The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1910-07-02

civilization thousands of years before
the people of Europe emerged from
barbarism. And nowhere in the world
are religious practices 50 vigorously
observed as among the people OF India,
who hail King Edward as Emperor.
Among the higher castles everything
that is done, even every mea! that =
eaten, has some religious ceremonial
attached TO it, But while there ara
high castles of cultured Indians, by
whom honesty IS regarded in the same
light as it is by western nations, there
are other and degraded castles 10 whom
thieving is not only a means OF llyelI-
hood, but is regarded as a perfectly
legitimate profession, to the pursuit OF
which d young man may ho1ofably de-
vote his energies.
For example, a year or two ago the
British troops went forth TO punish the
Zakha khel Afridis. tribe who iAhab-
Il the country south OF the Khybec
Pass. That was because they tres pass
ed into adjoining territory and stole
the property Of the ighbOring tribes
In our eyes they were nothing but lot
OF common thieves, but in their Own
eyes thieVing is an honorable calling
A young woman of the Zakha khels
will not look at young man who
would like TO become her husband I'M
less he is proficient in the art The
dearest wish Of a mother is that her
little boy may be a cunning thief !;
Is said that every child is consecrate,..
as it were, at its birth to crime. A hole
is made in the wall similar to tina.
made by a burglar and the mother
passes the infant backward and for
ward through the hole, singing il t.
ear, "Ghal shah, ghal shah. Cha
shah" BE a thief, be a thief, be .
thief.D
In the northern provinces of Indl
is tribe known as the Buniaras who
are supposed to devote their energies
to the carrying of grain and salt. Thor
are, however, two sections of the tribe
the Charun and Dharee Bunjaras. who
do nothing else but kidnap, lift cattlc
and pilfer. They have no settled
homes, except during the rainy season
but wander about the country seeAin,
for cattle and children. Ii is signiii-
cant of their occupation that one @.
their favorite gods is Mitthu Bhukiya.
who in distant times was a notorious
robber, and that in every camp is
hut set apart for his use, in which nc
is o11onaJ 70 l,
is to be recognized by the fact that
IN front OF it a white flag is usually
flying
When the tribesmen were mcditatics
a robbery they used to meet in this
hut at dead of night and produce an
image of the god Sati, their fayorto
deity, in front of which they placed a
saucer filled with ghee or rancid hui.
ter, with wick set upright in it. The
wick was lighted, the god told in an
undertone what was proposed to be
done, and asked to give An omen
whether the thieves would be success
full or not, The wick was carefully
watched, and if it dropped that was
taken as an indication all would be
well; then everybody would move
quietly out, salute the flag and SET
forth upon the marauding expedition
without returning to the tents in which
they lived.
1t is a strict rule that no word be
spoken till the theft has been accom-
plished. If, on their way, one of the
gang sneezes, the success of the enter
prize is jeopardized, and. without more
ado, they turn on their heels and 60
home. The actual stealing must be
done during strict silence. Ii the own
ers of the property are disturbed and
resist the thieves. and one of them
speaks, then the charm is broken, and
they must return to their camp Now
adays, however, instead of consulting
they trust more often to the
efficacy of a good drink at the neares.
liquor shop.
The Charun Bunjaras would be Of
Tended if they were compared with
common house thieves. They consider
themselves of a higher class, and de-
vote themselves to Kidnapping chill
dren, cattle and sheep stealing, rob-
berry on the high ways. lessening the
loads of carts proceeding to market,
carrying off cloth and silk from fairs
and, in the dark at harvest time, help
ing themselves to other peoples grain
or cotton. When making an attack on
the road they cover their faces, rush
uDOn the caretak ers with haavv ct;o,,-
beat them about the head and then pro-
coed to plumber, being careful all the
while never to speak a word.
The greatest skill is exercised in the
capture of cattle. Sometimes they will
get away with as many as hundred
beasts at time. Their eyes light up
on herd. They wait till, during the