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CONFESSIONS

A T HU G

BY

CAPTAIN MEADOWS TAYLOR,

IN THE SERVICE OF H.H. THE NIZAM.

I have heard, have read bold fables of enormity. Devised to make men wonder, but this hardness Transcends all fiction.

LAW OF LOMBARDY.

IN THREE VOLUMES.

VOL. IIL

LONDON:

RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET.

1839.

I'UINTED BY RICHAUD AND JOHN E, TAYLOR, BED LIOX COURT, FLEET STRKE'J .

CONFESSIONS

OF

A THUG.

CHAPTER I.

HOW AMEER ALI CONDUCTED HIMSELF IN HIS DEBLT AS A PINDHAREE, AND HOW THE SAHOUKARS OF OOMRAOTEE RECEIVED THEIR UNWELCOME VISITORS.

The next afternoon we were all assembled on a small plain outside the town; Cheetoo had spread his carpet after the [manner of a Pin- dharee, and sat with his chiefs around him^ promising by his demeanour to be an eage spectator of the encounter. He was remark- ably civil to me^ and asked me to sit by him

VOL. III. B

2 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

until a few men, who were ready, had dis- played their dexterity and prowess. On the signal being given by him, two stout Rajpoots leaped into the circle and clattered their sticks on each other's shield for some time without either touching the other.

" Does this please you?'' said Cheetoo to me. " Those fellows are good hands, you see, at their weapons : neither would have drawn blood had they had swords in their hands.'^

" They are expert enough," said I, " but methinks they have played together before and know each othei*'s ways; they make a great show, but if I may be pardoned, I think neither has much real skill. If my lord wishes, I will try either of them."

" Take care you are not overmatched," said he ; ^'^ I would not have your fair fame suUied. You have already interested me much in your behalf."

" Do not fear for me," said I ; " I will do my best."

I stripped myself to my trowsers, and gird- ing a handkerchief tightly about my waist, I stepped into the circle, where one of the men, who had now rested from his first encounter, awaited me. I took a stick and a small shield

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 3

made of basket-work from Peer Khan, who had brought them, and advanced to the cen- tre. There were murmm's among the as- sembly that I was overmatched, for they con- trasted my sHght form with the tall and brawny one of my antagonist ; but I was not to be deterred by this. I knew my skill, and that mere personal strength would avail but little against it.

'^ How is it to be ?'^ said I to the Rajpoot. '^ Does the first fair blow decide between us ?''

" Certainly,^^ he replied. ^^ 1 shall strike hard, so be on your guard.^^

" Good,^^ said I : " now take your post.^^

He did. He retired to one edge of the cir- cle and advanced on me leisurely, now stooping and leaning his shield-arm on his knee as he rested a moment to survey me, and now cir- cling round me, first rising on one leg and then on the other, and waving his stick in the air.

I stood perfectly still and in a careless atti- tude, but well on my guard, for I knew that I should hazard something in moving after him. It was evident to me he did not expect this, for he seemed for a moment irresolute, but at last he rushed on me with two or three bounds, and aimed a blow at my head. I was perfectly b3

4 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

prepared, for I knew his mode of attack ; I re- ceived the blow on my shield, caught the stick under it, and rained such a shower of blows on his undefended person as completely astonished him.

The assembly rang with plaudits, and the

other Rajpoot stepped forward and saluted me.

^^ You have had but short work with my

friend Bheem Singh,^^ said he ; " but now you

must try me.'^

'^ I am ready,^^ I replied ; ^^ so get to your post/'

I had now an antagonist worthy of me ; he knew my system of play, and verily I thought myself for the moment engaged with my old instructor; but I had used to vanquish him, and I did not fear the man before me. We were soon hotly engaged : he was as cool and wary as myself, and after a long conflict, in which neither had the advantage, we rested awhile, both out of breath.

" Enough, enough ! " cried Cheetoo ; " you have both done bravely ; neither has won, and you had better let the matter stand as it is.''

" Not so, Khodawund,'' said I ; '^ let us finish it ; one of us must win, and my friend

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 5

here desires as much as myself to see which of us is the better man. Is it not so ? '^

" Ay/^ said the fellow laughingly^ " the Nuwab Sahib knows that no one as yet has overcome me ; but I have fairly met my match : and whoever taught you was a good master, and has had a disciple worthy of him.^^

^^ As you will/^ said Cheetoo, ^^ only play in good humour ; let no feud grow out of it.^^

We both saluted him, and assured him we could not quarrel, and that whoever was vic- tor must entertain a high respect for his op- ponent.

And to it we set again, as we had now re- covered our breath : victory for a long time hovered between us, now incKning to the one and now to the other; we had both lost our footing once or twice^ and the spectators would have had us leave off, but excited as we were it was impossible — we stopped not for their excla- mations. I was put to my last shifts to avoid the well-directed blows of the Rajpoot; he had better wind than I, and this obliged me to alter my mode of play : hitherto I had attacked him, I now only warded off his cuts, but watched my opportunity. In his eagerness, thinking by a succession of blows he could beat

6 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

down my guard, he exposed his side, and my stick descended on his ribs with a sound which was heard by all, and with a force which fairly took away his breath ; had my weapon been a sword I think I should have cut him in two.

^^ Fairly won ! ^^ cried Cheetoo ; " fairly and bravely won ! Ramdeen Singh, thou hast lost, but it is no disgrace to thee. Come to me by and by and I will reward thee/^

The Rajpoot laughed, and T was glad he bore the defeat so good-humouredly, for I had ex- pected the contrary; he allowed that he had been vanquished, and cried out to all that it had been a fair encounter, and that he had used the utmost of his skill : " So beware,^^ he con- tinued, " how any of you engage the Meer Sa- hib ; you all know what I am, and I have been fairly beaten/^

I was delighted with the noble fellow, and addressed Cheetoo himself.

" I crave a boon, Khodawimd, and if I may hope to have it granted, I will speak.^'

" Say on,^^ he replied ; '^ I will grant it readily.^^

" Then,"' said I, '' let this brave fellow be placed under me. By your favour, a stranger has been entrusted with the command of part of

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 7

the Harawul (advance-guard), and I would have both these Rajpoots with me, and be allowed to entrust fifty men to the one and twenty-five to the other/^

" Good/' said Cheetoo, " let it be so; and do you, Ghuffoor Khan, look to it that it is done ; these are the men who will serve us in the time of need/'

A few days more and I was fairly installed into my new charge. Fortune had favoured me far above my expectations, and I saw" naught before me but a career of distinction under my new master. True, I was no longer a leader on my own responsibility, but the rank I held was honourable, and perhaps far above my deserts. I seized an opportunity which pre- sented itself, and wrote a full account of the whole to my father and Azima, for I knew that they would rejoice at tidings so new and unex- pected.

Our time passed in the camp in the manner I have related. In the mornings I was a con- stant attendant upon Cheetoo, who rarely al- lowed me to leave his person during his inspec- tions of the constantly arriving new" adventurers ; and the evenings closed with feats of strength and trials of skill, in which I sustained the re-

8 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

putation I had begun with. I never spent a happier time than the month I was at Nemawur, in every way so gratifying to me^ and so conso- nant to my previously formed wishes.

At last the festival of the Dussera arrived, and it was held with great pomp and show. A grand review of all the assembled adventurers was held, a muster taken, and it was reported that five thousand good horsemen were pre- sent ; and this number, with their followers, and those indifferently mounted, was augmented to nearly eight thousand — a gallant band, ready to do the bidding of their chief, and to carry war and devastation into the countries before them.

It was planned that we should separate into two bodies soon after passing the Nurbudda pe- netrate as far as the Kistna river to the south, and, should we find that fordable, then press on as far south as we could, without exposing ourselves to encounters with the regular armies of the Feringhees, which we were assured, al- though at present inactive, could speedily be sent in pursuit of us. Accordingly, as the morn- ing broke, the whole camp was in motion ; and a noble sight it was to see durra afler durra defile before their chief, and hurry onwards

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 9

at a rapid pace. Boats had been provided at the Nurbudda^ whic we crossed the same day, and took up our ground near the town of Hindia on its southern bank.

At this point the army separated. I remain- ed with my division and Cheetoo, and w^e pushed on the day after, taking a direction to the w^estw^ard, so as to come upon the river Taptee, up the valley of which w^e were to pro- ceed till we should reach the territories of the Rajah of Nagpoor, with whom a treaty had been previously made to allow us a free and unmolested passage through his dominions, on the condition that they w^ere not to be plundered. The other division, under Syud Bheekoo, a leader of note and only second to Cheetoo, took a direction to the eastward, along the bank of the Nurbudda, until they reached the grand road to Nagpoor, by which it was their intention to travel.

Meanwhile w^e proceeded by rapid marches ; for we w^ere eager to reach the scene of our operations, as our money was running short, and without plunder we should starve. We heard that there was a small detachment of regular troops under Major Fraser watching our movements; but our spies told us they

B 5

10 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

were few in number, and we were under no ap- prehension of an attack fi'om them : it was re- ported that they did not exceed three hundred men, and we vainly thought they would not dare to face as many thousands. But we had not sufficiently estimated their bravery. We knew they were upwards of fifteen coss distant from us, and what infantry could make that march and attack a body of horse like ours ?

They did however attack us. We had ar- rived at our ground near a village on the Taptee, and some were cooking their morning meal, others lounging idly about the camp or lying at full length on their saddle-cloths, when the alarm was given that the Feringhees were upon us. The scene of confusion which ensued is indescribable. Men humed hither and thither ; anything like organization was past all hope ; each, as he could gain his horse, threw himself upon it and fled for his life : not a man stood. In vain I entreated those with me to rally, and make a charge on the small body of red-c«ats which was now drawn up in line close to our camp, and was pouring volley after volley amongst us with destructive precision. Not a man would hear me, and though my own Thugs and a few of my division swore

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 11

they would die if I were to lead them on, I saw no chance of success ; and as one or two of my men had fallen near me, we too at length turned our horses^ heads and fled. We were not pursued, though there were some horse- men with the infantry, who, had they not been the most arrant cowards, would have charged after and engaged us.

I must say I longed that they should, and 1 kept my men, nearly a hundred, in a close body, while from time to time we faced about and shook our spears in defiance at the body of horse, about our own number, who however did not stir. We saw the infantry once more put in motion, to take possession of our camp, which, with the thousands of temporary screens from the sun standing here and there, and the fires burning under half-cooked victuals, must have been a welcome resting-place to them after their long march. They must have gained a considerable booty, for many a man threw him- self on the bare back of his horse, leaving a well-lined saddle behind him to the victors.

Our surprise and rout was complete, and if the enemy had had a larger body of infantry, or any good cavalry Avith them to have fol- lowed us, we might have bid adieu to all hopes

12 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

of future plunder, and most likely should have taken our way to our respective homes and aban- doned the expedition. As it was, however, we found we had not lost more than a hundred men, and three days afterwards we were again reunited and in as good spirits as ever.

At length we debouched by almost untrodden paths from the hills to the eastward of EUich- poor, and from among the dense jungles I had before traversed, after the affair with the Moghulanee. We entered the territories of the Nizam near the river Wurda, which we crossed, and in one march of nearly twenty-five coss reached Oomraotee, which it appeared had been the object of our leader from the first. I have once before described its riches and pro- sperity, and it was then far richer than it is now.

As we rushed along, more like the flood of a mighty river than aught else, every village on our route was instantly deserted by its inhabit- ants and left to our mercy. They were one by one ransacked for treasure, and in some of the largest much booty was obtained. I was fortu- nate in leading the advance-guard on this day, and well do I remember the excitement of the moment, as we passed the last defile in the

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 13

hills, and rushed in a body into the plain. Well do I remember waving my sword to my companions, — whose numbers were now swelled to nearly five hundred splendid fellows, often increased by parties from the rear, — as I showed them the broad plains of Berar, and told them that we had unlimited power to plunder as we listed !

GhufFoor Khan envied me that day ; he had been detained with Cheetoo, who remained with the main body, while my own Harawul was increased, in order that I might advance and surround Oomraotee. On we dashed ! The few villages we surprised were quickly laid under contribution ; and rupees and gold and silver ornaments were tendered, almost without our asking, by their terrified inhabitants. As we proceeded, the news that we were coming had spread through every village, and thou- sands of the people were seen flying from their homes ; while a few only remained in each, with an ofiering to me, accompanied by en- treaties not to burn their villages. Nor did I ; though from the pillars of smoke which not long afterwards arose in every direction behind us, I too justly thought the maiil body had been less merciful than we had. We reached

14 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

Oomraotee towards evening. There were but few soldiers to guard this important post, and they had fled on the news of our approach ; we therefore entered the town unchecked and un- opposed. How different was my present from my former visit !

I directed my course to the main street, where I knew I should find the principal sa- houkars; and, after stationing parties of my men at each end and at the different outlets, I rode into the middle of the chouke, or market- place, and dismounted among the leading men of the town, who had a carpet spread, and were prepared as they said to do us honour.

But few words of greeting passed, for ours was no cordial visit, and each party was bent on driving the hardest bargain.

^^ Come, gentlemen,^^ said I, after I had list- ened for some time to their vain protestations of poverty and inability to raise a sum adequate to my desires, " this is mere fooling. You have offered a lakh of rupees ; do you think the noble Cheetoo will be satisfied with this? I swear by the Koran he will not, and you had better at once be reasonable and listen to my words. The whole Lubhur will be here before it is dark, and if any of you will take the trouble to

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 15

ascend one of your tall houses^ or one of the bastions, you will see how Pindharees mark their progress. Many a fine village behind me has not now a roof or tree standing, and your good town will assuredly share the same fate if you trifle with us ; and not only will it be burned, but your property will be handed over to the tender mercies of my men — ay, and your wives and daughters also ; so I give you fair warning. You have no force to oppose us ; and if you re- fuse, I am desired to tell you that we shall stay here for some days and amuse ourselves by in- specting the interior of your houses. Go there- fore, be wise, consult among yourselves, and before the shadow of this tree has lengthened the measure of my sword, (and I laid it on the ground,) bring me an answer worthy of your name for wisdom, and liberal withal; beyond that time I give you not a moment ; your houses are close at hand, and Inshalla! we will help ourselves.''

" Well spoken ! " cried all the men who were around me ; " but, Meer Sahib, why not help ourselves at once? these stingy merchants can have no idea of the wants of men of honour like us, who have a long journey before us."

" You shall hear what they say," rephed I ;

16 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

^^ meanwhile let us be quiet and orderly, and let none of you interrupt their consultations, or offer violence to any of the townspeople/'

The time had nearly elapsed, and the hilt of my sword w as all that remained in the sunhght. The council of the merchants was, from all ap- pearances, as far from a decision as ever, if I might judge from their angry debate, and the unsettled and anxious expressions of their coun- tenances.

Eagerly I watched the increasing shadow, as from time to time I called to them that the pe- riod allowed had nearly elapsed; at last the bright hilt of my sword ghttered no longer, and I took it up amidst a shout from my men. The merchants saw my action, and again advanced in a body towards me.

^^ Sit down, Meer Sahib,'^ said the fattest of them, who appeared to be the chief, ^^ sit dow'n ; let us talk over this matter calmly and delibe- rately. That business is always unsatisfactory which is done in a hurry, and with heated minds."

"No'/^ I exclaimed, " I will not: standing as I am, I will hear what you have to say. Re- member, when I draw my sword the plunder begins, and though I have some influence over

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 17

these brave fellows while they expect a reason- able offer from you, yet the instant they are disappointed my power ends, and I will not an- swer for any of your lives/^

" Come aside with me for a moment," said the chief merchant ; " I would speak with you apart ; you need fear no treachery from a sa- houkar!"

We all laughed heartily. " No, no," said I, " I fear naught, and will come. And do you, my good fellows," I added, turning to my men, " see that none of these worthy persons escape."

"Well," said I, when we had gone a few paces from the group, " what would you say ? Be quick; my men are impatient, and your houses and shops are provokingly and tempt- ingly near."

" Listen then," repUed he ; " you are a leader, and by your conduct doubtless have the influ- ence you appear to have. You have not more than five hundred men with you ; we offer you therefore ten thousand rupees as your own share, one thousand to each of your sirdars, and one hundred apiece to your men ; this will be nearly a lakh of rupees, and we will take our chance with the main body. What do you say ? be quick and tell me, for the money is at

18 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

hand, and can be easily distributed before the main body comes up.'^

I pondered awhile ; I knew Cheetoo would make his own terms, and I did not see any harm in getting as much as I could of the spoil before he came. I knew also that he expected ten lakhs, and would get it, or nearly the sum, by fair means or foul. "Listen again,'^ said the sahoukar ; " you are in advance ; you have naught to do but take your money and push on, and any village before you will shelter you for the night ; what will Cheetoo know of it ?^'

"Nay," said I, "here we remain; after a march of twenty -five coss, we are in no humour to proceed ; but I will take my men outside the town on the instant payment of one lakh of ru- pees ; — remember, one third of what we get goes to the chief, and our share after all is not much."

^' Agreed," said he ; ^^ now come to your men, and persuade them to be quiet : they will not get so much by violence as by treating us well."

We returned to the group we had left, and I unfolded to them the proposition which had been made to me ; it was welcomed with a loud shout which made the air ring, and was then succeeded by loud cries for the money.

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 19

The sum had evidently been collected pre- viously, for in a few moments a line of men, heavily laden with bags of rupees, issued from a lane close to where we were sitting. Duffa by duffa of the Pindharees, each headed by its own duffadar, was brought up to the spot; each man received his hundred rupees, each leader his thousand, which were stowed away in the capacious bags of their saddles.

"You have not cared for yourself, Meer Sahib,'^ said Peer Khan ; " you have taken no- thing.''

'' Oh, do not fear for me,'' I replied ; " I have got my share ; the bag does not look large, but it holds gold."

His eyes brightened. "That is right," he said; " the others must not know of it.'^

^^ Not a syllable ; it is known only to you and myself. Now we must take care these rascals commit no excesses ; they seem half in the hu- mour to run riot in the town."

" They seem content," he replied ; *^ at least I for one am. By Alia ! Meer Sahib, this is rare work ; a thousand rupees in a morning's ride is better than our own profession, though we have been lucky in our time."

" Choop ! " said I, " silence 1 This is no time

20 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

for our secrets. Away with you ! See that the men take up ground before the town. I will re- main here with some others^ and see what be- comes of the place when Cheetoo arrives.^^

One by one the Pindharees left me, except a few who staid by my desire ; and our business at an end, I sat down and awaited Cheetoo^s arrival.

"What do you think, he will ask?" said my fat friend to me.

" I know not," I answered ; " but you had bet- ter be liberal at once, or he will sack your town, and you know what Pindharees are ; they have few scruples, and some of you may be tor- tured."

A general shudder ran through the assembly at the thought of the torture, and I saw I had made a hit. "Yes," I continued, "there are such things as korlas, and your fat backs would soon be laid open ; besides there are fel- lows who are rare hands at tying up fingers and hitting them on the ends, which is not agreeable I should think, — also at mixing com- positions for those bags to be tied over your mouths. I have heard of even still worse con- trivances to persuade obstinate sahoukars ; but ye are wise men — ye will be warned."

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 21

" Say at once, Meer Sahib/' said another of the merchants who had not yet spoken, ^^ say what we should offer, and how many Pindharees are there ? we have heard there are five thou- sand/'

" Somewhat below the mark, Sethjee," said I ; ^^ we are little under ten thousand, I think ; however, you will see the Lubhur, and judge for yourselves. As for the sum, I should say, in the first place, a lakh of rupees for Cheetoo himself — I know he expects as much; then there are three sirdars, Heeroo, Ghuffoor Khan, and Rajun — fifty thousand a piece ; then each minor leader and duffadar a thousand, and every good Pindharee a hundred. Say, have I spoken well?"

" Bhugwan protect us ! " cried one and all, ^'^ we are ruined and dead men. Why this would be at least eight lakhs of rupees ; where are we to get such a sum ? We are ruined, and better kill us at once."

'^ No, no, my good friends, not so," said I. ^^ All the world knows that Oomraotee is the richest town in the country, ay richer than Hyderabad itself, and that the money may be counted, not by lakhs, but by crores ; so talk not to Cheetoo of your poverty, for he will pre-

22 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

sently prove whether you He or not. Trust me, your safest plan is to offer him a large sum at once, for he has a long journey before him ; the men have got nothing since we left Nemawur, and they are hungry and thirsty .^^

^' I tell you all/^ said the fat sahoukar, " the worthy Meer Sahib speaks the truth. Bhug- wan has sent this gm^dee (calamity), and we must be resigned to our fate. Better far is it to give the uttermost farthing, than to see our wives and daughters dishonoured before our eyes. I have spoken.^^

'^ Good V' cried I ; "now you speak like wise men^ and I will give you further advice. Chee- too is a great man, and loves to be paid honour, as indeed is due to him ; so also do the other leaders. Now get you pan, uttur, and spices, make up a proper tray of them, bring a few handsome shawls, and as he takes his seat, one of you throw a pair of the best over his shoulders and those of the other chiefs, and lay your nuzzurs before him as you would before Si- kundur Jah himself Inshalla ! you will find favour in his sight, and where you would have to pay ten lakhs you will get off with half the sum, and save your town besides.^^

«' By Gunga ! 't is well said ! ^^ cried several.

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 23

" Meer Sahib, you are a kind friend and give good advice ; without you we should not have known what to do/^

^^ Again/^ said I, " let none of you have long faces, but all look as if you were rejoiced at his coming. Be none of you alarmed before you have cause. Pay you must, and therefore do it with as good a grace as you can.^^

The assembly drank in my words, as I by turns advised and alarmed them, in order to keep up t^e spirit I had infused; and in this manner the time passed until the dusk of even- ing, when, by the noise of the tread of many horses^ feet and the firing of matchlocks, we were assured of the approach of the main body.

" Now stick by us,^^ cried the sahoukars as they crowded round me ; " you are our friend and must present us : we will not be afraid.^^ But their words belied them, for the teeth of one and all were chattering with fear, and their cheeks blanched, at the thoughts of confronting the Pindharee chief.

Cheetoo came, and riding into the chouke, surrounded by a crowd of wild-looking figures, the effect of whose appearance was materially increased by the dusk of the evening, his tftles were screamed out by a dozen mouths, each

24 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

vying with the other in exaggeration of his powers.

The group of sahoukars, headed by me, ad- vanced towards him ; and the head merchant, rubbing his forehead on the chiePs stirrup, im- plored him to ahght and refresh himself, ad- ding that a zeafut had been prepared, and all were desirous of presenting their nuzzurs.

I seconded the request, and he exclaimed, ^' Surely I know that voice ; whose, in the name of Shitan, isit?''

" That of your slave Ameer Ali,^^ said I.

" Oh, then all is right,'^ he cried ; ^^ and thou too hast turned sahoukar. How is this, Meer Sahib ?^^

'^ May I be your sacrifice, Nuwab V said I ; '^ I have but mingled with these worthy persons, because they declared they should be annihi- lated at the sight of the splendour of your ap- pearance. I did but console them and keep up their spirits till my lord arrived.^^

" Thou hast done well,^' said Cheetoo. " Is everything prepared ? ^^

" All," cried the sahoukars ; " if the noble Cheetoo will but alight, we are prepared to do him honour."

He aUghted, and led by the hand by the chief

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 25

merchant, he was conducted into an adjoining house, which belonged to one of the merchants, and where a clean white floor-cloth had been spread, and a musnud placed. The room too was well lighted. Cheetoo took his seat, and looked around him with evident gratification ; savage as his countenance was, it now w^ore a smile of triumph, yet mixed with an expression of extreme pleasure.

^^ These are civilised people,^^ said he to Rajun, his favourite, who was close to him. " I little expected this: did you?^^

'' Indeed no,^^ said he ; "I thought we should have had to cut our way into the town. Depend on it, this is some of Ameer Ali's doing.^^

"Likely enough,^^ said Cheetoo; "he is a gentleman, and knows how a gentleman ought to be received. But for him it is most pro- bable these swine would have shut themselves up in their houses, and given us the trouble of pulling them out. But see, — what are they about ?^^

I was nudged by the Sahoukar, who, whis- pering, implored me to ask Cheetoo to accept their nuzzur. " Five hundred rupees for you if he takes it," again he whispered as I prc-

VOL. III. C

26 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

tended to hesitate. '^ Agreed/^ said I ; " I will revenge myself if it is not paid/^

"By Gunga ! by my Junwa'/^ again said he most earnestly, "nay, I will double it. Speak for us, good Meer Sahib, are you not our friend and our brother ? *^

" What are those sons of asses talking to you about ?^^ cried Cheetoo. " Why don^t they speak out?''

"Khodawund!" I said, "the terror of your name has preceded you'' — and he smiled grim- ly,— "' and your appearance is in every way so imposing and surpassing the accounts these men have heard, that by Alia ! they are dumb ; and though they would fain lay a nuzzur at your feet, in every way befitting your high rank, they have not words to express their desires, and have begged your slave to inform my lord of them."

" Kabool, Kabool ! I agree," cried Cheetoo ; "let the trays be, brought. Verily a nuzzur from the sahoukars of Oomraotee ought to be worth seeing."

Fifteen trays were brought in, covered with rich velvet coverings, and set down before the musnud; one by one their covers were re- moved, and indeed it was a goodly sight ! Dates,

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 27

pistachio nuts, sweetmeats, and sugar-candy filled four ; the rest contained cloths of various kinds, European and Indian, muslins, chintzes, rich turbans, and Benares brocades. It ^yas a nuzzur fit for a prince, and Cheetoo was de- lighted.

'^ Now," said I to the Sahoukar, " this is a happy moment ; where are the shawls and the ashruffees? Have a stout heart, and throw the shawls over him, as you would over one of your own tribe at a marriage."

The Sahoukar took the shawls from an at- tendant, and putting five ashruffees upon them, advanced to the feet of Cheetoo ; and having made the tusleemat, or three obeisances, he presented the gold, and unfolding the shawls, which were very splendid, dexterously enve- loped the chiers person in them, and then re- treating, stood with his hands folded on his breast in an attitude of respectful humility.

c 2

28 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

CHAPTER II.

" The sons of fortune, she has sent us forth To thrive by the keen action of our wits, Which, backed by fearful dread of our bright swords, Doth fill our purses speedily."

Cheetoo was evidently flattered by the distinc- tion with which he had been received, and as he examined the beautiful shawls which now enveloped his person, a grim smile of delight lighted up his coarse features. , ^^ These men have sense/^ said he to Ghuffoor Khan, "and are evidently accustomed to the visits of persons of quality. We little expected this civility, and in truth it is most acceptable afler our long ride ; but they have forgotten

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 29

^^Not so, noble Cheetoo/' cried the Sahoukar, advancing with several pairs of shawls over his arm ; " we are not forgetful of our distinguished guests ;^' and he threw a pair over each of the chiefs, which they received with complacency.

^^ Let the room be cleared/' cried Cheetoo ; " we have business with these worthy gentle- men, which I have sworn to do before we touch any refreshment.'^

It was quickly done, and there only remained our leaders and the sahoukars, Avho huddled together like wild fowl on the approach of a hawk.

" Come forward," said Cheetoo to them ; " come and sit near us; we would speak to you.''

They all arose, and, as they were directed, seated themselves in respectful attitudes on the edge of the musnud.

" Now," continued Cheetoo, " you are doubt- less aware of our object. We want money, and money we will have, by fair means or foul ; if ye are wise, ye will pay me handsomely to ^be rid of me and my people, who are savage fel- lows. I desire not to harm you, and on your own heads be it, if any disaster befalls vou.

30 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

Say, therefore^ how much are ye prepared to give?'^

" Truly/' said the Sahoukar^ my friend^ who was the spokesman^ "we have been duly ad- vised of your Highness's coming; and as a proof that we did not dread you^ you see us. here, and we have done our poor ability to wel- come so distinguished a person. We have also received good counsel from your servant the Meer Sahib ; and agreeably to his instructions we have drawn up a list of a few trifles and some ready money which we are desirous of laying at the feet of your Highness.'' And the Sahoukar handed to him a paper written in Persian.

" This is unintelligible to me, for I am no moonshee : but can any of you read, brothers ? " asked Cheetoo of the other leaders.

^^Not a word, not a letter," cried one and all ; " none of us know one letter from an- other."

" I can send for a moonshee," said the Sa- houkar ; " one is in attendance."

«^ If I am permitted," said I, "I will read the list : I may be able to make it out."

" Ha ! thou art a clerk as well as a good

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 31

soldier/^ cried Cheetoo^ laughing. "Well^ take the paper, and let us hear our good fortune/^

"First then/^ said I, after I had glanced over the document, " this paper sets forth, that the sahoukars and others of the market-town of Oomraotee, in council assembled, having heard of the near approach of the mighty Cheetoo and his army, and being desirous of approach- ing his feet with a small tribute of respect, have put down the following articles and sums of ready money, which are prepared and ready for his acceptance, — on no condition save that they may find favour in his sight, and be the humble means of insuring his clemency to others."

" Good ! " said Cheetoo. " Noav get thee to the marrow of the matter as speedily as may be, for my stomach craves food, and I doubt not these worthy gentlemen^s families have prepared a repast for me."

" It is ready, noble Cheetoo," cried the Sa- houkar ; ^^ and if the order is given, it will be set out ; but the food of us poor Hindoos would be tasteless to my lord, and therefore we have had the repast cooked by the best Bawurchces of the town.^^

"Silence!" cried the chief; "speak when

32 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

you are allowed to do so : we are in no hu- mour to be interrupted/'

The Sahoukar shrank back intimidated, and raising my voice I proceeded.

"The first item, Protector of the Poor!'' cried I, " is a sum of fifty thousand rupees for yourself."

" Is that all ? " cried he, his brow contracting.

" Stay," said I ; " more follows. ' A tray of choice jewels, gold, and silver, valued at fifteen thousand rupees, and three trays of shawls and brocades for my lord's Muhal, valued at ten thousand rupees : in all, seventy-five thousand rupees. Secondly, a sum of ten thousand ru- pees to each leader of rank, of whom we learn from the worthy Syud, Ameer Ali, there are three : a tray of jewels to each, of five thousand rupees, and three trays, each valued at five thousand more ; in all, twenty thousand rupees each.^"

" Go on ! " cried Cheetoo ; " you have not done yet, I suppose ? "

" No," said I, glancing down the paper ; " there is more following. ' Thirdly, a sum of one thousand rupees to each duffadar : we are uninformed of their number, but we have sup- posed thirty.' "

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 33

" Good ! ^' cried Cheetoo ; '* ^yhat more ? '^

" ' Fourthly, the sum of fifty rupees to each deserving person, to be given at the discretion of the mighty Cheetoo ; by report we hear there are four thousand. Also food, grain, and forage for as many days as the army may remain with us.^ This is all,^' said I ; " what are my lord's orders?*^

'^ The hst is well enough," said Cheetoo ; *^ but they are wrong in some particulars : first, there are fifty dufFadars, are there not, Ghuf- foor Khan?"

" There are," he replied ; " I told them off myself."

'^ Put that down, Meer Sahib," said Cheetoo. "Again, there are five thousand good Pindha- rees; am I not right?"

" True again," cried all the leaders ; '^ were they not counted at Nemawur ? "

This was a lie ; there were hardly four thou- sand, for nearly half the lubhur had gone ofi" in a different direction from the Nurbudda; but it signified little ; for Cheetoo, I knew, was de- termined to make the best terms he could with the saiioukars.

'^ Put down five thousand," said Cheetoo ; " and now see how much you have got." c 5

34 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

I hastily arranged the amount, and read the paper to him. '^ First/' said I, "there is your Highnesses share, seventy-five thousand ru- pees; secondly, on account of the leaders, sixty- thousand rupees; then the fifty dufFadars, each man a thousand, fifty thousand rupees ; lastly, five thousand men, each forty, two hun- dred thousand. And the sum of the whole is three lakhs and eighty-five thousand rupees."

"And," said Cheetoo to Ghuffoor Khan, " the horses' shoes must be worn out, I think ? we require new ones."

" Certainly," cried the Khan, with a merry gi'in.

" Put down fifteen thousand rupees for the horse-shoes, this, Meer Sahib, will make the sum an even four lakhs; and gentlemen," continued he to the sahoukars, " I must trouble you to pay with as little delay as possible, or we must help ourselves."

There was a hurried conference for a few mo- ments among the sahoukars, and a few angiy words passed among them ; but they were wise ; my fat friend rose, and making a lowly obeisance, declared the money was at hand, and should be brought immediately.

" Good ! " cried Cheetoo ; " now let me have

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 35

my dinner, and do you all see that the duffa- dars are present at this house by tomorrow's dawn, to receive their shares and those of their men. The lubhur must move on, for after this kind reception, I would not have my friends the sahoukars exposed to the chance of being plun- dered by my lawless bands.''

The chiefs separated, and I was preparing to leave the room with them, when Cheetoo called me back ; ^^ Come and take your dinner with me," said he ; *^ I doubt not your friends the sahoukars have prepared enough for us two."

I obeyed the order, and seated myself at the edge of the musnud. The dinner was soon brought, and a choice repast it w^as. We did justice to it, for in truth our travel had sharp- ened our appetites. These satisfied, and in- haling the fragrant smoke of our pipes, Cheetoo asked me how I had managed to bring about so advantageous a reception as he had met with.

I related the whole to him, suppressing how- ever the fact that I had secured for myself so large a sum as ten thousand rupees ; for had 1 disclosed that, he would presently have helped himself to half of it at least. Peer Khan was

36 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

the only person who knew of it, and to him alone was I determined to entrust it.

He was delighted ; he had, I knew, deter- mined to raise a large sum, and I had purpose- ly exaggerated his probable demand to the sa- houkars; this, and my threats and hints of the place being given up to plunder on the least demur on their parts of paying handsomely, had been successful.

" You see, Meer Sahib,^^ said he, " by your excellent conduct I have secured, first, seventy- five thousand rupees ; and what is over, after every proper Pindharee has got his forty rupees, will make the sum pretty near a lakh ; which is, you will say, a good beginning.'^

'^ May your prosperity increase, noble Chee- too," said I ; "if your slave can help you to a few more sums like the present, he will only feel himself too happy, and too honoured by distinction like the present. For the men I had with me, I made the same terms as you have accepted for the whole^ and they were well satisfied.^'

" And for yourself, Meer Sahib ? "

" I have not got much,^^ said I ; " perhaps I might have arrogated to myself the distinction

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 37

of one of the leaders, but I refrained : they gave me five thousand rupees however, and I am satisfied/^

" Nay/^ said Cheetoo ; " it was too httle, my friend, and I advise you to get as much as you can next time. And as you have behaved so well in this instance at the head of the advance- party, I will give it into your command in future, and must satisfy Ghuffoor Khan as well as I can ; he is a good soldier, but a thick-headed fellow, who is always for helping himself, and setting fire to towns and villages, by which we seldom get half as much, especially from these rich places, as we could do by a little management and a few soft words.^^

" May your condescension increase, Nuwab ! " cried I ; " your servant, Inshalla ! will never disappoint you.^^

I took leave of him soon afterwards, and joined the sahoukars, who were sitting below counting the money, which lay in large heaps on the floor.

They received me joyfully, and expressed in forcible language how much they were indebt- ed to me for my active interference in their be- half. They would have pressed on me the five

38 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

hundred rupees they had promised when I pre- sented them to Cheetoo^ but I refused it.

" No,'^ said I ; ^^ if I have done you service^ and I think I have^ I will not sell my good of- fices. You have dealt as well by me as I have by you, so the balance is even ; all I pray of you is, to let me have my money in gold bars, which I can easily conceal, except a few hun- dred rupees for present expenses.^^

" It is granted,^^ said the Sahoukai' ; and I had shortly afterwards the gold in my posses- sion ; and taking a few of the sahoukars^ men to guard me, I bent my way to the camp, the bright fires of which sparkled through the dark- ness on the plain beyond the town, revealing many a ^vild group which huddled round them to warm themselves from the effects of the al- most chiUing night breeze. I was soon at my little tent, which consisted of a cloth stretched over three spears, two of Avhich were stuck into the ground, and another tied across them as a ridge pole ; and assisted by Peer Khan, I put the gold into' the bags I had had made in the flaps of my saddle, and sewed them over. I was ten thousand rupees richer in one night ! "This is gi'and work,^^ said Peer Khan;

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 39

" here we have had no trouble ; and if we go on at this rate, we shall return far richer than after the toil and risk of a hundred Thuggee expeditions.

" I am to have the advance-guard always/^ said I ; ^^ and it shall be my own fault if we do not always secure a good share ; for my own part^ I have forsworn Thuggee, as long as there is a Pindharee chief to erect his standard.^^

"And we will all follow you," he replied; ^^ Motee and the others are delighted with their success, and are in high spirits : there is not one of them but has got a good share of today^s work, for we stuck near you, and were bribed well to use our influence with you ; they thought us all dufFadars, and you know Mo- tee and myself shared as such."

" It shall not be my fault," said I, ^^ if you are not all dufFadars in reality before long. Let the men make themselves active, and dress handsomely : you are all well mounted, and will catch the eye of the chief."

By dawn the next morning I was with Cheetoo. The sahoukars had collected the whole of the money, by subscriptions among themselves and collections from the town ; and the whole was distributed fairly, I must say.

40 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

among the Pindharees. Each dufFadar bore away the share of his dufFa, and they knew too well the risk they would run if they de- frauded any man of his just due.

A few hours elapsed, and after a hurried meal^ every man was on his horse, and the Lubhur departed to seek fresh plunder in the country before them. Yet before he set out, Cheetou promised, in consequence of the ready payment of the sum he received, that in every future ex- pedition he might undertake, the town of Oom- raotee should be e2i:empted from contributions ; and he kept his word. Oomraotee was never again plundered, and a large body of troops, which were stationed there afterwards, effectu- ally deterred small and straggling parties from surprising it as we had done.

Onwards we dashed ! I, at the head of my band, who had now implicit confidence in me, caracoled along on my gallant horse, with a heart as light and happy as the unlimited free- dom of action I possessed could make it. No thought of care intruded, and I was spared the pain of seeing the villages we passed through (from each of which we levied as much as we could, which was instantly laden on the Shoo- tur camels that accompanied us,) burned or

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 41

plundered, and the inoffensive inhabitants sub- jected to the cruel tortures of the men in the rear, who were often disappointed of booty.

We halted at Karinjah ; a few soldiers who were in the town made a feeble defence, and wounded a few of my men as we rushed into the place ; but they were soon killed or dis- persed ; and, as a warning to other villages, it was given up to sack and ruin. I could never bear the sight of wanton cruelty, and I repaired to my place in the camp ; shortly afterwards I could see, from the bright blaze which rose from different parts of the village almost simul- taneously against the clear gray evening sky, that it was doomed to destruction. Rapidly the fire spread, while the shouts of thePindha- rees engaged in their horrid work, and the screams of the inhabitants — those of the wo- men were fearfully shrill and distinct — made a fit accompaniment. But it was a work in which the Pindharees delighted; order, which never existed save when there was no excitement, was completely at an end, and any attempt to have checked the mad riot which was going on would have been attended most likely with death to the interferer. My own Thugs, too, sat around me, for a Thug is not savage.

42 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

and they had no inclination to join in the ex- cesses.

We sat in silence, but our attention was soon arrested by the figure of a man dragging along a girl, who resisted to the utmost of her power, but who was evidently nearly exhausted. I rushed forward to her rescue, and my eyes fell on the person of GhufFoor Khan, his savage fea- tures exaggerated in their ferocious expression by lust and the scene he had been engaged in.

" Ha !" cried he, " Meer Sahib, is that you? here have I been working like a true Pindharee, and have brought off something worth having ; look at her, man ! is she not a Peri ? a Hoori ? The fool, her mother, must needs oppose me when I got into their house, but I silenced her with a thrust of my sword, and lo ! here is her fair daughter, a worthy mate for a prince. Speak, my pretty one, art not thou honoured at theprospect of theembraces of Ghuifoor Khan?^' By Alia ! Sahib, I could have killed him, and ^t would have been an easy matter to have done so, as he stood unprepared. I had half drawn my sword from its scabbard, but I re- turned it : I made an inward determination as to his fate, and I kept it. I vainly endeavour- ed to induce him to give up the girl and let her

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 43

go, but he laughed in my face_, and dragged her off. She would fain have fled from him, and attempted to do so, but he pursued and caught her, for her tender feet were cut by the rough ground, and I lost sight of them both in the quickly closing darkness. Miserable girl ! she was a Brahmin^s daughter, and was spared the degradation of seeing the light of another day, and the misery of returning to her desolate home polluted and an outcast. Ghuffoor Khan told me in the morning, with a hellish laugh, that he had murdered her, as she tried to pos- sess herself of his dagger, to plunge it into her own heart. " I spared her the trouble,^' he said.

Gradually the fire lessened in its fury, as there remained but few houses unconsumed, but the Pindharees were still at their wild and horrible work, as the shrieks borne to us on the night wind too well testified. I had heard that these excesses were sometimes committed, but I had formed no idea of their terrible reality. A thousand times I formed the resolution to quit the Lubhur and return to my home ; but again the thought, that a few straggling horsemen, who could give no proper account of them- selves, would be immediately taken for Find-

44 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

harees, and sacrificed by the now infuriated people of the country, — this, and, I must add, a restless desire for further adventures, caused me to dismiss it from my mind. It began to rain too, and we all huddled together in my little tent, and passed a weary night, till the morning broke. Then we were again in mo- tion, and the ill-fated town of Karinjah, now a heap of smouldering ruins, was soon far be- hind us.

We passed Mungrool ; and beyond the town, now in the broad daylight, I had an opportu- nity of seeing the spot where my first victim had fallen. I had thought that the place where he fell was in a large and dense jun- gle, so at least it appeared that night in the moonlight, — but it was not so ; the rivulet was the same as when we had passed it, and I stood once more on the very spot where the sahou- kar had fallen ! A thin belt of bushes fringed the stream, and Peer Khan pointed with a sig- nificant gesture a little higher up than the place at which we crossed. It was the bhil where Ihey were buried, and it now seemed a fear- fully insecure spot for the concealment of our victims, — so close to the road, and apparently 80 thinly screened from obseiTation. Yet

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 45

many years had now passed since they were deposited in their last resting-place^ and a suc- cession of rainy seasons had either washed away their remains^ or covered them still deeper with sand.

We passed the spot too where our bands had encamped and separated; and before me was now a new country^ though it little dif- fered in character from that we had already tra- versed.

We halted at Basim, and I greatly feared a repetition of the scenes of the past night ; but the men were^ to my astonishment, quiet and orderly; and a handsome contribution levied in the town in all probability saved it. From hence, in five marches, we reached Nandair on the Godavery, a rich town, and one which pro- mised as large a supply to our army as we had got at Oomraotee. We had feared the news of our approach would have reached it, and that the sahoukars and wealthy inhabitants would have fled ; but it was not so : they were com- pletely surprised and at our mercy, for not a single soldier worth mentioning was there to guard the place. A few there certainly were, who shut themselves up in an old fort which overhangs the river and commands the ford ;

46 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

but they kept within the walls, only firing a matchlock-shot or two whenever any of our marauders approached too near; we did not molest them, but set ourselves to work to levy as large a sum as possible.

As before, the advance-guard had been en- trusted to me, and I pursued the same system I had done at Oomraotee.

I will not weary you with a repetition of al- most the same tale ; suffice it to say, that one lakh and a half of rupees were collected and paid to the army, and I got for my own share nearly three thousand rupees, some jewels, and a pair of shawls. The town was not destroyed ; indeed that would have been impossible, as the houses were substantial ones, with terraced roofs ; but the suburbs suffered, and the huts of the unfortunate weavers were sacked for the fine cloths for which the place is famous, — nor in vain, for half the army the next day appear- ed in new turbans and waist-bands.

The river was not fordable, and there was but one boat ; we therefore pushed along the northern bank, till we reached Gunga Khair, where we were told there were boats and a more convenient ferry : nor were we disap- pointed. We crossed with ease during the day

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 47

on which we arrived opposite the place, the men swimming their horses across, and the plunder and baggage being brought over by the boats. A few hundred men attempted to defend the town, but it was carried by forcing open the gate, and plundered. We lost some of our men, and I was grazed on the leg by a bullet, and disabled from taking any active part in the sack of the place. Peer Khan and Motee were however not idle, and brought a goodly heap of jewels and coin, to swell the general stock.

From hence we penetrated southward. Bee- der, Bhalkee, the fine and flourishing town of Hoomnabad, (a second Oomraotee,) were se- verally plundered, or laid under heavy contri- butions ; while every village which lay in our route was sacked, and too often burned and destroyed. From Hoomnabad I led three hundred men to Kullianee, a few coss distant ; but we found the alarm had been given, and that all the rich inhabitants had taken re- fuge in the fort, which is a very strong one, and to us was impregnable. Such was the dread we inspired, however, that the defenders of it remained quietly within it, and allowed us to keep quiet possession of the town till the

48 CONFESSIONS OP A THUG.

next morning, when we again rejoined.the main body.

We descended by a pass in the hills to the village of Chincholee, which was of course plun- dered, and we follow^ed a direct southwardly route, burning and plundering every place in our way, till the broad and deep stream of the Krishna effectually opposed our further progress. Here the Lubhur halted for some days ; forage was plentiful, every one was loaded with mo- ney, and we enjoyed ourselves in our encamp- ment as true Pindharees. Dancing-girls were seized from all parts of the surrounding coun- try, though no violence w^as ever offered to them, and they amused us with their songs and performances, and left us when we w^ere again put in motion, well satisfied and w ell re- warded, and regretting that they could not ac- company us.

Cheetoo was wrong to have halted, for the alarm that Pindharees were out had flown through the country, and in our march tow ards Koolburgah we got no plunder worth mention- ing. Koolburgah we found garrisoned and pre- pared for our reception ; so relinquishing our designs upon Sholapoor and the rich towns of Barsee and Wyrag, we struck off in the direc-

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 49

tion of Bheer^ Pyetim and Aurungabad, hoping to surprise the latter, though we feared it would be well garrisoned.

But I was determined to surprise Barsee and Wyrag if I could, and I laid my proposals for the expedition before Cheetoo. He readily ac- ceeded to my request, at which Ghuffoor Khan was extremely savage ; and taking with me three hundred men, the best I could select, and dividing them into dufFas under my own Thugs, I left the main body at the town of Allund, and dashed on towards Toljapoor, from whence there is a pass into the low country.

Toljapoor has little to recommend it but the temple of Bhowanee, which is a place of pil- grimage ; and though I knew there were hoards of jewels in the possession of the Brahmins, yet, as many of my men were Hindoos, they would not hear of the temples being sacked, and I was forced to content myself with levying a few thousand rupees from the inhabitants.

Wyrag was our next aim, and we were suc-^ cessful. Our force was supposed to be a Risala of Mahratta horse who were known to be in the district, and we were allowed to enter the town unopposed. We sacked it, and got a large booty, for there m as no time for a propo-

VOL. III. D

50 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

sal of contribution ; indeed I thought not of that alternative^ nor could I restrain my men after their long march. Yet they were not cruel, nor did I hear of any of them having tortured any one, and the inhabitants gave up enough of their valuables to satisfy them easily. Here we heard that the Risala we had been mis- taken for was at Barsee, and as that place lay in our direct road to Bheer, where we were to join the main body, I was obliged to give up my intention of proceeding through it ; there was also a large body of the Nizam^s horse at Purendah, and I feared that we might be cut off. An instant return by the road we had come Avas our only alternative ; and after a few hours' rest we were again in our saddles, and travelling as fast as we could urge our horses towards Toljapoor. Nobly did my gallant horse carry me that day : most of the men dosed theirs with opium to insure their bottom, but my good charger needed it not, and he was al- most as fresh when we again reached Toljapoor, as when he had left it.

Here we rested a day to refresh ourselves, and after that, pushing on, we overtook the main body at Blieer, where they were encamped. I had been baffled in part of my design, yet

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 51

Cheetoo received with great complacency ten thousand rupees in money, and nearly the same amount in jewels, which I presented to him in full durbar as the results of my en- terprise ; for this he invested me with a dress of honour, and presented me with a good horse from among his own.

D 2

a(H«vuh5lTY OF ILLINOIS LIBHARY

52 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

CHAPTER III.

RELATES HOW, ENCOURAGED BY HIS SUCCESS, CHEETOO PLANS ANOTHER EXPEDITION ON A LARGER SCALE, AND HOW AMEER ALI JOINED IT.

Bheer was sacked^ and given up to rapine and excess for two whole days ; and when we left it scarcely a rag remained to the miserable inha- bitants. It was piteous to see them raking to-' gether a few posts of wood, many of them half burned, and erecting AATetched hovels, which they covered with green boughs, to screen them- selves from the cold winds of the night. They suffered the ravage of their town passively, for there were no soldiers to protect it ; and what could they have done against a weU-armed and savage horde like ours ?

Pyetun, on the Godavery, shared the same fate ; and though many of the rich inhabitants

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 53

liad fled for refuge to Aurungabad, yet enough remained for our purpose. You know, per- haps, that this place is celebrated for a manu- facture of brocaded muslins, only inferior to those of Benares ; and at that time there was an active demand for them, to supply the courts of Poona and Hyderabad: you may judge, therefore, of the value of the plunder we got ; Cheetoo's camels and elephants were laden to the utmost. None of us fared badly ; and our own stock was now so large of one valuable or another, that I hardly thought we should iiave been enabled to carry it with us. I need •not follow our track much further with minute- ness ; suifiee it therefore to say, that we passed the Adjuntah Ghat, not however without being closely pressed by some troops of the Ferin- ghees : but we eluded them by a rapid march or two, and after a vain attempt on Boorhan- poor, we struck off to the right by the valley of the Taptee, and in a few days were safely returned to the camp at Nemawur.

In little more than three months we had tra- versed the richest part of the broad teiTitory of the Nizam ; we had eluded his troops and those of the Feringhees, and laughed at their beards ; we had plundered his richest towns with impu-

54 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

nity, and we had returned^ with scarcely the loss of a man, laden with plunder of enormous value. So rich was it, that the sahoukars of Nemawur, after purchasing all they could from us, were unable to find further funds to buy up the whole ; and merchants from Oojein and Indoor, and all the neighbouring large cities, were sent for to our rich market.

In due time all had been purchased, and every man prepared to return as quickly as he could to his home, with the proceeds of his booty. I need not say how my heart bounded at the prospect of again seeing mine, and lay- ing at my Azima's feet the wealth I had ac- quired, nor the pleasure she would experience in hearing me recount the wild adventures I had gone through. I accordingly purchased all the gold I could, as also did my men, and hiring two swift camels, I loaded them with it and the valuable cloths we had received for our own use, and was ready for a rapid march to Jhalone when I could receive my dismissal from Cheetoo^s durbar. This it was not an easy matter to attain, for I had served the chief faithfully, he had confidence in my address and activity, and was loath to part with me, fearing I would not return to his standard.

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 55

The day I went to take leave he would not receive my parting gift, nor give me the usual ceremonial return of Uttur and Pan on my departure ; and I sat in the durbar in gloomy thought, that perhaps treachery was intended towards me — a poor return for my exertions. But I was wrong : he called me towards him when but few remained, and appointing a late hour in the night for an inter\iew and private conversation, desired me to be punctual, for that he had matters of importance to reveal to me.

I returned to my abode in better hope, yet still suspecting, and almost inclined to follow the advice of Peer Khan and the rest, who would fain have had me fly, as the only means of preserving our money. I did not however entirely mistrust Cheetoo ; but I determined, if he put me off with further words, and caused me more delay, that I would at once leave him in the best way I could.

I accordingly attended at the hour appointed, which was past midnight. I found the chief alone. I had never before been so honoured as to be admitted to an entirely private conference, though I had been allowed a seat in his coun- cils, and my suggestions had been followed on

56 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

more than one occasion. I could not divine Avhat was to ensue.

" Be seated, Syud/' said Cheetoo ; " I have much to say to thee.'^

^^ Speak on, Nuwab/' I replied ; " your words are sweet to your servant, and they will fall on ears w^hich will convey their meaning to a heart devoted to your service. '^

^'^ Listen then," said he. "But first I will ask you what you thought the object of the last expedition to be?"

"Its object!" cried I. "Why, I suppose, only to get as much money as you could for yourself and your men, so as to be ready to take advantage of the war which sooner or later must ensue between the Mahrattas and the Fe- ringhees — may their race be accursed ! I never could divine a deeper object, though I have thought upon the subject myself, and heard many opinions expressed by others.^'

" You are partly right," said he, " but not entirely; now you shall hear the whole, and what my further projects are."

I settled myself into an attitude of profound attention, and drank in his words as he pro- ceeded.

"You have had a watchful eye upon tTie

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 57

times, Meer Sahib, and I expected it from you. You may have heard that Tippoo Sultan — on whose memory be peace ! — would fain have en- listed the Nizam and the whole of the Mahrat- tas in one confederacy to overthrow and extir- pate the Feringhees. Had his plans been suc- cessful he would have done it ; but, a curse on his avarice ! he had an under-plot to divide the Nizam^s territories with the Mahrattas, which was discovered. Alia only knows how ; and a curse on the luck of the Feringhees, who over- threw the only power which, while it lasted, upheld the dignity of the Moslem's faith, Tip- poo is gone, and his power. Perhaps you are not aware that at this moment, though Holkar is sorely disabled from what he was, and Sindia has made a base league of passiveness with the Feringhees, a deep confederacy exists among tJie Mahratta states, and particularly between those of Poona and Nagpoor, to rise simul- taneously and declare war against the usurp- ing and never-satisfied Europeans. Sikundur Jah will join with the Feringhees; not that he can do much, for his army is miserable, and his leaders have neither skill nor bravery, but still he will befriend them to the utmost, and his dominions are open to the passage and sub- D 5

58 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

sistence of their troops^ and in them positions can be taken up which will sorely harass the futui-e operations of the Mahratta leaders. My last expedition was therefore intended (and by the favour of Alia it has succeeded) to impo- verish Sikundur Jah's country, to keep the people in a constant state of alarm, and, need I add, to fill our own purses. . ^-Now listen again. To effect my purpose thoroughly, and to distract the attention of the Europeans from the preparations of the Mah- rattas, these expeditions must be rapid in suc- cession to have their due effect : one half of the Huzoor's dominions have been sacked, and the other half remains ; — Inshalla ! it shall share the same fate. The Feringhees will be kept in a perpetual state of alarm; they will follow us vainly from place to place, but I fear them not. I have laughed at their beards once, and will do so again. They shall know who Cheetoo Pindharee is, and to their cost. Not only shall the cowardly Nizam suffer, but the rich provinces of the Feringhees shall be wasted. I will cross the Krishna ; the river will be ford- able, or nearly so ; and the whole of the pro- vinces which are not overrun by their troops shall be prostrated before my power. This will

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 51)

^exhaust their resources and paralyse their ef- forts. The Mahrattas will then rise to a man : I will join them ; for I have been promised a high comm.and in their armies, and territories after their conquest; and we will rise, Meer Sahib — yes, we, I say, for these stirring times are the fit ones for such as myself and you — Inshalla ! we will take advantage of them, and win fame for ourselves which posterity shall wonder at.^^

'^ It is a rare plan." said I, " and a deep one, while the game seems easy to play. I can find no fault with it ; but will not the Feringhees be prepared for us, and meet us wherever we show our faces ? "

^^ No I" cried he vehemently, ^^ they will not ! cunning as they are, I will be before them in the field. They now think that, ghitted with plunder, we shall remain quietly here, and be fools enough to wait for another Dussera be- fore we are again on the move ; but they are wrong to a man : and here has lain the cause of my apparent secrecy with you. I could not proclaim it in my durbar that I had planned afiother expedition ; some prating fool would have blabbed of it at his home, and the news would have flown over the country in a week.

60 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

No ! I have kept it secret^ except from a few^ and they are my chief leaders, every one of whom has a thousand men at his back. Hear me, — I am determined, by the favour of Alia, to move hence at the head of a larger army than the last has been, in a space of time under two months. Say, will you come ? I will give you the command of a thousand horse, for I love you, and depend upon you. Can you re- turn from Jhalone in that time ? I have no wish to detain you here ; a man's home is dear to him wherever it is, and you are right to return to it : yet tell me that you will join me within two months, and what I have promised 1 will perform.''

'^ I will," cried I ; ^^ may your condescension increase, your slave will take advantage of your bounty. In less than two months, though I travel night and day, I will come, and bring more men with me."

"The more the better," said Cheetoo. "Take the best horse from my stable if you wish it, he cannot be in better hands than your own ; and as you will ^^ ant camels, take too as many as you require from my own fleet ones : load them lightly and they will keep up with you. And now go — I am weary in mind and body, and

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 61

need repose ; you^ I doubt not, will start with the morning^s dawn. Go^ and may peace be with you \"

I left him, and joyfully rejoined my associates. I knew the secret was safe with them ; and as I unfolded the deep plan to them, they were lost in wonder and admiration at Cheetoo^s sagacity and forethought. To a man they swore to join me, and to follow my fortunes through good or ill. Merrily we set off the next morning, and quickly miles and miles of road disappeared under the hoofs of our fleet and hardy steeds. In far less time than it had taken us to come, we had reached Jhalone, unlooked for and un- expected, and with a joyful bound T crossed my own threshold, and was again clasped in the embrace of my Azima. What words can paint our joy ? I cannot describe it ; my heart was too full for utterance, as I was again seated in my own zenana, and beheld the frolics and gambols of my beauteous child. My father too, he rejoiced with me ; but there was an eye of evil upon us ; our cup of joy was fated to be no sooner filled to the brim, than to be dashed from our lips. That eye was the Rajah's : but more of that hereafter.

Not that I neglected him ; the prices of his

62 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

horses were duly paid, and I presented to him a valuable string of pearls, with some beautiful cloths, the plunder of Pyetun, and a tray of fifty-one gold pieces. One would have thought he would have been satisfied, but it was not so: — yet he was all smiles and congratulations. I was invested with a dress of honour, and en- couraged privately, (for he secretly knew of the new enterprise,) to further exertions, and cheered on by him to win distinction and re- nown. Base liar and murderer ! he deceived me ; but who could have guessed his thoughts ? As soon as I could, I dispatched Peer Khan and Motee with two of the others in various di- rections, to offer terms of employment and the prospect of booty to as many Thugs as they knew to be good men and good horsemen ; the latter was a qualification in which but few- Thugs excelled : nevertheless, in the space often days they returned with twelve others, some of whom I knew, and all were stated to be resolute men, well acquainted with the use of their wea- pons. They were easily provided with horses from the Rajah's stables, as the first had been, for he had received more than double their va- lue, and would now have risked his whole stud on the same terms. I examined their arms.

li

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 63

and rejected such as were defective^ supply- ing them with others. Our saddles were newly stuffed, and every preparation which our expe- rience could suggest was made for even a longer and more arduous enterprise than that from which we had just returned.

But little time now remained to me to enjoy the quiet peacefulness of my home, and now that I was there, I would fain have never again left it. Wealth I had in abundance, enough for many years ; and I was in a situation from which I could have risen to a high civil em- ployment, in the management of revenue in the Rajah's country. Still the desire for adventure was not blunted, and above all, the promise I had given to Cheetoo could not be evaded or neglected; and had he not promised me the command of a thousand men? This had many charms in my sight ; and should his plans suc- ceed, to what rank might I not rise by my ex^ ertions, when the Mahrattas overthrew the Eu- ropeans and the Nizam, and their broad domi- nions were portioned out to the government of their faithful leaders ! These thoughts urged me to a speedy departure, and tearing myself from my wife I left the town, with the blessings of my father and the apparent goodwill of the

64 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

Rajah, who wished me every success, and pre- sented me with a valuable sword as a mark of his especial favour.

I was soon again with Cheetoo, w-ho received me with great joy : I found him busied with the large preparations he was making for his intended expedition. By this time the news of the immense booty he had collected in his first expedition had spread through all lands far and near ; thousands had flocked to Nemawur, to offer themselves to his service, in the hope that they might partake in the next ; and hun- dreds were arriving daily, to swell the numbers of the already assembled multitude. A diffi- cult task it w as to allot the various tribes and individuals to the command of the different leaders ; and my aid was asked by Cheetoo, and as readily given, to organize as far as we could the heterogeneous mass.

It w^as no easy task, for the men would have preferred acting independently, and on their own account ; but this did not suit Cheetoo^s intentions, as his irruption, though for the sole purpose of ravage and plunder, was to be of a more regular kind than the preceding. Ghuf- foor Khan was there in all his savageness, look- ing forward to the burning of towns and the

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 65

torture of inoffensive persons^ with a desire which had received additional zest from his previous experience. We were on civil terms, but I had never forgotten that night at Karin- jah, and the memory of the wretched Hindoo girl, and her sufferings and murder. In this expedition I felt assured that he would give no check to his passions ; and I only waited a favourable opportunity to aiTest his career of crime by a stroke of retributive justice ; until this arrived, I was determined to cultivate his acquaintance as closely as possible, in order that he might be the more surely my own.

Our preparations were now made ; upwards of ten thousand good horse were already en- rolled, and the number of their followers was beyond computation ; how they existed on their own resources I know not, but they did so, and right merrily too, for our camp was one scene of revelry and enjoyment. As a final ceremony, Cheetoo held a general durbar, at which all the chiefs and leaders were present : he disclosed his plan of operations, which was, to penetrate through the territories of the Rajah of Nagpoor to the south-eastward, and passing through the forests and jungles of Gondwana, to pour his forces on the almost unprotected provinces

66 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

north of Masulipatam ; from thence to cross the Krishna, to ravage the country as far as Kurnool, and to return from thence in the best way we could to Nemawur. This plan of ope- rations was received with glad shouts by the as- sembly, the army outside the tent took them up, and the air was rent with cries of exultation. It was a spirit-stirring moment, all partook of the joy, and the chiefs eagerly besought Cheetoo to lose no time in his departure. Nor did he. Pre- pared as the whole were to move at a mo- ment's warning, the order was given that the army should cross the Nurbudda the next day.

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. G7

CHAPTER IV.

Duke. — " I am sorry for thee ; thou art come to answer A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch Incapable of pity, void and empty From any shew of mercy."

Merchant of Venice, Act iv. Sc. 1.

At the head of the advance^ which consisted of my thousand splendid horsemen, I was the first to cross the river, now fordable, and we en- camped on its further bank, in the same spot we had occupied scarcely five months before, almost doubled in numbers, and with the pro- spect of a brilliant foray before us. I shall not speak of how we traversed the Rajah of Nag- poor's territories, or penetrated through jun- gles and forests which till now had hardly ever been traversed by armies. We suffered often sad straits for the want of water, but all bore up nobly ; and at last our horde rushed upon

68 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

the fertile plains of the northern Circars, and everything fell before it. Mercy was shown to none. Our .army spread itself over a tract of country many miles in breadth, and every village in its route was sacked and reduced to ashes.

On we rushed, at the rate of ten and fifteen coss daily; neither mountains nor rivers im- peded us : in the language of hyperbole, we devoured the former and drank up the latter. Troops there were none to oppose us, and if there had been any, they would have been trampled under the feet of our victorious squa- drons. Yet we had no disposition to fight ; it w^as no part of our plan. If w-e heard of resist- ance likely to be offered, we diverged from the spot, for w^hat would have been the use of ex- posing ourselves to encounters, in which, though sure of victory, we should have lost many of our men and crippled our future operations?

After some days we reached Guntoor, where we knew there was a large treasure collected, the revenue of the province we had desolated. To gain this was an object on which Cheetoo had set his heart, as he had heard it amounted to many lakhs of rupees, and it belonged to the detested Europeans. My men rushed with

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 69

Jrells more like those of demons than men upon the devoted town. To restrain them would have been vain^ and I did not attempt it. It was tho- roughly sacked in the presence of the British officers^ who confined themselves to a building in which was the treasure ; and I must say they defended their charge nobly. No Pindharee could show himself near the spot without being a target for a volley of musquetry ; and though I importuned Cheetoo to allow me to storm the building at the head of my Risala^ he would not hear of it. He had been deceived^ he said, about there being troops to defend it; and though I always thought there were but few, yet he exaggerated their numbers, and relin- quished his determination.

In revenge, however, for our disappointment, we plundered the houses of the officers, broke all their furniture, and set fire to many of them afterwards, in the hope that this would draw them from their post, and expose them to the charge of the horse. They were too wise how- ever to venture forth, and reluctantly we left the place from which we had promised ourselves so large a booty ; not, however, that what we did get was inconsiderable, though many were disappointed.

70 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

I was not so. I had^ with my own Thugs, seized upon a respectable looking house, which we defended against the Pindharees who at- tempted to enter, and we despoiled its inmates, a large family of rich Hindoos, of all their wealth and ornaments, to the amount of nearly thirty thousand rupees. We did it too without torture, for I never permitted it, though we were obliged to use threats in abundance.

Laden with our spoil we left the town in the afternoon, and by night the stragghng army was again encamped at a distance of nearly ten coss from it, secure against any pursuit.

We crossed the Krishna, and penetrated near- ly as far as Kurpah, where we heard there was more treasure belonging to the English govern- ment. But we were disappointed in this also. The officers who guarded it were on the alert, and the station was guarded by troops; we therefore avoided any collision with them, and directed our course towards Kurnool. Here also we were beaten off; but we crossed the river, and again entered the Nizam's territory, close- ly pursued by a body of English cavalry, who however did not cross after us. A con- sultation was now held, and it was determined that our Lubhur should separate into three bo-

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 7l

dies, both for the sake of destroying and ra- vaging a larger tract of country than we could do united, and of more easily evading the troops which now watched our movements in eveiy direction. One body therefore took a western course along the banks of the river, another an eastern one, and a third a middle course.

That which took the eastern road was the one with which Cheetoo remained, and with it were Ghuffoor Khan and myself. We were to pass through the country to the eastward of Hyderabad, and regain the Nagpoor territories by the great north road through Nirmul. I was now the sole companion of Ghuffoor Khan ; so long as the other leaders remained, he was mostly in their company, but now their absence drew us together, and I may almost say that we lived in the same tent, if tent it could be called, which served to shelter us from the ex- cessive heat of the weather. Need I mention that I was a constant witness to his cruelties ? They were of every-day occurrence, and to show you the man's nature, I shall relate one, as a specimen of thousands of a similar kind that he committed.

We reached a town, the name of which I

7% CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

forget, nor does it signify now : as usual it was entered pell-mell by the horde, and the work of destruction commenced. Why should I conceal it? I was as busy as the rest, and not a house or hut of any description escaped my followers and myself. GhufFoor Khan was busy too. I had completed my work ; I had torn ornaments from the females, terrified their husbands and fathers into giving up their small hoards of money ; and having got all I could, I was pre- paring to leave the town in company with my Thugs, who never separated from me. We were passing through the main street on oui' return, w hen our attention w^as attracted to a good look- ing house, from which issued the most piercing screams of terror and agony.

I instantly dismounted, and bidding my men follow me, we rushed into the house. Never shall I forget the scene which met my eyes, which we reached the place from whence the screams proceeded. There was Ghufibor Khan, with seven or eight of his men, engaged in a horrid w^ork. Three dead bodies lay on the floor wel- tering in their blood, which poured from the still warm corpses. Two were fine young men, the other an eldei'ly woman.

Before Ghuftbor Khan stood a venerable

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. /S

man^ suffering under the torture of having a horse^s nose-bag full of hot ashes tied over his mouth, while one of the Khan's followers struck him incessantly on the back with the hilt of his sword. The miserable wretch was half choked, and it was beyond his power to have uttered a word in reply to the interrogations which were thundered in his ear by the Khan himself as to where his treasure was concealed. Three young women of great beauty were engaged in a fruit- less scuffle with the others of Ghuffoor Khan's party; and their disordered appearance and heart-rending shrieks too well told what had been their fate previous to my entrance.

What could I do ? I dared not openly have attacked the Khan, though I half drew my sword from its scabbard, and would have rushed on him; but he was my superior, and had I then put him and his men to death, it could not have been concealed from Cheetoo, — and what would have been my fate ? So checking the momentary impulse, which I had so nearly followed, I approached him, and endeavoured to withdraw his attention from the horrible work in which he was engaged.

'^ Come, Khan Sahib," I cried, " near us is a VOL. irr. E

74 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

house which has resisted my utmost efforts to enter : I want you to aid me, and, Inshalla ! it will repay the trouble, for I have heard that it is full of money and jewels, as the family is rich." I did not tell a lie, for I had endea- voured to break open the gate of a large house, but desisted when I was informed that it was uninhabited.

^^ Wait awhile," said he ; ^^ I have had rare sport here ; these fools must needs oppose our entrance with drawn weapons, and I got a Scratch on the arm from one of them myself. But what could they do — the kafirs ! against a true believer? They fell in this room, and their old mother too, by my own sword. My men have been amusing themselv^es with their wives; whilst I, you see, am trying to get what I can out of this obstinate old villain ; but he will not listen to reason, and I have been obliged to make him taste hot ashes."

^^ Perhaps he has naught to give," said I ; '^ at any rate he cannot speak while that bag is over his mouth ; let it be removed, and we will hear what he has to say."

"Try it," said the Khan; "but we shall make nothing of him you will see."

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 7^

" Remove the bag/' cried I to the Pindharee who was behind him; ^^let him speak, and bring some water ; his throat is full of ashes."

The bag was removed, and a vessel full of water, which w^as in a corner of the room, was brought and put to his lips ; but he rejected it with loathing, for he was a Hindoo and a Brahmin.

"Drink!'' cried the infuriated Khan at be- holding his gesture ; ^^ drink, or by Alia I will force it down thy throat. Kafii*, to whom the urine of a cow is a delicacy, darest thou refuse water from the hands of a Moslem ?"

" Blood-thirsty devil," said the old man in a husky voice, ^' water from thy hands, or any of thy accursed race, would poison me. I would rather drink my own son's blood, which is flow- ing yonder, than such pollution."

" Ha ! sayest thou so ? then, in the name of the blessed Prophet, thou shalt taste it. Here, Sumund Khan, get some up from the floor; yonder is a cup — till it to the brim ; the old man shall drink it, as he would the wine of Para- dise."

"Hold!" cried I to GhuffborKhan; "you would not do so inhuman an act."

" Nay, interfere not," said the Khan, setting E 2

76 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

his teeth ; " you and I^ Meer Sahib, are friends — let us remain so; but we shall quarrel if I am hindered in my purpose ; and has he not said he prefeiTed it to pure water ?^'

Sumund Khan had collected the blood, and the cup was half filled with the warm red hquid — a horrible draught, which he now presented to the miserable father. " Drink '/' said he, offer- ing the cup with a mock polite gesture ; " think it Ganges water, and it will open thy heart to tell us where thy treasures are.'^

Ghuffoor Khan laughed loudly. " By Alia ! thou hast a rare wit, Sumund Khan ; the idea should be written in a book : I will tell Chee- tooofit.''

But the old man turned from them with loathing, and his chest heaved as though he were about to be sick.

" There 's no use wasting time,^' cried Ghuf- foor Khan ; " open his mouth with your dagger and pour the draught into it.^^

It was done ; by Alia ! Sahib, the two did it before my eyes, — fiends that they were ! Not only did they pour the blood down the old man^s throat, but in forcing open his mouth they cut his lips in a ghastly manner, and his cheek w as laid open.

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 7/

"Now tell us where the gold is! " cried Ghuf- foor Khan. " Of what use is this obstinacy ? Knowest thou not that thy life is in my power, and that one blow of my sword will send thee to Jehanum, where those fools are gone before thee?" — and he pointed to the dead.

" Strike ! '^ cried the suiferer^ ^^ strike ! your blow will be welcome ; I am old and fit for death. Why do ye delay?"

^^ But the gold, the treasures ! " roared the Khan, stamping on the ground. " Why, are you a fool ? "

^' Gold, I have told ye, I have none," he re- plied ; " I told you so at first, but ye would not hsten. We gave you all we had, and ye were not satisfied. Ye have n>^tirdered my sons and my wife, and dishonoured my daughters. Kill us all, and we will be thankful."

" Hear him !" cried the Khan savagely ; '' he mocks us. Oh* the wilful wickedness of age — is it not proverbial ! One of you bring some oil and a light ; we will see whether this humour can stand my final test, which has never yet failed."

By this time the house was full of Pindharees, and, if I had wished it, I had not dared to in- terfere further. I stood looking on, determined

78 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

to let him have his course ; he was only hasten- ing his own fate^ and why should I prevent it?

The oil was brought, and a quantity of rags were torn from the dhotees, or waist-cloths, of the murdered men. They were dipped in the oil, and wound round the fingers of the old man to as great a thickness as was possible.

^^ Now bring a light/^ cried the Khan, " and hold him fast.'^

A light was kindled, and the man held it in his hand.

^' I give you a last chance," said the Khan, speaking from between his closed teeth ; ^^ you know, I dare say, the use your fingers will be put to ; be quick and answer, or I will make torches of them, and they shall light me to your treasures, which I warrant are hidden in some dark hole."

'^ Do your worst,^^ answered the old man in a desperate tone. ^^ Ye will not kill me ; and if my sufferings will in any way gratify you, even let it be so ; for Narayun has given me into your power, and it is his will and not yours which does this. You will not hear me cry out though my arms were burnt off to the sockets. I spit at you I"

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 7^

" Light the rags ! ^^ roared GhufFoor Khan ; " this is not to be endured/^

They were lit — one by one they blazed up, while his hands were forcibly held down to his sides to accelerate the effect of the fire. Alia, Alia ! it was a sickening sight. The warm flesh of the fingers hissed under the blaze of the oiled rags, which were fed from time to time with fresh oil, as men pour it upon a torch.

The old man had overrated his strength. What nerves could bear such exquisite torture ? His shrieks were piteous, and would have melted a heart of stone; but Ghuffoor Khan heeded them not : he stood glutting his savage soul with the sufferings of the wretched creature before him, and asking him from time to time, with the grin of a devil, whether he would disclose his treasures. But the person he addressed was speechless, and after nature was fairly exhausted he sunk down in utter insensi- bility.

" You have killed him," I exclaimed. " For the love of Alia, let him alone, and let us de- part ; what more would you have ? either he has no money, or he will not give it up."

^^ Where be those daughters of a defiled mother?" cried he to his followers, not heed-

80 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

ing what I said to him. "Where are they? bring them forward, that I may ask them about the money, for money there must be.^'

But they too were dead ! ay, they had been murdered also; by whom I know not, but their bodies were found in the next room wel- tering in their blood.

The news was brought to the Khan, and he was more savage than ever ; he gnashed his teeth like a wild beast ; he was fearful to look on.

The old man had revived, for water had been poured on his face and on his fingers; he raised himself up, looked wildly about him, and then gazed piteously on his muti- lated hands. Were they men or devils by whom he was surrounded? By Alia! Sahib, they were not men, for they laughed at him and his almost unconscious actions.

" Speak 1 " cried the Khan, striking him with his sword, '^ speak, kafir ! or more tortures are in store for thee.^'

But he spoke not — he was more than half- dead : misery and torture had done their utmost.

The Khan drew his sword. Again he cried, " Speak ! " as he raised the weapon above his head. I fancied I saw the old man's lips smile.

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 81

and move as though he would have spoken : he cast his eyes upwards, but no word escaped him.

The sword was quivering above his head in the nervous grasp of the Khan ; and seeing he got no answer, it descended with its full force on the old man's forehead, almost dividinc; the head in two. Need I say he was instantly dead?

I was satisfied; GhufFoor Khan's cup too was full ; for my own determination was made on that spot, — I swore it to myself as I looked at the dead and rushed from the house.

B O

82 CONFESSIONS OP A THUG.

CHAPTER V.

" They plied him well with wine,

And he roared wild songs in glee : Hurrah ! cried the devil ; he '11 soon be mine ; And he chuckled right merrilye."

Old Ballad.

From that hour I made a determination to destroy him. No sooner had I reached the camp than I assembled all my Thugs, and laid before them a scheme I had long been revol- ving in my mind. I spoke to them as follows : " You have seen, my brethren, that GhufFoor Khan is a devil ; such a person can hardly be called a man: bad as these Pindharees are, he is the worst among them, and is unfit to live. You, Motee and Peer Khan, remember the fate of the Brahmin girl at Karinjah ; you mny remember my ill-suppressed indignation.

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which then almost impelled me to destroy this fiend ; and I would have done it^ but that 1 felt his fate was not in my hands. I felt that Alia would sooner or later urge me on to be the humble means of a retributive justice over- taking him. I have hitherto refrained^ though I have sometimes fancied his hour was come. I thought that some crime blacker than any pre- vious one would at last be committed by him^ and it has been done. You all saw what it was. Can he ever do worse?"

^' He cannot P^ cried my men with one voice ; ^^ he has reached the mark, and he is ours."

" He shall be so," said I : " now listen. You know I have still three bottles of the sweet wine of the Feringhees, which I brought with me from Guntoor ; he is very fond of it, and will easily be persuaded to come here and drink it with us ; I will dose his share with opium, and after a few cups, he will become stupefied, and will fall an easy prey to us."

" Good I " cried Peer Khan, " it is an ex- cellent plan. What say you to putting it into execution this very night?"

'' Not tonight," I said ; " we must be cau- tious in this immense camp. Tomorrow let my tent be pitched on the utmost verge of it ', nay,

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a short distance beyond it, — and in the dead of the night, when all are overpowered by sleep, he can be despatched."

" I beg to represent," said Peer Khan, " that GhufFoor Khan^s saddle is well lined ; could we not get possession of it?"

" I have been thinking about it," replied I, " but I do not see how we are to get it without much risk and fear of discovery."

Peer Khan pondered for a moment ; he then said, —

"I have a plan. Jemadar, which you may perhaps be able to improve upon ; and, Inshalla ! we will have the saddle. What I say is this : when the Khan is pretty well intoxicated, do you propose to him to sleep in your tent, and to send for his horse and saddle, so as to be near him to mount in the morning. If the saddle is brought, we can empty it of its con- tents and bury it with him ; if not, we can only rejoice at having done a good action in having destroyed him."

" I am not sure," observed Motee, " that the omens will be good ; we had better try them."

" Do so," said I ; " I will think over Peer Khan's plan and see what can be done." We then separated for the night.

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During the next morning's travel, when we were not separated by the confusion which ensued on a village or to^vn being plundered, I purposely threw myself as much in Ghuifoor Khan's way as I could, and we conversed on the success of our expedition, and the adven- tures which had befallen us.

" Do you remember, Khan Sahib," said I, ^^ the attack on the houses at Guntoor, and how we ravaged the Feringhees' store-houses in a vain search for valuables ? my curses on them ! They are as rich as Nuwabs, and yet not one of them has a gold or silver dish in his possession, nor a jewel or valuable of any kind, — nothing but china-ware. And do you re- member how we smashed it all ? "

" Ay, I remember,'^ growled the Khan ; " and but for our chief's cowardice, — between you and me I say it, — we might have attacked and car- ried the place where the treasure was, and en- riched ourselves not a little ; whereas, as it was, we got nothing for our trouble. We destroyed their houses however, and that was some satis- faction."

"True," said I, "it was. Khan; how their hearts must have burned as they saw the bright flames devouring their abodes ! Do you re-

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member too the precious stuff I got hold of and recommended to your notice, — the wine in the small bottles, with printed papers upon them ? It was rare good stuff/^

^^ Mashalla ! it was indeed/^ cried the Khan ; '^ the flavour of it did not leave my lips for some days. These infidels know what good wine is, that is certain. Would that I had brought some with me ! a few bottles would have been easily carried, and one would have enjoyed it after a day's toil.''

^' I was more careful than you were. Khan ; such wine is not always to be got ; I brought away some bottles, and I have them still, I be- lieve, if they be not broken."

^^ Some with you ? Nay, then, be not nig- gardly of your treasure ; let me taste it again, for I swear to you I believe there will be no such nectar in Paradise."

" It is at your service, Khan ; but to escape scandal, what do you say to coming to my tent tonight when it is dusk ? — that is, if any re- mains, of which I will give you notice. One of my fellows shall cook a good pilao, and after it we will enjoy the wine quietly."

" Your words are as sweet as the wine itself, good Meer Sahib ; truly I will be with thee. I

I

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will tell my Saees to bring my horse and picket him among yom-s ; no one will see me^ and I will bring no one with me. I might exceed, you know^ and I would not be an open scandal to the faith."'

My heart leaped to my mouth as he uttered the words. The saddle, then, would be ours without any trouble or risk of detection : how I blessed him for acceding so readily to my plans !

" True, Khan,'" said I, " it will not do to be observed : we must be secret. I will have no one in my tent but Peer Khan, whom you know; he is my foster-brother, and a rare companion : we will have a pleasant carouse. I will send him to you when the pilao is ready."'

"No, no!'" cried he, "do not, there is no need of it ; I will stroll to your tent after dusk. And, hark ye ! "' said he to his Saees, who was trotting after him, " mind, you are to bring my horse and saddle to the Meer Sahib's tent as soon as you see me going towards it. Remem- ber, you are to lead it after me, as though I were going to ride ; and when you arrive there you are to picket it among his horses."

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" Jo hookum/^ replied the fellow ; " your or- ders shall be obeyed/^

'* And mind/^ continued the Khan, " you are not to tell anyone where I am going, nor to answer any questions, if any are put to you, as you lead the horse along/^

" Certainly not ; since such is my lord's plea- sure, I dare not disobey."

^^ You had better not," cried the Khan, " or I will try and find a korla for you."

The fellow dropped behind again, and we re- sumed our desultory conversation, chatting as we rode along on the merits of the different leaders, and how they had behaved. Ghuffoor Khan was a pleasant companion, and his re- marks were full of wit and satire. I had put him in good humour by the prospect of a deep carouse, and we rode on cheerfully.

We reached our halting-place for the day, after a long and intensely hot march ; and glad were we to get under the cover of our tents to screen ourselves from the noonday heat. I had several messages from the Khan in the course of the day to know whether the ^ repast was ready ; but it would not have an- swered my purpose to have allowed that it v/as,

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or to have had it prepared one moment before the time fixed.

" You have been riding with the Khan^ Sahib, all the morning," said Motee to me, " and have not, I suppose, observed the omens ? "

" I have not," said I anxiously ; ^' but surely you have done so ? " For I knew how much they would influence my men ; nay, that with- out favourable ones they would have absolutely refused any participation in the matter.

" I have not been neghgent," replied Motee. " Last night, after I parted with you. Peer Khan, myself, and the others made an offering of goor to the Nishan, and, blessed be Bho- wanee, she has vouchsafed us the Thibao and Pilhao ; you need, therefore, be under no ap- prehensions, for she is favourable."

'^ I was sure she would be, Motee, for I observe the hand of Alia guiding me ; and I verily believe I should have followed the influ- ence of my own desires in this matter even had they been unfavourable."

" Nay, say not so. Jemadar," said he laugh- ing, " you are too good a Thug for that ; but there is now no fear, for the omens were indeed cheering."

"If we succeed," said I, " I have some

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thoughts of further work in our own way ; but of this more hereafter. There will be a stir when his disappearance is known, and we must be quiet for a time/^

"Ay, that is like you, Jemadar. We have been consulting among ourselves, and had come to the determination of proposing some adven- tures to you ; for here these dogs of Pindharees lie, night after night, and each fellow is worth some hundreds of rupees. Yet we have been content to remain inactive ; and I, for one, say shame on us ! We need not pass a night with- out some work.^'

" Wait, good Motee ; let us secure the Khan first. And now to arrange matters ; we must be our own Lughaees.^^

" For that we are prepared, Meer Sahib ; a Thug must do his duty in any grade when oc- casion calls for his services. We are all ready for work.^^

" Then we must lose no time ; you must join your own pall* to mine, and put some screen or other between them ; in the empty space the grave must be prepared. It had better be ready before he comes : — but no, he

• A small open tent.

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will perhaps suspect us ; it can soon be made afterwards."

" You are right, Jemadar, he would suspect : he need not be buried deep; and there are three of our men who are old Lughaees ; they will prepare it in a few minutes. ^^

" And his Saees, — he must die also. Mo- tee.'^

" Certainly/^ he replied. " Do you and Peer Khan deal with the Khan, and leave the Saees to us — we will manage him.^'

^' Good; our arrangements are then com- plete. Remember that Peer Khan alone eats with us ; you must be all outside, and see that the horses are kept saddled, for we must fly in- stantly if we are discovered or suspected. I have no fears, however, on either score."

" Nor have I," said Motee ; " the matter will create a stir, as he is a leader of note ; but it will be supposed, either that he has gone off wdth his plunder, or that some one has murdered him. I tell you, Meer Sahib, that many a Pin- dharee has died by the hand of his fellow since we left Nemawur."

" I do not doubt it, Motee. I have heard of many brawls, and men of this kind have but few scruples. They are a wicked set, and far

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worse than those who formed the first expe- dition. But now go, get the pall ready, and send Peer Khan to me.^^

The evening came ; the calls of the faithful to evening prayers resounded through the camp with the last red streak of day. Men were as- sembled in knots, kneeling on their carpets, addressing their prayers to Alia, — men whose hands were scarcely cleansed from the blood they had that day shed ! The ceremony over, each separated from his fellow, to lie beside his faithful horse, and to enjoy a night of repose, to fit him for the toil, the rapine, and plunder of the ensuing day.

The time approached; and as I sat in my tent, awaiting the Khan^s arrival, my heart exulted within me, that for once in my life I should do a good action, in revenging the mur- dered. Peer Khan was with me : we scarcely spoke ; our minds were too full of what was to follow to speak much.

" Have you drugged the bottle?'^ he asked.

^^ I have. I have put two tolas of opium into it ; I have tasted it, and the flavour of the drug is perceptible ; but it will be the second bottle, and he will not discover it ; and if he does, we cannot help it, we must take our chance. Do

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you think we can manage him between us, 'wdthout any noise?"

" Shame on us if we do not^ Meer Sahib ; I am as strong a man as he is, and your roomal never fails. But to prevent any noise being heard, suppose we propose to admit Motee and two or three others to sing and play, — I mean when the Khan has swallowed his first bottle. Motee has a si tar and a small drum with him, and its noise will drown all others."

" No, no ! " said I ; '^ others might be attracted by the singing, and come to hear it ; it will not do : we must do our best, and leave the rest to Alia. However we will see when the time comes."

The evening was far advanced, and every- thing around us was quiet. A few fires, here and there throughout the camp, marked where, at each, a solitary Pindharee cooked his last meal of the day; the rest were already buried in profound slumber, and all nearest to us were still. I stood at the door of my humble tent looking anxiously for the Khan^s coming ; and at length I observed a figure stealing along in the dusk, carefully avoiding the prostrate forms which lay in his path. Was it the Khan ? Yes. *^ By Alia he comes ! " said 1

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to Peer Khan ; " I see him now : and there is his horse behind him^ and the Saees lead- ing it/^

"Shookur Khoda !" exclaimed my companion; " he has not deceived lis. I feared he had, since it is so late/^

*^^Is that you, Meer Sahib ?'^ cried the voice of GhufToor Khan. " I feared I should have missed your tent in this cursed darkness."

" Here am I, Khan, and you are welcome to the poor tent of your servant."

" So you have found the wine, eh ? " said the Khan, rubbing his hands in glee. " You have not cheated me ? "

'^ By your soul, no ! Khan, I have not ; there it is you see, and Peer Khan is gone for the pilao."

" Khoob, by Alia ! Meer Sahib, I have fasted all day on purpose to do justice to it; and I should have been here an hour sooner, but I was summoned to the diu-bar about some trifle or other ; and I have kept you waiting."

^^ And your horse. Khan ?"

^^ Oh, he is here ; my Saees has picketed him among yours. I have deceived my other servants, — I swore I had a headache and could not eat, and pretended to lie down to sleep,

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having given them all strict orders not to dis- turb me. The knaves knew better than to do so ; and so, after lying quiet awhile, I stole out of my tent behind, and have fairly given them the slip. I suppose yom- people can throw some fodder before the animal?^'

" Surely : I have cared for that already.'^

Peer Khan now entered with the pilao ; and seating ourselves, our fingers were soon buried in the midst of it.

^' Now for the wine, Meer Sahib ; the pilao is dry without it, and my throat lacks moist- ure."

^^ Here it is," said I, pouring it out into a cup ; '^ see how it sparkles, like the fire of a ruby."

" Ay," said the Khan, after he had drained it to the bottom, " this is wine for the Hooris ; how one enjoys it ! Think, Meer Sahib, how we true believers will quaff in Paradise, (if what we get there will be as good,) surrounded by twenty Hooris, and each vying with the other to please us ! But drink, man, — I would net take the whole."

" Nay, that bottle is your own share. Khan, and there is besides another for you ; Peer Khan and I will divide this one between us.

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T is a pity there is not more, or that the bot- tles were not larger/^

^^Ay, it is to be regretted certainly, Meer Sahib, but what there is, we must make the most of ;^' and he took another draught. " Only think,'^ continued he, " of those infidels the Feringhees drinking such stuff as this every day. I now scarcely marvel at their doing great deeds when they are drunk. And is it not the case, Meer Sahib, that they all sit round a table, and drink, and roar out songs, till they fall down intoxi- cated*?''

*^So I have been credibly informed. Khan. By Alia ! they are jolly dogs."

^^ I wish I was in their service," said Ghufibor Khan, after a short silence. '^ Do you think they would give one wine to drink when one wanted it?"

" I have not a doubt of it," I rephed.

'^ Then I vAM take employ with them, Meer Sahib ; this stuif would tempt many a better Moosulman than I am to serve an infidel. But they say Sikundar Jah drinks it also."

^^ So I heard when I was at Hyderabad," said I ; '^ indeed it was there I first tasted this li-

• The Khan probably referred to proceedings of a very antiquated character.

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quor ; and I knew the bottles again when I saw them in the Feringhees' houses at Guntoor/^

^^ It is fit drink for a prince/^ sighed the Khan, when he had finished the bottle, and looking at it with a most rueful countenance. "That is finished, Meer Sahib; thou saidst thou had another?"

" Ay, Khan ! but only this one," I replied handing him the other.

" I feel happy now, Meer Sahib. By Alia ! 1 could sing — I could dance I think, though it would be a scandal to do so. The Prophet, however, has not forbidden a Moslem to sing. May his name be honoured ! Have any of you a sitar ? People say that I have a good hand.*"

" Go and fetch Motee-ram^s," said I to Peer Khan ; " it is a good one. Shall the owner of it come also, Khan?"

" Nay, I care not, Meer Sahib ; though the devil came, I would pluck him by the beard : let him come. Can he sing?"

" Like a bulbul. Khan ; I have rarely heard a better voice from a man."

" Oh, for some women !" sighed the Khan; " one misses the glances of their antelope-eyes, and the tinkle of their anklets, in moments like these. Ah, Meer Sahib, we were happy dogs

VOL. III. F

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when we were encamped in the Krishna. There was one charmer — but why speak of them, Meer Sahib, — why speak of them? ^^

"We shall enjoy their company the more when we get to Nemawur/' said I. " But here is Motee with his sitar."

Motee made his salam and sat down.

'^ Is the instrument tuned, Motee — thou pearl of singers ? '^ cried the Khan, bursting into a laugh at his play upon Motee's name. " Hast thou tuned it?^'

^' I have, noble Khan ; though it is not worthy the touch of so exalted a person."

" Nay, ^t is a good sitar, and a sweet one," said the Khan, as he ran his fingers over the strings in a manner which showed him to be a proficient.

" Wah !" cried all of us at once ; " play, no- ble Khan ! the hand which could execute such a prelude as that can do wonders.^'

" Give me some more drink," cried he, " and I will try. Knowest thou any ghuzuls, Mo- tee?"

" I am indifferently skilled in them. Khan Sahib; nevertheless, if my lord will mention one, 1 will try. The tuppas of my own coun- try I know most of."

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" Pah !^^ cried the Khan, "who would sing tuppas? I will name a ghuzul which is in every-one^s mouth — sing ' Mahi— Alum, Soz-i- mun ; ^ I warrant me thou knowest it. But the wine, Meer Sahib, pour it out for me ; thou art my Saqi, thou knowest. I will sing an ode to thee, as Hafiz has written and sung many a one to his ; peace be to his memory ! Ah ! that was good ; but oh, Meer Sahib, it hath a dif- ferent flavour from the last.^^

^^ Very likely,^^ said 1 ; ^^ the bottle you see hath a different paper on it; perhaps it is a better kind.''

" It is good, and that is all I care for, Meer Sahib. Now proceed, good Motee.''

Motee did as he was ordered, and his voice and the Khan's accompaniment were worthy of a better audience than that which heard them.

"Wah, wah! Shabash!" cried Peer Khan and I, when it was ended ; " this is rare for- tune, to hear two such skilful musicians in this unsainted jungle. Now it is your turn. Khan Sahib."

"More wine, Meer Sahib, ^ Saqi mera!'

more wine, for the sake of the Twelve Imams.

Oh that there were a thousand bottles, that we

could meet as we have done now every night !

f2

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Good wine and good companions — have they not been ever the burthen of the songs of the poets V

"Is there much left?'^ he continued, when he had drained the cup.

"About half the bottle/' said I.

" Then give Motee a cup, Meer Sahib ; he deserves it/'

" Excuse me/' said Motee, " but I am a Hindoo and a Brahmin."

" Thou shouldst have been a true behever, Motee; Khan would sound as well after thy name as Ram. Why, man, our blessed Pro- phet would have had thee to sing to him when thou hadst reached Paradise ! "

GhufFoor Khan's voice was now rather thick, and he made but a poor hand of the ghuzul he attempted; but it was very laughable to see him roll his eyes from side to side like a dan- cing-girl, and to hear him trying to imitate their quavers and shakes.

" Pah !" cried he, when he had sung a verse, " my throat is dry ; I want more wine, I think, Meer Sahib ; but the truth is, I caught a cold some days ago, and am still hoarse."

He tried again after a fresh draught, but with no better success. In vain he coughed

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and hemmed to clear his throat ; the wine, and the still better opium, were doing their work as quickly as we could desire.

" Do you sing again, Motee, — meree Motee ! meree Goweya!^^ said the Khan insinuatingly. " A curse on the water of this country, which spoils a man^s singing. Sing, man, and I will play ; it cannot spoil that, at any rate ; and the Meer Sahib hath provided an antidote for this night at least.^^

Motee sang again; but the accompaniment was wild and irregular, and the Khan at last threw down the sitar.

^^ It will not do, Meer Sahib, after the fatigue (a hiccup) and the trouble I have had (hiccup) all day, shouting and bullying these rascally Pindharees (hiccup). How can it be expected, Meer Sahib, that I, GhufFoor Khan, the leader of three thousand horse, should play and sing like a Goweya? By Alia I will not (hiccup). But these hiccups, Meer Sahib, what is to cure them?^^

" Some more wine. Khan Sahib ; nothing but liquor can cure them. And there is more ; there is still another cup.^'

" Then give me all !" cried the Khan ; « I will drink it standing like a kafir Feringhee — may

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their sisters be defiled, ay and their mothers too ! Nevertheless, as I said, I will serve them and drink among them, and none shall drink more than GhufFoor Khan. Thou saidst they drink standing; and Avhat do they say?^'

^'^Hip, hip, hip!" said I; "I learned the words fi'om a vagabond who had been a Khid- mutgar among them, and had seen their wild orgies."

^^ What, hip, hip, hip ! those are the words, eh ? I w onder what they mean."

"They are an invocation to their Prophet, I beheve ;" said I, " much as we say ^ Bismilla ir ruhman ir ruheem V "

" I do not doubt it, Meer Sahib. Now help me to rise, for the stuff is in my brain, and the tent goeth round about ; help me to rise I say, and I will quaff the last drop both as a true Mos- lem and as a Feringhee. Ha ! said I not well ?"

" Excellently well, great Khan," said I, as I helped him to his feet ; " now, here is the wine."

« Bismilla !" shouted the Khan, "hip ! hip ! hip!" and he drained the cup to the bottom ; his head sunk on his breast, his eyes rolled wildly : he made a desperate attempt to rush forward, and fell at his full length upon the ground.

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" Bus!^^ cried Peer Khan, as he got out of the way ; " enough, great Khan ! noble Khan, thou art a dead man now. Feringhee and Moslem, thou hast made rare fun for us."

'^ Raise him up," said I to them : ^^ seat him on his end. I am ready, and do one of ye give the jhirnee."

They raised him up, and as he was seated, his head again sunk on his shoulder, and some froth came from his mouth.

^^ He is dying," said Motee ; ^^ we ought not to touch him ; it is forbidden."

" Not a bit of it," said I ; ^^ all drunken men are in this way ; I have seen hundreds in the same state ; so hold his head up, and give the jhirnee ;" for I had taken my post behind him.

They did so; Peer Khan uttered the fatal words, and GhufFoor Khan wrestled out his last agony under my never-failing gripe.

" Enough, Meer Sahib," said Peer Khan, who was holding his feet ; '^ enough ! he is dead."

"Ul-humd-ul-illa!" I exclaimed; "it is finish- ed, blessed be the Prophet and Bhowanee ! Go for the Lughaees ; he must be put under-ground immediately. Now for the Saees."

We left the Khan's body and went out ; the

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others were waiting for us. ^^ Where does he lie?^^ I asked.

"There/^ said one of the men; ^^he is fast asleep, and has been so for an hour.^^

" So much the better/^ said Peer Khan ; " leave him to me.^^

I watched him and Motee as they approached the sleeper. Peer Khan touched him with his foot ; he started up to a sitting position and rub- bed his eyes, but Peer Khan threw himself upon him, and he was dead in an instant, ere he had become conscious. Nothing now remained but the disposal of the bodies and the saddle. The grave, a shallow one, was quickly dug ; and while the Lughaees were preparing it, myself, Peer Khan, and Motee unripped the lining and pock- ets of the saddle, and took out the gold. There was naught else. It was in coin, and in small lumps, as the jewels he had gotten in plunders had been melted down from time to time. We had no leisure then to speculate on its value, but w^e cut the saddle to pieces with our knives to make sure that none remained in it, and the fragments were buried with the bodies.

"What shall we do with the horse, Meer Sahib }'' asked Motee. " We cannot take him with us, for there is not a man in the camp

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who does not know Ghuffoor Khan's horse; and we have no time to stain him.'^

I was puzzled for a while ; to have retained the noble animal would have ensured our de- tection, and I scarcely knew what to do. At last I hit upon an expedient. '^ He must be destroyed/^ said I ; " 't is a splendid beast, cer- tainly, yet our lives are worth more than his. Beyond the camp, about an arrow's flight, is a deep ravine. Do any of you know it ?"

^^ None of us have seen it," said all at once.

" Then I must go myself, and do you, Ghous Khan (he was one of my men), accompany me ; we will throw him into it. Go and loosen him from his pickets."

I followed him, and we conducted the animal to the edge of the ravine ; it was deep, and just suited our purpose, as the banks were preci- pitous.

" That will do," said I, when he had brought the horse to the edge ; " now rein his head to one side ; we must kill him before he falls in."

He did so; I had prepared my sword, and drew it sharply across the poor brute's throat ; the blood gushed out, he reeled backwards, fell into the dark ravine, and we heard his car- case reach the bottom with a heavy fall. I F 5

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looked over, but all I saw was an indistinct mass at the bottom, while a few groans of its death agony reached my ears.

^^ Enough !^^ said I; ^^come away; the jack- als will have a glorious feast ere morning, and no one will ever think of looking here. But it was a pity to kill the brute.'^

'^ He was worth a good thousand rupees, and would have fetched that price at Hyderabad. Why did you not send him there ? I would have taken him.^'

'' I did not think of that,'' said I ; " but no matter now; we will earn more than that before we reach Nemawur."

" How, Meer Sahib ? we get but little in this poor country.''

" Trust me, Ghous Khan," said I ; " we have begun, and, Inshalla! we will go on with the work."

I reached the tent, and the Lughaees had done their business well ; our carpets had been spread over the spot where the Khan lay in his last resting-place, and we all lay down and slept soundly.

GhufFoor Khan was missed at his accustomed post the next morning ; a thousand conjectures were hazarded as to his fate, but no one could

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account for his disappearance. Some said the devil had taken him for his wickedness ; others, that he had amassed an immense plunder, and was fearful of its being ^\Tested from him, and he had therefore escaped with it, as it was known to be sewed up in his saddle.

When we reached our next encampment, Cheetoo sent for me : I went, and found him seated in full durbar, and the Khan's servants as prisoners before him. I made my usual salam, and he requested me to be seated near him.

" This is a most mysterious aifair, Meer Sa- hib,'^ said he ; '' Ghuffoor Khan is gone ; and Alia or the Shitan only knoAvs whither ! If he has fled, it is as extraordinary a thing as I ever heard of; for he has been attached to me from his youth, and I have ever been kind to him. What think you?"

^^ 1 am at a loss also,'' said I ; ^' your servant knows not what to say ; there are a thousand conjectures afloat, but no one can give any probable solution to the mystery. But have you examined the sei'vants ? surely they must know something."

" I have not, Meer Sahib, as yet ; but here they are, and I want you to help me to

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question them. You may think of some things which may escape me.^^

"I will do my best, Nuwab; but you had better begin — they will be afraid of you and speak the truth.^^

^^ Call one of them/^ said Cheetoo to an at- tendant.

The man came, trembling in every joint, and prostrated himself before our leader.

" What is thy name ? ^' he asked.

" Syud Ebrahim/^ said the fellow.

"And what sei-vice didst thou perform to GhuffoorKhan?^^

" I am a Khidmutgar, O Asylum of the World ! ^^ said the man ; " I used to keep the Khan's clothes, assist him to bathe, and attend him at night. I w^as always about his person.'^

"Now speak the truth, Ebrahim, and fear not. But I swear by the beard of the Prophet, if I detect thee lying, I will have thee cut to pieces before my face, as a warning to thy com- rades."

" May I be your sacrifice !'' cried the man, " I will not lie. Why should I ? What I know is easily told, and 't is but little."

" Proceed," cried Cheetoo, " and remember what I have said."

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"Alia is my witness," said the man, "I know but little. My noble master came from your highnesses durbar late in the afternoon : Ave had prepared dinner for him, but he said he was ill, and would not eat, and that we ourselves might eat what we had cooked for him. He then went into his teiit, took off his durbar dress, put away his arms, and then lay down. I was with him till this time, and sat down to shampoe him ; but he bade me begone, and I left him. I was weary with running all day by his side, and I also lay down, and did not wake till the people roused me for the march. I went into the tent to arouse him and give him his clothes, but I found him not. The bedding was just as when he had laid down, but his sword was not there, nor a stick he always walked with. This is all I know, but Shekh Qadir knows something more, if you will call him ; he saw the Khan after I did."

Shekh Qadir was accordingly sent for, and after being cautioned and threatened as the other had been, he spoke as follows ;

" I am also a Khidmutgar, but my office was not about the Khan^s person; I used to give him his hooka, and prepare the opium he ate. Soon after dusk I heard him moving in

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the tent, and I watched him ; he lifted up the back part of it, and came out : I saw him walk towards the middle of the camp, and followed him : he observed me, and turned round sharp upon me ; ^ What,^ said he, ^ cannot I walk out for a few yards, to breathe the air, with- out some of you rascals following me ? begone !' Nuwab, I was frightened, lest he should order me the korla, and I went away to the tent of a friend. I heard in the morning that he had not returned/^

'^ This is very unsatisfactory,^' said I ; " we have as yet no clue to his disappearance. If he has gone away, he must have ridden ; where is his horse ? "

^^ Ay, where is it ? '^ cried Cheetoo. " Who can tell us?''

"May I be your sacrifice!" said Shekh Cladir ; " the horse is not here, nor his Saees. The Khan had two horses, but the saddle of the one missing is that in which all the gold was sewed up."

" Ha 1" said Cheetoo, " is it so ? Where is the other Saees?"

" Peer-o-Moorshid ? " cried an attendant ; " he is waiting without."

" Let him too be called." The man entered.

1

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"What knowest thou?^^ asked Cheetoo. " I only know," said the fellow, " that the gray horse was kept saddled all the afternoon ; this was contrary to custom, for its saddle was always placed in the tent, near the Khan^s head when he slept. I asked my fellow Saees the reason of its being so ; but he was angry with me, and said it was no business of mine, that the Khan had ordered it, and it was his plea- sure. I saw him take the horse from his picket after dark, but I asked no questions."

" There remains but one conclusion to be drawn, Nuwab Sahib," said I. " GhufFoor Khan has fled, and made off with the booty he had got. By all accounts he had been very fortunate ; and every one said his saddle was stuffed with gold."

" So I have also heard," said Cheetoo ; " but, yet it is hard to think of that man^s ingrati- tude. Here have I been associated with him from boyhood : I have raised him from ob- scurity, to be a leader of three thousand horse ; and this has been a scurvy ending to my kindness. Go," said he to the servants, " I find no fault with any of you; take the horse to my pagah, and let him be tied up among my

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Thus ended this adventure ; no suspicion fell upon us nor on any one. The Khan w as known to have friends at Hyderabad^ and thither it was supposed he had fled. We alone knew his fate, and it was one he had desei-ved by a thou- sand crimes too horrible to mention.

But after this we were not idle ; having be- gun our work, we had constant employment ; scarcely a night passed that one or two Pin- dharees did not fall by our hands. They were missed too, as the Khan had been, but we were favoured by the constant desertions which took place from the Lubhur; for ^ we approached Nemawur, men daily made off in every direction to their houses, little relishing the fatigues of the camp, and the constant alarms we had from reports of the vicinity of the Feringhee troops, by whom we w^ere several times nearly sur- prised.

Yet I was not fated to have the uniform success which had hitherto attended me. Trea- chery was at work, and the blow we least feared fell with a heavy hand at last, and dispersed us. I will tell you how it happened, and what befel us.

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CHAPTER VI.

Pistol. — " Trust none,

For oaths are straws, men's faiths are wafer cakes, And Hold-fast is the only dog, my duck : Therefore Caveto be thy counsellor."

King Henry V. act. ii. sc. 2.

Among the men whom I had brought with me from Jhalone was one by name Hidayut Khan. I had never seen him before, but he was shghtly known to Peer Khan, as having served with him, and was represented to be an able Thug. Of the extent of his accomphshments I was ig- norant, as he never had any hand in the de- struction of those who died in the Pindharee camp ; for I preferred allowing my own men, upon whom I could depend, to do the work. But Hidayut Khan was certainly a capital horseman, a good hand with his sword and

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spear, and an active, enterprising fellow as a Pindharee. I have said we never employed him as a Bhuttote, nor even as a Shumshea ; why I can hardly say, yet so it was ; he acted always as a scout, and kept watch at the door of the tent while our work went on within. Many days after the death of Ghuffoor Khan, indeed when we had again reached the Nagpoor terri- tory, and when a few days' march would have brought us to Nemawur, Peer Khan, Motee, and one or two others came to me one evening after it was dark, with faces full of concern and alarm.

^^ For the sake of Bhowanee," cried I, " what is the matter ? why are ye thus agitated ? Speak, brothers, and say the worst; are we disco- vered ? '^

" Alas, I fear treachery,^' said Motee. " For some time past we have suspected Hidayut Khan, who has absented himself from us of late in an extraordinary manner, to have disclosed what we are to a person in Cheetoo's confi- dence. We have dogged them several times about the camp, have detected them in earnest conversation, and this night we too greatly fear he is even now in the durbar. What can be done?'*

■9

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^^ We must fly at once/' said I. ^' Now that you mention the name of Hidayut Khan^ I too have my suspicions : are the horses saddled?"

" They are/' said Peer Khan, " they are al- ways so"

"Good/' said I; ^'then there is no fear. Yet I should like much to satisfy myself of the fact of our being suspected, — ay, and by Alia! I will ascertain it at once."

" Ah, do not ! " cried they ; " for the sake of Bhowanee, do not throw yourself into peril ; what can be gained by it? Our horses are ready; let us mount them; leave the tent where it is, and fly."

Would to Alia that I had followed this wise counsel ! matters would not have turned out as they did ; but I was possessed by the idea, a headstrong man is never to be restrained, and I would hear nothing they had to say. ^' Is there not one among you/' cried I, " who will accom- pany me ? The night is dark, and we can reach Cheetoo's tent unobserved ; we will lie down with our ears to the kanat, and heai' what passes : if the worst comes, if we really are de- nounced, we shall have ample time to fly before they can get from the inside."

" I will," cried Peer Khan ; but no one else

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stirred; they were all paralysed by fear, and were incapable of action.

" That is spoken like yourself, brother/^ cried I ; " thou hast a gallant soul. Now do ye all prepare the horses for instant flight ; let their tether-ropes be loosened, and the bridles put in their mouths; do not move them from their places, and no one will suspect us: and come,'^ cried I to Peer Khan, " there is not a moment to be lost.''

We stole out of the tent, and stealthily crept along towards Cheetoo's, which was fortunately at no great distance. No one was about it ; but we could see from the outside that, by the side of a dim lamp, three persons were engaged in earnest conversation. We lay down at the edge of the kanat, and my ears eagerly drank in the words which fell on them.

" Ajaib!" said a voice, which I knew at once to be Cheetoo's, ^^and so he murdered the Khan ? you said he did it."

" May I be your sacrifice," said Hidayut Khan (I knew his voice, too, immediately), "he did ; 1 cannot say I saw him die ^^^i\h my own eyes, but they made him diTink, and they buried him, and Ameer Ali himself destroyed the noble horse."

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" I do not doubt it/!, said Cheetoo, ^vith a sigh ; ^^ I have done his memory foul wrong in thinking him ungrateful : — and the others ? "

" They were men of scarcely any note/' said the informer, "nor do I know the names of all : one only I remember, for they had hard work to despatch him ; he was a strong man, by name Hubeeb Oola, and belonged to my lord's own pagah."

" I knew him well/' said Cheetoo ; ^^ he was a worthy man and a brave one ; and Ameer Ah slew him ? "

"He did, Nuwab, with his own hands ; and Motee and Peer Khan held him, or he could not have done it. This was only three nights ago, when I would fain have denounced them, but I feared no one would believe me ; and as I knew Ameer Ali was in your favour, I thought no one would have listened to an accusation against him."

"Nor would I, by Alia!" cried Cheetoo, rising up, and striking his forehead in extreme agitation (I had made a hole in the cloth with the point of my dagger, and could see all di- stinctly). "I would never have believed your tale, but that circumstances so strongly bear out what you have said. Who could have be-

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lieved^ that Ameer Ali, the kind, the benevolent — , one who opposed everj scheme of violence, and protested against our ravages till I was ashamed of them myself, — who could have thought him a Thug?^'

^^ But it is the truth, Nuwab,'^ said the vile wretch ; ^^ when you have seized them, you will find ample evidence of what I tell you : the sword of Ghuffoor Khan is at this moment girded to the side of Peer Khan, who threw away his own/^

"That will be conclusive indeed,^^ said Chee- too. " But how came you to join them?^^

" I was at my village, near Jhalone," said Hidayut Khan ; " I had formerly known Peeroo, (as we call Peer Khan,) and he asked me to join him and his jemadar, and to follow the Pin- dharees. I never suspected them to be Thugs, — who could, when Ameer Ali and his father were high in favour with the Rajah ? and it was not till the Khan's death that they began their horrible work/^

*^ Well,^^ said Cheetoo, " you have laid the plan ; the sooner you put it into execution the better. You have prepared the horsemen, have you not?^^ said he to the other man, whose face I knew.

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" I have/^ he replied ; " they are standing by their horses, all ready for the signal to set on — fifty good fellows ; none of the Thugs will escape us.''

" Ya Alia ! " cried Cheetoo ; " how will he look on me ? and how can I bring myself to order the punishment he deserves ? Ah, Ameer Ali, how thou hast deceived me ! how could anyone read deceit in that honest face of thine !^^

'^ Go/^ said he to Hidayut Khan and the others ; '^ bring them to me without delay. I will not forget thy reward : thou hast asked for the saddle of Peer Khan.^^

'^ No more ! no more ! " cried the villain ; " 't is all 1 want.''

^^ Ay/' said Peer Khan to me in a whisper, ^* but he has not got it yet, and he is a cunning fellow if he does get it. Come, Meer Sahib, we must be off — they are moving."

I was almost fascinated to the spot. I could have lain there and listened to the discourse; but the peril was too imminent, too deadly for a moment's delay. I got up, and sneaking along, we saw the two figures cross the threshold of the tent, and with hurried steps direct their

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course to a part of the camp where the pagah was^ and which was close to our tent.

Fear lent us speed ; we flew to our tent, and for a few moments were engaged in tying up some valuables we had brought out for division ; having done this, we hurried to our horses. Some of the men were already in their saddles; I leaped on my spirited animal, and drew my sword, ready for the worst. I wished all to move off in a body, for as yet^ there was no alarm, — but I was deceived ; we were surround- ed ! The instant we were in motion a body of horse dashed at us, and we were at once en- gaged in a conflict for life or death. What happened I know not ; I cut down the only man who was opposed to me ; Peer Khan was equally fortunate. I received a slight wound from another, which I httle heeded ; we urged our horses to their utmost speed, and the dark- ness favoured our escape.

I soon found, as I slackened my pace a little, that some of my men were with me. We had agreed to take a northerly direction, and rendez- vous near a small village which could be seen from the camp ; and by this precaution those who had escaped were soon collected together.

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We were not pursued, though we heard the shouts of the Pindharees, as they hallooed to each other in and about their camp, and the shots from their matchlocks ; and we afterwards heard they had grievously wounded many of each other in mistake. I almost dreaded to call over the names of those who stood around me, for I could not see their faces, and no one spoke a word to his companion.

We waited for a considerable time, — for an hour or more. Gradually the noise and shout- ing in the Pindharee camp died away, and by the stragghng watch-fires alone could one have told that a mighty army was encamped there. Now and then the shrill neigh of a horse was borne to us upon the night wind, and when it ceased there was again a melancholy silence. The little village too was deserted ; part of it had been burned, and the embers of the houses still emitted sparks, now and then sending up a flame, as portions of dry grass of the thatched huts which had escaped became ignited. Fur- ther delay was useless; I therefore broke the silence, which was painful to all.

"How many are there of us. Peer Khan?" I asked, in a low tone.

VOL. III. G

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'^ Eleven/' said he ; ^^ the rest I fear have faUen/'

'^ I pray Alia they have ; better far to fall by a sword-cut or a spear-thrust^ than to be exposed to torture j but who are absent ? — is Motee here ?"

^^ Alas ! no, Meer Sahib. Motee I saw struck down. I made a cut at the Pindharee who wounded him, but the darkness deceived me : I missed him.^^

^^ And who else are absent ? '^ said I, stifling my grief, for Motee had been as a brother to me ; ^^ let those who are here tell their names.^'

They did so. Ghous Khan was away, and Nuzzur Ali and Ramdeen Singh, three of our best men; Motee was a fourth; HidajTit Khan, the traitor, was a fifth, and all our attendants and grooms.

" ^T is no use staying here," said I ; '' we must make the best of our way to Jhalone ; there we Tvill wait the usual time, and if none return, the ceremonies for the dead must be performed for them. None of ye will grudge your share of the booty we have (blessed be Bhowanee ! ) brought away with us, to their

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wives and families ; swear this unto me^ ye that are willing."

" We swear ! " cried the whole^ almost with one voice.

" I am satisfied/^ said I ; " now let us pro- ceed. We must turn off the main road when it is light ; we all know the paths through the jungles^ and by them we Avill travel^ till we are safely beyond Hussingabad : beyond that I fear not."

^^ Proceed/^ cried Peer Khan ; " we follow you."

And we rode on in silence^ with heavy hearts. We travelled thus for many days. Through the country we passed^ we represented ourselves, as long as the Nagpoor territory lasted, to be sers'ants of the government on a secret mission ; and though we were often suspected and ques- tioned, yet by my address 1 brought my band clear out of all the difficulties ; and our hearts bounded with joy when at length we arrived on the banks of the noble Nurbudda, and dashing our steeds into the ford soon left its waters be- tween us and our enemies.

Inured as we were to the fatigues of long and severe marches, and our horses also, not a day passed but fifteen or twenty coss were tra- G 2

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veiled, and at this rate we were not long in reaching our home. Blessed be Alia ! we did reach it, and glad was my heart once again to see the groves of Jhalone after my weary pil- grimage. No notice had we been able to give of our approach, and I alighted at the door of my own house unattended and alone, covered with dust, and worn by fatigue and exposure to the fierce heat of the sun, and as much changed by anxiety for the fate of my poor comrades as though ten additional years had gone over my head, instead of only a few weeks. My ser- vants scarcely knew me ; but when I was recog- nised, the glad tidings of my return flew from mouth to mouth. I waited not even to quench my raging thirst before I was again in the em- brace of Azima, my own loved one, and peril was once more forgotten.

We assembled in the evening ; and as the pockets of our saddles were one by one un- ripped, and their contents heaped on the floor before us, a glorious pile indeed met our view, of lumps of gold and silver, the produce of the jewels we had seized, which we had melted down as we got them. There were a few strings of pearls, one of which I laid aside for the Rajah ; and the whole was then weighed, valued, and

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distributed. Those whom we supposed to be dead were not forgotten ; their shares were laid aside^ and afterwards delivered to their famihes. I now again enjoyed peace and rest ; all idea of joining Cheetoo or any other of the Pindharee leaders, was out of the question ; for though I might have done so under an assumed name, yet the chance of being recognised would have been too great, and I was rich enough for the present. Cheetoo too had reached the summit of his fame and his prosperity; his plans were all frustrated by the rash and sud- den rise of the Mahratta powers. All they could do was of no avail against the skill and bravery of the Europeans ; one by one they were conquered; and Cheetoo, though he might have profited by the generosity of his enemies, and accepted a large estate which he was of- fered by them, could not curb his restless spirit. A few of his men followed his fortunes, but his standard was in vain raised for fresh adherents. These even deserted him one by one ; his prospects were blasted ; he became a miserable fugitive ; and pursued from haunt to haunt, from fastness to fastness, he at last pe- rished miserably by a tiger, in the dense jungles about the fort of Asseer Ghur. Peace be to

126 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

his memory ! he was a great man^ and a skilful and brave leader ; and whatever crimes he may have committed in his wild career as a Pindharee chieftain, his dreadful death has been some atonement for them.

I pass over two more years. Why should I fatigue you, Sahib, with a relation of daily oc- cun-ences, monotonous in themselves, and pre- senting to my memory not one incident worthy of remark ? I will again lead you to the road, and to further adventures.

But, Ameer Ali, said I, did you never hear aught of Motee and your other companions who were seized by Cheetoo ?

I had forgotten them, Sahib ; theirs was a sad fate, as you shall hear.

One evening, about three months after my return home, as I was sitting in the Dewan Khana of my house, surrounded by some friends, an attendant brought me word that a man was without, closely wTapped in a sheet, who desired to speak with me. " He will not enter,^^ said he ; " and says that you will know him when you see him.^^

I took up my sword and followed him. It was dusk, and I did not recognise the featuMs of the person who had sent for me ; indeed he

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was so closely muffled that I could hardly see them.

" What is your purpose, friend ?^^ I asked, as the man did not speak, but motioned with his arms under his cloth for my attendant to go away. I bid him begone.

" Jemadar/^ cried the figure when we were alone, '^ do you not know me ? "

"The voice,^^ said I, "is familiar to mine ears ; step into the light that I may see your face.^^

" No, no ! '^ said the man, in a hollow voice, " I cannot bear the light ; mutilated and dis- graced as I am, the darkness scarcely hides my shame : I am Ghous Khan.^^

^^ Ghous Khan ! ^' I cried, in amazement ; ^' he is dead, he perished at '^

" It is even so,^' said the man with a melan- choly voice ; " Ghous Khan is before you : to prove it, send for a light and look at me.^^

I brought one myself and held it to his face. I was indeed shocked. Ghous Khan was be- fore me, but oh how changed ! His features were worn and sunken, the brightness of his eyes was dimmed, his beard was matted and un- combed, and a few dirty rags covered his head -, but what above all shocked me was^ that his

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nose had been cut off close to his face, and the skin of his cheeks and mouth had been drawn together by the healed wound, so that it was tight over them, and imparted to his features a ghastly expression.

" My poor friend ! '^ I exclaimed, embracing him ; " how is this ? how have you been re- duced to this condition ? Speak, for the love of Alia ! and tell me what you have suffered/^

"The disfigurement of my face is not all, Meer Sahib," said he, throwing off the dirty, ragged sheet which covered him. " Behold these ! " and the poor feUow held up to my view the stumps of his arms : his hands had both been cut off between the wrist and the elbow, and the w^ounds were scarcely healed. Having done this, he sunk down on the floor in an agony of grief and shame.

I raised him up, and comforted him as well as I could. I ordered a bath for him, and clean apparel, had his wounds dressed by a skilful barber, and after seeing him eat, or rather fed with a hearty meal, I left him to his repose.

I need not tell you, now that one of my lost companions had arrived, how I longed to hear the fate of the rest. That night I was sleepless and restless ; but the next day, closeted with

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me in a private room apart from observation, he gave me the following account of his ad- ventures and sufferings : adventures indeed there were few, but sufferings many.

'^ You of course remember, Meer Sahib,^^ said he, " that fatal night when, just as we were on the point of making off with our booty, we •were attacked. The darkness favoured your escape, but on the first onset of the Pindharee horsemen I received a severe spear wound in the back, which threw me from my horse. I was seized by the Pindharees, bound hand and foot, and carried to the tent of Cheetoo, where there was now a large concourse of people as- sembled. The wound in my back was staunch- ed and bound up, and in a few moments after- wards other Pindharees entered, bearing Motee- ram, who was desperately wounded in the head, and the two others, Nuzzur AH and Ramdeen Singh, who were untouched. Hidayut Khan was there — the villain and traitor ! and his triumph- ant glance quailed under mine when I fixed my eyes on him and would not withdraw them.

" Silence w as ordered, and Cheetoo demanded w ith a loud voice of Hidayut Khan, whether he knew any of the persons before him. G 5

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^^ ^ I do, Nuwab/ said the wretch ; and he named us one by one, and pointed us out.

" ^ And what have you to say against them ? ^ asked the chief.

" ^I accuse them of being Thugs/ said he ; ^ I accuse them of murder, of the murder of GhuiFoor Khan, and of fourteen other good Pindharees, — they dare not deny it.^

" ^ Let their jemadar, as he is called,^ said Cheetoo, ^ if he can speak, answer to this.^ But poor Motee^s spirit was fast departing, he Avas senseless, and never spoke afterwards.

" ' I will reply,^ said I ; ^ I say it is a He, a base lie; I defy that man to bring proofs. Have we not sensed well in your camp. Oh Nuwab ? have we not ever been foremost in danger, and more merciful than all the rest of these murder- ing villains ? ^

^^ ^ Strike him on the mouth with a shoe ! cut him down for his insolence ! ^ cried several.

" ^Silence !^ again exclaimed Cheetoo; ^the first man who disturbs this inquiry, by Alia I will behead him.^

^^ ' Go on,^ he continued, addressing me ; ^what more have you to say ?^

" ^ Nothing, Nuwab ; I rely on your justice.^

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" ^ Justice thou shalt have ; but tell me why your chief has fled/

^^ This confused me a Httle^ but after a me- mentos thought I replied stoutly, —

" ^ Look you, Nuwab, I am a plain soldier, and cannot please your ear with fine words. My leader has fled it is true, but not from guilt. That black-hearted villain, Hidayut Khan, wanted more than his share of plunder on many occasions, and was refused it. He separated from us; we dogged him about the camp, and detected him in close conversation with a man who is known to be in your favour. This excited our suspicion. This evening we watched him to your tent ; I gave the informa- tion to our jemadar ; he and Peer Khan stole towards it; they lay down outside and heard his vile accusations of murder, and had only time to fly and mount their horses. We were not all prepared, and have fallen into your hands. Of what use would it have been for him to have braved your presence ? the disgrace alone, to such a man as he is, would have been insup- portable,— he would have destroyed himself. I know no more ; do with us as you please.'

" Cheetoo seemed struck with what I had said, and mused for a moment. *^The proofs

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of their guilt!' cried he to Hidayut Khan; ' the proofs ! bring them, or it will be worse for thee.'

'^ ^ Let their swords be brought/ said he ; ^ Peer Khan has made off with that of Ghuf- foor Khan, but that man (pointing to Ramdeen) has one which was the property of a Pindharee who was murdered two nights ago, and other articles may be discovered in the linings of their saddles.'

" ^ Show me the swords/ cried a Pindharee in the crowd; ^ my brother disappeared two nights ago, and I have sought him in vain since.'

'^They were brought. Ah! Meer Sahib, how can T tell you that Ramdeen Singh's was instantly recognised by the Pindharee, who ve- hemently demanded our blood from Cheetoo ?

" ^ This is conclusive against you,' said Chee- too; ^what can you say?'

" Ramdeen muttered a few words in exculpa- tion, but they were unheeded.

^' ^ I beg further to represent, Peer-o-Moor- shid,' cried Hidayut Khan, ^ that if you have any further doubts of what I have declared to be the fact, I am ready to accompany any men you may choose to select ; I will guide them to the spot where that man's unfortunate bro-

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ther lies in his unblessed grave ; and not only him will I disinter^ but march after march be- yond that one will I dig up, at one place one body, at another two, until we come to where Ghuffoor Khan and his unfortunate Saees lie, both in the same hole/

^^ Cheetoo shuddered. ^ It is too true,^ said he. ^ Alas ! my brave men have fallen by the base hands of these stranglers — men who ought to have purchased their martyrdom by death on the battle-field. Where are the saddles and their contents ? Let them be produced.'

" This was worse and worse. Nuzzur All's saddle, you may remember, was old and worn, and he had taken that of the Pindharee we last killed. The brother knew it and wept over it. In the lining was all the plunder he had got, just as we had received it; and around my own waist was the man's humeana, \vith which I had replaced my own ; it had his name on it written in Persian, which I had not observed. It was enough, — we were convicted; I re- peated the Belief*, and gave myself up to death. "Yet I once more uplifted my voice. ^Nu-

* " La illa-il-ulla-Mahumud rusool-illa ! " — ( " There is no God but God, Mahumud the prophet of God ! ")

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wab !' I exclaimed^ ^it is of no use to contend further with destiny; were we a thousand times innocent^ this array of facts against us would convict us. I now conceal not that we are Thu^s — followers of the blessed Bhowanee. who will receive us into Paradise. We shall die by your command^ but why should that vile wretch live ? — he who, for a greedy demand of more than his share, which he knew he could not receive according to our laws, has de- nounced us, has broken his oath, and been un- faithful to the salt he has eaten ? Is he not a Thug? has he not joined me and a hundred others in our work ever since he was a boy ? He cannot deny it ; look at him, — look at his cowardly features convulsed by terror, — they show that what I say is true. If he had been, as he says he is, an honest man, why did he not cause us to be seized when we were in the act of murder — upon the very bodies? He might have done so, for the deeds, except that of Ghuifoor Khan, were committed in the first watch of the night, when the camp was awake, and every one engaged in his own business. Why did he not then denounce us ? he would have been believed. But no ! he wanted half of the plunder of that man's brother ; it was

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 135

denied him^ as similar requests had been be- fore, and he has become a thing for men to spit at. If we die, he should not be spared, be- cause he is a Thug as we are, because he is a traitor and a coward 1 ^

^^ ^ Liar ! ^ cried Hidayut Khan, scarcely able to speak between rage and fear ; ' Liar ! I defy thee to say I ever strangled a person.'

" ' No,' said I to Cheetoo, ^ he was too 'great a coward, he dared not ! and my lord may have remarked that he used the slang term to express his meaning in the last words he uttered.'

" 'Vile wretch!' cried Cheetoo to him, 'thou art worse than they — they are brave and un- daunted, thou art a coward ; thy head shall be struck from thy body.'

"His cries for pardon, for life, were horrible; he besought, he threatened ; but of what avail was it ? He was dragged to the doorway of the tent, a Pindharee stepped behind him, and, while he still pleaded for mercy, his head was struck from his shoulders and rolled forwards.

" ' Are you not dismayed ? ' cried Cheetoo to us ; ' yours will follow.'

'' ' No ! ' cried we, one and all ; ' death must

136 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

come sooner or later, and ours is now — we fear not/

" ^ They fear it not/ said he to another chief- tain ; ^ death would be welcome to them ; but their punishment shall be worse — they shall linger out a miserable existence. Ho!' cried he to his Furashes, ^ cut off these villains' noses and hands, and bring them to me.'

" It was done, Meer Sahib ! I alone have lived to tell it: our noses were cut off — next our hands. The bleeding stumps were thrust into boiling oil, and we were driven from the camp, there and then to perish, as they thought we should, in the wild jungles. And the other two did perish ; we had no one to bind up our w^ounds, those of Nuzzur Ali and Ramdeen broke out bleeding several days afterwards, and they died within two days of each other. So long as we were together, we supported our- selves by begging in the villages, representing ourselves to be villagers from a distant country whom the Pindharees had brought thus far and mutilated, and we procured enough to satisfy the cravings of hunger; but we could get no one to dress our wounds, which were inflamed by the scorching heat of the weather ; and, as I said.

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 137

the two died. Motee we never saw^ but he must have died also, for the wound in his head had cut through the brain, and he never spoke. His was a happy fate compared to ours !

" I have wandered from place to place, pro- ceeding a few coss a day. I have been fed, and my blessings are on those who gave me food for the sake of the Prophet. What I have suffered I cannot describe; but I am now with you again, and your kindness has obliterated it all from my memory. I will live and die with you, if you will grant enough to feed your faithful slave, who w^iU now be only a burthen to you.'^

I was deeply affected at his story. I took the poor fellow under my care, and his wounds were healed, but he never held up his head af- terwards. He died before the year was ended, I believe of shame and a sense of his helpless condition.

138 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

CHAPTER VII.

" Oh what may man within him hide, » Though angel on the outward side."

Shakspeare.

Three years, as I have before told you, Sahib, passed in inactivity. My father and myself were in high favour, at least so we thought, with the Rajah, who protected us and bestowed flattering marks of kindness upon us. Our revenue business was increased, we had now the management of a large tract of country, and I beheve we gave satisfaction to the people as well as to their prince. The revenue was never in arrear; and many persons from di- stant parts of the country, hearing of our mild and equitable mode of government, came and settled with us in our villages. Our perquisites as revenue collectors yielded a handsome in-

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 139

come, and we lived happy and tranquilly. Still a restless spirit was within me ;-! heard of the successes of various bands of Thugs in different directions : men came and boasted of their ex- ploitsj and again I longed to be at the head of my gallant fellows, and to roam awhile striking terror into the country.

Tis true I had gained the highest rank I could ; I possessed fame ; not a Jemadar or Soo- behdar of Thugs could compare his actions with mine ; but I vainly thought there was more to be gained, and that I had only to propose an expe- dition, to be joined by a larger number of Thugs than had collected together for many years. In this I was not disappointed, as you shall hear.

I have before mentioned to you the name of Ganesha Jemadar ; he was always with us when not on the road, envying our quiet and respectable mode of life, which he could not at- tain by any means, though he left none untried. He bribed all the Rajah's court, nay the Rajah himself, to procure employment ; but there was something so harsh and forbidding in his aspect, and so uncouth were his manners, that he did not succeed in what he so much longed for.

He came in despair to us, and after rating in no measured terms the conduct of the Rajah

140 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

and his officers, said that he was determined again to take to the road, for there alone he found occupation and amusement. He pressed me to accompany and join him, pictured in strong terms the booty we should gain and the glory we should win ; and after many demurs and objections on my part, 1 finally agreed. Notice was given out to all the Thugs of that part of the country, that an expedition of great magnitude would be undertaken after the en- suing Dussera.

Accustomed as Azima had become to my temporary absences, after the period of quiet I had passed with her, she now did not oppose my leaving her, as she had done before. She thought it was some mercantile speculation which led me from home, and, as you may be- lieve, I did not undeceive her.

Rejoiced at the prospect of again serving un- der me, all my old band, and many more, flocked to the place of rendezvous, which was at some di- stance from Jhalone. Ganesha had upwards of a hundred followers ; and, finally, on the day of the Dussera, the usual ceremonies were conclu- ded in the presence of upwards of three hundred Thugs, than whom a finer or more experienced band were never gathered under any leader.

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 141

I was justly proud of my charge ; and my fa- ther, who had accompanied me to the rendez- vouSj felt all his former fire kindle within him. I pressed him to accompany us, and the old man consented.

Some were for trying a new line of road, and for penetrating into Guzerat through Rajpoot- ana. This question was fairly discussed in a general assembly, and opinions being much ba- lanced between that route and our old one by Saugor and Jubbulpoor to Nagpoor, the matter was referred to the decision of the omens. They were consulted as I have before described ; and as they decidedly pointed to the south, no further doubt could be entertained upon the subject, and again we moved on in our old di- rection, to us familiar, for there was not a man among us who did not know every step of the road, and the best places for the destruction of any persons whom chance might throw in our way.

We had proceeded nearly as far as Saugor, with but indifferent success considering our large body, having only killed fourteen travel- lers, and got but little booty ; when one night, as my father and myself, with a few others, sat in our little tent, we heard the ekarea — that most

142 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

dreadful of all omens to a Thug. The ekarea is the short sharp bark or call of the jackal^ ut- tered in the first watch of the night : in itself there is something peculiarly melancholy and appalling, but to a Thug the sound is one of horror. In an instant all conversation was at an end, and we gazed on each other in con- sternation and alarm. No one spoke, we all listened intently ; it might be repeated, which would be worse than ever. It was ; the sharp short bark was again heard, and there was but little time for deliberation : all started to their feet.

'^ We must return instantly,^^ said my father. " Bhowanee is unpropitious, or danger threat- ens ; at any rate, to go on is impossible, for marked you not that the sound came from the very direction of tomorrow's march?"

All agreed that it did, and were unanimous in their desire to return. Still I could not divine why the bark of a jackal should change the determination of three hundred men, and I ventured to say that I was sure it was some mistake, and that, even if it was not, we ought to proceed, since the omens had been so propitious at the commencement. " Why !" said I to my father, " were they not so ? Have

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 143

we not worshiped the pickaxe every seventh day according to the law ? Have we not per- formed all the necessary ceremonies on the death of every traveller ?^'

^^ That is all true/^ said my father ; " but it is madness to think of proceeding. Foolish boy ! you have never known a reverse^ thanks to your good fortune, and the excellent advice by which you have been guided ; but beware how you disregard omens — it will one day lead you to destruction. As to this matter, the de- signs of Bhowanee are inscrutable, and she must be obeyed \''

Other Thugs too had heard the ekarea, and ^any came in a clamorous body to the tent, begging either to be allowed to disperse, or to be led back to Jhalone.

Any words of mine would have been useless, for the whole band seemed infected by supersti- tious fear ; I therefore held my peace. Our en- campment was broken up instantly, and, late as it was, we that night retrograded a few coss on the road by which we had come ; no fresh omen of favour was vouchsafed to us, and we retraced our steps to Jhalone, disappointed, wearied and dispirited.

A month passed in idleness; but having

144 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

formed my determination again to take to the road^ I was not to be put off, and again I as- sembled my men and sought for omens. They were favourable, and I heartily prayed to Bho- wanee that they might not deceive us again into a fruitless expedition. They pointed too to a different direction, that of the west, and we knew that between Bombay and Indoor, and in- deed through all parts of Malwa, large treasures were constantly passing. We had before, as you have heard, reaped the largest booty I had ever got in that quarter, and I hoped to secure a like one again. We accordingly lefl our home, — one hundred and twenty Thugs un- der myself and Peer Khan, who still stuck to me. Ganesha had gone off in a different di- rection— whither I knew not ; his presence was always hateful to me; why, I could not tell, and I could but ill disguise the feelings I enter- tained towards him.

It was too long an expedition for my father to undertake, and accordingly he staid at our village. We met with no adventures worth recording, Sahib, on our road to Bombay, for thither we Avere determined to proceed in quest of plunder ; besides, I had heard much of its importance, and I felt a curiosity to behold

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 145

the sea and the ships of the Feringhees, which came over trackless waters from their far coun- try. But when I say that we met with no particu- lar adventures or any worth recording, you must not think that we were idle. Thirty-one travel- lers died by our hands ; several escaped us^ the omens being against their destruction; and, finally, we reached Bombay, with about four thousand rupees worth of plunder — enough to enable us to live respectably. In Bombay we put up in the large bazar which is without the fort; and although, from the danger of detection, we could not keep together, yet a constant communication was kept up among us, and every man held himself in readiness to start in any direction on a moment's warning. I had appointed too a rendezvous, the town of Tan- nah, which being close to the continent is a place where travellers congregate in large num- bers previous to passing over.

I saw the sea ! Day after day I went down to its edge, and gazed on its magnificence. I used to lie on the grass of the plain before the fort, and pass hours of a sort of dreamy ec- stasy, looking on its vaiying aspect, — like that of a beautiful woman, now rfll smiles, and again agitated by the passions of love, — or listening to

VOL. III. H

146 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

its monotonous and sullen roar^ as wave after wave bowed its crest, and broke into sparkling foam on the white sand.

I was lying thus one day, about the seventh after our arrival, meditating on our inactive life, and had almost determined to depart the next day, when a respectable-looking man came up to me.

^^ Salam, Aliekoom V' said he ; ^^ you are evi- dently a stranger, for your dress and carriage bespeak you to be an inhabitant of Hindostan. I have watched you for two days coming to this spot and gazing on the sea; have you never seen it before ? "

^^ Never," replied I; '^my home is, as you say, far inland, and in Hindostan; you have thus guessed rightly : and to me, a stranger, can it be otherwise than that I should be stiiick with a sight so novel and so overpowering as this expanse of water is, which seems to melt into the sky?"

" The tones of your voice are music in my ears," said the stranger ; '^ I have heard many from my country (for that is also Hindostan), but never any which reminded me so strongly of my own home as yours. May I ask your village?"

" I lived formerly in Murnae, in the Sindouse

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 14?

Pergunna/^ said I, "but now reside in Jha- lone/'

" Murnae \" cried the man in astonishment; but he lowered his voice as he said, ^' Ah, I re- member now; ^tis on the borders of Sindia^s country, and belongs to him/^

'' Not now/^ said I ; " the Feringhees have had it ceded to them, and they possess iV

" But,^^ said the man, changing the topic, " you love to look on the sea ; have you ever been on its surface ? have you visited the ships you may have seen moored before the tOAvn ? "

"I have not,^' replied I ; " I several times de- termined to go, but my heart failed me when I saw the frail boat which should take me. Be- sides, I am a stranger ; no one would have ad- mitted me were I to have gone to them.^^

*^*^Will you accompany me?" said the man. ^^ I have an idle day before me, and shall be glad to pass it in your company."

I gladly assented, and we took our way to a stone pier which ran into the sea on the outside of the fort.

I could not divine with whom I had thus

scraped an acquaintance ; all the Peons on the

Bunder (for so the pier was called,) paid the

greatest respect to my new friend ; all made low

11 2

148 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

obeisances to him^ and a scramble ensued among the owners of the small boats which were tied to the landing-place^ for the honour of convey- ing us to the shipping.

He selected one however^ and pushing off, we were on the bosom of the ocean. I confess I was afraid ; though Jhalone was not far from the Jumna I had never seen that river^ nor had I ever seen a boat before my arrival at Bombay. Now each succeeding wave^ as we descended from the top of the last one, appeared as though it would roll over us ; but the men were fear- less and experienced, and after a few qualms I was reconciled to our situation. We rowed, for the wind was against us, close round several of the ships which lay at anchor ; and at last as- cended, with the permission of a Feringhee officer who was on board, the side of an im- mense ship, w^hich my friend told me was one of war, and belonged to the king of En- gland. After looking over the upper part, a small gratuity of two rupees to a sailor enabled us to proceed below to see the guns. I was astonished at their size, and at the exactness with which everything was fitted; the ropes even were twisted down into coils, like huge snakes sleeping, and the whole was a picture of

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 149

neatness and cleanliness which I little expected to have seen. But these matters. Sahib, are doubtless familiar to you, so I wdll pass them over. We returned to the shore with a fair wind, and as the boatmen spread a small sail, we danced merrily along over the swelling waters.

I was about to separate from my companion, and again protested my sense of his kindness, when he stopped me.

" No, Meer Sahib," said he, " I must have further converse with you. I am much mis- taken if you are not what I was once, and am still whenever I can seize an opportunity,"

I stared at him. Could he be a Thug ? If he was not, he w^ould not understand our words of recognition ; if he was, I should be right. I did not hesitate.

" Ali Khan Bhaee Salam*!" said I, gazing intently at him.

" Salam Aliekoom ! " cried he. It was enough — he also was a Thug.

" Those words I have not heard for many a year," said he ; " they remind me of my early days, and the goor of the Tupounee."

"Then you have eaten it?" said I.

* Literally, " Salutation to AH Khan, my brother." This ie the phrase of recognition by which Thugs are able to make themselves known to each other in all parts of India.

150 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

" I have/^ replied the man.

"Enough/^ cried I; "I have met with a friend; but who you are I am as yet igno- rant.^^

" Have you not ever heard of Soobhan Khan Jemadar ? " he asked. " You say you came from Murnae: surely I must be remembered there ?^^

"I have/^ answered I; "those who knew you have believed you dead. How is it that you are here, and a person of authority ?^^

" I will tell you hereafter of my situation, but at present I have many questions to ask of you — and first, is my good friend Ismail Jema- dar alive ?^^

" My father ! '' said I, " surely he is ; the good old man has attained a fine age, and is well.^^

" Shookur Khoda V' cried he ; " but you said he was your father ; surely he had no children — he was not even married w^hen I left.^^

" Ah,^^ said I, " so it might have been then, but here am I to speak for myself.^^

" And Hoosein, his and my friend, does he too live?*^

" Alas, no ; he died two years ago, full of age and honour.^' (I have not mentioned this event to you, Sahib, but it had taken place soon after I returned from my Pindharee expedition.)

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 151

He continued to ask after many of his old friends, and at last inquired how many men I had with me.

I told him, and he was somewhat astonished at their number.

" Well/^ said he, " you are here, and it will be hai'd if I cannot find some work for you. I have told you I am a Thug, and have been so from my youth; my father and ancestors were] Thugs before me. But, many years ago, I came here as the servant to a Sahoukar of Indoor. I hked the place, and not long after got employment as a government Peon, in the service of the English. They have been kind and generous masters to me; I have served them well, and have risen by degrees to the rank I now hold, which is that of Jemadar. Why I left my station as a Jemadar of Thugs is perhaps unknown to you?^^

I replied that I did not know.

" It was in consequence of a foolish quarrel with your father,^^ said he. ^^ We were on an expedition, and I thought he assumed too much; we were both young men, of fiery blood, — we had a sharp altercation, and both drew our swords : he was my superior, and I feared that he would condemn me to death. I

152 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

fled^ entered the service of the Sahoukar as one of his escort from Indoor^ and you see what I am. Yet I have never forsaken the Thugs whenever I have met with them. I am too old to seek adventures myself^ but I put the young and active in the way of them^ and thus have kept up my connexion with them ; not^ it is true^ with those of Hindostan^ for a feehng of shame has hitherto prevented my doing so; but since Bhowanee has thrown you in my way, you shall not regret it. My acquaintance has been with the Thugs of the Dukhun, and J have headed one or two expeditions towards Poona, when I could get leave of absence for a while from my duties. But when I could not do this, I have secured bands of travellers for my associates, and they have been successful. I have too, by the share of the booty I was en- titled to, been able to purchase the goodwill of those who could befriend me ; and yom- servant Soobhan Khan enjoys a high character among the Sahib-logue for honesty and fidehty.^^

" I do not doubt it,^^ said I ; ^' your appear- ance insures respect ; your manners are courtly : and how could it be otherwise ? ^^

Thus conversing, we reached his house; it was not far from where I was residing ; andj as^

V*

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 153

he told me afterwards, he had discovered who we were, and had followed me from, place to place, until he got an opportunity of speaking with me unobserved. From this time, as you may be- lieve. Sahib, we were sworn friends. 1 listened to his details of roguery (for rogue he w^as in his heart,) with great interest, and I accompanied him several times to the durbar of the gentle- man with whom his duties were connected. He was evidently a person well thought of, and as far as his office was concerned, that of keeping the peace, was zealous and active. Still there was something forbidding to me in the way he now followed his profession of a Thug; and as we became more intimately ac- quainted, he unfolded to me his plans and ope- rations. I cannot tell you. Sahib, of their ex- tent. He introduced me to the Jemadars of Dukhun Thugs who scoured the roads to Poona, to Nassuk, to Sholapoor, and Hydera- bad; to others from Guzerat, who were en- gaged in that part of the country, — but all under his control, and from all of whom he ex- acted a high rate of tribute as the price of the information he was able to give them, as to the despatch of treasure in various directions by the sahoukars and merchants of Bombay. H 5

154 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

I had remained with him a week^ and our stock of money was sensibly diminishing. What was to be done ? He had promised assistance in giving me information of the despatch of treasure in our direction^ and I had hitherto waited in expectation that he would fulfil his promise. I was tired too of Bombay ; the sea- son was advancing, and I hardly thought we should reach Jhalone before the setting-in of the rains. I therefore went to him, arid frankly told him our money was running shorty and that in a place like Bombay, where my men were exposed to so many temptations, they could not be expected to keep what they had ; I was therefore anxious to depart, and, if he could give me no hope of any speedy booty, that I should set off in two days, and take my chance on the road.

" My plans are not quite matured in your direction/^ said he. "I have heard that one of the greatest traders to Indoor and Malwa is about to send not less than two lakhs of rupees thither. I know that the Rokurreas are hired ; but as yet I cannot say whether they carry hoondees or money. Three days ought to determine this, and in the meantime, as you want money, a thousand rupees are at

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 155

your service, which you can repay me, with in- terest, at three per cent, per month, on your arrival at Jhalone. I will trust to your good faith as the son of my old friend/^

^^ I am obliged to you,^^ replied I ; " but the money is not quite so necessary as I said. I believe every man has some twenty or thirty rupees in his possession ; but it was to prevent their spending this that I spoke to you as I did. Only say that within a week we may start, and my men will be careful."

^^ Certainly," said he, ^' before a week^s time ; come to me tomorrow evening after prayer-time, and you shall have further news about your bunij."

The interest-eating rascal ! said I, as I left him. He a true believer ! Strange I have never heard of him from my father ; but I will ask him about the fellow on my return home, and doubt not I shall hear some evil or rascality of him. Not a rupee of his money will I touch, the kafir ! A Thug to take interest from a Thug — who ever heard of it ? I dare say he is as bad as the villainous Bhutteara we killed at Saugor, Nor was I wrong, Sahib. I became intimate with a Dukhun Jemadar who was waiting for bunij, who told me that he ground

156 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

the Thugs unmercifully^ threatened to denounce them if they ever demurred^ and got from them double the share he \Yould have been entitled to had he shared the risk and the danger on the road.

" But/^ said the Jemadar, " there is no doing Avithout him, much as he oppresses us; he throws the most valtlable booty into our hands, Avhich we never could get scent of by ourselves ; he has a number of Thugs who are his servants, and whom he pays liberally to get him informa- tion ; he possesses the confidence of the sahou- kars, as he assists them to smuggle ; they pay him too for a kind word now and then with the Sahib-logue. In fine, he is paid both by them and us, and he contrives to sell all our valuable plunder.'^

"Then his receipts must be enormous,^^ said I.

"They are,^^ said the Jemadar, "and we all grudge them to him ; but still he protects us, and we could not do without him.^^

"Has he ever been treacherous?'^ 1 asked; for, by Alia ! I was inclined to mistrust the rascal.

" There are some stories of the kind,'^ he re- plied, "but in the main he is to be trusted.

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 157

Still, as I said, if he were not, we could do no- thing without him; he knows every Jemadar of the Dukhun, and could if he chose blow up the whole system tomorrow ; but it does not suit his interest to do so, and we are all his slaves."

^^ Long may ye continue to be so \" cried I to Peer Khan when he had left me ; " but as for us, brother^ ^t is the last time he will catch us here. What say you? '^

" Certainly," said Peer Khan ; " these fellows are never to be trusted ; they exist everywhere, in all shapes : they are zemindars and potails of villages ; they are fakeers and bhuttearas ; they are goosaens, sahoukars, servants, and mutsuddees ; nay, the Rajah of Jhalone is one himself. They are an evil ^tis true, but we could not do without them."

" I have done so as yet," said I, " and, by Alia ! I will never trust one of them."

'^ May you never have occasion, Meer Sahib." And the conversation dropped.

I went as 1 had promised, and found Soob- han Khan in high glee. " I have secured the bunij," said he. " Are you ready?"

" I am. What are your orders ?"

" Listen," he replied. " I was right in say- ing the sum was two lakhs. Contrary to my

158 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

expectations the sum is in gold and silver and jewels ; there are about ten thousand rupees in hoondees (bills), but that is all. Now before I tell you more, we must make our bargain .^^

" Speak/^ cried I ; "I am ready to give anything in reason.'^

" Ay, you are my old friend^s son, so I must not treat you as I do the others I associate with,^^ said he ; " from them I get a third of the whole, but from you I ask only a fifth. A fifth will be twenty thousand rupees. Will you give it ? '^

" With pleasure,^' said I. " You may trust to my word; directly I get the money, and reach Jhalone, I will purchase a hoondee on Bombay, and send it you.^^

" Capital ! '^ cried he ; " you are a man I like to deal with ; no unnecessary talk, no haggling like a bunnea, but you speak like a soldier as you are. Now give me a promise under your seal that I shall have the money, and I will de- tail the plan to you. The paper is a mere mat- ter of form, and I am methodical/^

I objected to this, and his brow darkened ; I saw it, and instantly altered what I had ex- pressed : " Get me writing materials, and I will write it out."

CONFESSIONS OF A THUG. 159

" What ! you write ? a Thug write ? But never mind^ since you are able to do it^ so much the better; there will be no need of a third person."

I wrote the paper^ and handed it to him, having sealed it with my seal; he folded it carefully up, and tucked it into a fold of his turban.

^^ Now w^e are all right, Meer Sahib. This treasure goes under the escort of fifteen Rokur- reas ; they have three camels, and will be dis- guised as soldiers, going from Poona to Indoor. They left this place yesterday, with part of the treasure ; the rest is at Poona : from Poona they will go to Nassuk, where you will fall in with them : trust me, my information is correct to the minutest particular. I know the sa- houkars who send it ; I have spoken with the Rokurreas ; and to ensure your being unsus- pected by them, here is a pass written in Per- sian and Mahratta, signed and sealed by the Enghsh officers of customs here. It represents you as persons who have come from Benares in charge of goods for a sahoukar, by name Hur- ree-das, and directs that no one shall molest you on your return. The men who brought the goods are still here, and likely to remain till

160 CONFESSIONS OF A THUG.

the end of the rains. Their leader's name is Futih Mahomed, so Futih Mahomed you must be if you please; he too is about your own age and appearance, and thus you will be better able to personate him. You see I have laid a good plan, and I leave all the rest to your own