Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-10-22
A Slight Mistake.

A..
pore, Bareilly, Benares, Allahabad and
Lahore-these are names which must
bring a shudder to all who have read the
terrible tales of outrage, massacre and
death.
L started with a missionary and his
wife in one of the most flaming days IN
midsummer said Albert Anderson, an
Englishman, in the hope that we could
make our way across the country to
meet Gen. Havelock and his brave
soldiers, who were fighting their way
foot by foot IN the effort TO reach Luck'
now IN time to save the little garrison,
and the women and children who were
in such awful peril liom men who were
not men but iends.
The whole country was seethlng with
rebellion. aud the chances were ten to
one we would be slaughtered by the
mutiueers before we could cross halt
the intervening distance.
We stole along by night, hiding dur
ing the day, and carefully reconnoitre-
ing the ground IN front, until we had
passed fully fifty miles, and were con-
fdent that no more than half as many
lay between US and Gen. Havelock.
In fact, on the fourth day, while hid
ing in the Jungle, we heard distinctly
the Guns of the Christian general and
his gallant boys as they hammered
away at the Sepoys, and beat them out
of their path.
This greatly cheered u.s. and afforded
COMPASS as to the course we ought to
to pursue; but, at the same time' the
danger was intensified, for the mutineers
were constantly increasing in numbers,
and we were liable to run against them
at any moment.
The weather was simply Internal, and
time and again we wondered how II
was our European soldiers could stand
up and fight under it. Poor fellows
there were hundreds stricken by coup
de soleH, cholera and other diseases pro-
duced BIZ the frightful heat. To us, as
we lay painting in the dense shady jun
ole it seemed as if another degree
would suffocate US.
We dared not show ourselves out ol
our concealment during the day, for our
enemies were all around us. Often we
peered through the shrubbery and saw
the swarthy imps, sometimes on foot
and sometimes on horseback, riding
hack and forth and here and ithere in
way which left no doubt they were
hunting for fugitives.,
Added to the dangers from Sepoy'
and the weather were the perlls from
wild beasts and serpeRts. In thai
strange empire, the junglcs swarm with
the most dangerous reptiles and animals
on the globe.
The missionary and myself were
armed. as a matter Of course, but We
were fearful of riskiug a shot, lest i
might draw the attention OF our enemies
to us, and consequently we took specla
Mains to avoid all cobras and tigers
aud ike toes.
| We had reached the point named, ant
were grouped together, talking in low
tones. and listening to the faint boon
of Havelock's cannon, when Mrs
Heckmyer suddenly looked sharpi.
about her, and began such a spasmodI
search for something, that her HUSBAND
and [ asked what she had lost.
My shawl she answered. l d
not understand where it can be-
We joined her in the hunt, and te'
minutes were sufficient to prove that
had been dropped somewhere on ou
path unnoticed.
Little need had the lady for such al
additional protection in that intolerabl
climate: but the shawl was a beautlir
ornamental tiger skin OF the fines
texture. dressed by native physician
to the fexibility of silk. 1t was yer
= valuable even in the country of tigers
besides which it was highly priced fc
g the reason that it was presented
Mre. Heckmyer by loved sister jus
before her death.
y It was exceedingly tiresome, thes
: long days OF waiting ia the jungle, an
e 1 was glad of an excuse to start bac
and look fer the missing garment.
L would afford relief for the wear
: monotony.
There was no reason why l shou
o make any blunder. Our hiding plac
u was more secure than usual, and WI
travelling backward over ground that
e one sense was familiar.
II In fact, was SC secure in my ow
= confidence that I remember feelin
rather pleased oyer the mishap OF Mr.
IS Heckmyer, inasmuch as it gave n
e something in the way Of a diversion.
l. 1t was quite clear in my own mind
s. to where the shawl had been lost.
s. treading our way through the Jungle
p had reached plateau some fifty feet
elevation. and oyer which l was no
sr walking. The ascent to this was III
at climbing the side ola ravine, and
IN had only accomplished it by catching
er bushes, clambering over rocks, displa
A. ing an immense quantity of dirt, a
s. expend,ng a vast amount Of lab
to II must have been there that the sha
he was dropped unnoticed.
Mt This romantic spot was about hal
u mile from camp and made my W
ne back TO it with the care OF a Sic
p- Indian trailing an enemy through