TIGER SLAYER BY ORDER 



burnt down and the inhabitants completely segregated, 

 it might probably have been nipped in the bud and many 

 lives thus saved. 



So far as my own police force was concerned, I lost 

 annually many invaluable men as well as my own servants, 

 my favourite shikari, Gungdia, being one of the many 

 victims to the fell disease. 



I found the Nasik District very bad, too, in the matter of 

 dacoities and sedition. The first of these two evils occupied 

 the whole attention of myself and neighbouring super- 

 intendents of police throughout the year, for there were 

 many difficulties to contend with, not the least of them 

 being due to the hills which, dividing the districts from 

 each other, afforded shelter to the dacoits. Thus when 

 the police pursuit became too pressing in one district, 

 the individuals pursued could easily evade it by slipping 

 over the border into these hills where they lay concealed. 



There was considerable emulation between the police 

 of the different districts for the capture of the absconders, 

 but this very keenness was often the cause of their failure, 

 for each being desirous of effecting the capture preferred 

 acting alone to seeking assistance from the other, thus 

 losing the benefit of co-operation, which is so essential 

 in police work. 



Many a dacoit slipped through our fingers in this way, 

 and, as times became harder, were joined by other bad 

 characters ; eventually becoming quite a formidable 

 gang under the leadership of one Chimanya Bowani, a 

 typical robber -chieftain whose fine physique and haughty 

 bearing supported his claim to being of Rajput blood. 

 Under his able guidance the gang soon became quite strong 

 enough to hold up the principal roads and thoroughfares 

 in the district, and finally established what might be 

 described as a reign of terror throughout the country- 

 side. 



Special police were employed to hunt the gang, and 

 large Government rewards offered for the arrest of any 

 of its members, or for information which might lead to 

 this result. Special rewards, too, were offered for the 

 arrest of the leader, but so much was he feared that it was 

 difficult even to obtain any news of his movements, and 

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