from the plain. From the top a splendid view of Delhi, and of the country,
scattered with mosques and tombs--the remains of older Delhi--can be
obtained. The cantonments lay at the back of this hill, a few posts only,
such as Hindoo Rao's house, being held in advance. Until the work of
building batteries and regularly commencing the siege should begin, it
would have been useless putting the troops unnecessarily under the fire of
the heavy guns of the city bastions.

When the troops had fairly taken possession of the old native lines on the
8th of June many of them, as soon as dismissed from duty, made their way
up to the flagstaff tower, on the highest point of the Ridge, to look down
upon Delhi. Among those who did so were Major Warrener and his two sons.
Both uttered an exclamation of pleasure as the city came into view:

"What a superb city!"

Delhi is indeed a glorious city as viewed from the Ridge. It is surrounded
by a lofty crenelated wall, strengthened with detached martello towers,
and with eleven bastions, each mounting nine guns, the work of our own
engineers, but in admirable architectural keeping with the towers.
Conspicuous, on a high table rock rising almost perpendicularly in the
heart of the city, is the Jumma Musjid, the great mosque, a superb pile of
building, with its domes and minarets. To the left, as viewed from the
Ridge, is the great mass of the king's palace--a fortress in itself--with
its lofty walls and towers, and with its own mosques and minarets. These
rise thickly, too, in other parts, while near the palace the closely-
packed houses cease, and lofty trees rise alone there. The Ridge lies on
the north of the city, and opposite to it is the Cashmere gate, through
which our storming parties would rush later on; and away, a little to the
right, is the Lahore gate, through which the enemy's sorties were