New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-10-19
DAILY CRESCENT.
THUGS AND PrNDARIEs OF INDIA,


The following short narrative may perchance
prove OF interest to the freside reader by af-
fording some insight into the character and pro-
ceedings of the Thugs" notorious race which
long infested not only the native states, but
even some of the British possessions in the East.
While travelling in the Deccan, during the
cold season of 183-, i had occasion to halt at
Cundee, a small hamlet about thirty miles
North Of Hyderabad, the capital Of Nizam's
Dominions A hard days shooting and stalk
ing antelopes, with which the neighborhood
abounds, had sent me to court ''natures soft
nurse" the sweet restorer, rather earlier than
was my wont, and | was falling into state of
dreamy Inconsistencies, when a sharp chal-
lenge from my sentry in front of the the tent ar
rested my attention and from brief CONVEX
sation that ensued, gathered that some gentle
man had arrived and that was the object Of
his inquiries.
In u few minutes, Captain -, with whom
had some previous acquaintance, was ushered
In. After making HIM welcome, and providing
such comfort for his inner man as the absence
OF my cook would admit of, we settled down to
quiet chit-chat, in which he informed me that
he was then in pursuit of that extraordinary
class of murderers known as "Thugs,' he being
one Of the officers employed by Government for
their suppression in the territories of Hydera-
bad.
The companion who had thus SO unexpectedly
favored me with his company, was on his return
from successful expedition, in which he had
succeeded in surprising and capturing band Of
notorious thugs, who had hitherto baffied his
previous endeavors, having been concealed in
tne stronghoid oil an influential and pow rful
hative zemindar; or landhoider, who was sup
posed twith good reason) to connlve at their
plunderiDg and murderous career while sharing
largely in their nefarious gains.
MY Irlend gave me much interesting informal
ZION concerning these men, ana others OF the ira
ternity that had come under MS notice W list
IN tne execution OF MS dutles he had several
| IN ms custody at the time. and amongst them
very intelligent young man who had been al
| lowed to turn approver, and who, like all the
tribes, appeared TO take peculiar pride and
| pleasure ,n reeounting the many atrocities in
which he had borne part, AMI in hunting down
his quandnm associates Far from feeling any
remorse for the numerous. cruel and cold blootlea
| murders i'll which he had participated, he seem,
ed 10 consider them us so many meritorous
| acts highly acceptable TO Bowhanee or X lee.
the fell Goddess of Destruction, whom every
| Thug Mabommedan or Hindoo regards "a his
protecting deity.
| On Can't. = once asking him how mapv
| murdors bo bod hhar anoa l.; no ga ~ ~
were On num.rous be rasilS could NO, ,o,l =,
even remember when he first took the mart of
:. Bbuttotte." or strangler. in tbe scenes with
| which ba bad haon fa9;l;ar fror, h;s u,;ast
voutb
l. On the Can,a;n remarkino that IL wes q s;nou.
lar fact tbot Tburs hod nevor haan Lnoun -
murder one of their own neonIeN "
Have thew not ., ranliad tho Thur ssco
IN pann;ab Ryraoaa Who I;voO in ,ha S;l,oro -
Indoor, near Masul;natam- and asL him wbora
sleens the Thing J,all Khan, Ua will show ,,n,,
| the snot and tall Won that ba ,vos strann,oa' hy
NV nncle ond mvseIf His death ooonrra1 M ~
the following ciIcumstanees In 1S35 was ont
in the Masnlpatan district with three other
Times We had amassed ahont tbreo N a
rnnees nv the murder and nlnrder Of soya..i
travelers whom we had follen in with in thoso
parts. Lall Khan was practicinp Thuuoee On
| the same road with n stronger party than on,
own but had met with very indifferent success
One day a man Of his band, who was friendly t
us, came and told us that Lall Khan had deter
mined to murder all our people that very even
: ing, and thus secure our rightful gains to him
d self. We were, therefore, strongly advised b
e our informer to get out offhe way. This we 10:
: no time in doing, and returned at once to ou
: respective homes. We afterwards learned tina
Lall Khan had guessed the cause of our sudde
E departure, and being suspicious OF his follower
had oroke up the party and returned to his owl
country
IN the folloWing year my uncle and myself
again went on L lhueglng expedltlon to the same
Part Oh tne country ohe day we lngratated
ourselves INTO the commence OF TWO travellers for
.he purpose OF getting an opportunity OF throw
ing over tnem .ne 'roumal, tthe roumal, or
nahuhercnlei ns is .iie instrument Win which the
mug s,rangies his uhsuspecung victim, anu we
were al, sietlhg on1er tne ouna OF TANK drink
ITdu aha smoki5g mo our when who
anu closely muineu nun up lie evidently wished to
SonoeIi niilsei from our observation; put we
A,i' anu % ny unoie seht lne W can MN TO-
maius us. ne was az nrst greatly alarmed, out
NC .ooA nm asiue, anu polnuhg u the TWO IRA
ele.s' persuaueu nun III Joinihg Us IN murder
sieu piohteinS ,iini 'ii' II HORSES as MS snare
VI ,he ooo.y' shoeio he acceue 10 our request.
..iaah na,a - asaiioe osereane ms iears we
niuioeleu inc travelers' anu whlie ne was stting
..1 WIN U.s. .aiA'ng 'he matter over, we suddenly
c .ui nou upon nm e'iaheieo anu ourieo MIN on
!, 'ne 'ery spot where ne sat.
MI. h ahD.ner ocoas,oh' we ieii III WIN TWO
inuSs az hi1euinpii'y N"ho .oiu US they had
sot tiiee hunareu rupees we oetermined 10
inu.uer rneia' ~ oruer W appropriate 'hen
, poiis ~ enecI 'iiis ooJeco we agreeu 10 start
WIN tneni a' niianhs. IN quese oi some eraVeiers
, WHY Meie eAPecteu on mat r9au' AT the ap'
Poih.eo ho9r .ney a"oke u.s. put we were very
y s,eepy' anu uislhcllnea 70 move However
no"hahee hau ue'ernnineu 10 uenFer mem into
our hauus' anu 'ney persisted IN urging US 70
Snaoodad ,aau ~, trInaa 50, ,,a ah We nao
pr0eseaeo many NJ nunuieu yarus iroul the Vilage
ns we .nreM 'ne ia.li 5oGse s aroahu their heeks
oa, anu .". W. '.en ,o' we ''leG