the irregular cavalry,
under Lieutenant Lucan, to follow in half an hour, and bring him
intelligence of Holkar's movements.

Monson marched twelve miles when a trooper of the irregular cavalry
overtook him, with the news that they had been completely defeated
by Holkar's army, and that Lucan had been made prisoner. The
retreat was continued, and the force reached the pass across the
mountains on the evening of the following day, and took up a
position there. Holkar's cavalry appeared next morning and, on the
11th, Holkar himself arrived and sent in a demand for the surrender
of the cannon and muskets. This was refused, and Holkar, dividing
his horse into three bodies, charged the detachment vigorously in
front and both flanks; but the defenders again and again repulsed
the attack. Holkar then drew off about four miles, and was joined
by the artillery and infantry.

"What is your opinion, Captain Lindsay?" Colonel Monson said.

"If we had a regiment of British infantry with us, sir, I should
say that we might attack them, with success; but with only four
battalions of Sepoys, it seems to me that a retreat would be the
better choice of two evils. We shall undoubtedly suffer heavily.
The rain is pouring down unceasingly, and I doubt whether we shall
be able to get the guns along; but we ought to be able to march as
fast as Holkar's infantry and, as to his cavalry, we can certainly
beat them off."

Two long marches were made. The enemy's cavalry swarmed round them,
but dared not attack; and the force arrived safely at Kotah, where
they expected to find food and shelter. The rajah, however, closed
the gates and refused to admit them; and the force pressed on
towards a ford on the Chumbul. The distance was only seven miles
but, from the incessant rain and the state of the road, a whole day
was spent in accomplishing it.

The ford was impassable, but during the night it subsided a little,
and they were able to cross. A day's halt was necessary, in order
to procure some grain; and on the 15th, when the march was
continued, the guns sank so deep in the mud that they could not be
extricated, and they were therefore spiked and abandoned.

Two days later the force reached another river, but it was so
swollen that it was unfordable. The artillerymen were sent across,
on elephants; but ten days were spent in carrying the rest of the
troops over, partly on elephants and partly on rafts. Terrible
privation was suffered, and ma