"
"He is a fine old heathen," Captain Doolan said; "tell him that we
accept his terms."
Bathurst at once signified this, and the Rajah then took a solemn
oath to fulfill the conditions of the agreement, the other Talookdars
doing the same, and the commander of the Sepoys also doing so
without hesitation. Por Sing then promised that some carts should
be collected before morning, to carry the ladies, the sick and
wounded, down to the river, which was eight miles distant.
"You can sleep in quiet tonight," he added; "I will place a guard
of my own men round the house, and see that none trouble you in
any way."
A few other points were settled, and then the party returned to
the house, to which they were followed a few minutes later by the
son of Por Sing and three lads, sons of other Zemindars. Bathurst
went down to meet them when their approach was noticed by the
lookout on the roof.
"We have come to place ourselves in your hands as hostages, sahib,"
Por Sing's son said. "My father thought it likely that the Sepoys
or others might make trouble, and he said that if we were in your
hands as hostages, all our people would see that the agreement must
be kept, and would oppose themselves more vigorously to the Sepoys."
"It was thoughtful and kind of your father," Bathurst said. "As
far as accommodation is concerned, we can do little to make you
comfortable, but in other respects we are not badly provided."
Some of the native servants were at once told off to erect an awning
over a portion of the terrace.
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