of those at Seetapoor, while on the
8th two regiments rose at Fyzabad, in the southeastern division of the
province, and massacred all the Europeans.

Up to this time the news from Cawnpore had still been good. The Rajah of
Bithoor had offered Sir Hugh Wheeler a reinforcement of two guns and
300 men, and it was believed that, seeing this powerful and influential
chief had thrown his weight into the scale on the side of the British,
the four regiments of native troops would remain quiet.

Sir Hugh had but a handful of Europeans with him, but had just received
a reinforcement of fifty men of the 32d regiment from Lucknow, and he
had formed an intrenchment within which the Europeans of the station,
and the fugitives who had come in from the districts around, could take
refuge.

Several communications passed between Sir Hugh Wheeler and Major Hannay.
The latter had been offered the choice of moving into Cawnpore with his
wing of the regiment, or remaining at Deennugghur. He had chosen the
latter alternative, pointing out that he still believed in the fidelity
of the troops with him; but that if they went to Cawnpore they would
doubtless be carried away with other regiments, and would only swell the
force of mutineers there. He was assured, at any rate, they would not
rise unless their comrades at Cawnpore did so, but that it was best to
manifest confidence in them, as not improbably, did they hear that they
were ordered back to Cawnpore, they might take it as a slur on their
fidelity, and mutiny at once.

The month had been one of intense anxiety. Gradually stores of
provisions had been conveyed into the hospital, as it was now called;
the well inside the yard had been put into working order, and the
residents had sent in stores of bedding and such portable valuables as
could be removed.

In but few cases had the outbreaks taken place at night, the mutineers
almost always breaking out either upon being ordered to parade or upon
actually falling in; still, it was by no means certain when a crisis
might come, and the Europeans all lay down to rest in their clothes,
one person in each house remaining up all night on watch, so that at the
first alarm all might hurry to the shelter of the hospital.

Its position was a strong one--a lofty wall inclosing a courtyard and
garden surrounding it. This completely sheltered the lower floor from
fire; the windows of the upper floor were above the level of the wall,
and commanded