addition to the troops above and below, there would probably be a strong
police force, acting on the face of the hill. I did not see all these
things at the time, for I was, as soon as I got to the top, ordered to
sit down behind the parapet, a fellow armed to the teeth squatting down
by me, and signifying that if I showed my head above the stones he would
cut my throat without hesitation. There were, however, sufficient gaps
between the stones to allow me to have a view of the crest of the Ghaut,
while below my view extended down to the hills behind Bombay. It was
evident to me now why the Dacoits did not climb up into the fortress.
There were dozens of similar crags on the face of the Ghauts, and the
troops did not as yet know their whereabouts. It was a sort of blockade
of the whole face of the hills which was being kept up, and there were,
probably enough, several other bands of Dacoits lurking in the jungle.

"There were only two guards and myself on the rock plateau. I discussed
with myself the chances of my overpowering them and holding the top of
the rock till help came; but I was greatly weakened, and was not a match
for a boy, much less for the two stalwart Mahrattas; besides, I was by
no means sure that the way I had been brought up was the only possible
path to the top. The day passed off quietly. The heat on the bare rock
was frightful, but one of the men, seeing how weak and ill I really was,
fetched a thick rug from the storehouse, and with the aid of a stick
made a sort of lean-to against the wall, under which I lay sheltered
from the sun.

"Once or twice during the day I heard a few distant musket-shots, and
once a sharp heavy outburst of firing. It must have been three or four
miles away, but it was on the side of the Ghaut, and showed that the
troops or police were at work. My guards looked anxiously in that
direction, and uttered sundry curses. When it was dusk, Sivajee and