164 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
quence of the scanty supplies with which they were 
daily provided ; encompassed by enemies and traitors, 
not knowing whom to trust or where to look for assist- 
ance ; the panic of the sepoys daily strengthening., and 
their murmurs becoming proportionably loud., — abso- 
lute ruin seemed to stare him in the face, when a rein- 
forcement unexpectedly arrived, which so far changed 
the aspect of affairs as to raise the drooping spirits of 
the troops and damp those of their adversaries. 
It happened that Colonel Morgan, to whom among 
others Mr. Hastings had written for assistance but 
whose letters had never reached their destination, had 
heard some vague rumours of the insurrection at Be- 
nares, and soon became convinced of its truth from 
the circumstance of no regular intelligence reaching 
him from the place. It was therefore evident to his 
mind, that something serious had occurred. Justly 
concluding that orders had been intercepted, with a 
prudent foresight he resolved to anticipate them, 
and, acting immediately upon this resolution, des- 
patched two sepoy regiments, thirty European artil- 
lery-men, and two companies of a European regiment, 
with four six-pound battering-cannon, one howitzer, 
several tumbrils, a good supply of ammunition, with 
draft carriage and cattle. This well-appointed de- 
tachment was commanded by Major Crabb, a spirited 
and enterprising officer. 
Previously, however, to the arrival of this reinforce- 
ment, Major Popham’s regiment, together with what 
force could be safely taken from the fortress of Chunar, 
had been encamped on a plain about a mile west of 
the garrison, under the command of Major Popham. 
