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JOLY, 1926 1
THE MUTINY AT INDORE
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The next morning the Mhow troops, after committing similar brutalities, arrived hero; the whole town was in a panic. A greater part of my troops were in open mutiny, and what remained could not be trusted. The Muhammadans raised a standard of “Deen," and the disorder was complete. Under these sad circumstances the mutineers exacted their own terms. They not only demanded the heads of a few Europeans, whom I had concealed in my own palace, but also of a few officers of the court who were supposed to be in the British interest. They prepared to plunder and destroy all, if I myself did not come out. I had no alternative left but to offer them my own person, but I would not allow the poor Europeans to be touched before being killed myself. After plundering the British treasury and the carriage from the town, and taking with them all the guns which had gone over to them in & state of mutiny, all the mutineers of this place and Mhow have marched off last night in & body towards Dewass.
The tale is a painful one, and will be described to you in detail by Rao Ramchunder and Bukshee Khooman Sing, who are bearers of this to you. I have not, even in a dream, ever deviated from the path of friendship and allegiance to the British Government. I know their sense of justice and honour will make them pause before they suspect, even for a moment, a friendly chief, who is so sensible of the obligations he owes to them, and is ready to do any. thing for them. But there are catastrophes in this world which cannot be controlled, and the one that has happened is one of the kind.
Yours sincerely,
(Signed) Tookajee Rao Holkar, D.
Indore, 7th July 1867, 11 p.m. My dear Sir,
His Highness the Maharaja has learnt with great regret the astounding acoount of Captain and Mrs. Hutchinson and party's detention at Amjheera. Ho looks upon Mrs. Hutchinson as his sister, and the whole family as his own relations; and though not crediting that the Raja of Amjheers could be so blind to his own interests, he has, however, lost no time in ordering Bukshee Khooman Sing, with three Companies of Infantry, two guns, and 200 so wars, towards Amjheers with orders to blow up the town, and bring in the Raja dead or alive, should he have proceeded to any extremities with the party. Amjheera, it must be recollected, is not a tributary to Holkar, but to Scindia ; but in this emergenoy His Highness thinks hesitation as to its being a foreign State inadmissible.
His Highness has, however, been informed by the Amjheera Vakeel, on the strength of a letter dated Amjheera the 5th instant, that Mrs. and Captain Hutchinson and party have safely reached Jhaboon, and are quite well there. He has therefore started a runner to JhaBoon, to ascertain the truth of the thing; and as the column detached under Bukshee Khooman Sing shall be at Beitwa tomorrow, His Highness wishes to know whether at this crisis it will be any responsibility for Holkar's army to enter a foreign State and to proceed to extremities, should the emergency require it.
His Highness is overjoyed to hear of the safety of Colonel Durand and party at Sehore, and shall be obliged by your writing to him his best complimente. Pray let me know soon your opinion on the Amjheere subject, and oblige me.
I am, Sir,
Yours very truly, (Signed) Ramchandra Rao,
By His Highness' order. To Rao Ramchunder Rao Saheb, Indore Mhow, 8th July 1857. Dear Sir,
Your letter just received, dated the 7th instant, and written by order of His Highness the Maharaja, has given me much pleasure, and I baston, through you, to thank the Maharaja for the promptitude he has displayed in taking upon himself, if necessary, the deliverance of
