The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-02-23
THIEVES OF INDIA.

mahy MonuerIul tnlngs nave been writ
ten about the jugglers Of India, but thing.
still more wonderful could be written
about the thieves. l have lived in Bonn
bay, Madras, Calcutta and Rangoon, and
have been knowing to some operations of
these gentry which seemed almost incred-
ible.
Every foreigner is considered fair game
by the natives. While there are plenty
who will not rob him by force, there is
none who will not swindle him if IL can
be done. On three different occasions. in
different hotels, sent out by walters to
make purchases or get money changed.
In each instance they ran away, although
in no case was the sum over $l, and in
every case the native left lucrative en-
ployment in order to beat me. IL
couldn't have been the idea of gain 90
much as the idea Of getting ahead Of a
foreigner. While there is no positive se-
curity from thieves in India, there is par
tial security in hiring q chowkadar. This
fellow is thief from away back. He is
known to be, and he ia employed ON this
account. If you pay him so that he can
afford to be- honest, he will keep other
thieves away. It is point of honor with
the fraternity not to steal from any one
employing chowkadar. His services
are species of blackmail. but You must
either pay him or be at the mercy of the
slickest, slyest set of rascals on earth.
AT Bombay I had bungalow with an
English artillery Captain on leave of alb
sence. AS he had with him two servants
whom he felt he could trust, we deter
mined not to employ chowkadar. Sew
eral called to offer their services, and all
seemed greatly surprised and annoyed
when sent off. One of the fellows was an
old man with a foxy look, and he pro-
tested to the Captain:
am great thief, but too sharp for
the officers, who have never yet laid
hands on me. know all thieves, and if
l am with you no one will dare steal from
you."
"And if we do not employ you:"
"You will surely be robbed"
swell, we shall try to get along with
out you, aud if thieves come, some one
may get killed."
The old man went away with look Of
cunning on his face, and we had no doubt
that he would be among the first to seek
to lay hands on our goods. There were
but three rooms to our bungalow par
lor, kitchen and bedroom. The Captain
and myself occupied the parlor as sit.
ting room, dining room and bedroom,
while the cook and his fellow servant oc-
cupied the other two. We kept but lit
tie money by US and had but few goods.
The Captaip was experimenting little
with a new explosive, and was making
report to the home government on the
various vegetable poisons of that penin-
sula. We therefore had plenty of leis-
ure to plan for our protection and watch
all suspects. o 7.' s@
On the second day after the sly old
man was sent away a lame native woman,
leading boy about 4 years of age, sent
in word by the servant that she wanted
to see the Captain on important business.
The pair were admitted, and she
began making inquiries about her
husband, who she said was a men,
ber of the Captains command. She
gave the name of a native known to
the officer and asked so many questions
that she took up fifteen minutes time. l
was not much interested in her story, but
was in the actions Of the child. No sooner
did she let 60 Of his hand than he began
running about to inspect things. We
saw sfterwsrd how hard she tried to
draw all our attention TO herself The
Captain paid no heed to the child pres
emily, as watched, / saw the little shaver
grab sOmething from q stand. He then
returned to his mother and took her
hand. After moment I remembered
that my field glasses rested on the stand,
and, as l rose up to Look for them they
were not to be seen: ! went over to the
child, and notwithstaudiqg the fact that
he shrank Away and began to cry, as if
scared of me, i picked him up and give
him a shake. The glasses fall to the
floor from the, folds Of cleths- about his
waist, and with; them three spoons which
he had stolen in the kitchen. He ran
away as I put him down, and the woman
hurried sitter him. ..Nawas put up job
to pilfer from AS, aud, while, the child
did not look more than 4 years of age,
we aherward learpod that he was oyer
10. 80.
= aul Indis everybody sleeps during the
middle of The day That is everybody
should. About week after the occur
renee related above, the Captain climbed
into hammock under the veranda about
llSooloek" mone 4oHn0bn sfor xsnsp.
should have climbed into another, but |
had some letters to get OF that day, and
l removed my coat 4and vest 'snd sat
down to q liable in a corner of our room.
The window, before me- was, uBF but q
light bamboo shade was down to keep the
snn out. The Captain had had plenty of
time 70 gUto sleep when Il hsfpeiea 20
look ont through 4hs sslssA eftAa blind.
While, 1 saw, spothipgyI, felt that senf-
thing was wrong, and seftlyf rose s!p and
went to the door opening out on the YER
| and1 This door waS,' ~ codrse,, wide
open.h nv feet were In slippers, and I
made NOT the least noiasrssI reached the
door. The ysranda. YVES about twenty fees
El9ng, and the GAptaipl's 1 ptiall hfas9npck " was
our, xnda / saw the hgufs Of the BY. old
uaa svigAe odhdetI the tIAtAssock s4'His
back was b! !ns, ssdA detsrained Ito zee
what he would des apd dthee a. ptpEs him
Iii I could. As I looked he slowly rose up
on the Capitalize fsit, cooked biz ears to
, fEt0sA and Tier his dSiE bl1CE fingers Be
! <veu = sooyrh rf tha alouniuUlF nueH i00fAk4