GALLANTEY OF THE STANDARD-BEARER. 235 



Meantime the regiment had kept on advanc- 

 ing, but so terrible was the flanking fire, and so 

 many men and horses had been struck down, 

 that the rest began to appear unsteady ; seeing 

 which the eldest brother, rushing to the front, 

 turned round in his saddle, and calling out to 

 the men, said in a furious tone, ' What, you will 

 desert your officers, will you ? but I will stick 

 to them,' and instantly placed himself between 

 the European officers in front. The regi- 

 ment was then nearing the enemy, and the 

 standard-bearer, holding his standard aloft, 

 cried out, ^ If you desert your officers you 

 will lose your standard,' and as they charged 

 up darted it in amongst the enemy, him- 

 self following it sword in hand ; every sowar 

 did the like, and the enemy were sabred in 

 a moment. The poor standard-bearer how- 

 ever lost an eye, which was blown out by 

 the explosion of one of the enemy's muskets, 

 though he was providentially untouched by 

 the ball. After the action one of the first 

 amongst the wounded whom the doctor saw was 

 his own orderly, with a shattered arm. ' How 

 came you to leave me,' inquired the doctor, 

 ' and how did this occur ? ' 'Oh, Sahib,' 



