The Seven Cities of Delhi
called themselves Christians ; cravens whom a few resolute men could keep at bay, while the odds were less than fifty to one. Over all
was a pall of smoke from burning bungalows and from the stately mansion of Metcalfe House, which had been set on fire by the villagers of Chandrawal.
It had, fortunately, been possible to send by telegraph to Umballa some account of what had been happening at Delhi, and the general there was a man of action ; he at once sent off his son to Simla with a copy of the telegram, for there was no wire to Simla in those days. It was not the centre of government, but merely a pleasant place to spend the summer in, should the governor-general or commander-in-chief so desire. The latter. General the Hon. George Anson, had been there for about a month, and had, on his way up, seen something of the trouble that was brewing. He was now to be very severely startled, although at first he did not seem to realize that any very serious defection had occurred. However, when he got a letter from Meerut, detailing the events there, he lost no time in ordering down to Umballa three European regiments, cantoned at Dagshai, Subathu, and Kasauli, close to Simla. An officer was sent to arrange the preparation of a268
