CHAPTER III.
THE SIEGE.
THE intelligence of the revolt speedily travelled over all surrounding districts, and attracted to the spot the entire available blackguardism of the neighbourhood. The disloyal and insolvent landholders for thirty miles about called out their tenantry and retainers, and made the best of their way to Cawnpore. As when the redoubted Hebrew captain founded an Asylum in the cave of Adullam, so now unto the leaders of the mutiny gathered themselves every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented. Thus immutable is the constitution of Oriental society :—unchanged by thirty centuries ; unchangeable, perchance, by thirty more. Some chieftains brought two hundred armed followers ; others four hundred. One Rajah came with a tail of forty score : while Bhowany Sing, whom Nanukchund designates as “ that old and notorious “scoundrel,” marched into the rebel camp at the
