fitagainbytakingtheQueen’sshillingandjoiningthe3rdBuffs,whichwasjuststartingforIndia.
“Iwasn’tdestinedtodomuchsoldiering,however.Ihadjustgotpastthegoose-step,andlearnedtohandlemymusket,whenIwasfoolenoughtogoswimmingintheGanges.Luckilyforme,mycompanysergeant,JohnHolder,wasinthewateratthesametime,andhewasoneofthefinestswimmersintheservice.Acrocodiletookme,justasIwashalf-wayacross,andnippedoffmyrightlegascleanasasurgeoncouldhavedoneit,justabovetheknee.Whatwiththeshockandthelossofblood,Ifainted,andshouldhavedrownedifHolderhadnotcaughtholdofmeandpaddledforthebank.Iwasfivemonthsinhospitaloverit,andwhenatlastIwasabletolimpoutofitwiththistimbertoestrappedtomystumpIfoundmyselfinvalidedoutofthearmyandunfittedforanyactiveoccupation.
“Iwas,asyoucanimagine,prettydownonmyluckatthistime,forIwasauselesscripplethoughnotyetinmytwentiethyear.However,mymisfortunesoonprovedtobeablessingindisguise.AmannamedAbelWhite,whohadcomeoutthereasanindigo-planter,wantedanoverseertolookafterhiscooliesandkeepthemuptotheirwork.Hehappenedtobeafriendofourcolonel’s,whohadtakenaninterestinmesincetheaccident.Tomakealongstoryshort,thecolonelrecommendedmestronglyforthepostand,astheworkwasmostlytobedoneonhorseback,mylegwasnogreatobstacle,forIhadenoughkneelefttokeepgoodgriponthesaddle.WhatIhadtodowastorideovertheplantation,tokeepaneyeonthemenastheyworked,andtoreporttheidlers.Thepaywasfair,Ihadcomfortablequarters,andaltogetherIwascontenttospendtheremainderofmylifeinindigo-planting.Mr.AbelWhitewasakindman,andhewouldoftendropintomylittleshantyandsmokeapipewithme,forwhitefolkouttherefeeltheirheartswarmtoeachotherastheyneverdohereathome.
“Well,Iwasneverinluck’swaylong.Suddenly,withoutanoteofwarning,thegreatmutinybrokeuponus.OnemonthIndialayasstillandpeaceful,toallappearance,asSurreyorKentthenextthereweretwohundredthousandblackdevilsletloose,andthecountrywasaperfecthell.Ofcourseyouknowallaboutit,gentlemen,—adealmorethanIdo,verylike,sincereadingisnotinmyline.IonlyknowwhatIsawwithmyowneyes.OurplantationwasataplacecalledMuttra,neartheborderoftheNorthwestProvinces.Nightafternightthewholeskywasalightwiththeburningbungalows,anddayafterdaywehadsmallcompaniesofEuropeanspassingthroughourestatewiththeirwivesandchildren,ontheirwaytoAgra,wherewerethenearesttroops.Mr.AbelWhitewasanobstinateman.Hehaditinhisheadthattheaffairhadbeenexaggerated,andthatitwouldblowoverassuddenlyasithadsprungup.Therehesatonhisveranda,drinkingwhiskey-pegsandsmokingcheroots,whilethecountrywasinablazeabouthim.Ofcoursewestuckbyhim,IandDawson,who,withhiswife,usedtodothebook-workandthemanaging.Well,onefinedaythecrashcame.Ihadbeenawayonadistantplantation,andwasridingslowlyhomeintheevening,whenmyeyefelluponsomethingallhuddledtogetheratthebottomofasteepnullah.Irodedowntoseewhatitwas,andthecoldstruckthroughmyheartwhenIfounditwasDawson’swife,allcutintoribbons,andhalfeatenbyjackalsandnativedogs.AlittlefurtheruptheroadDawsonhimselfwaslyingonhisface,quitedead,withanemptyrevolverinhishandandfourSepoyslyingacrosseachotherinfrontofhim.Ireinedupmyhorse,wonderingwhichwayIshouldturn,butatthatmomentIsawthicksmokecurlingupfromAbelWhite’sbungalowandtheflamesbeginningtoburstthroughtheroof.IknewthenthatIcoulddomyemployernogood,butwouldonlythrowmyownlifeawayifImeddledinthematter.FromwhereIstoodIcouldseehundredsoftheblackfiends,withtheirredcoatsstillontheirbacks,dancingandhowlingroundtheburninghouse.Someofthempointedatme,andacoupleofbulletssangpastmyheadsoIbrokeawayacrossthepaddy-fields,andfoundmyselflateatnightsafewithinthewallsatAgra.
“Asitproved,however,therewasnogreatsafetythere,either.Thewholecountrywasuplikeaswarmofbees.WherevertheEnglishcouldcollectinlittlebandstheyheldjustthegroundthattheirgunscommanded.Everywhereelsetheywerehelplessfugitives.Itwasafightofthemillionsagainstthehundredsandthecruellestpartofitwasthatthesementhatwefoughtagainst,foot,horse,andgunners,wereourownpickedtroops,whomwehadtaughtandtrained,handlingourownweapons,andblowingourownbugle-calls.AtAgratherewerethe3rdBengalFusiliers,someSikhs,twotroopsofhorse,andabatteryofartillery.Avolunteercorpsofclerksandmerchantshadbeenformed,andthisIjoined,woodenlegandall.WewentouttomeettherebelsatShahgungeearlyinJuly,andwebeatthembackforatime,butourpowdergaveout,andwehadtofallbackuponthecity.
“Nothingbuttheworstnewscametousfromeveryside,—whichisnottobewonderedat