Snakes* Delhi 321 



hundred years have come and gone since a throng 

 of natives gave life and colour to this deathly silent 

 spot, and yet there are their very doorsteps, window- 

 ledges, and pavements where they lay and smoked 

 their hookahs. It might have been eight months 

 since the city was alive, instead of eight centuries. 



One thing we were careful of, and that was snakes. 

 These stones were just the most likely places, hot in 

 the sun, but with cool, dark holes, winding retreats, 

 and comfortable cracks. We did not, therefore, prod 

 among the ruins, but leaving the silent city of deso- 

 lation, we drove back by way of Humayun's tomb, 

 which is near the southern gate of the present Delhi. 



It was here that the last Mogul, the old king, took 

 refuge when he fled from the palace after Delhi was 

 assaulted and taken by the British. It was upon 

 the steps of this tomb that the next day Major 

 Hodson, in search of the two princes, found them 

 and shot them, with his own hand. Hodson has 

 been blamed for the act. Lord Roberts said : " My 

 own feeling on the subject is one of sorrow that such 

 a brilliant soldier should have laid himself open to 

 so much adverse criticism. Moreover, I do not think 

 that, under any circumstances, he should have done 

 the deed himself, or ordered it to be done in that 

 summary manner, unless there had been evident signs 

 of an attempt at a rescue/* 



On the other hand, it must be remembered that 

 Major Hodson was outside the city, with a small 

 body of horse, in a country swarming with enemies. 



21 



