II
The history of the people is curious. They inhabit or rather possess the country lying south of the hills of Tibbet from Caubul to China. They go mostly naked, they have neither towns, houses, nor families; but rove continually from place to place recruiting their number with the healthiest children they can steal in the countries through which they pass. Thus they are the stoutest and the most active men in India. Many are merchants. They are all pilgrims and held by all castes of Gentoos in great veneration. This infatuation prevents our obtaining any intelligence of their motions or aid from the country against them, notwithstanding very rigid orders which have been published for these purposes, in so much that they often appear in the heart of the province as if they dropt from heaven. They are hardy, bold and enthusiastic to a degree surpassing credit. Such are the Sannyassis, the Gipsies of Hindustan.
We have dissolved all the purgunah Sepoys and fixed stations of the brigade Sepoys on our frontiers, which are to be employed only in the defence of the provinces, and to be relieved every three months. This I hope will secure the peace of the country against future irruptions, and as they are no longer to be employed in the collections, the people will be freed from the oppressions of our own plunderers. Hastings to Josias Du Pre,—9th March, 1773.
We have lately been much troubled here by hordes of desperate adventurers called Sannyasis, who have overrun the province in great numbers and committed great depredations. The particulars of these disturbances and of our endeavours to repel them you will find in our general letters and consultations, which will acquit the Government of any degree of blame from such a calamity. At this time we have five battalions of Sepoys in pursuit of them, and I have still hopes of exacting ample vengeance for the mischief they have done us, as they have no advantage over us but in the speed with
