VICTORIA. A.D. 1857--1860.
Peace had been made after the Crimean war, and everybody hoped it was
going to last, when very sad news came from India. You know I told
you the English people had gone to live in India, and had gradually
gained more and more lands there, so that they were making themselves
rulers and governors over all that great country. They had some of
the regiments of the English army to help them to keep up their power,
and a great many soldiers besides--Hindoos, or natives of India, who
had English officers, and were taught to fight in the English manner.
These Hindoo soldiers were called Sepoys. They were not Christians,
but were some of them Mahommedans, and some believed in the strange
religion of India, which teached people to believe in a great many
gods--some of them very savage and cruel ones, according to their
stories, and which forbids them many very simple things. One of the
things it forbids is the killing a cow, or touching beef, or any part
of it.
Now, it seems the Sepoys had grown discontented with the English; and,
besides that, there came out a new sort of cartridge--that is, little
parcels of powder and shot with which to load fire-arms. The Sepoys
took it into their heads that these cartridges had grease in them
taken from cows, and that it was a trick on the part of the English
to make them break the rules of their religion, and force them to
become Christians. In their anger they made a conspiracy together;
and, in many of the places in India, they then suddenly turned upon
their English officers, and shot them down on their parade ground, and
then they went to the houses and killed every white woman and child
they could meet with. Some few had very wonderful escapes, and were
treated kindly by native friends; and many showed great bravery and
piety in their troubles. After that the Sepoys marched away to the
city of Delhi, where an old man lived who had once been king, and
they set him up to be king, while every English person left in the
city was murdered.
The English regiments in India made haste to come into Bengal, to try
to save their country-folk who had shut themselves up in the towns or
strong places, and were being besieged there by the Sepoys. A great
many were in barracks in Cawnpore. It was not a strong place, and
only had a mud wall round; but there was a native prince called the
Nana Sahib, who had always seemed a friend to the officers--had gone
out hunting with them, and invited them to his house. They thought
themselves safe near him; but, to their horror, he forgot all this,
and joined the Sepoys. The cannon were turned against them, and the
Sepoys watched all day the barrack yard where they were shut in, and
shot everyone who went for water. At last, after more pain and misery
than we can bear to think of, they gave themselves up to the Nana, and
horrible to tell, he killed them all. The men were shot the first day,
and the women and little children were then shut up in a house, where
they were kept for a night. Then the Nana heard that the English army
was coming, and in his fright and rage he sent in his men, who killed
everyone of them, and threw their bodies into a deep well. The English
came up the next day, and were nearly mad with grief and anger. They
could not lay hands on the Nana, but they punished all the people he
employed; and they were so furious that they hardly showed any mercy
to another Sepoy after that dreadful sight.
There were some more English holding out in the city of Lucknow, and
they longed to go to their relief; but first Delhi, where the old king
was, had to be taken; and, as it was a very strong place, it was a
long time before it was conquered; but at last the gates of the city
were blown up by three brave men, and the whole army made their way
in. More troops had been sent out from England to help their comrades,
and they were able at last to march to Lucknow. There, week after
week, the English soldiers, men of business, ladies, soldier's wives,
and little children, had bravely waited, with the enemy round, and
shot so often coming through the buildings that they had chiefly to
live in the cellars; and the food was so scanty and bad, that the
sickly people and the little babies mostly died; and no one seemed
able to get well if once he was wounded. Help came at last. The
brave Sir Colin Campbell, who had been sent out from home, brought the
army to their rescue, and they were saved. The Sepoys were beaten in
every fight; and at last the terrible time of the mutiny was over, and
India quiet again.
In 1860, the queen and all the nation had a grievous loss in the death
of the good Prince Consort, Albert, who died of a fever at Windsor
Castle, and was mourned for by everyone, as if he had been a relation
or friend. He left nine children, of whom the eldest, Victoria, the
Princess Royal, was married to the Prince of Prussia. He had done
everything to help forward improvements; and the country only found
out how wise and good he was after he was taken away.
Pains began to be taken to make the great towns healthier. It is true
that the plague has never come to England since the reign of Charles
II., but those sad diseases, cholera and typhus fever, come where
people will not attend to cleanliness. The first time the cholera came
was in the year 1833, under William IV.; and that was the last time of
all, because it was a new disease, and the doctors did not know what
to do to cure it. But now they understand it much better--both how
to treat, and, what is better, how to keep it away; and that is by
keeping everything sweet and clean.