176 PATNA DURING THE MUTINY. 



native make. These in time were wont to draggle down, giving us 

 the appearance of ruffians on the stage. 



Every one was obhged to do what, I beHeve, are called the steps, 

 and when the fiddle struck up and we all went round, old and young 

 together, those who smoked being armed with churchwarden pipes, 

 which someone had procured somehow, the effect was so very 

 comical, and we looked such awful idiots, that I could hardly stand 

 up for laughing. Mr. Judge Woodcock, who had been nearly a third 

 of a century in the Civil Service, and who was a great favourite with 

 us all, would try and excuse himself, on the plea of being too old and 

 stout, but his grave face as he hopped round, was far too good to be 

 lost without a struggle, so three or four of us would take him by the 

 arms and compel him to join in the dance, which I feel confident he 

 enjoyed as much as the youngest there. 



Sometimes we would hunt the sacred bulls, which roamed about 

 at pleasure, filching the farmers' crops, and as we galloped along- 

 side, we seized their tails and tried to throw them over ; and, once, 

 when some British soldiers were camping near, we ran one in among 

 them ; but they, thinking it was mad, turned out and shot it, the 

 butcher of the party cutting it up for meat. 



Ross Mangles and I, however, as guardians of the peace, in no 

 measured terms declaimed against this impious act, and all received 

 our censure in good part, except the smallest of the troop, who, 

 never having heard of sacred bulls before, failed to appreciate the 

 warmth with which we spoke, so, stepping out, he said, " You 

 gentlemen seem to be speaking very disrespectful to the British 

 soldier." But the comical bantam-cock-like way in which he spoke, 

 caused such a burst of laughter that he was obliged to retire in 

 confusion, whilst his comrades, wishing to make peace, cordially 

 invited us each to take a sirloin. 



Our dress whilst the Mutiny was going on around, was most 

 peculiar, but we thought it picturesque ; for when an itinerant 

 native pedler exposed his wares to view, he was sure to have some 

 fancy gaudy stuff, which almost required a pair of green spectacles 



