ROBBERS. 
19 
“ are usually very faithful to each other ; and as in 
Oude there is neither police nor pursuit, it seldom 
happens, if they once escape, that they can be laid 
hold of afterwards. One of the most notorious of them, 
who had long eluded justice, came into the hands of 
government not long since, under very singular cir- 
cumstances. He had passed over into Oude and 
bought a Zemindarrie there, which was last year 
seized on, under circumstances of excessive injustice, 
by the servants of the favorite, who at the same time 
carried off one of his wives. The Zemindar, equally 
high-spirited and desperate with Hamilton of Both- 
wellhaugh under similar circumstances, rode imme- 
diately to Lucknow, scaled, with the assistance of his 
servants, the wall of the minister’s private garden, and 
waited there, well armed but alone, till his enemy 
should make his appearance. The minister did not 
himself appear, but his two youngest sons came out to 
walk with their ayahs.* The Rohillah knew them, 
pounced upon them like a tiger, and holding them be- 
tween his knees, told the terrified women to go and 
call their master. The palace was soon in an uproar, 
but he sat still, with his back against the wall, the 
infants under his kness, and a pistol in each hand, 
calling out, ‘Draw near and they are both dead.’ 
The minister wept and tore his flesh, promising him 
everything if he would let them go ; to which he 
answered, ( The restoration of my wife, my own 
safety, and the guarantee of the British resident for 
both.’ The woman was immediately brought out, and 
the minister went, like one frantic, to the residency, 
* Native nurses. 
