At Singapore. 295 



author of any projected work on "The Brave Deeds of 

 Women." Fame has been acquired by less worthy pretences. 



For a while on the fatal evening it seemed as if the 

 prisoners would overcome and, of course, massacre the 

 authorities, and overrun the town. The final obstacle to 

 their complete success was ultimately found in a corner of 

 the prison area, defended by Mr. Lamb, an English, or 

 rather Scotch, warder, who, throughout, behaved splendidly. 

 He conceived and promptly put in action the bold idea of 

 calling to his assistance and arming the handful of European 

 prisoners under confinement in another part of the ground. 

 The project answered thoroughly. Pending its execution, 

 however, Mrs. Lamb undertook the defence of a certain 

 central door, against which the howling mob of natives 

 were concentrating all their fury and strength. The plucky 

 woman seized a sword, and hacked and slashed at the 

 naked feet and legs of the foe as often as they appeared 

 through the space between the bottom of the door and the 

 ground. 



The breaking down of this barrier was expected every 

 moment, but Mrs. Lamb never flinched from the post or 

 relaxed her attacks, and the good woman's bravery gave her 

 husband time to bring up his reinforcement. This manoeuvre 

 was so effectual that when the Brigade Major, who happened 

 to be the senior military officer within call, on requisition 

 from the Commissioner of Police hastened to the prison 

 with what troops were then in Fort Canning, the disturb- 

 ance was virtually over. More than a dozen prisoners had 

 been shot down, and others were in custody, to be after- 

 wards hanged or re-sentenced. The justices petitioned the 

 Home Government to reward Mr. Lamb's services by a 

 small annuity, but, so far as I could hear, no response has 

 yet been sent out to this very reasonable suggestion. Of 



