The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1909-10-08
A NARROW ESCAPE.
Presence Of Mind IN the Face OF
Terrible Danger.

One or the strangest incidents ~
the sepov rebellion is told by Will
liam Forbes Mitchell in his Rem
iniscences Of the Great Mutiny.
Mr.. Mitchell, who was sergeant OF a
highland regiment, had the misfor-
tune during a battle to lose the
greatcoat which every soldier car
RED folded in what was known as
a "Crimean roll" and strapped to
the shoulders in such manner that
il crossed the breast:
Many a man owed his life to the
fact that bullets became spent in
passing through these rolls. 1t hap
pened that in the heat of the tight
my roll was cut right through where
the two ends were fastened togeth-
er hv the stroke Of a keen edged
tulwar, which was intended to cut
me.
/ As the day was warm, was rath-
er glad p get rid of it, but by 10
O'Clock at night there was a differ
ence in temperature, and when l
was relieved from patrol duty and
wanted 70 lie down to sleep | felt
the cold. vet grass anything but
comforia able. for a kilt is not the
most suitable article of dress on a
cold November night in upper In
dia.
Ny company was encamped IN
and about the tomb of the first king
of Oudh. 4 large inclosure sur
rounded the building of the tomb
itself. and on the inside of this
were small rooms built for the ac-
commodation of pilgrims. When ]
entered the inclosure / noticed
these apartments and asked permis-
, sion to sleep in one of them, but
was refused. | had to make the
best Of my position. but was too un-
! comfortable % sleep.
: II struck me that some Of the Sc
] poys might have dropped their
: blankets in their hurried departure.
I With this hope | went into one of
!. the rooms where lamp was burn
ING. took il off the shelf and walked
to the door Of the great domed
mosque or tomb.
peered into the dark, but could
see nothing, so | advanced slowly,
holding the lamp over my head,
looking cautiously around until /
was in the center Of the great vailt,
where my progress was obstructed
bv a big black heap about four or
five feet high. which felt to my feet
like loose sand.
lowered my lamp and discover
ed l was standing ankle deep In
loose gunpowder About forty hun
dredweicht Of it Law under my nose,
and a hasty glance around showed
me twenty or thirty barrels Of the
same substance. over a hundred
eight-inch shells, all loaded and
} with fuses fixed, and a profusion OF
spare fuses and slow matches lying
about.
! took in my danger at a glance
There | was. up TO my knees nearly
in gunpowdcr. with a naked light
IN my hand. Ny hair literally stood
on end. and nv knees knocked to
gether Cold perspiration broke
out ali over me. | had neither
cloth nor handkerchief in my pock
ct with which to extinguish my
light, and the next moment might
be my last, for the oyerhanginl
wick already threatened to send the
smoldering red top to my feet, with
consequences too dreadful to con
template.
Quick as thought / put my lef
hand under the down dropping
fame and, clasping it firmly, slowl,,
turned 10 the door.
Fear so overcame all other sen
sation that | felt no pain Of tn
burn until | was outside Then j
"A was sharp enough. i poured the oi
from the lamp into my burne'
II hand. Then / knelt down an
~ thanked God.
is Next l staggered to Captain Daw
son and told him. He did not be
lieve me and told me had wake
up from dream | showed him tn
I powder still sticking on my we
feet. He instantly reused the sleer
ing men and quenched every spar
i OF fire on the premises.