i8o PATNA DURING THE MUTINY. 



Hitherto, all had gone well at Patna. With the exception of one 

 slight attack on our patroling party, when Dr. L3^ell was killed, the 

 city had made no sign of disaffection, and the Commissioner was 

 daily receiving congratulations from all parts of India regarding 

 his successful policy. Indeed some of us went so far as to address 

 Mrs. Tayler as "My Lady" in anticipation of the decoration we 

 supposed to be in store for her gallant husband. But here again we 

 were reckoning without our host. 



As the general opinion was that the Sepoys would disperse 

 directly they saw our force approaching, when I said good-bye to 

 Ross Mangles, I told him if he found them still alive, to remember 

 me to all the beleaguered garrison,* especially to Colvin, who had 

 been with me in the " old boat " at Haileybury. But the following 

 day, as I was sitting in my verandah reading with my Munshi, I saw 

 a tall tramp-like figure approaching in the distance, and presently to 

 my great astonishment saw it was Ross Mangles, who briefly said, 

 " We have had an awful licking ; the loth is pretty well annihilated, 

 and I am one of the few come back to tell the tale." 



Here was cause for grave reflection, but with characteristic selfish- 

 ness my thoughts reverted to myself, and I said, " I suppose we 

 shall have the victorious Sepoys down on us now ! " to which 

 Mangles said, " Very likely ! " and throwing himself on a bed which 

 was handy, he fell asleep, and as I would not allow anyone to 

 disturb him, he slept straight on end for fifteen hours. He had a 

 very rough time of it during his absence from Patna ; having walked 

 fifty miles or so, the last twenty-five under a shower of bullets. But 

 he had no reason to regret going as a volunteer, because his 

 gallantry on this occasion gained for him one of the three Victoria 

 Crosses awarded to civilians. My Munshi then retired to spread 

 the news like wild-fire through the town ; and I went to the Com- 

 missioner, whom I found had also heard of the disaster. But he, 

 as usual, seemed to take the matter very coolly, although he did not 



*For a detailed account of the extraordinary defence of Arrah, see "The Coinpetition-Walla," by the 

 Right Honourable Sir George Trevelyan. 



