ADVENTUKES IN CAMP AND JUNGLE. 199 



horsemen during the day towards Mhow, to ascertain what 

 was going on, but none of them came back, probably find- 

 ing more congenial employment at Indore. Towards evening 

 the agent himself went off, and did not return. In the morn- 

 ing I had heard the guns at Indore, and after dark came the 

 ominous boom of those at Mhow. 



In anticipation of the outbreak, Bappoo and Jemadar 

 Buggoo Sing had concerted with Himta a plan, by which I 

 was, if necessary, to take shelter with the Bheels in the 

 jungles of the Maunpore district. I was, however, unwilling 

 to leave my house till I knew the true state of affairs. Thus 

 the evening passed away. I sat reading in a room in the 

 centre of my house, which was partially surrounded with a 

 wide verandah, where my men were collected. About 11 P.M. 

 my treasurer's agent came in perfectly livid with terror, and 

 informed me that he had just come from Mhow ; that Hol- 

 kar had attacked the Residency at Indore, having been joined 

 by all the troops at the station ; that Colonel Durand and all 

 other Europeans had been murdered ; and that at that moment 

 Holkar was encamped at Eao, six miles from Mhow, the gar- 

 rison of which had gone over to him ; and finally, that the 

 officers and their families had retired with the European artil- 

 lery to the fort at Mhow, and were to be attacked in the 

 morning. 



This cheerful intelligence created a great stir among my 

 men, and Buggoo Sing implored me to leave the house, as he 

 knew that many of the men, especially the Contigent Sepoys, 

 were not to be trusted. He added that he had seen some of 

 them stealthily loading their muskets, and that any one of 

 them could easily take a pot-shot at me as I sat. Acting on 

 his advice, I called in about ten men on whom I placed most 

 confidence, and made over to them my own guns and those 



