Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-11-22

very full collection. The country
over which We passed had no lines
of rail way then, aud was unknown
to white men. except as they hunt'
ed through. There were tigers
and other wild game in plenty
and il seemed to be the nursery OF
all India for serpents. There we're
days when wa could not march ex'
cent as the ground was beaten by
the natives in our front. There
was a thin population, With the
villages tar q part, but as an Offset
the patives we're glad to render
any aid, especially as soon as 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 depOpulated, and quite I'M
poverished by the war. Petty
rulers had been depOsed, taxes
levied with heavy hand and the
natives worked themselves up to
the highest pitch Of Indignation as
they talked about II.
NY one object was buried treas
ure. While doing my duty by the
professor l had opportunity for ex-
tensive rambles OF the line OF
march, and | never failed to make
inquiries Of natives. This, as l
atterwaId learned. was the worst
policy l could have adopted
Every ruin was sacred TO than,
and every white man was q detiler.
One n light as we'll have asked
them to forgive caste as to have
expected them 70 locate the ruins
of a religious temple for q white
man. We had been out about ~
days, aud at this time were 10 q
permanent camp in q grove OF man
] 90 trees on the bank OF . creek,
when q ryot, or common laborer,
passed through our camp on his
way to his village, about uye miles
away. He had bad a narrow es-
cape from tiger, and was greatly
excited. When 1 asked him to To-
cate the beast he placed him among
the ruins of an old temple to the
west of us aud not more than two
miles away. The ruins were in 9
heavy jungle, but he told me ho"
to strike a path which led near
them. Bot for his excitement he
would not have betrayed the loca-
ton. In about three hours he re-
turned to tell me that he had been
mistaken in ia the location, which
was to the south instead OF the
west, and IL ne had said ruins he
meant rocks. 1 was not deceived
by his second statement. he want
cd to keep me away from the
ruins, and of course l was deter
mined to visit them. II I went, |
must go alone. Neither the pro-
fcssOr nor bis young men had ever
fred at anything more ferocious
than a Jackal and they had no
idea of risking themselves with q
tiger. / had killed two or three
during my jauuts about the coun-
try, and was quite certain OF my
nerve in case OF another meeting.
| The native had described this
tiger as an old man eater, who had
carried of many villagers, aud, as
l must visit tho ruins by day, he
would certainly be at home.--
Bright and early next morning l
was ready to start. My excuse to
the professor was that I intended
TO look for certain bird which he
had been very anxious to secure
and he never noticed that l tool
my heavy rife instead of a shot
gun. also had g revolver and
knife, and 1t was not more than 81
hour after sunrise when set out
| I followed the creek down where
it hranched, aud there struck th'
path which the native had descrl6
ed. As near as l could determine
it had been made by wild anlmalt
coming and going between th'
Jungle and the creek, and at th'
first soft spot 1 found the i'm
prints of the tigers paws. The!
we're fresh, too, aud there was M
doubt OF his being at homo. As
, proceeded, the path wound ab)u'
in tha most eccentric manner, vhlll
the iougle grew thicker. On
could not SEQ five feet 10 any direc
!. ton, and the air was shut Oh. III
4 first b int that had reached th
a ruins came IN the shape OF q bloc
q of dressed stone lying right acros
my path. As stepped upon 1t
v great cobra wriggled slowly ava
/. from my feet, and | saw halt
dozen columns and lengths OF va
g arising among the bushes. Fittee
y years before here had besn q cleaI