they at last reached the garden, where Colonel Monteath had
just brought in and drawn up his five companies in a line facing the
baraduree. Finding the entrance to the north-west occupied by the
Begum's party. Colonel Monteath marched along the street to the west
of the palace, and entered the baraduree garden by the south-west
gate. As the Resident went out. Colonel Roberts, who commanded a
brigade in the Oude service, went in, and presented to the pretender
his offering of gold mohurs, and then went off and hid himself, to
wait the result of the contest. Captain Magness drew up his men and
guns on the left of Colonel Monteath's, and was told to prepare for
action. He told the Resident that he did not feel quite sure of his
men in such a crisis, and the line of British sipahees was made to
cover his rear, to secure them. The King and minister had commanded
him to act precisely as directed by the Resident, and he himself knew
this to be his only safe course, but the hearts of his men were with
Moonna Jan and the Begum.

The Begum, as soon as the Resident left her, deeming all safe, went
over to the female apartments, where her adopted son, the late king,
lay dead; and after gazing for a minute upon his corpse, returned to
the foot of the throne, on which the pretender had now been seated
for more than three hours. It was manifest that nothing but force
could now remove the boy and his supporters, but the Begum tried to
gain more time in the hope of support from a popular insurrection
from without, which might take off the British troops from the
garden; and she sent evasive messages to the Resident by her wakeels,
urging him to come once more to her, since it was impossible for her
to make her way to him without danger of collision between the troops
of the two States. He refused to put himself again in her power, and
commanded her to come down with the boy to him and surrender; and
promised that if she did so, and directed all her armed followers to
quit the palace and city of Lucknow, all that had passed should be
forgiven, and the large pension of fifteen thousand rupees a-month,
promised by the late King, secured to her for life. All was in vain,
and the Begum was gaining her object. Robberies of State property in
the eastern and more retired parts of the palace-buildings had
commenced. Gold, jewels, shawls, &c., to a large amount were being
carried off. Much of such property lay about in places not guarded by
Cap