One of Clive's Heroes: A Story of the Fight for India Read online

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  THE SUBAHDAR FALLS INTO THE TRAP.]

  ONE OF CLIVE'S HEROES

  A Story of the Fight for India

  By HERBERT STRANG

  HUMPHREY MILFORD OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS LONDON, EDINBURGH, GLASGOW TORONTO, MELBOURNE, CAPE TOWN, BOMBAY

  Copyright, 1906, by the Bobbs Merrill Company, in the United States of America

  REPRINTED 1938 IN GREAT BRITAIN BY R. CLAY AND SONS, LTD., BUNGAY, SUFFOLK.

  Preface

  I have not attempted in this story to give a full account of the careerof Lord Clive. That has been done by my old friend Mr. Henty in _WithClive in India_. It has always seemed to me that a single book providestoo narrow a canvas for the display of a life so full and varied asClive's; while a story is bound to suffer, structurally and in detail,from the compression of the events of a life-time into so restricted aspace. I have therefore chosen two outstanding events in the history ofIndia and of Clive--the capture of Gheria and the Battle of Plassey; andhave made them the pivot of a personal story of adventure. The wholeaction of the present work is comprised in the years from 1754 to 1757.

  But while this book is thus rather a romance with a background ofhistory than an historical biography with an admixture of fiction, thereader may be assured that the information its pages contain isaccurate. I have drawn freely upon the standard authorities: Orme's_History_, Ives' _Voyage_, Grose's _Voyage_, the lives of Clive byMalcolm and by Colonel Malleson, and many other works, in particular themonumental volumes, by Mr. S. C. Hill recently published, _Bengal in1756-7_, which give a very full, careful and clear account of thatnotable year, with a mass of most useful and interesting documents. Themaps of Bengal, Fort William, and Plassey in the present volume aretaken from Mr. Hill's work, by kind permission of the Secretary of Statefor India. I have to thank also Mr. T. P. Marshall, of Newport, forsome valuable notes on the history and topography of Market Drayton.For Indian words and names the Hunterian spelling has been adopted inthe main.

  For several years I myself lived within a stone's throw of the scene ofthe tragedy of the Black Hole; and though at that time I had nointention of writing a story for boys, I hope that the impressions ofIndian life, character, and scenery then gained have helped to create anatmosphere and to give reality to my picture. History is more than amere record of events; I shall be satisfied if the reader gets fromthese pages an idea, however imperfect, of the conditions of life inwhich our empire-builders laboured in India a hundred and fifty yearsago.

  HERBERT STRANG.

  Contents

  CHAPTER THE FIRST

  In which the Court Leet of Market Drayton entertains Colonel RobertClive; and our hero makes an acquaintance

  CHAPTER THE SECOND

  In which our hero overhears a conversation; and, meeting with theexpected, is none the less surprised and offended

  CHAPTER THE THIRD

  In which Mr. Marmaduke Diggle talks of the Golden East; and our herointerrupts an interview, and dreams dreams

  CHAPTER THE FOURTH

  In which blows are exchanged; and our hero, setting forth upon histravels, scents an adventure

  CHAPTER THE FIFTH

  In which Job Grinsell explains; and three visitors come by night to the_Four Alls_

  CHAPTER THE SIXTH

  In which the reader becomes acquainted with William Bulger and othersailor men; and our hero as a Squire of dames acquits himself withcredit

  CHAPTER THE SEVENTH

  In which Colonel Clive suffers a defeat hitherto unrecorded; and ourhero finds food for reflection

  CHAPTER THE EIGHTH

  In which several weeks are supposed to elapse; and our hero isdiscovered in the doldrums

  CHAPTER THE NINTH

  In which the _Good Intent_ makes a running fight; and Mr. Toley makes asuggestion

  CHAPTER THE TENTH

  In which our hero arrives in the Golden East; and Mr. Diggle presentshim to a native prince

  CHAPTER THE ELEVENTH

  In which the Babu tells the story of King Vikramaditya; and thediscerning reader may find more than appears on the surface

  CHAPTER THE TWELFTH

  In which our hero is offered freedom at the price of honour; and Mr.Diggle finds that he has no monopoly of quotations

  CHAPTER THE THIRTEENTH

  In which Mr. Diggle illustrates his argument; and there are strangedoings in Gheria Harbour

  CHAPTER THE FOURTEENTH

  In which seven bold men light a big bonfire; and the Pirate finds ourhero a bad bargain

  CHAPTER THE FIFTEENTH

  In which our hero weathers a storm; and prepares for squalls

  CHAPTER THE SIXTEENTH

  In which a mutiny is quelled in a minute; and our Babu proves himself aman of war

  CHAPTER THE SEVENTEENTH

  In which our hero finds himself among friends; and Colonel Cliveprepares to astonish Angria

  CHAPTER THE EIGHTEENTH

  In which Angria is astonished; and our hero begins to pay off old scores

  CHAPTER THE NINETEENTH

  In which the scene changes; the dramatis personae remaining the same

  CHAPTER THE TWENTIETH

  In which there are recognitions and explanations; and our hero meets oneCoja Solomon, of Cossimbazar

  CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FIRST

  In which Coja Solomon finds dishonesty the worse policy; and a journeydown the Hugli little to his liking

  CHAPTER THE TWENTY-SECOND

  In which is given a full, true, and particular account Of the Battle ofthe Carts

  CHAPTER THE TWENTY-THIRD

  In which there are many moving events; and our hero finds himself acadet of John Company

  CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FOURTH

  In which the danger of judging by appearance is notably exemplified

  CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FIFTH

  In which our hero embarks on a hazardous mission; and Monsieur Sinfray'skhansaman makes a confession

  CHAPTER THE TWENTY-SIXTH

  In which presence of mind is shown to be next best to absence of body

  CHAPTER THE TWENTY-SEVENTH

  In which an officer of the Nawab disappears; and Bulger reappears

  CHAPTER THE TWENTY-EIGHTH

  In which Captain Barker has cause to rue the day when he met Mr. Diggle;and our hero continues to wipe off old scores

  CHAPTER THE TWENTY-NINTH

  In which our hero does not win the Battle of Plassey; but, where all dowell, gains as much glory as the rest

  CHAPTER THE THIRTIETH

  In which Coja Solomon reappears; and gives our
hero valuable information

  CHAPTER THE THIRTY-FIRST

  In which friends meet, and part; and our hero hints a proposal

  CHAPTER THE THIRTY-SECOND

  In which the curtain falls, to the sound of bells; and our hero comes tohis own