John Company
Major Alexander was not the man to be hurried, and moreover, though a
soldier, he was a studious gentleman, and having accepted the task of
enlightening his two young protégés, he was not the one to do it in a
half-hearted manner. He sipped his tea with deliberation, and afterwards
lay back in his chair, apparently more concerned with the rings of smoke
which he blew from his lips than with India, the affairs of the Company,
whose servant he was, and the war which he had intimated was about to
take place. Then he yawned, sat up briskly, and gazed at Owen.
"That's what happened," he said. "This peaceful trading Company became
pugnacious, not of its own freewill perhaps, but because it was for ever
being harassed by others, and was for ever made to feel the effect of
unfair competition on the part of the Portuguese and the Dutch.
Moreover, its properties had increased, and military and sea power were
necessary to protect not only the trading ports but the vessels and
their cargoes as they went to England. Had they confined their energies
to protection they would have done well, but they commenced upon the
unwise policy of attacking the Mogul Emperor, and were badly worsted,
Surat being wrested from them. However, it is stated that the treasury
of the Emperor was low, and the combatants came to friendly relations
again, so that Surat was restored to the Company. Meanwhile, however,
the French had secured a footing, and had obtained a strip of land at
Pondicherry, where they fortified themselves. This, as you may imagine,
was a blow to the Company, and it became more than ever necessary to
consolidate their power and prepare for eventualities. They obtained
another concession, and some few years later built Fort William, here in
Calcutta, and set up their trading post. Indeed, Calcutta was made the
presidency of all the Company's possessions, and rapidly rose in
importance. At this stage, if you have followed me carefully, you find
the traders, whose servants we are, in possession of posts in Bengal,
Madras, and Bombay.
"And now I have brought the Company to a point in its history when
matters became very critical for it," went on the Major, after he had
paused for breath. "Their successes, the profits they had made, and the
noise which their condition caused in England, led others to venture
into the same region, bent on trading enterprises, and we find that a
second company was formed, and then a third. This was a blow indeed to
the old Corporation, but in the end the three bodies were united, and in
1708 they became 'The United Company of Merchants of England trading to
the East Indies.' As you may imagine, such a settlement resulted in an
enormous increase in the power and opulence of the Company, and, in
fact, it is from this period that we find it really beginning to control
the affairs of a portion of India. Its fortunes were consolidated, its
military power increasing, and its sea power no small item when compared
with former years. In fact, we can turn from it for a moment to consider
the affairs of India itself, and thereby lead up to the war in which I
trust we shall all three win honour and promotion."
"And what of the Mogul Emperor?" asked Owen, as the Major stopped for a
moment. "I don't pretend to know who is the ruler now, but I have heard
that there is more than one."
"You shall hear. Even the mightiest emperor must die, and this man
joined the great majority, and his son Azim was proclaimed emperor in
his stead. It was a fine opportunity for the firebrands of the country
to draw their swords, and Bahadur Shah seized the throne of Cabul, and
followed by a horde of Afghans, Khyberees, and many other fanatical
northern tribes, marched down to Agra. There they defeated Azim, slaying
him and two of his sons, and capturing another son who was an infant at
that time.
"But if these men sought to settle down in their possessions they were
mistaken, for an example once set can be followed. A revolt broke out in
the South, known as the Deccan, that part of India which lies south of
the Nerbudda river. The leader was defeated and slain, and the men who
followed him dispersed. But even this signal victory did not secure the
throne of the man who had won the title of Emperor. Others were anxious
to throw off his yoke, and we find that he was forced to make terms with
the Rajpoots and with the Mahrattas, then as now a plundering race of
freebooters. Nor were his troubles ended when these treaties had been
made, for the Sikhs came upon him in their thousands, and ravaged his
country to Lahore on one side, and as far as Delhi on the other. In the
end Bahadur drove them back to the mountains, and there was peace. But
he did not enjoy it long. He died in 1712, and left his throne more
tottering than ever. For he left us no fewer than four sons who each
desired to fill the post of Emperor.
"Zehander triumphed over the other three, and held his post for a time,
ruthlessly murdering or torturing all princes upon whom he could lay his
hands. Then he was dethroned by his nephew, who had reigned but a few
years when the Sikhs came down again and raided him, being helped by the
Mahrattas.
"Was there ever such a condition of affairs? The country was for ever
being upset, while the peoples of Hindustan could settle to nothing. But
if their affairs were disturbed, the constant troubles helped the
Company of whom I have been telling you. They took every advantage of
the strife to increase their hold, and it may interest you to hear that
the humble efforts of another doctor aided them considerably, he having
won favour by his skilful treatment of the Mogul. I will not tell you
how this strife continued. It will be sufficient if I say emperor
followed emperor with some rapidity, assassination and poison
accounting for more than one, till Mohammed Shah occupied the throne,
when the power of the Mogul declined very sensibly. Then came a split,
the Deccan being seized by revolters, while the Northern Provinces fell
to the arms of the Rohillas. Following this the great Nadir Shah invaded
India from Persia, with a host amounting to 80,000, and overran the
country, sacking Delhi and many another town, and reducing the land to
poverty, for plunder was his sole aim. When he retired the Emperor was
penniless and utterly cast down, while Mahrattas and Afghans for ever
menaced him. Adventurers and rebels cropped up on every side, and by
force of arms lopped off some portion of the Mogul's territories.
"If the Emperor had his troubles, so also had the Company, for certain
pirates preyed upon them. Then the French East India Company was
becoming more and more a thorn in the flesh, and indeed laid siege to
and captured Madras. And amongst their captives was that young man
Clive, whose name is now so well known in and out of India. There
followed many attempts on Fort St. David, situated on the Coromandel
coast about one hundred miles from Madras, and only fourteen from
Pondicherry, and for a time the fortunes of the Company were desperate.
But recruits were gathered and the fort made completely safe. Then the
spirit of the English led them to retaliate, and Pondicherry was
besieged, but with little success. Finally, the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle
settled the enmity of the two nations for a time, and Madras was handed
back to us.
"But was it possible for two opposing companies, each seeking for the
mastery, to be on friendly terms?"
The Major appealed to his two listeners as he waved his hands
deprecatingly. "Just so; national ambitions are apt to cause
hostilities, and in a little while French and English were at war again,
despite the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle. But meanwhile the Company espoused
the cause of Sivaji, Prince of Tanjore, an extensive district in the
Carnatic, who had been deposed by his brother, Pretauab Sing. In return
the Company was to have Devi-Cottah and the surrounding district. I need
not go farther into that matter; but our interference was not too
successful, though we obtained the post we wanted. But we were not to
enjoy it tranquilly, for here the French appeared again, aiding various
princes in the Carnatic, and stirring up rebellion. Indeed, for many
years the Company had to struggle against them, with varying fortune,
till Clive came prominently on the scene. Then our luck turned, while
that of the French began to decline. Troubles with French and natives
alternated; Calcutta was captured by the newly throned Nabob of Bengal,
and was taken again and avenged by Clive, who, proceeding on his
ever-victorious way, finally defeated the Nabob at Plassey, and set Meer
Jaffier on the throne, at the same time signing a treaty with him which
was eminently satisfactory to the Company. There followed a long series
of conflicts with the French under Lally, in which Fort St. David and
Devi-Cottah were taken. But our fortunes revived, and in the end
Pondicherry was captured from our enemies. To tell all that followed,
in which Clive had any dealings, would be to ask you to listen to an
endless succession of struggles, successes, and failures. I will merely
say that this great man having returned to England, the affairs of the
Company in Bengal fell into a bad way, and he was persuaded to return.
He became Governor-General and Dictator, and under his able managership
the affairs of the corporation rose to a secure footing.
"If you have followed me you will have gathered that the fortunes of the
Company had fluctuated, but that on the whole they had vastly risen
since those first years when the enterprise was commenced. Fighting and
conflicts had become the order of the day, and were still to continue,
for now, my lads, we meet with another character, Hyder Ali, a
freebooter and adventurer, who, with wonderful success, gathered men to
his banner, and finally became ruler of huge tracts in Mysore and
elsewhere. With him we went to war, but with ill success. Then followed
a treaty with him, and that had barely been signed when the Peishwa
attacked him with his Mahrattas, and humbled the pride of this
marvellous land-pirate.
"And now I am getting to the close of my little lecture," said the
Major, turning away from his listeners for a few moments while he stared
out through the wide-open windows. "I arrive at a time when others came
forward to interfere with the Company. Hitherto none had had their say
as to the actions of the great and wealthy corporation. But the English
Government had been itching to have a finger in this very rich and
appetising pie, and while this conflict raged between Mahrattas and
Hyder Ali, the Commons insisted on having a representative in India, and
on controlling the working of the Company. There followed a war with
Tanjore and its conquest, and afterwards a reduction of the Rohilla
country, the great Warren Hastings being Governor-General.
"Meanwhile the Mogul was but a name, a name to be scoffed at and to be
openly derided. The days had passed when men trembled in his presence or
at mention of his power, for on every side powerful princes and upstart
adventurers defied the ruler of Hindustan, and carved out new fortunes
and new possessions for themselves. It was not now a case of fighting
against the Mogul, but a campaign for obtaining the largest possessions,
the greatest riches and the utmost territory. And this ambitious policy
led to war on every hand. India was continuously the scene of native
intrigue and hostility, hostility which, as it raised some obscure
individual to power and opulence, threatened the rule of the Company.
Then, too, the Company's ambitious policy, and their constant desire to
increase their own territories and power, did not make for peace, and we
find them at war with the Mahrattas, their desire being to obtain
possession of the island of Salsette. A little later their equanimity
was upset by the uprising of a Scottish East India Company, which,
however, did not survive for long.
"And now we come to another stage in the history of this wonderful
company. The French again appear upon the scene, in the person of the
Chevalier St. Lubin, who took up his residence at Poonah, and began to
have great influence with the Mahrattas. Pondicherry had been restored
to France, and the two nations were at peace, though at this period
there were many eminent Frenchmen aiding the Americans in their war of
independence. Then followed a war with the Mahrattas, terminated by a
peace which gained little if anything for the Company; and shortly
afterwards Hyder Ali again appeared upon the scene, and we went to war
with him. He died, and his son, the famous Tippoo Sahib, succeeded him.
And against this young chieftain we waged three campaigns, in the second
of which our troops were joined by our old enemies, the Mahrattas.
Finally Tippoo was beaten and humbled, and in the end sued for peace.
Thus the war with Mysore was ended for a time. In following years we
find the Mahrattas again on the war-path, this time engaged with the
Nizam. Then come the reduction of the Dutch settlements, many a battle
with the French, for the main part at sea, a military charter granted to
the Company, and once more the intrusion of our old opponents the
French. They united with Tippoo, and in a final campaign this prince was
slain, the whole of Mysore being conquered.
"Then followed a settlement of Indian territory. The lands which Hyder
Ali had brought beneath the sway of his sword were divided up, a
fragment of its previous belongings was restored to the old Mogul
Empire, 20,000 square miles of territory were annexed by the Company,
and alliances made where possible. Nor did progress cease there, for our
power increased in every part of India whither the Company turned its
attention. Ceylon called for the despatch of troops, while a little
later there came news that the French had other designs on India and had
sent their troops to Egypt, hoping to take ship from Suez and invade our
possessions. That is a tale of yesterday, and you will recollect how the
attempt was utterly and completely frustrated. But their aims and
ambitions were not thereby completely wrecked, for they had been for
long steadily engaged in helping the Mahrattas, and the military
efficiency of the latter has come to a dangerous height. That brings us
to the present time, my lads, and leads to the cause of this war in
which we are about to take part.
"Perron, a Frenchman, has trained the battalions of Scindia, a great and
overbearing Mahratta prince, and this ruler openly derided the Peishwa,
his chief. At the same time he quarrelled with Holkar, another powerful
Mahratta chief, and being defeated, left the Peishwa open to attack. The
latter fled to us for protection, with the result that we have made a
treaty with him and finally replaced him on his throne. This treaty,
which aimed at the overthrow of the Mahratta confederation of chiefs,
met with fierce opposition from Scindia, who promptly rallied his armies
and showed an unmistakable desire to be hostile. That is how the matter
rests at this moment so far as I know. Scindia may have withdrawn his
men at our request, or he may have declined to do so. That is more
likely, and to protect ourselves we are bound to fight him. There is
known to exist a confederation of powerful Mahratta chiefs, and, as I
have said, we have information that Perron and his lieutenants have
organised and trained thousands of fighting men. It is time to move if
we are not to meet with still fiercer opposition. If we fight now we
have a prospect of victory, while if we wait the power of the Mahrattas
increases. Moreover, while Buonaparte lives, and the French have ships,
India may at any moment be invaded by the legions of the Emperor. But we
all have hopes of Nelson. Some day I trust he may smash the sea power of
France as surely as I trust we shall crush the battalions of the
Mahrattas.
"Thus you will see our cause for war. We must crush these battalions
trained by Perron, or our own existence will be imperilled; and we must
curb for ever the high ambitions and growing power of Scindia and the
coterie of princes who have joined their fortunes with his. Soon, very
soon, I hope, we shall march for the front, and then, my lads, honour
and promotion."
He sank back in his chair and smiled at his listeners, pleased to have
been able to satisfy their longing for knowledge, and not a little proud
that he had been able to hold their close attention. Owen stared down at
his leg, after having thanked the Major, and wondered when he would be
fit to travel, and whether after all he would be lucky enough to take
his share in the coming campaign. However, on the following day his
spirits rose, for the surgeon who had been called in to attend to him
held out hopes of a speedier recovery than had been promised.
"The country seems to agree with you, or perhaps it is the thought of
this war which has made matters mend a little," he smiled. "This wound
is healthy, and is closing fast. There is no bullet or other matter in
it now, and therefore I fancy you will be about before long. Oh yes, you
will be in time to go up country and test the bullets of the enemy."
As it proved, however, there was no violent hurry, for the difficulties
of commissariat and transport, the besetting difficulty of all armies
when on the move, kept the troops in Calcutta for another six weeks, and
ere that time had passed Owen was himself again. The wound was located
in a part where horse exercise gave little strain, and before the troops
left he had been able to mount.
"But you must on no account venture to trot or canter yet," said the
surgeon, as he lifted a warning finger. "Get your limb used to the
exercise by gentle degrees, so that by the time the march is ended you
will be fit for anything."
The weeks as they went by brought abundant interest to the two friends,
for Jack and Owen were close companions now, and the Major had taken a
great fancy to both of them. As to our hero's affairs, they had settled
themselves very nicely. Mr. Halbut, with his usual consideration and
thought, had taken steps to see that his protégé lacked nothing, and
though generous, did not spoil his friend. In accordance with his
promise the Governor called, and congratulated Owen.
"My great friend, Mr. Halbut, has written me about you," he said, as he
sat down beside our hero, "and I am very pleased to think that I am
able to send him such an excellent report. But let me tell you of the
arrangements made for your service. You will be gazetted in the course
of a few days to the 7th native cavalry, and will join that regiment up
country. The appointment will be antedated, so that you will draw pay
and allowances from the day on which you sailed from England. I have
also made arrangements with one of our English banking firms to pay you
a hundred rupees per month. This will continue during Mr. Halbut's
pleasure, and until you are promoted. There is also a sum set aside for
your uniforms, and for horses. My young friend, you have found a
generous benefactor, and from what I can hear he has at length
discovered a subject of absorbing interest. He has his own views on the
ways of educating our young men, and you are the test which will prove
or disprove his views. You have the right stuff in you. You have come to
the front already by your own efforts. That is a good beginning. I shall
not favour you. You must rely upon yourself and your own exertions.
Still, your commanding officers will always be fair and just. A report
will go forward that you have seen service, and have behaved well. Also
that you are fitted for the post of interpreter, as you speak Hindustani
and Mahratti fluently. That reminds me, I must have an example of your
powers. I speak a little Mahratti, and Hindustani well enough to get
along. Call some one who is good at both."
Owen was delighted, and flushed to the roots of his hair. His pleasure
at his appointment was very great, and deep down in his generous young
heart was a full sense of gratitude to his good friend in England. In
his silent and quiet way he then and there, not for the first time by
any means, registered a vow to prosper, to push on, to face all risks
and hazards if by doing so he could rise. He would push on up the
ladder, rung by rung, for his own sake, but more than all so that he
might do credit to Mr. Halbut and the sergeant.
When six weeks had passed there was an evident stir in Calcutta; sepoys
and white troops patrolled the thoroughfares, and cannon rumbled over
the roughly paved streets. Officers cantered here and there, dressed in
the most elegant and becoming uniform, and one which has never been
surpassed since. And amongst these officers were occasionally to be seen
two young men, Owen and Jack, the latter an ensign in a sepoy regiment.
Both were bronzed by the sun, while our hero, if he happened to
dismount, limped ever so slightly. They were filled to the very brim
with high spirits and good temper, and as they came and went were for
ever saluting the friends they had made. For their adventures in Sumatra
had brought them to prominence.
"To-morrow we start," said the Major with a sigh of satisfaction. "The
tents have gone ahead, and when we come up to the end of the day's march
we shall find all in readiness. That is luxury, and is the way to travel
in this country. But it will not last for ever. We shall soon have to
have flanking guards, and a strong force in advance, with a rear-guard
to cover us in that direction. There will be a dozen of us going up to
join our regiments, and we have arranged to stick together."
Before the dawn broke on the following morning the movement was
commenced, and thereafter, for many a day, the white troops and the
sepoy regiments continued to march, often during the hours of night, to
avoid the midday heat. Their faces were set towards Poonah, some
thousand miles across India, where they were to fall in with other
troops. They lived well, and spent the time merrily, for the thought of
war was pleasant to all. And in time they arrived within three hundred
miles of Poonah, in a country where Mahratta horse had already ravaged
the villages, and had gone, leaving nothing but death and starvation
behind them. It was here, one early morning, that Owen met with another
adventure. Their commissariat was low, and he and Mulha had ridden out
to see what could be found.
"We have seen none but villagers, and they have been half-starved, poor
people!" said Owen, as he and the native trotted along, the latter
looking a very fine specimen of humanity, for now that he was dressed in
Mahratta costume, his lithe figure was seen to advantage, while he sat
his horse as only a Mahratta can, with that easy seat seen amongst the
Boers in South Africa, and yet with the grip a British cavalryman
adopts. But the Mahratta carries himself so gracefully erect that the
difference between all three, though so small and so subtle, is easy to
detect.
"And the sahib will find it difficult to get food," observed Mulha.
"But there is a castle yonder on the hill, and there we might gather
provisions."
"I had my eye upon it," answered Owen. "Who would live there?"
"Perhaps a small chief, sahib. Possibly a well-to-do farmer. Who can
say? It may be poor, like these villages, and the walls may be but a
shell surrounding the burned interior. These freebooters who fight for
Scindia would spy that place miles away, and would hardly leave it."
"Still they may have passed by it, and in these days when grub is so
scarce----"
"And the officer sahibs do not receive rations----"
"Just so. We buy our own, till we reach our regiments--that's why we
have to forage about for ourselves. There's a chance of food, Mulha, and
we'll look into the matter."
They shook their bridles and cantered across country towards the small
castle, talking as they went. Hundreds of times already had Owen
congratulated himself on the fact that he had obtained the services of
the native, for on the road he had proved invaluable. Then, too, thanks
to the fact that they often rode side by side, Owen's Mahratti had
become almost perfect. On this occasion they talked in that language,
and were still chatting when they arrived within two hundred yards of
the castle. No one was to be seen, though there were indications that
men and horses had been about.
"You can see the hoof-marks of the horses even without dismounting,"
said Mulha. "See there, sahib. It rained during the night, and those
beasts passed in some two hours ago. There are many. Can it be that they
are the animals ridden by troops?"
They halted to discuss the matter, while Owen, now active again, and
almost without a limp, dropped lightly out of his saddle and inspected
the track.
"The hoof-marks are small and distinct," he said at length. "Some are
pointing to the castle, and some to the plain. The horses were walking."
"Then they are probably beasts owned by the man who lives here. The
sahib has a keen eye. He notes the small things which make for safety,
and which the careless officer overlooks. Shall we advance, sahib?"
Owen nodded. Food was urgently required, and each day one of the
officers who were travelling through with the troops was sent out to
gather what he could. It was Owen's turn to-day, and self-respect
demanded that he should not return empty-handed. He swung himself into
his saddle and put his heels into his horse's flanks, setting him at a
canter along the track, Mulha being just behind. They had arrived within
a few yards of the castle, a very small affair as it proved, when there
was a shout, a dozen loud reports, and as many bullets came screaming
about their ears. Then to their amazement a troop of wild horsemen burst
from a thick cover of trees some three hundred yards away, and with
tulwars brandished above their heads came dashing towards them. At the
same instant a loud call was blown upon some instrument within the
castle, and a dishevelled figure appeared above the gateway.
"We were attacked early this morning, and only saw you a moment before,"
the man called out in Mahratti. "Will you enter? You will be cut to
pieces if you attempt to ride away."
Owen did not hesitate. As the bullets sang about his ears, and the
horsemen thundered out from behind the tope of trees, he stood up in his
stirrups and surveyed them with every sign of amazement. But the man's
voice and the weird call from the castle roused him. Digging spurs into
the animal he rode, he galloped right up to the door and thundered upon
it with the butt of his pistol.
"Open!" he shouted. "Quick, or we shall be taken!"
They heard the rasping of bolts, low voices, and the excited shouts of
the native above. Then one of the massive doors was dragged back and
they rode in. A glance showed a hollow square, with a residence of small
proportions built against one wall. There was a path constructed around
the summit of the walls, and on this and in the square were some thirty
peons, or husbandmen, all armed with swords or matchlocks. Owen swung
himself from his saddle and raced up a flight of open steps to the wall
above. The advancing horsemen were close upon them, dashing pell-mell
against the still open gate.
"Close it quietly," he shouted. "Let all those not engaged with the gate
come up here. Now, the men who have guns must get ready to fire. But not
a shot till I give the word. Bear that in mind. Not a shot!"
The few weeks during which he had been in India had given him a
wonderful air of authority, and had accustomed him to the natives. And
the surprise of the peons and their ruler was immense as he quietly took
the command and addressed them in their own language. A moment before
there had been every sign of impending panic. But as Owen drew his
pistol again and leaned over the parapet, and Mulha followed suit, the
peons came racing up to the walls, priming their weapons as they ran,
and stood there awaiting the word from the young white leader who had so
suddenly and unexpectedly appeared.