The Jewels of Juggernauth

New Zealand Mail, Issue 907, 19 July 1889, Page 9

The Jewels of Juggernauth

(Statesman.) The true and tragic tale which I am about to write was told to me many-years ago by a distinguished officer of the Madras army. The facts have ndver appeared in any newspaper, nor are they to be found in the police records of the Presidency. For obvious reasons tbe names have been altered, but to this day at the camp fires of the great festival held every year is told with bated breath, aud listened to with rapt attention, the terrible tale of the Jewels i f Juggernauts and of the vengeance of the great god. ‘ Many years ago/said my friend, ‘I was quaitercd at Fuzarabad. an important military station about 150 miles from the Madras coast. There were a large number of troops there of all descriptions, and certainly tne life we all led there was g*y and high enough. Gymkhanas, sky races, balls and partie -, aud the great race week held in the capital of a noble Mahomedau kept us from, feeling the tedium of an up-country Indian life. Unfortunately at the time I was there gambling and betting were much In vogue, aud many men plunged in and came to grief over their debts of honour. Of all that gay company nobody was more popular and better liked by both man and woman than young Fitzroy ; but, unfortunately, ho lost money at the races, tried to recover himself at the whist table, but tailed, got into the hands of the Marwarrees, and got deeper aud deeper into the mtre of debt. You could see by his careworn and troubled expression of face that the poor young fellow, was in a real bad way. I was not surprised, then, when one day he came to me and said, ‘ Major, I'm done for. I am utterly broke. I can’t get any more money in the bazaar, and they’ll run me in unless I can get away for a bit. I must-get to England and see if I can raise the wind there, but * goodness knows/ said the young fellow bitterly, ‘how I can dare ask my poor old governor. Major,’ continued he, ‘ I must get'away ; it’s simply killing me. Yon were a great friend of my father, and promised ,to help mo I wish I had stuck to your advice ; but it’s too late now. Will yon come away with me ? Give out that we have taken ten days’ leave for some shooting, and see me down to the coast. If I go off alone, I shall be stopped by those cursed Marwarrees.’ After some hesitation I agreed. He sent in his application of leave to Europe on private affairs, and I gave out that I was going on a ten days’ shooting expedition. A week later, with a couple of tongas, we had started on our long and wearying journey to the coast, where my poor young friend hoped to pick up a steamer to take him to Europe. On the second day out we met crowds of people tramping along—men, women aud children —and the next day still greater crowds. In reply to our inquiries, we were told they were all returning from the great festival of Juggernauth held at Puri, now only some three days’ journey from where we were. The tongawallah kept us interested with a graphic description of the festival and of the great god. which was especially remarkable for the wonderful jewels it possessed—two emerald eyes of inestimable value, its lips formed of the finest rubies in the world, and a necklace of priceless pearls. The sun was sinking as at last we neared the town of Puri, and we could see the pinnacles of the temples rise above the trees which surrounded the place. Half a mile the other side of the town st- od the Traveller's Bungalow, where we intended putting up for the night. During the last twenty-four hours my young companion had kept silence, and was moody amt almost sullen, whenever I tried to rouse him. A more uncomfortable meal I never ate than the dinner which was served up to us that evening, and I was quite thankful when the poor lad said he was dead beat and would go off to bed. My own room was on the other side ot the bungalow, and I took my pipe and sat smoking in the verandah. The moon was just rising when I thought I saw the figure of a European stealing along the wall of the compound. Strange, I thought, and wondered what other European could be here at the same time. An idea struck me, aud I went across to my companion’s room. There was nobody in it, the bed was undisturbed. I threw down my pipe and rushed out into the mooulight. A few seconds later I was out in the road, aud turned instinctively in the direction of the town. Running down the road I soon came to a sandy lane, which went outside the village walls in the direction of the temples, their pinnacles standing out clear and distinct in the moonlight. In the distance I thought I saw the figure of my poor lad, but soon tho turnings and twistings of the lane, with its thick cactus hedges on each side, 3hut him out from my view. In a few minutes I was close by the big temple compound. Running up to the wall I looked over and this is what I saw. An enormous courtyard of paved stone, on which were ly : ng a number of priests, their white garments wrapped round their heads and bodies. In the background was placed temple after temple, but in the very centre stood one solitary shrine, raised on three separate flights of steps, and inside I could see the great black god raised on three other smaller flights of coloured marble steps. The moonbeams shone directly on the god and lit up the emerald eyes and ruby lips, while the pearl necklace glowed on his huge blaok bosom. Not a sound was to be heard except some distant tom-toming at the further end of the town. The festival was over, aud Puri had lapsed into solemn silence. To my unutterable horror, I saw my companion walking right across the courtyard. Net a living creature moved, until a pariah dog rose up from near the wall, gave one howl, and then slunk away and crouched down again. Still no one stirred. My tongue clove to the roof of my mouth. I dare not shout even if I could have raised my voice. A ghastly horror took hold of me as the idea struck me that in his madness my poor friend intended to save his honour by the

greater dishonour of robbing the idol. Speechless I saw him mount step after step, and the next moment I saw him enter the sacred shrine across the threshold of which no other foot but that of the Brahmin has ever passed. Nine steps led up to the god—one, two, three, four, five, six. He paused. I tiied to shout, but no sound would come. Be raised his hand as if to tear off the pearl necklace. It was still above his reach. His foot then touched the seventh. Oh, God ! can I ever forget the sight ? In the moonlight flashed out two arms covered with a hundred—nay, two hundred daggers, and clasped the daring youth to the bla -k god’s breast. At the same moment the sound of a gong broke the stillness of the night, aud in one moment the priests had cast off their coverings and were rushing to tho shrine. Two minutes later I saw the amazed and horrified priests carrying out the lifeless body of the dishonoured Englishman, and I turned and fled.