Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1828-05-10
MISCELLANEOUS.

SELr.ImMoLATIoN IN During the time I
vas at Poona. from November, 1902, to March. 1871
there were four instances OF who burned the
selves the death Of tpir husbands TITO first tw o
witnessed. desired TO ascertain the real circum
stances with which these ceremonies were attended
and, in particuar to satisfy myseT whether the wo-
men, who were the victims Of them were free and
conscious agents The spot appropriated this pur-
pose, was on the marSinof the isei Immediately op.
pose the house in which lived.
On the first OCCASION, the pile in PREPARATION
when arrived IL was constructed of rough biets of
wood and about four feet high, aud seven feet
square. At each corner there slender pole sup
porting gh frame, covered with small fuel stra Nv
and dry grass. The interval between the i!c and the
frame, which formed a sort Of canopy, abont four
feet. Thee Of the sides closed up with matted
straw, the fourth being left open entrance The
top of the pile, which formed bottom of the inter
val, was spread with straw and the inside had vcry
much the appearance OF the interior Of all hut
The procession with the widow arrived soon Alter
There were altogether about a hundred persons with
her. consisting OF the BrabInns who TO oflic
atthc ceremony, and the Ictinuc who urnish he'd
by the government. She horseback had
Blowers over her head and shoulders and fac was
besmcared with sandal wood. In one and She held
looking glass, and in the other lime stuck upon q
dagger Her dress. which was rid. was OF the Gem
mon description by Hpdoo women c allied soyee
where the wife is with the husband when he dies she
burns herself with the corpse and in those ases here
the husband dies at distance, she must have with
her the pile either relic Of his body or some
part Of the dress he had at the time Of hi, death
In this instance the husband had been soldier and
bad been killed distance from Poona. His wild.
ow had With her Of his shoes. She had quite 7
gIri'h appearance and coUlG not have beer more than
seventeen or eighteen years Of age. Her countenapce
was OF common cas-, without thing peculiar in
its character ession 1t grave and compos
ed and neither in her carnage, manner gestures
did she betfay the slightest degree Of agitation or dis
iurtance She d. mounted and sat down The edge
at the river, and, with the assistance OF the Brahrns
went through some religious ceremonies. She dis.
hIbnied BowCIs and sweet meats and although she
spoke little, what she did say IN an cass and nat
uai tone, and ficc from any apparent emotion. She
Gid not seem to- pay any attention to thcj prepare
ton O the pile bot when sic told that il wa
ready, rose, and walked towards IT. She there uer.
formed some other ceremonies st6uoing VI, ne on
which the outline Of two feet had been traced ith a
chIseI. In front OF her large stone, which Lad
hccn placed as temporary altar and which small
hre had been lit. These ccrcmOTi,s lasted above five
MINUTES; aud VIXEN they over, she, u her own
dcooid, approached the pile, and mounted 1t itbo,
assistance. From tic beginning TO the cud OF this ty
inG petod, she was, TO all appearance entirely unrpo,-
60 Not the slightest emotion Of any ind was pstccp
hOir. Her dctnrsnor vas calm and placid cunsIi,
Tree tom bury reluctance. There was no tfTori
TO impotence, no Shrinking. 10 look at her ont
"ond have supposed thal .hc engagcd in some in
Oihe;;at oecVPaliIn and although was within lc,,