THE SIEGE OF DELHI. 229 



depression of spirits among our men brought on 

 a fresh outburst of cholera. In order to cheer up 

 his men General AVilson directed that a resfimental 

 band should play every morning in the centre of 

 the camp. "This," says Sir T. Seaton, "had a 

 very beneficial effect. The men of different regi- 

 ments met together and had an hour's pleasant chat, 

 which brightened them up, and was far better for 

 them than sitting in their tents, gloomy and dull, 

 blessing (?) the heat, the flies, and the Pandies, an 

 occupation that was a certain shoeing - horn for 

 cholera." 



On the 20th, as Colonel Seaton was returning 

 from a reconnaissance in the Sabzi Mandi, a small 

 body of rebels suddenly began to fire upon his 

 retreating troops. They were even threatening a 

 rush upon his rear, when " the Guides, admirably 

 posted by that excellent officer Lieutenant Hodson, 

 gave them a volley with a cheer, which drove them 

 off precipitately, and I returned to camp without 

 further molestation."^ 



On July 23rd, while a column under Brigadier 

 Showers was engaged in driving the enemy back 

 from Ludlow Castle, Colonel Seaton was badly 

 wounded by a musket-ball, which entered the breast 

 and came out at the back, breaking one of his ribs, 

 and thereby causing some injury to one of his lungs. 

 On seeing the condition of his wounded friend, 

 Hodson galloped off at once to camp and got every- 

 thing ready, including Dr Mactier, for ministering 

 to the sufferer's needs. " Dr Mactier," says Seaton, 

 "told Hodson that I was not on any account to 

 speak or to be spoken to for a week, as my recovery 



^ G. W. Forrest's Selections. 



