The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-10-17
THE BURIED TREASURE

British it was the richest country IN
goli, precious stones, rare jewels, tlne
cloth and cutlery OF any on earth. While
the poor were miserably poor, the
rich were immensely rich. This was so
even up to the breaking out of the great
mutiny. When the British troops were
fairly in line to strike at the rebellion,
the watchword was: "Hevenge and
loot. 1t was understood all through
the service that whatever soldier could
Law hauds on should become his plunder.
They didn't fight any the worse for that,
but they struck a double blow at the
Indians. They crippled them financially
as we'll as in military sense, and the
people have never recovered, and never
caa. The amount of loot taken out of
India during the rebellion and directly
afterward has been estimated al
5000. coo, 900. AS much more was
contributed to the rebel cause by those
who could give. Twice or three times
as much was lost by fire and sword.
England reasoned that an impoverished
people could not rebel, and loot was a
part of her war policy. Ten years after
the mutiny was talking with Mahara-
iah in the Pen; lab about the financial
change in the condition of the people,
and he said:
'.Ar the outbreak of the war our peo-
pie buried or hid away at least a hundred
million dollars. l do not believe that
the tenth part of this great sum has yet
been recovered. Those who secreted it
were dead before the close of the war,
- &c Lost 70 -
| did not tell him that had put in a
yea. in India, and spent upward of
S"ouo looking for some of that treasure.
Such was the fact, however. A couple
of Euglishmen and myself, forming an
&C :uaintance in Bombay and having q
spirit of adventure, pooled our cash and
followed up several pointers looking to
buried treasure. We had thus far failed
to make any discoveries, and our part
nership had been dissolved and the men
had returned to Bombay. was in the
Pen;ab on business connected with an
American house, and had given up the
treasure business in disgust. The words
of the Maharajah recalled all my enthu-
siasm, however, and within an hour after
! left him l was determined to have one
more pull for fortune, and to get it
alone. This determination was fastened
and solidifed by another incident. l
was talking with captain of native
infantry regiment regarding some ruins
I had encountered, and he said:
s.Iou may have 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 aga;n give the
place a good looking over for loot"
'.But the natives have done that a
hundred times over, | should say"
You are wrong. Where they knew
of treasure they may have unearthed it,
but they fight shy of rambling about
hapha ard. They believe all ruins to he
haunted, aud even if they arc not, you
will be certain to find hyenas and serpents
about"
"Have you ever heard of any treasure
being recovered?" l asked.
"Half a dozen instances, sir. The
former Captain of this company went
home with $50, 900 after doing two hours
work in the ruins of temple Lear
Ehaulpul."
The next day l started for Delhi, and
there bit of good fortune waited me. |
fell in with German naturalist who was
making a collection for a national
museum, and when he learned that had
had considerable experience in that line
he engaged me as assistant. lie had two
young men with him, thus making O
party of four, and when we struck to the
southwest of Delhi, intending TO take in
the plains and ;ungles between that city
aud .jodhpur, we had six native servants
to carry the baggage. Our progress was
slow and easy, as it was his intention to
make very full collection. The coun-
try over which we passed had no lines of
railway then, and was unknown to white
men except as they had hunted through
it. There were tigers and other wild
game in plenty, and it seemed to be the
nursery of ali Ind a for serpents. There
were days when we could not march cX-
cept as the ground was beaten by the
natives in our front. There was thin
population, with the villages far apart,
but as an offset the natives were glad to
render any aid, especially as soon us they
learned that we did not belong to the
ruling race. The hate they felt for the
English was something terrible. This
district had been almost depopula' ed
and quite impoverished by the war.
Petty rnlers lad been deposed, taxes
levied with hca"y 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 extensive rambles
off the Inc of march, and l never failed
to make inquiries of natives. This, as l
aftcrward learned, was the worst policy
could have adopted. Every ruin was
sacred to them. and every white man
was defler. One might as we'll have
asked them to forgive caste as to have
expected them to locate the ruins OF Il
religious temple for 4 white man. We
had been out about twenty days, and at
this time were iE a permanent camp in
q grove of mango trees on the bank Of q
creek, when a ryot, or common laborer,
passed through our camp on his way to
his village, about five miles away. The
ruins were in heavy Jungle, but he told
me how to strike path which led near
them. But for his excitement he would
not have betrayed the location. In about
three hours he returned to tell me that
he had been mistaken in the location,
which was to the south instead Of the
west. and if he had said ruins he meant
rocks was not deceived with his Sec
ond statement. He wanted to keep me