Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-10-10

dices OF her religion, and mistaken idea of
piety, was about TO be devoted to the same
iiames that were to reduce to ashes, the re-
mains of her deceased husband.
lhe age OF the hapless woman, whose lot
1t was, on the present occasion, to be thus
sacrificed, concluded. from her appearance,
not to exceed four or five and twenty. Her
husband, was informed, had been COM
mon peasant, and going out last Thursday,
TO his ordinary occupation, had occasion to
go up cocoa-nut tree he had nearly reach
ed its summit, when sudden gust of wind
arising, and the roots ofthe tree being much
decayed, 1t unlnckily fell, and the poor man
was, by the fall, killed on the spot
The tidings of this melancholy event reach
ing his wife, she was inconsolable for so great
loss; and, in paroxysm of grief, cmbra-
ced the desperate resolution of becoming
Suffice. 30 firmly bent was she on the exc
cntion OF this purpose, that the consideration
OF leaving two helpless children, yet in
state OF infancy, and third child, of which
she had just been delivered, entirely desti-
tute OF parental care, was not incentive suf-
hcient to induce her to relneuish SO rash and
imprudent n design.
Accordingly, She was yesterday conducted
to the river side, amidst numerous con
course ofpeople, to meet her dreadful DOOM
Alter the usual pooja, or performance ofre-
hSious ceremonies OF bathing in the Gunga
&c. the Suffice was led to the shrine, with ali
the composure imaginable and having once
or twice walked round the funeral pile
which was formed of faggots, bamboo chips
and brush wood of various descriptions, She
placed herself OH the platform of the pile, by
the side OF her lifeiess husband, without the
slightest trait OF tindity on her countenance,
or any other Indication of dismay at her im-
pending fate; and what was perhaps, still
more surprising, without any appearance OF
remorse or anguish at the sight of her weep
ing offspring, whose tears and heat-rending
signs might well be supposed to appeal with
irresistible pathos to mother. But her
heart, far from evincing any distrust or fe-
minnie weakness, displayed the utmost mag
nanimity. Yea, but a few minutes before she
was encirclcd with the flames, perceived
her countenance frightened with smile, as
Il she had full assurance that she was pre-
pairing to enter the mansions of eternal hap-
piness. So powerful are the notions of reii-
gion on bigotted mind. Even after the
torch was applied, and she was surrounded
with the raging flames, not groan could be
heard, nor the slightest movement perceived.
She continued firm, seeming to brave the re
morseless contiagration. But suffering Ma
tire at length became too potent for her re
solution; after being exposed to the action
OF the flames for two or three minutes, she
made several movements, to which probably
she had been forced by the dreadful anguish
she suffered and these movements were so Vi
ocnt as perceptbly to agitate the whole mass
OF combustibles, with which she was envi-
roned and, secured. 1t is likely, however.
that these were the last struggles of life, and
that death, who to her must have been a
welcome messenger, put period to her tor
ments almost immediately after these agoniz-
ing struggles.
Some four or five centuries back, when
mankind were less civilized, the dreadful
penalty of fire, we find TO have been award
ed to offenders, as punishment, in expiati-
on OF heinous crimes.-Whenw we read those
passages of history, the mind is filled with
horror and disgust at the execrable manners
OF our Ancestors and we are disposed to
shudder at the then deprayed state of HUI
man Nature. But how much more shocking
is it to behold in these days Of civilization,
thesprevalence of the horrible practice of hu-
man issmolation not for the purpose of pun
ishng offenders to deter others from the COM
mission of crime, but as free-will offering
of the soul and body, on the part of the de-
voice, whose case demands the sacrifice for
the support ofreligiouS principles.
Its vain to hope that this detestable rite
of Hindoo religion will ever be extirpated !;
for as the bigotry attached to the one, will
always sanctify the other with the names of
piety and devotion, the precept and the prac-
trice VIII be coeval with the religion.
am Sir,
Your most obedient servant,