118 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
other beasts of prey, and lay open their guilt to 
the casual passenger. Sometimes the legs are dis- 
jointed at the knees and hips, and turned back up- 
on the body, when haste obliges them to dig too small 
or too shallow a hole, which is then hastily filled. But 
if there should appear no chance of interruption, the 
murderers sometimes pitch a tent upon the spot, and 
regale themselves over the dead body which they 
have just consigned to so melancholy and succinct a 
burial. 
The calculating caution of these people, under cir- 
cumstances so revolting to our common nature, is 
a distinguishing feature of their system of plunder. 
They seem to leave unconsidered no circumstance 
that can in the slightest degree tend to wrap their 
crimes in concealment : everything appears to be pre- 
pared with almost philosophical foresight; and the 
provision made against the chance of detection is so 
perfect, that it is all but impossible to trace them in 
their career of blood. 
When they have committed a murder in a place 
unfavourable for the burial of their victim, they en- 
close the body in a sack and cast it into a well, or 
hide it in some secluded part of a neighbouring jungle, 
secure from the ravages of vultures, jackals, and other 
beasts of prey, until a favourable place is discovered, 
whither it is removed, and disposed of as already de- 
scribed. Should a dog happen to accompany the per- 
son whose life they take, it is always killed, lest 
the faithful creature should lead to the discovery of 
its master. So systematic are they in their detest- 
able vocation, that if they fail in the performance 
