Clarksville evening chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn) 1886-1890, 1888-11-12
A GREAT TREASURE.

Before the occupation Of India by the
British it was the richest country in gold,
precious stones, rare jewels, fine cloth
and cutlery Of any on earth, While the
poor were miserabfy poor, the rich were
immensely rich. This was SO even up 10
the breaking out Of the great mutiny.
When the British troops wsCe fairly IA
line to strike at the rebellion, tie wAhch,
word was Revenge and kee." 70 W~s
understood all through the service hat
whatever soldier could hay hands on
should become his plumber. Thoy didn Z
fight any the worse for shat, but they
struck n double blow at the Indians.
They crippled them financially as well as
in a military sense, and tho people have
never recovered, and never can. The
amount Of loot taken out Of India during
the rebellion and directly sfterward has
been estimated at 5000, 900, 900. As much
more was contributed to the rebel cause
by those who GOULD give. Twice or three
times as much was lost by fire and sword.
England reasoned that az impoverished
people could not rebel. and loot was a
part of her war policy.
Ten years after the mutny was talk
ing with a naharajah in the district of
Punjab about tho financial change in the
condition Of the people, ard he said:
"At the outbreak Of the war our pcO-
pie buried or hid away at least hundred
million dollars. l do nt& believe that
the tenth part OF this great sum has yet
been recovered. Those who secreted it
were dead before tho close of the war,
and this vast treasure is lost to us. >"
did not tell linn that had put in q
year 10 India, md spent upward of
Sc, 900 looking for some Of that treasure.
Such waS the fact, however. A couple
of Englishnlon aud nyself, forming an
acquaintance in Bombay and having a
spirit Of adventure, pooled our cash and
followed up several pointers looking to
buried treasure. We bad thus far failed
to make any discoveries, and our part
norship had been dissolved and the mon
had returned to Bombay. l was in the
Punjab ON business connected with an
American house, and had given up the
treasure business in disgust. The words
of tho maharajah recalled all my enthu-
siasn, however, and within an hour after
/ left him | was determined 10 have one
moro pull for fortune and to so it alone.
This determination was FASTENED and
soldified by another Incident was
talking with captain of native in
fantry roSimont regarding some ruins l
had encountered, and he said:
"You may havo left a dozen fortunes
behind you. At the outbreak of the war
these people concealed great deal Of
their wealth in caves and temples, and a
big share Of it is there yet. When you
stumble on pile Of ruins again give the
place a good hooking over for loot.
"But tho ratives have done 30 q hun
bred times over, should say"
"YoG are wrong. Where thoy knew
Of treasure they may have unearthed it,
but they fight shy OF rambling about hap
hazard They boliovo all ruins to be
haunted, and oven if they are not, you
will be certain to find hyenas and serpents
about"
Have you ever heard OF any treasure
being recovered" l asked.
''lIalt dozen instances, sir. The
former CAPTAIN Of this company went
home with coo, 900 after doing two hours
work i'll tho ruins of q gomplo near Bhaul-
pull"
The ncxt day started for Delhi, and
there bit Of good fortune awaited me.
/ feb in with q German naturalist who
was making collection for national
museum, and when he learned that
had had considerable experience in that
line he engaged NE a.i assistant. lie had
two young mon with him, thus making
q party OF four, and when VIC struck to
the southwest of Delhi, intending to take
in the plains and jungles between that
city and Jodpur, we had six native serv-
ants to carry the baggage. Our progress
was slow and easy, rs it was his intcn-
ton to mako u very full collection. The
country over which VIC passed had no
lines Of railway then, and was unknown
u white l.!cu except as they had hunted
through it. There were tigers and other
wild game III plenty. and it seemed to be
tho nursery Of all India for serpents
There were days when we could not
march except rs the ground was beaten
by tho natives in our front. There was
AAll4l liS'ultltANAl IN bi4t NiAltAsoN9 ItSA
apart, but as an offset the natives were
glad to render any cid, especially rs soon
as they learned that we did not belong
10 tho ruling race, The hate they felt
for tho English was something terrible.
This district has been almost depopulatcd
and quite impoverished by the war.
Petty rulers had been deposed, taxes lev
led with 4 heavy hand, and the natives
worked themselves up TO the highest
pitch of indignation as they talked
about it.
My one object was buried treasure.
While doing my duty by the professor
had opportunity for offensive rambles of
the line Of march, ard l never failed to
mako inquiries Of natives. This, rs
afterward learned, was the worst policy
could have adopted. Every ruin WA
sacred 70 them. tnd every white man
Was n dcfler. Ore nigh: as well have