156 
SAUGOR, C.P.—A STORY OR 1857 . 
sisted in affording a guard over the guns by day, over the bullock lines 
by night, and furnishing one or two orderlies. We managed shortly 
to find a vacant house, picked up some furniture to supplement what 
we had brought with us from Agra, and settled down. A few weeks 
later another house in a better situation falling vacant we transferred ; 
ourselves into it, and while occupying it received news of the serious 
outbreak at Meerut on the lOfch May, followed in almost rapid succes¬ 
sions by outbreaks and disarmaments of Native troops at other stations ' 
in Bengal and the north-west of India. During portions of May and 
June 1857 we could not help noticing frequent fires on the hills 
surrounding the valley of Saugor, in which the town, fort and canton¬ 
ments stood, also occasional discharges of rockets. We could not at 
the time make out whether the fires were signals lighted by natives, or 
accidental, caused by the friction of dry jungle on the hills, a common 
occurrence as we were subsequently informed: but the discharges of 
rockets was never explained. The reports of outbreaks at other stations 
naturally made us all more or less anxious, not knowing when our turn j 
might come. I used to leave my house daily to proceed to the magazine 
in fear and trembling, lest a mutiny might break out in my absence 
and my wife be polished off without my being near to help her. We 
then had in our employ a faithful Chuprassie (messenger), by name 
Rehman Khan, who had been in General J. T. Boileau's (my wife's 
uncle) service for 12 years previously, and I made my wife over to his , 
care each day, he faithfully promising that no one should touch her 
except over his dead body. He died in our service in 1869 at Ghazee- 
pore while proceeding to his home for the benefit of his health, and was | 
buried under the orders of my brother-in-law, who was then Magistrate j 
and Collector at that station. The Officer Commanding the Saugor 
District, Brigadier W. Sage, unfortunately a cripple on both legs, 
possessed a cool intelligent head on his shoulders, and from time to 
time issued orders to the troops to the effect of a force being prepared . 
to march out to act in imaginary disturbed districts, thus trying to instil | 
into the minds of the native soldiers ideas, other than brooding over \ 
the reports of mutinies at other stations, and at the same time 
endeavouring to put the best face on matters, without in any way 
appearing to distrust the native troops. A Queen's birthday ball was 
got up for the 24th May, and the majority of the European officers and 
their wives attended it, ourselves among the number; but it was an , 
anxious time, owing to the greater portion of the European community 
being gathered under one roof, and as it turned out, we were very near 
our last squeak, for it subsequently transpired that a body of Sepoys , 
had actually assembled to proceed to the Mess-House of the 42nd 
Regiment Native Infantry, where the ball was being held, to polish ns 
off; but some wonderful merciful Providence caused them to give up 
the idea at the last moment, so another lease of life was granted us. 
About this time, or possibly the beginning of June, an urgent demand 
came from Major Sale, commanding a wing of a regiment of Scindiah's 
Gwalior Contingent of Native Infantry stationed at Lullutpore, about 
60 miles from Saugor and half-way to Jhansi, asking Brigadier Sage , 
for a couple of guns, as with their aid he was sure he could hold on at 
