I do believe that evil will follow the murder of a man with a cow.

If there be no cow it does not signify." Another Thug said he held the cowherd's feet while this witness did the strangling.

He felt no concern, "because the bad fortune of such a deed is upon the strangler and not upon the assistants; even if there should be a hundred of them." There were thousands of Thugs roving over India constantly, during many generations.

They made Thuggee a hereditary vocation and taught it to their sons and to their son's sons.

Boys were in full membership as early as 16 years of age; veterans were still at work at 70.