"Never," they replied, "they cannot trouble us."
"Why? Do they not trouble other men when they commit murder?"
"Of course they do. The man who commits a murder is always haunted by spirits. He has sometimes fifty at a time upon him, and they drive him mad."
"Are not the people we kill, killed by the orders of Davey? Do not all whom we kill, go to Paradise, and why should their spirits stay to trouble us?... A good deal of our security from spirits is to be attributed to the _roomal_, with which we strangle."
"I did not know that there was any virtue in the _roomal_."
"Is it not our _sikka_ (ensign), as the pick-axe is our _nishan_ (standard)?... More is attributable to the pick-axe. Do we not worship it every seventh day? Is it not our standard? Is its sound ever heard when digging the grave of any but a Thug? And can any man ever swear to a falsehood upon it?"
Next to the leader of the gang, the most important personages were the stranglers. Before a Thug could hope to attain this honourable distinction, he must have served on several expeditions, and given proof of courage and impassibility. The usual gradations were, employment as a scout, then as a grave-digger, afterwards as a holder of hands, and finally he might become a strangler. So soon as his mind was inflamed with this ambition, he had recourse to one of the oldest and most famous of the brotherhood, and besought him to act as _gooroo_, or spiritual preceptor, and to accept him as his _cheyla_, or disciple. If his request were granted, the _gooroo_ led him into a field, with three or four experienced Thugs, and all placed themselves facing the direction in which the gang was about to move. Then the _gooroo_ lifted up his voice, and prayed aloud:--"O Kalee, Kunkalee, Bhudkalee! O Kalee, Mahakalee, Calcutta Walee! if it seemeth to thee fit that the traveller now at our lodging should die by the hands of this thy slave, vouchsafe us the Thibaoo." Should the auspicious omen be refused, the candidate must wait until another opportunity. But if the goddess smiled upon his vows, the party returned to their quarters, and the _gooroo_, taking a handkerchief, and looking towards the west, tied a knot in one end of it, inserting therein a rupee or other silver coin. This knot was called _goor ghaut_, or the classic knot, and was a very artistic performance, the end of the _roomal_ being skilfully folded inwards. The disciple thereupon respectfully took the handkerchief in his right hand, and went and stood over his sleeping victim--for a feeble person, and one asleep, was generally chosen for the maiden trial of skill. When all was ready, the _Shumsheea_, or hand-holder, suddenly awakened the sleeper with the cry that a snake or a scorpion was under or beside him. As he started up, bewildered with sleep and terror, the _roomal_ was slipped over his neck, and in a few seconds he had ceased to fear either reptiles or baser men. The deed being satisfactorily accomplished, the _cheyla_ bowed lowly before his preceptor, and touched his feet with both hands, a compliment he also paid to all the _gooroo's_ relatives and friends there present. After the Thibaoo had again been heard, he untied the knot, and presented the coin, with whatever silver he possessed, to his teacher, who added to it whatever money he happened to have upon his own person. Of this amount half a crown was expended in the purchase of _goor_, or coarse sugar, and the rest in sweetmeats. The Tapoonee feast was then held under a neem, mango, or byr-tree, the _cheyla_ sitting with the Bhurtotes, or stranglers, and receiving a like share of the consecrated _goor_. At the conclusion of the expedition, the tyro entertained his preceptor's family, and gave to him and his wife a present of new clothes. The entertainment was returned by the _gooroo_, between whom and his pupil an indissoluble connection existed ever afterwards unto death.