it. Some who have been employed in the East India Company's service,
have always returned to their business when an opportunity offered of a
successful enterprise.

When the Phansiagars become old, they do not quit the service, but act
as watchers, and decoy the traveller, by some false tale of distress,
into some distant place, where he is murdered.

Women are sometimes admitted to the society of these plunderers, and,
on some occasions, are allowed to apply the noose. They select a
handsome girl, and place her in a convenient spot, where, by her beauty,
or by a false story of distress, she may decoy some unsuspecting
traveller, and be the means of his destruction. Should he be on
horseback, she will induce him to take her up behind him; after which,
when an opportunity offers, she throws the noose over his head, leaps
from the horse, drags him to the ground, and strangles him. I will
mention an instance. It happened that a horseman of Coorg, in the Madras
presidency, was passing by a spot where one of these interesting-looking
girls was stationed. She told him a piteous story of having been robbed
and badly treated, and begged him to assist her. Feeling sorry for her,
he offered to take her behind him, on his horse, and thus assist her a
few miles on her journey. She expressed much gratitude for his kindness,
and mounted. Soon afterwards she suddenly passed a noose over his head,
and, drawing it with all her might, endeavored to pull him from his
saddle. At this moment, a number of Phansiagars started from the
neighboring thicket and surrounded him. The murderess then slipped from
the horse; but the Coorg striking his heels into the horse's sides, it
threw out its hind legs with great violence, and struck to the ground
the girl, who immediately let go the cord. He then drew his sword, and,
cutting his way through the robbers, effected his escape. He wounded two