Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1855-02-15
ttlisce loneolls RcaOnp.
A SUTTEE,

On THE BURNING OF A WOMAN ON THE FUNERAL
PILE uF aLR HUSBAND. TRANSLATED FOR TUE
sowER BY C. L. LoUs, PRESIDENT OF SOMERSET
COLLEGE.
This is an event which becomes more and
more rare in India. Whenever the influence "f
the English extend, it has been use 10 abolish
this bOrbaroGs custom and although 1t yet
exists in certain localities that are subject to
certain Independent Indian princes,and we had
often read descriptions of it in the colonial jour
nas, vet even those Of us who have lived for a
long time in india had never personally wit.
messed the celebration of a suttee. The fac. is,
the Hindoo always fear an interference on the
part OF the English authorities that always pre-
vent these borrid sacrifices, where they are a
ware of them, and can reach it; and therefore,
the natives carefully conceal the preparations
for it, and keep invoilably the secret Of it, until
it has been accomplished. If ever they allow
the presence of Europeans, it is only in consid
Grafton Of pressing solicitations, or Of considera.
ble offers of money.
The circumstance Of the voyage of the joghi,
was, perhaps the only opportunity of which
every one of us, even the ladies, were eager to
make use. The only difficulty was She fear of
exciting the su' picions or prejHdces of two In
dians. fortunately we discovered that they
were both tornlented with fear of not being able
to arrive in time to attend the celebration of
the suttee for which the following day had
been fixed. We agreed. Immediately, to pa:
.wo pdarquins at their disposal, on condition
tina, vt shoald be allowed 10 accompany them,
and be invited To witness the ce,tmon'es Bv
force Of oar urgeLcy, the off was finally &c
ceped and ON the same evening, leaving our
encampment, we crossed the country for Sas
soura. where We arrived on the morning of the
appointed day,
The joghi at once sent information to the de.
voted widow OF his arrival, aud oi our desire to
see her in order TO convince ourselves that in
preparing for the sacrifice, she was the victim
neither OF violence nor intimidation In de-
manding however. of her who was his niece,
an immediate interview for himself he LEFT her
Tree to grant OF refuse our request The mes
senger returned at the end OF an hour, and
brought the answer, that the young widow was
ready to receive US, and had invited us to ac.
company her uncle We at once started, ming
ling with the procession. tina: was headed by
the joghi, and his son, as her nearest relatives,
and pall-b After them came the crowd
of men, Europeans and narves, on foot, wear
ing wreaths of flowers on their shoulders, and
chaplets in their hands and finally an i'm
mense concourse Of women
In haitian hour we came to meadow on the
banks OF stream, We saw here kind of
KIOSK, or pavilion, constructed of pieces os
wood. very dry and thin, like surgeons spnts,
attached to each other with some of the 6a
ments from the shells of the cocoa. The sides
which we're made Of boards Of the sandal.tree
were COT cred on the inside aud outside with
dry straw. On the green sward before the
door. a woman was seated on the ground
talking with Eve or six persons, of whom two
were Brahmins, and the other women OF the
same caste. 1t was not difficult to recognize
in the 6rst named, the person who was to be