Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-03-19


he would hang her, with the beef round /
her neck. This was worse than death 10 /
the devou; Hindoo girl she offered to |
redeem her life by any sacrifice.
LEAD Us to your camp said Azim.
"Wait till nightfal," she muttered.
After little hesitation Azim, who
had taken the command, as tbe most ex-
perienced of the. party, consented tol
wait. But, meanwhile, he placed Runa
with her back against the tree, and sat
down opposite her, SO that she could not
make sign or utter a whisper without
his knowledge. Not for 4 second did
he take his hawk eyes off her.
The Englishman and the party en-
camped around them, and dined COM
tortably .Azim would neither eat nor drink
for fear his attention should be divert
ed from the traitress. As it grew dark.
Azim became impatient. and demanded
fercely when Runa was going to re-
deem herself She still tried to post
pone the fatal act, ill Aim drew forth
the remnant of his beef. At the horrid
sight the courage of the Hindoo gave
way again, and she exclaimed that she
was ready for anything,
"Listenm said Aim. ' You know
where your friends are, and how 10 sum
mon them; when l make the signal YOU
shall call them, as if you had succeeded
in entraFpirg traveller" And he bade
the men of the party lie fiat in the tall
grass, each with his gun ready for action.
The arrangement was no sooner Gem
! p!eted than he gave a signal, holding up
to Runa's gaze the terrible beef as warn
/ ing.
She gave shrill scream, and almost
instantaneou>ly a dozen savage-looking
fellows come bounding through the brush
wood. and dashed at Azim, who was the
only man they saw. At the same instant
the Englishman Sprang up and shot the
foremost as he rushed forward the sail
ors and mountaineers followed the exam
pie; each discharged his piece with
deadly effect, then charged with sabre and
knife. The Thugs were more than two
10 one; but nothing could withstand the
fury OF the Englishuan's followers. In
less than one minute there was not one
of the murdererS standing. One, a tall,
ferocious fellow, was lying gasping at the
foot of the tree where Runa sat. He
was a chief, or strangler; at the first
shot he had bounded 10 the side of the.
luckle>s girl, aud with the cry, Tra;-
trcs5 - lad plunged the knife into her
side. The next moment Aim had cut
him down with a fearful sabre-cui.
4 When morning came, the Englishman
found sixteen dead bodies around him
He buried them on the spot; and the
story, which he printed at the time, was
Of service to the Government IN deciding
how to deal with the Thugs.
1t was Lord Bentinck who resolved. a
=. quarter of a century since. to put down
Thucgees in India. He employed Cap,
tain SIeeman as his agent and that Off.
Ger succeeded 50 we'll That be hanged sew
eral hundred Thugs in the course Of d
year or two.
His account Of the system of Thuggp
which IS contained in his official reports
is absolutely appalling. The sons o.
Thugs were trained TO the business from
their earliest youth. At first they were
not allowed to BE- present at the death.
scene Of the victims. They kept at {
distance when the Thugs s,rangled lheil
victims, but were granted a share 0
= the plUnGer to whet their appetite
q Captain Sleeman tells a story of young
boy who was taken out by his fathel
: "a Thug-on an expedition, and whc
: crept away from the place where he haC
/ been LETT and Witnessed the slaughter 0
: the victims; he went mad for horror auC
died that night. The general practic,
was to inveigle the victim into security
a male or female Thug was deputed 10
d this purpose, and directed to lull him in
4 to perfect repose; then, al chosen mo
, ment, 10 throw a cord or handkerchie
round his neck, when the confederate
rushed in and despatched him. Tn
g Thugs dislike to shed blood. The
: strangle their victims, robbed them, an
d dug a grave Before placing the bod
IN the grave, however. they bled in un
der the arm-p;ts, and let the blood ru
n into the hole; as otherwise, in that eli
e mate, the corpse might have swellet
= and caused fssures in the earth, whic
would have attracted dogs and jackals t
:. the spot
l. The Office Of strangler was the highe,
e office among the Thugs. A man some
times served years before attaining thi
distinction; but women occasionally ot
K tanned it. A traveller was lately pre-;
e ented to a lady who, with her husband
,s was kept at Monghir, as a decoy Thu:
a reformed murderess, in GovernmeE
i, ray. He asked her what size thought
/ the crime Of murder.
: Heaven will hold US all, Sahib," va
J. the cool reply.
Her husband interpo=ed. and proud
remarked that she had taken eightee
- lives.
% Not eighteen" said she hastily
1t . twenty-onew And she counted ther
h on her fingers.
! Upon which the husband turned
= the visitor. knowingly, and said:
-e She Is a very clever woman, Sahit