ent thrown
over my shoulders, and in five minutes after the arrival of the fellows
found myself on my way. It took us some six hours before we reached our
destination, which was one of those natural rock citadels. Had I been in
my usual health I could have done the distance in an hour and a half,
but I had to rest constantly, and was finally carried rather than helped
up. I had gone not unwillingly, for the men were clearly, by their
dress, Dacoits of the Deccan, and I had no doubt that it was intended
either to ransom or exchange me.

"At the foot of this natural castle were some twenty or thirty more
robbers, and I was led to a rough sort of arbour in which was lying, on
a pile of maize straw, a man who was evidently their chief. He rose and
we exchanged salaams.

"'What is your name, sahib?' he asked in Mahratta.

"'Hastings--Lieutenant Hastings,' I said. 'And yours?'

"'Sivajee Punt!' he said.

"This was bad. I had fallen into the hands of the most troublesome,
most ruthless, and most famous of the Dacoit leaders. Over and over
again he had been hotly chased, but had always managed to get away; and
when I last heard anything of what was going on four or five troops of
native police were scouring the country after him. He gave an order
which I did not understand, and a wretched Bombay writer, I suppose a
clerk of some money-lender, was dragged forward. Sivajee Punt spoke to
him for some time, and the fellow then told me in English that I was to
write at once to the officer commanding the troops, telling him that I
was in his hands, and should be put to death directly he was attacked.

"'Ask him,' I said, 'if he will take any sum of money to let me go?'

"Sivajee shook his head very decidedly.

"A piece of paper was put before me, and a pen and ink, and I wrote as I
had been ordered, adding, however, in French, that I had brought myself
into my present position by my own folly, and would take my chance, for
I well knew the importance which Government attached to Sivajee's
capture. I read out loud all that I had written in English, and the
interpreter translated it. Then the paper was folded and I addressed it,
'The Officer Commanding,' and I was given some chupattis and a drink of
water, and allowed to sleep. The Dacoits had apparently no fear of any
immediate attack.

"It was still dark, although morning was just breaking, when I was
awakened, and was got up to the citadel. I was hoisted rather than
climbe