PATNA DURING THE MUTINY. i8i 



dissent, when by way of opening the conversation, I said, " It seems 

 that we shall have hot work here presently ! " 



"But, surely," I continued, "you will call in the .out-lying 

 Europeans, and not let them be massacred in detail like the Arrah 

 Garrison. Things appear now, to use Colonel Rattray's expression, 

 so ' very fishy,' that every available man should rally here, and 

 even then we should not be one hundred strong. The Sepoys 

 having nearly annihilated the loth Regiment, will consider themselves 

 invincible, and ruffians from all the country round will assemble 

 in their thousands, and swell the Sepoy ranks. Discretion is the 

 better part of valour, and even the dauntless Clive under the circum- 

 stances surely would call in his men." 



But Mr. Tayler said one hope remained. Sir Vincent Eyre, with 

 one hundred and fifty Europeans and two guns, was advancing on 

 the other side from Benares to the relief of Arrah, and if he should 

 be successful all would still go well. 



" But if like the loth, he is not successful, how then ?"* 



I don't pretend to say that my oration had any effect whatever on 

 the Commissioner, for he was not a man to ask or take much 

 advice, and I record it merely because I am glad to accept a share 

 of the censure which my Chief subsequently incurred over this 

 affair. But I felt quite glad when he told me he was about to issue 

 orders, commanding or inviting — I forget which, but the point 

 appears immaterial — the Europeans at the outlying stations to come 

 in and rally at Patna. 



But if I could have peeped ahead and seen the events which 

 occurred during the next few hours, I would joyously have com- 

 mitted an act of treachery, equal to that which I was supposed to 

 have played on the Wahabees. I would have persuaded the Com- 



* A shepherd, not mine thank goodness, met me with the remark to-day, that the approaching Winter will 

 certainly be mild, and free from frost and snow. 



" What makes you think that ?" 1 asked. 



" What makes me think that ? Why the mouses-holes are all turned towards the North." 



"Then I shalf have no occasion to bury my swedes I " 



" No ! there is no call to bury no swedes when the mouses have their holes open, as I see them now." 



I certainly hope this sage remark may prove correct. But as what is least expected so often comes to pass, 

 I shall cover up my swedes, in case the prophetic mice are wrong. 



