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lock-men of Oudh who have followed their chiefs to maintain the cause of their King Birjis Kadir, and who may be fairly regarded as engaged in a patriotic war for their country and their sovereign. The sepoys during the seige of the Residency never came on as boldly as the Zemindary levies and Nujeibis. The Begum exhibits great energy & ability. She has excited all oudh to take up the interets of her son & the chiefs have sworn to be faithful to him. We affect to disbelieve this legitimacy but the Zemindars who ought to be better judges of the fact accept Brijis Kadir without hesitation. Will Government treat these men as rebels or as honourable enemies? The Begum declares undying war against us. It appears from the energetic characters of these Ranees & Begums that they acquire in their Zenanas. and harems a considerable amount of actual mental power and at all events, become intriguers. Their contests for the ascendency over the minds of men give vigour and acuteness to their intellect."-Russell's Diary. pege 275. f. 869, 840 "No sooner did we turn into the road leading towards the gate, then the enemy's bugle sounded, and a fire of indescribable fierceness opened upon us from the whole line of the walls and from the tower of the Fort overlooking this site. For a time it appeared like & sheet of fire, out of which burst a store of bullets, round shots and rockets destined for our annihilation... But the fire of the enemy waxed stronger. and amidst the chaos of sound, of volleys, of musketry and roaring of Cannon hissing and bursting rookets, stink pots, inferna. machines, huge stones, blocks of wood and trees, au hurled upon our heads, it seemed as though Pluto and the Furies had been loosened upon us, carrying death amongst us fast. At this instant a bugle sounded on our right for the Europeans to retire. " Lowe's centras India P. 254.
