The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-11-08
An Odd Story.

ut was something more than the love of
sport and adventure that took me back to
Ceylon for a second visit" said Major Car
ter of her majesty's service 81 had re
solved tp solve the mystery of Lieutenant
Gordan's most unaccountable disappear
ance on that wild island five years before.
Gordan was fine fellow, young daring
and enthusiastic, with a promising future
before him, and the uncertainty of his fate
preyed upon my mind.
II had often heard weird stories of the
man killing tree of Ceyon, but / did not
believe there was the least foundation for
Them. TO my mind the story was Il myth,
for | had found a man might rest in Sc
rurity beneath the so called deadly upas,
and yet the story of the upas was never so
Improbable as that of the fiendish tree said
to live on flesh and blood
"Lieutenant Gordan had shared my
skepticism to n certain extent. and yet he
was inclined to search for the demon tree
in dark depths Of the widest jungles He
had daring and dangerous way of ram
bling far into the forests, his only com
panions being a native guide and his dark
skinned servant. More than once / told
him he would provide n square meal for u
tiger or some other wild animal, but he
only laughed at my fears.
zone night he did not return. The guide
and the servant came back, both fright
ened nearly to death, and they told n story
that aroused our party to a high pitch of
excitement. They declared Lieutenant
Gordan had fallen a victim to the man eat
ing tree, saying it was near midafternoon
when they came to the mouth of deep and
dark valley, into which the venturesome
young man insisted on penetrating At
the mouth of the valley the natives found
a small stone idol before which were scat
tered human skulls and bones This served
to warn them against entering the forbid
| ding place, and they refused to accompany
| the lieutenant.
"Gordan was not daunted, and he babe
them await his return, after which he bold
| ly went down into the gloom of the place,
leaving the natives mumbling and pros
| trating themselves before the idol.
"ln about 20 minutes the guide and the
servant heard IA terrible Shrek of fear and
agony that came up from the mysterious
and dismal valley. The cry was that of a
human being in the greatest agony, and so
frightened were the natives that they in
stantly took to their heels and fled from the
spot.
I'VE rebuked them for their cowardice,
and all of us believed Gordan had been at
tackled by a wild animal or IA serpent, We
even entertained hope that he might put in
an appearance, but the night passed and
morning came without any sign of him.
| Then nearly the entire party set out to find
the dismal valley and solve the mystery of
our comrades fate.
1.-THE guide was very reluctant about
! IL, Il
For hours we tramped about in the Jungle
without finding he valley and the guide
finally declared he did not know how to
lead us to il. This made us very angry,
and we nearly scared the fellow to death,
asserting we would fay him alive if he did
not take us to the place. He started ON
again. and we followed, but night found us
unrewarded for our pains. In returning to
the camp both the guide and Gordan's
servant slipped away and disappeared in
the forest, and neither was seen afterward.
"This mysterious affair threw a damper
or our spirits, and the hunt was far from a
success Che most of the party We're in
clined to believe the lieutenant had been
murdered by the two natives, and thought
it not improbable.
During the five years that elapsed be-
fore again visited Ceylon, often thought
of Jack Gordan and longed to know the
truth concerning his fate. When | found
myself once more in the vicinity of our
former adventures, | resolved to search for
the fatal valley Captain Starbuck, II loyal
friend and man with plenty Of courage
agreed to accompany me, poor fellow!
was glad to have white man as II compan-
: ion, although ! protested against taking
him from his elephant shooting, but he
professed some faith in the story of the
man eating tree and expressed a desire tc
look upon the monster of the vegetable
kingdom.
Taking our servants along, we made 4
party of four, although we knew We coulC
not depend on the blackskins i'll case o
emergency. 1t was near midday OF on
first and final search that we came to thu
mouth of valley that seemed to me lill'
the one described by the native guide ant
Gordans servant. All at once both GU
dusky aids flung themselves face down
ward on the ground and began chanting
something in the most dOleful tones, an'
then we SAW they were bowed before hid
eous stone image, around which were scat
tered bones and human skullsl
"'We have found the fatal valleyp
cried.
1T was useless to attempt to persuad
gloom of the place, and they entreated u
not to go there, saying we would neve
come forth if we ventured. Telling then
TO await our return and looking to max
, sure our weapons were ready for instan
use, we entered the valley.
"A deep gloom hung over the place, whic
, was disturbed by no sound save our foot
fails, and they did not seem to make Al
echo, AS we moved slowly onward fee
}. Ing Of horror gradually and surely crep
- over me, although / tried to throw it of
1t seemed that there was something IN
canny about the valley-something weir
and deadly, ] looked at the captain an
saw his face was pale, although his jaw
were set and determination was written o
his features.
I'm vain we looked about for sign c
living creature in that dismal vale n