Litchfield enquirer., 1832-10-25

ip s0Qthe their ferIinfs1 md aasure them that
 the survivors are in petty good spirits, al.
 Ghadgh they shsd tb put in requisition the
 last efEort of expiring hope to sustain them
 selves until they were diseUvered.s Mr. EEUiS'
 comb wssso much exhausted that he decIar-
 ed it impossible for him to hold on one miO-
 ute lOnger even when he boat t0 relieve them
 was close by; but being encouraged and as-
 sisted by his companions, he was kept from
 going down until the boat argived and t0Ok
 him in SD latigued as to be apparently lilelcss.
 You may expect tn: particulars as spOn as it
 is ascertained whether the vessel is taised or
 not, but you need not expect tO, gst aDsade-
 quate idea of the sufFrrings oftll survivors.
 for language is withopt words to express it."
 5. aAs sa4.a saltsa-7 7---- dsala, g; .assss5s "A ,isss sAcRlFIcE or A HJNDOO MORAN. 9s
 The following account Of the sacrifice of Hnloo
 of letter from young lady in Cacu,ta to her friends
 in this country. The writer is native of Pislsisld
 Massachusetts, where her parents now reside.
 u !s,t.,s4. sg5t! CALCUTTA, June 18.
 {. open my letter. my dearest friends, tO tell you have witnessed one of tine most ex-
 traordinary and horrid sceres ever performed
 ny human beings; namely ths self -immola-
 tiOD Of woman on the funeral pile of her
 husband. The dreadful sacrifice has made
 an impression on my mind, that years will
 not efface. thank my God that l was born
 in Christian land, and instructed tn the
 Christian religion. s ai4 x sso z sssn.. Yesterday morning. at seven o'clock, this
 woman was brought in palanguin. to the place of sacrifice. It is on the banks ,Of she
 Ganges. only two miles from Calcutta Her
 husband had been previously brought to the
 river to expire. His disorder was hydrOph0- kS ,Sptr 0f
 casi0ned him.y He had now been dead iwen- ty-four hours, and no persais could prevail on the wife to save herself She had three chil- dren whom she committed to the care of her mother. woman, called to be undertaken, was preparing the pile. It was composed of bamboo. frewood, oils, resin. and a kind of flax, altogether very .combilsiible. Ii was el- eyated above the ground, should say twen- " inches. and supported by strong stakes.-- The dead body was lying on rude couch. very near, covered with white cloth. The oldest child. boy ofseven years. who was to light the pile, was standing near the corpse. The woman sat perfectly annoyed during all the preparation; apparently at prayer, and counting string of beads. which she held in her hand. She was just thirty years old {; her husband twenty seven years older.
 sis" The government threw every obstacle iD inc way of this procedure. They were not strong enough to resort to violent measures tO prevent this abominable custom. NOthing but our religion can abolish it. and do not believe there is single particle of cAristiani. ty in the breast of single nativein all India.
 3.. These obstacles delayed the. ceremony until five O'clack, when the permit from me Df the chief judges arrived. Police officers were stationed tn prevent any thing like com
 n (. NA.sa Ak~.. last moment. should she desire it.. The corpse was now placed on the ground. in an upright posture. and clean linen crossed round lie head, and about tbe waist. Holy water vas thrown over it by the child, and after wards oil by the Bramins. It,was then plac- d upon the pile, upon the left side. The wo- nan now left the palanquin, walked Into the 'iyer. supported by her brothers, who were lgitated, and required more support than her elf. She was diSested Ofall her Orna ments: 1er hair hanging disheyelleei about her face, which expressed perfect resiguation. Her forehead and feet were stained with a deep .ed. She bathed in the river, and drank it.le water, which was the only nourishment| 'he received after her husbands death. An ,ath was administered by the attending Bra nins, which is done by putting the hand tn loly water, and repeating from the Shaster a ew lines. The oath was given seven times. forgot to say the child received an oath be- ore the corpse was removed. The brothers .lso prayed over the body, and sprinkied
 themselves with cOnsecrafed water. She
 hen adjusted her own dress, which consisted pf long clothes wrapped round her form. and partly over her head. but not so as tO cOncral her face. She had in her hand little box, parting gifts, which she presented to her brothers, and to the Bramins. with the greatest compOsure. Red strings were then fastened round her wrists. Her child now put little rice in her mouth. which was the last thing she received. She raised her eyes to heaven several times, during the river cere- monies. which occupied ten or twelve min ntes. She took no notice Of her child hav-. ing taken leave of her female friends and chil- dren early in the morning. A little cup of rice was placed by the child at the head of the corpse. She now walked to the pile, and bent with lowly reverence over the feet of her husband, theuss unaided, she passed three times around the pile. She now seemed excited by enthusiasm; some said of a religious nature, others, of affection for the dead. do not pretend t0 say what motive actuated her but shs stepped up the pile with apparent delight. unassisted by any one. and threw herself by the side of the body. clasping his neck with her arm. The corpse was in the most horrid putrid state. She put her face close tn his; cord was slightly pass uh nvar f,.sah i;vhf favVnfe Nn1s sfra sv win