Fascinating Story of Indian Mutiny Soldier Who Fought Under an Alias Told by Sergeant Vardy

TOLD BY SERGEANT VARDY
In my previous letter I told of being one of those sent to Aden. After leaving Malta, No 1 and 2 Company landed at Alexandria. At the station the slaves, instead of an engine were shunting each truck. About 30 or 40 of them were employed at each truck and they sang all the time. We streamed down to the river Nile, where there was a swing bridge to connect the line on the other side. There was a hotel there kept by a Frenchman, and we stopped there for a quarter of an hour.
From there we steamed down to Cairo, where there was a slave market. We remained there for about two hours, and we took a walk to the market. There was an officer of some sort over the slaves, and as soon as he saw our party coming he gave one crack of a long stockwhip he carried, and those in each pen at once jumped up and started walking around. If they did not walk quickly he would cut them with his whip. He apparently thought we had come to buy slaves.
When we boarded our train again it steamed a short distance along the desert till we came to another hotel which was also conducted by a Frenchman. As the line went no further we found a donkey provided for each soldier and a black coolie to each pair of donkeys. The first stage was 25 or 26 miles. As we proceeded some of the donkeys did not keep up with others, and then the boys would hit them (from) behind. The animals then had a trick of slewing suddenly, with the result that the soldier would be thrown. Then there would be a general laugh until some other one's turn came. All along the stage
you could see nothing but barren, glittering white sand. From this station to Suez the distance was about the same as last. Fresh donkeys were provided here, and much fun as we had the previous day there was twice as much on the stage to Suez. The reader will, of course, understand that at the period I write of there was no Suez Canal. When we reached Suez there was a little tug boat or tender which took us soldiers out into the Red Sea and put us on board a larger steamer called the Alma, and then we steamed off to Aden, which was our destination. I remember it was my first experience of seeing the flying fishes, a number of which fell on our decks in their attempted aerial flight, and very curious fish they looked on close examination.
On reaching Aden we were landed just under the lighthouse which is situated on top of the Chum Chum heights. We then had about three miles' march up to the Main pass drawbridge. This was where the Sepoys were quartered that we were sent out to disarm, and it was on the main and only road giving access to Aden. They did not quite know what to make of us as we were in khaki dress, and they appeared to look upon us as invaders. It was a long time before they would lower the drawbridge for us. At last they did so, permitting us to pass through, and so we then had a further march of a mile before we reached our bungalows or quarters. The wagons conveyed our arms, chest immediately behind us. As soon as our arms and ammunition were available we got out the arms and regular uniform. We then formed company and the officer told us off in guards. It came to my turn as Lance- Corporal to be with the main pass guard.
We marched up the main pass and were relieved the Sepoys. The officer marched back with the Sepoys to our bungalow. He gave the word. "Halt; front dress; even front ; rear rank take open order. March. Front rank right about face; ground arms. Front rank right about face; rear rank take close orders; march two paces to your front. March." That left the arms behind. Our men gathered them up and put them into the bungalow. It was then that the Sepoys found out that their plot had been found out. They spat on the ground and danced. So they served every guard the same. All the Sepoys were thus disarmed, but the Government had to keep them in rations.
While we were in Aden a wild tribe of Arabs built a village about 10 miles from Aden. They called it by the name Sachee. Then they commenced to rob the chiefs as they passed on their way to Aden. So the friendly chiefs sent into the commanding officer, and told him that the wild Arabs would rob them if they came on. So the officer got 100 men from the man-o'war, and formed a naval contingent, and with 100 of us were marched out across the isthmus to the village. We went straight up to the village and set fire to it. The Arab robbers had retired about a mile just to be out of harm's way, and when they saw us fire the place they stood up on their dromedaries, a speedy kind of camel ; but would not come any nearer, and they were not game to attack us. We then returned to Aden. This prevented them interfering with other friendly tribes, who came along without being held up, bringing their produce. The next week we had them in with their cow camels, dromedaries, elephants, and all kinds of goods and plenty of straw everything in fact for both man and beast and the road was kept clear. There is not much else to relate about India except that General Pennefather gave us plenty of field days in the heat or sun as I have previously told.
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