Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

GEORGIANA ANDERSON,

A TRUE STORY OF THE SEPOY REBELLION.

THE following narrative of facts was written by Ir. Heinig, one of our missionaries at Benares, to his aughter at school in England. We are kindly allowed o print it here, that British children may see through what terrors and dangers some of their young sisters nd brothers in India have been called to pass, and vhat help and comfort they have often been able to find n the precious Word of God. Mr. Heinig says:—

"About the 20th of April, the Rev. J. Owen wrote me from Allahabad, that there was a girl there who wished o go to Monghyr; but as no steamers come up as far at this time of the year, he intended to send her down to me by post, and that I could manage to send her down to Monghyr. I most willingly agreed; and on the 22nd, Georgiana Anderson arrived at my place. She is about fourteen years of age; her birth-place is Monghyr; she is of European parents, consequently quite fair; her grand-parents live at Monghyr, and are, in a temporal point of view, very comfortable and well off. Her parents, brother, sister, uncle, and others of her relations, lived at Humeerpore, which is eighteen miles above Cawnpore. In the beginning of last year she went to see her parents. On the 15th of June last, the native soldiers mutinied, killing every European whom they could find. The Charkari Rajah joined the mutineers, with two hundred men and two guns. Georgiana's father, being quite blind, and her mother, were cut down in her presence. A soldier attempted to kill her brother, eleven years old, but he kept back the sword that was to sever his head, with his arm, and it cut his hand clean off. She also got

thi ee sword-cuts, one on the right side of her neck, another at the right shoulder, which severed the bones, and another at her back. She fell senseless to the ground, but during the night recovered her senses, got up, and wandering about, she met the magistrate and the collector, and with them she went and hid herself under a bridge. Next morning she went to a native doctor, who cleansed her from the mass of blood with which she was covered, and bound up her wounds; but he was not skilful enough to set her bones: they are, therefore, still separate, and she cannot move the arm from the shoulder to the elbow at all.

"On the 19th of that month the mutineers found out the hiding-place of her uncle, with whom were her younger brother whose hand was cut off, and several gentlemen. All were taken and massacred by those bloodthirsty monsters; so that she is the only surviving member of a family, all of whom, nine in number-her father, mother, brother, two sisters, uncle, aunt, and their two children-were murdered.

"Georgiana remained with the doctor during a whole month, only by day, and spent the nights in Indian corn-fields: she did not mind the yelling of the jackals, nor was she afraid of the howling of wolves, so that she might but escape the murderous hands of the rebels. When she was quite healed, she wandered as far as Jhansi, having for her food only a little parched grain; but there, also, the massacre was going on. She went to Banda, but there, also, the mutineers had done their worst, and she was obliged to return to Humeerpore: at last, when General Sir H. Havelock arrived at Cawnpore, she set out for that place, and there she found shelter with the Collector, Mr. Sherer, with whom she stayed about five months. She wished to

GEORGIANA ANDERSON.

109

return to her grand-parents (named Barlow) at Monghyr; and when the road from Cawnpore was passable, Mr. Sherer sent her as far as Allahabad, where she stayed at the Presbyterian Mission for five weeks; but as no opportunity offered to send her on by steamer, Mr. Owen sent her on to me, to do the needful for her. Iat once wrote to the magistrate, who gave her a certificate for a free passage, and as soon as the steamer Madras' returns, she will proceed by it to Monghyr.

"I have seen her wounds, and felt the dislocated bones, and I am astonished that she could have survived; but could you actually hear her narrating her wonderful escapes, you would be much more astonished. Several times even guns were pointed at her, but no ball hit her. In her wanderings from place to place she was several times robbed of all she had about her; but she cared for nothing: a little dry food and water was all that she required, and it is surprising how calmly and piously she narrates her story. From the sensibleness of her talk, and from her behaviour, you would fancy her to be twenty years of age, so has this terrible experience matured her mind. At every fresh trial, she told me, she found such comfort and strength from the precious promises of God's Word, that she could easily bear all; and she was convinced that she should be spared. Nothing daunted her, and of nothing she despaired. She felt herself quite happy at Cawnpore amidst all the firing. This reminded me of what dear old Mrs. Alone told me when I said, 'Isuppose you felt quite easy and comfortable when the Commander-in-chief relieved you out of the Lucknow Residency?' 'Oh, no,' she replied, not at all; for we were so accustomed to hear the booming of the guns

[ocr errors]

by night and day, that we slept quite soundly during the nights!' Thus you see that, under and amidst exceeding and continued trials, our feelings become quite blunted, so that a sudden relief from such sufferings does not immediately convey comfort to the mind: and thus it is with this little refugee, orphaned and injured for life. A few years' quietness at Monghyr will be necessary to settle her mind, and to secure the benefits of all she has experienced.

[ocr errors]

"And now, my dearest E., look once more at that little Georgiana, who, in the midst of mutiny and murder, called to mind all the blessed promises of God's Word, which were then her only comfort, when, humanly speaking, all earthly comfort was taken from her almost in a moment. Let me, my dearest E, affectionately entreat you also to read and study the Bible diligently, and mark and mind all its precious and heart-strengthening promises. How cheerful for a child is it to know and to feel that the Lord has said, I am a Father to the fatherless,' and 'I will not leave thee nor forsake thee,' and Behold, I have engraven thee on the palms of my hands.' Read the Book Esther, especially from the second chapter. You da not know how soon you also may have need of thes precious words. In a moment, and poor Georgians Anderson was an orphan; she had none to look to bui to Jesus, of whom she had learnt, and now deeply fell how good He is, how those that love and honour Hi He loves and honours too. Thus, although she was suddenly bereft of her parents, the Lord put it into the hearts of strangers to look to her little comforts, and replace her wants.

"Now, dearest daughter, mind the hint I have given you above; and the Lord grant you wisdom and understanding!"

NEW BOOKS.

AMONG the beautiful books which "the Religious Tract Society" has lately published, are some very appropriate to this bright summer season.

The Little Guide of Adrighoole tells the story of a child who knew and loved the Saviour, and shows how he was able not only to "guide" the way of tourists along the paths around her mountain home, but to point some among them to the ways of pleasantness and the paths of peace. It is a charming book, and well answers the question "how to be happy.'

[ocr errors]

Way-side Books are nice little tracts with pretty pink covers, sold in packets of sixteen, at sixpence a packet. Four packets are published, A, B, C, and D. They are just the tracts to take to the seaside, or out in a holiday trip, and to leave lying in a nook of the cliffs, or on seats in shady walks, or among the flowers on a mossy bank, for the next passer-by to find. Who can tell the good that these quiet little messengers thus might do ? We have been also very much pleased by some larger tracts of a different kind, published by Messrs. Jarrold, of Norwich. They contain a great deal of useful knowledge about common and important things, given in a style which even the very young can understand. Fresh air is the subject of the first, pure water of the second, good food of the third, wholesome drink of the fourth, warm clothing of the fifth, and a WELL-TRAINED MIND of the last. Who would not wish to have all these good things, and to know something of the way to get them? Sunday-school teachers will do well to place in their scholars' hands these " deposits in the savings' bank of wisdom" as the series is well called. The price of each tract is twopence.

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »