१८५७ का स्वातन्त्र्य समर (वीर विनायक दामोदर सावरकर - अंग्रेजों द्वारा छपने से पूर्व प्रतिबन्धित महाग्रन्थ)

MEERUT
no revolutionaries played the part of a traitor ! At last,
the Commander-in-Chief Anson wrote to the Governor-
General in despair, “ It is really strange that the incen-
diaries should never be detected. Every one is on the alert
here, but still there is no clue to trace the offenders.” To-
wards the end of April, he writes further : “We have not
been able to detect any of the incendiaries at Umballa.
This appears to me extraordinary ; but it shows how close
are the combinations among the miscreants who have
recourse to this mode of revenging what they conceive to
be their wrongs, and how great is the dread of retaliation
to any one who would dare to become an informer ! ” The
English Empire is based on Indian treachery ! So, in
Umballa, when not a single man turned traitor, the
Commander-in-Chief of the English became helpless and
began to thirst secretly for revenge, at the same time
wondering at the secret conspiracy of the Sepoys !
These fires had now begun in various places in
Hindusthan. It is but natural that there should be sparks
blown up here and there before the vast final conflagration
broke out. Since the visit of Nana Sahib, Lucknow was
in commotion. There also the houses of foreigners and
traitors began to take fire ! The plan fixed upon was that
on the 31st of May the whole of Hindusthan should burst
out in a universal conflagration, so that the English
should have no room to escape and thus die in the coun-
try they wanted to keep enslaved ! Though the Lucknow
branch of the Secret Society had consented to this plan,
the valiant Sepoys could not restrain themselves. Be-
sides, the exciting speeches every night in the meetings of
the Society and the sight of burning houses inflamed them
still more. On the 3rd of May, four such uncontrollable
Sepoys rushed into the tent of Lieutenant Mecham, and
said, “Personally, we have no quarrel with you, but you
are a Feringhi and must die!”² The lieutenant, frightened
2. Charles Ball's Indian Mutiny, Vol. I, page 52.
109