ar remained faithful to British rule, and
to which place he was now returning, after making a tour of inspection
through the districts, which inspection consisted in surveying and
valuing the crops while growing, the cattle and other properties of
those residing within his jurisdiction, so that taxes might be levied on
each individual according to their wealth and substance, during the
current year.

The baggage escort and principal servants had been sent on in advance.
This the mutineers were, doubtless, aware of, or counted on as being
likely to be the case, therefore little opposition was to be expected,
and so suddenly did they sweep down upon them that the little party were
surrounded and overpowered ere they could seize their weapons to defend
themselves. All were made prisoners save one, Mrs. de Mello, a handsome
three-quarter caste, the youthful bride of the Collector's clerk or
first assistant, who had alighted from her palkee to gather some wild
flowers that grew on the road side, a short time prior to the appearance
of the mutineers, and from where she stood witnessed the attack.
Terrified beyond measure at her dangerous proximity to the ruffians,
she fled for safety into the depths of the jungle, and so escaped.

The carriage and bullock games were drawn to an open space some little
distance into the jungle, the intervening bushes screening it to a
considerable extent from the road. The Collector and his clerks were
then brutally stripped of their clothing, and, having taken possession
of their money and other valuables, the wretches bound them, spread
eagle fashion, to the wheels of the vehicles. The terrified women were
next dragged forth, with more indignity and even greater brutality, and
secured in a similar manner, and in such a position that their tortures
might be witnessed by their helpless husbands. The children, with the
exception of the Collector's daughter, a bright, golden haired girl of
some ten summers, who had clung convulsively to her mother, were thrown
together into a small hollow in the ground about the centre of the
place, they being too young to make any opposition, the black devils
forming a complete semi-circle round their intended victims.

The first scene of the bloody drama they proposed to enact, to satisfy
their devilish thirst for the blood of the unfortunates, who had thus
fallen into their hands, was opened by a tall, burly ruffian bending
over, seizing one of the children,