258 Steve7iso7i's accotmt of the P^hansigars, [JutY 



protector to the ground, where he is speedily despatched 

 by the ever ready accomplices.* 



One of the P^hansigdrs to whom I have alluded in 

 the commencement of this paper turned king's evidence, 

 and was very particular in his details. He said, that 

 during their last tour of a fortnight they had murdered 

 sixteen individuals ; and he also mentioned a circum- 

 stance which will tend to shew the barbarity with which 

 they carry on their terrible system. The party of P^han- 

 sigdrs had retired to rest in a pagoda, in which a Las- 

 1,'arf had also taken up his quarters for the night, dur- 

 ing the course of which he was murdered. The assas- 

 sins dug a hole in the sanctum of the pagoda, in which 

 fo bury the corpse, but they found that it was too small 

 to admit the body ; they consequently dismembered it, 

 and then succeeded in thrusting the mangled pieces in- 

 to the hole. 



The booty for v/hich these horrid murders are com- 

 mitted is often so trifling — sometimes not exceeding 

 one rupee, or the clothes on the person's body — that it 

 appears as if the P^hansigdrs found a delight and a 

 pastime in such deeds of blood. This seems more pro- 

 bable, as I found from their cant phrases (of which I 

 collected a few examples, since lost), that they had ludi- 

 crous names for the convulsive struggles of their expir- 

 ing victims, as well as for murder, the noose, and the 

 different acts attending their diabolical trade. Aw old 

 woman, one of the tribe, repeated them to me with a 

 great deal of glee. She, as well as most of the other fe- 

 males, made no secret of their vocation, and appeared 

 to think that there v/as nothing wrong in it. When 



-■ Females, and persons of some particular castes and occupalious, are con- 

 sidered by the P'hansigdrs as exempted from their attacks, being, as they 

 imagine, in some way connected witli their goddess. 



f A camp servuut, \vhose general business is to attend to the pitching of 



