Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-10-22
A Slight Mistake.
A STORY OF THE sEPOY MUTINY.


/ The annals of history record no NOR
atrocious cruelty than was committed dur
i ing the Scpoy mutiny, in India, in 1857
Mecrut, Delhi, Lucknow, Cawnpore
Bareilly, Benarcs, Allahabad and Lahore
these are names which must bring
shudder to all who have read the terrihl
tales of outrage, massacre and death.
| started with a missionary and his wifi
in the most flaming days of midsummer
said Albert Anderson, an Englishman, il
the hope that we could make our way
across the country to meet Gen. Havelocl
and his brave soldiers who were fighting
their way foot by foot in effort to reacl
Lucknow in time to save the little garri
son. and the women and children who
were in such awful peril from men who
were not men but only liends.
The whole country was seething will
rebellion, and the chances were ten TO one
we would be slaughtered by the mutineers
before we could cross half the intervening
distance
We stole along by night, hiding during
ground in front, until we had passed fully
fifty miles, and were confident that no
mole than half as many lay between us
and General Havelock.
In fact, on the fourth day, while hiding
in the jungle, we heard distinctly the guns
of the Christian general and his gallant
boys as they hammered away at the Se-
poys, and beat them ont of their path.
This greatly cheered us, and afforded q
compass as to the course we ought to pur-
sue; but at the same time, the danger was
intensified, for the mutineers were constant
ly 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 it was
our European soldiers could stand up and
fight under it. Poor fellows! there were
hundreds stricken down by coup de soleil,
cholera and other diseases produced by
the fearful heat. To us, rs We lay pant
ing in the dense shady jungle, it seemed
as if another degree would suffocate us.
We dared not show ourselves out of our
concealment during the day, for our enc.
mics were all around us. Often we peered
through the shrnbbery and saw the swar-
thy imps, sometimes on foot and some
times on horseback, riding back and forth
and here and there in a way which left no
doubt they were hunting for fugitives.
Added to the dangers from Sepoys and
the weather, were the perils from wild
beasts and serpents. In that strange en-
pire the junglcs swarm with the most
dangerous reptiles and animals on the
globe.
The missionary and myself were armed,
as matter of course, but we were afraid
of missing u shot, lest it might draw the
notice of our enemies to us, and conse-
quently we took special pains to avoid all
cobras and tigers, and like foes.
We had reached the point named and
were grouped together, talking in low
tones, and listening to the faint boom of
Havelock's cannon, when Mrs. Heckmyer
suddenly looked sharply about her, ,and be-
gan such a spasmodic search for some-
thing, that her husband and asked what
she had lost.
My shawl, she answered, / do not un-
derstand where it can be.
We joined her in the hunt, and u few
minutes were sufficient to prove that it had
been dropped somewhere on our path un-
noticed.
Little need had the lady for such an ad-
ditional protection in that intolerable eli
mate; but the shawl was beautifully or
tiger skin of the finest quality,
dressed by native physician. to the hexi-
bility of silk. 1t was very valuable even
in the country of tigers, besides which it
was highly priced for the reason that it
was presented to Mr.. Hackmyer by a loI ed
sister Just before her death.
1t was exceedingly tiresome, these long
lays of waiting in the jungle, and | was
glad o. an excuse TO start back and look
or the missing garment; it would afford
l relief for the weary monotony.
There was no reason why should make
any blunder. Our hiding place was
more secure than usual, and | was travel
ing backward over the ground that in one
sense had become familiar.
In fact | was 50 secure in my own con-
idence that | remember feeling rather
pleased over the mishap of Mrs. Hcckmycr
nasmuch as it gave me something in the
way of IL new diversion.
1t was quite clear in my own mind as to
where the shawl had been lost. In tread
ing our way through the Jungle we had
reached II plateau some fifty feet in clcva-
ton, and over which | was now walking.
The ascent to this was like climbing the
side of ravine, and we had only accom-
plished it by catching at bushes, Chamber
ing over rocks, displacing IN immense
amount of dirt, and expending vast
amount of labor. 1t must have been that
the shawl was dropped unnoticed.
This romantic spot was about half n
mile from camp, and | made my way back
to it with the ease of II Sioux Indian trail
ing an enemy through an American for
est. Our footsteps were so distinct that
had little difficulty in my retrogression,
and reached the descent ut the very point
where we had left it.
If q company of the Sepoys should run
across our trail, reflected, with shudder
and should suspect our identity, they
wouldn't have any trouble in running US
down.
However there was no evidence of
danger to call my attention from the
search for the shawl, and approaching the
edge of the descent, looked scrutinizing-
ly downward.
| knew should find it here, exclaim-
ed the next moment, for | had caught
glimpse of the brilliantly beautiful skin be-
meath some broad leafey underground,
such as is common in Asiatic iungles.
Immediately | was making my way
down the descent, jumping. sliding and
catching the branches by way of a brake,
until l finally reached the bottom, with
which compelled me to run n
rod or so before l could check myself.
| turned as quickly as possible, but
could see nothing Of the tiger skin. This
concluded. however, was merely due to
change in our relative positions, and NOV
ed toward the bush underneath which
had seen it a few minutes before.
When the spot was reached the tiger
skin had vanished! was dumbfounded.
There was no mistake as to the locality,
and the mistery was incomprehensible.
There seems to be some magic going ON
here
A rustling of the leaves l soon heard,
and. turning my head, there stood the
Tiger skin within fifty feet! 1t was alive
and bristling with fury. Instead of the
shawl, it was the terrible creature itself
which Law beneath the bush.