women steal in markets and other places of
public resort. They wait to see somebody put down his clothes or bag
of rupees and watch till his attention is attracted elsewhere, when,
walking up quietly between the article and its owner, they drop their
petticoat either over or by it, and manage to transfer the stolen
property into their basket while picking up the petticoat. If an
unfavourable omen occurs on the way when the women set out to pilfer
they place a stone on the ground and dash another on to it saying,
'If the obstacle is removed, break'; if the stone struck is broken,
they consider that the obstacle portended by the unfavourable omen
is removed from their path, and proceed on their way; but if not,
they return. Stolen articles are often bartered at liquor-shops for
drink, and the Kalars act as receivers of stolen property for the
Mang-Garoris."

The following are some particulars taken from an old account of the
criminal Mangs; [193] Their leader or headman was called the _naik_
and was elected by a majority of votes, though considerable regard
was paid to heredity. The _naik's_ person and property were alike
inviolable; after a successful foray each of the gang contributed a
quarter of his share to the _naik_, and from the fund thus made up
were defrayed the expenses of preparation, religious offerings and
the triumphal feast. A pair of shoes were usually given to a Brahman
and alms to the poor. To each band was attached an informer, who was
also receiver of the stolen goods. These persons were usually bangle-
or perfume-sellers or jewellers. In this capacity they were admitted
into the women's apartments and so enabled to form a correct notion
of the topography of a house and a shrewd guess as to the wealth
of its inmates. Like all barbarous tribes and all persons addicted
to criminal practices the Mangs were extremely superstitious. They
never set out on an expedition on a Friday. After the birth of a child
the mother and another woman stood on opposite sides of the cradle,
and the former tossed her child to the other, commending it to the
mercy of Jai Gopal, and waited to receive it back in like manner in
the name of Jai Govind. Both Gopal and Govind are names of Krishna,
The Mangs usually married young in life. If a girl happened to hang
heavy on hand she was married at the age of puberty to the deity. In
other words, she was attached as a prostitute to the temple of the god
Khandoba or the goddess Yel