A report on the system of Megpunnaism, or the murder of indigent parents for their young children (who are sold as slaves) as it prevails in the Delhie territories, and the native states of Rajpootana, Ulwar and Bhurtpore / By Major W.H. Sleeman.

  • William Henry Sleeman
Date:
1839
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A report on the system of Megpunnaism, or the murder of indigent parents for their young children (who are sold as slaves) as it prevails in the Delhie territories, and the native states of Rajpootana, Ulwar and Bhurtpore / By Major W.H. Sleeman. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    101/136 (page 91)
    9] that I had been on an expedition with Bhimmee Jemadar, they invited me to join them, and we all proceeded to Sirsagunge, in the Mynporee district. While encamped in a garden, a chu- mar, his wife, and two children came to our encampment, to whom we promised to give employment, and the following morning returned with them in the direction of Bhurtpore, and reached Kumair during the night. Beerbull-Jemadar remarked, we will disburse some sweetmeats, and gave the signal to the Lughar Dass, viz. ‘ Khalleepra feenk-lho,’ and the two travellers were strangled by Beerbull Brinjarra. We carried their bodies a short distance off, and threw them into a well, and then returned with the children of the murder- ed people to the encampment of Beerbull Jemadar, and sold them for 70 rupees to some Gypsies, of which I received 10 rupees and 4 annas as my share, and then went to the tan- da or encampment of Ram Sing Brinjarra. TuirD CONFESSION. After the murder of the Chumar and his wife, I went with Ram Sing to Khoosallgurl: in the Kurroulee district, and purchased two Chumar children of a man of the Megpunna caste, and afterwards inveigled a Chumar woman with her two children, whom we prevailed on to accompany us. Ram Sing wished to take them back to the place, where his gang was en- camped, which I would not consent to, knowing that they would claim a share of the plunder, and he then sent for his brother Guluba, who strangled the woman; we buried the body in the sand, but I cannot say if it will be now found. The two children we purchased at Khoosallgurh, I took home with me, and sold one of them for 60 rupees to Bhooree Kun- jur; the other unfortunately died. Fourtu ConFEssION. After the affair described in my last confession, I returned home, and after spending some days there, went on a visit to L 2