At first they acted like mere
Yahoos; they hustled and mobbed the Guides, shouting with rough humour,
"Well, if we can't get money we'll get something," and then began
untying horses to lead them away, stealing saddlery, swords, or anything
that lay about. Then came a shot and silence; then another and another,
five or six in all, by whom fired no one knows; and then the battle
began,--four British officers and some seventy of the Guides, against
countless thousands!
Nor was the vantage of position with the British, for they could not
possibly have been more unfavourably situated for defence. The Residency
consisted of a collection of mud and plaster buildings, of which the
principal was the abode of the British officers. The others included the
rows of huts that formed the barracks of the escort, servants' houses,
and stables; outside, and enclosed by mud walls, were spaces in which
were picketed the horses of the cavalry, and which formed courtyards to
the Residency and men's barracks. Residential quarters of this
description, given time to loop-hole and barricade them, would form
fairly good defensive cover, except against artillery; but unprepared
for defence they are mere death-traps. To add to the untenable nature
of the position the Residency was completely commanded from several
directions, and especially from a high flat-roofed house only eighty
yards distant. The roofs of the Residency buildings were also flat, but
made untenable by these commanding positions, except in one small
portion where a low parapet, such as is often found on Eastern roofs,
gave some slight protection.
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