The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-01-04
Aistellananns.
Three Adventures Before Midnight.

l have had more than one adventure in
the East India Sjunglcs, among which 50
many Of my early years were spent, but not
one that possesses more of truth and less OF
the appearance of it than that which befel
my friend Chisholm.
For many years he was my brother officer
and chum. We arrived at Madras together,
having shared the problematical comfort Of
the same cabin as passengers on board the
David Scott, a vessel of which the only dis
tinct recollections | retain are, that it was
freighted with young ladies, cadets, and
horses and commanded by an uncouth no
sailor, with whom was incessantly getting
into all sorts ofscrapes, from which the,cool,
manly, afiectionate bearing Of Chisholmwa
as incessantly cxtricating me. We were
posted to duty with the same regiment, drill
ed toeethSr, qui.4sd -tesetlrer- - the no7t
enormously and incontrovertiblc green grif-
fins that ever quilted the oatmeal bannocks OF
bonny Scotland for the curry and rice of In
da, and studied together the cultural pccu-
liar to the Hindostan language, under the
same moonshine. At length the companions
were separated, Chisholm was ordered to
Charwas; l to Bengalorc and after two
years when he obtained months furlougf
and came to the latter gay station to visit
me, the incidents am about to tell in sol
dicr's phrase, We're in effect the adventures
Off single evening.
He had pitched his tent for thenightamont
the low, rocky, barren hills, on one of which
stands the droog or fort of the day; in in
spccting this still considerable possession o
the Mysonhrajah, one of the strongest fort
resses in India, he resolved on deyoting tn
long afternoon before him to hisfowling-piece
for he was an invetente sportsman, and tn
best shot of his regiment. At the perioC
there was no battalion garrison in the Spot
ted Fort (for such is the meaning of Chittle
droog) which, though romantic and pic
turcsquc station, is yet considered unhealthy
The water is so,nty and ofa bad quality
and the maiden, or plain, extended for tel
miles from north to south, and about fou
from east to west, consists of that black sol
called cotton ground which the natives asser
to be the matrix where is generatedunwhole
some exhalations. In the customary style o
Asiatic fortified rocks, Chittledroog is sur
rounded by several walls within one another
the outcrmost ofwhich might be taken with
out cndangering the safety of the inhabitant
of the central citadel or fortalice.
1t was towards the eastern jungles bcyon
the plain, that on q sultIy afternoon, CHS
holm directed his steps, having told his dc
messics not to expect him before dark, but
prepare for an early start on the followin
morning.
81 had village lad with me as bcater,
said Chisholm, " and though once or twic
he refused to accompany me in different d
rections, affirming that there were tigers an
panthcrs in those parts, l found him exper
in the use of his beating pole-apoor subst
tute, notwithstanding, for pointer; and s
successful was that before FIVE o'clock,
had bagged brace of florikin, that most de
icate species of bustard, hare or two, an
a sirius, which latter presented to the boy
to his great delight as was unwilling t
return SO soon, sent him back with th
game, having received instructions from hil
how to steer my course.
When he left, l flung myself down on tn
short, crisp heritage, in repose, and there i
that dreamy sort Of fwakefulness, which, b
low the blue sky Of India, when the coole
brcczcs of coming night breathe, but do nc
blow, is one of our chieiest luxuries, I nigh
have pca@bly remained until 1t was time
etnoe my steps tentward, had 1 not bee
reused by the shrill cry Ofa peacock, which
rising slowly from behind me, stealthil
winged its way scarce two feet from tn
ground to the woods beyond.
"Shall seek for the vein Of gold?" tho
I, or for the sage bird that avoids it9' Fc
, remember the common Hindoo superstition
which asserts that the peacock has so great
horror ofgold, that aware Ofis presence an
though averse to make use Of its wings,
flies over the earth in which vein Of il