eaping off the limbers, their men frantically
trying to check their horses, and ending by throwing themselves off--one
or two, then half a dozen, then more, till the track in our rear was
dotted with white spots, till fully half the sowars had dropped off, and
the horses dashed on in the wild exciting gallop that was almost
terrific in its speed.

I saw, too, the rajah and his officers shouting and striving hard on our
right, and trying to cut in before us, to stop the movement. Again,
they might as well have tried to check the wind, and all they could do
was to fall in the line, galloping with us, and striking at their men
with their glittering tulwars, as gunners and riders sat watching for
opportunities to throw themselves from their horses without being
trampled to death.

It was all a matter of minutes; and by the time we had galloped a mile,
half the men had dropped off and were left behind, while on we tore with
a rush like a whirlwind; till all at once from the wood some hundreds of
yards to the front and left, there was a rush, the flash of helmets;
and, led by Haynes, our men dashed out at the double, as if to take up
ground right on our front.

The effect was magical.

A great yell rose from behind us, and the sowars rolled or tumbled off
their horses to a man, while as we thundered on, and left them behind,
dotting the plain with white spots and patches, many of the poor
wretches being unable to rise again, the rajah and his two followers
reined up and sat fast, while a couple of hundred yards further on we
three, riding at the head of a troop of horse and our six guns, prepared
to halt. Brace threw up his sword, the trumpet rang out; and the
horses, no longer in an even line, but in a regular drove, obeyed the
call on the instant, while from our men in front rose a frantic cheer of
excitement.

They tore over the ground to, meet us, literally yelling with delight.
Formation there was none; it was a little crowd of armed men, each
trying to be first to reach and find his horse, of to get to the gun to
which he belonged; while at the word of command, the horses now pressed
together in something approaching a line.

Then orders rang out quick and sharp, and so good was the training that
in a very short time men were getting well in their places, a couple of
guns were unlimbered, and shot after shot was fired, the grape sweeping
the plain, and sending the rajah and his officers back at a gallop,
while