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half-defiant messages to Hastings at Chunar, had collected round him an army of over twenty thousand regular troops, and about the same number of irregulars. Half of Oudh was in insurrection, and some of the zemindars of Behar showed signs of disaffection. The general respect and loyalty which Hastings inspired here stood him in good stead. The Sepoys of his little garrison remained staunch, although their pay was four months in arrear. Immediately on news of his difficulties, the Nawab of Oudh sent supplies and troops, and came himself to Chunar to offer his services. The Nawab Saâdat Ali, in whose charge Hastings had been compelled to leave his wounded Sepoys at Benares, not only protected them from Chêt Singh's vengeance, but supplied them with provisions, money, and medical attendance.

It was not long before Hastings received sufficient reinforcements from the nearest British commanders to enable him to attack the enemy, and before the end of September Chêt Singh, whose incapacity and cowardice were only equalled by his duplicity, had been driven out of all his strongholds by Major Popham, and was a miserable refugee at Gwalior. On the 25th of that month, Hastings was back in his old quarters at Madhu Das's Gardens, and the whole country had returned to a state of tranquillity. Thus ended a formidable insurrection, crushed in a few weeks by Hastings' indomitable courage and resource. Chêt Singh being proved guilty, not only of open rebellion, but of the murder of defenceless travellers and prisoners of war, was formally deposed. The next lineal heir, Babu Mehipnarain, from whom the present Maharaja is descended, was then in

stalled as Raja. The city of Benares was placed under a separate magistracy directly controlled by the Company.

Seventeen years after these events, Madhu Das's Gardens had another occupant not the British Governor-General, but a deposed Indian prince. In 1797, Asaf-ud-daulah, Nawab of Oudh, died. His brother, Nawab Saâdat Ali, whose name we have heard before, was next in succession, failing legitimate male issue of the late sovereign. The throne, however, was claimed by Wazir Ali, a generous but headstrong and somewhat dissolute youth of seventeen, whom Asaf-ud-daulah had recognized as his son and heir, but whose legitimacy was disputed.

The British Government, represented by a weak and vacillating Governor-General, Sir John Shore, at first acknowledged his title and proclaimed him nawab, but a few months afterwards, persuaded by the representations of the opposite party, deposed him and brought the rival claimant, Saâdat Ali, to occupy the palace at Lucknow. Then, with a fatuity which deserved the consequences which ensued, Sir John placed Wazir Ali at Benares, a very hotbed of intrigue, close to the borders of Oudh, and gave him an allowance of £15,000 a year, wherewith to finance his schemes of vengeance upon the British Govern

ment.

From his retreat in Madhu Das's Gardens, Wazir Ali immediately commenced to plot against the British power with all the disaffected Muhammadan and Hindu nobles of northern India. He entered into correspondence with Zeman Shah, the Afghan ruler of Kandahar, who had invaded the Punjab with a large

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army, and was now threatening Delhi. His chief fellow-conspirators at Benares were Jagat Singh, a relation of the Raja, and Shionath, the leader of a gang of Bankas, licensed banditti, who could be hired adventure or scheme which promised plunder. The Resident at Benares, and agent of the GovernorGeneral, was then Mr. G. F. Cherry, an amiable sporting civilian of many accomplishments and social graces, but greatly wanting in political insight. Wazir Ali found it easy to conceal from him his treasonable designs, and neither the warnings of the judge, Mr. Samuel Davis, nor the representations of the military authorities and the police, sufficed to put the easygoing Resident on his guard.

Mr. Davis being in close touch with native society, was able to get reliable information of Wazir Ali's proceedings. Finding it impossible to arouse his chief to a sense of the impending danger, he reported the facts direct to the Calcutta Council. Fortunately for the British Empire, the Marquis Wellesley, who soon after the deposition of Wazir Ali had succeeded Sir John Shore as Governor-General, was a statesman of a very different stamp to his predecessor. Immediately he realized the situation he sent orders to Mr. Cherry to inform Wazir Ali that the Government had decided to remove him to Calcutta at

once.

This was a terrible blow to the ex-nawab, whose plan was to seize a favourable opportunity, when the projected war with Tippu Sultan had depleted the British garrisons in northern India, to massacre all the Europeans in Benares, barricade the city, and wait for a general rising to prepare the way for the

(B 488)

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advance of Zeman Shah's army.

At Calcutta, under the eyes of the British Government, he would be helpless, and all hopes of recovering his lost kingdom would be gone for ever.

Finding it impossible to persuade the Government to revoke these orders, Wazir Ali sent notice to Mr. Cherry that he would be ready to start on the 16th January, 1799, and would breakfast with him on the 14th. At the same time he warned his fellow-conspirators to prepare for immediate action. On the morning of the 14th, Wazir Ali and two hundred desperate followers, fully armed, each Muhammadan wrapped in a winding sheet dipped in Mecca's sacred well, started from Madhu Das's Gardens bent on the slaughter of every European in Benares.

On their way to the Resident's house they met Mr. Davis and his wife on an elephant returning from their usual morning ride. It was probably some superstitious idea such as forms the motive in many an Oriental's action, good or bad, which induced them to spare the very man who was destined to frustrate their evil designs, for after a hurried consultation they passed by with the usual salutation. Their first victim was a young civilian named Graham, who was on his way to breakfast with the magistrate. Him they dragged from his palanquin and killed on the spot.

When they reached the Residency, Mr. Cherry, still unsuspecting-in spite of repeated warnings from various quarters-received Wazir Ali with his usual friendliness, and took him in to breakfast. Four of the Nawab's escort, armed with swords, bucklers, and pistols, followed him to the table. As Mr. Cherry

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handed the first cup of tea to his principal guest, Wazir Ali began shouting in his face a fierce tirade against the Resident and the Government, ending with a defiant refusal to obey their orders. Then, as one of his followers moved to a chair at Mr. Cherry's side and pinioned his arms, Wazir Ali rose, seized the Resident by the collar, and slashed at him with his sword. The unfortunate man wrenched himself free, and rushed through the verandah into the garden, only to be cut to pieces by the ruffians outside. His private secretary, named Evans, who was also at the breakfast-table, and an officer staying in the house, were the next victims.

In the meantime Mr. Davis, who had received fresh warnings from the head of the police, had sent a messenger to Mr. Cherry, and was awaiting his return with anxiety. His worst fears were confirmed by the approach of Wazir Ali's murderous gang, and the sound of firing as they shot down the sentry posted at the entrance to his compound.

There was no time to be lost. He hurried his wife and two children, with their ayahs, up the narrow winding staircase which led to the only place of refuge the terraced roof of the house, and rushed back for his firearms. It was too late! The ruffians were already at the door of the house. The only weapon within reach was a pike, over six feet long, used by one of his retainers. It was of iron, plated with silver, and had a sharp triangular steel blade. He seized this and retreated to the top of the staircase, prepared to defend single-handed the only approach to the roof on which his terror-stricken wife and children were crouching.