Oh let us still the secret joy partake— "And live there men who slight immortal fame ? 1 The shrine, the temple of Fame. 4 Intrinsic worth, the real value, the for instance, the worth of Nelson's 6 And swam, &c., waded to the THE INDIAN MUTINY. NE hundred years from the battle of Plassey, which laid the foundation of our Indian rule, a mutiny broke out in our Sepoy regiments which seriously imperilled our Indian empire. The exploits performed by our countrymen in the suppression of this mutiny were the admiration of the world. The chief centres of the mutiny were Delhi, Cawnpore, and Lucknow. Fortunately for us, the important fort of Allahabad, situated at the confluence of the Ganges and the Jumna, and commanding the traffic on both rivers, was saved by the intrepid exertions of General Neill. Had Allahabad fallen into the enemy's 21 ST. 6. power the task of retrieving our fortunes in India would have become desperate indeed. But with Allahabad in our hands, it became possible for Havelock to collect and organise a force for the relief of Cawnpore and Lucknow. Cawnpore is a name not to be spoken without a shudder. It was the scene of a most frightful massacre, perpetrated by the command of Nana Sahib, a horrid compound of cruelty, craft, and cowardice. The Europeans at Cawnpore, after a brave resistance, surrendered to Nana Sahib, on the promise that they should be allowed to retire in safety. But as soon as they entered the boats, in the hope of reaching Allahabad by the river Ganges, Nana's soldiers opened fire upon them, and killed or captured all except four men, who escaped by swimming. These brought the dreadful news to General Havelock, who soon set out from Allahabad in the hope of relieving the poor captives. Three times he defeated the rebels on the road, and had just got Cawnpore within his grasp when the infamous Nana ordered his helpless prisoners to be murdered. On entering the city the victors were appalled at the sight of a well, choked up with the mangled corpses of two hundred women and children who had been butchered. One hundred years before the Black Hole of Calcutta had led to the conquest of Bengal, and now the Bloody Well of Cawnpore kindled a fire in every British breast, that turned every soldier fighting our battles in India into a hero willing to die, rather than permit such miscreants to live. The relief of our besieged countrymen at Lucknow was the next task to be attempted by the gallant Havelock. Here Sir Henry Lawrence had made every preparation for defence within his power. All the Europeans were brought within the Residency, a large enclosure bounded by walls, and containing the buildings usually occupied by the Government officials. The siege had only just begun when Sir Henry Lawrence was killed by the fragment of a shell that alighted in his bed-chamber. Sir John Inglis succeeded to the arduous post of honour, and resolved to hold out to the last extremity. Never were British valour and indomitable pluck more conspicuous than in the defence which was here maintained by a few hundred resolute men, in the presence of their wives and children, against a host of besiegers. The women by their cheerful, calm, and hopeful endurance of danger, sickness, and every form of distress, fully share in the glory of the siege. For no less than eighty-five days weariness, watchings, privations, and every form of suffering had to be endured before the longed-for help arrived. It was brought by General Havelock, who, with 2,500 men, including his 78th Highlanders, had fought two battles with the rebels outside Lucknow, and had then pressed on through streets of flat-roofed, loop-holed houses, from which a perpetual fire was kept up on his victorious troops, as they rushed on to join their friends. It soon appeared, however, that the women and children could not with safety be removed, so that Havelock and his companions were besieged in the place they had come to relieve. The garrison thus reinforced was able to hold out until Sir Colin Campbell arrived with an army large enough for its effectual relief. About the same time that Havelock forced his way into the Residency at Lucknow, our troops, after a siege of nearly four months, stormed and took the city of Delhi, the chief stronghold of the rebels. The assault of the city was attended by many a daring deed; but the most remarkable was the perilous exploit of blowing up the Cashmere gate, for the entrance of one column of our troops. A small band of heroic men volunteered to place bags of powder under the gate in the teeth of the defenders of the city, and to take the risk of being shot or blown up in the attempt. "I placed my bag," said Sergeant Smith, "and then at great risk reached Carmichael's bag (for he was killed), and having placed it in position with my own, arranged the fuse for the explosion, and reported all ready to Lieutenant Salkeld, who held a quick-match. In stooping down to light the quick-match he was shot, but in falling had the presence of mind to hold it to me. Burgess was next him, and took it. I told him to keep cool, and fire the charge. He turned round, and said, It won't go off, sir; it has gone out, sir.' I gave him a box of lucifers, and, as he took them, he let them fall into my hand, he being shot through the body at that moment. I was then left alone, and was proceeding to strike a light when the fuse went off in my face, the light not having gone out as we thought. I took up my gun and jumped into the ditch, but before I had reached the ground the charge went off, and filled the ditch with smoke. I put my hands along the wall, and touched some one, and asked who it was. 'Lieutenant Home,' was the answer. I said, 'Has God spared you? Are you hurt?' He said, 'No,' and asked the same from me. I had got off with only a severe bruise in the leg." With such heroes in our army as these men, it is not surprising that we succeeded in stamping out the mutiny. After the fall of Delhi, the issue of the con |