The small but heavy boxes containing the rupees were placed upon the
hackeries (native carts), and the treasure party was now ready to
march to the next encampment. The night was warm, and the Sepoys in
what might strictly be termed half-dress. They wore their red cloth
coats and their chacos; but their lower clothing was purely native;
a dhotee (narrow strip of thick calico) wound round their loins, and
falling in graceful folds about and below the knees. Some sat upon
the boxes of treasure: others, not in line or military order, walked
by the side thereof. The Lieutenant, Maun Singh, and myself brought
up the rear. A syce (native groom) led the horse, and thus saved the
Lieutenant the trouble of driving. The buggy was not, certainly, a very
elegant affair. It was of very ancient construction, and the lining
was entirely worn out; nor had the panels been painted for some years.
The Lieutenant told me that he had bought this vehicle at a sale, five
years previously, for the sum of five pounds, and that since that time
it had travelled (marched, was the word he used) all over Bengal. The
harness was of Cawnpore make; and, when new, had cost only two pounds
ten shillings. Cawnpore, until recently, was chiefly famous for its
harness, boots and shoes, bottle-covers, cheroot-cases, helmets, and
other articles made of leather. A nest of Chinese settled in the bazaar
many years ago and introduced the manufacture of such matters. The
horse which drew the buggy had been a caster; that is to say, a horse
considered no longer fit for the cavalry or horse artillery, and sold
by public auction, after being branded with the letter R (signifying
rejected) on the near shoulder. He was a tall, well-bred animal; and,
according to the Lieutenant's account, had won no end of races since
the day he had been knocked down to the Lieutenant for sixteen rupees,
or one pound twelve shillings. The fault, or rather the misfortune, for
which this animal had been dismissed the Company's service, was total
blindness of one eye, and an inability to see much out of the other.
"But, he is a ripper, nevertheless," said the Lieutenant, touching the
animal very gently with the whip, and making him hold his head up; "and
will put some more money in my pocket next cold weather, I hope. He is
entered for the Merchant's Plate, gentlemen riders, sir, and I am his
jockey." I expressed a hope that he would be successful.
It was a moonlight night, and slow as was the pace at which we
proceeded, I never so much enjoyed a ride in my life. The scene
altogether was highly picturesque, and, as far as I was concerned,
had the wonderful charm of novelty; while it was impossible not to
be extremely entertained by the volubility and lightheartedness of my
military friend, who, notwithstanding he had extracted from me that I
did not belong to the civil service or the army, had refrained from
inquiring my name or pursuit, and invariably addressed me as Old Boy,
albeit my years were certainly not in excess of his own.
"Well, Maun Singh!" cried the Lieutenant, "how do you feel now?"
"Quite well, but very weak," was the Sepoy's reply.
"Then you must have a little drop of weak brandy-and-water. Hold hard,
syce, and give me the suraiee (water-bottle)."
The brandy-and-water was mixed in a silver tumbler, and handed to
Maun Singh, who, _as soon as the groom went again to the horse's
head_, applied it to his lips, and drank, without any scruple. On the
contrary, it struck me that he liked the liquor.
"You have lost your caste," said the Lieutenant, jocularly. "You ought
to have drunk it, you know, as medicine, out of your own lota (brass
vessel)."
This observation--made with a view to draw the Sepoy out for my
edification--had its effect. It was thus Maun Singh discoursed, while
the Lieutenant and myself smoked our cheroots on either side of him:--
"The Sahib logue believe everything that the natives tell them about
caste, and the consequence is they believe a great many falsehoods.
If I could lose my caste by drinking medicine out of this tumbler, I
would lose it by drinking it out of my own cup, because it came out of
a bottle which you have handled, and perhaps some drops of it touched
your fingers, while you were pouring it from one vessel to the other.
Empty a bottle of brandy or gin into your chillumchee (brass wash-hand
basin), and tell one of your palkee-bearers to throw it away. He and
his companions will drink it, but not in your presence. Ask the same
man to drink the liquor from your tumbler. He will put his hands
together, and implore you to excuse him, as he would lose his caste."
"But is it not forbidden in the Shasters?" said I.
"There is no mention of brandy in the Shasters, Sahib," returned Maun
Singh, with some humour. "The Shasters are silent on the subject.
But, supposing that it were forbidden; do not men of every religion
frequently and continually depart from the tenets thereof, in minor
things, or construe them according to their own inclination or
convenience, or make some sort of bundobust (agreement) with their
consciences? Indeed, if we did not make this bundobust, what Hindoo
or Mussulman would come in contact at all with one another, or with
Christians, and certainly we, the natives of India, would not serve as
soldiers."
"How so?"
"Because we should be in continual dread of having our bodies
contaminated and our souls placed beyond the reach of redemption--and
who would submit to that for so many rupees a-month? Who can say
what animal supplies the skin which is used for our chacos and
accoutrements? The cow, or the pig? The Mussulmans, when we laugh
together about it, say the cow. We protest that it is pigskin."
"And how do you usually settle these disputes?" I inquired, with an
eagerness which seemed to amuse the Sepoy.
"O, Sahib!" he replied, "it would be a pity to settle any dispute of
that kind, since it always affords us some merriment on a long march.
When Pertab Singh came down to Barruckpore to corrupt the regiments of
native infantry there stationed, in eighteen hundred and forty-eight,
he wanted them to protest against wearing the chacos."
"And how was he received?" I inquired.
"They listened to him as long as his money lasted, and then made known
to their officers what he was about."
"And who was Pertab Singh?"
"A relation of the Ranee of Lahore."
"And had he money?"
"Yes; and distributed freely."
Here the Lieutenant informed me of the particulars relating to the
mission of Pertab Singh, which was simply to excite the native
troops to mutiny and to kill their officers; but the plot was happily
discovered by the information given by the Sepoys of the 16th
Grenadiers. "There was an investigation, but the government deemed it
best to treat the whole affair as a farce, and Pertab Singh was looked
upon as a fool and a madman, and eventually set at liberty. It was said
that the Sepoys who gave the information were to receive an order of
merit; they had no reward at all, however, beyond some expressions of
praise from the authorities."
Suddenly, the treasure party halted, and all the Sepoys were speedily
congregated beneath a mango tree.
"What is the matter?" cried the Lieutenant.
"Adjutant Bargow Sahib's grave," said Maun Singh. "Do you not remember
the spot?"
"I did not, in this light," said the Lieutenant, alighting from the
buggy, followed by myself and Maun Singh. "Yes; here he rests, poor
fellow--one of the best and bravest beings that ever breathed. He
died suddenly one morning when we were encamped here. He was a great
favourite with the men, as you may judge from the respect paid by those
now present to the spot where his ashes repose."
One of the Sepoys suddenly began to call down curses on the head of
some sacrilegious thief. He had discovered that the piece of marble
which had been let into the head of the chunam (plaster) tomb, and on
which was cut the name, age, and regiment of the deceased, had been
abstracted.
"Ah! that of course," said the Lieutenant. "It is always the case.
They steal the bit of marble to make a currystone--a stone on which
they grind the ingredients for a curry. It was not worth more than a
shilling, intrinsically; but if it had only been worth one anna, or a
quarter of an anna--half a farthing--they would have carried it away
all the same, just as they steal pieces of iron and lead from the stone
bridges, and thus do immense mischief. All along the Grand Trunk Road
you will find the stones used for headstones carried away from the
graves."
The march, thirteen miles, occupied us five hours, so slowly did the
bullocks crawl along with the treasure. It was about four o'clock when
we came to the ground--the hour at which, in strictness, the Lieutenant
should have started; but he informed me that when on separate duty, he
took a good deal of responsibility on himself, and without detriment
to the interests of government, suited his own convenience and that of
his men. He therefore preferred making night work of the business, and
having the whole day at his own disposal.
"Send your bearers away, and spend the day with me," said the
lighthearted Lieutenant. "You can get other bearers at any of the
villages in the neighbourhood; or, if you are not in a violent hurry,
march the whole distance to Agra with me. I can stick your palkee and
boxes on the top of the treasure, you know."
I accepted the invitation with pleasure, and entered the tent, where we
found tea and biscuits ready. After partaking of this refreshment we
threw ourselves down on charpoys (native bedsteads), and soon fell fast
asleep.
We slept till ten, when we arose, had breakfast, consisting of--the
old story--grilled fowl, curried fowl, and eggs, with beer instead
of tea; and then we went out and sat under the mango trees, which
formed a dense shade over the encampment. The Lieutenant had with
him a pellet bow, and was shooting at the squirrels, which abound in
the Upper Provinces of India. While he was thus employed a Sepoy--a
Brahmin--called out: "Sahib, you have no right to do that. It is
written in the general orders that you must respect the religious
feelings of the Hindoos, and here are you wantonly destroying the life
of animals in our presence. I shall report this to the Colonel Sahib,
when we return to the regiment."
From the tone in which the Sepoy spoke, I thought he was in earnest.
The Lieutenant, however, assured me that he was only ridiculing one of
those absurd general orders which frequently appear, but of which bad
and discontented Sepoys often take advantage. Ere long this Brahmin,
observing that the light of the Lieutenant's cheroot was extinguished,
brought him some fire. The Lieutenant gravely shook his head, and
said--"No; it is written in general orders that no officer shall employ
for his own purposes a Sepoy who is a soldier and not a servant, and
that any officer so offending will subject himself to be tried by a
court martial." Then, taking the fire from the hand of the Brahmin,
he remarked to me--"The consequence of that order, for which there
never was the slightest occasion, is simply this: those men who are
willing to oblige their officers laugh at it, while the disaffected
will insolently quote it if required only to pick up a glove or a
walking-stick. Many an officer has been severely reprimanded for asking
a Sepoy to carry a letter for him to the post office."
It was a very pretty scene, that encampment. The tents; the arms piled
in front of them; the horse under a tree, and his syce seated near him;
the old buggy and harness not far off; the Sepoys in groups employed in
cooking their food for the mid-day meal; the numbers of brass vessels
lying about in all directions; the score of squirrels hopping from
branch to branch, or running up and down the trunks of the trees; the
crows, the minars, and the sparrows on the look out for crumbs; the
bullocks taking their rest after the fatigues of the past night; and
then, before as well as after the meal, the men crowding round the
well, and washing themselves from head to foot, and washing also their
under garments, which are speedily dried in the sun of that climate. It
is impossible to witness and not admire this part of the Hindoo and
Mussulman religions.
After one o'clock, when every man had enjoyed his smoke, there was
scarcely a soul, except myself and the Lieutenant, awake in the
encampment. All were fast asleep in the open air. The Asiatic must
sleep after his mid-day meal, if it be only for half an hour. The loss
of this little sleep is a very severe privation.
At three o'clock the encampment was again all life. Some of the Sepoys
wrestled, and exhibited amazing skill and strength in the art. To an
European it is a mystery how men who live upon nothing but farinaceous
food can be so muscular and powerful. Others smoked their pipes (small
hookahs), and played at a native game called puchesee, resembling
lotto; while a goodly number congregated around a Mussulman, who was
reading aloud the Bagh-o-Bahar, a Hindoostanee work of great celebrity.
Two or three of the company were musical, and played alternately on the
sitarre (native guitar or violin), accompanied by the tom-tom (native
drum), and the voices of those who were disposed and able to sing. As
for the Lieutenant and myself we beguiled the time in conversation and
with _écarté_. Towards sunset a palkee dâk carriage was reported to be
in sight, coming down the road. "Hooray!" cried the Lieutenant; "come
along! let us board him. I am in want of a few small matters."
It was not long before the dâk carriage was abreast of the encampment.
"Stop!" shouted the Lieutenant to the driver, who instantly pulled up.
"Whom have you got inside?"
Before the driver had time to reply, the door was slided open, and an
elderly gentleman, rubbing his eyes with his knuckles, put out his
night-capped head, and exclaimed:
"Hulloa!"
"What! have we woke you out of your sleep, old boy?" said the
Lieutenant, laughing.
"Yes," replied the old boy, very good-humouredly, "what do you want?"
"Only to ask you how you are."
"I'm pretty well," was the reply, "but half choked with the dust."
"What's taking you down the country?"
"Urgent private affairs."
"Going to be married, I suppose?"
"Well, you have just guessed it."
"Make my most respectful salaam to your intended, will you?"
"By all means."
"When do you expect to reach Cawnpore?"
"To-morrow, at three P.M."
"And how do you stand affected for liquors and weeds? Do you want
anything, old boy? Brandy, beer, soda-water? Say the word."
"Nothing; I have more in the well here than I shall be able to consume."
"Then I'll trouble you for the surplus; for I am very short, and cannot
get anything till I reach Agra, while you can replenish at every
station, you know."
"All right, my child," exclaimed the old boy; and, with the greatest
cheerfulness, he alighted and began to unpack his stores. From these,
the Lieutenant took six bottles of beer, two bottles of brandy, a dozen
of soda-water, and three hundred Manilla cheroots. This done, the old
boy expressed a desire to push on; but the Lieutenant detained him
for at least ten minutes with a series of questions, several of which
(I thought), were somewhat impertinent; for instance, he inquired
his intended's name? whether she was tall, short, or of the middle
height? what was the colour of her hair and eyes? good-looking, and
accomplished? And to all these questions, the old boy responded with as
serious an air as if the Lieutenant had a perfect right to put them.
At last the old boy proceeded on his journey.
"Do you know him?" I inquired of the Lieutenant, as the carriage rolled
away.
"Oh, yes," was the reply; "he is a Major commanding a native infantry
regiment at Banda. He is a very good fellow, and has heaps of property;
but a frightful fool, except in the way of money-making, and at that
he is awfully clever. I first made his acquaintance in Affghanistan.
He was then in the commissariat department, and was only taken out of
that department about a year ago, when he attained his majority. He
knows nothing whatever of soldiering, having been in staff employ ever
since he was an ensign. All the Sepoys, as well as his officers, laugh
_at_ him as he comes on the parade ground and attempts to handle the
regiment; and, after the farce is over, he laughs _with_ them. For
thirty years he was employed in commissariat duties, in which he is
very efficient. At the expiration of that period, he became a Major;
and then, according to the rules of the service, he was withdrawn from
staff employ, and appointed to command a corps!"
"Surely you are jesting?"
"On my honour, I am serious. That is a part of our military system,
sir."
Here our conversation was interrupted by the approach of the
Soubadhar--native commissioned officer--who pronounced in a deep,
sonorous, but feeble and inarticulate voice, that familiar word
"Sahib!" or, as more commonly pronounced, "Sarb!"
"Well, old man, what is the matter?" said the Lieutenant to the almost
imbecile native veteran, who had served in the time of Lord Lake, and
who ought to have been pensioned many years previously, despite any
remonstrances against such a measure. The old man forthwith began to
detail a string of grievances, which the Lieutenant faithfully (?)
promised to see remedied, albeit he could understand but a few words
the old man said--so very indistinct was his speech, from sheer old
age, and the loss of his teeth.
"A grievance, real or imaginary, is quite necessary for that old
man's existence," said the Lieutenant; "and if he can't find one for
himself (which is a very rare circumstance), he will concoct one for
the Sepoys. To make grievances is the end and object of that old man's
life; and, I am sorry to say, that he is a perfect representative of
the entire body of native commissioned officers, who are, generally
speaking, despised by the men of the regiment, as well as by the
European officers. These are the gentlemen who brew or ferment all the
mischief that occasionally occurs in native regiments. They suggest to
the men to make all sorts of extortionate demands, just as a regiment
is on the point of marching. That old man's present grievance, as
far as I could collect, is that the water is very bad here, at this
encampment ground, and that government ought to have a new well sunk.
He happens just now to be suffering severely from one of the very many
ailments consequent on his time of life, and he attributes it to the
water."
"Which happens to be very good," I remarked.
"Precisely so. These native officers, of every rank and grade, are, in
my opinion, the curse of the native service. Many very clear-headed
and experienced officers have recommended doing away with them, and
appointing in their stead more European officers; but the advice has
never been heeded, and never will be, I fear."
It was not until midnight that the little camp was broken up, and
we resumed the march towards Agra. During the drive, the Lieutenant
entertained me by relating a number of stories connected with the
war in Affghanistan. Several of them interested me exceedingly; one,
in particular. It was this; which I now give in the Lieutenant's own
words, as nearly as I can recollect them.
"About a year ago," said he, "I was passing through Meerut, on my way
from the Hills, whither I had been on sick certificate, and was putting
up for a few days with my friend Richards, of the Light Cavalry--a
man whom I had known during that disastrous campaign to which this
narrative has reference. One morning, after breakfast, there came
to the bungalow of my friend an Affghan, who was a dealer in dried
fruits--such as grapes, apples, and pomegranates,--and inquired if
the Sahib or mem Sahib was in want of any of these commodities, which
he had just brought from Caubul. My friend's wife, who had also
been in Affghanistan, and spoke the mongrel Persian current in that
country, replied in the affirmative, and the Affghan was admitted
to the verandah to exhibit his specimens and declare his prices. To
talk to these dealers is rather amusing at times, especially when you
know their habits, and customs, and peculiarities, as well as their
language. To people who have been in their country, it is like meeting
with an old friend, and one lingers as long as possible over the
business of the bargain and sale. And so was it this morning. We had
him for at least an hour in the verandah before my friend's wife would
decide upon what she would take. This matter concluded, the Affghan
inquired if the lady would buy a kitten--a Persian kitten; kittens
being also a commodity with these travelling Affghans.
"'Yes; where are the kittens?' said the lady.
"'Here,' said the merchant, putting his hand into a huge pocket at the
back of his chogah (a sort of gaberdine), and withdrawing, one by one,
no less than sixteen of these little animals (all males). For more
than the hour which was consumed in negotiating about the fruit, and
talking on other subjects, this living bustle had remained perfectly
motionless, and had not uttered a single sound; but now, when they
saw the light, and were placed upon all-fours, they ran about and
mewed--bushy tails on end--after the most vigorous fashion imaginable.
There they were! Kittens as black as the blackest ink, kittens white as
the whitest snow, kittens as yellow as the yellowest gold, and kittens
piebald, brindled, and grey.
"'There, mem Sahib; take your choice. Twenty rupees (two pounds) each.'
"The lady selected one of the white and one of the black kittens, and
for the two he was induced to accept thirty-five rupees (three pounds
ten shillings). This may seem a large sum of money to give for a brace
of young cats; but it must be remembered that they came from Bokhara,
and were of the purest breed that could possibly be procured.
"The Affghan dealer took his leave, and promised to send the fruits
in the course of the day. He fulfilled his promise; at tiffin-time
there came a boy of about eleven years of age, bearing the basket
containing them upon his head, which was shawled after the fashion of
the Affghan people. The boy was admitted to the room. No sooner was he
shown in, than his exceedingly beautiful countenance, and its peculiar
expression, riveted the attention of all of us, and we put to him a
variety of questions which he answered with great intelligence, and in
a tone of voice so soft and silvery that even the guttural sounds he
uttered came like music on the ear.
"'Look into that boy's face,' said the lady to her husband and myself;
'observe his every feature, and his teeth,--regard especially his
smile,--yes, and even the shape of his fingers, and then tell me of
whom he is the very image.'
"'I know,' said my friend.
"'So do I,' exclaimed your humble servant.
"'Stay!' said the lady, energetically. 'Do not speak; but let each of
us write the name on a slip of paper, and see if we agree;' and tearing
up an envelope and taking a tiny pencil-case from her watch-chain, she
wrote a name upon one slip, and then handed to me and to her husband,
respectively, a slip and the pencil-case. When we had each written a
name, we compared them,--and they did not agree exactly. My friend
and his wife had written Captain Percy ----, and I had written Mrs.
Percy ----. That the boy was the offspring of that unfortunate couple
(cousins), who perished in that campaign, and of whose young child no
one ever knew what had become, we were all quite satisfied; and our
reflections became extremely melancholy.
"We questioned the boy as to his parentage, his relation to the
Affghan dealer in cats and fruit, and on a variety of other matters.
His replies were simply to the effect that he was an orphan and a
slave; that he knew not the place of his birth, but believed it
was Affghanistan; that he was a Mahommedan, and that his earliest
recollections were associated with Caubul.
"Whilst we were thus interrogating the boy, the Major of my friend's
regiment, accompanied by his wife, drove up to the door. They had come
to pay a visit. When asked to look at the boy, and say to whom he
bore a resemblance, they at once declared, 'Poor Percy ----!' Several
officers of the regiment were sent for. They came, and immediately
on seeing the boy expressed an opinion that he was the child of the
unfortunate officer whose name has been partially recorded. The poor
boy, meanwhile, exhibited some anxiety to return to his master. But he
was detained and further questioned as to the manner in which he was
treated. He confessed that his master was rather severe, but withal a
very good man.
"It was resolved to summon the Affghan dealer and make him render an
account of the boy, and of how he became possessed of him. For this
purpose a messenger was dispatched, and enjoined to make haste.
"The Affghan dealer came, and was cautioned that he must speak the
truth; whereupon--as is the custom in India from one end to the
other--he declared that he never spoke falsely, and that he would
rather have his tongue torn out. This little preliminary over, the
examination (which was conducted by the Major of the regiment, a very
shrewd and clever man, and who, by the way, was distantly related to
the unfortunate couple to whom the boy bore such a strong resemblance)
commenced:--
"'Who is this boy?'
"'He belongs to me.'
"'Your son?'
"'No.'
"'Any relation of yours?'
"'No.'
"'Your slave?'
"'Yes.'
"'You bought him?'
"'Yes.'
"'Where?'
"'Caubul.'
"'When?'
"'Four years ago.'
"'From whom did you buy him?'
"'A merchant.'
"'His name?'
"'Usuf Ooddeen.'
"'What did you give for him?'
"'Three camels.'
"'Of what value?'
"'Thirty rupees (3_l_.) each.'
"'The boy was cheap, then?'
"'No.'
"'How so?'
"'He was young and sickly.'
"'Did Usuf say where he got him from?'
"'Yes.'
"'Then tell me.'
"'From a woman.'
"'What woman?'
"'A native of Hindostan.'
"'An ayah?'
"'Yes.'
"'Was she his mother?'
"'No.'
"'Is she living?'
"'No.'
"'When did she die?'
"'Eight years ago.'
"'Where?'
"'In Caubul.'
"'Now tell us all you know about this boy.'
"'I have answered all the Sahib's questions; will the Sahib answer a
few of mine?'
"'Yes.'
"'Do you believe this boy to be of European birth?'
"'Yes.'
"'Do you think you know who were his parents?'
"'Yes.'
"'Were they people of a distinguished family?'
"'Yes.' (This question was answered rather proudly.)
"'Of pure blood?'
"'Yes.'
"'But is the Sahib certain that this boy is the child of certain
parents?'
"'Yes.'
"'Then will the Sahib take him?'
"'Yes.'
"Here the poor boy placed his hands together and supplicated the Major
to let him remain where he then was, in the service of the Affghan
dealer. Heedless of this interruption, which was soon silenced,
the examination--or rather the conversation, as it now became--was
continued:--
"'What will you give for him?'
"'What do you ask?'
"'_You_ must speak, Sahib.'
"'One hundred rupees.'
"'He cost me nearly that when he was very young and sickly.'
"'Well, two hundred rupees.'
"'No; Sahib. Half a lac of rupees would not purchase him.'
"'But, my good man, slavery is not permitted in the British dominions,
and we will detain the boy.'
"'Against his will?'
"'Yes.'
"'On suspicion that he is born of European parents of distinction?'
"'Yes.'
"'Then I will give the boy his liberty; and if he then wishes to follow
me, and you detain him, he is your prisoner instead of my slave.'
"Here the boy again entreated the Major to spare him.
"'Never mind that.'
"'But suppose that I could prove to you that he is the child of a
sergeant of the Queen's 13th Regiment of Foot, and of his wife? What
then? Would you take the boy?'
"'Yes.'
"'You would?'
"'Yes.'
"'Then you shall have the boy. Many of your questions I answered
falsely, on purpose. The true history of the child I will recount to
you, and produce such proofs as I have in my possession. I vowed to God
and to the Prophet that I would never sell the child, and I have kept
my word. It will be a bitter grief to me to part with him; but, for his
own sake, I will endure it.
"'Usuf Ooddeen was my elder brother. He kept a shop in the bazaar at
Caubul. This child was brought to him by a woman of Hindostan, who not
only deposited with him the child, but a sum of money in gold mohurs
and rupees; likewise a quantity of English jewellery, and her own gold
and silver bangles. She represented to my brother that the child's
parents had been killed, and that she was afraid every European in
Affghanistan would share their fate. My brother knew the woman, that
is to say, she had been a customer at his shop, and had purchased from
him sundry articles of warm clothing for her employers and herself.
After leaving the child, and the money, and the jewellery, in all to
the value of about four thousand rupees, she went her way, and never
returned. It is most likely that she died suddenly of cold, like very
many of the native servants of Hindostan, both male and female. The
frost settled about their hearts, and they slept their lives away; or,
if they escaped death, they lost their toes, fingers, ears, or noses.
"'When the British army was victorious, and affairs were in a somewhat
settled state, my brother was most anxious to deliver up the child,
the money, and the jewels, to the British authorities; but a number of
his friends dissuaded him from so doing, on the ground that the bare
possession of the child would place my brother's life in jeopardy,
by inducing a conclusion that he was the affrighted accomplice of
murderers, assassins, and thieves. I confess that I was one who
entertained this opinion, and I shook my head whenever my brother
repeated his desire. Four or five years ago, my brother died, and I,
a wandering dealer, became the guardian of this boy (for whom I have
a great affection), and the holder of his money, for which I care
not, and which I have no desire to retain. He has travelled thousands
and thousands of miles with me. He has been to Bokhara, to Cashmere,
all over the Punjab, to Mooltan, Scinde, all through the north-west
provinces down to Calcutta, to Simlah, Mussooree--wherever the English
have settled themselves in India; and I have done all in my power to
expose him, in a quiet way, to the gaze of ladies and gentlemen, in
the hope that some day he would be recognised and restored to his
proper position in life. Never, until now, has any one been struck
with his countenance, beyond casually remarking to me that he was a
very pretty boy; certainly, no one ever seemed to have the slightest
idea that he was born of European parents, and is a Christian; for he
is not a Mussulman--though he thinks he is a Mussulman, and says his
prayers, and is very constant to all the observances of the Mussulman
faith. Gentleman, I am a wandering dealer from Affghanistan, but I am
not destitute of good feeling and integrity, little as you may credit
my assertions in this respect. Give me a proof that you know who were
the child's parents, and I am willing to restore him, and all that
rightfully belongs to him, to your custody.'
"'But are you not satisfied with my word? Never mind the money and the
jewels--much as I should like to see the latter--all I require is the
boy,' said the Major.
"'Of course, the Sahib would not speak an untruth knowingly,' returned
the Affghan. 'But I require some proof that the boy is the child of
certain European parents.'
"'Well, there is the likeness, the unmistakeable likeness, that he
bears to his father and his mother.'
"'That will not do,' said the Affghan, interrupting the Major. 'Can you
write in the Persian character, Sahib?'
"'Yes.'
"'Then, write the name of this boy's father in the Persian character,
and let me see it.'
"The Major did this, and handed it to the Affghan, who looked at the
writing, smiled, and said:
"'What else? What was the Sahib's nishan (crest)?'
"'This,' said the Major, holding out the little finger of his right
hand, upon which was a signet-ring. 'This was his nishan. We are of the
same family, and the nishan is the same.'
"The Affghan, having examined the crest, again smiled, and said:--
"'What else?'
"'What more do you want?' said the Major.
"'Do not be impatient, Sahib,' said the Affghan. 'The identification of
a child, who may be an heir to property, is not so light a matter as
the purchase of a kitten. Did you know the child's mother?'
"'Yes,' said the Major. 'She was also a relation of mine.'
"'What kind of person was she? Was she handsome?'
"'Very.'
"'The colour of her eyes?'
"'Dark--almost black.'
"'And her hair?'
"'Brown; the colour of this lady's' (pointing to the wife of my friend).
"'If you saw her likeness, in miniature, do you think you could
recognise it?'
"'If it were a faithful likeness, I could.'
"The Affghan put his hand into the breast pocket of his chogah, and
produced a greasy leathern bag, into the mouth of which he inserted his
finger and thumb, and presently produced a small tin box, round and
shallow, which he very carefully opened. Having removed some cotton,
he handed the box to the Major. All of us instantly recognised the
features of the unfortunate lady who had perished by the side of her
husband, in Affghanistan. Who could possibly forget that sweet feminine
face of hers, which had been painted for her husband by one of the
most distinguished miniature painters of the age? The production of
the likeness in the presence of the boy (who appeared to take little
interest in what was going on), had a sad effect upon the Major. He
sat down upon a chair, covered his manly face with his hands, and wept
bitterly.
"'And do you know this, Sahib?' asked the Affghan, when the Major
had somewhat recovered his violent emotion: placing in his hand poor
Percy's seal.
"We all recognised the seal, the crest of which, of course,
corresponded with the crest on the signet-ring of the Major.
"'And this?' asked the Affghan, holding up a bracelet which we had seen
Mrs. Percy wear many and many a time.
"'And this?' holding up to our gaze a small brooch she used to
wear constantly. And, amongst numerous other things, he exhibited
to us a little pocket-book, in which she kept her memoranda, such
as:--'November 9th. Cut the ends of my dear little boy's hair. Sent
mamma a small portion.--November 12th. Had a long talk to the old
ayah, who swore to me that she would ... and I believe her, for she
has been a good and constant creature to us, in our dangers and our
difficulties.'
"'And this? And this? And this? And this?' said the Affghan,
withdrawing from the leathern bag its entire contents, every article
of which was instantly identified. 'There, Sahib, take them all, and
the boy, into your custody. The money, which was left with him, I will
restore to you to-night. It is at present in the bazaar, in the charge
of my camel, whom no one dare approach, except myself and this boy.'
"Here a very extraordinary and painful, but perhaps natural, scene
occurred. The boy, who had been comparatively passive, now broke out
into a vehement expostulation, and spoke with a rapidity which was
truly amazing, considering that he distinctly enunciated every syllable
to which he gave utterance. 'What!' he exclaimed, 'will you then leave
me in the hands and at the mercy of these unbelievers? What have I done
to deserve this?'
"'Be quiet,' said the Affghan to the boy, in a gentle tone of voice.
"'How can I be quiet?' cried the boy, clenching his fists convulsively,
and drawing himself up, whilst his eyes glared, and his nostrils
dilated, with uncontrollable passion, and something like foam stood
upon his crimson lips. There could be no doubt whose child he was, so
wonderful in his wrath was the likeness that he bore to his father,
who was very seldom provoked to anger, but who, when it did happen,
was 'perplexed in the extreme:' in short, a perfect demon until the
paroxysm was over.
"'Baba (child)!' said the Major, 'listen to me.'
"'Don't talk to him now, Sahib,' said the Affghan, compassionately. 'In
his anger his senses always leave him, and he cannot hear what you say.
Let him exhaust his fury upon me. He will be powerless presently.'
"And so it was. After a brief while, the boy sat down on the carpet,
gasped for breath, and was seemingly unable to move or speak. The lady
of the house offered him a glass of water, but he shrunk back, and
declined to receive it from her hand.
"The Affghan took the Major aside, spoke to him in private, and then
left the room. Here another very painful scene ensued. The boy,
exhausted as he was, attempted to follow his late master; he was
restrained, of course; whereupon he uttered the most heart-rending
cries that ever were heard. The Major had him conveyed to his bungalow,
where a room was set apart for him, and a servant and an orderly had
him in their keeping. It was a month before the boy could be reconciled
to his 'fate,' as he called it; and soon afterwards arrangements were
made for sending him home to his grandfather and grandmother, who are
persons of a lofty position in life and very wealthy. They received
him with extreme affection, and on the death of his grandfather, he
will succeed to a title and an estate worth eleven thousand a-year. The
Affghan, who was very fond of the boy, corresponds with him regularly,
and they exchange presents, as well as letters.
"Kelly, of the 62nd, who was killed at Ferozeshah, and who formerly
belonged to the 13th Foot, when they were in Affghanistan, told me a
more curious story of a little girl, than the one I have related to you
of this boy."
"What was it?" I asked.
"My dear fellow," said the Lieutenant, "I cannot talk any more just
now. You shall have it some other day. We are not going to part company
yet, old boy." With these words he fell asleep, his feet over the
dashboard, and his head resting on my shoulder.