CALLED P'HA'NSl'GA'ES, 





** Though the road I have been fpcaking of from B&lhi to Agra, be; 

 ^ tolerable, yet hath it many inconveniences* On5 may meet v\i\\ 

 «» tygCM, panthers, and lions upon it, and one had beft aUo have a care 

 ■^» of robbers, and above all things not to fuffer any body to come 

 *• near one upon the road. The cunningefl. robbers in the woi^d are 

 ** in that country. They ufe a certain flip with a running noofe, 

 ** which they can caft with fo much flight about a man's neck, when 

 ^* they are within reach of him, that they never fail, fo t^at they 

 ** ftrangle him in a trice. They have another cunning trick alfo to 

 « catch travellers with. Tkey fend out a handfome woman upon the 

 " road, who with her hair diOaevelled feems to be all ig tears, fighing 

 ** and complaining of fome misfortune which Ihe pretends has befallen 

 " her. Now as ihe takes the fame way that the traveller goes, he eafily 

 ** fails into convcrfatioa with her, and finding her beautiful, offers her 

 ** his affiftancCj which ftie accepts ; but he hath no fooner taken her up 

 " beliind him on horfeback, but fhe throws the fmrc about his neck 

 and ftrangles him, or at leaft; ftuns him, until the robbers (who lie hid) 

 come running into her affiflancc and complete what (he hath begun, 

 ** But belidea that, there arc men in thofe quarters fo fkilful in calling 

 •** the fnare^j that they fuccccd as well at a diftance as near at hand ; and 

 ■** if an ox oi any other beaft belonging to a caravan run away, as 

 "^** fomctimcs it happens, they fail not to catch it by the neck." (o) 



Tbavellbss in the fouth ol India alfo are fometimes ^zcoyt^ through 



'the allurements of women into Atuations, where they are murdered and 



plundered by perfons lying in wait for them ; but, whether by that clali 



-of .criminals v/ ho are properly called 'P'h.insi^drs, I am uncertain. 



This method, as well as that of adminiftering intoxicating and poifonous 



mixtures to travellers, though fnconfonant with the habits of the large 



,{o) '1 wiviwot's '\i*\eitt i!ari IIL \'igt 4:. 



:2B 



-OS 



