The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1911-11-17
No. 6
A NARROW ESCAPE.
presence OF Mind In the Face OF
Terrible Danger.

'crFibic Dau9efs
One of the strangest incidents VI
the sepoy rebellion is told by VIII
liam Forbes Mitchell in his Rem
iniscences of the Great Mutiny."
Mr. M'che'.. who was sergeant of
highla r. ,.mcnt, had the misfor-
tune ra battle 10 lose the
greatroW h;ch every soldier car
ried o..ed IN what was known as
a "Crinoan roll and strapped to
the shoihc-s in such manner that
it crossed the breast:
Many man owed his life 10 the
fact that ballets became spent in
passing through these rolls 1t hap
pened tha. in the heat Of the fight
my roll was cut right thr ugh where
the two ends were fastened togeth-
er by the stroke Of a keen edged
tulwar, which was intended to cut
me.
As the day was warm, was rath-
er glad to get rid of it, but by 10
O'Clock at night there was a differ
ence in temperature, and when |
was relieved from patrol duty and
wanted to lie down to sleep felt
the cold, wet grass anything but
comfortable, for a kilt Is not the
most suitable article OF dress on 9
cold November night in upper In
dia.
: My company was encamped in
and about the tomb of the first king
of 0udh. A 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 l
entered the inclosure I 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 to sleep.
/ IL struck me that some of the Sc
poys might have dropped their
blankets in their hurried departure.
. With this hope | went into one Of
, the rooms where a lamp was burn
ing, took it OFT the shelf and walked
: to the door of the great domed
. mosque or tomb.
/. peered into the dark, but could
! see nothing, so l advanced slowly,
: holding the lamp over my head,
looking cautiously around until /
. was in the center OF the great vault,
where my progress was obstructed
by big black heap about four or
. five feet high, which felt to my feet
like loose sand.
!, ] lowered my lamp and discover
ed ! was standing ankle deep in
! loos" gunpowder. About forty hun
I dTedeci~'N i u. under my nose,
and If .ase around showed
me TWEEN thirty barrels of the
same sub nr. over q hundred
eight-incl .hr,. rIl loaded and
. with fuses .Acl, ard 4 profusion Of
spare fuses and slow matches lying
about
took in my danger at q glance.
There | was, up to my knees nearly
in gunpowder, with naked light
IN my hand. Ny hair literally stood
on end, and my knees knocked to-
gether. Cold perspiration broke
out all over me. had neither
cloth nor handkerchief in my pock-
ct with which to extnguish my
light, and the next moment might
, be nv last, for the overhanging
wick already threatened to send the
smoldering red top to my feet, with
, consequences too dreadful to con-
template.
! Quick as thought / put my left
/, hand under the down dropping
, fame and, clasping it firmly, slowly
turned to the door.
Fear so overcame all other sem
sation that / felt no pain of the
burn until / was outside. Then il
was sharp enough. ! poured the oil
from the lamp into my burned
hand. Then ! knelt down and
thanked God.
Next I Staggered to Captain Daw-
son and told him. He Did not be-
iicve me- md told me had walked
up from dream. / showed him the
powder still sticking on my wet
feet. He instantly roused the sleep
ing men and quenched every spark
of fire on the premises.