第46章
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  whiletheboysandill-favouredgirlsaresoldforservantsatamoremoderaterate。Thesemurdersareperpetratedperhapsfivehundredmilesfromthehomesoftheunfortunatevictims;andthechildrenthusobtained,deprivedofalltheirrelatives,areneverinquiredafter。

  Evenshouldanyoftheirkinbealive,theyaretoofaroffandtoopoortoinstituteinquiries。Oneofthemembers,onbeingquestioned,saidtheMegpunnasmademoremoneythantheotherThugs;itwasmoreprofitabletokillpoorpeopleforthesakeoftheirchildren,thanrichpeoplefortheirwealth。Megpunnaismissupposedbyitsvotariestobe,likeThuggee,undertheimmediateprotectionofthegreatgoddessDavee,orKalee,whosefavouristobeobtainedbeforethecommencementofeveryexpedition,andwhoseomens,whetherofgoodorevil,aretobediligentlysoughtonalloccasions。Thefirstapostletowhomshecommunicatedhercommandsfortheformationofthenewsect,andtherulesandordinancesbywhichitwastobeguided,wascalledKheamaJemadar。Hewasconsideredsoholyaman,thattheThugsandMegpunnasconsidereditanextremefelicitytogazeuponandtouchhim。AtthemomentofhisarrestbytheBritishauthorities,afirewasraginginthevillage,andtheinhabitantsgatheredroundhimandimploredhimtointercedewithhisgod,thattheflamesmightbeextinguished。TheMegpunna,saysthetradition,stretchedforthhishandtoheaven,prayed,andthefireceasedimmediately。

  TherenowonlyremaintobeconsideredtheexertionsthathavebeenmadetoremovefromthefaceofIndiathispurulentanddisgustingsore。Fromtheyear1807until1826,theproceedingsagainstThuggeewerenotcarriedonwithanyextraordinarydegreeofvigour;but,inthelatteryear,theGovernmentseemstohavebeguntoactuponasettleddeterminationtodestroyitaltogether。From1826

  to1855,bothincluded,therewerecommittedtoprison,inthevariousPresidencies,1562personsaccusedofthiscrime。Ofthese,328werehanged;999transported;77imprisonedforlife;71imprisonedforshorterperiods;21heldtobail;andonly21acquitted。Oftheremainder,31diedinprison,beforetheywerebroughttotrial,11

  escaped,and49turnedapprovers。

  OneFeringeea,aThugleaderofgreatnotoreity,wasdelivereduptojusticeintheyear1830,inconsequenceoftherewardoffivehundredrupeesofferedforhisapprehensionbytheGovernment。HewasbroughtbeforeCaptainSleeman,atSangir,intheDecemberofthatyear,andoffered,ifhislifewerespared,togivesuchinformationaswouldleadtothearrestofseveralextensivegangswhichhadcarriedontheirmurderouspracticesundetectedforseveralyears。Hementionedtheplaceofrendezvous,forthefollowingFebruary,ofsomewellorganizedgangs,whoweretoproceedintoGuzeratandCandeish。

  CaptainSleemanappearedtodoubthisinformation;butaccompaniedtheThugtoamangogrove,twostagesfromSangir,ontheroadtoSeronage。Theyreachedthisplaceintheevening,andinthemorningFeringeeapointedoutthreeplacesinwhichheandhisganghad,atdifferentintervals,buriedthebodiesofthreepartiesoftravellerswhomtheyhadmurdered。Theswardhadgrownoverallthespots,andnottheslightesttracesweretobeseenthatithadeverbeendisturbed。UnderthesodofCaptainSleeman’stentwerefoundthebodiesofthefirstparty,consistingofapunditandhissixattendants,murderedin1818。Anotherpartyoffive,murderedin1824,wereunderthegroundattheplacewheretheCaptain’shorseshadbeentiedupforthenight;andfourBrahmincarriersoftheGangeswater,withawoman,wereburiedunderhissleepingtent。Beforethegroundwasmoved,CaptainSleemanexpressedsomedoubts;butFeringeea,afterlookingatthepositionofsomeneighbouringtrees,saidbewouldriskhislifeontheaccuracyofhisremembrance。Theworkmendugfivefeetwithoutdiscoveringthebodies;buttheywereatlengthfoundalittlebeyondthatdepth,exactlyastheThughaddescribedthem。Withthisproofofhisknowledgeofthehauntsofhisbrethren,Feringeeawaspromisedhislibertyandpardonifhewouldaidinbringingtojusticethemanylargegangstowhichhehadbelonged,andwhichwerestillprowlingoverthecountry。TheywerearrestedintheFebruaryfollowing,attheplaceofrendezvouspointedoutbytheapprover,andmostofthemcondemnedandexecuted。

  SofarwelearnfromCaptainSleeman,whoonlybroughtdownhistablestothecloseoftheyear1835。Awriterinthe“ForeignQuarterlyReview“furnishesanadditionallistof241persons,committedtoprisonin1836,forbeingconcernedinthemurderandrobberyof474individuals。Ofthesecriminals,91weresentencedtodeath,and22toimprisonmentforlife,leaving306,whoweresentencedtotransportationforlife,orshorterperiodsofimprisonment,orwhoturnedapprovers,ordiedingaol。Notoneofthewholenumberwasacquitted。

  Greatasisthisamountofcriminalswhohavebeenbroughttojustice,itistobefearedthatmanyyearsmustelapsebeforeanevilsodeeplyrootedcanbeeradicated。Thedifficultyisincreasedbytheutterhopelessnessofreformationasregardsthesurvivors。Theirnumbersarestillcalculatedtoamounttotenthousandpersons,who,takingtheaverageofthreemurdersannuallyforeach,ascalculatedbyCaptainSleemanandotherwriters,murdereveryyearthirtythousandoftheirfellowcreatures。Thisaverageissaidtobeunderthemark;butevenifweweretotakeitatonlyathirdofthiscalculation,whatafrightfullistitwouldbe!Whenreligionteachesmentogoastray,theygofarastrayindeed!

  BangorHouse,ShoeLane。

  EndofVolumeOneMemoirsofExtraordinaryPopularDelusions-Volume2

  byCharlesMackay“Ilestbondeconnaitrelesdeliresdel’esprithumain。

  Chaquepeopleasesfoliesplusoumoinsgrossieres。“

  Theyheard,anduptheysprunguponthewingInnumerable。AswhenthepotentrodOfAmram’sson,inEgypt’sevilday,Wavedroundthecoast,upcall’dapitchycloudOflocusts,warpingontheeasternwindThato’ertherealmofimpiousPharaohhungLikenight,anddarken’dalltherealmofNile,Sonumberlesswerethey。

  AllinamomentthroughthegloomwereseenTenthousandbannersriseintotheair,Withorientcolourswaving。WiththemroseAforesthugeofspears;andthronginghelmsAppear’d,andserriedshields,inthickarray,Ofdepthimmeasurable。

  ParadiseLost。

  Everyagehasitspeculiarfolly——somescheme,project,orphantasyintowhichitplunges,spurredoneitherbytheloveofgain,thenecessityofexcitement,orthemereforceofimitation。Failinginthese,ithassomemadness,towhichitisgoadedbypoliticalorreligiouscauses,orbothcombined。EveryoneofthesecausesinfluencedtheCrusades,andconspiredtorenderthemthemostextraordinaryinstanceuponrecordoftheextenttowhichpopularenthusiasmcanbecarried。Historyinhersolemnpageinformsus,thatthecrusaderswerebutignorantandsavagemen,thattheirmotiveswerethoseofbigotryunmitigated,andthattheirpathwaywasoneofbloodandtears。Romance,ontheotherhand,dilatesupontheirpietyandheroismandpourtraysinhermostglowingandimpassionedhuestheirvirtueandmagnanimity,theimperishablehonourtheyacquiredforthemselves,andthegreatservicestheyrenderedtoChristianity。

  Inthefollowingpagesweshallransackthestoresofboth,todiscoverthetruespiritthatanimatedthemotleymultitudewhotookuparmsintheserviceoftheCross,leavinghistorytovouchforfacts,butnotdisdainingtheaidofcontemporarypoetryandromancetothrowlightuponfeelings,motives,andopinions。

  InordertounderstandthoroughlythestateofpublicfeelinginEuropeatthetimewhenPetertheHermitpreachedtheholywar,itwillbenecessarytogobackformanyyearsanteriortothatevent。Wemustmakeacquaintancewiththepilgrimsoftheeighth,ninth,andtenthcenturies,andlearnthetalestheytoldofthedangerstheyhadpassed,andthewonderstheyhadseen。PilgrimagestotheHolyLandseematfirsttohavebeenundertakenbyconvertedJews,andbyChristiandevoteesoflivelyimagination,piningwithanaturalcuriositytovisitthesceneswhichofallothersweremostinterestingintheireyes。ThepiousandtheimpiousalikeflockedtoJerusalem,——theoneclasstofeasttheirsightonthesceneshallowedbythelifeandsufferingsoftheirLord,andtheother,becauseitsoonbecameagenerallyreceivedopinion,thatsuchapilgrimagewassufficienttoruboffthelongscoreofsins,howeveratrocious。Anotherandverynumerousclassofpilgrimsweretheidleandroving,whovisitedPalestinethenasthemodernsvisitItalyorSwitzerlandnow,becauseitwasthefashion,andbecausetheymightpleasetheirvanitybyretailing,ontheirreturn,theadventurestheyhadmetwith。Butthereallypiousformedthegreatmajority。Everyyeartheirnumbersincreased,untilatlasttheybecamesonumerousastobecalledthe“armiesoftheLord。“Fullofenthusiasm,theysetthedangeranddifficultyofthewayatdefiance,andlingeredwithholyraptureoneveryscenedescribedintheEvangelists。TothemitwasblissindeedtodrinktheclearwatersoftheJordan,orbebaptizedinthesamestreamwhereJohnhadbaptizedtheSaviour。TheywanderedwithaweandpleasureinthepurlieusoftheTemple,onthesolemnMountofOlives,ortheawfulCalvary,whereaGodhadbledforsinfulmen。Tothesepilgrimseveryobjectwasprecious。Relicswereeagerlysoughtafter;flagonsofwaterfromJordan,orpaniersofmouldfromthehilloftheCrucifixion,werebroughthome,andsoldatextravagantpricestochurchesandmonasteries。Moreapocryphicalrelics,suchasthewoodofthetruecross,thetearsoftheVirginMary,thehemsofhergarments,thetoe-nailsandhairoftheApostles——eventhetentsthatPaulhadhelpedtomanufacture——wereexhibitedforsalebytheknavishinPalestine,andbroughtbacktoEurope“withwondrouscostandcare。“Agroveofahundredoakswouldnothavefurnishedallthewoodsoldinlittlemorselsasremnantsofthetruecross;andthetearsofMary,ifcollectedtogether,wouldhavefilledacistern。

  ForupwardsoftwohundredyearsthepilgrimsmetwithnoimpedimentinPalestine。TheenlightenedHarounAlReschid,andhismoreimmediatesuccessors,encouragedthestreamwhichbroughtsomuchwealthintoSyria,andtreatedthewayfarerswiththeutmostcourtesy。

  TheraceofFatemitecaliphs,——who,althoughinotherrespectsastolerant,weremoredistressedformoney,ormoreunscrupulousinobtainingit,thantheirpredecessorsofthehouseofAbbas,——

  imposedataxofabezantforeachpilgrimthatenteredJerusalem。

  Thiswasaserioushardshipuponthepoorersort,whohadbeggedtheirwearywayacrossEurope,andarrivedatthebourneofalltheirhopeswithoutacoin。Agreatoutcrywasimmediatelyraised,butstillthetaxwasrigorouslylevied。Thepilgrimsunabletopaywerecompelledtoremainatthegateoftheholycityuntilsomerichdevoteearrivingwithhistrain,paidthetaxandletthemin。RobertofNormandy,fatherofWilliamtheConqueror,who,incommonwithmanyothernoblesofthehighestrank,undertookthepilgrimage,foundonhisarrivalscoresofpilgrimsatthegate,anxiouslyexpectinghiscomingtopaythetaxforthem。Uponnooccasionwassuchaboonrefused。

  ThesumsdrawnfromthissourcewereamineofwealthtotheMoslemgovernorsofPalestine,imposedasthetaxhadbeenatatimewhenpilgrimageshadbecomemorenumerousthanever。Astrangeideahadtakenpossessionofthepopularmindatthecloseofthetenthandcommencementoftheeleventhcentury。Itwasuniversallybelievedthattheendoftheworldwasathand;thatthethousandyearsoftheApocalypsewerenearcompletion,andthatJesusChristwoulddescenduponJerusalemtojudgemankind。AllChristendomwasincommotion。A

  panicterrorseizedupontheweak,thecredulous,andtheguilty,whointhosedaysformedmorethannineteentwentiethsofthepopulation。

  Forsakingtheirhomes,kindred,andoccupation,theycrowdedtoJerusalemtoawaitthecomingoftheLord,lightened,astheyimagined,ofaloadofsinbytheirwearypilgrimage。Toincreasethepanic,thestarswereobservedtofallfromheaven,earthquakestoshaketheland,andviolenthurricanestoblowdowntheforests。Allthese,andmoreespeciallythemeteoricphenomena,werelookeduponastheforerunnersoftheapproachingjudgments。Notameteorshotathwartthehorizonthatdidnotfilladistrictwithalarm,andsendawaytoJerusalemascoreofpilgrims,withstaffinhandandwalletontheirback,prayingastheywentfortheremissionoftheirsins。

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