MiSCEL [ | A N E0 US.

INDIAN IMPOSITION.
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INDIAN lMFOSlIION.


Among the lower orders it is no uncom-
mon thing to find men who can counterfeit
80 skilfully the semblance of death as to
deceive even medical man, until the
hand is applied either 10 the heart or pulse.
These men are frequently at very great
pains to acquire this faculty, and practice
it for many purposes. 1t serves sometimes
as means of concealment but more fre-
quently it is made available for the purpose
Of imposition. The imitator Of death is
LAID upon a charpali, or light native bed,
and being painted as if covered with
wounds and bruises, he is carried
IN a state uf complete nudity to the
house of an European magistrate, or other
civil functionary; here pitiable story is
related of his having been murdered in
some remote village, and with bitter tears
and lamentations the magistrate is entreat-
ed to send officers to make official investi-
cation Of the case, and ifpossible to bring
the perpetrators to an expiation OF the out
rage. In the mean time, the friends OF the
unfortunate murdered man, having excited
the compassionate interest of the English
man, or some of The inmates of his house,
solicit gratuity for defraying the expen-
ses of the funeral, for which they aver that
thew have no means; and if the trick be
new to the beholders, an ample shower Of
donations will most likely be afforded to the
poor bereaved creatures. The moment
their object is secured, the sorrowing fam
ily Withdraw carrying with them the corpse
oftheir deceased relative, who as soon as
he is cut Of sight Of the house where the i'm
position has been practised, returns to the
mortal world, and again condescends to
make use of bis limbs, taking care to ap-
appropriate an adequate share of the
bounty which his ingenuity has purchased.
1Iaying then cleansed himself from the
stains and artificial wounds, the whole par
" disperse, to avoid apprehension when
tho fraud is detected. was once staying
at the house of civilian, when one ofthe
servants came in and reported that a mur-
dered man had been brought to the. door by
a party of his fiiends, in the manner rela
ted above. He intimated at the same time
that, from the appearance of the strangers,
he was suspicious Of their statement, and
believed the dead man to be counterfeit
We went out, and found squallid looking
corpse with two or three wounds upon
the chest, and with many marks Of violence
about other parts of the person. The bed
upon which the body lay extended, was
placed upon the ground, and around it
squatted the relatives and friends who own
ed it, bowling screaming and groaning
with touching emphasis which would
have excited the sympathy of the most OBJ
durats. MY friend approached to exam
inc the body, but was assailed with thou
sand importunities not to pollute the corpse,
before the rites Of seputure had been per-
formed. He therefore RETAINED from touch
ing the body with his hand, but remarking
10 the people that wood could not defle it,
he struck the sharp end of his billiard cue,
which he had in his hand, into the side of
the supposed corpse. This evidently dis
concerted the surrounding throng, but as
The body showed no signs of animation or


