iBt CALLED PHAfNSmAiRS; 



'^^nk^iiCAfikS are ateufioffied to wait at cli0ultries on the high roads„. 

 or nea-r to toiv'nSj where travellers- 'are wont to- rcH; 'They arrire at. 

 fuch pl\ces and enter towns and villages in draggling parties of three or 

 lour perfons^ appeairing to meet hy accident and to have haa no pre vi- • 

 dus acquaintances Oh fuchoccalions, feme of the gang are employed i 

 as emifldfies to callefil information,^ and efpecially to learn if any per- 

 fons with propetty in their pofleffioh are about to undertake a journey. 

 Thcj, are often accompanied by children of ten years of age and up- ■ 

 v;ardsi Who^ while they perform menial offices, are initiated into the 

 borri'd 'pradices of the FMhsigdrs, and contribute to prevent, fufpiei*- 

 oriof their 'i'eaichai'aQ:er, Skilled in the arts of deception, they en- • 

 ttt itiio (Cohvefiation and ihlinu'ate thernfelves, by o'bfequiOus: attenti- 

 orisf iDtO the coniidence of travellers of all defcriptions, to learn froni> 

 ihe& ,whencb they eomCj whither and for what purpofe they are jour«- 

 ieyihg, ahd of wW property they ar^poiTeffed s---thus^ , 



".-— • aader fair pretends o^fri«'nd!yend»J. ' .' 



Aod well placed words of gloz'mg courtesy^ 

 j2t5iIii7;:'J Baited with reasons not ooplausibleV : 

 ^.,^:.,, -j^,.. Wind them into tiieaasy-haftrted man ; 



And hug him into snares. , j.fjn 



When the P%msigars determine, 'after obtaining fuch- information '■ar^ 

 Ihey deem requiEfe, to attack a traveller, they ufually pro|)ofe to hinir 



under tne fpecious plea of mutual fafdtyjOr for the fake of Ibciety, to • 

 travel together ; or elfe they follow him at a littld diftanc^; and; on ar- 



^tivlng^at' a convenient place, arid a fife- opportunity pirefentirig^for efFec-' 

 tuatifig their purpofe, one of the gang fuddenly puts a rope or fafh' 

 round the neck of the unforturiate per fori, .'While others affi-ft in depriv-' 



ing him' of life* '• ' ^' ■ -^ ^> ^^ '->''' ' ■■ 



' ' •'• ^■'•=-''' -■ . -;../ ^daiflv • ■ . ■ ■-- ,: ^ 



Two P%aw5/^irj_areconfider^ to efi- 



fe<5t the murder of one man^aad commonly three are engaged. There • 



is fo me variation in the manneF-in which the a<f^ is perpetrated, but the 



foHowingis perhaps the molt geaer^t. While traveUing along, one- of 



