India; (1909) (14753085992) - Public domain book illustration

Identifier: india00surr (find matches)
Title: India;
Year: 1909 (1900s)
Authors: Surridge, Victor MacCormick, Arthur David, 1860- ill
Subjects: India -- History India -- History British occupation, 1765-1947
Publisher: London, Edinburgh : T. C. & E. C. Jack
Contributing Library: New York Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN



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y precision in their advance. The men,jaded and ill, stumble along anyhow. Nor is theremusic to stir their blood and quicken their steps.No sound is heard save the cries of the nativebearers as they groan in monotonous cadence witheach swing of the palanquins. A vast multitudehas gathered to watch the march down to the river—a concourse of silent spectres who await, motion-less and impassive, the tragedys culminating scene.Presently the procession reaches the river-side,where forty ungainly, straw - roofed boats aremoored. With difficulty the wounded are carriedon board, the women and children take their places,and the men scramble in after them. Thus farTantia Topi has watched the embarkation in silence.Then he turns and gives a signal. Suddenly the shrill note of a bugle rings out onthe morning air. Ere its last echoes have diedaway the river-side scene has undergone a swift andterrible change. The thatched roofs of the boatsare blazing furiously, while from the rebel soldiers,264
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The thatched roofs of the boats blazing furiously REVOLT OF THE SEPOYS concealed in the thick undergrowth, comes a mur-derous storm of bullets. Nan£ Sahib is accomplish-ing by treachery what force has failed to effect.Many of the unhappy fugitives are struck dead bythe flying shot, some try to escape by swimming,some stand resolutely and return the enemys fire.Three of the boats manage to push out into mid-stream, and drift slowly with the tide. Two arecarried by the currents over to the opposite shore,where a horde of Sepoys are waiting to massacrethe crews. The third continues its perilous coursedown-stream under a constant hail of lead. Mean-while the Sepoys have ceased their fire, and all whohave survived the massacre—one hundred and twenty-five in number—are roughly dragged ashore. The fate of General Wheeler has been vividlydescribed by a native witness—a half-caste Christianwoman:— General Wheeler, she said, came last in apalkee. They carried him into the water near th