Bathurst acted as spokesman.
"Por Sing," he said, "and you Zemindars of Oude, Major Hannay being
disabled, Captain Doolan, who is now in command of the garrison,
has come to represent him and to offer to surrender to you under
the condition that the lives of all British and natives within the
walls be respected, and that you pledge us your faith and honor that
we shall be permitted to go down the country without molestation.
It is to you, Por Sing, and you nobles of Oude, that we surrender,
and not to those who, being sworn soldiers, have mutinied against
their officers, and have in many cases treacherously murdered them.
With such men Major Hannay will have no dealings, and it is to you
that we surrender. Major Hannay bids me say that if this offer is
refused, we can for a long time prolong our resistance. We are amply
supplied with provisions and munitions of war, and many as are the
numbers of our assailants who have fallen already, yet more will
die before you obtain possession of the house. More than that, in
no case will we be taken prisoners, for one and all have firmly
resolved to fire the magazine when resistance is no longer possible,
and to bury ourselves and our assailants in the ruins."
When Bathurst ceased, a hubbub of voices arose, the Sepoy officers
protesting that the surrender should be made to them. It was some
minutes before anything like quietness was restored, and then one
of the officers said, "Here is Rujub; he speaks in the name of
Nana.
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