36 CAWNPORE.
“advance. They did so, six or seven paces, and “halted, The native officer returned to me, stating “that none of the men would go on. I felt it was “useless going on any further in the matter. Some ‘‘ one, a native in undress, mentioned to me that the “sepoy in front was a Brahmin, and that no one “would hurt him. I considered it quite useless, and “a useless sacrifice of life, to order a Huropean “ officer with the guard to seize him, as he would, no “ doubt, have picked off the European officer, without “his receiving any assistance from the guard. I then “left the guard, and reported the matter to the “ Brigadier.”
Fortunately there was at hand a man who had no scruple about the life of at least one European officer. Before many minutes had elapsed General Hearsey rode on to the parade-ground, and found it already covered with an agitated mob of sepoys, amongst whom might here and there be seen an English officer doing his best to prevent his men from following the example of Mungul Pandy, who had by this time reloaded his musket, and was now stalking about in the presence of his regiment, which had got together round the quarter-guard, brandishing his dripping sword, and shouting: “You have ‘excited me to do this, and now, you blackguards, “you will not jom me!” An officer called out to
