132 ROUGHING IT IN SOUTHERN INDIA 



that the thief's errand is likely to take a good while, then 

 the victim must be prevented from waking too soon, and 

 they know what to do. Probably his windows are fitted 

 not with glass, but with plmies. These jilmies are a sort 

 of venetian-blind, opening and shutting by means of a stick 

 down the middle, the fastening of which, though inside, 

 can be manoeuvred, and lend themselves very nicely to the 

 thieves' methods. A long bamboo with a rag steeped in 

 some narcotic tied on to the end can be easily pushed 

 through the one handiest for the sleeper's face, and held 

 close against his mouth and nose for a few seconds. No 

 fear now of his waking even if fireworks were let off at his 

 ears. Very likely he will oversleep himself, but that is the 

 extent of the harm done, barring the being lightened of a 

 few of his belongings. These may have been hooked out 

 with the ever-useful bamboo — one equipped for the pur- 

 pose — this being the plan best adapted for the abstraction 

 of clothes. To compass the theft the more safely, most 

 likely the servants and peons stretched on their mats out- 

 side their master's doors, or lying about in the verandahs, 

 have also been given a sniff of something quieting. Even 

 if grasped the thieves are not to be held ; for they oil 

 themselves well before starting on their jaunt, though a 

 friend of ours did once capture one, and kept him by the 

 help of fish-hooks in his hair ! That was the only European 

 I ever knew to be upsides with a bazaar thief. 



The theft of clothes is common, but as those of a European 

 would be no use to natives themselves, it follows that there 

 must be a market for such goods. 



