The truth is that
in attempting to abolish suttee and other ancient native customs, and to
introduce more enlightened practices, the British Government was acting
in the interest of general humanity.
The immediate provocation of the great mutiny among the sepoys or native
troops in the British East-Indian service is well shown, and the entire
story of the revolt is equally well told, by Mr. Wheeler. This author,
while a secretary to the Government of India in the latter part of the
nineteenth century, enjoyed peculiar advantages for study and research.
These advantages he turned to account by writing an authoritative and
interesting history of the land of his official residence.
Early in the year 1857, it is said, there were rumors of a coming danger
to British rule in India. In some parts of the country _chupatties_, or
cakes, were circulated in a mysterious manner from village to village.
[Footnote: The form of the cake conveyed information that an
insurrection was in preparation--an old custom--understood by the
natives.
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