ADVENTURES IN CAMP AND JUNGLE. 201 



I remained among them for a week, during which time I 

 opened communications with the Mhow garrison, from whom 

 I learnt that the report which I had received regarding the 

 hostility of the Maharajah Holkar was incorrect, and that the 

 mutineers, having plundered the Indore cantonment, had gone 

 off en route for Delhi. On learning this, I sent off a note by 

 one of my own men to Holkar, from whom I received a very 

 civil reply, in which he expressed his sorrow for what had 

 occurred, adding that, like ourselves, he had been quite un- 

 able to restrain his men. He concluded with expressions 

 of attachment to the British Government, and assured me of 

 his willingness to do all in his power to restore order. On 

 receipt of this note, I determined to return to my own house 

 at Maunpore, and re-open the postal communications between 

 Mhow and the Bombay Presidency. 



During the whole time that I was out the Bheels were per- 

 petually on the alert, and in the daytime they mounted sentry in 

 pairs, perched on trees commanding the approaches to our camp. 

 These double sentries were posted about a mile apart, and 

 were armed with bows and arrows and swords. On the 

 approach of any one bringing letters or supplies they descended 

 and asked his business, and on receiving his reply one man 

 escorted him forward to the next post, while the other resumed 

 his position in the tree. To guard against any night attack 

 they insisted on our moving our camp every evening after 

 dark ; and inasmuch as any attacking party would probably 

 make a rush at the camp-fire, my bed was always made in 

 some quiet spot, about one hundred yards distant, and a 

 couple of Bheels were told off to sit by me while I slept. We 

 were most fortunate in having cool and fair weather, only a 

 few showers falling during the time I was out, so that the 

 want of a tent was little felt either by night or day. The side 



