Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1852-03-04

The late Capt. Kemp, X. n, Who
in 1876 commanded he Moira, rela-
lated to me q painful instance OF self
inlholatioH Which occurred in bis own
family. A r5ung. Ind ian woman IN
hisseryice lu5t her hu sband, and re-
solved. vitlDut hesith ton, to bury
herself aliy6 with thd body. Both
Captain and Mrs. K. were shocked
to hear of her deter rmination, and
represented I'd her both the dreadful
character of tie crime she was about
to commit, al ID the utter inutility Of
the sacrifice 10 THE departed spirit OF
her husband. But all the arguments
and entreaties 5. which the feeling Of
humanity could suggest we're urged
In vain. She had been taught@to be-
lieve til at, byyoluntarily dying with
her husband, She would expedite his
transitt to some unknown region Of
bliss, aid herself bear him company.
Every attempt to persuade thetin-
fatuated creature to live, appeared
onlv to cause her the more to exult
in her resolution to die. Captain K
continued his humane exertions till
the last. even while the awful cere-
molly was proceeding, but without
the least symptom Of a favourable
imp rFession b eing produced on her
milld. When the pit was. dug, and
the dead 5ddv lowered into it, she
walked round several times, repeating
the formalities which the priests die
tated to her, and scattering about, as
she went along, sweetmeats, rarched
rice, flowers, and other trlfles, for
which the spectators scrambled.--
When these preliminary rites were
finished, she descended ito the
ord We. amid the din Of Barbarous
music and @ealening shouts Of ap-
plause. III wing taken her scat, and
placed the bead Of the corpse IN her
lap, she gave the signal to throw in
the earth. / forget whether she had
a son old elf fough TO take part in the
horria scene, in which case he would
be the printipal actor; but otherwise,
her nearest male relatives, as chief
mounlers, would take the lead, and
throw in tlte~lirst baskets Of eafth.
For some time the grave filed slow
ly as the deed of death was perpetra-
ted with ppalling deliberF Ftion, and.
the relations continued to throw M
garlards, sandal-wood, and other
triAes, with the mould that was
gradually covering the bodies
When it rdse to her breast the We
man raised her left arm, and was seen
to turn round her fore-fnger as long
as it was visible. even after her head
was covered. That, however, was
very short time, as the earth was
thrown in hastily as soon as the head
disd ppeared and her relations jump
ed in to tread it down, and smother
their vretched victim. At the very
TIM e that Captain Kemp was giving
me the affecting account juSt detail
ed. several gentlemen in the service
Of the East India Company were
united together for the purpose of
observation-disclosures information on
The subject with a view7to bnng II
fairly ana fully to the notice Of the
supreme 9 bvernment, and, ifpossibleB
obtain its abolition. In the follow J
ing year, 1871, they sueceened n
reference to the practice OF buryln$
alive, the government issuing OF lerF 5
and instructions for its abolItloh
throughout the company sdcmlnionf.
These orders were carried into imm9- :
diate effect, without creating. amy
alarm or dissat tisfaetion in the natlY e
mind.