of British soldiers. The honest fellows were
greatly taken aback, and wondered who this could be dressed in native
costume, speaking to them in their own language. She was brought before
the officer commanding the picket, when it transpired that she was a
Eurasian named Seeson, the wife of a European road sergeant. During the
outbreak on May 11 at Delhi her children had been slain before her eyes
and she herself badly wounded, escaping, however, from the murderers
in a most providential manner, and finding shelter in the house of a
friendly native, who had succoured her ever since. By the aid of the
Afghan, and disguised as an _ayah_, or nurse, she had passed through
the gates of the city that morning, eventually finding her way to the
picket. We had one lady in camp, the wife of an officer of native
infantry, and to her kindly charge the poor creature was consigned,
living to the end of the siege in Mrs. Tytler's tent, and being an
object of curiosity as well as of pity to the whole force.

The enemy, lately, had caused great annoyance by firing at the ridge
32-pound rockets, a large store of which they had found in the magazine,
and as they were unused to discharging these dangerous missiles, the
rockets at first, by their rebound, inflicted more damage on the rebels
than on us; but, gaining experience through long practice, they every
evening and during part of the night fired them at the ridge, one or two
falling right amongst the tents in camp.[6]

A battery also was erected about this time on the opposite bank of the
Jumna, at a distance of some 2,000 yards from the Metcalfe pickets, and
this was served so well that not only were the outposts in considerable
danger from the fire, but the camp of one of our native regiments on the
extreme left, and below the Flagstaff Tower, was shifted in consequence
of the enemy's shells falling in their midst.

It will thus be seen that the rebels put forth their whole strength and
used every means at their disposal to harass and annoy us. Like a swarm
of hornets, they attacked us in every direction, first in one quarter
and then in another; but no effort of theirs affected in the smallest
degree the bulldog grip of the British army on the rebellious city.
Reports were rife that the King had sent to propose terms to the
General, and that the answer was a cannonade directed on the walls by
all our batteries; also that their ammunition was falling short; but
these, with other s