PERIL OF THE BRITISH 213 among Chêt Singh's followers was intense, and before any steps could be taken to repair the blunder, large bodies of armed men crossed the river from the Raja's Fort at Ramnagar, surrounded the palace, and fell upon the sepoy guard. The reinforcements which were sent arrived too late to prevent the massacre which followed. During the tumult Chêt Singh escaped to Ramnagar by lowering himself from one of the windows of the palace, for the river was in high flood and boats could be brought close under the palace walls. The position of Hastings was then critical in the extreme. "If Chêt Singh's people," as he observes, "after they had effected his rescue, had proceeded to my quarters at Mahadew Das's Garden, instead of crowding after him in a tumultuous manner, as they did in his passage over the river, it is most probable that my blood, and that of about thirty English gentlemen of my party, would have been added to the recent carnage, for they were over two thousand in number, furious and daring from the easy success of the last attempt, nor could I assemble more than fifty regular and armed Sepoys for my whole defence." Warren Hastings does not overestimate the dangers. of the situation to the whole British empire in India when he adds: “Such a stroke as that which I have supposed would have been universally considered as decisive of the national fate; every state around it would have started into arms against it, and every subject of its own dominion would according to their several abilities have become its enemy". The history of British India is largely the history of the blunders of incompetent bureaucrats, and the struggles of capable men of action with an impossible official machinery. There is no doubt that the loss to the Government at that crisis of Hastings' administrative courage and genius would have been a blow from which the British power might never have recovered. A fresh disaster added to the peril of the British community in Benares. Hastings, immediately on the news of the outbreak, had sent orders to Captain Mahaffre, commanding the remainder of the detachment near Mirzapur, to bring up his men without delay, but on no account to risk an attack on Ramnagar, which was strongly defended by the Raja's followers. That officer, profiting by what he believed to be an opportunity for distinguishing himself, in direct defiance of orders, attempted to rush the Fort, and paid the penalty with his own life and the loss of most of his men. This success elated the enemy so much that they determined to assume the offensive and attack Hastings at his quarters in Madhu Das's Gardens. The whole British force there collected now amounted to only four hundred and fifty men, under Major Popham, and, finding his position indefensible, Hastings, with that officer's approval, determined to retreat to the fort of Chunar, a strong position higher up the river. The retreat of the little British force, accompanied by the whole British community of Benares, was effected in safety. Hastings then, in consultation with his most capable military adviser, prepared to collect reinforcements and to organize defensive and offensive war against the Raja. In the meantime Chêt Singh, while still making feeble attempts to gain time by sending half-apologetic, INSURRECTION CRUSHED 217 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 |