There is a set of people in India more dangerous than wild beasts. They
are called Thugs, that is, deceivers; and well do they deserve the name;
for their whole employment is to _deceive_ that they may _destroy_. Yet
they are not ashamed of their wickedness; for they worship the goddess
Kalee, and they know that she delights in blood. Before they set out on
one of their cruel journeys, they bow down before the image of Kalee, and
they ask her to bless the shovel and the cloth that they hold in their
hands.
What are they for?
The cloth is to strangle poor travellers, and the shovel to dig their
graves.
A Hindoo family were once travelling when they overtook three men on the
way. These men seemed very civil and obliging; and they soon got
acquainted with the family, and accompanied them on their journey. Who
were these men? Alas! they were Thugs. It was very foolish of the family
to be so ready to go with strangers. At last they came up to three other
men, who were sitting under the shade of a tree, eating sugared rice.
These men also were Thugs; and they had agreed with the other Thugs to
help them in their wicked plans. But the family thought they were kind
and friendly men, and consented to sit down with them in the shade, and
to partake of their food. They did not know that with the rice was mixed
a sort of drug to cause people to fall asleep. The family ate and fell
asleep: and when they were asleep, the Thugs strangled them all with
their cloths,--the father, the mother, and the five young people,--and
then with their shovels they dug their graves. But before they buried
them they stripped them of their garments and their jewels; for it was to
get their precious spoils they had committed these dreadful murders. The
Thugs went afterwards to the priests of Kalee to receive a blessing, and
they rewarded the priests by giving them some of their stolen treasures.
But, after all, these wicked men did not escape punishment; for the
English governors heard of their crimes, and caught them, and brought
them to justice. Then these murderers confessed the wicked deed just
related: but this was not their only crime; for it had been the business
of their lives to rob and to destroy.
Do not these Thugs resemble him who is always walking about seeking whom
he may devour? Only he destroys the _soul_ as well as the _body_. He is
the great Deceiver, and the great Destroyer. None but God can keep us
from falling into his power: therefore we pray, "Deliver us from evil,"
or from the evil one.