160 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
must have fallen an easy conquest. The rashness, 
however, of Captain Mayaffre entirely defeated this 
admirable plan, and exposed to destruction the whole 
detachment placed under his charge. He entered 
Ramnagur expressly against orders, and was so galled 
by the fire from an unseen enemy in the narrow 
lanes of the town, that he lost all his coolness and 
presence of mind ; his little party were thrown into 
confusion, and nearly the whole of them cut off. He 
paid the severe forfeit of his rashness, as he was killed, 
together with Captain Doxat and one hundred and 
seven sepoys. There were forty-one wounded. 
Captain Blair conducted the retreat of this dis- 
comfited and dispirited detachment as far as Chunar, 
in the face of an enemy elated by success, and pre- 
senting a most formidable superiority of numbers; 
but so skilful was the management of that gallant 
officer, that they were able to make little impression 
upon the small yet determined body under his com- 
mand. This happened just four days after the bar- 
barous massacre at the Shewallah Gaut. 
It was now evident that the government was in- 
volved in a new war, and what rendered it the more 
perplexing, their treasury was nearly exhausted. 
There was, however, no time for deliberation. Mea- 
sures were therefore immediately taken by the Go- 
vernor, to dispatch orders for assistance to the dif- 
ferent military stations, which were by this time 
surrounded by a vigilant enemy. These orders were 
put into the hands of trusty messengers, and copies 
of each were sent to the several stations, but very 
few of them were received. The whole country 
