The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-25

fBy 4. ouad.l

by &. Quail
Only year ago. half century after
the famous Indian mutiny. . banker OF
Bombay estimated the still hidden treas-
ure Of India at 100 miIiton dollars. The
amount hidden aWay durink the years Of
great deal OF it was recovered for the gov
eminent after peace came. For score OF
years after mutiny had been stamped out
British Officers at scores q posts spent
e and nox snd
In lsss. while / vas at the village OF
the government sent commission Of three
Officers to survey and. inspect the village
wish view icy to ny rg9s d e
to all settlers. was invited by the com
mission to go along, and. this appearing
spection OF the historic ruins, accepted
gladly On arriving at a srall village cali
s "a we meant e sur ss We 1 We're aofd
of some strange things that had happened
lately. 1t was declared that spirits had
lights had been seen f1itting about At night
and hunter whose ardor had led him
stones being moved and had been peI.ed
with rocks Even the most intelligent ma
tives of India are full OF superstition. while
bued with 1t SO thoroughly that signs and
dreams guide most Of their daily trans
actions.
The commission was headed by an Eng
lishman named Grant of the civn service.
The second was. Mr.. Artwell of the same
was s', a civil engineer. with them l' as sec
rotary and clerk was young man named
Thompson Little attention was paid to
the stories of the villagers, and next day
we moved over and camped in a grove
on stream about half a mile above the
head of the desolated town.
The site was. covered with shrubs and
grass and vines, and here and there were
groves Of young trees No tigers had been
the place looked like paradise for panth-
ers, wolves, hyenas and serpents. That
new quarters, a number Of stones from un-
seen assailants were suddenly thrown
with great force at one of the natives who
hitting him on the head and knocking him
inssnsible for several minutes. The mis-
sizes came , from fnicket between US and
had located the direction we fired vol
ley from our guns and put an end to the
thrown into state Of great CONSERVATION.
believing and arguing that our presence
the ruins. and but for Mr.. Grants threats
the crowd would have bolted and left us
II think see into this business he ex-
auieted- down. These ruins have ss either
been taken possession of by a band OF
robbers or there is e party here hunting
ence is undesirable and that demonstra-
ton was to drive US away. Well try to
make it bad job for them, whoever they
are
Soon after daylightL one Of the natives.
wh9 n9w naa S5 his
and found plenty of evidence that it had
been occupied by men during the night.
FOUND 70 have been freshly broken from from
ITS a gang Of treasure hunters for
last proof had been submitted. land it Is
quite needless to caution you that we must
shrubbery alone, and we must be constant
less sholaga men from the hills and they
After breakfast the five of US moved
down on the head OF the village, leaving
shs ae 4un In n e oe
thicket, Mr.. Grant leading and the rest OF
us following in Indian file We had not adj
and means from both sides of us. and one
would have sworn that dozen women IN
distress sire so weds wanaerns aHeuf Close to
yet we could not detect the presence of
human being Suddenly as we continued .e,,
screams and shrieks that my knees gave
out. and had to clutch limb to support
hibit, but the others came to halt, with
serious faces, and the engineer said:
I'm blessed if the sounds dom. give me
a chill, though know it's all blooming
trick Of the gang to keep US out. There
must be lot of fellows in there"
four feet feet long. a foot thick and three wide
was lying in the grass within four feet of
US as we stood in q group. This block sud
six feet and then fell to the earth. with a
jar and then fell to the earth With Jar
yey WSst fh He 81 ns Or
don't pretend to say. but L was juegiery
stone fell four or Ave large pieces of rock
came crashing about our ears. and no one
to beat dpeag at once
Bheeta, which is a military post. but It
was three days before the soldiers came
heard nothing further from treasure hun
tiers while waiting we felt sure they were
among the ruins s, Inc troops enterea r ron ~
shoot down anything they sighted, but the
whole place was beaten up and only one
ruins of the temple with a broken leg. He
was Sholaga from the hills ana after
having been carried to camp and his IN
The party had numbered 30 men and
had been working for two weeks whep we
existence of cavern under the. ruins Of
the temple, and they had labored hard in
their efforts to reach It. As we afterWard
a thousand tons of debris before opening
the cavern. Their appliances were of the
complished by main strength. The cavern
was found the day the soldiers came, and
in opening it this native had been hurt.
His friends had abandoned him delibe--
ately but he bore them no grudge. On the
contrary, he was eratified to know that
the treasure had escaped the English.
When asked as to it's vasue, his eyes spark
led joyousiy, and he answered:
'sSahib there were millions Over 80
men had each q heavy load and made
ready to carry when I tainted away. 1t
would have made hundred Engiishmen
We fosnd the cavern to be q room eight
feet long. six feet broad and ten high. 1t
had been swept clean. The native said it
was nearly full of gold and silver and plate
and jewelry. If SO, the gross value was a
tremendous big sum, and the fellows must
have had to make two or three trips to
carry everything away.-(Copyright, 1909,
by c. b. Lewis.}
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.