I have not many years to live; there I will spend them, whatever the landholders may do--they advised me for my own good, and will never turn me out.' I found all the poor man stated to be true; the man and his wife had mixed poison with the flour to destroy the poor old man and his son for the sake of the new blanket which they saw hanging in the branch of the tree, and carried away with them.

The poison used on such occasions is commonly the datura, and it is sometimes given in the hookah to be smoked, and at others in food.

When they require to poison children as well as grown-up people, or women who do not smoke, they mix up the poison in food.

The intention is almost always to destroy life, as 'dead men tell no tales'; but the poisoned people sometimes recover, as in the present case, and lead to the detection of the poisoners.

The cases in which they recover are, however, rare, and of those who recover few are ever able to trace the poisoners; and, of those who recover and trace them, very few will ever undertake to prosecute them through the several courts of the magistrate, the sessions, and that of last instance in a distant district, to which the proceedings must be sent for final orders.
The impunity with which this crime is everywhere perpetrated, and its consequent increase in every part of India, are among the greatest evils with which the country is at this time affected.