The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-02-16
CUSTOMS OF THE pIsANS.

II horrid custom yet prc,liIs in Il
part al Asia. l. t.. llindonsiln. ot sa
crIiiflng the widow of deceased
husband on his funeral pill. IL i.
by superstition aud custom made IL
wear The ecnhlanCr of u lalutnar.
sacrifice, il being deemed Infamous
for the widow To s1r,ivc tie hus-
band and AZ strong has thls prac-
tiCe grown. that the natural rc,uisi-
0ns ot humanity, nor the Lights III
missionary intelligence are yet able
entirely to subdue II. TIE extract
is from the Columbian Press.
burning of UidorS--.lpoilcr Suite.
SIR---lt the following account If a
Suffice which took place on Ihas
day last. the 5Oth Of June. br Wor-
thy Of n place IN yonr interesting
paper, you will ohllgc me by insert
ing il. AN EYE WITNESS.
Having learnt thai the imm ,lati-
on oil "A llindoo Widow nn the Fame.
raj Pile 1T her Husband, Vas 10 take
place nj X alec Chant. on thr day IL
hove mentioned, aud never having
been present 1T a similar spectacle
before. felt anxious for once 10 Wit
ness the mode in which this lnhuinan
sacrifice Was conducted. with view
10 Judge, II circumstances permitted
how far the AT Was II Voluntary one
on the parl ol the dcludcd ,icliln, AZ
well IA ~ note the bchN Jour of the
parties interested IN promoting il.
On my way 10 kalce Chant, viii
thcr | WAY accompanied by IA couple
of friends. we ovcrtook kultollee.
horne on the shoulders OF four men,
haNi ing the corpse III the wldoW's
husband laid out upon il, followed
by a palanquin, IN which We were in
formed Mas he wife ol the deceased.
A. We approached the paIanquin n
person Whn walked along side of II.
aud appeared IL be tanning the un-
happy Woman, hastily, closed the
PANELS aud thus frustrated the de
sign which Ne had formed Of seeing
and conScrslng with her. We de
tcrmincd, therefore. upon quietly
proceeding tn the appointed place,
where w arrived about one o'clock,
and learnt With IA feeling of dl.ap-
printmeut. made doably bitter by
the scorching heat oil the sun. that
/ the fernaunah had mol yet been re-
ceiNed. bu, TRIAL II was expected IN
! the course ui another hour. The IA
foresaid kultolIce and palanquin,
were both put down on the bank II
Iohy's Aullan, near to the place
where The lorrid sacrifice was inlcn-
drd 10 bc COnsunmated. We here
once no,c made an effort tn see the
Woman bul without success. Foil-
ed IN every attempt we made to az.
/ eompIi>h one ol the primary objects
of our lauut To kalce Chant, W. had
no alternative left, but 10 await pa
ticntly the ARRIVE al al the expected
/ PEI Wanuah, which AT length made
IT'S appearance at s o'Clurf. when
| the preparation for the diabollcaI bu.
alncss commenced.
While these were going M. the
unfortunate ,ctiln Was led oul, sup
ported h, three old men in "A state
so utterly helpless and pItIable ~ 10
excite the CommlscralIon Ol all who
/ saw her. aud arouse the indignant
feelings Of the few Christians pre-
sent. at the liberation under All en-.
| lightened Go, eminent. of IA custom
50 abhOrrcht IN its nature. aud 81
every way repngnant To all law, hn-
man as we'll as divine. Misery was
depicted IN the looks of the III iatcd
woman. and her general appearance
MAS indicative III any thing bnt con
sent, on her part, TO the barbarnus
practice IT, which she Was to lall "A
victim. Alter The performance oI
solue unmcanIng ceremonies, she
Mas condnC ed To the banks OF the
Nullan, where she WAS bathed, and
then covered With new red saurIre,
in one end 81 which was lied up "a
quantity al hn1ce, on parChcd paddy.
The drcadrul pale stood at a short
distance !rom her. She tremblcd
excessively, and appeared 'as'tatcd
to such IA degree, that | could not but
attribute her extraordinary emotion
to her Discrimination to fulfill the sa-
criilce required of her. So uncqul-
vocal. indeed. we're the symptoms Of
her rcpognanre to the commission
of tie holrid act forced up,n her.