I was with the latter, and we had a running fight till we reached the Ganges, into which plunged those of the _sowars_ whom we had not been able to overtake; we reined up, and saw the unlucky fugitives struggling in the water, men and horses rolling over each other; they were gradually carried down by the swiftly running stream, and but a very few reached the opposite bank.
Our casualties were trifling, only some half-dozen men wounded, while my horse got a gash on his quarter from a sabre.

Watson had the forefinger of his right hand badly cut in an encounter with a young _sowar_; I chaffed him at allowing himself to be nearly cut down by a mere boy, upon which he laughingly retorted: 'Well, boy or not, he was bigger than you.' It was on this occasion that I first recognized the advantage of having the carbine slung on the trooper's back while in action, instead of being carried in the bucket, as is the custom with our British Cavalry.

Several of the enemy's loose horses were going about with carbines on their saddles, while their dismounted riders were at an enormous disadvantage in trying to defend themselves from their mounted adversaries with only their swords.

I saw, too, one of Watson's men saved from a fierce cut across the spine by having his carbine on his back.

More recent experience has quite satisfied me that this is the only way this weapon should be carried when actual fighting is going on.
Three more marches brought us to Cawnpore, where we arrived on the 26th October.
We now for the first time heard the miserable 'story of Cawnpore.' We were told how, owing to Sir Hugh Wheeler's misplaced belief in the loyalty of the sepoys, with whom he had served for upwards of half a century, and to the confiding old soldier's trust in the friendship of the miscreant Nana, and in the latter's ability to defend him until succour should arrive, he had neglected to take precautionary measures for laying in supplies or for fortifying the two exposed barracks which, for some unaccountable reason, had been chosen as a place of refuge, instead of the easily defensible and well-stored magazine.