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2 this back door lie then gained the bazaar, and from thence
3 (the mob all the way at his heels), reached the house of his
4 protector, Baii Goormuck Sing. The door was immediately
5 shut, and Schofft was saved.
6 He there met with a kind reception, and on cleansing himself
7 from the mire and blood with which he was covered, it was
8 found that he had not only received several contusions on the
9 head from the iron knobs on the. shields of the Nahungs, with
10 which they had struck at him ; but also a sword wound on
11 the back, by which his braces had been cut through, which
12 at once explained to him the cause of his fall into the mire
13 at so critical a moment. The mob not evincing any inclina-
14 tion to disperse, the police interfered, and compelled them to
15 retire.
16 During all this time I was at home, expecting his arrival
17 every moment ; and at length, when it was quite dark, some
18 of the persons whom I had sent with the horse, came back
19 to me with the news of the riot, and informed me that he
20 was in the hands of the mob. This filled me with consterna-
21 tion, and I immediately sent to the commander of the fortress
22 (a friend of mine), soliciting him to assist and endeavour
23 to save the unfortunate painter. With great promptitude,
24 he despatched a whole company of regular troops to the
25 city, and on their way they met Schofft on his road home ;
26 he having been disguised in an oriental costume, and sent on
27 horseback accompanied by an escort of police. My first care
28 was to dress his wounds ; and early on the following morning
29 we left Umritsir for Lahore. I may add that the watch, and
30 the plate, &c., which I had sent with his luncheon, were of
31 course lost ; but the painting was subsequently recovered.
32 It was a fortunate circumstance for me that the Ranee, during
33 the war with the English on the Sutlej, in consequence of the
34 many abortions she had experienced, was affected with ophthalmia,
35 and had not consented to the demands of the Commander-in-
36 Chief, Teja Sing, who was also suffering from fever (or from
37 fright), and wished my attendance in the camp. I had, therefore.