Chapter 111. Saved by a Cobra.

Otago Witness, Issue 2086, 15 February 1894, Page 39

Chapter 111. Saved by a Cobra.

Silently, slowly, carefully pickirjg their way, as" a false step or rolling stone would arouse the picket at the gate, they started down tbe path, Scott leading, then Mrs Sinclair supported by her husband, and Captain Price toiliDg on the last. He, poor fellow, had no shoes on his feet, but as some protection from the thorns and stones he had torn off the sleeves of his shirt and swathed his feet with them. First one stone tower was passed, then another and another, and still no sound could be heard but the monotonous tapping of the tom-tom in the small village behind them, growing fainter and fainter as they slowly advanced down the pass. Now they were nearing the gateway at the bottom of the path and their hearts began to beat with excitement. Was the picket at its post ? — if so they were almost sure to be seen and recaptured — or had they gone to join their fellows above ? They had now only one or two short zigzags before the gate would be reached, when Scott stopped and whispered : " Look here, I'll go on ahead ; you keep behind with Mrs Sinclair at the last turn. If the beggars are there I shall make a rush for it down the hillside, and they will probably all give chase to me. I know the beggars ; not one will stay behind. I'll try and lead them away, and when I am some distance, you can rush the gate. Just across the road is a narrow path going into the jungle. Bun down a hundred yards or so and get into the bush and wait for me. If I can give them the slip I'll join you , if not — well you must do your best, and God be with you," and pressing his hand on Sinclair's shoulder he hurried on, the others following more slowly until they reached the las); tower, where they waited as they watched Scott's shadowy form creeping cautiously on before them. For some moments their hearts almost ceased to beat. Nearer and nearer to the gateway he crept, and then disappeared within. In a minute they saw him again waving his hands, and joyfully they hurried down after him. " Hurrah 1 they are all pone," he said. " Now follow me," and he hastily crossed the road, turning up a narrow path into tbe thick jungle. Here it was quite dark and they had to progress slowly, Mrs Sinclair following Scott and her husband, and Captain Price bringing up the rear. For half a mile or so they followed this order. It was by no means a safe journey. Now and again a sharp rustling at their feet showed that a snake of some kind was getting out of their way, and thoughts of tigers and panthers out on the prowl passed through their minds. Suddenly they heard close to them a roar which caused their blood to curdle. " Oh, what is that ? A tiger?" cried Mrs Sinclair. "No! nol that is the cry of a jungle sheep, sometimes called a four-horned deer," said Scott — " a poor, harmless thing although it has so terrible a voice." After an hour's walking they came out into a small glade in the jungle, and by the light of the moon, which was now fairly up, they perceived a small tank almost covered with water lilies and green duckweed, whilst at tbe further end was a small ruined pagoda. " This is the place I thought of," said Scott " I know it well, as I have often shot round here with old Rajoo. Not a soul ! about here will dare to put foot in that old pagoda. It is said to be haunted. I have never been inside, but I have looked in, and tbink it might shelter U3 until I can get hold of Rajoo. We must trust someone, and from what I know of the old man I feel sure he will help us. He is an old Madrassee, and came here years ago as shikaree with an officer who waß killed by a tiger in these jungles, and from that time he has taken up his abodd here. He lives with his.wife in a hut just on the skirt of the jungle, and nearly half a mile from any village. I will try and get at him to-morrow. Now let us get in here and see what it is like." The pagoda was about 10ft wide and some 15ft or 18ft deep, the front view being shaped like the section of a pineapple, and about 20ft high. It was apparently very old, and had been deserted and neglected for many, many years. The walls were crumbling from age where exposed to the weather, but inßide the stone waH still sound, except for a deep fissure which had been caused by the growth of a tree — a banyan — which had split one wall from top to bottom ; but so good was the original workmanship, and so strong the cement with which it had been put together, that it was still good for many years. Into this miserable shelter the poor, weary, hungry, and worn-oat fugitives

were glad to hide themselves, looking upon it as a haven of rest. " I am afraid I must use one of your precious matches, Sinclair, old man— ifc is so confoundedly dark in here," said Scott, and striking a match, he hastily examined the interior oE the temple. It was entered by a small doorway some sft by 3ft, the wall being nearly 3ft thick.- The space within was therefore about 12ft by Gft, and in the centre was a grotesque carved figure of Kali — the Destroyer — seated on a throne, with her many-headed cobra behind her, the hooded heads spread out like a canopy over her head. As the match went out all had entered. " Well 1 it is a beastly hole and looks snaky," said Scott, " but it is jast the place for us under the circumstances. It is safe at anyrate, and that is what we want." As he spoke, Sinclair felt his wife fall against him, and he had barely time to throw his anna round her when the bravo little woman, who had borne up so well under all the trying circumstances she had passed through, fainted away, now that the necessity for exertion had, for the present at least, ceased. Quickly running to the tank, Scott dipped bis forage cap in, and the water brought her round again. A bed was made on the ground by spreading upon it the blanket she had worn, behind the idol, which entirely screened her from observation from without ; and worn out with fatigue, and weak from hunger, she fell into a troubled sleep. The three officers also stretched themselves on the ground, and dozed off until the first appearance of dawn. As soon as it was light enough, and long before sunrise, Scott prepared for his visit to the old shikaree. He found his regimental serge jacket was lined with some dark brown material, so he turned it inside out before putting it on. The next point he had to consider was his trousers, which were of white duck I Beautifully clean and white as they were when he sat down to dinner not more than some 30 hours ago, the treatment he h?id received when first dragged from his borse, and the dirt and dust in the temple and subsequent night walk through the jungle, had greatly soiled their pristine brightness, but even yet they were too conspicuous to venture out in. He therefore went down to the tank and rubbed them all over with the black mud on its bank, and now ready to start, he returned to his companions once more. " Good-bye, old fellows; I am off to find Rajoo. I'll take care not to expose myself, and I should advise you both on no account to leave the pagoda before I return. As soon as the eepoys find that we have essaped they will hunt the jungles, for they will feel sure tbat we cannot have gone far. I don't think any will have the pluck to enter this pagoda — they dread Kali too much — but they are sure to peer in at the opening. If you keep Mrs Sinclair carefully behind the idol, and you two each get into the two corners there, they cannot see you without entering in. Now, good-bye once more. I'll try and bring some food back with me. Take care of yourselves, and God be with you." So saying Scott eet off walking rapidly down the same Darrow path, which here made a bend to the west towards the main road they had left, but considerably higher up than the gateway. It came out, in fact, near the spot where tbe party had pulled up to breathe their horses before starting on their last gallop for the pass. After walking along the path for nearly a mile he turned into the jungle,j ungle, and quietly and stealthily made his way through the bush, as though he was stalking a deer. In a few minutes the jangle grew thin, and Scott crept into a thick mass of low trees and creepers. Crouching down in this cover, he kept his eyes fixed on a small hut some 100 yds away, which be knew belonged to Rajoo. It was but a poor hut, built of mud walls some 4ft high, and thatched with cocoannt and palmyra leaves, another small shed standing at right angles to it ; but around them, enclosed within a low mud wall, was a garden containing three or four cocoanut trees and a small grove of plantains — the broad, smooth, glossy green leaves looking most cool and inviting — whilst the huts themselves were beautified by a grand growth of cucumber and melons, which luxuriated all over tbe thatch of both hut and shed. Two large tamarind trees grew in front of the hut, forming a perfeot shelter from the great heat of the sun. Of these only the tops could be seen by Scott, as he was situated at tbe rear of the premises. Altogether though a small, humble home, there was such a look of beauty and quiet comfort and peace about the abode that it quite accounted for Rajoo refusing to leave ic. Scott was aware that the shikaree was in the habit of going out wtth his long matchlock into the jungle every day, and his plan I was to lie hid until he could catch the man in the brushwood, where there would be no fear of his being either seen or beard. The sun rose, and now and again he caught a glimpse of either Rajoo or big wife as they went about their work. He saw him draw water from the well behind his honee, and then saw him cut down a large bunch of plantains from one of his trees. Tbe woman came and gathered sticks tor a fire, and Blled her cloth witb large oow-dung cakes, which she picked off the wall, where she had plastered them a few days before to be dried by the sun. But there was no sign of R ijoo'a starting on a shooting expedition. How wearily the time passed to poor Scott as he lay in his cover watching all these preparations, and how hungry and thirsty it made him when he saw the water and the plantains 1 How he longed for a few to take with him for poor Mrs Sinclair and his | f riendp, now more than 36 hours without food I Bat Scott was a sportsman, and knew how to wait. He was not going to imperil the safety of the party by impatience. And well was he rewarded for his patience. About 8 o'clock, as well aa he could judge, he was horrified by the sight of some halfdozen sepoys, who had come down the main road from the gateway, and had pulled up in front of Rajoo's hut. A couple of them went inside, while the others stayed without. In a few minutes Rajoo was seen a prisoner in their midst. They were too far away for Scott to hear all that passed. It was evident the sepoys were abusing the old man. Indeed, he saw more than one strike him with their muskets. Rajoo appeared to protest, but no attention was paid to what he

said, and after searching the hut, shed, and garden, the party returned to KaliDJab, taking Rajoo with them as a prisoner. His poor wife followed weeping, with her baby in her arms. How thankful Scott felt that he had not yielded to the temptation of going down to the hutl He had never anticipated anything of this kind, but he now saw that as a Madrassee, whom the* Bengal sepoys hated — (curiously enough, there is always antipathy between Madras and Bengal regiments when garrisoned together, which leads to frequent quanels), — and as a man who, while keeping aloof from the villagers, was frequently employed by European officers, suspicion fell upon Rajoo as the only individual who could or would assist the fugitives in their endeavours to escape. After a moment's thought Scott determined now to venture into the hut, as it was quite empty. It was absolutely necessary to obtain food. Quickly rising, then, he ran across the intervening space, keeping under cover as much as possible, and leaped over the low mud well into the garden. The first thing that caught his eye was the bunch of plaintains Rajoo had just cut. This he appropriated, as well as a small bell-metal pot, or " lotah," and with this loot he mado his way back into the jungle, and thence to his companions. We must now leturn to the three f agitives left behind in the pagoda. Whilst Mrs Sinclair, thoroughly tired and worn out by her troubles and exertions, slept on, the two officers oonsulted in whispers together. 11 Jast take a look from the doorway, Price, old man, and see if my wife is quite hidden where she is," said Sinclair. " Hash 1 All right, but not so loud. Let her sleep, poor thing. It is all she can do. I hope Scott will be able to get us something to eat," said Captain Price. "If it comes to a fight I shan't be fit for mucb," added the poor fellow. "I am stiff and faint, old man. I would give a deal for a smoke." " Well, I have the remains of some Trichy cigar^, and as we can't smoke, perhaps if we chew them it will allay the hunger." And so, chewing a bit of tobacco now and then, but mostly sitting silently, thinking moodily, with their backs against the wall, the time slowly passed. Suddenly they heard the sound of voice?, and rising up they pressed in the darkest corner. " Hai Bhae ! we must search this temple. The Feringhee soom may be hiding there," said a voice in Hindustani. "Well, you may do it yourself, Pandy Naik. I for one am not going to anger K<*li. What 1 have you been here a month and not heard of this temple ? That it is guarded by Kali's cobras, and it is death here, and hell after death for anyone to put foot in it? You don't catch me doing it." " But suppose the sahibs are in it ? You know they fear not Kali, Sheva, nor great Brahma himself." 11 Well, if they are fools enough to go in there they'll get it hot — no fear of that. We can let Kali defend her own shrine. It does not follow that we .are going to incur her wrath 1 " "Anyhow, I will just take a look in," returned the first voice — " the subadar is sure to ask us if we examined it — but I won't put a foot in it." Then the sound of footsteps approaching were heard, and Price and Sinclair almost held their breath and devoutly prayed that Mrs Sinclair would not move. " Wah I Rama, Rama I " exclaimed the man called Pandy Naik. "Well, what did you see ? " aßked the second voice. " Kali sitting on her cobra throne 1 Nothing else." " I told you so ! The Feringhee pigs are not likely to take refuge in there, Bhai." And then the sound of retreating footsteps was heard, and the officers once more breathed freely again. " Jack ! Jack I " faintly whispered Mrs Sinclair. " Where are you ? Who was that speaking 1 Was it the sepoys, Jack ? " "Yes, my darling; but, thank God, they are gone, and will report the place is empty." " Ob, Jack ! if they calch us again I am sure I shall die. I feel so faint and queer. Do you think I am dying, Jack 1 " " No, my pet ; I trust that God will not forget us. You are faint from hunger, but Scott has been gone for some time now, and I trust he will bring us food. I will sit here by you, but we must be quiet. We can't tell but what other parties may be passing." " I think if only we could die together I should be glad to go, Jack," said the poor woman. " Only think of all our friends at Badragaon ! I was with the Kennedys only yesterday morning, and she laughed at the idea of our men rising ; and think of her now 1 Oh, dear 1 oh, dear I poor Alice I " and she burst into a fit of quiet weeping. Jack Sinclair was distressed beyond measure, and he and Price did what they could to calm her, and at last, jast as she quieted down, the doorway wa3 suddenly darkened, and as they started they heard — " Hist I hist I It is me — Scott," and Scott entered with his large bunch of plan'ains. Quickly all were engaged in eating the food they so greatly needed ; and strengthened and comforted, they told each other th ; adventures that had occurred to them. " Poor old Rajoo I I know that it is on our account they have taken him ; but when thc-y find he really knows nothing about ns they will release him. I musl be on the look-out for him, for I don't know what we are to do without him. I think we had better stay where we are for the present. It is laoky the place has such a jolly bad name. They will never venture to make a search, I think," said Scott. About 5 p.m. Scott ventured out once more. He had hardly got outside when he heard someone advancing along the path, and hid behind a tree. It was asiogle man, who appeared to be walking looking ou tbe ground ard muttering to himself. To Scott's delight he recognised Rajoo, and as the man approaohed him he called out under his breath " Rajoo." Instantly the old man looked up, but made no sign until he passed the tree, when he slipped into the jungle, where he was joined by Scott. " I was watching your house this morning, Rajoo, and saw thoae sons of asses take you. I suppose they thought you had helped U9 to escape." "Yes, sahib, they thought that beoapßQ

they know I always stand up for EDglish officers. Good reason have Ito honour and trast them 1 Besides, I am an old Madras sepoy, and we are faithful to our salt," said the old maa proudly, drawing himself up and saluting. " Not like those Bengali pigs, who reverence nothing, and would betray tbeir own father and mother," he added, spittng in disgust on the ground. " Look here, sahib," he went on, showing his thumbs, " when tha sons of she buffaloes found I could tell them nothing of you they began to torture me, 3ahib. They stuck a lighted match between my fingers — see how they have burned them," showing a large burn at the root of the second and third ringers. " How I yelled ! Rama I Rima! I cursed them by all our gods I But then they beatmeatd called me a Madras And then the pig o' a subadar ordered them to tie my thumbs, and they hauled me up to the rafters and left m? hanging by my thumbs I Oh, Brahma I Siva I Vshnu ! curse them! Curse them in all their generations I May their wive 3be childless and unfaithful ! Their sons leave them to starve I Their daughters ba prostitutes 1 " and fairly overcome by his feelings the old man groaned, holding out his hands, both thumbs being cat to the boae, whilst the wrists were swollen and distorted. " It was fortunate, sahib, that I really did not know where you were, or under the torture I might have betrayed you. But now, sahib, I will help you to the best of my powers. I think the brute beasts are satisfied that I know nothing of you, but they have ordered me to \ o from here, and if in three days I am found they are going to hang me." "Where is your wife, Rajoo, and what brought you here ? " asked Scott. " I sent my wife home by the road, sahib. I came this way because I saw the mark of boots on the road, and traced them into this path. I have not followed the track of deer and pigs for nothing, sahib," said the old shikaree with a grin. 11 Well, Rajoo, you were right : we are all here— Price sahib, Sinclair sahib, and mem sahib— in that same old pagoda of Kali's by the tank." "Heaven forbid I" cried the shiktree starting up. " Why, they will die I Kali will kill them I Oh, I know you English sahibs don't believe in Doorga ; but her vengence is awful ! I wonder her cobras have noc yet despatched you all I " As the old man spoke a cry was heard from the old pagoda, and both tbe men ran to see what was thu matter. As they drew near they saw Mr and Mrs Sinclair and Captain Price rush out of the temple. " What is the matter ? " called Ssott. " Snake I snake 1 " answered Sinclair. " A whopping cobra 1 ' Picking up a stick, Scott instantly dashed into the temple, where he saw a large cobra crossing the floor. With a couple of blows he succeeded in striking it across the neck — it does not take much to break the back of a snake — and in a few minutes it was dead. Seizing it by the tail, he dragged it out. " What did I tell you, sahib 1 " said the old shikaree. " Did I not say Kali would sand her snake to kill you ? " 11 Well, if she did," returned Scott, laughing, " she did not succeed, you see. On the contrary, we have killed her snake." " Ram 1 Ram I It is true, sahib. I always heard the God of the Christians was more powerful than the gods of tbe Hindus, bus I never believed it. But it is true — most true ; and now, sahib, I will help you with all my heart, for your god is on your side," answered old Rajoo with a deep salaam. As Scott proceeded to drag away the snake the shikaree said : "What are you going to do with it, sahib?" " Hide the body in the jungle," said Scott. " If the sepoys saw it they would soon guess where we were hiding." "Wait, sahib," returned the old man, "I think we can do better than that," and going to the jangle, he cat a tough, pliable creeper about 18in long. Thrusting this down tbe throat of the snake, he carried it into the temple, and coiling up the body, soon fixod the reptile as though, with head erect, it stood ready to strike. " Now, sahib, if anyone comes in here he will pretty quickly clear out again and leave you unmolested," and tbe old man chuckled with delight at tbe trick. As soon as the party had again returned to their retreat Scott and the shikaree buried themselves once more in the jungle to talk out their plans without fear of interruption. It was arranged that they should remain in the temple until Rajoo had made arrangements for his departure. Whan he was ready, which would be in a few hours, he was to return, bringing his wife with him, and native clothiDg for all the party, and disguised as natives, and travelling only by night, they calculated that they could reach Seoni in three or four days. Tais matter satisfactorily settled, Rajoo took leave with a deep salaam, promising to arrive at daybreak with a supply of food, and have all ready for a start on the following evening. Early the next morning, long before sunrise, the old shikaree appeared, carrying a large " chatty " or earthenware pot filled with a mixture of boiled mutton and rice, — which is called a " pillau ' — saturated with " ghee " or clarified butter, and most highly spiced and seasoned, and also a supply of " chnppatees," a species of thin fiat damper, made of flour and water and baked crisp and bard, which his wife had prepared overnight for the fugitives, and after telling them that he would return about sunset, when he hoped all would be ready for an early start that night, he left them to enjoy the first decent meal they had had since quitting Budragaon. Delicious indeed did the savoury pillau and rice taste, and after a good equare meal they sat down to await with patience tbe progress of the leaden hours. The day was not to pass, however, without one more startling event. About noon they heard the sound of voices approaching, and at once sought their hiding places. Mrs Sinclair lay crouched behind the idol, whilst the three men stood up close to the wall in the darkest corners of either side of the entrance. Evidently the party this time was far larger than before, and the voice of the subadar could be beard saying :

" I must have that temple of Kali searched. We have scoured the jungle on all sides, and found no signs of theFeringhee dtvils. Devils they must be if they have

succeeded in getting away; but they have i not. lam sure they are hiding somewhere. That Eschott Sahib was always in the jangle, and knows it well. He must be hiding in some hole or caye — why not in that temple 1 What does he care for Kali, the dread destroyer ? I must have it searched thoroughly " ; but he made no offer to do the work himself, and his men clearly did not like the job. " Is there no one who will venture in ? " he cried. " Are you all afraid of Kali's vengeance 1 Here, I will give this gold chain and watch I took off the Mem Sahib's neck to any one who will enter that temple I " " Well, Subadar Sahib," at length replied a voice, "I am not a sepoy. lam only a poor peon, who has now lost his place, and with it his pay, and how I am alive Allah alone knows 1 But lam a good Mussulman, and believe in Allah and his prophet ; so if you will make it worth my while I will go ] into the temple, and Allah will protect me from the Shaitan if there be one there." " Shabacr 1 Alii Khan Sahib," returned the subadar, well pleased. " Certainly I will keep my word, and you shall have the chain and watcb. It is good gold, and the goldsmiths will give you 100 rupees for it, which will be more than you earned in many months at the cutcherry under the English j dogs." " Here goes then," cried the Peon, j •• Shuckr Allah ! " (thanks be to God) " I trust in God, and Mahomed is his prophet — Bismillah!" And the next moment the fugitives heard his steps approach the door. The light of day was shut out as he stooped and entered. Then they heard a scream ot alarm, and the man was out again and shouting : " Allah 1 Allah 1 protect thy servant from Shaii-an and all his devils." " What is it ? What did you see 1 " cried numerous voices as they crowded round the frightened and thoroughly sobered man, who, pale as death and scarcely able to stand, trembled in their midst, muttering prayers. " Samp 1 Samp 1 (snake) " he gasped at last. " A great cobra, the largest I ever saw It stood so high," pointing about 4ffc from the ground, " and if I 'had taken another step it would have struck me." 11 We ]told you so, Subadar Sahib," more than one shouted ; "it is well known in these parts that this temple is protected by Kali's cobras, and it is death for anyone to enter. If the cobra would defend it from the polluting steps of a Mussulman, it will also defend it from that of a Christian dog. It is no use to waste time here. No one can be in the temple with a cobra walking about in it," added one man, satirically. The subadar appeared to think the same, and the whole party marched off, relieving the fears of the fugitives, who lifted their hearts in thankfulness to God for their narrow escape, and to old Rajoo for his clever stratagem, without which they must inevitably have been captured. (To be continued.)