28. The Mahomedan festival of the Id-ul-zuha[1] fell on the 24th May, and it was expected that an outbreak would take place on that day, when they sacrifice many cattle. It was thought that, inflamed by the sight of blood, they might now attempt an onslaught on all Europeans and Christians to add to the hecatomb. Nothing, however, occurred, and the festival passed off without any disturbance, although there were abundant symptoms of ill-feeling among the populace, leading to the belief that a mutiny could not long be averted. It was, therefore, thought necessary that the ladies residing at Mariáon should be removed into the Residency. Accordingly, on the 25th May, they all came in, and were accommodated in the houses of those officers who were residing within the intrenchment.
29. Up to this time no further act of mutiny had been committed at Lucknow, and Sir Henry clung to the hope of averting the impending storm by conciliation, and thought that the offer of increased pay might keep the native soldiery faithful; but this idea was abandoned, as it was afterwards considered that the offer to increase the pay of the native regiments would be attributed to fear, and that the time when a conciliatory policy might have proved successful had gone by. No man in India, perhaps, viewed the approaching storm with clearer eyes than Sir Henry Lawrence, and no cooler head and readier hand than his surveyed its progress. The garrison of Lucknow would surely have suffered but for his foresight and determination.
30. Just before the outbreak a most absurd rumour was circulated in the city of Lucknow and believed in,
to the effect that the authorities had procured a great
- ↑ This festival is intended to commemorate the sacrifice, by Abraham, of a ram, which, by the interposition of Providence, was provided him as a substitute for his son Isaac(they believe it to have been Ishmael) whom he was about to immolate at God's command, for which he became the father of a great nation-the now despised Jews, also the Arabs who trace their descent to Ishmael (the son of the bondwoman by the Patriarch) whom they regard as their great progenitor. Mina, situated on an elevated spot six miles east of Mec- ca, is an immured oratory containing a small slab dissevered. Ma- homedans believe this to be the veritable spot where Abraham of- fered up his sacrifice, and that the stone was broken through the violence of the blow. It is a significant fact, however, that in no other place within the precincts of Mecca is it considered lawful to offer up sacrifices. The number of animals slaughtered there on the Bakr-Id Festival (the 10th of Zibhijja) is about 70,000 Mecca is the centre of Islam, and Medina the adopted home of the Prophet, where he is buried. These two places are the resort of hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from all parts of Asia and Africa.
