ity.

In the mad rush that followed, the attacking party outdistanced the
ladder-bearers. This caused a brief delay, during which the foremost
files of the column were exposed to a fierce fire; but no one wavered.
Very soon the ladders were brought, officers and men dropped down into
the ditch, and away they all went, racing up the opposite slope and
driving the sepoys before them.

Nicholson was still in the van. Leading his men, sword in hand, he
swept resistlessly through the gaping breach and found himself inside
the city. At the sight of the grim-faced, menacing troops who poured
in after him, the rebels fell back confusedly. Little difficulty was
experienced in fighting a way through the streets to the point where it
had been arranged the three columns should meet. This was an open
space by what was known as Skinner's Church.

The juncture of the forces having been effected, Colonel Campbell's
column proceeded to push on to the centre of the city. The other two
columns, merged practically into one, turned themselves towards the
Lahore Gate, the capture of which was all-important. Here, in fact,
was the key to Delhi.

According to the instructions issued, the Lahore Gate was to be carried
at all costs. Little did the commander-in-chief anticipate what a
terrible ordeal he had set his subordinates. As they pressed eagerly
forward the troops followed the line of the ramparts and eventually
cleared a path to the Cabul Gate. So far they had been successful.
There now remained before them a narrow lane less than three hundred
yards long and varying from ten yards to three feet in width. Through
this passage they would have to win ere the gate could be reached.

What a "lane of death" it was to prove was speedily shown. At the far
end the sepoys, flushed with the success that had attended their
efforts in repelling the assault at this point, had mounted two guns,
one covering the other and each protected by a bullet-proof screen.
Above these towered the massive Burn bastion, into which some minutes
later hundreds of mutineers poured. It seemed beyond the bounds of
possibility that any force could make its way against such terrible
odds. There were men, however, who were willing to try, and the
advance began.

The 1st Bengal Fusiliers dashed forward at the signal and succeeded in
capturing the first of the guns, but they got little farther. The fire
directed upon them can only be described as murdero