An account of the mutinies in Oudh and of the siege of the Lucknow Residency; with some observations on the condition of the Province of Oudh and on the causes of the mutiny of the Bengal Army . bout this time I commenced fortifying my ownhouse. It comprised two stories, and was solidlybuilt of masonry, and stood in a pretty garden of nogreat extent. Being exposed on three sides to thecity, it appeared to me not unlikely that it wouldbe one of the first points attacked in case of an in-surrection of the city people, against which it wasnecessary at once to make provision. The roof wasflat, and
An account of the mutinies in Oudh and of the siege of the Lucknow Residency; with some observations on the condition of the Province of Oudh and on the causes of the mutiny of the Bengal Army . bout this time I commenced fortifying my ownhouse. It comprised two stories, and was solidlybuilt of masonry, and stood in a pretty garden of nogreat extent. Being exposed on three sides to thecity, it appeared to me not unlikely that it wouldbe one of the first points attacked in case of an in-surrection of the city people, against which it wasnecessary at once to make provision. The roof wasflat, and a narrow spiral staircase led to it from theground-floor, the entrance to which could easily bedefended. I accordingly proposed, in case of alarm,to take refuge on the roof, and there to defend our-selves. For this purpose masonry parapets, piercedwith loopholes, were erected all around the roof, andthe verandahs and doorways of the lower story weresimilarly protected with walls of masonry: and strongdoors, cased with sheet iron on the outside, were fixedupon the entrances on the ground-floor. The compound or enclosure in which the house1 1 presented a surface of some unevenness, for it. THE MUTINIES IN 0UD1I. 25 sloped from the house down to the enclosing wall onthe south. On that side the ground inside was low;considerably lower, indeed, than the level of the laneoutside, which separated the compound from theGoindah Lines. There were two porticos, one on the west, the prin-cipal one on the south side. The latter was overhungby a magnificent forest tree, which rose high abovethe upper story of the house, affording a gratefulshade. It was a beautiful tree. The native name Ihave forgotten, but it is of a kind peculiar to Oudh:at least I have never seen one out of the the spring it was covered with large bunches ofpale yellow blossom, together with which a few leavesappeared. The blossom presently withered, and thetree was by that time covered with a gorgeousfurnitur
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookidaccountofmut, bookyear1853
