We halted at Agra on the 11th, 12th, and 13th October, partly to rest the men and transport animals, but chiefly on account of the difficulty we had in getting out of the clutches of the North-West Provinces Government, the local authorities not caring to be left to their own resources.  Our wounded were taken to the fort, and lodged in the Moti Masjid,[10] which exquisite little building had been turned into a hospital.  The men were well taken care of by the ladies, who seemed to think they could never do enough for the Delhi column.

I now for the first time saw the lovely Taj Mahal—­that beautiful, world-famed memorial of a man’s devotion to a woman, a husband’s undying love for a dead wife.  I will not attempt to describe the indescribable.  Neither words nor pencil could give to the most imaginative reader the slightest idea of the all-satisfying beauty and purity of this glorious conception.  To those who have not already seen it, I would say:  ’Go to India.  The Taj alone is well worth the journey.’

[Footnote 1:  Two troops of Horse Artillery, with four guns and one howitzer each, commanded respectively by Captains Remmington and Blunt.  One Field Battery, with six guns, commanded by Captain Bourchier.  One British Cavalry regiment, the 9th Lancers, reduced to 300 men, commanded by Major Ouvry.  Two British Infantry regiments (the 8th and 75th Foot), commanded respectively by Major Hinde and Captain Gordon, which could only number between them 450 men.  Detachments of three Punjab Cavalry regiments, the 1st, 2nd and 5th, commanded by Lieutenants John Watson, Dighton Probyn and George Younghusband, numbering in all 320 men.  A detachment of Hodson’s Horse, commanded by Lieutenant Hugh Gough, and consisting of 180 men.  Two Punjab Infantry regiments, commanded by Captains Green and Wilde, each about 600 men; and 200 Sappers and Miners, with whom were Lieutenants Home and Lang.]

[Footnote 2:  Afterwards Sir Alfred Lyall, G.C.I.E., K.C.B., Lieutenant-Governor of the North-West Provinces, and now a member of the Indian Council.]

[Footnote 3:  Now General Sir William Drysdale, K.C.B.]

[Footnote 4:  The horse, although badly hurt, was not killed, and eventually did me good service.]

[Footnote 5:  This was the Engineer officer who had such a miraculous escape when he blew in the Kashmir gate at Delhi, for which act of gallantry he had been promised the Victoria Cross.]

[Footnote 6:  A few years afterwards she communicated with the civil authorities of the district, and made out such a pitiful story of ill-treatment by her Mahomedan husband, that she was sent to Calcutta, where some ladies were good enough to look after her.]

[Footnote 7:  Men in charge of the elephants.]

[Footnote 8:  Turban.]

[Footnote 9:  Native kettle-drum.]

[Footnote 10:  Pearl Mosque.]

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CHAPTER XXI. 1857