212 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



against their own chief, were not slow to follow their example. 

 As in more civilised countries, there is always in India a 

 number of men of irregular habits, ready to join in anything 

 whereby they may obtain the means of subsistence without 

 the necessity of labour ; and no sooner does any freebooter or 

 disaffected chief evince a tendency to plunder, than many such 

 at once offer their services. As vultures to a carcass, so are 

 they attracted from far and near, and the disturber of the public 

 peace is speedily surrounded by a band of Affghan or Mekranee 

 mercenaries, swashbucklers, and vagabonds from the towns, 

 ready for any mischief. The only qualification necessary for 

 service is the possession of arms, and the promises of remu- 

 neration to be received generally depend on the nature of the 

 work expected. 



Soon after they had turned out in insurrection the Bheels 

 of the Sathpoora received a most welcome subsidy. Owing 

 to the disasters of the day, the value of the East India Com- 

 pany's rupee became much depreciated throughout India, and 

 in consequence of this, silver, which, under ordinary circum- 

 stances, would have found its way into the Bombay mint, was 

 forwarded into the interior, there to be coined in the Indore 

 and other native states. At this time opium, for export from 

 Malwa to China, was escorted to Bombay by armed men, hired 

 for the trip by the native dealers ; and about 400 of these had 

 been collected by some bankers at Bombay, and started from 

 the railway terminus in charge of a string of carts laden with 

 silver, en route for Indore. The news of their march, of course, 

 preceded them, and doubtless an embassy from the insurgents 

 was sent to treat. 



When the convoy reached the British collectorate of 

 Khandesh, they were informed by the officer in charge of the 

 district that the Bheels of the Sathpoora were in rebellion, 



