and now the home of one of India's discrowned magnates. There were no European troops. An Infantry regiment — the 19th, — a corps of irregular Cavalry and a battery of Artillery, composed the native force. Here, before the close of February, the excitement became acute. The 19th broke into open mutiny. The men refused the copper caps tendered to them for a parade, and presently rushed to their arms. The Colonel, after vainly endeavouring to persuade or intimidate them into submission, and not too confident of the support of the rest of the force, was compelled to purchase their return to discipline by a concession which was equivalent to surrender to a mutinous demonstration.
At Calcutta, meanwhile, prompt measures had. been taken to allay the excitement. An order was promulgated, informing the troops at Barrackpur that they would be allowed to purchase for themselves the ingredients for greasing their cartridges. General Hearsey, the General of the Division, an officer thoroughly familiar with native feeling, addressed the brigade and explained to the troops the futility of their alarms. His explanations fell on unbelieving ears. The fact that the Government had sent to Burma for an English regiment, and that the regiment which had misbehaved at Murshidábád was under orders to come down to headquarters to receive sentence for its offence, increased the general alarm.
The suspicion, originally felt about the grease used
