Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-29
A Jungle Rescue.
by JULES VERNE,

Jules Verne. lsas-IsOS. was Q French
writer, author Of extravagant romanees Ike
nSdssnd the Of the
World in Eighty Days" etc.
PhineaS Fogg, quixotic Englishman;
his French servant, PasSepartout; q ma
tive Hindu guide. q Parsee, and Sir
Francis Cromarty, thrown together In
the jungle of India somewhat by chance,
had intercepted q native religious pro
ceSsion, a funeral procession Of a rajah.
The widow of the rajah. q beautiful
young ParSee woman, was to be burned
alive on her husbands funeral pyre-
according to the Indian custom known
as suffice. She had been forced TO
marry the rajah, wrinkled old man,
against her will, and now she must lose
her life! Phineas Fogg had engaged his
party on the almost fantastic adventure
Of reScuing her.
In the background. among the trees.
the Temple Of Pillaji stood out dis
tinctly. But, to the great disappoint-
ment Of the guide, the guards Of the
rajahs, lighted by smoky torches. were
watching the doors and pacing up and
down with drawn sabers. Phineas
Fogg and Sir Francis Cromarty under
stood that they could attempt nothing
at this side.
Phineas Fogg and his companions
stretched themselves out at the foot Of
tree and waited. BY midnight the sit
uation had not changed. The same
watching outside. It was evident that
they could not count on the drowsiness
of the guards.
So they made long detour, reaching
the pagoda by the rear. About half
hour past midnight they arrived at the
foot Of the walls without having met
any one. No watch had been estab-
liShed on this side, but windows and
doors were entirely absent. It was
necessary to make an opening. Fogg
and his companions had only their
pocketknives. Fortunately, the temple
walls were composed Of q mixture of
bricks and wood which would not be
difficult to cut through. They went at
1t. making as little noise as possible
Some guards appeared and they had to
cease their labors.
Fogg suggested waiting until daylight
some chance might offer itself yet
The general (Sir Francis Comarty)
would have liked to read Fogg's eyes
What was this cold-blooded English
man counting on? Would he at the
moment Of the sacrifice rush toward
the young woman and openly tear her
from her murderers2
In the meantime Passepartout
tree, where he could watch develop
ments, was meditating an idea which
had first crossed his mind like a fash
and which finally embedded itself In
his brain. He had thought 1t mad
ness, and then thought 1t might work
after all. He slid down to the lower
branches, the end Of which bent toward
the ground.
The hours were passing and soon q
few less sornber shades announced the
approach Of day. But the darkness
was still great. It was the time fixed
1t was like a resurrection Of a slumber-
ing crowd. Groups awoke. The beat
ing Of tom-toms sounded, songs and
cries burst out. The hour had come IL
which the unfortunate Parsee woman
was to die.
The doors Of the pagoda were nov
opened. A more intense light came
from the interior. Mr.. Fogg and Si1
Francis could see the victim, all lighted
up. whom two priests were dragging ia
the outside. 1t seemed to them that
shaking of the drowsineSs of trtoxica-
ton (she had been drugged with Indian
hemp by the highest instinct Of self
preservation, the unfortunate woman
was trying to escape from her execu-
TONERS. Sir Francis heart throbbed
violently, and with convulsive move