m. The men returned to the
barracks: liquor was resorted to to feed the spark already kindled in
their bosoms; till at length they became bent upon open rebellion and
mutiny. This spirit, of disaffection was manifested most strongly in the
grenadier company. Both companies were doatingly fond of their officers,
who took great pains to explain to them that violent measures, and
taking the law into their own hands, would never be likely to get their
wrongs redressed; but that, on the contrary, those very acts deprived
them of the power of interceding for them, and explaining to the proper
authorities the grounds of their complaints. This timely explanation had
its due effect, and _we_ one and all (I mean the light company) said,
"March us before the enemy, that we may wipe away this our first
disobedience;" but those who had drank deeper of the poisonous cup of
rebellion, in the grenadier company, were still unappeased, and
spreading wide the infectious sparks of mutiny; so much so, that the
officers were again called in to quell them. Their colonel they loved
dearly--he was a father to his men; the adjutant they hated. On the
arrival of the former, the men became passive, and the tumult was
hushed; but, when the latter appeared, the shouting of, "Kick him
out!"--"Turn him out!" resounded through the barracks, and he had a
narrow escape for his life. When he had left, the tumult again ceased;
the men retired to their cots; and, in an hour, all was silent as the
grave. The next morning the eight rupees were refunded; and, on the
morning following, we left the fort, with the band of the regiment
playing us through Calcutta, where we were met and hailed by all
assembled. Every face smiled with joy; every breast beat high for glory.
The country through which we passed was fertile and well inhabited;
plenty smiled around, and all seemed peace and contentment. Here
presided English justice; the Pariah cottager was protected in his
reed-thatched hovel, and the ploughman was seen smiling over his nodding
crops. We lived like fighting-cocks; thought nothing of five or six and
twenty miles a day; every face wore the smile of contentment; all were
healthy; and the merry song and story beguiled some of our more dreary
night-marches. Thus merrily we reached the army, our marches averaging
twenty-six miles a day. We were met some miles from camp by his
excellency Lord Lake, the Commander-in-chief, who said that he was
delighted to see u