he
very beginning of this war fighting everywhere and against
any odds with all the spirit of a Paladin of old. His most
remarkable exploit, the capture of the King of Delhi and his
two sons, astonished the world by its courage and coolness.
Hodson was indeed a man who, from his romantic daring and
his knowledge of the Asiatic character, was able to beat the
natives at their own weapons."

From _Blackwood's Magazine_: "Then fell one of the bravest
in the Indian Army, an officer whose name has been brought
too often before the public by those in high command to need
my humble word of praise. There was not a man before Delhi
who did not know Hodson; always active, always cheery, it
did one's heart good to look at his face when all felt how
critical was our position."

CHAPTER XIII

JUNG BAHADOOR--GUNPOWDER--THE MOHURRUM AT LUCKNOW--LOOT

On the return of the regiment to camp at the Dilkoosha on the 13th of
March I was glad to get back to my own company. The men were mortified
because they had not shared in the honour of the assault on the Begum's
palace; but as some compensation the company had formed the
guard-of-honour for the reception of the Maharaja Jung Bahadoor,
Commander-in-Chief of the Nepaulese Army, who had just reached Lucknow
and been received in state by Sir Colin Campbell on the afternoon of the
11th, at the moment when the regiment was engaged in the assault on the
palace. The _durbar_ had at first proved a rather stiff ceremonial
affair, but Jung Bahadoor and his officers had hardly been presented and
taken their seats, when a commotion was heard outside, and Captain Hope
Johnstone, aide-de-camp to General Sir William Mansfield, covered with
powder-smoke and the dust of battle, strode up the centre of the
guard-of-honour with a message to the Commander-in-Chief from Mansfield,
informing him that the Ninety-Third had taken the Begum's palace, the
key of the enemy's position, with slight loss to themselves, but that
they had killed over a thousand of the enemy. This announcement put an
end to all ceremony on the part of Sir Colin, who jumped to his feet,
rubbing his hands, and calling out, "I knew they would do it! I knew my
boys of the Ninety-Third would do it!" Then telling Captain Metcalfe to
interpret the news to the Maharaja, and pointing to the guard-of-honour,
Sir Colin said: "Tell him that these men are