Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1882-10-21

secretly, and only resorts to force in the
last extremity, the Dacoitee is an open
attack by an armed body Of men. The
place is carried by open assault. If
closed door bars the way it is simply
burst open. The robbers are well armed,
carrying swords and iron-shod clubs,
and sometimes even matchlocks; and re-
sistance tends to wounds and deaths.
This fragrant and open breach of the
law has been suppressed in great meas
ure, though not altogether.
The attack is generally made on the
house of rich banker or the shop of
jeweler in some small town where the
police force is not very strong, or on the
house OF rich zemindar landowner OF
q village. One case OF the latter kind,
which occurred in village at the time
when was encamped not far from it,
was managed thus. The zemindar was
reported to have large sum of money
buried in the house--a common way OF
keeping it in India, the house being
built in the usual Eastern fashion
namely, round q central courtyard.
The lower story was simply an open COR
ridor or cloister, and was used for do
mestic Offices aud the stabling of COWS
and horses, and had no windows on the
outside. To its full height there was
nothing but smooth surface of wall.
The upper story, the dwelling place
proper, had windows on the outside;
but these, as usual, were very small, and
high up. When the massive gates were
closed Of au evening the house was, in
fact, fortification, with the household
for garrison, and entry was almost i'm
possible.
The old zemindar and his two sons
were seated i'll the gateway enjoying the
cool evening air. Their two or three
men-servants were busted about the
house, inside and outside. It was just
getting dusk whom there was heard on
the road which passed through the vii
iage the uaual cry OF pilgrims proceed
ing to some sacred shrine: g Bonn
bonn Mohadeo" (Great, great is Maha-
deo), ana " Gunga mai ki .jye" (Victory
to Mother Gsnge). And now the first
pilgrim of the company came in sight.
There was nothing suspicious in his ap-
pcsrance. lie looked a simple pilgrim,
and WIS bnrcfooted in one hand he car
ried his shoes with the other he steadied
the long bamlooo pole which rested on
one shoulder, and from each end of
which hung the wicser-work baskets
which hold the bottles, or rather TASKS,
in which water is carried from the sacred
rivers to some far-distant shrine. He
stopped in front of the old zemindar.
elbow far is it, father. to the next good
well by the roadside? for there we mean
to rest for the night"
"Two miles, my son" replied the old
man.
"The water in the well is good ?"
"Itis."
"And the grove near it is good one
to sleep in?"
eyes"
"Perhaps there if 6anya's (grain-
dealer's) shop near it where we could
get some flour?"
"No; there is not"
"Then how far is the next we'll and
resting place ?"
"Two miles more"
"And is the water in that we'll good ?"
"Thou asketk many questions" said
the old man.
But the purpose Of the questioning
had been gained; the seeming pilgrims
had been moving in single file; it had
given them time to come up and form q
group.
Some of them had put down their poles
and baskets, as if to rest themselves.
But now the baskets were slipped of,
the slaves taken in hand and . rush
made on the old man and his sons and
servants, who were soon overpowered,
and the robbers in possession Of tho
house. while some kept guard outside.
They carried no arms, 30 as to avoid
suspicion after the robbery as we'll a.
before it. But heavy "male bamboo
club is . formidable weapon. Torture
was soon applied to the old man to mako
him reveal where his treasure was
buried.
Two little grandchildren, boy and q
girl, were seized, and the heavy clubs
held over their heads with threat Of
dashing their brains ont if the old man
did not confess speedily. He did 50.
The rupees were dug up and distributed
among the band, whereupon the robbers
moved off and kept together until they
got clear of the village. when they sepa-
rated, going across country singly or by
twos and threes, and by the time the
police arrived from the nearest station
they had good two hours start.
The second kind of Dacoitee is robbery
on,the highway. Here the gang Of rob-
bers attack q party Of travellers, rob
carts conveying goods, and sometimes
stop and plumber the mail cart.
A trader was going from one town to
another with good deal Of money..and
some valuable goods. he had with him
two carts and two servants. As he was
moving along frequented highway, he
deemed himself safe from all dancer