On the Face of the Waters: A Tale of the Mutiny
Flora Annie Webster Steel
Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided byGoogle Books (Harvard University Library)
Transcriber's Notes:
1. Page scan source: https://books.google.com/books?id=QScXAAAAYAAJ (Harvard University Library)
ON THE FACE OF THE WATERS
ON THE FACE OF
THE WATERS
A TALE OF THE MUTINY
BY
FLORA ANNIE STEEL
AUTHOR OF "MISS STUART'S LEGACY," "THE FLOWER OF FORGIVENESS," ETC., ETC.
New York
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1914
Copyright, 1896,
By PAUL R. REYNOLDS.
Copyright, 1897,
By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.
* * *
First Edition January, 1897. Reprinted January three times, Februarytwice, March three times, April twice, May, July, September, November,1897; May, October, 1898; June, 1903; November, 1909; September, 1911;July, 1914.
Norwood Press:
Berwick & Smith Co., Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.
PREFACE.
A word of explanation is needed for this book, which, in attempting tobe at once a story and a history, probably fails in either aim.
That, however, is for the reader to say. As the writer, I have only topoint out where my history ends, my story begins, and clear the wayfor criticism. Briefly, then, I have not allowed fiction to interferewith fact in the slightest degree. The reader may rest assured thatevery incident bearing in the remotest degree on the Indian Mutiny, oron the part which real men took in it, is scrupulously exact, even tothe date, the hour, the scene, the very weather. Nor have I allowedthe actual actors in the great tragedy to say a word regarding itwhich is not to be found in the accounts of eye-witnesses, or in theirown writings.
In like manner, the account of the sham court at Delhi--which I havedrawn chiefly from the lips of those who saw it--is pure history; andthe picturesque group of schemers and dupes--all of whom have passedto their account--did not need a single touch of fancy in itspresentment. Even the story of Abool-Bukr and Newasi is true; savethat I have supplied a cause for an estrangement, which undoubtedlydid come to a companionship of which none speak evil. So much for myfacts.
Regarding my fiction: An Englishwoman _was_ concealed in Delhi, in thehouse of an Afghan, and succeeded in escaping to the Ridge just beforethe siege. I have imagined another; that is all. I mention thisbecause it may possibly be said that the incident is incredible.
And now a word for my title. I have chosen it because when youask an uneducated native of India why the Great Rebellion came topass, he will, in nine cases out of ten, reply, "God knows! Hesent a Breath into the World." From this to a Spirit moving on theface of the Waters is not far. For the rest I have tried to give aphotograph--that is, a picture in which the differentiation caused bycolor is left out--of a time which neither the fair race or the darkrace is ever likely to quite forget or forgive.
That they may come nearer to the latter is the object with which thisbook has been written.
F. A. STEEL.
