et the
penalty of the law, and atone for his disobedience with his life. Here
he struck his bosom, and seemed to wait the order for his execution. The
president turned round to him, and said, in a most pathetic manner,
"Keeledar, you have now put your seal to your own death by that
confession; but have you not got a wife and children? If you have no
value for your own life, will you also murder them?" This appeal, urged
in the most impressive manner, roused the keeledar from his lethargy. He
started, looked wild, paused; his lips seemed to quiver; and his head
dropped on his heaving bosom. There seemed to be an innate working of
the soul--a dreadful struggle between two contending feelings. The good
and humane president soothingly said, "Take your time, ere you pronounce
the sad doom of your wife and children--your time is ours." The whole
court, and the numerous spectators, now waited with breathless
impatience and anxiety, to hear the keeledar's reply. At last he said,
"Your observation relative to my wife and children is just. I will not
be the means of agonizing their feelings; but," continued he, "what will
the rajah say, should I deceive him?" The rajah's treachery and
rebellion were explained to him, and he was apprised of his elopement,
and the probability there was that he was dead. Upon hearing this, his
feelings seemed to undergo another struggle, and, after a short pause,
he drew from his bosom a long roll of paper, which contained the most
peremptory instructions from the rajah, to fight the English, "as long
as one stone of Gurrah Mundellah stood upon another, and as long as one
drop of water remained in the Nerbuddah, to wash away their blood." This
letter was received the very day he had promised to give up the fort to
Major O'Brien. Other documents fully proved that his resistance to the
government was in fulfilment of the positive orders of his master. He
was consequently fully acquitted, but kept in custody for some time. He
was afterwards pensioned by the Company. Had this man been hanged, it
would have cast a gloom over our victory. He afterwards confessed to me,
that the difficulty he had experienced in resolving upon the course
which he at last was induced to pursue on his trial, arose from his
doubts whether it was more honourable to sacrifice his own life, or
eternally to offend his tyrannic master. He expressed himself as being
very grateful to the court for their great care and anxiety about him