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— BAL
208
We
had wounded, and two of our boats had been swamped. only one boat crowded with wounded, and having on board more than she could carry. The two guns followed us the whole of the day, the infantry firing on us the whole of that night,
killed or
now
" On the second day a gun was seen on the Cawnpore side, and opened on us at Najafgarh, the infantry still following us on both sides. On the morning of the third day the boat was no longer serviceable. We were aground on a sand-bank, and had not strength sufficient to move her. Directly many of us got into the water we were fired upon by thirty or forty men at a time. There was nothing left but to charge and drive them away, so fourteen of us were told to go and do what we could. Directly we got on shore the insurgents retired but having followed them up too far, we were cut off from the river, and had to retire ourselves as we were being surrounded. We could not make for the river, but had to go down parallel, and came at the river again a mile lower down, where we saw a large force of men right in front waiting for us, and another lot on the other bank, should we attempt to cross the river. On the bank of the river, just by the force in front was a temple. We fired a volley and made for the temple, in which we took shelter, one man being killed and one wounded. From the door of the temple we fired on every insurgent who showed himself. Finding they could do nothing against us while we remained inside, they heaped wood all around and set it on fire.
"
When we
could no longer remain inside, on account of the smoke and off the clothes we had, and each taking a musket, charged through the fire. Seven of us out of twelve got into the water but before we had gone far two poor fellows were shot. There were only five left now, and we had to swim, while the insurgents followed us along both banks wading, and firing as fast as they could. After we had gone about three miles down the stream, one of our party, an artilleryman, to rest himself, began swimming on his back, and not knowing in what direction he was swimming, got on shore, and was killed. When we had gone down about six miles, firing on both sides ceased and soon after we were hailed by some natives on the Oudh side, who asked us to come on shore, and said that they would take us to their Raja*, who was friendly to the English. gave ourselves up, and were taken six miles inland to the R£ja, who treated us very kindly, giving iis clothes and food. heat,
we threw
We
" We stayed with him for about a month, as he would not let us leave, saying the roads were unsafe. At last he sent us off on the 29th of July, to the right bank of the river, to a zamindar of a village, who got us a hackery."
BALAMAU
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—
Pargana Balamatj Tahsil SANDfLA District Hardoi. Balamau (2,376). A rich Kurmi village of 518 mud houses, near the left bank of the Sai, fourteen miles north-west from Sandila, and three miles to the west of the Lucknow road, district Hardoi, gives its name to the Balamau pargana. There is a daily market and a village school averag-
—
ing forty-four pupils.
The Tilok Chaudi
Bais,
Eaja of Moramiau.
