I had gone not unwillingly, for the men were clearly, by their dress, Dacoits of the Deccan, and I had no doubt that it was intended either to ransom or exchange me.
"At the foot of this natural castle were same twenty or thirty more robbers, and I was led to a rough sort of arbor in which was lying, on a pile of maize straw, a man who was evidently their chief.

He rose and we exchanged salaams.
"'What is your name, sahib ?' he asked in Mahratta.
"'Hastings--Lieutenant Hastings,' I said.

'And yours ?' "'Sivajee Punt!' he said.
"This was bad.

I had fallen into the hands of the most troublesome, most ruthless, and most famous of the Dacoit leaders.

Over and over again he had been hotly chased, but had always managed to get away; and when I last heard anything of what was going on four or five troops of native police were scouring the country after him.