Customs and practices of the Thugs. 



from a village, on the banks of a nullah, where the trees and under- 

 wood afford a shelter from the view of occasional passengers. The 

 Thug who is sent on this duty is called a Bhilla, and, having fixed on 

 the place, he either returns to the encampment of his party or meets 

 them on the way to report the result of his enquiry. If the Bhilla 

 returns to the camp with his report, the Suggaees, or grave diggers, are 

 sent out with him, to prepare a grave for the interment of the per- 

 sons it is intended to murder. Arrangements are previously made, so 

 that the party, in company with the travellers, shall not arrive too soon 

 at the Bhil. At the particular spot agreed upon, the Bhilla meets the 

 party, a recognition takes place, the Jemadar calls out Bhilla Manjeh 

 (have you cleared out the hole?). The Bhilla replies, Manjeh; on 

 which the concerted signal is given, that serves as the death-warrant 

 of the unheeding travellers, who are forthwith strangled. While some 

 are employed in rifling the bodies, others assist in carrying them away 

 to the ready prepared graves. The Suggaees perform the office of 

 burying them, and the remainder of the gang proceeds on its journey, 

 leaving with them a certain number of the Tillaees, or watchmen, on the 

 look-out to prevent their being disturbed ; should a casual passenger 

 appear, the Tillaee gently throws a stone among the Suggaees, or grave- 

 diggers, who immediately desist, and crouch on the ground until the 

 danger is averted. After the interment is completed, the Suggaees 

 rejoin their party ; but it is not unusual to leave one or more of the Til- 

 laees to keep watch, to prevent the bodies being dug up by beasts 

 of prey ; and, if a discovery should be made by the village people, to 

 give instant information to their companions, in order that they may 

 have the opportunity of getting out of the way. 



It often happens, that the arrangements and precautions abovemen- 

 tioned, cannot be entered into ; that travellers are casually met with on 

 the road, and hastily murdered, and as carelessly interred. In these 

 cases, if the opportunity is afforded them, the Thugs always leave some 

 one to keep watch at the place, and, rather than run the risk of detec- 

 tion, by the bodies being dug up by wild beasts, they return and re-inter 

 them. If the ground is strong, they never touch the corpse ; but if the 

 soil is of so loose a texture, as to render it probable that the bodies, on 

 swelling, will burst the graves, they generally transfix them with spears^ 

 or knives, which effectually prevents that result. 



When the Thugs may choose to strangle their victims in some more 

 exposed situation, as in a garden near a village, where they may have 

 put up for the night, they adopt further precautions to prevent disco- 

 very. The grave is, on such occasions, prepared on the spot, after the 

 murder has been committed, and, the corpse having been deposited 

 therein, the superfluous soil is carried away in bundles, and strewn in 

 the neighbouring fields. The place is watered, and beaten down with 

 sticks j it is ultimately i)laistered over with cow dung, and Choolahs, or 



