The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-20 00:00:00

ROBBERS IN INDIA.

Various classes of robbers, under the designations of Thugs,
Dakoits, Choars, Kuzzaks, and Budhukes, infest the entire
country. The first and the last would appear to be identical, be-.
ing sets ofvillainsdistinguished by their practice of strangling
unsuspecting travellers with whom they may contrive to
fall'in upon a journey ; they are sometimes formed into secret
societies, not dissimilar from some of those in the middle
ages : and it was vainly hoped that Lord William Bentinck
had utterly extirpated them. The Kuzzaks are mounted rob-
bers, who singly beset the highroads, or, being collected into
parties, attack and plunder entire villages : in other words, they
are Turpins, or Robin Hoods, or Rob Boys, as occasion may re-
quire. The Dakoits and Choars are more like the early com-
panions of Gil Blas—thieves who naturally and constitu-
tionally assemble in gangs, and who usually limit their de-
predations to the houses or persons of those reputed to pos-
sess valuables or money in concealed hoards. These were
once the most formidable. being thoroughly organised under
Birders, or leaders: they commonly meet for their lawless
procedures under cover of the night, being by day, to all ap
pearanas, among the most peaceable and quiet members of
the community. Their grand characteristic, wherever they
subsist, still continues to be that of Dan—" an adder in the
path." They have watchwords and secret signals. Com-
panies, variously armed with swords, clubs, pikes, and match-
locks, will grow, as it were, out of the ground, coming to..
gether nobody knows how, and gathered from no one kr.ows
where, in numbers from fifteen to fifty. The spot will be
some tope or grove adjacent to the desired spoil. The fol-
lowing is a midnight picture of what these worthies were
some thirty years ago, as also of what they too often are
now :—" When collected, their !marauding excursion was
preluded by a religious ceremony—the worship of the goddess
Durga—the patroness of thieves, typified by a water-pot,
or a few blades of grass. The ceremony was conducted by a
Brahmin of degraded condition and dissolute life. Having
propitiated the goddess by the promise of a portion of
their spoil, they marched with lighted torches, and little
attempt at concealment, beyond disguising their faces by
pigment, or. covering them with masks, to the object of
their expedition, usually the dwelling of some shopkeeper
or money-changer, in which it was expected to discover
treasure. Occasionally the motive of the attack was ven-
geance; and information given by the imuseholder, or any
member of his family, against some ,:nember of the gang,
brought upon him the res!•ntment of the whole fraternity.'
Upon entering the village, it was customary to fire a gun as
a signal for the inhabitants to keep within their dwellings •
the house against which the operation was designed was
then surrounded; and whilst some of the gang forced an
entrance, others remained as a guard without. Unless ex-
asperated by resistance, or stimulated by revenge, the Da-
koits did not commonly proceed to murder; but they
perpetrated atrocious cruelties upon such persons a. 9 re-
fused to give them, or were unable to give them, infortnation
regarding property which they suspected of having been con-
cealed ; burning them with lighted torches or blazing straw
or wrapping cloth or flax steeped in oil around their limbs,
and setting it on fire ; or indicting various tortures which
caused immediate or speedy 'death. Theobject being accom-
plished, and the booty sec'ared, the gang retired before day-
light, and the guilty individuals resumed their daily occupa-
tions." In Bengal alone, six hundred and ninety such atro-
cities disgraced a single year.—Eclectk Review for July.

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.--The new opera of
Maritana bids fair to become as popular as we had predicted.
The principal singers have acquired smoothness and an im-
proved knowledge of the nuances of their characters, and the
chorus and orchestra have attained unity and precision. The
dramatic action has been brought closer together, and the
third act excised of its super-abundance and quick succession
of ballads. A second hearing has convinced us that Mr.
Wallace possesses a rich vein of original melody, poetical
imagination, and an intimate knowledge of orchestral treat-
ment. He seizes with vigour the dramatic points of bis cha-
racters, and carries out the thought by picturesque harmonies.
Last night the theatre was crowded at an early hour—the
encores were numerous, and the applause vigorous. The
principal performers were called for—and the successful com-
poser s sued before the curtain to receive the loud gratu-
latim of o WINN&