mutiny took place. It commenced at Meerut, where the native troops rose
against their officers, and put them to death, and then took possession of
the ancient city of Delhi, which remained in their hands for some months.
The rebellion quickly spread to other towns, and for a short time a great
portion of the north and centre of India was in the power of the rebels.
Wherever they got the upper hand, they were guilty of shocking deeds of
cruelty upon the Europeans. The British troops which were stationed in
different places offered the most heroic resistance to the rebels, and the
mutiny was at length suppressed.

Of all the incidents of that terrible year, two stand out in bold relief,
on account of the thrilling interest attaching to them. These are the
massacre of Cawnpore and the relief of Lucknow. Cawnpore, which was in the
heart of the disaffected area, contained about a thousand Europeans, of
whom two-thirds were women and children. The defensive post into which
they had thrown themselves at the beginning of the outbreak was speedily
surrounded by an overwhelming number of the mutineers, led on by the
infamous Nana Sahib. The few defenders held out bravely for a time, but at
last surrendered on a promise of being allowed to depart in safety. The
sepoys accompanied them to the river-side, but as soon as the men were on
board the boats, a murderous fire was opened upon them, and only one man
escaped. The women and children, being reserved for a still more cruel
fate, were carried back to Cawnpore. Hearing that General Havelock was
approaching with a body of troops for the relief of the place, Nana Sahib
marched out to intercept him, but was driven back. Smarting under this
defeat, he returned to Cawnpore, and gave directions for the instant
massacre of his helpless prisoners. His orders were promptly carried out
by his troops, under circumstances of the most shocking cruelty. Shortly
afterwards, Havelock and his little army arrived, but only to find, to
their unutterable grief, that they were too late to rescue their