After staving off
the day of reckoning as long as possible, the welcome news reached the
Herati troops that they were to receive their pay in full next morning,
September 3rd, at the treasury in the Bala Hissar.
Assembling there early, they soon learnt to their disgust and
indignation that they were only to receive one month's pay, a miserable
pittance to men long in want. On the smouldering embers of mutiny
someone wilfully, or from mere expediency, threw the spark: "Go to the
British Embassy and demand pay; there is lots of money there." The idea
caught like wildfire, and the whole mass of soldiery dashed off to the
Embassy, situated only a few hundred yards away.
Here the ordinary routine of the day was going on. It was eight o'clock,
and Cavignari, just returned from his morning ride, had not yet bathed
or changed for breakfast. Hamilton and Kelly had been out to see that
the grass-cutters were at their work on waste land, and not interfering
with private rights, and were now probably strolling down the line of
troop-horses seeing to their feeding and grooming. Jenkyns was doubtless
within, reading or writing, and waiting for breakfast. The cavalrymen
were about amongst their horses, and the infantry either on guard or
taking their ease. On this peaceful scene suddenly burst a torrent of
infuriated, half-savage soldiery, yelling for Cavignari, yelling for
money, shouting curses and threats.
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