The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1851-07-17
BY iBDlIH ]. RHEY.
ATRAGEDY OF REAL LIFE.
An incident of Indian Life.

=, familiar to every reader of Indian history,
for the rapid rise Of that crafty but talented
Asistic Hyder Ali.
-a-f had been rejecting as passed through the
country on the warlike exploits and barbarous
cruelties by which it has been dis6gurcd, and
on the short space of time in which, from the
first settlement by few enterprising merchants
at Surat, in the year 1912, the English had,
either by force diplomacy, possessed them
selves of the entire territory from Cape Como
rim to the Himalaya mountains; and, by an ano-
rnaly Of which history furnishes no parallel,
holding and enforcing their authority IN great
measure by means of the very natives and troops
they have conquered, and who now lend them
selves to enslave their own country, and riyet
the shackles Of bondage their fatherland.
asked myself the question-was the time ap-
preaching when their fame, colonies, and pos
sessions would be among the things that were?
would they in process of developement be swept
away before some nation not yet Graded, or
only in its infancy; or-proying an exception TO
the whole experience of ages-would they re-
main mpcrishably great and renowned till the
final dissolution OF nature?
left my palanquin; and walking forward with
a Manton across my shoulder, accompanied by
Coolie carrying double -barreled rifle, was
soon busily engaged peering into the thick grass
and underwood that lay on each side of the
path, intent only on scattering destruction
among some innocent and tender little bipeds,
with the laudabe design Of furnishing some
trifing addition to natural history, and a dis
tant hope of perhaps securing shot among a
herd of deer family discernible in the outline
In the incautious pursuit of wild boar that
had crossed my path, | at length found myself
in the midst Of dense jungle-not the most
secure position in the world, with only a single
ebony gentleman at your side-for the least
Indication of danger, this representative of Lu-
cfer judiciOusly prefers present safety TO future
reputation, and performs retrogade movement
with undignifed rapidity, leaving you alone to
apologize for your intrusion to brute that can
not be persuaded to adopt polite manners, but
eyinces an unmistakable desire to exhibit his
ceremonious embrace. The tendency of long
ages of lost liberty and slayish superstition to
produce national degradation is forcibly exem-
pfed in the lower casts of the natives, who
may truthfully be said to have acquired all the
vices Of their various conquerors, without any
Of their redeeming qualities.
To return:-tired at last with my exertions
and the intensity of the heat, 1 dispatched my
sable attendant in quest of that peculiar Indian
luxury, the palanquin; and looking round for
some sheltered spot to await its comingup, per-
ceiyed wide-spreading banyan tree. Trusting
TO its friendly shelter, was soon stretched be-
meath canopy of densely- clustered foliage,
sufficient to exclude all direct rays of the solar
star; and, lighting one of my best Indian pipes,
resigned myself to what brother Jonathan terms
a ''tarnation smoke.
The scene before me was such as that which
Johnson in one of his rich and genial moods
would delight to portray-the image of beauty
reposing in the lap of sublimity was never more
aptly applied. The sun had attained its culmi-
mating point and was showering down its feryid
rays with scorching influence; not breath
stirred the forest air; all was hushed in repose
and silent as the last breathings of the depart
ing soul-while foreboding sensation o'ersha-
lowed the whole, as that beautiful couplet in
Oampbelfs "Lochier' Omniousy crowded on
my memory,
us the sunset OF life gives me mystical lore
ana coming events cast their shadows before
could not account for the oppressive silence,
Tor often before l had reclined at the foot of
some forest giant, and experienced widely diff
erent feelings; all here seemed indescribabIy
grand and ennobling. The various tribes of
oahoons, monkeys and apes, screeching, chat
'eflng and grinning overhead, anon leaping
IRON tree to tree, luxuriating in the enjoyment
Vi freedom and reyelry; while the jay, the par
Fo'' 'he peacock, with minor and sweeter min
''''-s In every splendid variety of tropical plu-
NAsnt oe seen soaring or darting amidst
D' 40i''ee oi forest verdure, combined with the
'eAuly and number of parasitical plants and
@lId flowers Such a scene of loneliness and
NE had often enraptured me- till second Eden
seened realized; when, as if its aspect were too
He'pului Tor sinful earth, the illusion was dis
p''ea On observing the slender and graceful
'Ofm OF snake gliding swiftly in many folds
"sn 'he long grass-by that curious asso-
r''On Oh ideas, suggesting at once the primal
'' anu the probable vicinity of cobra couch
VI tue branch of tree overhead, whose
'0l'f 50 closely apprOximates its tinge, that it