The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 326: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE STRANGLER 297 the corpse completely out of the cavern, and he found that in a species of wallet which the dead gossoon had about his person there was a quantity of cold boiled rice. The Burker could not afford to let pass such an opportunity of replenishing his own knapsack, even though the provender had been lying for hours in such near contact with a corpse. While he was engaged in transferring the rice to his wallet, he suddenly beheld three persons advancing from a little distance. He started up from his kneeling posture, and rapidly scrutinized them with mingled hope and appre- hension. They might prove friendly disposed and help him to escape from the depths of the dreadful jungle, or they might prove as hostile as the Stranglers themselves. He saw that they were three gossoons, and now he was smitten with the dread that they might fancy he had murdered the individual who lay at his feet. They advanced rapidly, and at first showed by their looks that they were surprised at finding a European of his appearance in such a spot as that; then their eyes fell upon the corpse that lay upon the eround, and with shouts of mingled rage and horror they rushed toward the Burker. Two of them had huge clubs; the third had a long knife, which he drew from his girdle and brandished menacingly. The Burker made vehement signs to testify his innocence, and likewise to make the gossoons aware that he had found the corpse in the cavern. They seemed to comprehend him, but two of them held him fast, while the third proceeded to examine the corpse with the minutest scrutiny. We should observe that they were all three men of middle age, strong built, powerful, and looking more like ferocious depredators than the votaries of a religious sect. All of a sudden the man who was examining the dead body pointed out the little punctures to the view of his comrades, and they at once let go their hold upon the Burker. They then all three began lamenting after their own rude fashion, — howling, beating their breasts, and making horrible contortions, while the one who possessed the knife took it and hacked himself in half a dozen places until he was covered with his own gushing blood. The other two took the knife in their turns, and did the same to them- selves, while the Burker looked on with horror lest they should expect him to follow their example, or should else GOMIIGDOG SS) (S©)