When，inthecourseofhispart，herepeatedthewords，“So！IaminLondonagain！“theaptnessoftheexpressiontothecircumstancesofthenight，wasfeltbyallpresent，andacknowledgedbyaroundofboisterousandthricerepeatedcheering。ItwasatriumphantsceneforMr。Kembleafterhislongannoyances。Hehadachievedadoublevictory。Hehad，notonlyasamanager，soothedtheobstinateoppositionoftheplay-goers，butasanactorhehadforcedfromoneofthelargestaudienceshehadeverbeheld，approbationmorecordialandunanimousthanhehadeverenjoyedbefore。Thepopularfavournotonlyturnedtowardshim；itembracedeverybodyconnectedwiththetheatre，exceptthepoorvictim，Brandon。Mostofthefavouriteactorswerecalledbeforethecurtaintomaketheirbow，andreceivetheacclamationsofthepit。Atthecloseoftheperformances，afewindividuals，implacableandstubborn，gotupafeeblecryof“Oldpricesfortheboxes；“buttheywerequicklysilencedbythereiteratedcheersofthemajority，orbycriesof“Turnthemout！“A
　　placard，thelastofitsrace，wasatthesametimeexhibitedinthefrontofthepit，bearing，inlargeletters，thewords“Wearesatisfied。“
　　ThusendedthefamouswarsofO。P。，which，foraperiodofnearlythreemonths，hadkeptthemetropolisinanuproar。Andafterall，whatwasthegrandresult？Asifthewholeproceedinghadbeenaparodyuponthemoredestructive，butscarcelymoresensiblewarsrecordedinhistory，itwascommencedininjustice，carriedoninbitternessofspirit，andended，likethelabourofthemountain，inamouse。Theabatementofsixpenceinthepriceofadmissiontothepit，andthedismissalofanunfortunateservant，whoseonlyfaultwastoomuchzealintheserviceofhisemployers，——suchwerethegrandvictoriesoftheO。P。’s。
　　AmongtheblackdeedswhichSuperstitionhasimposedasdutiesuponherwretchedvotaries，nonearemorehorriblethanthepracticesofthemurderers，who，underthenameofThugs，orPhansigars，havesolongbeenthescourgeofIndia。Foragestheyhavepursuedtheirdarkanddreadfulcalling，mouldingassassinationintoascience，orextollingitasavirtue，worthyonlytobepractisedbyaracefavouredofHeaven。Oflateyearsthisatrociousdelusionhasexcitedmuchattention，bothinthiscountryandinIndia；anattentionwhich，itistobehoped，willspeedilyleadtotheuprootingofadoctrinesorevoltingandanti-human。AlthoughtheBritishGovernmenthasextendedoverHindostanforsolongaperiod，itdoesnotappearthatEuropeansevensuspectedtheexistenceofthismysterioussectuntilthecommencementofthepresentcentury。Intheyear1807，agangofThugs，ladenwiththeplunderofmurderedtravellers，wasaccidentallydiscovered。TheinquiriesthensetonfootrevealedtotheastonishedGovernmentasystemofiniquityunparalleledinthehistoryofman。
　　Subsequentinvestigationextendedtheknowledge；andbythrowinglightuponthepeculiarhabitsofthemurderers，explainedthereasonwhytheircrimeshadremainedsolongundiscovered。InthefollowingpageswillbefoundanepitomeofalltheinformationwhichhasreachedEuropeconcerningthem，derivedprincipallyfromDr。Sherwood’streatiseuponthesubject，publishedin1816，andthestillmorevaluableandmorerecentworkofMr。Sleeman，entitledthe“Ramaseeana；or，VocabularyofthepeculiarLanguageoftheThugs。“
　　ThefollowersofthissectarecalledThugs，orT’hugs，andtheirprofessionThuggee。InthesouthofIndiatheyarecalledPhansigars:
　　theformerwordsignifying“adeceiver；“andthelatter，“astrangler。“Theyarebothsingularlyappropriate。TheprofessionofThuggeeishereditary，andembraces，itissupposed，ineverypartofIndia，abodyofatleasttenthousandindividuals，trainedtomurderfromtheirchildhood；carryingitoninsecretandinsilence，yetgloryinginit，andholdingthepracticeofithigherthananyearthlyhonour。Duringthewintermonths，theyusuallyfollowsomereputablecalling，toeludesuspicion；andinthesummer，theysetoutingangsoveralltheroadsofIndia，toplunderanddestroy。ThesegangsgenerallycontainfromtentofortyThugs，andsometimesasmanyastwohundred。Eachstranglerisprovidedwithanoose，todespatchtheunfortunatevictim，astheThugsmakeitapointnevertocausedeathbyanyothermeans。Whenthegangsareverylarge，theydivideintosmallerbodies；andeachtakingadifferentroute，theyarriveatthesamegeneralplaceofrendezvoustodividethespoil。Theysometimestravelinthedisguiseofrespectabletraders；sometimesassepoysornativesoldiers；andatothers，asgovernmentofficers。Iftheychancetofallinwithanunprotectedwayfarer，hisfateiscertain。OneThugapproacheshimfrombehind，andthrowstheendofasashroundhisneck；theotherendisseizedbyasecondatthesameinstant，crossedbehindtheneck，anddrawntightly，whilewiththeirotherhandthetwoThugsthrusthisheadforwardtoexpeditethestrangulation:athirdThugseizesthetravellerbythelegsatthesamemoment，andheisthrowntotheground，acorpsebeforehereachesit。
　　Butsolitarytravellersarenotthepreytheyareanxioustoseek。
　　Awealthycaravanoffortyorfiftyindividualshasnotunfrequentlybeendestroyedbythem；notonesoulbeingpermittedtoescape。
　　Indeed，thereishardlyaninstanceuponrecordofanyone’sescapefromtheirhands，sosurelyaretheirmeasurestaken，andsowelldotheycalculatebeforehandalltherisksanddifficultiesoftheundertaking。Eachindividualoftheganghashispeculiardutyallottedtohim。Upon-approachingatown，orserai，twoorthree，knownastheSoothaes，or“inveiglers，“aresentinadvancetoascertainifanytravellersarethere；tolearn，ifpossible，theamountofmoneyormerchandizetheycarrywiththem，theirhoursofstartinginthemorning，oranyotherparticularsthatmaybeofuse。
　　Iftheycan，theyenterintoconversationwiththem，pretendtobetravellingtothesameplace，andpropose，formutualsecurity，totravelwiththem。Thisintelligenceisdulycommunicatedtotheremainderofthegang。The。placeusuallychosenforthemurderissomelonelypartoftheroadinthevicinityofajungle，andthetime，justbeforedusk。Atgivensignals，understoodonlybythemselves，thescoutsofthepartystationthemselvesinthefront，intherear，andoneachside，toguardagainstsurprise。Astranglerandassistantstrangler，calledBhurtoteandShamshea，placethemselves，theoneontheright，andtheotherontheleftofthevictim，withoutexcitinghissuspicion。Atanothersignalthenooseistwisted，drawntightlybyastronghandateachextremity，andthetraveller，inafewseconds，hurriedintoeternity。Ten，twelve，twenty，andinsomeinstances，sixtypersonshavebeenthusdespatchedatthesamemoment。Shouldanyvictim，byararechance，escapetheirhands，hefallsintothoseofthescoutswhoarestationedwithinhearing，whorunuponhimandsoonoverpowerhim。
　　Theirnextcareistodisposeofthebodies。Socautiousaretheytopreventdetection，thattheyusuallybreakallthejointstohastendecomposition。Theythencutopenthebodytopreventitswellinginthegraveandcausingfissuresinthesoilabove，bywhichmeansthejackalsmightbeattractedtothespot，andtherebyleadtodiscovery。
　　Whenobligedtoburythebodyinafrequenteddistrict，theykindleafireoverthegravetoobliteratethetracesofthenewlyturnedearth。Sometimesthegrave-diggersoftheparty，whoseoffice，likethatofalltherest，ishereditary，aredespatchedtomakethegravesinthemorningatsomedistantspot，bywhichitisknownthetravellerswillpass。Thestranglers，inthemeantime，journeyquietlywiththeirvictims，conversingwiththeminthemostfriendlymanner。Towardsnightfalltheyapproachthespotselectedfortheirmurder；thesignalisgiven，andtheyfallintothegravesthathavebeenreadyforthemsinceday-break。Ononeoccasion，relatedbyCaptainSleeman，apartyoffifty-ninepeople，consistingoffifty-twomenandsevenwomen，werethussimultaneouslystrangled，andthrownintothegravespreparedfortheminthemorning。Someofthesetravellerswereonhorsebackandwellarmed，buttheThugs，whoappeartohavebeenupwardsoftwohundredinagang，hadprovidedagainstallriskoffailure。Theonlyoneleftaliveofallthatnumerousparty，wasaninfantfouryearsold，whowasafterwardsinitiatedintoallthemysteriesofThuggee。
　　Iftheycannotfindaconvenientopportunityfordisposingofthebodies，theycarrythemformanymiles，untiltheycometoaspotsecurefromintrusion，andtoasoiladaptedtoreceivethem。Iffearofputrefactionadmonishesthemtousedespatch，theysetupalargescreenortent，asothertravellersdo，andburythebodywithintheenclosure，pretending，ifinquiriesaremade，thattheirwomenarewithin。Butthisonlyhappenswhentheyfallinwithavictimunexpectedly。Inmurderswhichtheyhaveplannedpreviously，thefindingofaplaceofsepultureisneverlefttohazard。
　　Travellerswhohavethemisfortunetolodgeinthesamechoultryorhostelry，astheThugs，areoftenmurderedduringthenight。Itiseitheragainsttheircreedtodestroyasleeper，ortheyfindadifficultyinplacingthenooseroundtheneckofapersoninarecumbentposition。Whenthisisthecase，theslumbererissuddenlyarousedbythealarmofasnakeorascorpion。Hestartstohisfeet，andfindsthefatalsasharoundhisneck——Heneverescapes。
　　InadditiontotheseThugswhofrequentthehighways，thereareothers，whoinfesttherivers，andarecalledPungoos。Theydonotdifferincreed，butonlyinafewoftheircustoms，fromtheirbrethrenonshore。Theygoupanddowntheriversintheirownboats，pretendingtobetravellersofconsequence，orpilgrims，proceedingto，orreturningfromBenares，Allahabad，orothersacredplaces。Theboatmen，whoarealsoThugs，arenotdifferentinappearancefromtheordinaryboatmenontheriver。TheartificesusedtoenticevictimsonboardarepreciselysimilartothoseemployedbythehighwayThugs。
　　Theysendouttheir“inveiglers“toscrapeacquaintancewithtravellers，andfindoutthedirectioninwhichtheyarejourneying。
　　Theyalwayspretendtobeboundforthesameplace，andvauntthesuperioraccommodationoftheboatbywhichtheyaregoing。Thetravellersfallintothesnare，areledtotheThugcaptain，whoveryoften，toallaysuspicion，demurstotakethem，buteventuallyagreesforamoderatesum。Theboatstrikesoffintothemiddleofthestream；thevictimsareamusedandkeptinconversationforhoursbytheirinsidiousfoes，untilthreetapsaregivenonthedeckabove。
　　ThisisasignalfromtheThugsonthelook-outthatthecoastisclear。Inaninstantthefatalnooseisready，andthetravellersarenomore。Thebodiesarethenthrown，warmandpalpitating，intotheriver，fromaholeinthesideoftheboat，contrivedexpresslyforthepurpose。
　　AriverThug，whowasapprehended，turnedapprover，tosavehisownlife，andgavethefollowingevidencerelativetothepracticesofhisfraternity:——“WeembarkedatRajmahul。Thetravellerssatononesideoftheboat，andtheThugsontheother；whilewethreehimselfandtwo“stranglers，“wereplacedinthestern，theThugsonourleft，andthetravellersonourright。SomeoftheThugs，dressedasboatmen，wereabovedeck，andotherswalkingalongthebankoftheriver，andpullingtheboatbythejoon，orrope，andall，atthesametime，onthelook-out。Wecameupwithagentleman’spinnaceandtwobaggage-boats，andwereobligedtostop，andletthemgoon。Thetravellersseemedanxious；butwerequietedbybeingtoldthatthemenattheropeweretired，andmusttakesomerefreshment。Theypulledoutsomething，andbegantoeat；andwhenthepinnacehadgotonagoodway，theyresumedtheirwork，andourboatproceeded。Itwasnowafternoon；and，whenasignalwasgivenabove，thatallwasclear，thefiveThugswhosatoppositethetravellersspranginuponthem，and，withtheaidofothers，strangledthem。Havingdonethis，theybroketheirspinalbones，andthenthrewthemoutofaholemadeattheside，intotheriver，andkeptontheircourse；theboatbeingallthistimepulledalongbythemenonthebank。“