The nabob then returned to his camp.
Some native officers went in search of some building where the
prisoners could be confined, but every room in the fort had already
been taken possession of, by the nabob's soldiers and officers. At
eight o'clock, they returned with the news that they could find no
place vacant, and the officer in command at once ordered the prisoners
into a small room, used as a guardroom for insubordinate soldiers,
eighteen feet square.
In vain they protested that it was impossible the room could contain
them, in vain implored the officer to allow some of them to be
confined in an adjoining cell. The wretch was deaf to their
entreaties. He ordered his soldiers to charge the prisoners, and
these, with blows of the butt ends of the muskets, and prods of the
bayonets, were driven into the narrow cell.
Tim Kelly had kept close to his master, during the preceding days. The
whole of the four native officers, who had so distinguished themselves
under Charlie, were killed during the siege. Hossein, who would fain
have shared his master's fortunes, was forcibly torn from him, when
the English prisoners were separated from the natives.
The day had been unusually hot.
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