The Sun. — 1845-11-20 (London, England)

ROBBERS IN INDIA.  Various classes of robbers, under the designations of Thugs, Dakoits, Choars, Kuzzaks, and Budhukes, infest the entire country. The first and the last would appear to be identical, be ing sets of villains distinguished by their practice of strangling unsuspecting travellers with whom they may contrivet fall in upon a journey; they are sometimes formed into secret societies, not dissimilar from 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 highroads, or, being collected into parties, attack and plunder entire villages : in other words, they are Turpins, or Robin Hoods, or Rob Roys, as occasion may require. The Dakoits and Choarsi 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 sirdars, or lenders: they commonly meet for their lawless procedures under cover of the night, being by day, to all ap pearance, among the most peaceable and quiet members of onurterodfs,theleubgsro, pikes,and, coat imnaatctho: fifteen to fifty: The spot will be the community. Their grand characteristic, wherever they subsist, still continues to be that of Dan—" an adder in the path." They have watchwords and secret signals. Companies, will variouslyow some tope or grove adjacent to the desired spoil. The following is a midnight picture of what these worthies were some thirty years ago, as also of what they too often are now:—" When collected, their 'marauding excursion was preluded by a religious ceremony the worship of the goddess Durga—the patroness of thieves, typified by a water pot, arasmietdwwerlet,h where, in numbers from or a few blades of grass. The ceremony was conducted by a Brahmin of degraded condition and dissolute life. Having propitiated the goddess by the promise of a portion ot. their :spoil, they marched 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 money-changer, 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. Theobject being accomplished, and the booty secured, the gang retired before daylight, and the guilty individuals resumed their daily occupations." In Bengal alone, six hundred and ninety such atrocities disgraced a single year.—Eclectic Review for July.  Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-office from the Governor of the West India:Colonies, and also from the Governor of the North American Provinces.