THE BLUE DRAGOONS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 739, 23 January 1915, Page 6

THE BLUE DRAGOONS.

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AN INDIAN SOLDIER STORY. BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN. PUBLISHER'S NOTE. In view of the growing gravity of affairs iu the East, we have arranged for the exclusive aerial publication of this fascinating story of British military valour, dealing graphically 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 BUN. "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 white, irritating, powdery clouds 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 [s dried up, his tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth, and a sensation all over him as if he'd lieen 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 arc." " Can't he." "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." " Docs it ? 'Pon my word, Jack, you'd he 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 holct 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 Rustanporc ?" " How should I know." "If it's much further, Jack, I , shall set a "bad example to the by falling out and lying down by ' the side of the road." " No, you won't." " Ah, Jack, I'm afraid I shall. I say, 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 tlio 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 facos were so blackened with dust and perspiration, that their nearest relatives might have passed them by unknown. They, litoe 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 sword* were now red with rust formed by the dripping flanks of their chargjprs, After a time a fresh note from the truimpcter, who rode beside tlio regiment on a magnificent grey Arab, brought the men once more to a walking pace, though scarcely one drew rein; for-so accustomed 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 now been six months in India. They hac sailed up the Hoogly in a steaming heavy heat, and la'ndcd at th( city of palaces, Calcutta, whence, after a short stay, they were sent ot up the country with a short pause here and a short pause there, tfl! the route had been given them, anc during the past few days they hac been making for Rustaupore where, as far as the mco. knew, they wen to stay for the nest six months. Heat,/dust, drought, men mutter Ing and grumbling, horses wcarilj snorting, and giving their heads at impatient toss, and nothing to bt seen in front but the dust, and thl

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 young man saw that the speaker was the. major—a ' little, fat; pincushion style of mail 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 march 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 jist like this, I'd rather hiae a b(t 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 up the dust in great- . er clouds.

" How badly the men are playing" said Lawrence.

" So would you play badly if sou 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 man.

" 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 Mussulman's —who hate us and might rise against us at any time." . " Nonsense, 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." "By Jove, here they are—some of them !" exclaimed Lawrence. "But no, it can't be." For the long line of cavalry jhad inclined a little to the right, so as to pass** a footi. regiment trudging on in the same direction ;as themselves. ,'. s '' Yes, it' catf;'' said ■■■ Melton bitterly. " That's one of the native regiments officered by Englishmen. But did you ever see , men order such a ragamuffin" lot ?" Captain Melton's remark was not uncalled for, since to 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 the native Carts con.taining. their baggage. Mert who should have had their muskets shouldered had tumbled them anyhow into the bullock carts along with their knapsacks, while sca,rlet uniform coat unbuttoped and belts awry, they carefully carried some chillum or hubble-bubble pipe. - The dust had not much improved their aspect, but they did not suger from the heat like the Europeans ; so that their dusty visages with their gleaming opal ejeballs were not disfigured like those of the dragoons.

There was an ungainly, shabby look about them though. Those in ugh 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 place in trousers ; their scarlet coatees hung from their sharp shoulders like garments on a horse meant to be brushed ; and they shambled, along in anything but military style.

Here and there were a few who had put on a long calico robe and white puggaree or turban, and these stepped out boldly and looked at home in their clothes, as much as the - others seemed awkward and ill at ease.

The dust from- the two regiments was almost unbearable ; so the trumpet once more rang out, and the dragoons went by at a trot, leaving the long, straggling line far behind. "Well," said Captain Melton, " what do you think of those fellows for a regiment of infantry on whom you would like to depend ?"

Lieutenant 1 Lawrence shook his head, and they trotted on. There was a check coming, though; ior in the distance arose another cloud of dust from out of which gleamed at intervals the ray cast by 3Wtfrd or spear. After a time, too, they could hear the unearthly braying of some musical instrument accompanied by the beating of drums.

" What does this mean ?" as&ed Lawrence shading his eyes, as he tried to pierce the distant cloud of dust.

" Some native swell on the move," was the reply. Captain Melton was right, for a quarter of an hour later orders were given to halt. The men faced half round and backed their horses to the side of the road ; the band was drawn up ready, and it was evident that the native chief was to receive lue homage from the British troops. The., tired, hot, and thirsty men grumbled to themselves, for they had been on the march since three

o'clock ; but 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 armj 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 their horses were heavy with rich ornaments. There were at least twenty massive looking elephants, too, with their foreheads painted, tusks cut short off and ornamented with polished brass rings, while their howdahs were richly' decked with silver and gold lace. In these howdahs were officers wearing costly shawls draped about their persoiis, and in which were stuck jewelled pistols and swords, the chief among them, evidently the ra-. jah, 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 glaring eyes, and a haughty scowling look. His shawls were scarlet abd gold ; and from the Jtop of his white muslin puggarree 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-loiok-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 beer of themselves," said one of the dragoons in an audible voice to his companion. - " Hear that ?" said Lawrence, laughingly to his companion. "Yes 1 , I hear," was the reply. " How 'many of our. fellows would it take to polish off that roughlooking horde of banditti?", said Lawrence laughing. " Thett would depend," said Captain Melton gravely. "If we 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 r«om to manoeuvre, where should we be while they picked us slowly one by one ?" "I never met such a bird of illomen 1 as 5011 are, Melton," laughed the young man as the regiment was once 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 high-caste Brahmins by the mark 'ton their foreheads. They were standing by one of the miserable villages of wretchedly-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 say," 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 noticed 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 caused 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-lo ( oking fellow "there'll be nothing left but 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 appr'&ach 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 1 here. A quiver seemed to run along the dustj line, and every man was as stiff as if fresh on parade. The orders rang out, and four hundred swords flashed in the sunlight. There was a roll 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 note 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 the 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, sajt up in his saddle, feeling himself- while gazed at by the crowding natives, one of the conquerors of India, and a being of a raCfe. To be Continued.