But the universal belief of the common people is that the robber bands are immune from attack because of a plain business: arrangement with the nearest official, who shares in the spoils. It is also firmly believed by the common people that arms and ammunition are furnished the bandits by the! officials themselves, at prices which the latter make an enormous profit. In. the eyes of everybody, selling arms, at per cent. profit with a share in every ransom which said arms are instrumental in extorting,. is fine business.
Several days ago I -asked an intelligent man from the robber district why the people detested and feared the solidiers so much more than the robbers. He-declared that the common people had nothing to fear from the bandits as their attention is entirely concen-' trated on the rich, Old fashioned robbery has gone out of style and the practically universal system
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.