Page:The tourist's guide to Lucknow.djvu/24

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to England. He has arrived this morning at Cawnpore. I was present at the time he came out of the Palace gates, and the scene which I then witnessed will ever be forcibly impressed on my mind. He at first wished to go out by the north gate, but hearing that a crowd of people had collected at the east gate to witness his departure, he changed his mind, and passed through the midst of them, though in a closed carriage, in company with his son and principal wife. The enthusiasm of the people was immense; to me it was surprising, for I believed natives incapable of displaying so much feeling. The air resounded with shouts — Badshah salamat greeting to thee, oh King!) Badshahat phir banirahe, (May your kingdom again be established!) Lundhun se hukum ajaway, (May the order arrive from London!) [I suppose to overturn the present State of affairs] Badshah salamat, salamat! was heard everywhere. Then deep curses were imprecated on the heads of the Feringis, and I felt anything but comfortable at that time, Indeed, I thought it prudent then to take myself off, for I thought it very possible that I might become a victim to a multitude exasperated against the Europeans. The King's wives, concubines and female palace attendants crowded into the closed turrets and houses surrounding the enclosure and set up a wail long and continued, a wail heart-rending in the extreme. All were affected, and tears streamed down many cheeks."

20. The journey to Calcutta took exactly two months, His Majesty spending some time at Cawnpore and Allahabad before he embarked for Calcutta in the Steamer "General MacLeod," which arrived there, with His Majesty on board, on the 13th May 1856. For a year after coming to Calcutta the King lived under no restraint, but the outbreak of the-Mutiny in 1857 destroyed the last hope of his being restored to his kingdom. He was then made a State Prisoner[1] in Fort William,[2] and afterwards provided with the well-known residence at Garden Reach, near Calcutta, where he spent the remainder of his days. Here he maintained at large establishment and lived with some show of regal splendour upon the munificent pension awarded him by Government.

21. After the annexation of the Province affairs wore a serene aspect, which seemed to augur well for the future. The settlement of the country was progressing favourably and the people appeared satisfied with the new


  1. The King was liberated on 9th July 1859.
  2. The fort was built by the English in 1696, and was named after the reigning English sovereign, William III.