BADHEKS AND T'HEGS. 187 



The Gidias are fimilar in their habits to the two clafTrjs iaft mention . 

 ed, and are likewife famed for imitating the noife of animals, when 

 they approach to rob, and for difguifing themfelves in fl^ins to avoid 

 detection » 



Of tbefe clafTes, the Badheks are by far the mofl numerous and def^ 

 truitive to the peace of the country ; and the circumftances under 

 which they roj,'' combined with the precautions which they take, by 

 giving two^or three rwmes to fach individual, and ufmg a cant peculiar 

 to then:ireives, render it extremely difficult to bring, them to juflice. , 



Mux;h fcepticifm.{lill prevails regarding the exigence of any didincEt • 

 clafs of p.oplc v;ho arc defignated Vhegs.t> Perfons have been appre- 

 hended, tried and convi£led, for highway robbery and murder, under 

 circumltanc-es fimilar to thofe which diftinguiCh the crimes of this def-* 

 cription afcribed-^to the,7"A«?^jj'^ but no inftance has come to my knovr- 

 ledge of any individual having been convi<5led of highway robbery and 

 murder, again ft.. whona it has been eftablifhed that he was a profefTed 

 T'^egy who;earned a fubfiflence by the commiffion of this crime. The 

 refult of fuch. enquiries as I have made upon this fubjedl, leaves, how-' 

 ever, litde room for doubt, that there are at prefent perfons refiding irr 

 the Company's territories who pra£lice this fpecies of Jobbery as a pro-* 

 fefTion; various confeffions in this office fhew, that regular focieties of 

 thefe men have hafd exigence, communicating together and making, at 

 dated periods, a divifionof their fppiU. . 



The term " T'kcg^ is ufually applied, in the wcftern provinces, to 

 perfons who rob and murder travellers on the highways, cither by poi- 

 fon, or the application of the cord or knife.— The literal meaning how, 

 ever, in its common acceptation, as given in the familiar prorerb, is 

 * villain/V" rafcal,"^ '/ kaavc," &c. which alfo is the fignificition appli- 



