"It is, I feel, a useless task, for it is certain that, ere long, the English will again be engaged with Mysore; and if they are, it is well-nigh certain that Tippoo's hordes1 will again sweep down from the hills, and carry ruin and desolation everywhere.
"He would, as Hyder had, have the advantage on his side at the beginning of the war. He has a score of passes to choose from, and can descend2 on to the plain by any one he may select. And, even were there a force here capable of giving battle to the whole Mysorean army, it could not watch all the passes, as to do so the army would have to be broken up into a dozen commands. Tippoo will therefore again be able to ravage3 the plains, for weeks, perhaps, before the English can force him to give battle.
"But there is no army, at present, in existence of sufficient strength to meet him. The Madras force would have to wait until reinforcements arrived from Calcutta. It was bad before, but it will be worse, now. Hyder, no doubt, slaughtered4 many, but he was not cruel by nature. He carried off enormous quantities of people, with their flocks and herds5, but he did this to enrich Mysore with their labour, and did not treat them with unnecessary cruelty.
"Tippoo, on the other hand, is a human tiger. He delights in torturing his victims, and slays6 his prisoners from pure love of bloodshed. He is proud of the title of 'Tiger.' His footstool is a tiger's head, and the uniforms of his infantry7 are a sort of imitation of a tiger's stripes. He has military talent, and showed great judgment8 in command of his division--indeed, most of the successes gained during the last war were his work. Since then, he has laboured incessantly9 to improve his army. Numbers of regiments10 have been raised, composed of the captives carried off from here and from the west coast. They are drilled, in European fashion, by the English captives he still holds in his hands."
"But why, Uncle, instead of giving time to Tippoo to come down here, should we not march up the passes, and compel him to keep his army up there to defend Seringapatam?"
"Because, Dick, in the first place, there is not an army strong enough to do so; but even were there a force of fifty thousand men at Madras, they could not take the offensive in time. An English army cannot move without a great train to carry ammunition11, stores and provisions; and to get such a train together would be the work of months. As I have been telling you, during the three years the last war lasted, the Madras authorities were never able to collect such a train, and the consequence was that their army was unable to go more than two or three days' march from the city.
"On the other hand, Tippoo could, any day, order that three days' supply of rice or grain should be served out to each soldier, and could set out on his march the following morning; as, from the moment he reached the plains, his cavalry12 would have the whole of the resources of the country at their mercy."
"I see, Uncle. Then, if war broke out, you would at once go to Madras again?"
"There would be nothing else to do, Dick. I should send everything of value down there, as soon as I saw that war was inevitable13. The traders here have already begun to prepare. The shops are half empty, for they have not replaced goods they have sold, and a very few hours would suffice for everything worth taking to be cleared out of the town. The country round here is comparatively uninhabited, and but a small portion of it tilled, so great was the number carried off by Hyder. Next time they will take to the hills at once, and I believe that many have already stored up grain in hiding places there. This time it may be hoped that a few weeks, or months at most, may see Tippoo driven back, and for that time the peasants can manage to exist in the hills. No doubt the richer sort, who have large flocks of goats, and many cattle, will, as soon as danger threatens, drive them down to Madras, where they are sure to fetch good prices for the use of the army.
"I have already told all men who have bullock carts and teams, that they can, if forced to leave home, earn a good living by taking service in the English transport train. I hope, therefore, that the results will not be so disastrous14 as before. The town may be burnt down again, but unless they blow up my palace, they can do little harm to it. When I rebuilt it, seeing the possibility of another war, I would not have any wood whatever used in its construction. Therefore, when the hangings are taken down, and the furniture from these rooms cleared out, there will be nothing to burn, and they are not likely to waste powder in blowing it up.
"As to the town, I warned the people who returned that it might be again destroyed before long, and therefore there has been no solid building. The houses have all been lightly run up with wood, which is plentiful15 enough in the hills, and no great harm, therefore, will be done if it is again burnt down. The pagoda16 and palace are the only stone buildings in it. They did some harm to the former, last time, by firing shot at it for a day or two; and, as you can see for yourself, no attempt has since been made to repair it, and I do not suppose they will trouble to damage it further.
"So you see, Dick, we are prepared for the worst."
"Will you fight again, as you did last time, Uncle?"
"I do not know, Dick. I show my loyalty17 to the English rule by repairing to the capital; but my force is too small to render much service. You see, my revenues have greatly diminished, and I cannot afford to keep up so large a force as my father could. Fortunately, his savings18 had been considerable, and from these I was able to build this palace, and to succour my people, and have still enough to keep up my establishment here, without pressing the cultivators of the soil for taxes. This year is the first that I have drawn19 any revenue from that source; but, at any rate, I am not disposed to keep up a force which, while it would be insufficient20 to be of any great value in a war like this, would be a heavy tax on my purse."
"Even the force you have must be that, Uncle."
"Not so much as you would think, Dick, with your English notions. The pay here is very small--so small that it would seem to you impossible for a man to live on it; and yet, many of these men have wives and families. All of them have patches of land that they cultivate; only twenty, who are changed once a month, being kept on duty. They are necessary; for I should have but little respect from my people, and less still from other rajahs, did I not have sentries21 at the gates, and a guard ready to turn out in honour of any visitor who might arrive; to say nothing of an escort, of half a dozen men, when I ride through the country. Of course, all can be called out whenever I want them, as, for example, when I rode to Madras to meet you. The men think themselves well off upon the pay of three rupees a month, as they are practically only on duty two months each year, and have the rest of the time to cultivate their fields. Therefore, with the pay of the officers, my troop only costs me about four hundred rupees a month, which is, you know, equivalent to forty English pounds; so that you cannot call it an expensive army, even if it is kept for show rather than use."
"No, indeed, Uncle! It seems ridiculous that a troop of a hundred men can be kept up, for five hundred pounds a year."
"Of course, the men have some little privileges, Dick. They pay no rent or taxes for their lands. This is a great thing for them, and really costs me nothing, as there is so much land lying uncultivated. Then, when too old for service, they have a pension of two rupees a month for life, and on that, and what little land they can cultivate, they are comparatively comfortable."
"Well, it does not seem to me, Uncle, that soldiering is a good trade in this country."
"I don't know that it is a good trade, in the money way, anywhere. After all, the pay out here is quite as high, in comparison with the ordinary rate of earning of a peasant, as it is in England. It is never the pay that tempts22 soldiers. Among young men there are always great numbers who prefer the life to that of a peasant, working steadily23 from daylight to dark, and I don't know that I altogether blame them."
"Then you think, Uncle, there is no doubt whatever that there will be war?"
"Not a shadow of doubt, Dick--indeed, it may be said to have begun already; and, like the last, it is largely due to the incapacity of the government of Madras."
"I have just received a message from Arcot," the Rajah said, two months later, "and I must go over and see the Nabob."
"I thought," Mrs. Holland said, "that Tripataly was no longer subject to him. I understood that our father was made independent of Arcot?"
"No, Margaret, not exactly that. The Nabob had involved himself in very heavy debts, during the great struggle. The Company had done something to help him, but were unable to take all his debts on their shoulders; and indeed, there was no reason why they should have done so, for although during most of the war he was their ally, he was fighting on his own behalf, and not on theirs.
"In the war with Hyder it was different. He was then quite under English influence, and, indeed, could scarcely be termed independent. And as he suffered terribly--his lands were wasted, his towns besieged24, and his people driven off into slavery--the Company are at present engaged in negotiations25 for assisting him to pay his debts, which are very heavy.
"It was before you left, when the Nabob was much pressed for money, and had at that time no claim on the Company, that our father bought of him a perpetual commutation of tribute, taxes, and other monies and subsidies27 payable28 by Tripataly; thus I am no longer tributary29 to Arcot. Nevertheless, this forms a portion of the Nabob's territories, and I cannot act as if I were an independent prince.
"I could not make a treaty with Mysore on my own account, and it is clear that neither Arcot nor the English could allow me to do so, for in that case Mysore could erect30 fortresses31 here, and could use Tripataly as an advanced post on the plain. Therefore, I am still subject to the Nabob, and could be called upon for military service by him. Indeed, that is one of the reasons why, even if I could afford it, I should not care to keep up a force of any strength. As it is, my troop is too small to be worth summoning. The Nabob has remonstrated32 with me more than once, but since the war with Hyder I have had a good excuse, namely, that the population has so decreased that my lands lie untilled, and it would be impossible for me to raise a larger force. I have, however, agreed that, in case of a fresh war, I will raise an additional hundred cavalry.
"I expect it is in relation to this that he has sent for me to Arcot. We know that the English are bound, by their treaty with Travancore, to declare war. They ought, in honour, to have done it long ago, but they were unprepared. Now that they are nearly ready, they may do so at any time, and indeed the Nabob may have learned that fighting has begun.
"The lookout33 is bad. The government of Madras is just as weak and as short sighted as it was during Hyder's war. There is but one comfort, and that is that Lord Cornwallis, at Calcutta, has far greater power than his predecessors34; and as he is an experienced soldier, and is said to be an energetic man, he may bring up reinforcements from Calcutta without loss of time, and also set the troops of Bombay in motion. I expect that, as before, things will go badly at first; but hope that, this time, we shall end by giving Mysore so heavy a lesson that she will be powerless for mischief35, in future."
"And release all the captives," Mrs. Holland exclaimed, clasping her hands.
"I sincerely trust so, Margaret," her brother said gravely; "but, after what happened last time, we must not be sanguine36. Scattered37 about as they may be, in the scores of little hill forts that dot the whole country, we can, unhappily, never be sure that all are delivered, when we have only the word of a treacherous38 tyrant39 like Tippoo. We know that, last time, he kept back hundreds of prisoners, among whom, as we may hope, was your husband; and it may be that, however completely he may be defeated, he may yet retain some of them, knowing full well it is impossible that all these hill forts and their dungeons40 can be searched. However, doubtless if an English army marches to Seringapatam, many will be recovered, though we have reason to fear that many will, as before, be murdered before our arrival."
When the Rajah returned from Arcot, on the following day, he brought back the news that General Meadows had moved to the frontier at Caroor, fifty miles beyond Trichinopoly, and that the war was really about to begin.
"You know," he said, "how matters stand, up to now. Tippoo, after making peace with the Nizam and the Mahrattis, with whom he had been engaged in hostilities41 for some time, turned his attention to the western coast, where Coorg and Malabar had risen in rebellion. After, as usual, perpetrating horrible atrocities42, and after sending a large proportion of the population as slaves to Mysore, he marched against Travancore. Now, Travancore was specially43 mentioned, in the treaty of Mangalore, as one of the allies of the English, with whom Tippoo bound himself not to make war; and had he not been prepared to fight the English, he would not have attacked their ally. The excuse for attacking Travancore was that some of the fugitives44, from Coorg and Malabar, had taken refuge there.
"Seeing that Tippoo was bent45 upon hostilities, Lord Cornwallis and his council at Calcutta directed, as I learnt from an official at Madras, the authorities there to begin at once to make preparations for war. Instead of doing so, Mr. Holland, the governor, gave the Rajah the shameful47 and cowardly advice to withdraw his protection from the fugitives. The Rajah refused to comply with such counsel, and after some months spent in negotiations, Tippoo attacked the wall that runs along the northern frontier of Travancore.
"That was about six months ago. Yes, it was on the 28th of December--so it is just six months. His troops, fourteen thousand strong, made their way without difficulty through a breach48, but they were suddenly attacked by a small body of Travancore men. A panic seized them. They rushed back to the breach, and in the wild struggle to pass through it, no less than two thousand were either killed or crushed to death.
"It was nearly three months before Tippoo renewed his attack. The lines were weak, and his army so strong that resistance was impossible. A breach, three-quarters of a mile in length, was made in the wall, and marching through this, he devastated49 Travancore from end to end.
"His unaccountable delay, before assaulting the position, has been of great advantage to us. Had he attacked us at once, instead of wasting his time before Travancore, he would have found the Carnatic as defenceless and as completely at his mercy as Hyder did. He would still have done so, had it depended upon Madras, but as the authorities here did nothing, Lord Cornwallis took the matter into his own hands. He was about to come here himself, when General Meadows, formerly50 Governor of Bombay, arrived, invested by the Company with the offices of both governor and of commander-in-chief.
"He landed here late in February, and at once set to work to prepare for war. Lord Cornwallis sent, from Calcutta, a large amount of money, stores, and ammunition, and a battalion51 of artillerymen. The Sepoys objected to travel by sea, as their caste rules forbade them to do so, and he therefore sent off six battalions53 of infantry by land, and the Nabob tells me they are expected to arrive in four or five weeks' time. The Nabob of Arcot and the Rajah of Tanjore, both of whom are very heavily in debt to the government, are ordered, during the continuance of the war, to place their revenues at its disposal, a liberal allowance being made to them both for their personal expenses.
"Tippoo is still in Travancore--at least, he was there ten days ago, and has been endeavouring to negotiate. The Nabob tells me he believes that the object of General Meadows, in advancing from Trichinopoly to Caroor, is to push on to Coimbatoor, where he will, if he arrives before Tippoo, cut him off from his return to his capital; and as Meadows has a force of fifteen thousand men, he ought to be able to crush the tyrant at a blow.
"I fear, however, there is little chance of this. The Mysore troops move with great rapidity, and as soon as Tippoo hears that the English army is marching towards Caroor, he is sure to take the alarm, and by this time has probably passed Coimbatoor on his way back. With all his faults, Tippoo is a good general, and the Nabob's opinion--and I quite agree with him--is that, as soon as he regains54 the table land of Mysore, he will take advantage of the English army being far away to the south, and will pour down through the passes into this part of the Carnatic, which is at present absolutely defenceless. This being the case, I shall at once get ready to leave for Madras, and shall move as soon as I learn, for certain, that Tippoo has slipped past the English.
"The Nabob has called upon me to join him with my little body of cavalry, and as soon as the news comes that Tippoo is descending55 the passes, I shall either join him or the English army. That will be a matter to decide afterwards."
"You will take me with you, of course, Uncle?" Dick asked eagerly.
"Certainly, Dick. If you are old enough to undertake the really perilous56 adventure of going up in disguise to Mysore, you are certainly old enough to ride with me. Besides, we may hope that, this time, the war is not going to be as one-sided as it was the last time, and that we may end by reaching Seringapatam; in which case we may rescue your father, if he is still alive, very much more easily than it could be managed in the way you propose."
The news that the English army had marched to Caroor, and that there was no force left to prevent the Mysoreans from pouring down from the hills, spread quickly; and when Dick went out with the two boys into the town, groups of people were talking earnestly in the streets. Some of them came up, and asked respectfully if there was any later news.
"Nothing later than you have heard," Dick said.
"The Rajah is not going away yet, Sahib?"
"No; he will not leave unless he hears that Tippoo has returned, with his army, to Seringapatam. Then he will go at once, for the sultan might come down through the passes at any moment, and can get here a fortnight before the English army can return from Caroor."
"Yes; it will be no use waiting here to be eaten up, Sahib. Do you think Conjeveram would be safe? Because it is easy to go down there by boat."
"I should think so. Hyder could not take it last time, and the English army is much stronger than it was then. Besides, there will be six thousand men arriving from Bengal, in a month's time, so I should think there is no fear of Conjeveram being taken."
"It is little trouble getting there," the trader said, "but it is a long journey to Madras. We could go down with our families and goods in two days, in a boat; but there would not be boats enough for all, and it will be best, therefore, that some should go at once, for if all wait until there is news that Tippoo is coming, many will not be able to get away in time."
"No, not in boats," Dick agreed; "but in three days a bullock cart would get you there."
Next day, several of the shops containing the most valuable goods were shut up; and, day by day, the number remaining open grew smaller.
"It is as I expected," the Rajah said, one morning, as he came into the room where the family was sitting. "A messenger has just come in from the Nabob, with the news that sickness broke out among the army, as soon as they arrived at Caroor, and in twenty-four hours a thousand men were in hospital. This delayed the movement, and when they arrived at Coimbatoor they were too late. Tippoo and his army had already passed, moving by forced marches back to Mysore.
"Finish your packing, ladies. We will start at daybreak tomorrow morning. I secured three boats, four days ago, and have been holding them in readiness. Rajbullub will go in charge of you. There is not the least fear of Tippoo being here for another fortnight, at the earliest.
"I shall ride with the troop. Dick and the boys will go with me. We shall meet you at Conjeveram. I have already arranged with some of our people, who have gone on in their bullock carts, with their belongings57, and will unload them there, to be in readiness to take our goods on to Madras, so there will be no delay in getting forward."
By nightfall, the apartments were completely dismantled58. The furniture was all stowed away, in a vault59 which the Rajah had had constructed for the purpose, when the palace was rebuilt. Access was obtained to it through the floor in one of the private apartments. The floor was of tessellated marble, but some ten squares of it lifted up in a mass, forming together a trapdoor, from which steps led down into the vault. When the block was lowered again, the fit was so accurate that, after sweeping60 a little dust over the joint61, the opening was quite imperceptible to any one not aware of the hiding place. The cushions of the divans62 were taken down here, as well as the furniture, and all the less valuable carpets, rugs and hangings, while the costlier63 articles were rolled up into bales, for transport.
The silver cups and other valuables were packed in boxes, and were, during the night, carried by coolies down to the boats, over which a guard was placed until morning. Provisions for the journey down the river were also placed on board. The palace was astir long before daybreak. The cushions that had been slept on during the night were carried down to the boats, the boxes of wearing apparel closed and fastened, and a hasty meal was taken.
The sun was just rising when they started. One boat had been fitted up with a bower64 of green boughs65, for the use of the two ladies and their four attendants. The other two carried the baggage.
After seeing them push off, the Rajah, his sons, and Dick returned to the palace. Here for a couple of hours he held a sort of audience, and gave his advice to the townspeople and others who came, in considerable numbers, to consult with him. When this was done they went into the courtyard, where all was ready for their departure.
The troop had, during the past week, been raised to two hundred men, many of the young cultivators coming eagerly forward, as soon as they heard that the Rajah was going to increase his troop, being anxious to take a share in the adventures that might be looked for, and to avenge66 the sufferings that had been inflicted67 on their friends by Hyder's marauders. They were a somewhat motley troop, but this mattered little, as uniformity was unknown among the forces of the native princes.
The majority were stout68 young fellows. All provided their own horses and arms, and although the former lacked the weight and bone of English cavalry horses, they were capable of performing long journeys, and of existing on rations46 on which an English horse would starve.
All were well armed, for any deficiency had been made up from the Rajah's store, and from this a large number of guns had, three days before, been distributed among such of the ryots as intended to take to the hills on the approach of the enemy. Ammunition had also been distributed among them. Every man in the troop carried a shield and tulwar, and on his back was slung69 a musket70 or spear; and there were few without pistols in their girdles.
They rode halfway71 to Conjeveram, and stopped for the night at a village--the men sleeping in the open air, while the Rajah, his sons, and Dick, were entertained by the chief man of the place. The next afternoon they rode into Conjeveram, where, just at sunset, the boats also arrived.
The troop encamped outside the town, while the Rajah and his party occupied some rooms that had been secured beforehand for them. In the morning, the ladies proceeded in a native carriage; with the troop, an officer and ten men following, in charge of the bullock carts containing the baggage.
On reaching Madras, they encamped on the Maidan--a large, open space used as a drill ground for the troops garrisoned72 there--and the Rajah and his party established themselves in the house occupied by him on the occasion of his last visit. The next day, the Rajah went to the Government House, and had an interview with the deputy governor.
"I think," the latter said, after some conversation, "that your troop of cavalry will be of little use to the Nabob. If Tippoo comes down from the hills, he will not be able to take the field against him, and will need all his forces to defend Arcot, Vellore, and his smaller forts, and cavalry would be of no real use to him. Your troop would be of much greater utility to the battalions from Bengal, when they arrive. They will be here in three weeks or so, and as soon as they come, I will attach you to them. I will write to the Nabob, saying that you were about to join him, but that, in the interest of the general defence, I have thought it better, at present, to attach you to the Bengal contingent73. You see, they will be entirely74 new to the country, and it will be a great advantage to them to have a troop like yours, many of whom are well acquainted with the roads and general geography of the country. Your speaking English, too, will add to your usefulness."
"I have a nephew with me who speaks English perfectly75, and also Hindustani," the Rajah said. "He is a smart young fellow, and I have no doubt that the officer in command would be able to make him very useful. He is eager to be of service. His father, who was an Englishman, was wrecked76 some years ago on the west coast, and sent up a prisoner to Mysore. He was not one of those handed over at the time of the peace, but whether he has been murdered, or is still a prisoner in Tippoo's hands, we do not know. My sister came out with the boy, three or four months ago, to endeavour to obtain some news of him."
"I will make a note of it, Rajah. I have no doubt that he will be of great use to Colonel Cockerell."
In the last week in July, the Rajah moved with his troop to Conjeveram, and on the 1st of August the Bengal forces arrived there. They were joined, at once, by three regiments of Europeans, one of native cavalry, and a strong force of artillery52, raising their numbers to nine thousand, five hundred men.
Colonel Kelly took command of the force, and begged the Rajah to advance with his horsemen, at once, to the foot of the ghauts, to break it up into half troops, and to capture or destroy any small parties of horse Tippoo might send down, by any of the passes, to reconnoitre the country and ascertain77 the movements and strength of the British forces. He was also to endeavour to obtain as much information as he could of what was going on in Mysore, and to ascertain whether Tippoo was still with his army, watching General Meadows in the west; or was moving, as if with the intention of taking advantage of the main force of the English being away south, to descend into the Carnatic.
The order was a very acceptable one to the Rajah. His troop made a good appearance enough, when in company with those of the Nabob of Arcot, but he could not but feel that they looked a motley body by the side of the trained native and European troops; and he was frequently angered by hearing the jeering78 comments of English soldiers to each other, when he rode past them with his troop; and had not a little astonished the speakers, more than once, by turning round on his horse, and abusing them hotly in their own language.
He was, therefore, glad to be off. For such work, his men were far better fitted than were even the native cavalry in the Company's service. They were stout, active fellows, accustomed to the hills, and speaking the dialect used by the shepherds and villagers among the ghauts.
Proceeding79 northward80 through Vellore, he there divided his force into four bodies. He himself, with fifty men, took up a position at the mouth of the pass of Amboor. Another fifty were sent to the pass of Moognee, to the west of Chittoor, under the command of Anwar, the captain of the troop. The rest were distributed among the minor81 passes.
Dick remained with his uncle, who established himself in a village, seven miles up the pass. He was well satisfied with the arrangement, for he was anxious to learn to go about among the hills as a spy, and was much more likely to get leave from his uncle to do so, than he would have been from any of the officers of the troop, who would not have ventured to allow the Rajah's nephew to run into danger.
In the second place, his especial friend among the officers, a youth named Surajah, son of Rajbullub, was with the detachment. Surajah had been especially picked out, by the Rajah, as Dick's companion. He generally joined him in his rides, and they had often gone on shooting excursions among the hills. He was about three years Dick's senior, but in point of height there was but little difference between them.
Every day half the troop, under an officer, rode up the pass until within a mile of the fort near the summit, garrisoned by Mysorean troops. They were able to obtain but little information, for the villages towards the upper end of the pass were all deserted82 and in ruins, the inhabitants never having ventured back since Hyder's invasion.
The Rajah was vexed83 at being able to learn nothing of what was passing on the plateau, and was therefore more disposed than he might otherwise have been to listen to Dick's proposal.
"Don't you think, Uncle," the latter said one evening, "that I might try to learn something by going up with Surajah alone? We could strike off into the hills, as if on a shooting expedition, just as we used to do from Tripataly, except that I should stain my face and hands. The people in the villages on the top of the ghauts are, every one says, simple and quiet. They have no love for Tippoo or Mysore, but are content to pay their taxes, and to work quietly in their fields. There will be little fear of our being interfered84 with by them."
"You might find a party of Tippoo's troops in one of the villages, Dick, and get into trouble."
"I don't see why we should, Uncle. Of course, we should not go up dressed as we are, but as shikarees, and when we went into a village, should begin by asking whether the people are troubled with any tigers in the neighbourhood. You see, I specially came out here to go into Mysore in disguise, and I should be getting a little practice in this way, besides obtaining news for you."
"I am certainly anxious to get news, Dick. So far, I have had nothing to send down, except that the reports, from all the passes, agree in saying that they have learned nothing of any movement on the part of Tippoo, and that no spies have come down the passes, or any armed party whatever. This is good, so far as it goes, but it only shows that the other passes are, like this, entirely deserted. Therefore, we really know nothing whatever. Even at this moment, Tippoo may have fifty thousand men gathered on the crest85 of the hills, ready to pour down tomorrow through one of the passes; and therefore, as I do not think you would be running any great danger, I consent to your going with Surajah on a scouting86 expedition, on foot, among the hills. As you say, you must, of course, disguise yourselves as peasants. You had better, in addition to your guns, each take a brace87 of pistols, and so armed, even if any of the villagers were inclined to be hostile, they would not care about interfering88 with you."
"Thank you, Uncle. When would you expect us back, if we start tomorrow morning?"
"That must be entirely in your hands, Dick. You would hardly climb the ghauts and light upon a village in one day, and it might be necessary to go farther, before you could obtain any news. It is a broken country, with much jungle for some distance beyond the hills, and the villages lying off the roads will have but little communication with each other, and might know nothing, whatever, of what was happening in the cultivated plains beyond. At any rate, you must not go into any villages on the roads leading to the heads of the passes; for there are forts everywhere, and you would be certain to find parties of troops stationed in them.
"Even before war broke out, I know that this was the case, as they were stationed there to prevent any captives, native or European, escaping from Mysore. You must, therefore, strictly89 avoid all the main roads, even though it may be necessary to proceed much farther before you can get news. I should think, if we say three days going and as many returning, it will be as little as we can count upon; and I shall not begin to feel at all uneasy, if you do not reappear for a week. It is of no use your returning without some information as to what is going on in Mysore; and it would be folly90 to throw away your work and trouble, when, in another day or two, you might get the news you want. I shall, therefore, leave it entirely to your discretion91."
Greatly pleased at having succeeded beyond his expectations, Dick at once sought out Surajah. The latter was very gratified, when he heard that he was to accompany the young Sahib on such an expedition, and at once set about the necessary preparations. There was no difficulty in obtaining, in the village, the clothes required for their disguises; and one of the sheep intended for the following day's rations was killed, and a leg boiled.
"If we take, in addition to this, ten pounds of flour, a gourd92 of ghee, and a little pan for frying the cakes in, we shall be able to get on, without having to buy food, for four or five days; and of course, when we are once among the villages, we shall have no difficulty in getting more. You had better cut the meat off the bone, and divide it in two portions; and divide the flour, too; then we can each carry our share."
"I will willingly carry it all, Sahib."
"Not at all, Surajah. We will each take our fair share. You see, we shall have a gun, pistols, ammunition, and a tulwar; and that, with seven or eight pounds of food each, and our water bottles, will be quite enough to carry up the ghauts. The only thing we want now is some stain."
"I will get something that will do, and bring it with me in the morning, Sahib. It won't take you a minute to put on. I will come for you at the first gleam of daylight."
Dick returned to the cottage he occupied with his uncle, and told him what preparations they had made for their journey; and they sat talking over the details for another hour. The Rajah's last words, as they lay down for the night, were:
"Don't forget to take a blanket, each. You will want it for sleeping in the open, which you will probably have to do several times, although you may occasionally be able to find shelter in a village."
By the time the sun rose, the next morning, they were well upon their way. They had a good deal of toilsome climbing, but by nightfall had surmounted93 the most difficult portions of the ascent94, and encamped, when it became dark, in a small wood. Here they lighted a fire, cooked some cakes of flour, and, with these and the cold meat, made a hearty95 meal. They had, during the day, halted twice; and had breakfasted and lunched off some bread, of which they had brought sufficient for the day's journey.
"I suppose there is no occasion to watch, Surajah?"
"I don't know, Sahib. I do not think it will be safe for us both to sleep. There are, as you know, many tigers among these hills; and though they would not approach us, as long as the fire is burning brightly, they might steal up and carry one of us off, when the fire gets low. I will, therefore, watch."
"I certainly should not let you do that, without taking my turn," Dick said; "and I feel so tired with the day's work, that I do not think I could keep awake for ten minutes. It would be better to sleep in a tree than that."
"You would not get much sleep in a tree, Sahib. I have done it once or twice, when I have been hunting in a tiger-infested neighbourhood; but I got scarcely any sleep, and was so stiff, in the morning, that I could hardly walk. I would rather sit up all night, and keep up a good fire, than do that."
Dick thought for a minute or two, and then got up and walked about under the trees, keeping his eyes fixed96 upon the branches overhead.
"This will do," he said at last. "Come here, Surajah. There! Do you see those two branches, coming out in the same direction? At one point, they are but five or six feet apart. We might fasten our blankets side by side, with the help of the straps97 of our water bottles and the slings98 of the guns; so as to make what are called, on board a ship, hammocks, and lie there perfectly safe and comfortable."
Surajah nodded.
"I have a coil of leather thong99, Sahib. I thought that it might be useful, if we wanted to bind100 a prisoner, or for any other purpose, so I stuffed it into my waist sash."
"That is good. Let us lose no time, for I am quite ready for sleep. I will climb up first."
In ten minutes, the blankets were securely fastened side by side, between the branches. Surajah descended101, threw another armful of wood on to the fire, placed their meat in the crutch102 of a bough26, six feet above the ground, and then climbed the tree again. Thus, they were soon lying, side by side, in their blankets. These bagged rather inconveniently103 under their weight, but they were too tired to mind trifles, and were very soon fast asleep.
Dick did not wake until Surajah called him. It was already broad daylight. His companion had slipped down quietly, stirred up the embers of the fire, thrown on more wood, and cooked some chupatties before waking him.
"It is too bad, Surajah," Dick said, as he looked down; "you ought to have woke me. I will unfasten these blankets before I get down. It will save time after breakfast."
Half an hour later, they were again on their way, and shortly came upon a boy herding104 some goats. He looked doubtfully at them, but, seeing that they were not Mysorean soldiers, he did not attempt to fly.
"How far is it to the next village, lad?" Surajah asked; "and which is the way? We are shikarees. Are there any tigers about?"
"Plenty of them," the boy said. "I drive the goats to a strong, high stockade105 every evening; and would not come out, before the sun rose, for all the money they say the sultan has.
"Make for that tree, and close to it you will see a spring. Follow that down. It will take you to the village."
After walking for six hours, they came to the village. It was a place of some little size, but there were few people about. Women came to the doors to look at Surajah and Dick as they came along.
"Where are you from?" an old man asked, as he came out from his cottage.
"From down the mountain side. Tigers are getting scarce there, and we thought we would come over and see what we could do, here."
"Here there are many tigers," the old man said. "For the last twenty years, the wars have taken most of our young men away. Some are forced to go against their will; for when the order comes, to the head man of the village, that the sultan requires so many soldiers, he is forced to pick out those best fitted for service. Others go of their own free will, thinking soldiering easier work than tilling the fields, besides the chance of getting rich booty. So there are but few shikarees, and the tigers multiply and are a curse to us.
"We are but poor people, but if you choose to stay here for a time, we will pay something for every tiger you kill; and we will send round to the other villages, within ten miles, and doubtless every one of them will contribute, so that you might get enough to pay you for your exertions106."
"We will think of it," Surajah replied. "We did not intend to stop in one village, but proposed to travel about in the jungle-covered district; and wherever we hear complaints of a tiger committing depredations107, we will stop and do our best to kill the evil beast. We mean, first, to find out where they are most troublesome, and then we shall work back again. We hear that the sultan gives good prices, for those taken alive."
"I have heard so," the old man said, "but none have been caught alive here, or by anyone in the villages round. The sultan generally gets them from the royal forests, where none are allowed to shoot, save with his permission. Sometimes, when there is a lack of them there, his hunters come into these districts, and catch them in pitfalls108, and have nets and ropes with which the tigers are bound and taken away."
A little crowd had, by this time, collected round them; and the women, when they heard that the strangers were shikarees, who had come up with the intention of killing109 tigers, brought them bowls of milk, cakes and other presents.
"I suppose, now that the sultan is away at war," Dick said, "his hunters do not come here for tigers?"
"We know nothing of his wars," a woman said. "They take our sons from us, and we do not see them again. We did hear a report that he had gone, with an army, to conquer Travancore. But why he should want to do it, none of us can make out. His dominions110 are as wide as the heart of man can require. It is strange that he cannot rest contented111, but, like his father, should be always taking our sons away to fight. However, these things are beyond the understanding of poor people like us; but we can't help thinking that it would be better if he were to send his armies to destroy all the tigers. If he would do that, we should not grudge112 the sums we have to pay, when the tax gatherers come round."
After pausing for an hour in the village, they continued on their way. Two or three other small collections of huts were passed, but it was not until the evening of the next day that they issued from the jungle-covered country, onto the cultivated plain. At none of the places they had passed was there anything known, as to Tippoo or his army, but they were told that there were parties of troops, in all the villages along the edge of the plain, as well as in the passes.
"We must be careful now, Surajah," Dick said, as, after a long day's march, they sat down to rest, at a distance of half a mile from a large village. "Our tale, that we are shikarees, will not do here. Had that really been our object, we should have stopped at the first place we came to, and, at any rate, we should not have come beyond the jungle. We might still say that we are shikarees, but that tigers had become scarce on the other side of the hills, and, hearing a talk that Tippoo and the English are going to war with each other, we made up our minds to go to Seringapatam, and enlist113 in his army."
"That would do very well," Surajah agreed. "They would have no reason for doubting us, and even if the officer here were to suggest that we should enlist under him, we could do so, as there would be no difficulty in slipping away, and making off into the jungle again."
They waited until the sun set, and then walked on into the village. They had scarcely entered, when two armed men stopped them, and questioned them whence they came.
Surajah repeated the story they had agreed upon, and the men appeared quite satisfied.
"You will be just in time," one said. "We have news that the sultan has just moved, with his army, to Seringapatam. Officers came here, only yesterday, to buy up cattle and grain. These are to be retained here, until orders are received where they are to be sent, so I should say that he is coming this way, and will be going down the passes, as Hyder did.
"We shall be very glad, for I suppose we shall join, as he passes along. It has been dull work here, and we are looking forward to gaining our share of the loot. It would be just as well for you to join us here now, as to go on to Seringapatam."
"It would save us a long tramp," Surajah agreed. "We will think it over, and maybe we will have a talk with your officer, tomorrow morning."
They sauntered along with the men, talking as they went, and so escaped being questioned by other soldiers. Presently, they made the excuse that they wanted, to buy some flour and ghee before the shops were closed; and, with a friendly nod to the two soldiers, stopped before the stall of a peasant who had, on a little stand in front of him, a large jar of ghee. Having purchased some, they went a little farther, and laid in a fresh supply of flour.
"Things are very dear," Surajah remarked.
"There is very little left in the village," the man said. "All the flour was bought up yesterday, for the sultan's army, which, they say, is coming in this direction; and I have only got what you see here. It has been pounded, by my wife and some other women, since morning."
"That is good enough," Dick said, as they walked away. "Our work is done, Surajah, and it is not likely that we should learn anything more, if we were to stop here for a week. Let us turn down between these houses, and make our way round behind. We might be questioned again, by a fresh party of soldiers, if we were to go along the street."
They kept along on the outskirts114 of the village, regained115 the road by which they had come, and walked on until they reached the edge of the jungle. Going a short distance among the trees, they collected some sticks, lit a fire, and sat down to cook their meal.
At the last village or two, they had heard but little of tigers, and now agreed that they could safely lie down, and that it would not be necessary for them to rig up their blankets as hammocks, as they had done on the first two nights.
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1
hordes
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| n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 )；部落 | |
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2
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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ravage
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| vt.使...荒废，破坏...；n.破坏，掠夺，荒废 | |
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slaughtered
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| v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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herds
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| 兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众 | |
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slays
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的第三人称单数 ) | |
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7
infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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8
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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9
incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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10
regiments
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| （军队的）团( regiment的名词复数 )； 大量的人或物 | |
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ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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12
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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13
inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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14
disastrous
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| adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的 | |
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15
plentiful
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| adj.富裕的，丰富的 | |
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16
pagoda
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| n.宝塔（尤指印度和远东的多层宝塔），（印度教或佛教的）塔式庙宇 | |
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17
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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18
savings
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| n.存款，储蓄 | |
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19
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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20
insufficient
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| adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的 | |
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21
sentries
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| 哨兵，步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
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tempts
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| v.引诱或怂恿（某人）干不正当的事( tempt的第三人称单数 )；使想要 | |
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23
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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24
besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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negotiations
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| 协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过 | |
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bough
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| n.大树枝，主枝 | |
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subsidies
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| n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 ) | |
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28
payable
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| adj.可付的，应付的，有利益的 | |
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29
tributary
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| n.支流；纳贡国；adj.附庸的；辅助的；支流的 | |
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30
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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31
fortresses
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| 堡垒，要塞( fortress的名词复数 ) | |
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32
remonstrated
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| v.抗议( remonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )；告诫 | |
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33
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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34
predecessors
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| n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身 | |
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35
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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36
sanguine
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| adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的 | |
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37
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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38
treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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39
tyrant
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| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
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40
dungeons
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| n.地牢( dungeon的名词复数 ) | |
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41
hostilities
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| n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事 | |
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42
atrocities
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| n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪 | |
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43
specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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44
fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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45
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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46
rations
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| 定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量 | |
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47
shameful
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| adj.可耻的，不道德的 | |
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48
breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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49
devastated
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| v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的 | |
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50
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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51
battalion
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| n.营；部队；大队(的人) | |
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52
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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53
battalions
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| n.（陆军的）一营（大约有一千兵士）( battalion的名词复数 )；协同作战的部队；军队；（组织在一起工作的）队伍 | |
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54
regains
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| 复得( regain的第三人称单数 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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55
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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56
perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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57
belongings
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| n.私人物品，私人财物 | |
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58
dismantled
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| 拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消 | |
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59
vault
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| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
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60
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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61
joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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62
divans
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| n.（可作床用的）矮沙发( divan的名词复数 )；（波斯或其他东方诗人的）诗集 | |
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63
costlier
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| adj.昂贵的( costly的比较级 )；代价高的；引起困难的；造成损失的 | |
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64
bower
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| n.凉亭，树荫下凉快之处；闺房；v.荫蔽 | |
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65
boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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66
avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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67
inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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69
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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70
musket
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| n.滑膛枪 | |
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71
halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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72
garrisoned
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| 卫戍部队守备( garrison的过去式和过去分词 )； 派部队驻防 | |
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73
contingent
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| adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队 | |
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74
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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75
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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76
wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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jeering
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| adj.嘲弄的，揶揄的v.嘲笑( jeer的现在分词 ) | |
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79
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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84
interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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85
crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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86
scouting
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| 守候活动，童子军的活动 | |
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87
brace
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| n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备 | |
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interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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89
strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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90
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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gourd
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| n.葫芦 | |
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surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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94
ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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straps
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| n.带子( strap的名词复数 )；挎带；肩带；背带v.用皮带捆扎( strap的第三人称单数 )；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
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98
slings
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| 抛( sling的第三人称单数 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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99
thong
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| n.皮带；皮鞭；v.装皮带 | |
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100
bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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101
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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102
crutch
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| n.T字形拐杖；支持，依靠，精神支柱 | |
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103
inconveniently
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| ad.不方便地 | |
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104
herding
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| 中畜群 | |
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105
stockade
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| n.栅栏，围栏；v.用栅栏防护 | |
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106
exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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107
depredations
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| n.劫掠，毁坏( depredation的名词复数 ) | |
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108
pitfalls
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| （捕猎野兽用的）陷阱( pitfall的名词复数 )； 意想不到的困难，易犯的错误 | |
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109
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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110
dominions
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| 统治权( dominion的名词复数 )； 领土； 疆土； 版图 | |
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111
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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112
grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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113
enlist
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| vt.谋取(支持等)，赢得；征募；vi.入伍 | |
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114
outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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115
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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