Colonel Sleeman writes elsewhere [46] of the leader of the above
exploit: "This Gajraj had risen from the vocation of a _bandarwala_
(monkey showman) to be the Robin Hood of Gwalior and the adjacent
States; he was the governor-general of banditti in that country of
banditti and kept the whole in awe; he had made himself so formidable
that the Durbar appointed him to keep the _ghats_ or ferries over
the Chambal, which he did in a very profitable manner to them and
to himself, and none entered or quitted the country without paying
blackmail." A common practice of the Badhaks, when in need of a little
ready money, was to lie in wait for money-changers on their return
from the markets. These men take their bags of money with them to the
important bazars at a distance from their residence and return home
with them after dusk. The dacoits were accustomed to watch for them
in the darkest and most retired places on the roads and fell them
to the ground with their bludgeons. This device was often practised
and usually succeeded. [47] Of another Badhak chief, Meherban, it is
stated [48] that he hired a discharged sepoy to instruct his followers
in the European system of drill, that they might travel with him in
the disguise of regular soldiers, well armed and accoutred. During
the rains Meherban's spies (_hirrowa_) were sent to visit the great
commercial towns and report any despatches of money or other valuables,
which were to take place during the following open season. His own
favourite disguise was that of a Hindu prince, while the remainder
of the gang constituted his retinue and escort. On one occasion,
assuming this character, he followed up a boat laden with Spanish
dollars which was being sent from Calcutta to Benares; and having
attacked it at its moorings at Makrai, he killed one and wounded ten
men of the guard and made off with 25,000 Spanish dollars and Rs. 2600
of the Company's coinage. A part of the band were sent direct to the
rendezvous previously arranged, while Meherban returned to the grove
where he had left his women and proceeded with them in a more leisurely
fashion to the same place. Retaining the character of a native prince
he halted here for two days to celebrate the Holi festival. Marching
thence with his women conveyed in covered litters by hired bearers
who were changed at intervals, he proceeded to his bivouac in the
Oudh forests; and at Seosagar, one of his halting-places, he gave
a large sum of money to a gardener to plant a grove of mango trees
near a tank for the benefit of travellers, in the name of Raja
Meherban Singh of Gaur in Oudh; and promised him further alms on
future occasions of pilgrimage if he found the work progressing well,
saying that it was a great shame that travellers should be compelled
as he had been to halt without shade for themselves or their families
during the heat of the day. He arrived safely at his quarters in the
forest and was received in the customary fashion by a procession of
women in their best attire, who conducted him with dancing and music,
like a victorious Roman Proconsul, to his fort. [49]