The Thugs would speak of such places with the same
affection and enthusiasm as other men would of the most delightful
scenes of their early life.
It was these people, versed in deceit and surrounded by a thousand
obstacles to conviction, that General Sir W. H. Sleeman so nobly set
out to exterminate. Within seven years of his first commencing the
suppression of Thuggee it had practically ceased to exist as a
religion; and he had the privilege of seeing it entirely suppressed
as such before giving up this work for the Residentship at Lucknow.
He was described when taking over the latter appointment as follows:
'He had served in India nearly forty years. His work had been of the
best. He had done more than any one to suppress 'Thuggee' finally,
and had a knowledge of the Indian character and language possessed by
very few. He was personally popular with all classes of Indians, and
respected, feared, and trusted by all.'
SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES BY THE EDITOR
Captain J. L. Sleeman, who had intended to contribute an account in
some detail of his grandfather's operations for the suppression of
Thuggee, has been ordered on active service, and consequently has
been unable to write more than the short note printed above.
Pages:
1378
1379
1380
1381
1382
1383
1384
1385
1386
1387
1388
1389
1390
1391
1392
1393
1394
1395
1396
1397
1398
1399
1400
1401
1402