Butsocietyduringthesedarkdayshadevenworseenemiesthantigersandelephants。Thebarbaroushighlanders，ofalowertypeofmankind，nourishingforfortycenturiesahatredoftheirHindusupplanters，likethatwhichtheApachebearsagainstthewhitefrontiersman，seizedtheoccasiontorenewtheirinroadsuponthelowlandcountry。Yearbyyeartheydescendedfromtheirmountainfastnesses，plunderingandburning。ManynobleHindufamilies，oustedbythetax-collectorsfromtheirestates，begantoseeksubsistencefromrobbery。Others，consultingtheirselfishinterestsamidthegeneraldistress，“founditmoreprofitabletoshelterbandittiontheirestates，levyingblackmailfromthesurroundingvillagesasthepriceofimmunityfromdepredation，andsharingintheplunderofsuchaswouldnotcometoterms。Theircountryhouseswererobberstrongholds，andtheearlyEnglishadministratorsofBengalhaveleftitonrecordthatagang-robberyneveroccurredwithoutalandedproprietorbeingatthebottomofit。“Thepeasantswerenotslowtofollowsuit，andthosewhowererobbedoftheirwinter’sstorehadnoalternativeleftbuttobecomerobbersthemselves。ThethieveriesoftheFakeers，orreligiousmendicants，andthebold，thoughstealthyattacksofThugsandDacoits——membersofMasonicbrotherhoods，whichatalltimeshavelivedbyrobberyandassassination——addedtothegeneralturmoil。Inthecoldweatherof1772theprovincewasravagedfarandwidebybandsofarmedfreebooters，fiftythousandstrong；andtosuchapassdidthingsarrivethattheregularforcessentbyWarrenHastingstopreserveorderweretwicedisastrouslyrouted；while，inMr。
Hunter’sgraphiclanguage，“villageshighuptheGangeslivedbyhousebreakinginCalcutta。“InEnglishmansions“itwastheinvariablepracticefortheportertoshuttheouterdooratthecommencementofeachmeal，andnottoopenittillthebutlerbroughthimwordthattheplatewassafelylockedup。“Andforalongtimenearlyalltrafficceasedupontheimperialroads。
Thisstateofthings，whichamountedtochroniccivilwar，inducedLordCornwallisin1788toplacetheprovinceunderthedirectmilitarycontrolofanEnglishofficer。TheadministrationofMr。Keating——thefirsthardygentlemantowhomthisarduousofficewasassigned——isminutelydescribedbyourauthor。Forourpresentpurposeitisenoughtonotethattwoyearsofseverecampaigning，attendedandfollowedbyrelentlesspunishmentofalltransgressors，wasrequiredtoputanendtothedisorders。
Suchwastheappallingmisery，throughoutacommunityofthirtymillionpersons，occasionedbythefailureofthewinterrice-cropin1769。InabridgingMr。Hunter’saccountwehaveadheredascloselytoouroriginalaspossible，buthewhowouldobtainadequateknowledgeofthistaleofwoemustseekitintheevermemorabledescriptionofthehistorianhimself。Thefirstquestionwhichnaturallyoccurstothereader——though，asMr。
Hunterobserves，itwouldhavebeenoneofthelasttooccurtotheOrientalmind——is，Whowastoblame？Towhatculpablenegligencewasitduethatsuchadirecalamitywasnotforeseen，andatleastpartiallywardedoff？Weshallfindreasontobelievethatitcouldnothavebeenadequatelyforeseen，andthatnolegislativemeasurescouldinthatstateofsocietyhaveentirelypreventedit。Yetitwillappearthatthegovernment，withthebestofintentions，didallinitspowertomakemattersworse；andthattoitsblunderingignorancethedistresswhichfollowedislargelydue。