SitaRamExcerpts2.pdf

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THE CLASSIC FIRS}HAND
ACCOUNT OF ACTIVE SERVICE
IN THE BENGAL ARMY

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Edited by James Lunt
Illustrated by Frank Wilson

EKOM
SEPOY
TO
SUBEDAK

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Copyright @ this edirion,James Lunt r97o

All righs rcscrvcd. No rcproducrion, copy or rransrrrission of
this o-ublicarion mav bc madc withoutwrirrcn ocrrnissiou. Noocrrnission.this publicarion may be madc without
paralraph ofthis pdblication may be reproducid, cogied or

.
transutteo savc wltlr wntten Detm[slon or 1Ir accordancc wltirtransmittcd savc with written permission or in accordancc v
rhc provisiorrs oI drc Cop{ghc Acr r 9;o (as anrcndcd). tu ry
DCTSOn vho dOCS anv UnaUlhOnCd act ltl rclatloll to thlspcrson who docs any un
bublication mav bc liablpublica_rion nray bc liablc ro crinrinal prosccurion and civil
ilaims for damigcs.

FintEnglish edirion r ll73
This cdi-rion first publishcd r 97o by Routlcdge & Kegan Paul Lrd

First publishcd r 98 8 in papcrback by
PAPERMAC
a division oIMacrnillan Publishcrs Lirnitcd
4 Littlc Esscx SrrcctLondon WCu l{ 3LF
and Basingstokc’

fusociatcd corrrpanics in Auckland. DclLi. Dublirr. Gabororc.
Hanrburg. Haraic, Horrg Korg. Joharrcsburq, Kuala Lut npur,
Lagos, Mirrzirri, Mclborirrrc. Mixico Ciry. Ne’irobi, Ncw York.
)rngaPorc aDo roKyo

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Sita ll.an
From Scpov to Subedar: bcins thc lifcand
,du”rrruicr’ofsubcdar Sira Riln, a narivc
Offic.’r of rlrc Bcrrgal turrry.


[Ncw cd.].

r. Sita Ranr z. SJdi”.. — tudil
-Beuqal


Bioqraphy

l. Triic ll. Luir,Jinics
I i i.l’32’o92-l U55.S.+5
ISBN o-jjj-4j672-6

Pr:rrr’clin Hong Kong

I:.

Con.tents

I i,,r of Nhps

I)rcf;rcc br TrrrrsJetor
I:.iirorirl Norc

Acknou lcdqcrrt-nts

Irr rroJuction

Forcl ord br Sit.r I{rnr
r fJrc llcqirr inq
: -foitirrLl tlrc Ilcqintcnr
-l ‘l irc (irrrkhr War: r g 11_rg r6
4 1.Ic lrirrcl:rri War
i Ilctrrrrr ar rhc Vilhqc
6 Thc i_ovclr.Thakuril
I Tlrc llLri,,vrrk of IlinclLrstal
lJ fhc l4;rrch irto Afqhrnisral: rl3S 1S:9

I

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‘i ix

rri
rrir–

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rS

ll

.tl

,j-1

So

List oJ

r India
z The Gurkha \’a
3 Ihe Plndan a::

4 The Afghan a:l:

9 Ghazni and Kabul
ro The Retreat from Kabul: January r84z
rr Escape from Slavery
rz The First Sikh War: 1845-1846
r3 The Sccond Sikh War: r848-t849
14 The Wind of Madness

15 The Pensioner
Glossary

Index

94

r06

rr8

r30

t46

156

170

179

r83

‘. . . and relute the wonrlers of the woil he had seen’

1 The Beginning

I The:: ”
drc next wrs S&edar, ot :.::-
Major, ofwhich there s;t –

The Begiuitg

h this chapt,’r, uhiclt in thc Hilili “Ltsia bc,qar wirh a
‘1.n

int,ottlliott to rhc HindtL potls,.Slto Rnrrr t. //-, r,/-/rort Ir htatlt a sol,li,r,
l.-,pit tfu tyyo:irilr,tl his tttotfur,utl tlr .l,ttttily pticst, PatLLlit Drrltl Rllt.
” rr,,r-r /r/-r rrtotlicr’-s h’t)tltcr, Hajuutttjt, rr’lto find hitn uith il,,as,.l ltilintl’
‘:.t),. Hauntnru u’,ts a tatirc ofiar (Jcnradrr’) irr tht l:osr Itr{ia Cottltatti’ ,
BtqqalAntl,, and Sita Ra,r nrirtiLttts rlt ‘Joli bcads vort by ltis tuttl,, itt
rilivtn. ‘lltcsc u,trt a tuark ,tl’distittctiot, t1dtit,. r,fil-.cr’r’-r ri,calirrg ,’rr’ rrrr
i qo/r/ lcad-r, d/// /rc sclovs ,1,n,1,111’5 olrt’ltitt lc,r/r. .Sit,r R,irr llfir t,,

”:, I:nst Lklia Cotttp’ut1, as the Cortrl,rly J3ahaclur, tttattitt.g tll-potuctlirl.
H. o/-ro lrdrs trr it sonuitttts as thc Sirkar, orgot,rrttatr’til.

Sira Rurrr rr,,r.i a ]|nlnnit. thL ltiphcst HttLdtL ctlstr, ditl ltt
,’ts tlrrL’fotL sdticct to tln’ shict(st rcli.:lt.’tt-r o/r-v’r.r,crcr’-r tt’ltich, as tpilI h stt’tt
ti.t, {ft,t1tl), ettpliatc,l ltit !ilt as a s,,1,!i’t . Ilis.fitlt.r ttld! tl ),t.rltalt -lut t)i(l
t totnforta|t tirarnstalcr’s u’lto lircl irt rltc t illa,qt ,,l 1il,ttltc, h tltt

R,t Tldl,li dirrri.t t,l C)tnlh, itt tlnt ts uol’ tl,.’ Stnt tll Lttt,lt Pnlcslt (L’t’).
ftlau,,:,: lits rotrgltly rtiluay ltctrt’tctr tltt citiLs of ItrcLttotu at .lllaltnhol itt
‘i:t ytr),htart o.l Ilit&statt.

-4t tfu tintt o.l Sita Rani s [h tlt, OrJh uas an irdcpu ott
.ngdon uith its cnpit,ll dt Lu.k t)tr, iu it vos.lron Otdh tlnt thr:l:ast lurlia
tJonpattT,rccnritcd tlrc hrlk,,Jirs soldrLrs.lor thc ISutgtl .1rnty, td a lt,s-iu
ttunbcrfrtr thc BotnLay Artty. It hatl orioinally L’cctt t Ihr,qlwl protilrt’,
,trlcl by a Nort,ab oppoittrctl by tlt Dnpctor, krt tlrc l4rplurl nrpirc tuos.li-.t
,iisilttt.!t11titt! h1′ t797, ttltn.S/l,r Rorrr rns lorri, and rktto)’s tJ proritrcLs
iu,l :ct tlrcnstlrts up as it cpu utt priurcs. Tlle ltotatirts uti-ilortniutt-tt t!
Odh lctl trt its attttcxatiott itt t356 by tfu East hulia Corryany, rcsultig ir
uuch liscontcnt antotg tlrc soldius e istctl.fron Ordh uho lost turler the
Conpan,thc ualucd yiuik’gcs the1, halJorncrly utjo)’cd h thc ci l cotrts
vhen Outlh uas indepcndtnt. The annentiot oJOurlh by Lor,! Dalhotsic tuas
onc of the cottributory couscsJbr thc Itdiat lv[rrtitty h t,t57.

I was born in thc villagc ofTiiowee, in Oudh, ru the ycar
r7g7. My father was a )/eoman farmcr, b1′ naDrc Gangadin Pande. He
posscssed about rJo acres oflatld which hc cultivetcd himscll My family
sdcn I was young werc in casy circuurstanccs, and luy fathcr was con-
sidered a man ofimportance in our village. I was about six ycars old when
I was placed Lrnder the care of our family priest, Duleep Ram, in whom my

r There were threc grades of native ofiicer. The junior was]enaddr;
thc next was &iedar, or Rissaldar in thc Cavalry. The senior wrs Subedar ot Rissdlddp
Major, ofwhich thcre was only one in cach infantry battalioo or caralry regimcnt.

The Begh ng

flfcr and rnothcr,placed irnplicit corrlidcncc, and thcy ucvcr did arrything
ol rurponancc witlrout his ldvicc and corrsclt.

By him I was raught to write and rcad our own language;

*:::lgll9′,*dgc offigurcs.was irnparced to nrc. nn* r frrJ rilJi”a
:l::]^:::’.,*::9,lyrclf

far supcrior in k,ro-.ledg” ro.,ll ttr”
“J,*-AJi, “fny, ag.c whom l kn cw, and IrcId up my head aciordirgly. Ali;;”;;'”;.,

:: 3:”0:|:’: :.f iT:”: t? .9:i t ran ci cd m )’-sc r r.nrilc’i;;:; ,i’ il” vprcccptor Dulccp himscl{, and ifit had nor b”.n fn.-r1,” h,glr;;;;;;; ;; ;1hcld in by my fathcr, I should on solne occasrolr h avc even dared to tcll

seat bcfore our house, aud rclate ld hc had sccn, and
the prospcrity of.thc great Company Bot nd,,, ;;

“”;;’;’,’i.'” .r.*j,r

!;y sy, until I,was sevenreen years of agc I attendcJ “ry-aj,”.- i,, *”:.,.'”: “..”.,,,:”.
ycats or agc r attenctcd my fathcr in thc

managemcnt of hls land. and was cntrustcd to giec tlte cont to thc coolrcshc somctimes enrployed in cutting fri, *”pi j.”U”g
on.

My mothcr had a brothcr, by naurc Hanumal, rvho was
il*::’:’:’:”1’1″ .?:i:!:”v o”,ka”, “,,d *”, . j”;,;;;;;;”;”;;;”;.rbattalio’. He had corne ho’me’on lci

xr qrr nrrdulry

Li. ^_,,- l.^_^ L_,– “rvc
tor six ntoxths, and on his way to

his o*’n home, hc staycd with my fr.tr”.. rrly uu.il’.r”, ;;;r, il;;J,”.

::Tt-? Tq F* *iliary ardour had infamcd rny brcast, and ccrtainly hedid all in hisolo ar ln tus power,to cncourage me. He ncvcr said anything about rt
oerore my rather and mothcr, or the priest; sti)l, hc rcpeatedly told me

man, and o[grcat pcrsonal strcngth, FIe usccl ofan
“””,,i,rn

,o’rir’JJrn”
seat Dclorc our house, and tclarc thc worrdcrs ofthc woriJ L.ihld..,,,,

“..1

eagcr listcncrs, who.rvith- opcrr moutlx and staring
“y”,

i..t i,,
“iif,i,rn:uvets as undoubtcd trtrths. Nonc ofhis h”arar, rrl”r” rnorc artcntivc rlrun

n4’self, aud from thesc rccjtals I i.rbibcd a strong dcsirc to c;;;;;i;;;;fu,
and try fltc tortunc of a soldier.

, ,Nothirrg.elsc could I thirrk od day or nighr. Thc rank of

goJd bcads, and a crrrior:s brighr rcd coat, covercd witjig.fa bri;;”ra,
aoovc:rJt, lrc appcared to havc an unlimircd supply ofgold nohtts.z I
longcd for,thc tirne whcn I rrright poscs th” ,.,,,,.,., *tri.ti tt

“,
il,ouglrt

woutd be dlrccuy I bccame thc Company Ba/ralrrr.s scrvant.
_, My unclc had observcd how attentivc I was to all his

to tcll

water, and so :: -:: :::::::- –:
. – :..:’,’. ‘,’. :::, . .,

_ :: , C::-.::::- i., :
– r:: :i-:i rr i:’-::.: -: ‘

1”. ._ _’

–: :: ::1 :,1 :l:.’ ii::::,—-.1,-.-,..:
‘ _::::: :: a Inef: ji:_:::

‘ i:
‘e

n’ice .r-ith C :::..:

:, …:: :ome itfn rr.:-.r :
–.-. : r: ilm to Pat a::l:.–

– — —
,L- ^*^i.rrin- -‘”^l “_’-_

_ –

r-: ::,:r he should take :
. : .:.-: thc first fis ;::-:r
– .ut the service I “‘-:i:

T –an —t””-
:: ::.: priest and ms r::::
. . : uo the idca. I1r- rr-:::

. ,i
:- ru! house, but all l:.:-
‘—:::k over thc matter. Tl^-

i::ernined to follo.r’ n’-” :

-:’::n to wrestle or f la”
‘t:

-:her’s ficlds, s’hich c::::
:.teat from him that I ‘l:

! The E::: l

-.f Oudh by a Resident’ rsnr r:
llis durics wcrc suPPoscdll_ ;;’ ‘
:he u.ltimrte senclioo offorcc’

*::fi1_i::5:9 ‘: as quite caurt to rh”t of ct,”,iJi,r nr-.,t”., ir,. rr,,g .rOudh hinrsclf; in fact, ncvcr hnving secrr the lactcr. I
“”,'”r”ifr .r,,rla”t.a, —.-,’

^’
nlyuncle as of €vcn morc. inportancc. He had such a splendij nccklacc of

privately that if I wished to be a soldier, he would take me br.k’*iih hr-
on his retunr to-the-regimcnt. How I longed to menrion thi, ,o -y _oJ.r,but darcd not for I wel] knew her dearest wish was for me ,o La”ont”

“priest. However, one,day when I had been reading with Dul”.; R;_
about the nughry battJes toughr by the gods, I fairly told him mv i,i.h ,.,about the mighry battles gods, I fairly told him my wirh to

2 Gold nohurs wcte
.parr

of th. coinlgc of rhc Mughul EmpiE,

4

)
b.

‘ i:.i lr)ythiDg

..rDqulgc;
. :.rc.1uircd

:.: – r bovs of
: rcr castes
:lrr lDy
-: l1c wxs

:-,l ro tcll
-i xt tllc

: – coolrcs
. – .rncl s,r

,
; t,.r l’as

::: lllltr v
. JY tO

.::.]sorlc
.:,11 thc

,n. and
:’rvcl of
: .rll his

: .: tlltD
‘.r’orLI,

:.,nk r>f
-,::tq of

::.:-lL’rcd
,. rcc of

. , ; aUal,
:lrj ‘? I

: : ,rrght

.rll his
‘-.:::i hc
,a!)ut lt
:.-.i lnc
‘ :::1 lllm
::–Jther,

, ,;ome a
. .”-‘ Ram

‘.., ish to

The Bcgilttitg

bccomc a soldicr. How horri{ied hc sccned ! llow hc rcproached mc,
.lcclarinq that all the itrstruction he had so labourcd to impart to mc rvas
:;ro$’l’r l$’ay, and that half thc storics nry unclc had told Inc u’crc falsc;
ihrr I mieht bc floggcd, and ccrtainly should bc dcfilcd by crrtcrinq tirc
Corr.rpany’s servicc. A hundrcd othcr tcrrors hc conjurcd up, but thcsc hrd
ilr) cflec[ On mc.

Thc priest immcdiatcly u ctrt to nrv parcnts and inlonncd
:;!-ur of n1y dctcrtnination, and thus brokc to thcnl thc subjcct I ltad not
::rc couragc to tcll. To n1y grcat surPrisc rny fathcr madc no objccrioDs;
:-rcse alL camc lr,.rur trrt’ rnotltcr, lvho scpt, scolclcci, cntrcatcC, and
:lrrL’xtcDcd rlc, cndinq bv imploring mc to givc trir thc idce, ancl abuscd
:::. fathcr for Dot prcvcrrring such a catastrophc. Ar this p:rrticular pcriotl
.: rvhich I l1o\’\’rite a larvsuit rvls intpcndirrg ovcr nrr’hthcr, lbout his

: ighr to a mango qrovc of sotr-tc ,+oo trccs, arcl hc thouqlrr thar having a
, .n in thc Conrpanl Balralrrr’s scrvicc rvoLrld bc thc nrcaus of gcting his
–.lrc attcrrded to in thc larv courrs ofLucknorv; firr it s,as rvcll krorvn thlt
., pctitiot scnt b)’ a soldicr, through his cornurancling oficcr, l’ho lbr-
‘… rrded it on to rhc Rcsidcnt -.,?lrir, in Lucknot, gcncrullv had prorrrpt
.,:icntion paid to it, and carricd morc wcight than cvcn thc bribcs a:rd parry
::rt!’rest of a rnerc subjcct of the King of Oudh.

Shortly aftcr my parents had becn infornrcd of my dcsrrc
:,r take service with Compan,v l)alralar mv uncle lefr thcrn to procecd to
:ris orvn home fiftv miles away, Although rnv mother ncvcr eriprcsscd any
* ish for him to pay anothcr visit when he was about to rctum to his rcgi-
incDt on the cxpiration ofhis lcavc, hc told hcr that hc intcndcd to do so,
and that hc shor.rld takc me with him if I werc still of thc samc mind. I
rr’;rlkcd thc first lcrv miles with hinr on liis journcy, and made him tcll mc
all about thc service I wished to cnter, ovcr and ovcr again.

Upon my rcrurn home I had to sustain drc unitccl attacks
of the pricst and my moiher. Thcy tried cvery inducement to make mc
qivc up thc idca. My mothcr even cursed the day her brothcr had scc foot
in our house, but all they could get from me was a promisc that I would
think ovcr tire matter. This i did, and evcry day becamc more and morc
determined to follow my uncle. I now felt idle, and did vcry littlc clse than
lcarn to wrcstle or play with sword-sticks, and consequcntJv ncglcctcd my
father’s ficlds, rvhich caused me to fall under his displcasurc. Ho$’eyer a
thrcat from him that I should ncvcr be allowed to scc my tmclc ag:un had

3 The East lndia Company rvas represcntcd at the court of tbe KmE
ofOudh by a Resident, who wis a seilior civil or nilitary onicer ofrhe Companyt serviccl
His duties werc supposedly advisory, but in frct rhc Krng knew thrt behindihe rdvice hv
thc ultimate sanction offorcc.

‘. . . b,rndits aud tltttgs uu, then itfested the roads,

2 Joining the Regiment

I TtL,ilitht oJ th )tu:::

9

a —

Sirr Rorr dc-srrilcs /r is jountty to At,ra, or AkbaraLal ,ts ir
:: tlrLn talkd, tr’ltrt lis unclc’s rc,qinut .forl tt,l lart Ltl’tlrc g,trrison.

Ht also ttlls ofltis eulistntttt itto thL,-4rn),.
‘liotel in htdia Adtt.q thc lr..aL-try a.l’thc )hgltLtl ctityitt

t. J a lnzdrdols lttsirLss. B uls (jfrt rc.lr,,ltbts ro,ttt,,i tlir,,arttrr1,si,{r atJ
:,iglnny nbluy nns c. t jtlo ]llacc,t I tlro-r, r/a1,-r orrll, t/rr, rtf.,{ ,|,jll ,rrl1r{ rl
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ilri pttlnl: tlrc .r.trt’nttst ln:a I cutrL,.lr,.ttt llre /lllqs, ol r.tr,lig/r,r-,. rr,/rr
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rr lrorrrlr, p,,-cirrg a-r irrlot:utt ttnr.lk’$. arl jttinLLl ry tith othcr tt,tulh,t:
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lttr yrott’tliol. anl rlr

1,r ll,n’ stat f, btatt,,l ,t ,,tt, , u,!, ttirh tdlrlt tlt,1,
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!,.7i tr. lrr{-i’.,rrr/rl), f.l r,./.

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,/,1,/Jr,n(‘l)tifil.irr(r/rr/rtrr lri,g/;-i rrrL .fo\. l,r/’.rr iti tittt i,.,i t,,.r ri,i,ilrir,r

h

,1itt rcnt

I Trtlilht,,J l” )ttrirttr lv Pc..ivrl sf(.rr, atr,lrl.rtrlr:,.U!iv.r,irv ir..$, rrt,.

il_.
,,:==::;*n:rdfllg*.

llnl,

Joiuing the Reginent

My uncle and I went one march in the rnornine. Wc
restcd during the hcat of the day under a tree, and in the eveniig we
tnarched the samc distance as wc had in rhe morning. For the iight
we always put up at a.t.rai, whenever this was possible.-On the third Jay
we arrivcd at a village celled Dcrsungpor wherc two sepoys of my unclets
regirnent, whose lcavc had finished, ioined us. One was called Tillukdaree
Ghccr, and thc other Dconarain. They appcared dclighred to rneer rrrv
uncle and treated him with grcat rcspect. Deonarain was accompanied bv
his youngcr brothcr, who was hoping to cnlist. They wcrc ali carrying
srvords, and Tillukdaree also had a blunderbuss, callcd a ‘1,eurq 11gq.’.
Wc lookcd a rather fornidable partv, and felt securc

^gains
theia,lidlts

,rrd tlruqs who thcn infcstcd thc roads.
Aftcr about three or four days a party of itincrant musi-

ciirs crnrL’ Lrp rvith us aud begged that wc should join forccs for the sakc
of prorccriou. Tlrcv corrsjstcd of fwo lncu with drums, four mcu with
Jlr./,r,:r two lrrcn with cvrrbels, and onc with a kind of trurnpct. They rold
us that thc-werc on their way to attend a marriagc fcsrival ai a rown which
lav ou our way.

For scvcral days cverything went suloothly, and the
rnusicians enlivcncd our march bv playing prctty airs. But during the nighr
of t)rc fburth day my uncle, happcning to be arvakc, discovered ihat allihc
rmrsicians had collcctcd toqether and were in some earnest debate, speak-
ing ir.r a low tonc ofvoicc rnd in x tonquea which he could uot understand,
Alarrrcd at r,vhat hc sarv, he imrnediately arouscd rhc orher scpoys and rold
thcm hc bclicvcd that the nusicians were in rcality thugs.’He thcn ap-
pointcd one of our parn’ to watch thcrn while thc rcst of us again laid
oorvll to slccP,

Thc ncxt tnorning my unclc told thc mtuicians that he
rvas ob)igccl to make long rnarchcs, and that thcrcfore thcy would be un-
able to kccp up with us. Thcy, horvever, bcggcd to be allowed to accom-
pany us, ancl at thc samc tinc cxprcsscd great fcar ofbcing robbed on the
road. Ncvcrthclcs nry unclc urarchcd vcry carlv thc next morning, leaving
thcu behincl. ‘rl/c rvcnt sornc cight milcs on thc high road, and then
branchcd off b,v a sidc path, intcnding to join thc road again some thirtr.
milcs larthcr ol.

Thc ncxr four davs passcd rvidrout incidcnt. At the evcn-
ine’s hrlting-placc on the fourth dav rvc n’crejoincd bv a parry ofabout

i A rcsriDe phcc lor rravcucrs !hcrc strbling w.’ ,’.,,”tt p-“]::*:i:
3 A rihr is r kiDd of violin rvhich hrs rccentry b*.”* *ii3,.i,:I
rl,,dia is, of.ourse. r land ofmrny languages, rnd of evcn.more

Joinitg the Re.;:”,,

:..’.’lvc mcn, carrying bundi..
:rpe-stems. Thcse mcn begg.’.i ::
:r: musicians had done. In tl:: ::-
: )c of these men was rcmark , t-
::.rned this to my uncle lvho ” ::
.)rrt their language was diiler.’:::

‘.’re vcly dirty, and the’lo,r.i –
,:r.1 appointed one ofthc -.,t,. . :
: rhcse people.

During the ni::::
,L’p for a loug time, as I bcii.. – :
-.ite of my endeavours to i, ,-i
::.rrdy aftcrrvards awakcnca. :’ :
:r, ancl in a lDomcnt onc o: :’
. -‘rpcrs. I siroLrtcd Ioucllr’, an’:- ::-‘
.:rJ mshcd at thcm. Althouc.r :.:
:r.l lranagcd to stranglc thc :’:
.:rd rcndcrcd Tillukdarec s.’:r’-.,
-.rt down thc thug standin: .
.:ch, leaving thcir bturdlc’ r: .:.
.).lcc, thc tllugs hrd manag:,:- : .
:.ipccs,6 and Tillukdalcc’s bl.r:r,:
, r;.poscd to be on watch.

After all thr’ l:: :
:nd roused the cntirc popLrhi: ‘:

:ron to pursuc the blood-thir’: :
:right on the outskirts ofthc r:..-
.i Dconaraitr’s brothcr. Iu tli:’ ::-

10

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lrir’
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ln

Joining the Reginent

:’.1′.lvc nren, carrying bundles of bamboos which arc uscd for making
:r!e-stems. These men begged to be allowed to join us for protection, as
::i musicians had done. In the morning, whcn it was light, I fancicd that
:re of these men was remarkablv like one ofthe forner party, and men-
:::rned this to my uncle who went to them and entered into conversation.
5ut their language r.as different from that ofthe musicians, thcir clothcs
…’:re vcry dirty, and they looked like coolies. Still he was on his guard,
-::r-J.appointed one of the sepoys to keep awake and watch thc movcments
r: tlrcse DcoDte.

During the night. after we had halted, I could not go to
..:.’p for a long time, as I believcd these men rvere also thugs. However, rn
.:ire of my endeavours to keep awake, I fell asleep eventually, but was
,rortly aftcrwards awakened by a noise like a cock crowing close by.’ I sat
-:-‘, and in a monlent one or two of thesc mcn wcrc by thc sidc of the
..:.’pers. I shoutcd loudly, and rny unclejumpcd up with his srvord drawn,
:-:rJ rushcd at them. Although this was thc rvork of a moment, thc fiends
:-rd lnanagcd to strangle the brother of Deonarain with a silk cord, and
;r;rd rendcrcd Tiliukdaree senseless. He was just saved by my uncle who
rilt down thc thug standing ovcr him. The others disappeared imrnedi-
:rely, leaving their bundles of sticks behind them. However, in this short
:.nacc, the thugs had managed to steal rny r.ncle’s gold beads, worth 2Jo
rupecs,o and Tillukdarce’s blunderbuss. He had fallen asleep w-hen he rvas
supposcd to bc on watclr.

After all this had happened, we went to the village uearbv
rnd roused the entire population, but no-one showed the slightcsr inclina-
rion to pursue the blood-thirsty rnurders. We passed thc rcmainder ofthe
light on the outskirts ofthe village, having carricd r.r’ith us the dead body
ofDconarain’s brother. In the morning we found the bamboos still at our

sThe tactics adopted by thc thugs flore properly tla3s, merning
jcccivert seldom v?ried. They bcgan by winning thc con{idcnce of those to rvhorn thcv
iad attrched thcmsclvcs, and would ifnccessiry travel mrny uriles:rnd for scvcral dr)s until
:ny suspicion of thcir rcrl intentions had been dnpclcd. Tbcn, rvhcl dre ]cadcr of the
bsndjudgcd thit the moment hrd comc to strikc, thcy would prcprre thcir victims’ gnvcs,
ud cach selcct a victim to stranglc. Thc signrl to strike *’as usurlly thc cry’Bri’g rhc
tobacco!’, but this was somctimes vrricd by the sound of :r cock crowing. The :rcturl
*r;rnglirrg rvrs thc rvork of :r moment, thc hamdkcrchicf, or silkcn cord, h:rvlng r knot at
one cnd to assist thc str:rnglerJ grip. Oncc thc dccd rvrs clonc, dre bodies rverc scarcitcd and
rhclr buricd, the booty shrred, and the drrrgs rnovcd on nr search of othcr victins. At the
end of the expcdition, which mighr last severrl rnc’ntlx, dte brnd dispcrscd to thcir or’n
homcs, rnd rcturncd to thcir pcrcctul rvocrtions, until thcy wcrc sumnroned by thcrr
le;rder to assemblc lor:rnothcr forry. Fcw thugs dxrwcd auy rcrnorsc for the murdcrs they
had comnrincd, bclieving thcy wcrc scrvins a rc)igiorrs cnd, and manv of thcnt rvcre
rcspcctcd mcmbcrs ofsociety. The r:rmifimtions of Thuggcc ran drcP ind nrinv a trnd-
owner, or m;nor njrh, was in receipt of’hush-rlorcy’ lrom thc grngs.

6 The rupee rt this time was worth about two drillings.

11

– -:: :i itinerant musi-
: r;ccs for the sake

: – :::. tour men with
-‘rj:npct. t hey told
– . :. ar a town which

– :::::rrhly, and the
– :: Juring the night

. ‘. :rcd that all thc
.: ..: Jebate, speak-

_ :::ot understand.
– :: ,.7,’1-r and told
‘ .:_-s. He thcn ap-
‘ : us again laid

..:,:cians that he
, – : .r-ould be un-
– .,. .’d to accom-

: :-.bbed on the

.
.:ling, leaving
:.ld, and then

: j::i some thirtv

. ::. t the evcn-
: :.:rn.ofabout

..: Frovided for
animeh.

: : rpularized by
The Beades.

_ a even more
dialects.

Joining the Reginent

formcr camping place, and my uncle sold them to a tobacco nrerchant for
46 rupecs, but not rvithout an altercatiorr with thc villaee headman who
claimcd that they bclonged to him, by right of their having been lefr on
his qround. Wc stayed a complete day ar the villagc in ordcr to pcrform
thc funcral ritcs for Dconarain’s unforturratc brother. Fornrnatelv for
Deonarain’s comfort rvc wcre only .r few rnilcs from thc holv Gaugcs, and
hc hrd thc satistiction ofsecing thc pricst cast his brothcr’s ashcs into thc
stream, thus sccuring his brothcr rcst in onr Hindu hcavcrr. Tillukdarec
‘was so rvcak ftom thc cffcct ofthc thug’s corcl round his tlrroat that he $’as
obliqed to hire a pony cart, and $ c procecdcd, norv a mournful party, on
our vaY.

My unclc norv allowcd no partics ofanv kiud to join us,
althouq]r scvcral bcegcd hard to clo so since thev salv ruc rvcrc arrncd.
Nothinq ofany consequencc took placc during thc rcst oftlrcjourncv so
far as I can rcmcmbcr, Lrnril l’c lrrived at Agra, .[‘hcrc rnt unclc’s rcgi-
nc.rt \’.s thcn stationecl.r We rrrivcd thcrc on rl Novcmbcr. and rvhcn
r.rc canlc Dcar thc lincs l’c mct scvcrll scpolr ofthc rcgirncnt going dorvn
to thcJumna to bxthc. Thcy aJl crnbraccd rrry rmclc, ancl, bcfbrc rvc camc
to tirc liucs, sonlc thirty mcn of his Company carrre running out to lncct
him:rnJ askccl a thousarld qucstions. My unclc went to his ou:n hoLuc,
rvhiclr hrd bccn kcpt ncat and clcal bv a havildar v’ho had livcd in it dur-
lllg lllv llllclc s llDscncc.

Aftcr brrdtinq, lnd cating thc rnorninq urcai. tnv uncle
pnt on full rcqiurcntrls rucl s’c’nt to pay his rcspccts to thc Ad-iurant sairil,”
aud Comnrrrdinq Ofilccr. LIc took me l’ith him. I rvls rrthcr drca.Lng
this bccausc I h:rd rrcvcr r-ct sccn a salrll ald inlagincd thc’ \’,,’rc tcrriblc ro
look on and ofgrcat strrnrc-at tcrst scvcn ttc”‘r trll I hr rlrosc d.l.s thcrc
rverc oul; a f-cu’-.a/ri!,-, in OuJh; onl;’onc or rrvo.r,lril Rcsic{cnts in
Lucknorv, lhcrc I had nclcr bccn.,’ [n thc villagcs ofrnv countrv r]rc rnost
cxtraorrlinrrl idcas cxistccl ab,rut rhcur, antl anv onc rvho lrrd clrarrccLl to
sce a ,,,lrib told drc most curious storic’s. In firct nothinq \’as too frr-

I Agrr, stich strnds on the binks of rhc River Junr|x, .bout (lrrec
houn’drirc tiorr Dclhi, t.rs thc crpirrl oil,rdir during drc rcign oithc grcrr Akbi., and
n of courc tirncJ for thc cxquisirc Trj iurlul. bu;lt by Akbrr s son, thc linrpefur Shrh
J(hrrr. lt hrd l cconc rr inrporrr t l3ritish nilir.rry g,rrri$rr br rllc rinrc Sitr Rrn) :rrrived
drcrc ir Isr.l.

3Thc.ddiri.n of thc rvoril J. i/, n, r titlc, rrnk, or nrnt, significs
rL’spcct, but durirq ilfitjb mlc nr Irrdia i! ciruc to rcfrcsont thc Bfitish, or.qora /t’3, i.e. thc
\’hitc l.cof lc, (rr lxrr{‘pc,rns.

.Thc Eist lDdia Corlp.uryi Jtcsidcnt ac thc court of drc King of
Oudh hrd a nunrcrous strfl’, is rrcll as a s bsriDti:l escott oftroops, commandcd by British
otliccrs. lt Nould be to thcsc r,r/rirJ that Sita Rim is rcferring, rkhough he hrd nevcr sccn
thcnr hinrselt

Joittittg tk R. ;

:.::lrcd to bc bclicved lt rr’.:’ ,
:::1r on a trcc, alrd this idc: ,: –

:rc suddcnl)’ into soln. r:
:::c. ltavc bcctr consider- -: :

. . , bccn s orshiPl,cd: L’r:: ‘.:
..,g.’ lrould have lutr ,rt.’. :
,:.1i. lt is thcrcfbre h:rrd,” ‘::

,: :.re prospcct ofsccitrg a -‘:
I rcnrclnir’:

‘.1.-rrl in Agre, atl ol,.l “‘ ::–:
-.:::. ii’orl1 cgcs which crr.-
‘..1rvith a f:rirv bv his ‘r’1. –
: .r bcautiful colours, h.: a-”

. -:’ his hand on ltc! sli!”: -:::
‘ . .’lJ rvomatr had scctt ‘.”::
, . :rot so iqDor:lnt llo\’, a’: –

.::i’,-cd at Agra l aftcrr”‘..::

.: . Shc I’orc a tiPPct rlli.i- ::
..-l …

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