The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1873-07-25
THE CHUPRASSIES CRIME.

some eleven years ago Mr.. Frederick
Wilson, the Himalayan sportsman, had
entered into a contract with the Calcutta
and Delhi Railway Company for large
'Aapply of sleepers. In carrying out his
contract, he cut down large numbers of
pine and deodar cedar trees on the
Slope overhanging the Oranges river,
near its source, theie called by the ma
hives the Baghirati. These trees, rolled
into the river, were foated down its wild
and turbulent waters for distance of
$50 miles, and were picked up and land
ed at Hurdwar-a lovely spot, where the
the Ganges, bursting through the noun
tain barrier of the Himalayas, emerges
'on the plain, and changes its character
from mild and turbulent mountain
torrent to broad and stately river.
Many Of the trees thus trusted to the
waters were dashed to splinters against
lboulders and rocks, or damaged in the
whirlpools and eddies of the river. but
enough were saved to render the specu-
latlon good one. The greater part of
the timber was felled about fifteen days
march from the Missouri, the nearest
British hill-station, the road from which,
then as now, was mere footpsth, lead
ing over precipitous mountains, through
Wild gorges, across rapid torrents, tribn-
taries to the Ganges, aud was passable
only on foot. Several hill-coolies were
employed by Mr.. Wilson in telling and
rolling the timber into the river and
in order to pay them, he was obliged to
send periodically to the bank at Mus
souri, for money. The Indian currency
is silver-bags of rupees had therefore
to be carried some fifteen days journey
on the backs of trusty natives. The
mountaineers of the Himalaya are
fine, honest aud trustworthy race, and
Mr.. Wilson. entertained little fear for
the safety Of his occasional valuable
caEgoes Of rupees, which had, for up
wards of year, arrived with great reg
ularity and without accident but yet
he never relaxed the strict precautions
he had at first adopted for the safe con-
yeyance of his treasure.
II happened that about this time Mr..
Wilson required 1900 rupees. He
therefore dispatched two hill-coolies of
noted honesty, twin brothers, much at |
tached to each other, in charge of con-
6dential head man, there called chu-
prassie, or belt-man, which means an
overseer, who wears brass belt in token
Of authority. The money was drawn
from the bank at missouri, and the
party started on their journey, adopt
ing the prescribed precautions, which
were as follows Every hill-man, in
travelling any distance, carries with him
supply of flour for his meals, which,
IN the evening, is baked into cakes or
scones, heated stones being used instead
q an oven this flour is carried in q bag
made Of goat-slials tiled, at the mouth,
aad tbe goat-skin bag is us,ially secured
ma hcml>en net ON the back, the ends
me net securely tied over the ehoul-
efs and under the arms, like KNAPP
~ck. Each of the coolies had a bag of
sfhoasand rupees placed inside the
hour-bag, with sprinkling Of flour
0ssr IT. the bag secured as usual in the
ast'ng, and presenting the ordinary APP
pssssnce OF provisioning. Their
uefs were always to remain together
asser 70 rest or pass the night in vii
Ase, but to bivouac in some unfrequent-
= and sheltered spot when it became
'cesssry to purchase provisions, one !