that I mention so many incidents not generally known, that many are
inclined to believe that I am inventing history rather than relating
facts. But that is not so; and, besides what I have related, I could
give hundreds of most interesting incidents that are not generally known
nor ever will be known.[55]

Now, in my humble opinion, is the time that a history of the real facts
and causes of the Mutiny should be written, if a competent man could
devote the time to do so, and to visit the centres of the rebellion and
get those who took part in the great uprising against the rule of the
Feringhee to come forward, with full confidence of safety, and relate
all they know about the affair. Thousands of facts would come to light
which would be of immense historical importance, as also of great
political value to Government, facts that in a few years will become
lost to the world, or be remembered only as traditions of 1857. But the
man who is to undertake the work must be one with a thorough knowledge
of the native character and languages, a man of broad views, and, above
all, one who would, to a certain extent, sympathise with the natives,
and inspire them with confidence and enlist their assistance. As a rule,
the Englishman, the Government official, the _Sahib Bahadoor_, although
respected, is at the same time too much feared, and the truth would be
more or less concealed from him. I formed this opinion when I heard of
the circumstances which are supposed to have led to the assassination of
Major Neill. If true, we have here secret incitement to murder handed
down for generations, and our Government, with its extensive police and
its Thuggee Department, knowing nothing about it![56]

FOOTNOTES:

[53] Major Neill _was_ a son of Brigadier-General Neill commanding at
Cawnpore during the first relief of Lucknow. General Neill went to the
front as colonel commanding the First Madras Fusiliers.

[54] Workman; in this case a blacksmith.

[55] "Some of the incidents related by Mr. Forbes-Mitchell, and now for
the first time brought to light in his most interesting series of
Reminiscences, are of so sensational an order that we are not surprised
that many persons to whom the narrator is a stranger should regard them
with a certain incredulity. We may take this opportunity therefore of
stating that, so far as it is possible at this date to corroborate
incidents that occurred thirty-five years ago, Mr. Forbes-Mitchell has
afforde