Chapter 11: A Useful Friend.
"I agree with you that it would be a disadvantage to go as a soldier,"Dick said, after a pause; "but what disguise would you recommend us tochoose?"
"That I must think over. You both look too straight and active to beemployed as the assistants of a trader, or I could have got some of myfriends to take you in that capacity. The best disguise will be agayer attire, such as would be worn by the retainers of some of thechiefs; and were it not that, if questioned, you could not say who wasyour employer, that is what I should recommend."
"I saw a number of men working at a battery they are erecting by theriver side. Could we not take service there until something betterpresents itself?"
"I should not advise that," the native replied, "for the work is veryhard, and the pay poor. Indeed, most of those employed on it are mendriven in from the country round and forced to labour, getting onlyenough pay to furnish them with the poorest food. There would also bethe disadvantage that, if you were so employed, you would have noopportunity of seeing any English captives who may have been broughthere of late.
"All that I can at present do, myself, is to speak to some of myfriends who have been here for a long time, and ask them whether theycan remember an English captive being sent up here from Coorg, someeight years ago, and whether they ever heard what was his fate. Ishould say, of course, that I have received a message from friends atConjeveram; that some of the man's relations have sent out to makeinquiries concerning him, and asking me if I can find any news as tohis fate. My friends may not know themselves, but they may be able tofind out from others. Very many of our people were forced into theranks of the army, and there is not a regiment which has not some menwho, although regarded as Mohammedans, are still at heart, as we allare, as true to our faith as ever.
"It is from these that we are more likely to obtain information thanin any other way. You will not be very long before you will be able tosatisfy yourself as to whether or not he whom you seek is in thiscity; and if he should not be here, there remain but the two townsthat I have named, and the hill forts. As to these, it will bewell-nigh impossible to obtain an entrance, so jealously are they allguarded. None save the garrisons are allowed to enter. The paths,which are often so steep and difficult that men and provisions have tobe slung up in baskets, are guarded night and day, and none areallowed to approach the foot of the rocks within musket shot--lest, Isuppose, they might find some spot where an ascent could be made. Thegarrisons are seldom changed. The soldiers are allowed to take theirwives and families up with them, but once there, they are as muchprisoners as those in the dungeons. That is one reason why captivesonce sent up there never come down again, for were they to do so theymight, if by chance they escaped, be able to give information as tothe approaches that would assist an assailing force.
"I do not say that all are killed, though undoubtedly most of them areput to death soon after they arrive; but it may be that some areretained in confinement, either from no orders being sent for theirexecution, or from their very existence being, in time, forgotten bythe tyrant here. Some of these may languish in dungeons, others mayhave gained the goodwill of the commanders of the fort--for even amongthe Mohammedans there are doubtless many good and merciful men.
"Now for the present. This house has but one storey in front, butthere is a room over this, and that is at your service. Furniture ithas none, but I will, this evening, get a couple of trusses of straw.It is but a loft, but you will not want to use it, save to sleep in.You need not fear interruption in this house. There is scarce a manhere that is not, like myself, a Hindoo, for when we were brought herefrom Mysore, the piece of ground on which the street stands wasassigned to us, and we were directed to build houses here. Few besidesourselves ever enter it, for those who still carry on trade havebooths in the marketplace.
"There is one thing I will tell you at once. We, the persecuted, havemeans of recognising each other. Outward signs there are none, neithercaste mark nor peculiarity of dress; but we know each other by signs.When we salute, we turn in the thumbs as we raise our hands to ourturbans--so. If we have no occasion to salute, as we move our hands,either to stroke our faces, or to touch the handles of our daggers, orin other way, we keep the thumb turned in. If the man be one ofourselves, he replies in the same way. Then, to prevent thepossibility of error, the one asks the other a question--on whatsubject it matters not, providing that before he speaks, he coughsslightly.
"You must remember that such communication is not made lightly. Wereit to be so, it would soon attract notice. It is used when you want toknow whether you can trust a man. It is as much as to say, 'Are you afriend? Can I have confidence in you? Will you help me?'--and you cansee that there are many occasions on which such knowledge may be mostuseful, even to the saving of life."
"I do indeed see it," Dick said, "and greatly are we indebted to youfor telling us of it."
They remained talking with their host, whose name was, he told them,Pertaub, until darkness came on. They had shared his rice with him,and had requested him to lay in such provision as was necessary forthem; and as soon as it became dark they went out, leaving their gunsbehind them.
Busy as the main streets were when they had before passed throughthem, they were very much more so now. The shops were all lighted upby lanterns or small lamps, and the streets were filled with troops,now dismissed from duty, and bent, some on amusement, some inpurchasing small additions to their rations with the scanty payallowed to them. In the open spaces, the soldiers were crowded roundperformers of various kinds. Here was a juggler throwing balls andknives into the air. There was a snake charmer--a Hindoo, doubtless,but too old and too poor to be worth persecuting. A short distance offwas an acrobat turning and twisting himself into strange postures.
Two sword players, with bucklers and blunted tulwars, playedoccasionally against each other, and offered to engage any of thebystanders. Occasionally the invitation would be accepted, but thesword players always proved too skilful for the rough soldiers, whoretired discomfited, amid the jeers of their comrades.
More than one party of musicians played what seemed to Dick mostdiscordant music, but which was appreciated by the soldiers, as wasevident from the plaudits and the number of small coins thrown to theplayers. In the great open space, by the side of the market, the crowdwas thickest. Here were large numbers of booths, gay with lamps. Inone were arranged, on tables, trays of cheap trinkets, calicoes,cloths, blankets, shoes, and other articles of dress. In another werearms, matchlocks, pistols, tulwars, and daggers. On the ground werelines of baskets, filled with grain of many kinds, the vendorssquatting patiently behind them. Some of the traders volubly accostedpassers by. Others maintained a dignified silence, as if theyconsidered the excellence of their wares needed no advertisement.
It was not new, but it was very amusing to Dick, and it was latebefore they returned to their lodging.
"I wish," he said, as they strolled back, "that I were a good juggleror musician. It seems to me that it would be an excellent disguise,and we could go everywhere without question, and get admittance intoall sorts of places we could not get a chance of entering into in anyother way."
"Yes, that would be a good thing," Surajah agreed; "but I am sure thatI could not do anything, even if you could."
"No, I quite see that, and I am not thinking of trying; but it wouldhave been a first-rate plan."
"You are very good at sword play," Surajah suggested, althoughsomewhat doubtfully.
Dick laughed.
"The first really good swordsman that came along would make anexhibition of me. No; one would have to do something really well."
The subject was renewed, after they had seated themselves withPertaub.
"It would be an excellent disguise," he agreed. "A good juggler couldgain admission to the Palace, and might even enter forts where noothers could set foot; for life there is dull, indeed, and anyone whocould amuse the soldiers would be certain of a welcome, and even agovernor might
be willing to see his feats."
"Could one bribe a conjurer to let one pass as his assistant?"
"That would be impossible," the Hindoo said, "for an assistant wouldhave opportunities for learning the tricks, and no money would inducea really good juggler to divulge his secrets, which have been passeddown from father to son for centuries."
"If one had thought of it," Dick said, "one could have bought, inLondon, very many things which would have seemed almost magical to thepeople here. I am afraid that we must go on, on our old line. It is apity, for the other would have been first rate."
"I have obtained for you, this evening, two suits of clothes such aswe spoke of. In them you can pass as followers of some petty rajah,and are not likely to attract attention. I have inquired among some ofmy friends, and hear that the Rajah of Bohr left here today with hisfollowing. He is but a petty chief, and Bohr lies up north, close tothe Nizam's frontier. Thus, if you should be asked in whose serviceyou are, you will have a name to give, and there will be no fear ofyour being contradicted.
"If you are still further questioned by anyone with a right to ask,you can say that you were told to remain here, in order to see howfast the drilling of the troops went on, and to send the Rajah areport when it is time for him to return here to accompany Tippoo onhis march. You will, of course, account for your dialect by keeping toyour present story, that you came from a village on the ghauts, inorder to enter the service of one of our rajahs; and that your fatherhaving, years ago, been a soldier in the pay of the Rajah of Bohr, youmade your way there direct, instead of coming to the capital."
"That will do excellently, Pertaub. It was a fortunate moment, indeed,that brought us to your door."
"I have done nothing as yet, Sahib; but I hope that, in time, I may beable to be of use to you. It was fortunate for me as well as for you,perhaps, that you stopped at my door. Of late I have had nothing tothink of, save my own grief and troubles, but now I have something togive an interest to my life, and already I feel that I need not merelydrag it on, until I am relieved of its burden.
"And now, Sahibs, I am sure that rest must be needful for you, andwould recommend that you seek your beds at once."
On the following morning, Pertaub brought up the garments that he hadbought for them. Nothing could be more irregular than the dress of thearmed retainers of an Indian rajah. All attire themselves according totheir fancy. Some carry spears and shields, others matchlocks. Somewear turbans, others iron caps. The cut and colour of their garmentsare also varied in the extreme.
Dick's dress consisted of a steel cap, with a drooping plume of redhorsehair, and a red tunic with a blue sash. Over it was worn a skirtof linked mail which, with leggings fitting tightly, completed thecostume. Surajah had a red turban, a jerkin of quilted leather, withiron scales fastened on to protect the shoulders and chest. A scarletkilt hung to his knees, and his legs were enclosed in putties, orswathes, of coarse cloth, wound round and round them. He wore a blueand gold girdle.
Dick laughed as he surveyed the appearance of himself and Surajah.
"We are a rum-looking couple," he said, "but I have seen plenty ofmen, just as gaudy, in the train of some of the rajahs who visited thecamp when we were up here. I think that it is a much better disguisethan the one we wore yesterday. I sha'n't be afraid that the firstofficer we meet will ask us to what regiment we belong. There werescores of fellows lounging about in the streets last night, dressed aswe are."
Sticking their swords and pistols into their girdles, they salliedout, and were pleased to find that no one paid the slightest attentionto them. They remained in the town until some battalions of recruitspoured out from the fort, to drill on the grounds between it and thetown. The first four that passed were, as Dick learnt from the remarksof some of the bystanders, composed entirely of boys--some of themChristians, thirty thousand of whom had been carried off by Tippoo, inhis raid on Travancore; and the young men were compelled to serve,after being obliged to become, nominally, Mohammedans. After theChelah battalions came those of Tippoo's army.
"These fellows look as if they could fight," Dick said. "They are anirregular lot, and don't seem to have an idea of keeping line, ormarching in step, but they are an active-looking set of fellows, andcarry themselves well. As to the Chelahs, I should say they would beno good whatever, even if they could be relied on, which we know theycannot be. They look dejected and miserable, and I suppose hate it allas much as their officers do. I should back half a regiment of Englishto lick the twelve battalions. I wonder Tippoo, himself, does not seethat troops like these must be utterly useless."
"I don't expect he thinks they would be of much use," Surajah agreed."He only turned them into soldiers to gratify his hatred of them."
Leaving the troops, they walked on and entered the great fort, whichenclosed an area of nearly two square miles. In this were Tippoo'spalace, his storehouses--containing grain sufficient for the garrison,for a siege of many months--mosques, the residences of Tippoo'sofficials and officers, the arsenals, and the huts for the troops.There was also a street of shops, similar to those in the town.
Wandering about, unquestioned, they came presently upon a scene thatfilled Dick with indignation and fury. Two white officers, heavilyironed, were seated on the ground. Another, similarly ironed, laystretched beside them. He was naked from the waist up. His back wascovered with blood, and he had evidently been recently flogged, untilhe fell insensible. Half a dozen savage-looking men, evidentlyexecutioners of Tippoo's orders, were standing round, jeering at theprisoners and refusing their entreaties to bring some water for theircomrade.
"You brutes!" one of the captives exclaimed, in English. "I would giveall my hopes of liberty, for ten minutes face to face with you, withswords in our hands."
"They would not be of much use to us," the other said quietly. "It isfour days since we had a mouthful of food, and they would make veryshort work of us."
"All the better," the other exclaimed. "Death would be a thousand-foldpreferable to this misery."
Dick felt that, if he remained longer, he would be unable to containhimself; and turning hastily away, walked off, accompanied by Surajah.
"It is awful!" he exclaimed, with tears running down his cheeks; "andto be able to do nothing! What must Father have gone through! I think,Surajah, that if we were to come upon Tippoo I should go for him, evenif he were surrounded by guards. Of course it would cost me my life.If I could kill him, I think I should not mind it. Such a villain isnot fit to live; and at any rate, whoever came after him, theprisoners could not be worse off than they are now.
"Let us go back. I have had enough for this morning."
When they returned, Dick told Pertaub of the scene that he hadwitnessed.
"Many of them have been starved to death," the old man said. "Possiblyone of their companions may have tried to escape. It is to preventthis that Tippoo's greatest cruelties are perpetrated. It is not sovery difficult to get away, and take to the jungle. Some havesucceeded, but most of them are retaken, for a watch is vigilantlykept up, at every village and every road leading on to the frontier;and if caught, they are hung or forced to take poison. But whetherthey are caught or not, Tippoo's vengeance falls upon theircompanions. These are flogged, ironed, and kept without rations forweeks--living, if they do live, upon the charity of their guards.
"This is why there are so few attempts at escape. A man knows that,whether he himself gets off or not, he dooms his companions totorture, perhaps death. One case I remember, in which an Englishsailor, one out of nine, attempted to get away. He was captured andkilled at once, and his eight companions were all hung. So you see,even if one of the captives sees a chance of escape, he does not takeit, because of the consequences that would fall upon his companions."
"It is horrible," Dick said, "and I can quite understand why so fewescape. The question for me, now, is whether there are any prisonerskept in dungeons here."
"Not here, I think. Tippoo's policy is to make all his captivesuseful, a
nd though one might be ironed and confined for a time, I donot think that any are so kept, permanently, here. There were, ofcourse, some confined to the fort by illness, and some in irons. Itmay need some little search, before you are quite sure that you haveseen every one. However, I will try to find out how many there arethere, and to get as many of the names as possible. Some of myfriends, who keep shops in the fort, may be able to do this for me.This would shorten your task.
"But I cannot hold out any hopes that you will find him whom you seekin the city. It is among the hill forts you will find him, if he bealive. I have been turning the matter over, since you spoke to me lastnight, and the best plan I can think of is, that you should go as atravelling merchant, with Surajah as your assistant. You would want agood assortment of goods; fine muslins and silks, and a good selectionof silver jewellery, from different parts of India. All these I couldpurchase for you here. If, by good luck, you could obtain a sight ofthe commander of one of these forts, you might possibly obtainpermission from him to go up, and show your wares to the ladies of hisestablishment, and to those of other officers. The present of ahandsome waist sash, or a silver-mounted dagger, might incline himfavourably to your petition."
"I think that the idea is an excellent one," Dick said warmly. "If wecannot get in in that way, there seems to me to be no chance, save bytaking a careful survey of the fortress, to discover where the rockscan be most easily climbed. There must surely be some spots, evenamong the steepest crags, where active fellows like Surajah and myselfwould be able to scale them. Of course, we should have to do it afterdark; but once up there, one ought to be able to move about in thefort without difficulty, as we should, of course, be dressed assoldiers, and could take dark blankets to wrap round us. We ought thento be able to find where any prisoners who may be there are confined.There might be a sentry at the door, or, if there were no other way,one might pounce upon someone, force him by threats to tell us whatprisoners there are, and where they are confined; and then bind andgag him, and stow him away where there would be no chance of his beingdiscovered before daylight."
"There would be a terrible risk in such a matter," Pertaub said,shaking his head gravely.
"No doubt there would be risk, but we came here prepared to encounterdanger, and if it were well managed, I don't see why we should befound out. Even if we were, we ought to be able to slip away, in thedarkness, and make our way to the point where we went up. Once down onthe plain, we could renew our disguise as traders, and, however hotlythey scoured the country, pass without suspicion through them.
"I think that there will be more chance, in that way, than in going inas traders; for we should, in that case, have little chance of walkingabout, still less of questioning anyone. However, it is worth tryingthat first. We can always fall back upon the other, if it fails. Wemight, on our first visit, obtain indications that would be veryuseful to us on our second."