raised but I grieve to say that during our short absence two had deserted! Our men and horses were then carefully tended and refreshed, and I proceeded to make arrangements for an early return to Meerut.

The headman of the village, curiously enough, turned out to be an old German, named Cohen, who many years before had come to India as an adventurer, and, as was then frequently the case, had settled in the country, married a native woman, and was to all intents living as a native zemindar or cultivator on a large scale. He had a grown-up family, who were brought up as natives; and he himself, from long residence, and dressed in the clothes of his adopted country, could with difficulty be distinguished from a native.

But his treatment of our fugitives and ourselves showed he had not lost the feelings of a Christian and a European. We fared sumptuously that night, and whilst we slept he made arrangements with his sons and the other principal inhabitants for as comfortable a transport for our poor people as could be improvised. By early morning all preparations were made, the majority of the fugitives finding carriage in native ekkas, bullock-carts, &c. We then escorted them back safely into Meerut and without any molestation, though for some time we had apprehensions lest a pursuing force from Delhi might catch us up. But we saw nothing, and glad we were when our responsibilities ceased and they were all safely housed in the Dumdumma or intrenched posi

tion in Meerut. I am glad to say the zemindar Cohen received a very handsome reward from Government in the shape of a large jagheer or grant of land, and each man of our rescuing party received promotion or reward of some kind. During the latter years of my service in India I frequently came across two of these men, Jemadar Bisseshur Sing and another, who had received commissions as native officers in Murray's Jat Horse, now the 14th Bengal Lancers, and who often recalled that day's adventure to my memory. One died previous to my leaving India, the other retired on a pension about the time I left the country.

Efforts were now made to organise small expeditions into the neighbouring villages. A body of mounted volunteers

was raised from among the civilians and merchants of the station. It was called the "Meerut Light Horse," and they did a certain amount of good service; but the men sadly lacked the knowledge of their weapons, now possessed by the numerous corps of volunteers in India. Were another such emergency to arise there, it is a relief to think that each station would be able to turn out a body of equipped and efficient volunteers, who could undertake all the necessary requirements of "defence." For myself, I was placed in command of a body of irregular horse, composed of men of native cavalry regiments, who had been on furlough at their homes at the time of the outbreak and had come in to Meerut to offer their loyal services with these men I was able

to do some useful work outside the cantonments, patrolling the country in the surrounding districts. It was hard and trying work sometimes, with never a tent to protect us from sun or rain, marching thirty or forty miles a day; but it served to keep me employed. I was always fretting to be away to join the forces now assembling for the attack on Delhi. The army which was detailed for this operation was organised at Umballa, under the immediate command of General Anson, the Commanderin-Chief in India, and was advancing direct on Delhi vid Kurnal; at the same time a force was despatched towards Delhi from Meerut by the Grand Trunk road. This force was under the command of Brigadier Archdale Wilson, C.B., and consisted of the Carabiniers

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