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。

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