MURDERS. 53
was always stationed in the Cota Bluncla. At this time, murders in the dead of night were very fre- quent in all parts of the town, especially in the Peppay road, one might almost say under the very walls of the fort. Yet the murderers always suc- ceeded in making their escape ; for if any of the native inhabitants saw the dreadful act, or if their suspicions were directed to the guilty party, they carefully concealed their knowledge, for fear of retaliation. Thus life to use the lanrruafie of a native was as cheap as a withered leaf. The victims of assassination were mostly Chinese and natives, who were either butchered for the purpose of robbery, or from some private feeling of enmity. Sometimes the bodies (jf the murdered were thrown into the shallow river, and at others left on the road to be recognised next morning by some passer-by.
The state of things had become so fearful that no one veiitiuvd to walk aljroad after dusk. The
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