Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-23
THE TREASURE OF GWALEOR
By @. B. Lewis on. Quad.


break Of the Indian mutiny, the rajah of
the province of Gwallor was dethroned for
treason to the English. He had long been
a ruler over one Of the largest provinces in
India, and was known to be one Of the
WealthieSt in the empire. He had an army
Of two thousand men, a herd Of two hun
dred elephants, and lived in style no
European monarch could approach. While
protesting to be friendly to the English, he
plotted against them, and when this was
discovered steps were taken to curtail his
power. His army was reduced to body
guard of one hundred men; his right to
issue edicts and make local laws was alb
rogated; English civil officers were sta
toned here and there to collect the taxes,
and the proud and powerful rajah held
only his empty title He bowed to the
terms imposed by superior force, but be-
came one of the bitterest foes the English
had to deal with, and was first and fore
most in bringing about the mutiny. The
date of the outbreak was known by the de-
posed rajah weeks in advance. 1t was at
terward charged that he set the date him
self. At any rate, he was so well prepared
that his troops were almost the first in the
| field against the English. Although his
army had been disbanded for three or four
years, he had secretly purchased and
stored away large amounts of equipment,
and for two months previous to the out
break he was secretly enlisting and arming
his subjects.
Two weeks before the uprising the rajah
made preparations to secure the safety OF
the great treasure. In his palace, thirty
miles from Gwallor, he had a secret cham
Der, in which the wealth had been stored
for three generations. No European had
ever set foot in the palace but it was cur
rently reported that the value of the gems
and jewels, many of which had been
handed down from his great grandfather,
aggregated $l0WO,UOO. 1t was afterward
| believed that this sum was too small by
half One day the rajah left his palace
with an escort of ten of his Oldest ana
most trusted soldiers, and each soldier had
charge of a pack horse, carrying snare
of the treasure.
His band Travelled to the northwest for
two DAYS and then halted amidst the ruins
of an ancient city between the town OF Jey-
pore and the river Ganges. so much was
learned years after. At the emo Oh HVe
days the rajah returned to his palace, ac-
conDanied only by servant VINO hdd
acted as cook This servant was locked in
4 dungeon and never seen again. NO one
dared to ask what had become OF mn. or
the soldiers and If any ole suspected mat
the rajah had removed his treasure from
the palace he wisely kept his thoughts to
hims elf we'll knowing what woAld .oloW
word of gossip
Two months after the rajah had taken
the field against the English, at the head OF
a thousand men, he was killed in battle.
A month later his palace was captured,
looted of such treasure as the soiulers
fancled, ana the9 destroyed by IRE anu ca
plosion. The treasure room was 1ouho ny
the soldiers, but it was empty. From some
Of the servants 1t was learned now anu
when the wealth had been removed. but 1t
could not be searched for until the rebellion
had been put down. During the mutiny the
soldiers were permitted to loot right ana
left, but when peace came the government
reserved the right to search for all treasure
hidden away. But little has ever been writ
ten on this subject. though it is fact he
yond cavil that money, gems and other
things, valued at tens of millions or dollars,
were recovered and turned INTO the govern
ment treasury.
No sooner was the civil government at
Gwallor in working order than party, in
charge of an official, started out to
search for the rajahs treasure. By this
time not soldier or servant who knew any
thing of the matter could be found. 1t was
simply known that the party had gone
away to the northwest. After several days
search the treaSure-hunters came upon the
ruins, and, thinking the spot to be a likely
place, they began work. Here was space
of half a mile square of standing and fallen
walls, with trees and bushes and vines
growing in the greatest profusion. and a
thousand safe spots in which to hide the
treasure. The party, which numbered four
Englishmen and sixty natives, went to
work. however, and it was five months be-
fore they quit in despair. They reported to
the government that it would take thous-
and men fully two years to clear away the
debris.
Soon after it had become generally known
that the party had given up the search
native was arrested at Delhi charged with
the murder of two European women at the
outbreak of the mutiny. When he was put
on trial an English ensign testified in his
behalf and proved that it was case of mis-
taken identity. As soon as the native was
released from custody he went 20 his pre-
server and declared that he was one of the
rajahs soldiers who took away the treas
ure. 1t was buried in the ruins, he said, and
when the work had been finished the rajah
ha arfv nf yr-ip 10
drink to his health This wine was poisoned.
Every man who partook Of it except this
one died within two hours. He was made
very i'll, and simulated death to escape the
rajahs dagger.
When the cold -blooded ruler departed
leaving the dead to be devoured by beasts
Of prey, the sole survivor crawled away.
and after a time recovered and made good
his escape. He fought against the English
to the last, but was ready to divide the hid
den treasure with the man who had saved
his life. Just at this time the government
offered % per cent to finders Of treasure,
and the officer and native proceeded to Jey-
pore and made up party. In due time they
reached the ruins, but only to find the treas
ure gone. The native pointed out the spot
where it had been concealed, and there was
no doubt Of his veracty, but some one had
removed the wealth. AS it had been taken
away during the war it was almost useless
to hope for clue, but the native declared
he would devote the remainder Of his days
to following the matter up.
1t was three years before anything more
was heard of the rajahs treasure. Then a
native who was confined in prison in Luck
now for theft told a story which later on
reached the ears of government officials.
During the last six months of TIE war the
regiment to which he belonged was en-
oamped for some days near the old ruins.
Nearly all the natives had come to realize
that the English rule would soon be re-
stored, and this man and five comrades de-
cided to desert their colors and make their
way to the east. Believing they would be
pursued If they started off across the coun-
try, they secreted them selves among the
ruins until their comrades marched away
They clambered over walls and stone heaps
and crept amidst vines and bushes, until
reaching the center of the ruins and find
ing hiding place
In removing some Of the debris for their
own convenience they came across the
treasure, which was in teakwooI and iron
boxes. Here was the ransom of the great
est king in the world TO be divided among
six soldiers. not one of whom had ever
been possessed of $25 at once in lis life.
but yet the devil of avarice soon entered
into all hearts. In making a division of