The Jungle Fugitives: A Tale of Life and Adventure in India Read online

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  THE JUNGLE FUGITIVES

  A Tale of Life and Adventure in IndiaIncluding alsoMany Stories of American Adventure, Enterprise and Daring

  by

  EDWARD S. ELLIS, A.M.

  New YorkHurst and CompanyPublishers

  1903

  CONTENTS

  THE JUNGLE FUGITIVES LOST IN THE WOODS IN THE NICK OF TIME LOST IN THE SOUTH SEA AN UNPLEASANT COMPANION A STIRRING INCIDENT CYCLONES AND TORNADOES LOST IN A BLIZZARD THROWING THE RIATA A WATERSPOUT AN HEROIC WOMAN THE WRITING FOUND IN A BOTTLE THAT HORNET'S NEST A YOUNG HERO OVERREACHED A BATTLE IN THE AIR WHO SHALL EXPLAIN IT? A FOOL OF A GENIUS

  THE JUNGLE FUGITIVES.

  CHAPTER I.

  IN THE SPRING OF 1857.

  All through India, with its fanatical population five times as great asthat of England, the rumblings of the coming uprising had been heardfor months. The disaffection had been spreading and taking root. Theemissaries of the arch-plotters had passed back and forth almost fromend to end of the vast empire, with their messages of hatred andappeal. The people were assured that the "Inglese loge" wereperfecting their insidious schemes for overthrowing their religion, andthe faithful everywhere were called upon to crush the infidels in thedust. The evil seed fell upon the rankest of soil, and grew with avigor and exuberance that threatened to strangle every other growth.

  The plot, as agreed upon, was that a general uprising was to take placethroughout India on the last day of May, 1857, but, as is often thecase in such far-reaching schemes, the impatience of the mutineersprecipitated the tremendous tragedy.

  The first serious outbreak took place at Meerut on Sunday, May 10th,just three weeks previous to the time set for the general uprising.That town, with its population of about 40,000 at that time, liesthirty-two miles northeast from Delhi, which was to be the capital ofthe resurrected Mogul Empire. It was the precipitancy of this firstrevolt that prevented its fullest success. The intention was to killevery white man, woman and child in the place. Two regiments wereclamorous for beginning the massacre, but the Eleventh Native Infantryheld back so persistently that the others became enraged and fired avolley among them, killing a number. Thereupon the Eleventh announcedthemselves ready to take their part in the slaughter that was to freeIndia from the execrated "Inglese loge."

  Seeing now for the first time the real peril, the colonel of theEleventh made an impassioned appeal to the regiment to stand by itscolors and to take no part in the useless revolt. While he wasspeaking, a volley riddled his body, and he tumbled lifeless from hissaddle. The Eleventh, however, covered the flight of the otherofficers, but helped to release a thousand prisoners, sufferingpunishment for various offenses, and then the hell fire burst forth.

  The bungalows of the officers, the mess houses of the troops, and allthe buildings between the native lines and Meerut were fired, and thewhole became a roaring conflagration, whose glare at night was visiblefor miles.

  When an appeal was made to the Emperor of Delhi by the troopers, heinquired their errand. The lacklustre eyes flashed with a light thathad not been seen in them for years, the bowed form acquired newenergy, and he gave orders to admit the troopers.

  Their message was enough to fan into life the slumbering fires ofambition in the breast of a dying person.

  He yielded to the dazzling dream. A throne of silver, laid away foryears, was brought into the "hall of special audience," and thetottering form was helped to the seat, into which he sank and lookedaround upon his frenzied followers. Mohammed Suraj-oo-deen Shah Gezeewas now the Great Mogul of India. A royal salute of twenty-one gunswas fired by two troops of artillery from Meerut in front of thepalace, and the wild multitudes again strained their throats. To thethunder of artillery, the strains of martial music and the shouting ofthe people, the gates of the palace were flung open, and Prince MirzaMogul, with his brother, Prince Abu Beker, at the head of the royalbodyguard, rode forth, the king following in an open chariot,surrounded by his bodyguard.

  With impressive slowness this strange procession made its way throughthe principal street, the populace becoming as frantic as so many ghostdancers. Finally a halt was made at the Juma Musjeed, the largestmosque in India, where the banner of the Prophet was unfurled and theMogul Empire proclaimed.