And plaided mountaineer,
To the cottage and the castle
The piper’s song is dear.
Sweet sounds the Gaelic pibroch
O’er mountain, glen, and glade;
But the sweetest of all music
The Pipes at Lucknow played!
NOTES AND QUESTIONS
For Biography, [see page 60].
Historical Note. The Indian Mutiny was the great revolt of the Bengal native army (the Sepoys) against the British rule in 1857. At Lucknow, in northern India, the English were almost overcome. The town, defended by a garrison of only 1720 men, who were protecting many women and children, was besieged by a greatly superior number. The defense, nevertheless, was maintained from the 30th of June to the 26th of September, when the relief column under the Scottish general, Sir Henry Havelock, preceded by the music of the bagpipes, reached the city.