TALK ABOUT INDIA. And the Missionaries?" 189 "Well, we hope that Mr. Gregson and the rest : Benares have escaped. At Delhi all seem to have een murdered." "Papa," said Kate, "do you know I should like to ave a few things explained about this affair. I am ery stupid, I dare say, but I can't altogether undertand what everybody is talking about, perhaps from not nowing well the names of places and the meaning f words." Here Arthur laid down his book and joined his ster in begging their father to throw a little light pon the subject. Pre 'Well, where shall I begin? Of course, Kate, ou know that the English nation has three idencies' in India, and a separate army in each ?" Kate smiled. "I was reading the other day," she aid, " in one of my books at school, about a Frenchman who used to say, 'Oh yes, I know, without doubt; but lease to make as if I did not know, and explain it." "Very well, then. British India contains the 'Preidencies' or provinces of Bengal, Madras and BomDay. Run and fetch the atlas." In a few minutes the map was found, and Mr. Morris set down his teacup to point out Madras on the south, Bombay on the west, and the great district of Bengal stretching irregularly from Chittagong, Calcutta, and Orissa on the east, to the borders of the kingdom of Lahore on the north-west. The population of Madras he told them was about twenty-two millions, of Bombay eleven millions, and of Bengal ninety millions. "But what are these places like patches in the map?" asked Arthur. "Look here- the kingdom of Oude,' 'Maharajah Scindia's dominion,' 'the Nizam's dominions.' "I cannot go into all that just now; only just remember that the great country of Hindostan is dotted over with small states, some having their own governors and people, without any English control; and others with rulers of their own, yet partly dependent o Britain. The Nizam's dominions are partly dependent so was the kingdom of Oude when your map was printed Lately, however, it has been taken into Bengal; an the king deposed. Perhaps you have heard that hi wife and brothers are now in London, to beg th Queen to restore him to his throne. Unfortunately however, it is believed over in India that the king ha had something to do with this rebellion, and so he ha been shut up in prison at Calcutta.” 66 Kate. Ah, the rebellion, I want to come to that," said "Is it all over India, British India, I mean?" 'No, only in Bengal. In the other two presidencies all is quiet, and I hope will remain so.” 66 Have the people, then, risen up against the English in Bengal ?" "No, not the people; as far as we know they have had no part in the rebellion; it is the army that has turned against us, and that is why the rebellion is called a mutiny." "Well, then, who are the army?" 66 Mostly natives, with some English. I suppose that in all British India there are nearly fifty thousand British soldiers, and two hundred and forty thousand natives. In Bengal the numbers will be considerably above half of these. The chief officers are English gentlemen." "But what a difference in numbers!" "Yes, when the enemies are five or six to one, there will be terrible work! But the native soldiers, or Sepoys, as they are called, have always been thought very faithful. I have looked into several books since these sad things have happened, and have found them all to speak of the Sepoys as wonderfully obedient, willing and submissive.' "That is strange; what has made them so different now?" "I wish I could tell for certain. If I could, I assure you I would not be sitting here, but would go up to the Queen and Parliament with my wonderful discovery! TALK ABOUT INDIA. 141 aps all will never be known; I can only tell you or two supposed reasons. It is now just one dred years since the real conquest of India by the ish was begun, at the battle of Plassy." Won by Lord Clive in 1757," interrupted Arthur, was proud of his chronology. True; and it so happens that among both the doos and Mohammedans there is a prophecy that rule of England is to last just one hundred years, : then it is to come to an end; but that if anything uld prevent this it is to go on for five hundred years e. The thought of this prediction may have roused soldiers to rebel. Another thing is, that the idoos have been made to believe that the English h to turn them from their religion." 'Well, don't they, papa?" asked Kate. 3. 'Not by force, my child, as the Hindoos have been de to believe. It would be very wrong to attempt Persuade the natives, if possible, to give up ir idols; but Christ would never have them comled to do so by man's laws, or by the might of as. I fear that the people have been brought nehow to think that the English nation meant to do em this great wrong." "What was that about the greased cartridges ? ked Mrs. Morris. "Just this, as I understand it. The cartridge, you ow, is a little pasteboard or parchment case conning exactly the powder and shot for one musket arge. When used the end of it has to be bitten off the soldier. Well, a [new kind of cartridge has tely been made, softened, it is said, by grease at the d to be bitten. This grease is supposed to be made ther of bullock's fat or pig's; sometimes one, somemes the other. Now it is an abomination to the indoo to touch beef, and an abomination to the lussulman to touch pork. So the Sepoys of both eligions have refused to raise these cartridges to their ps. Their officers have said, You must! Then has risen the belief that the English were determined to ake the natives of India false to their religion." "I did not know," said Kate, "that the Hindo and Mussulmans were so mixed up in the army." "Oh yes it is said that each native regiment 1000 men contains about 350 Brahmins, 350 Cshatriy (the military caste), 150 Hindoos of other castes, and 150 Mussulmans. Many think that the Mussulman are really the cause of the whole disturbance, th the story about the greased cartridges is all a pretent and that the true reason is Mohammedan jealousy the English nation, with its railways, telegraphs science, and education. For if these things prevail the cry, 'There is but one God, and Mohammed is his prophet,' will soon be heard no more. But one thing more I must say: the English have not always gover wisely and righteously in India, and I do fear tha with all the nonsense and falsehood of the mutineers, there are some things of which they have a right complain; but not in a way like this!" "Do you think the mutiny will soon be put down? "I hope so. We seem to know the worst. The outbreak was plainly intended long beforehand, and carefully prepared for. The way in which intelligence seems to have passed from place to place is very curious. Messengers would go to a village, leaving with the head man of the place six cakes, or chupatties, as the natives call them, saying only this, 'You are to make six cakes like these and pass them on to the next village.' When a regiment of soldiers was drawn up, the first man would take a lotus-flower intr his hand, smell it, and give it to the next, he to the next. and so on all down the line, no one speaking a word! It was of no use for Englishmen to ask, 'What's all that about?' for nobody would tell. Perhaps this terrible mutiny explains it. I have in this paper a list of fifty-five regiments that have rebelled in whole or in part, and of twenty which have been disarmed, not being trusted by their officers. Now look at the map. There is the broad river Ganges. Begin at Ghazipore and Benares, pass your eye up towards the north-west, past Mirzaport, Allahabad, Lucknow, then to the river Jumna, Gwalior, Agra, DELHI, away then across the country, but in THE GLEANERS. 143 same direction, to Mooltan and Lahore. Several dreds of miles, and all in confusion! In some es, as at Allahabad, the cruelties have been most ul. Delhi, as you know, is or was held by the ineers, who put to death every English man, woman child they could seize, and set up one of the Mohammedan emperor's family as king. From ares to Calcutta the greatest fear prevailed. Look he names of the places, you have often heard them missionary meetings, ·Patna, Monghir, Dacca, ore. But we will hope that they are yet spared, h the precious lives they contain. We know that the tish soldiers are brave, although their enemies are numerous; the people of India, as I have said, are on side, swift ships are carrying thousands of soldiers the place. But let us remember, my dear wife and te and Arthur, that our help, the help of the disssed and trembling missionary band, and the hope India, is in GOD. We will pray to Him more nestly than ever that the blessing of peace and the ht of His truth may come to that unhappy land." THE GLEANERS. THE busy, busy gleaners! From the early dawn of day, They do not waste their moments Are you at work, dear reader; But in some path of duty Which precious fruit will yield? |