TALES OF THE INDIAN MUTINY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 47, 20 March 1909, Page 3

TALES OF THE INDIAN MUTINY.

Jn the, greali Indian mutiny, which, took place just over oO years ago, many heroes performed brave deeds. Here are [two splendid acts of deliberate self-sac-rilicc, both of thuni uouc at the beginning of (lie outbreak. 'Jlie mutiny began at Jleerul on May 10th, !So7, when, after murdering thei'v Uritish ollicers, u number of sepoy regiments marched to die great city of Delhi, the old capital of the Mogul Empire. I

I In the morning the inoiinieii troops were seen approaching Delhi. The I'lini,our was quickly Hying from mouth to mouth that the a.inv had risen aeainst the Uritish, and fhat the white man's rule in India was at an end. The troops poured in ; the mob was soon raging through the streets seeking for English" men to kill.

In the telegraph oll'ice was a young clerk, lie made no iiltcmpl, t„ cscnp ( ° but stood coolly by his instr enl. Ilash(UighU warning along the wires to ohicr pails of the Punjab. Tlie words of his message shows his coolness : " The scJioys have come in from Mccrut, and arc burning everything. Mr Todd is dead and, we hear, several Europeans. We iinust shut up." .The wires had hardly curried their message when the niut'i,iiecrs broke in and cut him down.

Another deed worthy to be remembered here is that of'LieiKcnaiit Willoilghhy and Iris eight gallant Comrades, who were in charge of the great powder .magazine where there was a huge stole of gunpowder and ammunition? The mutineers were certain to seize this at the first chance, and to make deadly use of the .powder. The place was'verc strong. Even nine men—there were no more-might hold it for some hours; help might come. Hut if not—well, il was better that the magazine should be blown up and its defenders perish than that it should fall into the hands of the mutineers-.

bo those- gallant men placed the guns they had where they could be used with best ellect, a7nl laid a train of powder Irmn the magazine itself to the courtyard where they must fight. One, named Scully, was in charge, with orders to lire, the train if he received the signal. .Soon the mutineers were awarinin" round; but the defenders paid no heed to a demand for surrender. Ladders were planted against the walls, yet the little band within poured so hot a fire on, the assailants that they were beaten oil' again and again. Hut the ranks of the enemy grew thicker and thicker. No help came. And now the enemy were crowding up the ladders; in a. few moments .they must force their way in. Then suddenly there was a lorrilic roar, and a huge column of smoke spouted up to the sky. The signal had been given; Scully had tired the train. The magazine and its assailants had been blow to fragmenlK. Scully died where he fell. The onlv wonder is that the rest of the defenders survived, and live of them received the Victoria Cross; Willoughby, their gallant leader, was wounded, ami died soon afterwards in Jleerul. Another brave iii ;in was ("lolab Khan, a servant of Mr. (Ireathead, the Commissioner at llecrul. When the mutineers attacked Mr. (ireatliead's house, the family were in great danger. Then, to have them, (jolab Khan risked his own life, for he went out to the mutineers and said that if I hey would come with him he could show them where the sahibs, a.s the natives called the white people, had hidden themselves. And by thus tricking the mob and leading them from the house, he made it possible for the British Commissioner and his family to escape, though he himself would certainly have been murdered if the mutineers had found out that he was leading them astray.