on the inhabitants. But, in deference to the remonstrances of the civil officer accompanying the force, who represented the impolicy of destroying a place of considerable importance, and which paid a large revenue to the State, Greathed spared Khúrjá.
From Khúrjá Greathed marched on Álígarh, defeated there a body of the rebels who had so long dominated the district, and marching in the direction of Agra, reached Bijaigarh on the 9th of October. There he received the most pressing solicitations from the authorities at Agra to hasten to their relief. A formidable body of rebels, he was told, was threatening the sandstone fort, 'and his credit would be at stake if Agra were attacked and he so near.' Greathed was but forty-eight miles from Agra. He accordingly despatched that night the cavalry and horse-artillery, with instructions to hurry on by forced marches. Four hours later he followed with the infantry, mounting his men on elephants, carts, and camels to get over the ground the more quickly. Whilst he is thus hurrying on I propose to ask the reader to take a bird's-eye glance at Agra.
Of the condition of Agra after the defeat of Polwhele and the death of Mr Colvin I have written in a previous chapter.[1] Ever since that time, whilst the life within the fort had been dull and monotonous, the country around had been occupied and reoccupied by roving bands of rebels. The mutineers from Máu and other parts of Central India, though detained for a time at Gwáliár, thanks to the loyalty of Máhárájá Sindhiá, had broken loose from his hold early in September, and marched on to Dholpur. Thence they had gradually spread detachments over the districts of Khairágarh, Fathpur-Síkrí, Írádatnagar, and Fathábad. The news of the doubtful
- ↑ Chapter xvii., page 252.
