rked with
wonderful rapidity considering the small number of the party. Nine
Britons, alone in that great Mohammedan city, betrayed and deserted as
they were, bravely thought only of holding their post till the death.
The enemy kept firing down upon them. In a few minutes several of the
little band were wounded; it was clear that in a few more they would all
be shot. Willoughby then gave the signal for firing the powder store.
Scully, who had distinguished himself in this dreadful emergency by his
perfect coolness, in the most careful and methodical manner lighted the
trains. The explosion took place almost immediately. The wall
adjoining was thrown to the ground; numbers of the enemy were buried
among the ruins; and thousands of bullets from the cartridges in store
were hurled far off, striking down people in the streets. Wonderful as
it may seem, half the gallant defenders of the magazine crept out alive,
partly stunned, blackened, scorched, and burned, yet able to make their
way through the sally-port by the river for the Cashmere gate.
Lieutenants Forrest and Raynor and Conductor Buckley succeeded in
escaping to Meerut. Willoughby was seen at the Cashmere gate, and set
out for Meerut with three more, who were all murdered in a village on
the road. Scully, who was much hurt, was killed, when trying to escape,
by a sowar. The explosion of the magazine was of course seen from the
flagstaff tower, and was heard even at Meerut."

That afternoon, the sepoys who remained in the lines either deserted or
revolted--a general flight took place; the Brigadier was one of the last
to leave; and thus was Delhi lost.

No sooner had the Europeans gone, than the treacherous old king hoisted
the green flag, and proclaimed himself Emperor of India. He had
imprisoned within his palace walls forty-nine Europeans, chiefly women
and children. Having for a week allowed them to be treated with the
greatest cruelty, he gave them up to be further ill-treated, and finally
murdered, by his soldiery. Their bodies were piled in a rotting heap at
the Cashmere gate.

The day of vengeance was, however, not long delayed. On the 8th of June
a small army, under Major-General Sir Henry Barnard, was collected at
Alleepore, one march from Delhi. It consisted of four guns, 2nd troop
1st Brigade, 2nd and 3rd troops 3rd Brigade Horse Artillery; 3rd company
3rd Battalion Artillery, and Number 14 Horse Field-Battery; 4th company
6th Battalion A