The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1916-09-15
A NARROW ESCAPE.
Presence of Mind In the Face of 8
Terrible Danger.

One of the strangest incidents Of
the sepoy rebellion is told by Will
liam Forbes Mitchell In his Rem
iniscences of the Great Mutiny."
Mr.. Mitchell, who was sergeant of
highland regiment, had the misfor-
tune during battle to lose the
greatcoat which every soldier car
ried folded in what was known as
"Crimean rolf and strapped to
the shoulders in such a manner that
it 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 fight
my roll was cut right through where
the two ends were fastened togeth-
sr by the stroke of keen edged
tulwar, which was intended to cut
ne.
As the day was warm, I 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 l
was relieved from patrol duty and
wanted 70 lie down to sleep felt
the COLI. wet grass anything but
comfortable. for a kilt is not the
most suitable article of dress on a
cold November night in upper In
dia.
My company was encamped in
and about the tomb of the first king
of Oudh. 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 |
entered the inclosure 1 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.
1t struck me that some of the Sc
poys might have dropped theil
blankets in their hurried departure.
With this hope went into one OF
the rooms where a lamp was burn
ing, took it off the shelf and walked
to the door of the great domed
mosque or tomb.
l peered into the dark, but could
see nothing, so I advanced slowly,
holding the lamp over my head,
looking cautiously around until |
was in the center of the great vailt,
where my progress was opstructed
by a big black heap about four or
five feet high, which felt to my feet
like loose sand.
/ lowered my lamp and discover
ed 1 was standing ankle deep in
! loose gunpowder. About forty hun
! dredweight of it lay 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.
l took in my danger at a glance,
There l was, up to my knees nearly
! in gunpowder, with a naked light
,, in my hand. My hair literally stood
: on end, and my knees knocked to-
gether. Cold perspiration broke
t out all over me. l had neithe,
S cloth nor handkerchief in my pock.
ct with which to extinguish my
: light, and the next moment might
y be my last, for the overhangine
: wick already threatened to send the
), smoldering red top to my feet, with
= consequences too dreadful to con.
template.
: Quick as thought I put my lef,
Y hand under the down dropping
/ fame and, clasping it firmly, slowly
e turned to the door.
}, Fear so overcame ell other sen.
r sation that l felt no pain of tn.
). burn until l was outside. Then il
; was sharp enough. I poured the oil
E from the lamp into my burned
hand. Then | knelt down anc
:. thanked God.
: Next I staggered to Captain Daw
r son and told him. He did not be
l;eve me- end told me l had wake(
n up fror: n dream. | showed him the
k powder still sticking on nv We
feet. He instantly reused the sleep
ing men ard quenched every sparl
OF FIRE on the premises.