e, a couple of feet thick
and eight high, was driven in the grass: round the stake, about seven
feet from the ground, was an iron ring, to which were attached two
fetters; in these my wrists were placed. Two or three executioners stood
near, with strange-looking instruments: others were blowing at a fire,
over which was a caldron, and in the embers were stuck other prongs and
instruments of iron.

The crier came forward and read my sentence. It was the same in effect
as that which had been hinted to me the day previous by the Grand
Vizier. I confess I was too agitated to catch every word that was
spoken.

Holkar himself, on a tall dromedary, was at a little distance. The
Grand Vizier came up to me--it was his duty to stand by, and see the
punishment performed. "It is yet time!" said he.

I nodded my head, but did not answer.

The Vizier cast up to heaven a look of inexpressible anguish, and with a
voice choking with emotion, said, "EXECUTIONER--DO--YOUR--DUTY!"

The horrid man advanced--he whispered sulkily in the ears of the Grand
Vizier, "Guggly ka ghee, hum khedgeree," said he, "the oil does not boil
yet--wait one minute." The assistants blew, the fire blazed, the oil was
heated. The Vizier drew a few feet aside: taking a large ladle full of
the boiling liquid, he advanced--

*****

"Whish! bang, bang! pop!" the executioner was dead at my feet, shot
through the head; the ladle of scalding oil had been dashed in the face
of the unhappy Grand Vizier, who lay on the plain, howling. "Whish!
bang! pop! Hurrah!--charge!--forwards!--cut them down!--no quarter!"

I saw--yes, no, yes, no, yes!--I saw regiment upon regiment of galloping
British horsemen riding over the ranks of the flying natives. First of
the host, I recognized, O heaven! my AHMEDNUGGAR IRREGULARS! On came the
gallant line of black steeds and horsemen, swift, swift before them rode
my officers in yellow--Glogger, Pappendick, and Stuffle; their sabres
gleamed in the sun, their voices rung in the air. "D--- them!" they
cried, "give it them, boys!" A strength supernatural thrilled through my
veins at that delicious music: by one tremendous effort, I wrested the
post from its foundation, five feet in the ground. I could not release
my hands from the fetters, it is true; but, grasping the beam tightly,
I sprung forward--with one blow I levelled the five executioners in the
midst of the fire, their fall upsetting the scalding oil-can; with the
next, I swe