Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-28

pie-for always keep small change as
bakshish when am in camp.
Gunga Dass clutched the coins and hid
them at once in his ragged loin cloth, his
expression changing to something diabolical
as he looked round to assure himself that no
one had observed us.
"Now will give YOU something to eat %
said he.
What pleasure the possession of nv money
could have afforded him I am unable to say;
but inasmuch as it did give him evident de-
light was not sorry that parted with it
so readily, for 1 had no doubt that he would
have had me killed if had refused. One
does not protest against the vagaries of a
den of wild beasts; and my companions
were lower than any beasts.
While / devoured what Gunga Dass had
provided, coarse chappatti and cup of
the foul well water, the people showed not
the faintest sign of curiosity-the curiosity
which is so rampant, as rule, in an Indian
village.
TORTURE.
could even fancy that they despised me.
At ali events they treated me with the most
chilling indifference, and Gunga Dass was
nearly as bad. 1 piled him with questions
about the terrible village, and received ex-
tremely unsatis factory answers So far as 1
could gather, it had been in existence from
time Observation-Disclosures concluded that
it was at least century old-and during
that time no one had ever been known to
escape from it. q had to control myself
here with both hands, lest the blind terror
should lay hold OF me a second time and
drive me raving round the crater.) Gunga
Dass took a malicious pleasure in emphasize,
ing this point and in watching me vince.
NaNbs 49, II \ L
10 tell me who the mysterious "They" were.
ut is SO ordered" he would reply, "and
90 not yet know any one who has dis
obeyed the orders"
''0nly wait till my servants find that
am missing" retorted, "and 1 promise
you that this place shall be cleared off the
face OF the earth, and I'll give you lesson
IN civility, too, my friend"
Your servants would be torn IN pieces
before they came near this place; and, be-
Sides you are dead, my dear friend. 1t is
not your iault, of course, but none the less
you are dead and buried"
At irregular intervals supplies of food, 1
was told, were dropped down from the land
slide into the amphitheater and the inhab-
itants fought for them like wild beasts
When man felt his death coming on he
retreated to his lair and died there The
body was sometimes dragged out OF the hole
and thrown on the sand or allowed to rot
where it lay.
The phrase "thrown on the sand" caught
my attention, ard / asked Gunga Dass
whether this sort of thing was not likely to
breed pestilence.
THAT" said he, with another of his
wheezy chuckles, "you may see for yourself
subsequently,. You will have much time to
make observations"
NO ESCAPE.
Whereat, to his great delight WINGED
once more and hastily continued the con-
Tersation: "And how do YOU live here
from day to day? What do YOU do?" The |
question ELECTED exactly the same answer as
before-coupled with the information that
this place is like your European heaven;
there is neither marrying nor giving in mar |
riage."
Gunga Dass had been educated at mis-
sion school and, as be himself admitted. |
had he only changed his religion 'flike a |
wise man, might have avoided the living |
grave which was now his portion. But as |
long as I was with him 1 fancy he was
happy.
Here was Sahib, a representative of the
oonlnant race, hel pless as a child and COM
pletely at the mercy OF his native neigh
bors. In deliberate, lazy way he set him
sell to torture me as a schoolboy would de
vote rapturous half-hour to watching the
agonIes OF an impaled beetle or as a ferret
IN blind burrow might glue himself COM
fortably to the neck of a rabbit.
The burden of his conversation was that
there was no escape sol no kind whatever"
and that should stay here till 1 died. and
was thrown on the sand" If it were pos
sible to forejudge the conversation ofthe
damned on the advent of a new eouI in |
their abode, should say that thev would
speak as Gunga Dass did to me throughout
that long afternoon. / was powerless TO
protest or answer; all my energies being de-
voted to struggle against the inexplicable
terror that threatened to overwhelm me
again and again. can compare the feel
ing 70 nothing except the struggles of man
against the overpowering nausea of the
Channel passage-onlp my agony was of
the spirit and infinitely more terrible.
AS the day wore on the inhabitants be-
gan to appear in full strength to catch the
rays OF the afternoon sun, which were now
sIoplng IN at the mouth ofthe crater. They
assembled in little knots, and talked AMONG
themselves without even throwing a glance
in my direction. About o'clock, as far as
1 could Judge, Gunga Dass rose and diyed
INTO MS Ialr Tor moment, emerging with a |
1--we crow in his hands. The wretched bird
was In most draggled and deplorable con-
dition, but seemed to be in no wav afraid of
its master {
Advancing cautiously to the river front.
Gunga Dass stepped from tussock to tussock
until he had reached smooth patch of sand
1lrectlE IN the line of the boats fire. The
occupants of the boat took no notice. Here
he stopped, and with a couple OF dexterous
'urns OF the wrist pegged the bird on its
back with outstretched wings.
As was only natural, the crow began to
Shrek at once and beat the air with its
laws. In few seconds the clamor had :
Ittracted the attention of a bevy of wild +,
rows on shoal lew hundred yards away, :
Fhere they were discussing something that ,
ooked like corpse. Half a dozen crows !
lev over at once to see what was going on,
md also, as 1t proved, to attack the pinioned :
,ird.
THE CHASE.
Guuga Dsss, who ha6 lain down on
uEsock, motioned me to be quiet, though 1
ancy this was a needless precaution. In
moment, and before could see how it hap 1
,ened. wild crow, who had grappled with {
he shrieking and helpless bird, was en-
angled in the latter's claws, swiftly disen-
aged by Gungs Dass, and pegged down
'eside its companion in adversely.
il seemed, overpowered the rest
E the flock. and almost before {
funga Dass and had time to withdraw to t
be tussock, two more captives were strug- q
ling in the upturned claws of the decoys.
10 the chase-if 1 can give it so dignifed a 9
until Gunga Dass had {
aptured seven crows. Five OF them be '
hrottied at once, reserving two for further ,
perations another day. was good deal q