Looking round,
I could see that I was some four miles from the point where I had
descended. The camp was gone; but running my eye along the edge of
the plateau I could see the tops of tents a mile to my right, and
again two miles to my left; turning round, and looking down into
the wide valley, I saw a regimental camp.
"It was evident that a vigorous effort was being made to surround
and capture the Dacoits, since troops had been brought up from
Bombay. In addition to the troops above and below, there would
probably be a strong police force, acting on the face of the hill.
I did not see all these things at the time, for I was, as soon as
I got to the top, ordered to sit down behind the parapet, a fellow
armed to the teeth squatting down by me, and signifying that if
I showed my head above the stones he would cut my throat without
hesitation. There were, however, sufficient gaps between the stones
to allow me to have a view of the crest of the Ghaut, while below
my view extended down to the hills behind Bombay. It was evident to
me now why the Dacoits did not climb up into the fortress. There
were dozens of similar crags on the face of the Ghauts, and the
troops did not as yet know their whereabouts. It was a sort of
blockade of the whole face of the hills which was being kept up,
and there were, probably enough, several other bands of Dacoits
lurking in the jungle.
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