When they arrived, however, at the gorge, they
found that the last of the fugitives had passed through. The ground in
front was strewn with dead and dying, for as the mass of fugitives had
arrived at the gorge, the infantry from above had opened fire upon
them. Several times the frightened throng had recoiled, but at last,
impelled by the greater fear of their pursuers behind, they had dashed
forward through the fire, only to fall in hundreds in the gorge,
crushed beneath the rain of rocks showered down upon them from above.
Chapter 14: The Siege Of Ambur.
The victory was a complete and decisive one. A thousand of the best
troops of Murari Reo had fallen, besides some hundreds of their
irregular allies, whose loss was incurred almost wholly at the gorge
in the retreat. The rajah was in the highest state of delight at the
splendid result, obtained by the European training of his troops; and
these, proud of their victory over such formidable opponents, were
full of enthusiasm for their young English leader. The rejoicings in
Ambur that night were great, and all felt confident that the danger
was at an end.
"What think you," the rajah said to Charlie, as, the long feast at an
end, they sat together in the divan, smoking their narghileys, "will
be the result, when the news of the defeat of Murari Reo reaches
Hyderabad?"
"It is difficult to say," Charlie replied.
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