of 
 the previous day. Through the hall they led me, 
 out into the courtyard and under the mighty 
 gateway into the great park. Early though the 
 hour, the park was thronged with an eager 
 multitude, for under the clement rule of Didone 
 the burning of a living man was a rare and unique 
 spectacle. In the centre of the park was a black 
 mound, on which had been erected a heavy wooden 
 post furnished with chains and straps, and near at 
 hand lay an abundance of brushwood and faggots. 
 
246 Didond ; or, 
 
 At a convenient distance from the stake sat the 
 Chief Judge in a silken litter borne upon men's 
 shoulders ; and among the faggots stood Limpopo, 
 furnished with an enormous torch, which he was 
 in the act of lighting. In the twinkling of an eye 
 I was bound hand and foot to the stake, with the 
 brushwood and faggots piled around me. Terrible 
 John, seeing that everything was ready, then gave 
 the order to light the pile. 
 
 " Had Limpopo obeyed the command at once, 
 nothing could have saved me ; but my enemy 
 wished to prolong his enjoyment of the scene, and, 
 approaching me, said in a voice of mock humility, 
 as he made an exaggerated reverence : 
 . " * How fareth my lord the husband of the 
 Queen? Hath he any orders for his slave? 
 Doth he go to the chase to-day ? or will he ride 
 his palfrey in the park ? What ! neither ? 
 Then, perchance, my lord abideth in the palace, 
 and will eat of the fat and drink of the sweet, and 
 listen to music in the bower ? Ah ! dread lord, 
 speak to thy humble slave, or he will fear he hath 
 aroused thy grave displeasure. Maybe poor Lim- 
 popo findeth no favour in his master's sight, and 
 his lord will order the insolent Chamberlain to be 
 scourged or tormented of the emmets. What ! 
 silent still ? Nay, then, it must be the cold of 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 247 
 
 the early morning that distresseth my liege and 
 master. This we will straightway alleviate, and 
 he shall have warmth aye, warmth for bone and 
 blood, warmth for heart and brain, warmth that 
 shall cherish and comfort and delight ; ' and 
 grinning malignantly, he slowly advanced the 
 torch towards the brushwood. 
 
 " While Limpopo was speaking I, from my 
 elevated position, had observed, over the heads of 
 the crowd, a party of horsemen emerging from the 
 palace-gates. The gaze of the spectators was 
 fixed on me, and the riders approached unper- 
 ceived. Suddenly their pace was quickened, and 
 they came down upon us at full gallop. They were 
 headed by Didone, who, clothed from head to foot 
 in gleaming armour, seemed like some glorious 
 young Amazon leading her legions to the war. 
 At the sound of the approaching hoofs the crowd 
 fell back, leaving a clear space round the pyre. 
 In another moment the faggots were scattered in 
 all directions, the thongs that bound me to the 
 stake were cut, and I found myself, mounted on a 
 spare horse, forcing my way through the yielding 
 crowd, with Didone riding at my side. Limpopo, 
 who vainly attempted to arrest our progress, was 
 struck down and trampled, I trust to death, 
 beneath the hoofs of the horses. Once clear of 
 
248 Didond ; or, 
 
 the throng we increased our pace. We flew 
 through the park-gates and, leaving Axum behind 
 us, struck across the great plain to the southward. 
 We rode hard for about three miles, and then 
 proceeded more leisurely ; this afforded me my 
 first opportunity of exchanging a word with 
 Didone. She was in the highest spirits, and cried 
 joyously : 
 
 " ' Once again I have foiled Tagazze. They can 
 never catch us now. They will find their horses 
 useless, for I caused leaves of the tromo to be 
 placed in the water-troughs last night.' 
 
 " She then told me how she had at first 
 thought to frighten me into the fulfilment of our 
 betrothal, but finding me obdurate, she had, in the 
 brief madness of her anger, allowed Limpopo to 
 persuade her to send for Terrible John. She had 
 no sooner sent for the old ruffian than she 
 regretted what she had done ; but the call was 
 irrevocable, and Johannes travelled day and night 
 to perform the congenial task. After his arrival 
 affairs had altogether escaped her guidance, and it 
 was only by such a desperate act as this that she 
 could save me from Tagazze's truculence. Her 
 plan now was to make for Magdala, where her 
 Uncle Lijkasa, whom we call Theodore, would 
 protect her from the vengeance of the Judge. 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 249 
 
 Johannes, I must tell you, was, after the Em- 
 peror, all-powerful in matters connected with the 
 administration of the law, and Didone, by robbing 
 him of his victim, had incurred the direst pen- 
 alties. She had once before offended him in the 
 same way in the matter of old Guldu and it 
 was only by the direct interposition of her uncle 
 that she escaped dethronement. As for me, and 
 she smiled significantly, if I obeyed her in every- 
 thing, my safety was assured. 
 
 " Although we felt secure against pursuit, we 
 pushed on briskly through the broken country 
 lying between Axum and Magdala, for Didon6 was 
 anxious to explain matters to her uncle in her own 
 way before he could receive Tagazze's version, 
 which would certainly be despatched by the swift- 
 est runner in Axum. On the third day we fell in 
 with Theodore, who, accompanied by a small 
 company of horse, was reconnoitring the country 
 to the north of Magdala. The Emperor's recep- 
 tion of his niece was affectionate, but on me he 
 looked coldly. 
 
 " 'Whence the captive of thy spear? ' he inquired. 
 
 " ' He is no prisoner of war.' 
 
 '"What then?' 
 
 " ' He is bondsman to my beauty,' laughed the 
 girl. 
 
250 Didont ; or] 
 
 " The Negus frowned at the jest, and bid me fall 
 to the rear ; then, with Didone by his side, he placed 
 himself at the head of the combined cavalcade and 
 proceeded at a canter towards the great rock- 
 fortress that towered dark and grim against the 
 evening sky. 
 
 " On arriving at Magdala we drew up in the great 
 square, and the Negus, having given some direc- 
 tions in an undertone to an attendant, beckoned to 
 Didone, and led the way to the palace, leaving me 
 surrounded by the soldiers. As he turned to. go 
 the Princess caught him by the robe, and, pointing 
 to me, said in a firm voice : 
 
 " ' Uncle, he also must accompany thee.' 
 
 " ' Nay, he goeth to the nether pit ; I have scores 
 such as he in duress.' 
 
 "'Wouldst thou disgrace thus thy niece's hus- 
 band?' 
 
 " ' What ! thy husband, Didone, and I not told ? 
 Why, girl, I did not hear even of thy rose-binding.' 
 
 " ' We are not yet bound by the rose, but we are 
 plighted in the scarlet.' 
 
 " ' Pshaw ! that Obi rite of ancient days is nought. 
 A royal hand can 'solve the red knot, and I, the 
 Negus, do it.' 
 
 ?*? Hold ! hot even the Negus Negest (king of 
 kings) can break the link we forged in Axum.' 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 25 1 
 
 " ' What hast thou done, thou wilful girl, that 
 Lijkasa cannot reverse ? Who forged thy link ? ' . 
 
 "' Twas Prester John himself, Lijkasa, his the 
 spear-point that shed our blood, his the zone that 
 bound our arms, and his the hand that blessed our 
 bridal.' 
 
 " Theodore's swarthy face grew black with 
 passion, and his words burst forth like a torrent : 
 
 " ' Thou tampering ghoul ! thou naughty hyena ! 
 the hermit thou hast suborned shall blaze for this. 
 He hath betrayed his trust. Hast thou not heard 
 it said that when the bones of Prester John are 
 moved the Empire falls ? Ah ! old Guldu blazeth 
 high ; he smoketh black. When the red soldiers 
 shall have fled the land I haste to Axum, and 
 Guldu becometh a cinder.' 
 
 " Impulsive as a child, the plaything of his own 
 emotions, and swayed like a feather in the wind 
 by every passing thought, Theodore's most striking 
 characteristic was his sudden change of mood. 
 This reference to the red soldiers served to divert 
 his ideas into a new channel, and turning to the 
 men around me, he cried : 
 
 " ' Bring hither the Axum Queen's pet antelope 
 that I may see him closer.' 
 
 " When I was brought before him he gazed at me 
 steadfastly, muttering to himself the while. I could 
 
252 Didont ; or, 
 
 not catch what he was saying, but I heard him 
 twice repeat the words ' red soldiers, knowledge, 
 and counsel.' Suddenly breaking off he bid me 
 accompany him and Didone into the banqueting 
 chamber, where we found food and wine awaiting 
 us. As the meal proceeded we conversed in Tigrani. 
 He now laughed at the prophecy he had quoted to 
 Didone, but asked many questions touching the 
 strength of our army and the valour of our troops, 
 and was extremely anxious to discover the favourite 
 ruses of our Generals. With each course he grew 
 more friendly, and when we rose from the repast 
 he took me aside and promised that as soon as the 
 red soldiers had quitted the country he would 
 permit Didone to accept the rose, after which 
 our nuptials .were to be celebrated with unusual 
 splendour, under his immediate superintendence. 
 The red soldiers referred to by the Negus were Sir 
 Eobert Napier's troops, then within a few marches 
 of Magdala. 
 
 " Theodore's regard for me grew stronger every 
 day, and by the end of the week he loved me like 
 a brother. He would never ride out without having 
 me as his companion, and he would spend hours 
 strolling round the ramparts with his arm locked in 
 mine. After dinner we always played chess, while 
 Didone sang us some wild tale of the brave days of 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 253 
 
 old. But all this time the British Army was ad- 
 vancing,' and as it drew near his capital Theodore 
 disclosed a restlessness and anxiety which grew hour 
 by hour more painfully acute, and when the cloud 
 of dust that hung over our advance guard was seen 
 from the watch-tower he summoned me to join his 
 chiefs in consultation. Outside the council-chamber 
 were seated seven wild-looking, travel -stained men, 
 with unkempt hair and fantastic garments. These 
 were seven very eminent soothsayers, whom he 
 had gathered from distant quarters of the Empire 
 to read the issue of the coming strife. As I 
 entered the room, Theodore was giving an order, 
 with his customary impetuosity, to one of the 
 attendant chiefs, and, turning to me, he said that 
 as Sir Eobert Napier had opened fire upon him 
 he had ordered the immediate execution of all the 
 British prisoners. I earnestly begged him not to 
 carry out this intention until we had fully dis- 
 cussed the matter. I had already employed my 
 influence with him to secure better treatment for 
 the prisoners during their captivity, and my power 
 over him was now so great that in the space of a 
 quarter of an hour I succeeded, not only in getting 
 the order for the execution cancelled, but in obtain- 
 ing an edict for a general release. I then left the 
 assembly in order to see that the warrant of 
 
254 Didond ; or, 
 
 manumission was duly obeyed, and as I opened 
 the door to go, the Negus called in the sooth- 
 sayers. 
 
 " An hour later Didone sought me out. ' Ter- 
 rible things are happening,' she cried. ' The 
 soothsayers have divined what passed in Guldu's 
 cave, and have foretold my uncle's defeat and 
 dishonour. The warriors are fleeing from him as 
 from one doomed to destruction, and barely a 
 hundred spearmen remain to defend the fortress. 
 Lijkasa has vowed that your countrymen shall 
 enter the royal stronghold only over his dead body, 
 The red soldiers even now are moving towards the 
 hill, and the Negus has gone to the outer gate 
 that he may meet his death.' 
 
 " Bidding Didone remain under cover, I ran to 
 the ramparts, and could perceive our advancing 
 skirmishers covering a large body of troops march- 
 ing in the direction of the rock. Beyond the 
 attacking force were the white tents that marked 
 the British encampment. 
 
 " As I approached the great gate, I heard, amid 
 the whistling of the bullets that were now flying 
 in all directions, the sharp ring of a pistol-shot, 
 and, turning into the gateway, I stood by the 
 prostrate body of the King. I was just a minute 
 too late to save him ; all assistance was now in 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 255 
 
 vain. He was stone dead, and had clearly fallen 
 by his own hand. 
 
 " I hastened to break the news to Didone ; but 
 after wandering here and there through the now 
 nearly deserted fortress without finding her, I re- 
 turned to the ramparts in order to observe the 
 advance of the British column. The skirmishers 
 had now reached the base of the rock and were about 
 to mount the acclivity. As I gazed with admiration 
 at the steady order of their ascent a little hand 
 was laid lightly on my shoulder. I turned and 
 beheld Didone. She was dressed from head to 
 foot in delicate chain-mail, as on the day she 
 rescued me from Tagazze, only now she wore on 
 her head a bright steel cap embossed with silver 
 knobs and adorned with a marabout feather : 
 behind her were grouped some fifty horsemen. 
 Addressing me in her low, melodious voice, she 
 said : 
 
 " * Lijkasa, alas ! is dead ; I am now Empress of 
 Abyssinia and mistress of my fate. In half an 
 hour ' and she pointed to the soldiers toiling up 
 the rock ' your countrymen will be dominant 
 here, and I, if I remain, shall be as a snared bird 
 in your hands. Tell me, B'langi ' (that was her 
 rendering of my name), * tell me, by thy Sacred 
 One, wilt thou, if I yield myself say, wilt thou 
 
256 Didont '; or, 
 
 be kind and true to me, wilt thou give me the 
 rose and live with me, beloved and loving, in the 
 bond ? ' 
 
 " I was silent. "What reply could I make to 
 this appeal ? 
 
 " 'These warriors,' she continued, as she pointed 
 to the horsemen, * have hailed me Empress of 
 Ethiopia and Queen of Abyssinia. They urge me to 
 fly to the shores of Lake Tzana, there to rule 
 over what remains of my uncle's empire. My 
 reason would have me depart ; but, ah ! my heart 
 weeps and cries no. Tell me, B'langi, beloved, shall 
 I go or stay ? ' 
 
 " I elapsed her in my arms, and as I strained 
 her to my heart I whispered : ' Didone, sweetest 
 and dearest of women, I love thee too well to bid 
 thee tarry.' 
 
 " She tore herself from my embrace, and, leaping 
 on her horse, uttered a few rapid words to her 
 attendants, who shouted and waved their lances 
 in jubilation; then, wheeling about, they made 
 their clever horses jump in single file from the 
 ramparts to a grass-covered ledge of rock a few 
 feet below, whence they slid and crept laboriously 
 from shelf to shelf along some path known only to 
 the riders, until they reached the plain. Didone 
 was the last to descend. As she reined in her 
 
The Colonel's Love Tale. 257 
 
 beautiful black barb on the broad rampart, she 
 turned and regarded me with a dreamy expression 
 of loving despair, then the old smile played for a 
 moment over her lips, and she murmured in 
 Abyssinian : * Farewell, my beloved, farewell to 
 thee for ever.' 
 
 " She then put her horse to the leap and followed 
 her escort down the rock. 
 
 " Shortly after Didone's departure I admitted 
 our troops into the fortress, but I felt that as yet 
 I had no further concern with them. Keturning 
 to the battlements, I sat watching the little knot 
 of cavalry as it grew smaller in the distance until 
 it was lost to view. For a moment there gleamed 
 out of the haze on the horizon what seemed to be 
 a star ; it was the sunlight on Didone's helm. As 
 it vanished in the mist my romance ended, and 
 the world of prosaic work again received me. 
 
 "Descending from the ramparts, I sought the 
 General, and made a full confession of my escapade, 
 of course not forgetting to recount how I had been 
 instrumental in saving the lives of the prisoners. 
 The narrative created much interest at head- 
 quarters, and the good-hearted chief not only for- 
 gave me for my shameless breach of discipline but 
 offered to mention my name in despatches. This 
 distinction, however, I respectfully but firmly 
 
258 Didont ; or, The Colonel's Love Tale. 
 
 declined, and I begged as a personal favour that 
 the account of my adventures might go no further 
 than the Head-Quarter Staff, lest it should bring 
 poor Didone's name into notoriety, and induce 
 romantic subalterns to desert their posts and roam 
 about Abyssinia hunting for Princesses." 
 
THE WHITE SOWAR. 
 
 A CHANGE had come over Colonel Bowlong. 
 During the past six weeks his altered demeanour 
 had occasioned us increasing anxiety, not un- 
 mingled with alarm ; his once cheery greeting had 
 given place to a cold salute ; his eye no longer 
 twinkled with the old mirth-provoking light ; and 
 his deep, kindly laugh, that made the laughter of 
 others flow in responsive sympathy, was now but 
 seldom heard. His rich fund of anecdote seemed 
 to be exhausted ; his talk at mess wore an 
 unfamiliar terseness that in a man made up of 
 less genial elements would have been resented as 
 morose ; even the sallies of the vivacious Snapper 
 failed to rouse him from his lethargy ; and in the 
 verandah, so long the forum of his eloquence, he 
 would sit in the autocratic seclusion of a gloomy 
 silence until he had consumed his favourite 
 cheroot of " Thompson's muster," and then, rising 
 abruptly with an abstracted nod, and a curt " good- 
 
 s 2 
 
260 The White Sowar. 
 
 night " to his nearest neighbour, he would call for 
 his carriage, and go home. Was the old man ill ? 
 Was our deeply- valued friend beginning to droop 
 under the cold eye of the pale destroyer, who, with 
 impartial foot, kicks open the door alike of Colonel 
 and Cornet, and summons the shivering occupant 
 to join one of old Charon's unpopular boating 
 parties on the darkling mystic river ? Could it be 
 that we were about to lose our old Chief? 
 
 One evening at mess how well each detail of 
 that night comes back to my memory after 
 striving ineffectually to keep up the leaden ball of 
 artificial gaiety, we lapsed into silence. There 
 was upon us the sense of an impending sorrow, 
 and I for one felt small talk impossible. 
 
 " Butler, champagne to every one." It was the 
 Colonel's voice, but so unfamiliar was the tone, so 
 solemn was it, and so sad, that all present started 
 with surprise. When the wine had gone round, 
 Colonel Bowlong rose to his feet, and after one 
 or two husky coughs spoke as follows : " Gentle- 
 men, I mean, my very dear fellows, that con- 
 founded White Sowar " 
 
 But before I proceed with the Colonel's speech 
 I must give the story of this same White Sowar, as 
 our old friend told it in the days when his heart 
 was light. It ran thus : 
 
The White Sowar. 261 
 
 " On returning to India after the Abyssinian 
 expedition, I took sixty days' privilege-leave, and 
 went shooting in the Jhoot jungles. I had not 
 been in those parts since I was a griffin, and I was 
 amused to find that the recollection of my youthful 
 exploits was still fresh in the minds of the people. 
 Indeed, I fancy that even now they talk of the boy 
 that killed the ' Demon.' On my arrival at Nubli, 
 a small village at the foot of the Teltu Hills, I 
 found the villagers in a state of the wildest excite- 
 ment of joy at my advent ; the entire hamlet 
 turned out to greet me with tom-toms and gar- 
 lands and fruit. * What's it all about ? ' I asked, 
 as the head-man put a wreath of jasmine round my 
 neck. 
 
 " * All the world is saying,' replied the old man, 
 gleefully, * that the nourisher of the poor has come 
 to rid us of the "White Sowar" as in days of 
 old he freed us from the " Jhoot Demon." 
 
 " ' The White Sowar ! ' I exclaimed, ' and who 
 the dickens may he be ? ' Whereupon the entire 
 crowd began to speak at once with much dramatic 
 gesticulation, and it was not without considerable 
 difficulty that I came to understand that a white 
 man, well armed and marvellously mounted, had 
 taken up his abode in the heart of the forest, 
 whence he levied blackmail on the neighbourhood 
 
262 The White Sowar. 
 
 for a radius of five-and-twenty miles. Of course 
 this information did not come to me precisely 
 in the above form ; the materials from which 
 I gathered it were of a far more poetical 
 nature. According to my informants, the country 
 had, for the last eighteen months or so, fallen 
 under the sway of a malignant spirit, a dauntless 
 white devil of infinite power and unappeasable 
 malevolence, who, mounted on a winged horse, 
 swept like the angel of death over the face of the 
 land, leaving behind him nothing but blood and 
 ashes. 
 
 " That night my runner was stopped, and next 
 morning I had no bread for breakfast. I now saw 
 that the matter was serious, and must be attended to 
 without delay, so I included the robber in the list of 
 wild animals for whose khuller* I offered a reward. 
 My rate was five rupees for news of a bison, ten for 
 a tiger, and fifteen for the White Sowar. A week 
 passed, and reports of his depredations came in 
 from all quarters, but the intelligence received told 
 me only where he had been last heard of, not where 
 he was now to be found. One evening, however, as 
 I was returning from shooting, I was accosted by a 
 hairy old Bhil, in appearance not unlike a venerable 
 chimpanzee, who reported that he had seen the 
 * News. 
 
The White Sowar. 263 
 
 1 Sowar devil ' taking post in a thicket near the cart- 
 track that ran through the jungle from Kandalur to 
 Nubli. The rascal was again lying in wait for my 
 runner ; he evidently liked baker's bread. Follow- 
 ing the Bhil, and bidding my gun-bearer keep 
 close, I dived into the jungle, and proceeded as 
 rapidly as the wait-a-bit thorns would permit. 
 We tore our way through the bushes for about two 
 miles, and just as the sun was setting I saw the 
 white cart-track gleaming between the stems of the 
 sal-trees. At that moment, my guide suddenly 
 crouched behind a bush, signalling to me to do the 
 same. He then extended a bony first finger to his 
 front, and sat breathless, staring, and rigid a 
 perfect picture of a forest animal in the presence 
 of supreme and immediate peril from which it 
 cannot flee. In the shadow of the foliage, some 
 fifty yards away, I saw a horseman, dressed like 
 an Australian bushranger, and armed with a 
 cavalry carbine that he rested dragoon-fashion on 
 his thigh. Both man and horse were perfectly 
 still, and it was clear that our approach had been 
 unobserved. I turned for my rifle, but my gun- 
 bearer was nowhere to be seen ! At this juncture 
 I heard the jingle of the bells which told me that 
 my weekly supply of bread and other creature com- 
 forts was at hand, and in a minute or two more 
 
264 The White Sowar. 
 
 would be in the grasp of the spoiler. The Bhil's 
 sole weapon was a bow-and-arrow ; I silently 
 relieved him of his artillery and awaited the event. 
 Nearer and nearer rang the bells, and the bearer, 
 going at a good swinging trot, suddenly came into 
 view round the corner of the road. 
 
 " 'Halt! ' shouted the horseman, as he wheeled 
 his charger into the centre of the path and 
 covered the runner with his carbine. The terrified 
 cossid took in the situation at a glance : he waited 
 for no further manifestation, but, with a cry of 
 alarm, threw down his burden and dived like a 
 deer into the jungle. The robber dismounted and 
 began leisurely to rifle the bags ; he regarded the 
 bread approvingly, and seemed well pleased at the 
 appearance of a bottle of Irish whiskey ; but what 
 delighted him most of all was a box, of Manilla 
 cigars, which he at once broke open and the con- 
 tents of which he proceeded to sample. Having 
 tied up his spoil he remounted. It was a trying 
 moment. I felt that the contest would be alto- 
 gether unequal, but hang me if I could let him 
 go with all the honours of war. So I stepped 
 from my concealment and cried, as I drew the 
 arrow to the head, 
 
 " ' Surrender, or you are a dead man ! ' 
 . " He looked at me for an instant with amaze- 
 
The White Sowar. 265 
 
 ment, but when he realized that I was threatening 
 him with a bow-and-arrow he laughed with such 
 uncontrollable violence that his lately lighted cigar 
 fell from his mouth. He then raised his carbine, 
 but before he could take aim I loosed the arrow. 
 It struck him somewhere in the chest, and as it 
 pierced him he reeled and nearly let his weapon 
 fall, but recovering himself by a manful effort 
 he turned his horse, and swaying from side to 
 side, galloped madly up the road. He was 
 evidently hard hit, and feeling himself, even with 
 his superior weapon, altogether overmatched, he 
 was making with the instinct of a wounded animal 
 for his lair. The sun had now disappeared and 
 pursuit that night was out of the question, but, 
 sending for dogs and trackers, I prepared to run 
 the prey to earth in the morning. 
 
 "Next day, at daybreak, I found my tents 
 surrounded by an animated crowd of shikaris, 
 trackers, and villagers, armed with spears, lathies, 
 bows-and-arrows, and rusty matchlocks. There 
 were also some Bhils leading knowing-looking dogs 
 tied in couples ; and the entire assembly was frantic 
 with the hope that the horseman-fiend had seen the 
 dawn of his last day. Before starting, I strictly 
 forbade a shot to be fired or a blow to be struck 
 without my orders. The business of the natives 
 
266 TJie White Sowar. 
 
 was to track, mine either to capture or to kill, as 
 circumstances might dictate. I had resolved, how- 
 ever, that I would take the freebooter alive. 
 
 " Laying on the dogs at the spot where the robber 
 had received his wound, we were led along the 
 Nubli road for about a mile, when the trail turned 
 sharply to the left, taking the direction of the 
 Teltu Hills. This range, which consisted of a series 
 of elevations covered with the densest jungle, and 
 rising in terraces, one above the other, contained 
 the most inaccessible recesses of the Great Jhoot. 
 Pursuit now became slower; now and then a 
 tracker would come to me with a leaf or a blade 
 of grass bearing a spot of blood, and I confess that 
 as I viewed these signs of successful shikar, I 
 recoiled from the idea that I was pursuing my 
 own countryman as though he were a wounded 
 roebuck. The track at last led us to where a 
 magnificent waterfall flashed and thundered down 
 the mountain- side. The torrent was both wide 
 and deep ; black jagged rocks reared their heads 
 in mid-stream; the banks were stony and pre- 
 cipitous, and here both hound and tracker paused. 
 It was evident to all present that the fugitive 
 had leapt the fall. In any circumstances it 
 would have been a gallant feat, but performed 
 in the twilight and by a wounded man it was a 
 
The White Sowar. 267 
 
 splendid achievement. It forcibly reminded me 
 of the grand reckless horsemanship of the old 
 Pandours, and I began to feel a reluctant 
 admiration for this fearless solitary lord of the 
 wilderness whom I was hunting, possibly to 
 death. Acting on the impulse of the moment, 
 I summarily dismissed my rabble rout, retaining 
 only one veteran shikari, whose skill in taking 
 up the trail appeared to me to be more in 
 the nature of inspiration than of reason, and 
 with Loobu as my sole companion I forded the 
 foaming stream some hundred yards lower down, 
 resuming the track where the starred and 
 splintered rock showed that the horse had landed. 
 After more than two hours' laborious climb, we 
 found ourselves on a little grassy plateau that 
 crested the highest hill of the series ; in our front 
 frowned a large rocky cave, and a clear stream of 
 sparkling water flowed through a little lawn. Two 
 stately tamarind-trees shaded the entrance to the 
 cavern, and the place altogether formed a most 
 perfect sylvan hermitage. How its European occu- 
 pant ever discovered it, passes my comprehension. 
 My guide, telling me to lie quiet behind a clump of 
 pampas-grass, wriggled, snake-like, to the cave 
 and reconnoitred. After a brief inspection he 
 returned, carrying something which he handed to 
 
268 The White Sowar. 
 
 me with a grave smile. It was the Bhil's arrow 
 stained with blood from point to feather. Beyond 
 a doubt we had run the robber to earth ; the task 
 now was to draw him. Handing my rifle to the 
 old man, I cocked my revolver and we entered the 
 cave together. As we crossed the threshold, a shot 
 rang out from the interior and a bullet whistled 
 between us ; the explosion lighted up the cavern, 
 and I could see, lying on a heap of straw at the 
 far end of the recess, the wounded outlaw, in the 
 act of exchanging his carbine for a pistol. Before 
 he could fire a second shot I had closed with him, 
 and in his enfeebled state there was no great 
 difficulty in overpowering him. Loobu having 
 struck a light, I found that we were in a large rocky 
 cavity, spacious enough to afford shelter for half a 
 dozen men and horses. Scattered around were 
 the proceeds of many a daring raid food, clothes, 
 arms, and jewellery lay about in careless pro- 
 fusion. In one corner stood the horse, a fine 
 animal with B. 23 still perceptible on its near fore. 
 
 "'Aha! my friend,' said I, 'so you have been 
 helping yourself from a cavalry stable/ 
 
 " ' Bowlong,' said the wounded man, faintly, 
 * you wouldn't smash an old Pandour ? * 
 
 " ' An old Pandour ! You an old Pan ! Why, 
 who in the name of wonder are you ? ' I cried. 
 
The White Sowar. 269 
 
 "' Don't you remember Heatherstone " Wild 
 Heather " ? I recognized you in the jungle yester- 
 day. I never meant to shoot you. You were 
 precious quick, though, with your blessed bow. 
 Always good at that, weren't you, old man ? ' 
 
 " I held the torch to his face. Yes, sure enough, 
 it was Heatherstone, once cornet in my own troop, 
 the brightest and cheeriest young fellow I had ever 
 met. Broken by court-martial for cheeking the 
 Colonel on parade touch of the sun you know 
 and for trying to cut down the Adjutant when 
 that officer demanded his sword, he had, on the 
 night of his sentence, taken the best horse in the 
 Regiment and disappeared ; he had been searched 
 for far and wide without the discovery of sign or 
 trace of him. Since then, he had lived the life 
 of a solitary man-brute, pitiless and ravening, 
 ' red in tooth and claw ' as, as the sportsman 
 says. Well, of course, I ought to have handed 
 him over to the authorities and have had him 
 transported or hanged, for I fear there was but 
 little doubt that he had more than once taken life 
 in his forays. But I did not do my duty. I tended 
 him carefully till he was well. Loobu, prompted 
 thereto by liberal largess, kept the secret with 
 exemplary fidelity, and in the course of a month 
 or two I got poor Heatherstone safely out of the 
 
270 The White Sowar. 
 
 country. I heard that shortly after his return to 
 England he tumbled into an enormous fortune." 
 
 That was the story of the White Sowar I will 
 now resume my account of the Colonel's speech. 
 
 " That confounded White Sowar, Heatherstone 
 you know, has lost the number of his mess broke 
 his neck hunting and has left me twenty lakhs. 
 His lawyers write to say that there is a little place 
 in the Shires, shooting estate in Scotland, fine 
 castle in Cadiz, steam-yacht, horses, carriages, 
 and I don't know what, all mine. Worst of it 
 is, I must go home at once and look after 'em. I 
 wouldn't tell you fellows about it till I had made 
 sure, in case I piled it up too high couldn't do 
 that, you know couldn't do that. But it's all 
 cut and dried, and I'm to hand over charge of 
 the Kegiment to the Major here to-morrow, and 
 then I'm off for ever." 
 
 At this point the speaker became so deeply 
 affected that he might have been announcing his 
 irreparable ruin instead of describing a splendid 
 inheritance. But by an effort he controlled him- 
 self, and proposed the health and prosperity of the 
 Eegiment, with the usual honours. Bewildered, 
 we performed the function. 
 
 " Three cheers for Marmaduke Bowlong, kindest 
 of "friends and best of Colonels," shouted the 
 
The White Sowar. 271 
 
 Major, rising to his feet, and then we made the 
 roof ring and the glasses caper. When the cheer- 
 ing had a bit subsided the Major delivered such 
 a neat little speech that no room was left for 
 doubt that he had all the time been in the 
 Colonel's confidence and had been duly given the 
 ' office ' ; and then we cheered again until we had 
 to desist from sheer exhaustion, and all the time 
 the dear old Chief sat with his handkerchief to 
 his face crying like a child. Later on we escorted 
 him home, and next morning saw him safe off on 
 his journey to Bombay. 
 
 ***** 
 
 When Colonel Bowlong's Indian friends go to 
 England they receive no warmer welcome from 
 even the nearest and dearest of their kin than that 
 which is extended to them by the good old Colonel. 
 All of us in the Regiment have spent many happy 
 weeks at his little place in the Shires, but, strange 
 to say, I never met any one who had stayed either 
 at the Scotch shooting-box or at the Spanish 
 castle. The Colonel says that he finds the climate 
 of Ayrshire a trifle too cold for him, and that of 
 Andalucia just a degree too warm. 
 
 THE END. 
 
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