THE BLUE DRAGOONS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 468, 25 May 1912, Page 2

THE BLUE DRAGOONS.

All Rights Reserved.

AN INDIAN SOLDIER STORV.

BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN, PUBLISHER'S NOTE.

In view of the growing gravity of affairs in the East, we have arranged for the exclusive serial publication of this fascinating story of British military valour, dealing graphioally with the glorious deeds by which our Empire in the Orient was saved at a former critical period of AngloIndian history.

CHAPTER I.—OUT IN THE SUN. "Jack !" No answer. "Jack !" No answer, only the regular confused trampling of horses, the jingle of accoutrements, and chains, the clank of steel scabbard against stirrup, the silver tinkle of spur rowels, and ever and again a loud, impatient snort from a horse as it drove the white, irritating, powdery clouds of dust out of its wide nostrils. For all along the road there was one continuous cloud of dust ever rising from the horses' hoofs, through which could be seen the glistening of steel and the whitened coats of a regiment of light horse in full marching order, travelling at a walk along the road which stretched away over the sun-scorched plain.

"Jack, I say, why don't you answer ?"

" Who's to answer when his throat is dried up, his tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth, and a sensation all over him as if he'd Ijeen rolling in nettles ? Oh, hang India, if it's going to be like this !" " Jack, old man, I'm as hot and dry as you are." " Can't be."

"But I am, I tell you , and wherever I've perspired I've been powdered with this horrible dust till my skin's covered with a hard cake or crust of clay." " Serve you right." " Does it ? 'Pon my word, Jack, you'd be about the most disagreeable officer in Her Majesty's service if you weren't a trump at heart." " Yah !"

The first speaker, in spite of his discomfort, broke into a hearty laugh which only elicited an impatient growl from his companion and the regiment continued its way for another quarter of an hour over the dusty plain. " Jack," said the first speaker. " Confound it all, Fred Lawrence, I wish you'd hold your tongue !" "If I hole! my tongue, Captain John Melton, it will dry up. I say haven't you a drop left in your flask ?" " No." "Are you sure you haven't ?" " Get out." " I say, Jack, old fellow, how much further is it to Rustanpore ?" " How should I know." "If it's much further, Jack, I shall set a bad example to the men by falling out and lying down by the side of the road." " No, you won't." " Ah, Jack, I'm afraid I shall. I Bay, old fellow, this is remarkably different to Hounslow." " Or Hampton Court." " Oh, yes, Jack—or Kensington.'" "Ha ! yes—l say." " Yes ; what is it ?" " Wouldn't you like a large tankard full of cold, beady, bitter ale, fresh out of a cellar ?" " Jack, old fellow, don't —pray don't !" " Or a big mug of claret cup with the knobs of ice bobbing up against your nose as you poured the delicious fluid down your dusty throat." " Oh, Jack, you'll drive me mad if you talk that way." " Forward ! Trot !"

There was a loud bray from a trumpet, and the long line of men went forward at a sharp trot, increasing the dust. But the brisk motion was more bearable than the slow walk beneath the burning sun ; for though it was not yet eight o'clock, there seemed to be a white hot disc shining down upon the dusty regiment, and they had yet some miles to go before they reached the large city for which they were bound. As far as could be judged, the two speakers, who rode about the middle of the regiment, were two fine-looking young men, but their faces were so blackened with dust and perspiration, that their nearest relatives might have passed them by unknown. They, like the whole regiment on the march, were in full review order, and their blue uniforms with white facings were turned to a dirty drab, their white plumes hung heavily from their caps, and the erst bright scabbards of their swords were now red with rust formed by the dripping flanks of their chargers. After a time a fresh note from the trumpeter, who rode beside the regiment on a magnificent grey Arab, brought the men once more to a walking pace, though scarcely one drew rein ; for so accustomed were the horses to the trumpet calls that they obeyed them on the instant, and then once more began the monotonous march.

For this Her Majesty's 31st Roya! Regiment of Light Dragoons had been six months in India. They liac sailed up the Hoogly in a steaming heavy heat, and landed at the city of palaces, Calcutta, whence after a short stay, they were sent 01 up the country with a short paus< here and a short pause there, til! the route had been given them, anc during the past few days the> hac been making for Rustanpore where as far as the men knew, they were to stay for the next six months. Heat, dust, drought, men mutter ing and grumbling, horses wearilj snorting, and giving their heads ai impatient toss, and nothing to bf seen in front but the dust, and th<

shimmering mirage as the rarefied air rose quivering above the plain. " Lieutenant Lawrence, ride forward, and start the band," said a stuffy voice ; and turning sharply, the man saw that the speaker was the major—a little, fat, pincushion style of man with a dustblackened face, veined with rivers, where the perspiration trickled down " Tell them to play something to cheer the men up ; we've an hour's inarch before us yet." " Yes, sir," was the prompt reply ; and the young officer urged his horse forward, and cantered to the front. " Now, band," he cried, " something lively to make the horses step out. The men are flagging with the heat." " Sure, and ain't we men ?" said the kettle-drummer, in an injured tone to himself. " Who's to play something lively, when the cornet's full of dust !" said another. " And the trombone's choked'" a third said. " And the clarionet cracked with the dry heat !" said the player upon that instrument. " Ah, well, if Indy's goin' to be all iist like this, I'd rather hae a hit o' Glen Ballo any day i' the week," said another bandsman. All this was, of course, out of hearing of the young officer who had reined back as soon as he had given the order, and allowed the men to pass ; then he resumed his position just as the band struck up " Garry Owen," and the horses stepped out a little more freely, but at the same time, trampled tip the dust in greater clouds.

" How badly the men are playing" said Lawrence. " So would you play badly if 50U had to do it now, or fight either," said Melton. " Do you think we shall ever have any fighting while we are here, Jack ?" said the young ma.n.

" Perhaps no —perhaps yes," was the reply. " I shouldn't wonder, seeing how our people behave to the natives —big swells in their way, too."

" But we have such an army they would be crushed at once if they were to turn restive." " Where's your army ?" said Melton, sourly. " Why, seven-eighths of it are made up of the people here Hindoos and Mussulmans—who hate us and might rise against us at any

time." " Nonseuse, Jack." "Is it nonsense ? Mind, Master Fred, that some day we don't find that the men we have drilled and armed turn against us. 9 ' "By Jove, here they are —some of them !" exclaimed Lawrence. "But no, it can't be." For the long line of cavalry' 'had inclined a little to the right, so as to pass a foot regiment trudging on in the same direction as themselves.

" Yes, it can," said Melton bitterly. " That's one of the nafcr.ve regiments officered by Englishmen. But did you ever see men order such a ragamuffin lot ?" Captain Melton's remark was not uncalled for, since in place of the regiment now on its way to a fresh station, marching in regular order, as is the military custom, they were shambling along the road anyhow, mixed up with thro native carts containing their baggage. Men who should have had their muskets shouldered had tumbled them anyhow into the bullock carts along with their knapsacks, -while scarlet uniform coat unbuttoned and belts awry, they carefully carried some chillum or hubble-bubble pipe. The dust had not much improved their aspect, but they did not suffer from the heat like the Europeans ; so that their dusty visages with' their gleaming opal ejeballs were uot disfigured like those- of the dragoons.

There was an ungainly, shabby look about them though. Those in Mcrh places had decided that the native troops should be dressed like the British soldiers, and the consequence was that they looked angular, awkward, and ill-fitted. Their thin, shrunken legs looked out of plruce in trousers. : their scarlet coatees hung from their sharp shouMers like garments on a horse meant to be brushed ; and tb ey shambled along in anything but. military styße. Here and there were a few who had on a long calico robe and white p; lggaree or turban, and these, stepped out boldly and looked at home in their clothes, as much as the oti iers seemed awkward and ill at eas?2.

| The dust from the two regiments was a' lmost unbearable : so the trumpet once more rang out, and the drag»oons went by at a trot, leaving the long, straggling line far "behind. " Well," said Captain Melton, " w hat do you think of those fellow s for a regiment of infantry on whom you would like to depend?" 3 lieutenant 1 Lawrence shook his he ad, and they trotted on, 'There was a check coming",, thouglr, ?csr in the distance arose another I cloaid of dust from out of which j gleiamed at intervals the ray cast, by sword or spear. After a timo, too, they could hear the unearthly braying of some musical instmiaem'"- accompanied by the beating of drums. " Wh?it does this mean'.?" aal'-ed Lawreace shading his ey.es, as .he tried to pierce the distant; cloud of dust.

" Sosae native swells on -move," was thio reply. Captjun Melton was xiglrt,. for a quarter of an hour'later orders." were given 'to halt. The- men- cfaeeff half round . and backed tbejir horses to> the side of the road : the band was drawn; up ready, gmf it w.as evident that the native chief was to receive iue homage from the troops; The- tired, hot, sand thirsty men ?rumb led to themsely es, forrthey had) been ,on the mart ;h { three

o'clock ; hut their interest was soon

excited by the sight behind them — a scene which reminded them of the Arabian Nights Entertainments, or some attempted imitation of Eastern splendour at a large theatre. For it soon became evident that the rajah approaching was accompanied by quite a little arnn of his people, some on horseback, with spears, banners, and gorgeous trappings. Many of the principal men wore bright steel helmets, and chain hoods to protect their necks, while Iheir horses were heavy with rich ornaments. There were at least twenty missive looking elephants, too, with their foreheads painted, tusks cut short o'.T and ornamented with rol'Yhed hnsrs rings, while their howdahs were richly decked with silver and gold lace.

In these howdahs were officers wearing costly shawls draped about their persons, and in which were stuck jewelled pistols and swords, the chief among them, evidently the rajah, being mounted upon the tallest elephant, whose sides were almost hidden by a great scarlet coat laced with gold.

The rajah was a swarthy-looking man with glarin.g eyes, and a haughty scowling look. His shawls were scarlet and gold ; and from the 'top of his white muslin puggarrec rose a diamond aigrette, with tall, white egret plume.

As he rode slowly by the line of dragoons, with the mahout perched on the elephant's neck, and his iron hook and spike in hand, while behind the howdah were attendants with mounted horse-tails to keep off the flies, his highness cast a contemptuous look at the Englishmen—a look imitated by the horde of wild-lciok-ing matchlock and spear men, all of whom carried weapons of a very primitive ■ construction. Drums beat —musical instruments blared and squealed—the glittering weapons of the rajah's troops sparkled in the sun ; and at last the party about five hundred strong, filed slowly by.

" They don't think no small beef of themselves," said one of tin dragoons in an audible voice to his companion.

'• Hear that ?" said Lawrence, laughingly to bis companion. " Yes, I hear," was the reply.

" How many of our fellows would it take to polish of! that roughlooking horde of banditti ?" said Lawrence laughing. " That would depend," said Captain Melton gravely. "If had them out on an open plain like this, it would be awkward for them anyhow ; but if they had us shut up in a city without room to manoeuvre, where should we be while they picked up slowly off one by one ?" "I never met such a bird of ftlomen as 5011 are, Melton," laughed the young man as the regiment was onco more in motion. " Anyone would think there was danger in the wind."

" Yes," said Melton, sagely, " and I believe there is. But stop a bit. What have we here ?"

It was only a group of natives, evidently Brahmins by the mark 'On their foreheads. They were standing by one of the miserable villages of wretchedlv-built. huts while, close by in a grove of trees was their temple of white marble—a grand-looking building, covered with carving and contrasting strangely with the deplorable dwellings. " I sav," exclaimed Lawrence, as they rode on, "I thought we were regular masters here, and that we were tolerably popular ?" " Looks like it," said Melton, grimly, as he too noticea the scowling glances of the people and the manner in which they turned away. The heat was now getting unbearable, and there were symptoms among the men of a desire to fall out, when a cheer rose in front as the head of the regiment crossed a rising ground, from which glistened in the sunshine a great river while through the haze cruised by the heat they could mark tower, minaret, and mosque rising out of cluster after cluster of low-roofed buildings. '•All right, my lads!" cried Captain Melton in a more cheery voice than he had yet assumed— " only another half-hour and we shall be there." "You may, captain," said a voice, " but as for me —" "Well, Jackson, as for you?' said Melton smiling. " As for me, sir," said the man, a fair, youthful-looking fellow "there'll be nothing left hut two bootsful of perspiration and a pair of wet trousers. I'm melting away." The men laughed and then word came from the rear to the. officers

of the various troops to dress up ; for however weary a British regiment may be and however loose its order when on the march, no sooner do they approach a town than the word is given, and the men take a fresh grip of the saddle and pull themselves together. And it was so here. A quiver seemed to rim along the dust\ line, and every man was as stiff as if fresh on parade. The orders ram: out, and four hundred swords flashed in the sunlight. There was a roil on the kettle-drums —first. on the right then on the left ; a preliminary flourish from the cornet, and then cheery and gaily rang out, the strains of " The Maids of Merry England," every noie recalling home and the past to the soldiers. and causing a feeling of sorrowful exultation in their swelling breasts as they rode on. At the end of another five minutes -che head of the regiment was among the houses on the outskirts of the town, and every man begrimed as he was with dust and sweat, sat up in his saddle, feeling himself while gazed at by the crowding natives, one of the conquerors of India, and a being of a superior race. To he Continued.