by G. A. Henty
Chapter 20: The Rescue Of The White Captive.
After the cavalcade had passed, Hossein rose to his feet and followedthem, allowing them to go some distance ahead. Presently he was joinedby Charlie and Tim, and the three walked quietly along the road, untilwithin sight of the rajah's palace.
In front stood a great courtyard. Behind, also surrounded by a highwall, was the garden. As this was always devoted to the zenana, theyhad little doubt that the rooms of the ladies were on this side; and,two hours later, they were delighted at seeing a small piece of whitestuff, thrust through one of the lattices. The woman had been faithfulto her trust. Ada had received the letter.
They then retired to a distance from the palace, and at once set towork on the fabrication of a ladder. Hossein, followed by Charlie, whobetter enacted the part than Tim, went into a village and purchasedfour long bamboo poles, saying he wanted them for the carrying ofburdens. Charlie placed these on his shoulder, and followed Hossein.
When they arrived at the grove they set to work, having brought withthem all the necessary materials. The bamboos were spliced together,two and two; and while Charlie and Tim set to, to bore holes in these,Hossein chopped down a young tree and, cutting it into lengths,prepared the rungs.
It took them all that evening, and the greater part of the next day,before they had satisfactorily accomplished their work. They had,then, a ladder thirty feet long, the height which they judged thewindow to be above the terrace below. It was strong, and at the sametime light.
They waited until darkness had completely fallen; and then, takingtheir ladder, went round to the back of the garden. They mounted thewall and, sitting on the top, dragged the ladder after them, andlowered it on the other side. It was of equal thickness the wholelength; and could, therefore, be used indifferently either way.
They waited patiently, until they saw the lights in the zenana windowsextinguished. Then they crept quietly up, and placed the ladder underthe window at which the signal had been shown; and found that theircalculations were correct, and that it reached to a few inches belowthe sill.
Half an hour later, the lattice above opened. They heard a murmur ofvoices, and then all was quiet again. After a few minutes, Charlieclimbed noiselessly up the ladder and, just as he reached the top, anarm was stretched out above him; and, a moment afterwards, Ada's faceappeared.
"I am here, dear," he said, in a whisper. "Lean out, and I will takeyou."
The girl stretched out over the window. Charlie took her in his arms,and lifted her lightly out, and then slowly descended the ladder. Nosooner did he touch the ground than they hurried away; Ada sobbing,with excitement and pleasure, on Charlie's shoulder; Tim and Hosseinbearing the ladder; Hossein having already carried out his promise ofconcealing the second bracelet under the window.
In a few minutes they had safely surmounted the wall, and hurriedacross the country, with all speed. Before leaving the town, Hosseinhad purchased a cart with two bullocks; and had hired a man who wasrecommended to him, by one of his co-religionists there, as one uponwhose fidelity he could rely. This cart was awaiting them at a grove.
Paying them the amount stipulated, Hossein took the ox goad andstarted the bullocks, Tim walking beside him, while Charlie and Adatook their places in the cart. They were sure that a hot pursuit wouldbe set up. The rage of the nabob at the escape of Charlie and hisservant had been extreme, and the whole country had been scoured byparties of horsemen; and they were sure that the rajah would use everypossible means to discover Ada, before he ventured to report to thenabob that the prisoner committed to his charge had escaped.
"Of course, I can't see you very well," Ada said, "but I should nothave known you, in the least."
"No, I am got up like a peasant," Charlie answered. "We shall have todress you so, before morning. We have got things here for you."
"Oh, how delighted I was," Ada exclaimed, "when I got your note! Ifound it so difficult to keep on looking sad and hopeless, when Icould have sung for joy. I had been so miserable. There seemed nohope, and they said, some day, I should be sent to the nabob'szenana--wretches! How poor mamma will be grieving for me, and papa!--
"Ah! Captain Marryat, he is dead, is he not?"
"Yes, my dear," Charlie said gently. "He was killed by my side, thatafternoon. With his last breath, he asked me to take care of you."
"I thought so," Ada said, crying quietly. "I did not think of it atthe time. Everything was so strange, and so dreadful, that I scarcelythought at all. But afterwards, on the way here, when I turned it allover, it seemed to me that it must be so. He did not come to me, allthat afternoon. He was not shut up with us in that dreadful place, andeveryone else was there. So it seemed to me that he must have beenkilled, but that you did not like to tell me."
"It was better for him, dear, than to have died in that terrible cell.Thank God your mamma is safe, and some day you will join her again.
"We have news that the English are coming up to attack Calcutta. Aparty are already in the Hoogly; and the nabob is going to start, in afew days, to his army there. I hope, in a very very short time, youwill be safe among your friends."
After travelling for several hours, they stopped. Charlie gave Adasome native clothes and ornaments, and told her to stain her face,arms, and legs, to put on the bangles and bracelets, and then torejoin them. Half an hour later, Ada took her seat in the cart, thistime transformed into a Hindoo girl, and the party again proceeded.
They felt sure that Ada's flight would not be discovered untildaybreak. It would be some little time before horsemen could be sentoff in all directions, in pursuit; and they could not be overtakenuntil between eleven and twelve.
The waggon was filled with grain, on the top of which Charlie and Adawere seated. When daylight came, Charlie alighted and walked by thecart. Unquestioned, they passed through several villages.
At eleven o'clock, Hossein pointed to a large grove, at some littledistance from the road.
"Go in there," he said, "and stay till nightfall. Do you then comeout, and follow me. I shall go into the next village, and remain theretill after dark. I shall then start, and wait for you half a milebeyond the village."
An hour after the waggon had disappeared from sight, the party in thegrove saw ten or twelve horsemen galloping rapidly along the road. Anhour passed, and the same party returned, at an equal speed. They sawno more of them and, after it became dark, they continued their way;passed through the village, which was three miles ahead; and foundHossein waiting, a short distance beyond. Ada climbed into the cart,and they again went forward.
"Did you put the rajah's men on the wrong track, Hossein? We guessedthat you had done so, when we saw them going back."
"Yes," Hossein said. "I had unyoked the bullocks, and had lain down inthe caravanserai, when they arrived. They came in, and their leaderasked who I was. I said that I was taking down a load of grain, forthe use of the army at Calcutta. He asked where were the two men andthe woman who were with me. I replied that I knew nothing of them. Ihad overtaken them on the road, and they had asked leave for the womanto ride in the cart. They said they were going to visit their mother,who was sick.
"He asked if I was sure they were natives, and I counterfeitedsurprise, and said that certainly they were; for which lie Allah will,I trust, be merciful, since it was told to an enemy. I said that theyhad left me, just when we had passed the last village; and had turnedoff by the road to the right, saying they had many miles to go.
"They talked together and decided that, as you were the only peoplewho had been seen along the road, they must follow and find you; andso started at once, and I daresay they're searching for you now, milesaway."
Their journey continued without any adventure, until within a fewmiles of Calcutta. Hossein then advised them to take up their abode ina ruined mud hut, at a distance from the road. He had bought, at thelast village, a supply of provisions, sufficient to last them for somedays.
"I shall now," he said, "go into the town, sell my
grain, bullocks,and cart, and find out where the soldiers are."
As soon as the news of the nabob's advance against Calcutta reachedMadras, Mr. Pigot, who was now governor there, despatched a force oftwo hundred and thirty men, under the orders of Major Kilpatrick. Theparty reached Falta, on the Hoogly, on the 2nd of August, and thereheard of the capture of Calcutta. By detachments, who came down fromsome of the Company's minor posts, the force was increased to nearlyfour hundred. But sickness broke out among them and, finding himselfunable to advance against so powerful an army as that of the nabob,Major Kilpatrick sent to Madras for further assistance.
When the news reached that place, Clive had recently arrived with astrong force, which was destined to operate against the French atHyderabad. The news, however, of the catastrophe at Calcutta at oncealtered the destination of the force; and, on the 16th of October, theexpedition sailed for Calcutta. The force consisted of two hundred andfifty men of the 39th Foot, the first regiment of the regular Englisharmy which had been sent out to India; five hundred and seventy men ofthe Madras European force; eighty artillerymen; and twelve hundredSepoys.
Of the nine hundred Europeans, only six hundred arrived at that timeat the mouth of the Hoogly, the largest ship, the Cumberland, withthree hundred men on board, having grounded on the way. The remainderof the fleet, consisting of three ships of war, five transports, and afire ship, reached Falta between the 11th and 20th of December.
Hossein had returned from Calcutta, with the news that the partycommanded by Major Kilpatrick had been, for some weeks, at Falta; andthe party at once set off towards that place, which was but fortymiles distant. Travelling by night, and sleeping by day in the woods,they reached Falta without difficulty; and, learning that the forcewas still on board ship, they took possession of a boat, moored by thebank some miles higher up, and rowed down.
Great was their happiness, indeed, at finding themselves once moreamong friends. Here were assembled many of the ships which had been atCalcutta, at the time it was taken; and, to Ada's delight, she learnedthat her mother was on board one of these. They were soon rowed there,in a boat from the ship which they had first boarded; and Ada, ongaining the deck, saw her mother sitting among some other ladies,fugitives like herself.
With a scream of joy she rushed forward, and with a cry of, "Mamma,Mamma!" threw herself into her mother's arms.
It was a moment or two before Mrs. Haines could realize that thisdark-skinned Hindoo girl was her child, and then her joy equalled thatof her daughter. It was some time before any coherent conversationcould take place; and then Ada, running back to Charlie, drew himforward to her mother; and presented him to her as her preserver, theCaptain Marryat who had stayed with them at Calcutta.
Mrs. Haines' gratitude was extreme, and Charlie was soon surrounded,and congratulated, by the officers on board, to many of whom,belonging as they did to the Madras army, he was well known. Foremostamong them, and loudest in his expressions of delight, was his friendPeters.
"You know, Charlie, I suppose," he said presently, "that you are amajor now?"
"No, indeed," Charlie said. "How is that?"
"When the directors at home received the report of Commodore James,that the fort of Suwarndrug had been captured entirely through you,they at once sent out your appointment as major.
"You are lucky, old fellow. Here are you a major, while I'm alieutenant, still. However, don't think I'm jealous, for I'm not abit, and you thoroughly deserve all, and more than you've got."
"And this is Tim," Charlie said. "He has shared all my adventures withme."
Tim was standing disconsolately by the bulwark, shifting uneasily fromfoot to foot, with the feeling of the extreme shortness of hisgarments stronger upon him than ever.
Peters seized him heartily by the hand.
"I am glad to see you, Tim, very glad. And so you've been with MajorMarryat, ever since?"
"For the Lord's sake, Mr. Peters," Tim said, in an earnest whisper,"git me a pair of trousers. I'm that ashamed of myself, in thepresence of the ladies, that I'm like to drop."
"Come along below, Tim. Come along, Charlie. There are lots of poorfellows have gone down, and uniforms are plentiful. We'll soon rig youout again."
"There is one more introduction, Peters. This is my man, Hossein. Hecalls himself my servant. I call him my friend. He has saved my lifetwice, and has been of inestimable service. Had it not been for him, Ishould still be in prison at Moorshedabad."
Peters said a few hearty words to Hossein, and they then went below;returning on deck in half an hour, Charlie in the undress uniform ofan officer, Tim in that of a private in the Madras infantry.
Mrs. Haines and Ada had gone below, where they could chat,unrestrained by the presence of others; and where an attempt could bemade to restore Ada to her former appearance. Mrs. Haines had heard ofher husband's death, on the day after the capture of Calcutta, Mr.Holwell having been permitted to send on board the ships a list ofthose who had fallen. She had learned that Ada had survived theterrible night in the dungeon, and that she had been sent up country,a captive. She almost despaired of ever hearing of her again, but hadresolved to wait to see the issue of the approaching campaign.
Now that Ada was restored to her, she determined to leave for England;in a vessel which was to sail, in the course of a week, with a largenumber of fugitives. Mr. Haines was a very wealthy man, and hadintended retiring, altogether, in the course of a few months; and shewould, therefore, be in the enjoyment of an ample fortune in England.
Among those on board the ships at Falta was Mr. Drake, who at once,upon hearing of Charlie's arrival, ordered him to be arrested. MajorKilpatrick, however, firmly refused to allow the order to be carriedout, saying that, as Charlie was under his orders as an officer in theMadras army, Mr. Drake had no control or authority over him. He could,however, upon Clive's arrival, lay the case before him.
A week later, Mrs. Haines and Ada sailed for England, the latterweeping bitterly at parting from Charlie, who promised them that, whenhe came home to England on leave, he would pay them a visit. He gavethem his mother's address; and Mrs. Haines promised to call upon her,as soon as she reached England, and give her full news of him; addingthat she hoped that his sisters, the youngest of whom was little olderthan Ada, would be great friends with her.
Very slowly and wearily the time passed at Falta. The mists from theriver were deadly, and of the two hundred and thirty men whomKilpatrick brought with him from Madras, in July, only about thirtyremained alive; and of these, but ten were fit for duty when Clive, atlast, arrived.
The fleet left Falta on the 27th of December, and anchored off Moiapuron the following day. The fort of Baj-baj, near this place, was thefirst object of attack; and it was arranged that, while Admiral Watsonshould bombard with the fleet, Clive should attack it on the landside.
Clive, who now held the rank of lieutenant colonel in the army, hadmanifested great pleasure at again meeting the young officer who hadserved under him at Arcot; and who had, in his absence, obtained afame scarcely inferior to his own, by the defence of Ambur and thecapture of Suwarndrug. A few hours after Clive's arrival, Mr. Drakehad made a formal complaint of the assault which Charlie hadcommitted; but after hearing, from Charlie, an account of thecircumstances, Clive sent a contemptuous message to Mr. Drake, to theeffect that Charlie had only acted as he should himself have done,under the same circumstances; and that, at the present time, he shouldnot think of depriving himself of the services of one gallant soldier,even if he had maltreated a dozen civilians.
As Clive had been given paramount authority in Bengal, and as Mr.Drake had every reason to suppose that he, himself, would be recalledas soon as the circumstances attending the capture of Calcutta wereknown in England, he was unable to do anything further in the matter,and Charlie landed with Clive on the 28th. The force consisted of twohundred and fifty Europeans, and twelve hundred Sepoys, who wereforced to drag with them, having no draft animals, two field piecesand a waggon of ammunition.
The march was an excessively fatiguing one. The country was swampy inthe extreme, and intersected with watercourses; and, after a terriblyfatiguing night march, and fifteen hours of unintermittent labour,they arrived, at eight o'clock in the morning, at the hollow bed of alake, now perfectly dry. It lay some ten feet below the surroundingcountry, and was bordered with jungle. In the wet season it was fullof water. On the eastern and southern banks lay an abandoned village,and it was situated about a mile and a half from the fort of Baj-baj.
Clive was ill, and unable to see after matters himself. Indeed,accustomed only to the feeble forces of Southern India, who had neverstood for a moment against him in battle, he had no thought of danger.Upon the other hand the troops of the nabob, who had had noexperience, whatever, of the superior fighting powers of theEuropeans; and who had effected so easy a conquest at Calcutta,flushed with victory, regarded their European foes with contempt, andwere preparing to annihilate them at a blow.
Manak Chand, the general commanding the nabob's forces, informed byspies of the movements of the English troops, moved out with fifteenhundred horses and two thousand foot. So worn out were the Britishupon their arrival at the dried bed of the lake that, after detachinga small body to occupy a village near the enemy's fort, from whichalone danger was expected; while another took up the post in somejungles, by the side of the main road, the rest threw themselves downto sleep. Some lay in the village, some in the shade of the bushesalong the sides of the hollow. Their arms were all piled in a heap,sixty yards from the eastern bank. The two field pieces stooddeserted, on the north side of the village. Not a single sentry wasposted.
Manak Chand, knowing that, after marching all night, they would beexhausted, now stole upon them, and surrounded the tank on threesides. Happily, he did not perceive that their arms were piled at adistance of sixty yards from the nearest man. Had he done so, theEnglish would have been helpless in his hands. After waiting an hour,to be sure that the last of the English were sound asleep, he ordereda tremendous fire to be opened on the hollow and village.
Astounded at this sudden attack, the men sprang up from their deepsleep, and a rush was instantly made to their arms. Clive, evercoolest in danger, shouted to them to be steady, and his officers wellseconded his attempts. Unfortunately the artillerymen, in their suddensurprise, instead of rushing to their cannon, joined the rest of thetroops as they ran back to their arms, and the guns at once fell intothe hands of the enemy.
These had now climbed the eastern bank, and a fire from all sides waspoured upon the troops, huddled together in a mass.
"Major Marryat," Clive said, "if we fall back now, fatigued as the menare, and shaken by this surprise, we are lost. Do you take a wing ofthe Sepoy battalion, and clear the right bank. I will advance, withthe main body, directly on the village."
"Come on, my lads," Charlie shouted, in Hindostanee; "show them howthe men of Madras can fight."
The Sepoys replied with a cheer, advanced with a rush against thebank, drove the defenders at once from the point where they charged,and then swept round the tank towards the village, which Clive hadalready attacked in front.
The loss of Charlie's battalion was small, but the main body, exposedto the concentrated fire, suffered more heavily. They would not,however, be denied. Reaching the bank, they poured a volley into thevillage, and charged with the bayonet; just as Charlie's men dashed inat the side. The enemy fled from the village and, taking shelter inthe jungles around, opened fire. The shouts of their officers could beheard, urging them again to sally out and fall upon the British; butat this moment, the party which had been sent forward along the road,hearing the fray, came hurrying up and poured their fire into thejungle.
Surprised at this reinforcement, the enemy paused as they were issuingfrom the wood, and then fell back upon their cavalry. The Britishartillerymen ran out, and seized the guns, and opened with them uponthe retiring infantry. Clive now formed up his troops in line, andadvanced against the enemy's cavalry, behind which their infantry hadmassed for shelter.
Manak Chand ordered his cavalry to charge, but just as he did so, acannonball from one of Clive's field pieces passed close to his head.The sensation was so unpleasant that he at once changed his mind. Theorder for retreat was given, and the beaten army fell back, indisorder, to Calcutta.