LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2033, 30 August 1880, Page 3

LITERATURE.

“A RIDE FOR LIFE.” This is the title of one of the reprinted papers in the last issue of ‘ Tales from “ Blackwood.” * The story is a true one, and the writer an English officer, who was serving with a regiment of Sikh Irregular Cavalry during the Indian Mutiny in It 57. When the ‘Ride’ occurred they were marching southward of Meernt to Fnttehghur, in order to effect a junction with a sfrong force which was advancing in a north-westerly direction from Cawnpore. The narrator was woke np at night to take command of a patrol or reconnoitring party, to ascertain if possible tho whereabouts of a strong party of rebels, supposed to be somewhere between the column with which he was and the one with which they were wishing to effect a junction. The perilous character of the enterprise was made patent by the fact that a picket from the same regiment had been out under another officer that same morning, and had not since been heard of. The author of the ‘ Ride’ started at once with twenty-four picked troopers while it was sti 1 moonlight, and, after various adventures and hairbreadth escapes, reached tho neighborhood of the rebels’ camp with two of his men (the others having received orders to lie back) just before daybreak. While stealthily observing the situation with a view to bringing the needed information, his horse suddenly and loudly neighed, and was instantly answered by several of tho rebel steeds, thus

giving the alarm. The exciting ride for life which followed we mast let him tell is his ovzn way : ■My two men, whom I had Jeft concealed > under the clump of traea, had grasped the situation at once when they saw the man running, and rode up to me exc'ainring. ‘Wo must vide for our lives, sahib, for that mas will bring the whole csmp upvn ns.’ ‘Tea,’ said I, hastily,‘we will ride for for the village ; and, if hard pres ed, we will separate, and mak.s the best of our way to the main body of the picket.’ So saying, we put epnrs to our horses, and rode rapidiy for the village whence we had come. W e had not gone mo - e than eighty yards or so when thres rebel horsemendashed ont from a clump of trees upon our left front, and urging their horses to their utmost speed, rode down upon us with the evident intention of cutting off our retreat. Here is a pretty mess, thought I, as I drew my sword hastily from my scabbard. I was in front, my two men were close behind. On came our foes at fall speed, and ra the foremost horsemen neared rno I thought at first of engaging him with my awor t Just »a came within three or four yards of me thought fla-hed across me that I could

afford to let him detain me, as time was everything to ns. and that I might be able to make short work of him with ray pistol. Q.nick as thought I dropped me sword, lettins it hang by the knot from my wrist, and, snatching out my pistol from my bolster, I levelled it fall at my assailant, a. big black-bearded Mahnmtnedan, and fired as I passed him at about two yards’ distance. The ball hit him f-ir fn the side, and for a s-cond be reeled in his saddle, then dropping his uplifted sword arm, he tumbled headlong forward to the groand, and bis riderless horse galloped past jnst behind me. A fh ill of exuitatation bounded through me as I saw him fall. Meanwhile one of my troopers had engaged another of rur assailants, The rebel was a brave fellow enough, but he was no math for the sinew - * Sikh behind me, who, after a i-.w r*pid»cchanges of blown and parries, managed: > get inside his guard, and gave him such » slash across the face with hia sharp sabre that he fell, blinded with blocd, from his saddle. The thi>d of our assailants, who had cautiously ridden some yards in the rear, seeing bis two companions hort de combat, took himself off tithe camp, and we were left free for a few moments to continue our way unmolested. All this, though it takes some time to relate, happened in a few moments or so. X knew it would not be long ere we should be hotly pursued ; for as we rattled our horse* over the wide plain I could hear a tremendous uproar in the rebel camp, which was by this time thoroughly alarmed. Casting m hurried look behind me, I could see that my worst fears were realised. Already a dozen or two of the rebels had leaped upon their horses, and, sabre in hand, with wdd shouts and gestures, were urging them on at their utmost soeed as they strove to gain upon ns. A ride for dear life, thought I, as I caught sight of them streaming after us. Faster and faster yet I led the way, over rough, ground and smooth, looking well to the ground in front (as a fall or a stumble of one of cur horses might h&va prove 1 fatal to us), and my two men kept close beside me. Our horses, however, had been out for hears, while those of oar pursuers were quite fresh, and we had not gone above a mile in this fashion when I began to fancy that our pursuers were gaining upon ns. Before another halfmile had been passed this idea of mine ripened into a certainty. Three or four of our pursuers, at any rate, were gaining rapidly upon ns, and were two or three hundred yards in advance of the rest. If only they succeeded in stopping us, in order to fight with them, I saw that the whole pack would be upon ns, and we should all be out to pieces to a certainty. They also conld afford, owing to th:ir numbers, not to spare their horses, while, if onr horses were once pnmped, nothing could save us. Nearer and nearer they gained upon ne. and their shouts of exultation and hatred were borne to my ears as they triumphantly fancied themselves sure of their prey. * We must separate,’ said I quickly ; * rids off to the ride, and I will go straight on,’ as I thought that by thus separating we might perhaps divert our pursuers, and one or other of ns would have a chance of getting off. They immediately tamed to the right, though still heading for the village.

This rvse was fortunate enough for my men, but it did not avail much for me. Casting another glance behind me, I saw, to my dismay, that our enemies did not appear to trouble themselves about my companions, but all four continued to ride, without swerving, after me ; for it was, as I might have anticipated, the English officer whom they had marked for their prey, and whom they were thirsting to kill. Closer and closer they creep up to me ; but I urge my horse on, and manage to forge slittlo ahead. At this rate, thought I, they will soon pump their horses, if 1 can only hold on. But they are riding at a headlong pace, and I am forced to let out my horse also to his utmost speed in order to keep ahead of them. Already the foremost of the four is less than a hundred yards behind me, the other three close behind him. while there are adozen mote a short distance behind them.

Even uow, though twenty long years have passed since that day, it makes my blood jump to think of it. For a moment my heart dies within me, as I feel that the game is up ; and I set my teeth and determine to die hard —to sell my life as dearly as I can, and fight it out to the last. In the excitement of the rile I naturally had not looked far before me ; but now X suddenly saw, just thirty or forty yards ahead of me, the dyke full of water, which we had va sS2< i over in the early morning, on our way to reconnoitre the camp. A thrill of hope and joy passed through me. It was a very fair jump, but nothing out of the way for a goed horse, and I knew that mine, who was a good fencer, would clear it, and that there was a very good’ chance that the horses cf my pursuers would not, as natives seldom practise their horses at jumping. They seemed hardly more than fifty or sixty yards off ; and had it not been for the hope of placing the dyke between myself and them, I felt that in another few moments, if they got much nearer, I should have been forced to tnrn at bay and fight it out to the last. Four to one, however, was hopeless odds, and with a ray of hope I rode straight at the dyke. Eton then, as I neared it, the thought flashed with a te>rible misgiving through my brain that my horse might perhaps refuse it, and that in that case nay pursuers would he upon me in a moment. Deadly as the peril in which I am, I have yet the coolness and presence of mind to steady my horse somewhat as he comes to the leap, and for a moment to slacken his speed. My gallant horse, _ a big powerful Australian gliding, sets his ears as he sees the leap in front of him ; and when, at ths critical moment, I dig my spurs into him with all the energy of desperation, he answers to the call, takes off well and lands clearly, despite a somewhat rotten bank on. the other tide.

Assuredly at that moment I felt but little tempted to agree with the Psalmist that a horse was a vain thing to trust to. My horse had scarcely regained his stride when the four foremost of my foes, who had pressed mo so bard, were on the brink of the dyke. Scarcely daring to hope that I may escape, I looked anxiously round to see if they, too, got over. Two cut of the four are slightly in advance, and they ride straight at the dyke. To my intense delight their horses both refuse, and will have nothing to say to the jump; while the other two do not attempt it, but ride along the bank in order to find an easier place to cro c s. As I wide* every second tho distance between me and my pursuers, and my spirits thrill with exultation at my renewed prospect of escape, I am unable to restrain a shout of defiance at my baffled foes, which is immediately answered by an angry carbine shot from one of them, that, of e urse, does me no barm. God grant that I may have a few momenta more, and I shall be comparatively safe. Again I head straight for the village, which in tho headlong race I had ridden a little wide of, and which was now but a short half mile distant. Once 1 am safe through tho village, I ought to fall in with some of my picket, to whom I had given orders that as soon as »t was daybreak they should patrol the road in. that direetion. (To he continued)