Glasgow Courier. — 1846-01-10 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

ROBBERS IN INDIA.  Various classes of robbers, under the designations of Thug, Dakoits, Choars, Kuzzaks, and Bodhukes, infest the entire country. The first and the last would appear to be identical, being sets of villains distinguished by their practice of strangling unsuspecting travellers with whom they may contrive to fall in upon a journey. They are sometimes formed into secret societies, not dissimilar froni some of those in the middle ages; and It was vainly hoped that Lord William Bentinck had utterly extirpated them. The Kuzzaks are mounted robbers, who singly beset the high roads, or, being collected into parties, attack and plunder entire villages; in other words, they are Turpins, or Robin Hoods, or Rob Boys, as occasion may require. The Dakoits and Cheers are more like the early companions of Gil Blas— thieves who naturally and constitutionally assemble in gangs, and who usually limit their depredations to the houses or persons of those reputed to possess valuables or money in concealed hoards. These were once the most formidable, being thoroughly organised under Birders or leaders. They commonly meet for their lawless procedures under cover of the night, lieMg by day, to all appearance, among the most peaceable and quiet members of the community. Their gamed characteristic, wherever they subsist, still continues to be that of Dan—" an adder in the path." They have watchwords and secret signals. Companies, variously armed with swords, clubs, pikes, and matchlocks will grow, as it were, out of the ground, coming together nobody knows how' and gathered from no one knows where, in numbers from fifteen to fifty. The spot will lie some tope or grove adjacent to the desired spoil. The following is a midnight picture of what these worthies were sonic ,thirty years ago, as also of what they too often are now : W hen collected, their marauding excursion was preluded by a religioas ceremony—the worship of the goddess Durga—the patroness of thieves, typified by a water-pot, or a few blades of grass. The ceremony was conducted by it Brahmin of degraded condition and dissolute life. Having propitiated the goddess by the promise of a portion of their spoil, theymarch with lighted torches, and little attempt at concealment beyond disguising their faces by pigment or covering them with masks, to the object of their expedition, usually the dwelling of some shopkeeper or moneychanger, in which it was expected to discover treasure. Occasionally the motive of the attack was vengeance; and information given by the householder, or any member of his family, against some member of the gang, brought upon him the resentment of the whole fraternity. Upon entering the village, it was customary !to fire a gun as a signal for the inhabitants to keep within their dwellings. The house against which the operation was designed was then surrounded; and, whilst some of the gang forced an entrance, others remained as a guard without. Unless exasperated by resistance or stimulated by revenge, the Dakoits did not commonly proceed to murder; but they perpetrated atrocious cruelties upon such persons as refused to give them, or were unable to give them, information regarding property which they suspected of having been concealed burning them with lighted torches or blazing straw, or wrapping cloth or flax, steeped in oil, around their limbs, and setting it on fire; or inflicting various tortures which caused immediate or speedy death. The object being accomplished, and the booty secured, the gang retired before daymight, and The guilty individuals resumed their daily occupations." In Bengal alone six hundred nd ninety sue.l atrocities disgraces single year.—Electric Review.