486 



who, in consequence, became more exposed to the atrocity of these 

 cruel banditti. 



Cruelty was not peculiar to the Gracias, or the less civilized 

 parts of Guzerat; I met with frequent instances, in various ranks 

 of society, inconsistent with the mild tenets of Hinduism, or with 

 common humanity. I shall mention one only, which occurred 

 during an excursion in the confines of the Brodera purgunna, in 

 a village contiguous to my encampment; where the women, assem- 

 bling, as usual, at day-break to draw water for their families and 

 cattle, found the body of a beautiful young woman, richly dressed, 

 in the public well. Two strangers on horseback arrived at the 

 coultry late in the preceding evening, and desired permission from 

 the tandar, (an officer who has the care of a certain number of 

 villages) to pass the night there, as travellers. They were both 

 armed, and one of them had a large bag tied behind him: no fur- 

 ther notice was taken of them, and before morning they departed. 

 From subsequent inquiries I had every reason to suppose this 

 young beauty was one of the ladies in Futty's Sihng's haram; and 

 having incurred the displeasure of a jealous tyrant, was, by his 

 order, thrown alive into the Avell ; a fate similar to that of the 

 unfortunate female mentioned in Ragobah's haram during the 

 Mahratta campaign. I preserve a bracelet, composed of alternate 

 beads of embossed gold and coral, taken from the arm of the ill- 

 fated beauty in my district, in remembrance of her cruel fate. 



The tandar and Hindoo police officers requested me on this 

 occasion to send for some of the bhauts, already mentioned, or 

 some other soothsayers, from Serulah and Chandode; who are 



