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。