ThatsuchatrocitiesastheseshouldhavebeencarriedonfornearlytwocenturieswithoutexcitingtheattentionoftheBritishGovernment，seemsincredible。ButourwonderwillbediminishedwhenwereflectupontheextremecautionoftheThugs，andtheordinarydangersoftravellinginIndia。TheThugsnevermurderamannearhisownhome，andtheyneverdisposeoftheirbootynearthesceneofthemurder。Theyalsopay，incommonwithotherandlessatrociousrobbers，aportionoftheirgainstothePolygars，ornativeauthoritiesofthedistrictsinwhichtheyreside，tosecureprotection。Thefriendsandrelativesofthevictims，perhapsathousandmilesoff，neversurmisetheirfatetillaperiodhaselapsedwhenallinquirywouldbefruitless，or，atleast，extremelydifficult。Theyhavenocluetotheassassins，andveryoftenimputetothewildbeastsofthejunglestheslaughtercommittedbythatwilderbeast，man。
ThereareseveralgradationsthroughwhicheverymemberofthefraternitymustregularlypassbeforehearrivesatthehighofficeofaBhurtote，orstrangler。Heisfirstemployedasascout——thenasasexton——thenasaShumseea，orholderofhands，andlastlyasaBhurtote。WhenamanwhoisnotofThuglineage，orwhohasnotbeenbroughtupfromhisinfancyamongthem，wishestobecomeastrangler，hesolicitstheoldest，andmostpiousandexperiencedThug，totakehimunderhisprotectionandmakehimhisdisciple；andunderhisguidanceheisregularlyinitiated。Whenhehasacquiredsufficientexperienceinthelowerranksoftheprofession，heappliestohisGooroo，orpreceptor，togivethefinishinggracetohiseducation，andmakeastranglerofhim。Anopportunityisfoundwhenasolitarytravelleristobemurdered；andthetyro，withhispreceptor，havingseenthattheproposedvictimisasleep，andinsafekeepingtilltheirreturn，proceedtoaneighbouringfieldandperformseveralreligiousceremonies，accompaniedbythreeorfouroftheoldestandsteadiestmembersofthegang。TheGooroofirstoffersupaprayertothegoddess，saying，“Oh，Kalee！Kun-kalee！Bhud-kalee！Oh，Kalee！
Maha-kalee！CalkuttaWalee！ifitseemsfittotheethatthetravellernowatourlodgingshoulddiebythehandsofthisthyslave，vouchsafeusthygoodomen。“Theythensitdownandwatchforthegoodomen；andiftheyreceiveitwithinhalfanhour，concludethattheirgoddessisfavourabletotheclaimsofthenewcandidateforadmission。Iftheyhaveabadomen，ornoomenatall，someotherThugmustputthetravellertodeath，andtheaspirantmustwaitamorefavourableopportunity，purifyinghimselfinthemeantimebyprayerandhumiliationforthefavourofthegoddess。Ifthegoodomenhasbeenobtained，theyreturntotheirquarters；andtheGoorootakesahandkerchiefand，turninghisfacetothewest，tiesaknotatoneendofit，insertingarupee，orotherpieceofsilver。Thisknotiscalledthegoorkhat，orholyknot，andnomanwhohasnotbeenproperlyordainedisallowedtotieit。TheaspirantreceivesitreverentlyinhisrighthandfromhisGooroo，andstandsoverthesleepingvictim，withaShumseea，orholderofhands，athisside。Thetravellerisaroused，thehandkerchiefispassedaroundhisneck，and，atasignalfromtheGooroo，isdrawntighttillthevictimisstrangled；theShumseeaholdinghishandstopreventhismakinganyresistance。Theworkbeingnowcompleted，theBhurtotenolongeranaspirant，butanadmittedmemberbowsdownreverentlyinthedustbeforehisGooroo，andtoucheshisfeetwithbothhishands，andafterwardsperformsthesamerespecttohisrelativesandfriendswhohaveassembledtowitnessthesolemnceremony。Hethenwaitsforanotherfavourableomen，whenheuntiestheknotandtakesouttherupee，whichhegivestohisGooroo，withanyothersilverwhichhemayhaveabouthim。TheGoorooaddssomeofhisownmoney，withwhichhepurchaseswhattheycallgoor，orconsecratedsugar，whenasolemnsacrificeisperformed，towhichallthegangareinvited。TherelationshipbetweentheGoorooandhisdiscipleisaccountedthemostholythatcanbeformed，andsubsiststothelatestperiodoflife。A
Thugmaybetrayhisfather，butneverhisGooroo。
Darkandforbiddingasisthepicturealreadydrawn，itwillbecomestilldarkerandmorerepulsive，whenweconsiderthemotiveswhichpromptthesementosystematicmurder。Horribleastheirpracticeswouldbe，ifloveofplunderaloneincitedthem，itisinfinitelymorehorribletoreflectthattheideaofdutyandreligionisjoinedtothehopeofgain，inmakingthemthescourgesoftheirfellows。Ifplunderweretheirsoleobject，therewouldbereasontohope，thatwhenamemberofthebrotherhoodgrewrich，hewouldrestfromhisinfernaltoils；butthedismalsuperstitionwhichhecherishestellshimnevertodesist。Hewassentintotheworldtobeaslayerofmen，andhereligiouslyworksouthisdestiny。Asreligiouslyheeducateshischildrentopursuethesamecareer，instillingintotheirminds，attheearliestage，thatThuggeeisthenoblestprofessionamancanfollow，andthatthedarkgoddesstheyworshipwillalwaysproviderichtravellersforherzealousdevotees。