48 
this exclamation, and the dismayed ap- 
pearance of the feilow, 1 planted a 
blow witb all my strength in the pit of his 
stomach, which levelled him with the 
ground; “the other, seeing the fate of his 
companion, made a speedy retreat into 
the cavity whence he had issued, while 
ZT exerted my lungs, and called loudly to 
my people for assistance; they werelucki- 
ly with the boats close under the point, 
not above a hundred yards distance, in a 
direct line; although they had full four 
times as much to traverse before they 
could get to rne. They answered my call, 
and hastened up the hill as-fast as they 
could ; in the mean time I took the tur- 
han off my head and twisted it several 
times round the legs and’arins of my 
prostrate assailant. ‘By this time, Mung- 
Joo made his appearance with a brace of 
pistols in his hands, followed by Senet! 
others, armed with swords and spears; 
On acquainting them with my adv enture, 
they were unanimous in declaring that I 
had been attacked by twc* Thuys; this 
the prisoner denied, and with many pro-_ 
testations of his innocence, said they 
were two holy Faquirs, who had taken up 
their abode in the cavern, and their in- 
tention in approaching me, was merely to 
solicit charity : though I had’ convincing 
proofs to the contrary. I seemed to be- 
lieve his assertion, and desired him to call 
his companion out of the cavern. He im- 
mediately complied, and bellowed out, 
Kureen Oollah! repeatedly ; but the Ku- 
reen kept snug in his hole, and returned 
no answer; om which I committed the 
prisoner to the custody of two of imy 
servants, with directions to secure him in 
the Budgerow, and to return with a 
lighted Mussal,} to enable us to search 
the cavern; they quickly returned with 
the light, and brougit with them two or 
three old Brahmins, who threw them- 
selves at my feet, and implored my pro- 
‘tection against those terrible Mahome- 
"tans, who had forcibly taken possession 
of the temple, and sacred cavern, aud 
_ committed many depredations onthe vil- 
lagers and travellers. I enquired why 
they had net complained to the magis- 
trate at Baugilpore. “ Alas!” (replied the 
trembling wretch,) we are poor miserable 
Brahmins of the Bhat cast, without 
_ power to contend against such formidable 
opponents, who threatened to murder us 
all, and burn our village, if we made any 
complaint.” I desired him to guide me 
te A ee 
* See Mag. for April, vol. XxVil, p. 498. 
ul Torch. 
’ 
Narrative of a recent Tour in India. 
[Sept. 1 
through the cavern, in quest of his enemy, 
and I would ensure him from further 
molestation; but such was the poor 
Brahmin’s dread of the Faquir, that ai¢ 
though he found himself under the pro- 
tection of about twenty men, well armed, 
no arguments could induce him to enter 
the cavern. Leaving him therefore with 
‘his companions, trembling on the out- 
side, I went in, accompanied by my ser- 
vants, and found a spacious excavation, 
extending im various intricate ramifica- 
tions, a considerable way under ground. 
After a tedious search of about an hour; 
the culprit was discovered, squeezed up 
in a narrow fissure, of dificult ACCESS, 
where he had hoped to elude ob- 
servation. He complained bitterly of our 
forcible entry into his habitation, and de= 
nied having any evil design against me ; 
but on being brought abeve ground, and 
confronted with the Brahmins, his cours 
age failed, and he implored my mercy, 
in the most abject terms; swearing by 
Allah Mahummed, and all the Imams, 
that it | would but liberate him and his 
‘companion, they would immediately quit 
that part of the country, and never trou- 
ble the Brahmins more; but as (by their 
account,) the Faquirs had committed 
many enormities in the neighbourhood, 
I judged. it prudent to send “them to the 
magistrate at Baugilpore, with a letter, 
explaining their attack upon myself, &c. 
They were dispatched with their hands se- 
cured behind.them, under charge of two 
of my own people, well armed, and ac- 
companied by eighteen or twenty of the 
village Brahmins, As Baugilpore was nine 
or ten miles off, I gave my two servants 
instructions where to join me next morn- 
ing; and haying thus, as I thought, 
brought this famous adventure to a con- 
clusion, pushed off my boats, and pro- 
ceeded up the river. Next morning, at an 
early hour, the two men returned with a 
salam from Mr. F. the magistrate, thank- 
ing me for having secured such atrocious 
offenders, who, he added, -would be pro- 
perly punished on the evidence of the 
Brahmins. I felt somewhat surprised at 
his not returning a written answer to my 
Jetter,- but had no suspicion of the real 
cause; and it was not until some years af- 
terwards, on my return down the country, 
that I was informed, that he neither re- 
ceived my letter, nor saw the prisoners s 
it seems, the men I sent in charge of 
them, being Mahomietans, thought it a 
shame that two Faquirs, of their own re- 
ligion, and holy men withai, should be _ 
punished on the accusation of miserable | 
: acaiiey a 
