dy." Another voice answered,
"_Guddah, hogah_;" which signifies, "A jackass, I suppose;" for there
were several wandering about. I fully agreed with the gentleman who
spoke last, but was determined to throw off the appellation as quickly
as possible, by endeavouring to find my way back. In attempting to make
my retreat with as little noise as possible, I put my foot into some
fire. This compelled me to withdraw rather precipitately, and they heard
me, when one of them said, "_Hi quoi_;" which is, "There certainly is
somebody." The other replied, "_Kis wastah nay tuckeet currah?_" "Why
don't you ascertain it, then?" Hearing this, I dashed into another hut,
and squatted myself down close, resolved at least to have a fight for
it. A man passed the door of the hut twice; but, at last, crying out,
"_Cally ek lungrah bile hie_," which signifies, "There is only one lame
bullock," he rejoined his party. The attempt to steal away in so dark a
night would have been impracticable; I must infallibly have been heard.
I resolved, therefore, to have a run for it, and off I bolted, up the
same street through which I had come, when a whole volley of matchlocks
was sent after me, but they did not attempt to follow--at least, as far
as I know, for I did not stop to look behind me. I arrived safe at the
division, not a little frightened; and I can venture to say that, the
elephant affair excepted, I never ran so fast before in my life. This
afterwards proved to be a strong cavalry piquet.

We at last took possession of the village, and established a depot
there; and a rising ground about two or three hundred yards from it was
the spot selected for our batteries. We were at first heard, when the
fort commenced a heavy firing, but in the wrong direction. Every man was
employed in digging a sufficient space to lie down in; and, in the
course of a couple of hours, we were covered and protected from their
shot. We then erected batteries; and, by daylight in the morning,
everything was finished, and we were so close to the enemy that we could
distinctly hear English spoken,[8] and the _reveillee_ beaten.

On Christmas eve, as dark and cold a night as ever blew from the
heavens, the breach was reported practicable, and the rising of the moon
was a signal for marching to the storm. She did rise, in splendid
effulgence, over one of the highest bastions of the fort we were about
to storm; and we could see by her light, spears on the ramparts as thic