Far Off eBook


The conquerors returned that evening to their camp.  On their way, they passed through the desolate streets of the city; the mud cottages on each side were empty, and blood flowed between.  The young officer, as he marched at the head of his company, was struck by seeing a row of his own fellow-soldiers lying dead upon the ground.  They had been placed there ready for burial on the morrow.  Their ghastly faces, and gaping wounds were terrible to behold.  The youth remembered them full of life and spirits in the morning, unmindful of their dismal end; then he felt how merciful God had been in sparing his life; and when he crept into his little tent that night, he returned him thanks upon his knees; though he did not love him then as his Saviour from eternal death.  Wearied, he soon fell asleep, but his sleep was broken by dreadful dreams of blood and death.

The next day he walked through the conquered town, and saw the British soldiers dragging the dead bodies of their enemies by ropes fastened to their feet.  They were dragging them to their grave, which was a deep trench, and there they cast them in and covered them up with earth.

Such is the history of the conquest of Kelat.[10] How many souls were suddenly hurled into eternity!  How many unprepared to meet their Judge, because their sins were unpardoned, and their souls unwashed!  But in war, who thinks of souls and sins!  O horrible war!  How hateful to the Prince of Peace!

   [10] September 13, 1839.


Of all the kings in Asia, the king of Burmah is the greatest, next to the emperor of China.  He has not indeed nearly as large a kingdom, or as many subjects as that emperor; but like him, he is worshipped by his people.  He is called “Lord of life and death,” and the “Owner of the sword,” for instead of holding a sceptre in his hand, he holds a golden sheathed sword.  A sword indeed suits him well, for he is very cruel to his subjects.  Nowhere are such severe punishments inflicted.  For drinking brandy the punishment is, pouring molten lead down the throat; and for running away from the army, the punishment is, cutting off both legs, and leaving the poor creature to bleed to death.  A man for choosing to be a Christian was beaten all over the body with a wooden mallet, till he was one mass of bruises; but before he was dead, he was let go.

Every one is much afraid of offending this cruel king.  The people tremble at the sound of his name; and when they see him, they fall down with their heads in the dust.  The king makes any one a lord whom he pleases, yet he treats even his lords very rudely.  When displeased with them, he will hunt them out of the room with his drawn sword.  Once he made forty of his lords lie upon their faces for several hours, beneath the broiling sun, with a great beam over them to keep them still.  It was well for them that

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Far Off from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.
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