Shall we die here like cattle in a slaughter-house ?" "This is as good as any other place" said Byng.
"Nay, sahib!" "How, then ?" "In their lines is a better place! Here is nothing better than a shambles, with none but our men falling.

They know that our food is giving out--they know that we lose heavily--they wait.

They will wait for days yet before they close in to finish what their guns have but begun, and--then--how many will there be to die desperately, as is fitting ?" "We might get reinforcements in the morning, Govind Singh." "And again, we might not, sahib!" "I sent a number of messengers before we were shut in." "Yes, sahib--and to whom?
To men who would ask you to reinforce them if they could get word to you! Tomorrow our rear will be surrounded, too; they have laid planks across the little streams behind us, and are preparing to drag guns to that side, too.

Now, sahib, we have fire left in us.

We can smite yet, and do damage while we die.