CHAPTER IX
John Company
Major Alexander was not the man to be hurried, and moreover, though asoldier, he was a studious gentleman, and having accepted the task ofenlightening his two young proteges, he was not the one to do it in ahalf-hearted manner. He sipped his tea with deliberation, and afterwardslay back in his chair, apparently more concerned with the rings of smokewhich he blew from his lips than with India, the affairs of the Company,whose servant he was, and the war which he had intimated was about totake place. Then he yawned, sat up briskly, and gazed at Owen.
"That's what happened," he said. "This peaceful trading Company becamepugnacious, not of its own freewill perhaps, but because it was for everbeing harassed by others, and was for ever made to feel the effect ofunfair competition on the part of the Portuguese and the Dutch.Moreover, its properties had increased, and military and sea power werenecessary to protect not only the trading ports but the vessels andtheir cargoes as they went to England. Had they confined their energiesto protection they would have done well, but they commenced upon theunwise policy of attacking the Mogul Emperor, and were badly worsted,Surat being wrested from them. However, it is stated that the treasuryof the Emperor was low, and the combatants came to friendly relationsagain, so that Surat was restored to the Company. Meanwhile, however,the French had secured a footing, and had obtained a strip of land atPondicherry, where they fortified themselves. This, as you may imagine,was a blow to the Company, and it became more than ever necessary toconsolidate their power and prepare for eventualities. They obtainedanother concession, and some few years later built Fort William, here inCalcutta, and set up their trading post. Indeed, Calcutta was made thepresidency of all the Company's possessions, and rapidly rose inimportance. At this stage, if you have followed me carefully, you findthe traders, whose servants we are, in possession of posts in Bengal,Madras, and Bombay.
"And now I have brought the Company to a point in its history whenmatters became very critical for it," went on the Major, after he hadpaused for breath. "Their successes, the profits they had made, and thenoise which their condition caused in England, led others to ventureinto the same region, bent on trading enterprises, and we find that asecond company was formed, and then a third. This was a blow indeed tothe old Corporation, but in the end the three bodies were united, and in1708 they became 'The United Company of Merchants of England trading tothe East Indies.' As you may imagine, such a settlement resulted in anenormous increase in the power and opulence of the Company, and, infact, it is from this period that we find it really beginning to controlthe affairs of a portion of India. Its fortunes were consolidated, itsmilitary power increasing, and its sea power no small item when comparedwith former years. In fact, we can turn from it for a moment to considerthe affairs of India itself, and thereby lead up to the war in which Itrust we shall all three win honour and promotion."
"And what of the Mogul Emperor?" asked Owen, as the Major stopped for amoment. "I don't pretend to know who is the ruler now, but I have heardthat there is more than one."
"You shall hear. Even the mightiest emperor must die, and this manjoined the great majority, and his son Azim was proclaimed emperor inhis stead. It was a fine opportunity for the firebrands of the countryto draw their swords, and Bahadur Shah seized the throne of Cabul, andfollowed by a horde of Afghans, Khyberees, and many other fanaticalnorthern tribes, marched down to Agra. There they defeated Azim, slayinghim and two of his sons, and capturing another son who was an infant atthat time.
"But if these men sought to settle down in their possessions they weremistaken, for an example once set can be followed. A revolt broke out inthe South, known as the Deccan, that part of India which lies south ofthe Nerbudda river. The leader was defeated and slain, and the men whofollowed him dispersed. But even this signal victory did not secure thethrone of the man who had won the title of Emperor. Others were anxiousto throw off his yoke, and we find that he was forced to make terms withthe Rajpoots and with the Mahrattas, then as now a plundering race offreebooters. Nor were his troubles ended when these treaties had beenmade, for the Sikhs came upon him in their thousands, and ravaged hiscountry to Lahore on one side, and as far as Delhi on the other. In theend Bahadur drove them back to the mountains, and there was peace. Buthe did not enjoy it long. He died in 1712, and left his throne moretottering than ever. For he left us no fewer than four sons who eachdesired to fill the post of Emperor.
"Zehander triumphed over the other three, and held his post for a time,ruthlessly murdering or torturing all princes upon whom he could lay hishands. Then he was dethroned by his nephew, who had reigned but a fewyears when the Sikhs came down again and raided him, being helped by theMahrattas.
"Was there ever such a condition of affairs? The country was for everbeing upset, while the peoples of Hindustan could settle to nothing. Butif their affairs were disturbed, the constant troubles helped theCompany of whom I have been telling you. They took every advantage ofthe strife to increase their hold, and it may interest you to hear thatthe humble efforts of another doctor aided them considerably, he havingwon favour by his skilful treatment of the Mogul. I will not tell youhow this strife continued. It will be sufficient if I say emperorfollowed emperor with some rapidity, assassination and poisonaccounting for more than one, till Mohammed Shah occupied the throne,when the power of the Mogul declined very sensibly. Then came a split,the Deccan being seized by revolters, while the Northern Provinces fellto the arms of the Rohillas. Following this the great Nadir Shah invadedIndia from Persia, with a host amounting to 80,000, and overran thecountry, sacking Delhi and many another town, and reducing the land topoverty, for plunder was his sole aim. When he retired the Emperor waspenniless and utterly cast down, while Mahrattas and Afghans for evermenaced him. Adventurers and rebels cropped up on every side, and byforce of arms lopped off some portion of the Mogul's territories.
"If the Emperor had his troubles, so also had the Company, for certainpirates preyed upon them. Then the French East India Company wasbecoming more and more a thorn in the flesh, and indeed laid siege toand captured Madras. And amongst their captives was that young manClive, whose name is now so well known in and out of India. Therefollowed many attempts on Fort St. David, situated on the Coromandelcoast about one hundred miles from Madras, and only fourteen fromPondicherry, and for a time the fortunes of the Company were desperate.But recruits were gathered and the fort made completely safe. Then thespirit of the English led them to retaliate, and Pondicherry wasbesieged, but with little success. Finally, the peace of Aix-la-Chapellesettled the enmity of the two nations for a time, and Madras was handedback to us.
"But was it possible for two opposing companies, each seeking for themastery, to be on friendly terms?"
The Major appealed to his two listeners as he waved his handsdeprecatingly. "Just so; national ambitions are apt to causehostilities, and in a little while French and English were at war again,despite the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle. But meanwhile the Company espousedthe cause of Sivaji, Prince of Tanjore, an extensive district in theCarnatic, who had been deposed by his brother, Pretauab Sing. In returnthe Company was to have Devi-Cottah and the surrounding district. I neednot go farther into that matter; but our interference was not toosuccessful, though we obtained the post we wanted. But we were not toenjoy it tranquilly, for here the French appeared again, aiding variousprinces in the Carnatic, and stirring up rebellion. Indeed, for manyyears the Company had to struggle against them, with varying fortune,till Clive came prominently on the scene. Then our luck turned, whilethat of the French began to decline. Troubles with French and nativesalternated; Calcutta was captured by the newly throned Nabob of Bengal,and was taken again and avenged by Clive, who, proceeding on hisever-victorious way, finally defeated the Nabob at Plassey, and set MeerJaffier on the throne, at the same time signing a treaty with him whichwas eminently satisfactory to the Company. There followed a long seriesof conflicts with the French under Lally, in which Fort St. David andDevi-Cottah wer
e taken. But our fortunes revived, and in the endPondicherry was captured from our enemies. To tell all that followed,in which Clive had any dealings, would be to ask you to listen to anendless succession of struggles, successes, and failures. I will merelysay that this great man having returned to England, the affairs of theCompany in Bengal fell into a bad way, and he was persuaded to return.He became Governor-General and Dictator, and under his able managershipthe affairs of the corporation rose to a secure footing.
"If you have followed me you will have gathered that the fortunes of theCompany had fluctuated, but that on the whole they had vastly risensince those first years when the enterprise was commenced. Fighting andconflicts had become the order of the day, and were still to continue,for now, my lads, we meet with another character, Hyder Ali, afreebooter and adventurer, who, with wonderful success, gathered men tohis banner, and finally became ruler of huge tracts in Mysore andelsewhere. With him we went to war, but with ill success. Then followeda treaty with him, and that had barely been signed when the Peishwaattacked him with his Mahrattas, and humbled the pride of thismarvellous land-pirate.
"And now I am getting to the close of my little lecture," said theMajor, turning away from his listeners for a few moments while he staredout through the wide-open windows. "I arrive at a time when others cameforward to interfere with the Company. Hitherto none had had their sayas to the actions of the great and wealthy corporation. But the EnglishGovernment had been itching to have a finger in this very rich andappetising pie, and while this conflict raged between Mahrattas andHyder Ali, the Commons insisted on having a representative in India, andon controlling the working of the Company. There followed a war withTanjore and its conquest, and afterwards a reduction of the Rohillacountry, the great Warren Hastings being Governor-General.
"Meanwhile the Mogul was but a name, a name to be scoffed at and to beopenly derided. The days had passed when men trembled in his presence orat mention of his power, for on every side powerful princes and upstartadventurers defied the ruler of Hindustan, and carved out new fortunesand new possessions for themselves. It was not now a case of fightingagainst the Mogul, but a campaign for obtaining the largest possessions,the greatest riches and the utmost territory. And this ambitious policyled to war on every hand. India was continuously the scene of nativeintrigue and hostility, hostility which, as it raised some obscureindividual to power and opulence, threatened the rule of the Company.Then, too, the Company's ambitious policy, and their constant desire toincrease their own territories and power, did not make for peace, and wefind them at war with the Mahrattas, their desire being to obtainpossession of the island of Salsette. A little later their equanimitywas upset by the uprising of a Scottish East India Company, which,however, did not survive for long.
"And now we come to another stage in the history of this wonderfulcompany. The French again appear upon the scene, in the person of theChevalier St. Lubin, who took up his residence at Poonah, and began tohave great influence with the Mahrattas. Pondicherry had been restoredto France, and the two nations were at peace, though at this periodthere were many eminent Frenchmen aiding the Americans in their war ofindependence. Then followed a war with the Mahrattas, terminated by apeace which gained little if anything for the Company; and shortlyafterwards Hyder Ali again appeared upon the scene, and we went to warwith him. He died, and his son, the famous Tippoo Sahib, succeeded him.And against this young chieftain we waged three campaigns, in the secondof which our troops were joined by our old enemies, the Mahrattas.Finally Tippoo was beaten and humbled, and in the end sued for peace.Thus the war with Mysore was ended for a time. In following years wefind the Mahrattas again on the war-path, this time engaged with theNizam. Then come the reduction of the Dutch settlements, many a battlewith the French, for the main part at sea, a military charter granted tothe Company, and once more the intrusion of our old opponents theFrench. They united with Tippoo, and in a final campaign this prince wasslain, the whole of Mysore being conquered.
"Then followed a settlement of Indian territory. The lands which HyderAli had brought beneath the sway of his sword were divided up, afragment of its previous belongings was restored to the old MogulEmpire, 20,000 square miles of territory were annexed by the Company,and alliances made where possible. Nor did progress cease there, for ourpower increased in every part of India whither the Company turned itsattention. Ceylon called for the despatch of troops, while a littlelater there came news that the French had other designs on India and hadsent their troops to Egypt, hoping to take ship from Suez and invade ourpossessions. That is a tale of yesterday, and you will recollect how theattempt was utterly and completely frustrated. But their aims andambitions were not thereby completely wrecked, for they had been forlong steadily engaged in helping the Mahrattas, and the militaryefficiency of the latter has come to a dangerous height. That brings usto the present time, my lads, and leads to the cause of this war inwhich we are about to take part.
"Perron, a Frenchman, has trained the battalions of Scindia, a great andoverbearing Mahratta prince, and this ruler openly derided the Peishwa,his chief. At the same time he quarrelled with Holkar, another powerfulMahratta chief, and being defeated, left the Peishwa open to attack. Thelatter fled to us for protection, with the result that we have made atreaty with him and finally replaced him on his throne. This treaty,which aimed at the overthrow of the Mahratta confederation of chiefs,met with fierce opposition from Scindia, who promptly rallied his armiesand showed an unmistakable desire to be hostile. That is how the matterrests at this moment so far as I know. Scindia may have withdrawn hismen at our request, or he may have declined to do so. That is morelikely, and to protect ourselves we are bound to fight him. There isknown to exist a confederation of powerful Mahratta chiefs, and, as Ihave said, we have information that Perron and his lieutenants haveorganised and trained thousands of fighting men. It is time to move ifwe are not to meet with still fiercer opposition. If we fight now wehave a prospect of victory, while if we wait the power of the Mahrattasincreases. Moreover, while Buonaparte lives, and the French have ships,India may at any moment be invaded by the legions of the Emperor. But weall have hopes of Nelson. Some day I trust he may smash the sea power ofFrance as surely as I trust we shall crush the battalions of theMahrattas.
"Thus you will see our cause for war. We must crush these battalionstrained by Perron, or our own existence will be imperilled; and we mustcurb for ever the high ambitions and growing power of Scindia and thecoterie of princes who have joined their fortunes with his. Soon, verysoon, I hope, we shall march for the front, and then, my lads, honourand promotion."
He sank back in his chair and smiled at his listeners, pleased to havebeen able to satisfy their longing for knowledge, and not a little proudthat he had been able to hold their close attention. Owen stared down athis leg, after having thanked the Major, and wondered when he would befit to travel, and whether after all he would be lucky enough to takehis share in the coming campaign. However, on the following day hisspirits rose, for the surgeon who had been called in to attend to himheld out hopes of a speedier recovery than had been promised.
"The country seems to agree with you, or perhaps it is the thought ofthis war which has made matters mend a little," he smiled. "This woundis healthy, and is closing fast. There is no bullet or other matter init now, and therefore I fancy you will be about before long. Oh yes, youwill be in time to go up country and test the bullets of the enemy."
As it proved, however, there was no violent hurry, for the difficultiesof commissariat and transport, the besetting difficulty of all armieswhen on the move, kept the troops in Calcutta for another six weeks, andere that time had passed Owen was himself again. The wound was locatedin a part where horse exercise gave little strain, and before the troopsleft he had been able to mount.
"But you must on no account venture to trot or canter yet," said thesurgeon, as he lifted a warning finger. "Get your limb used to theexercise by gentle degrees, so that by the time the march is ended y
ouwill be fit for anything."
The weeks as they went by brought abundant interest to the two friends,for Jack and Owen were close companions now, and the Major had taken agreat fancy to both of them. As to our hero's affairs, they had settledthemselves very nicely. Mr. Halbut, with his usual consideration andthought, had taken steps to see that his protege lacked nothing, andthough generous, did not spoil his friend. In accordance with hispromise the Governor called, and congratulated Owen.
"My great friend, Mr. Halbut, has written me about you," he said, as hesat down beside our hero, "and I am very pleased to think that I amable to send him such an excellent report. But let me tell you of thearrangements made for your service. You will be gazetted in the courseof a few days to the 7th native cavalry, and will join that regiment upcountry. The appointment will be antedated, so that you will draw payand allowances from the day on which you sailed from England. I havealso made arrangements with one of our English banking firms to pay youa hundred rupees per month. This will continue during Mr. Halbut'spleasure, and until you are promoted. There is also a sum set aside foryour uniforms, and for horses. My young friend, you have found agenerous benefactor, and from what I can hear he has at lengthdiscovered a subject of absorbing interest. He has his own views on theways of educating our young men, and you are the test which will proveor disprove his views. You have the right stuff in you. You have come tothe front already by your own efforts. That is a good beginning. I shallnot favour you. You must rely upon yourself and your own exertions.Still, your commanding officers will always be fair and just. A reportwill go forward that you have seen service, and have behaved well. Alsothat you are fitted for the post of interpreter, as you speak Hindustaniand Mahratti fluently. That reminds me, I must have an example of yourpowers. I speak a little Mahratti, and Hindustani well enough to getalong. Call some one who is good at both."
Owen was delighted, and flushed to the roots of his hair. His pleasureat his appointment was very great, and deep down in his generous youngheart was a full sense of gratitude to his good friend in England. Inhis silent and quiet way he then and there, not for the first time byany means, registered a vow to prosper, to push on, to face all risksand hazards if by doing so he could rise. He would push on up theladder, rung by rung, for his own sake, but more than all so that hemight do credit to Mr. Halbut and the sergeant.
When six weeks had passed there was an evident stir in Calcutta; sepoysand white troops patrolled the thoroughfares, and cannon rumbled overthe roughly paved streets. Officers cantered here and there, dressed inthe most elegant and becoming uniform, and one which has never beensurpassed since. And amongst these officers were occasionally to be seentwo young men, Owen and Jack, the latter an ensign in a sepoy regiment.Both were bronzed by the sun, while our hero, if he happened todismount, limped ever so slightly. They were filled to the very brimwith high spirits and good temper, and as they came and went were forever saluting the friends they had made. For their adventures in Sumatrahad brought them to prominence.
"To-morrow we start," said the Major with a sigh of satisfaction. "Thetents have gone ahead, and when we come up to the end of the day's marchwe shall find all in readiness. That is luxury, and is the way to travelin this country. But it will not last for ever. We shall soon have tohave flanking guards, and a strong force in advance, with a rear-guardto cover us in that direction. There will be a dozen of us going up tojoin our regiments, and we have arranged to stick together."
Before the dawn broke on the following morning the movement wascommenced, and thereafter, for many a day, the white troops and thesepoy regiments continued to march, often during the hours of night, toavoid the midday heat. Their faces were set towards Poonah, somethousand miles across India, where they were to fall in with othertroops. They lived well, and spent the time merrily, for the thought ofwar was pleasant to all. And in time they arrived within three hundredmiles of Poonah, in a country where Mahratta horse had already ravagedthe villages, and had gone, leaving nothing but death and starvationbehind them. It was here, one early morning, that Owen met with anotheradventure. Their commissariat was low, and he and Mulha had ridden outto see what could be found.
"We have seen none but villagers, and they have been half-starved, poorpeople!" said Owen, as he and the native trotted along, the latterlooking a very fine specimen of humanity, for now that he was dressed inMahratta costume, his lithe figure was seen to advantage, while he sathis horse as only a Mahratta can, with that easy seat seen amongst theBoers in South Africa, and yet with the grip a British cavalrymanadopts. But the Mahratta carries himself so gracefully erect that thedifference between all three, though so small and so subtle, is easy todetect.
"And the sahib will find it difficult to get food," observed Mulha."But there is a castle yonder on the hill, and there we might gatherprovisions."
"I had my eye upon it," answered Owen. "Who would live there?"
"Perhaps a small chief, sahib. Possibly a well-to-do farmer. Who cansay? It may be poor, like these villages, and the walls may be but ashell surrounding the burned interior. These freebooters who fight forScindia would spy that place miles away, and would hardly leave it."
"Still they may have passed by it, and in these days when grub is soscarce----"
"And the officer sahibs do not receive rations----"
"Just so. We buy our own, till we reach our regiments--that's why wehave to forage about for ourselves. There's a chance of food, Mulha, andwe'll look into the matter."
They shook their bridles and cantered across country towards the smallcastle, talking as they went. Hundreds of times already had Owencongratulated himself on the fact that he had obtained the services ofthe native, for on the road he had proved invaluable. Then, too, thanksto the fact that they often rode side by side, Owen's Mahratti hadbecome almost perfect. On this occasion they talked in that language,and were still chatting when they arrived within two hundred yards ofthe castle. No one was to be seen, though there were indications thatmen and horses had been about.
"You can see the hoof-marks of the horses even without dismounting,"said Mulha. "See there, sahib. It rained during the night, and thosebeasts passed in some two hours ago. There are many. Can it be that theyare the animals ridden by troops?"
They halted to discuss the matter, while Owen, now active again, andalmost without a limp, dropped lightly out of his saddle and inspectedthe track.
"The hoof-marks are small and distinct," he said at length. "Some arepointing to the castle, and some to the plain. The horses were walking."
"Then they are probably beasts owned by the man who lives here. Thesahib has a keen eye. He notes the small things which make for safety,and which the careless officer overlooks. Shall we advance, sahib?"
Owen nodded. Food was urgently required, and each day one of theofficers who were travelling through with the troops was sent out togather what he could. It was Owen's turn to-day, and self-respectdemanded that he should not return empty-handed. He swung himself intohis saddle and put his heels into his horse's flanks, setting him at acanter along the track, Mulha being just behind. They had arrived withina few yards of the castle, a very small affair as it proved, when therewas a shout, a dozen loud reports, and as many bullets came screamingabout their ears. Then to their amazement a troop of wild horsemen burstfrom a thick cover of trees some three hundred yards away, and withtulwars brandished above their heads came dashing towards them. At thesame instant a loud call was blown upon some instrument within thecastle, and a dishevelled figure appeared above the gateway.
"We were attacked early this morning, and only saw you a moment before,"the man called out in Mahratti. "Will you enter? You will be cut topieces if you attempt to ride away."
Owen did not hesitate. As the bullets sang about his ears, and thehorsemen thundered out from behind the tope of trees, he stood up in hisstirrups and surveyed them with every sign of amazement. But the man'svoice and the weird call from the castle roused him. Digging spurs intothe animal he rode
, he galloped right up to the door and thundered uponit with the butt of his pistol.
"Open!" he shouted. "Quick, or we shall be taken!"
They heard the rasping of bolts, low voices, and the excited shouts ofthe native above. Then one of the massive doors was dragged back andthey rode in. A glance showed a hollow square, with a residence of smallproportions built against one wall. There was a path constructed aroundthe summit of the walls, and on this and in the square were some thirtypeons, or husbandmen, all armed with swords or matchlocks. Owen swunghimself from his saddle and raced up a flight of open steps to the wallabove. The advancing horsemen were close upon them, dashing pell-mellagainst the still open gate.
"Close it quietly," he shouted. "Let all those not engaged with the gatecome up here. Now, the men who have guns must get ready to fire. But nota shot till I give the word. Bear that in mind. Not a shot!"
The few weeks during which he had been in India had given him awonderful air of authority, and had accustomed him to the natives. Andthe surprise of the peons and their ruler was immense as he quietly tookthe command and addressed them in their own language. A moment beforethere had been every sign of impending panic. But as Owen drew hispistol again and leaned over the parapet, and Mulha followed suit, thepeons came racing up to the walls, priming their weapons as they ran,and stood there awaiting the word from the young white leader who had sosuddenly and unexpectedly appeared.