The Nevada journal. [volume] (Nevada City, Calif.) 1851-18??, 1857-07-17


ecrable custom of burning the wives and
widows of the dead has endured for ages
among all the natives of India, and is
very common among the Sikhs. The
description given of this custom by the
learned Diodorus, the famous historian
of Sicily, is the very thing as it exists at
this day. The English have always in
terfered to prevent this horrid and inhu-
man sacrifice, as we'll as the crushing of
the devotees underline wheels of the sa-
cred car of Juggernaut, and as far as
control is possible, they have put stop
to the Suffice for the last quarter of a
century, wherever they had authority
to exercise. Even the relations them
selves, now often endeayor to prevent
the burning of the widows and in fam
lilies of high rank, the prince of the coun-
try in person undertakes to offer conso-
lation and while he is endeavoring to
dissuade the widow from her purpose,
the corpse is hastily carried away and
consumed.
In Bengal it was customary to bind
the dead and the living together with
ropes to stake, ard 70 pile up bamboo
canes so high around hem, that escape
was impossible The widow was led by
a string to a pile, accompaniment solemn
procession by the nearest relatives of
her late husband, v 18th a band of music,
and attended by young women and rel
atiyes, her male descendants going be-
fore. In Orissa, the pile is made in a
pit, into which the wife throws herself
as soon as the flames arise F.; and in the
Deccan, the woman sits upon the pile,
with the head of her husband in her lap,
till she is either su6ocated, or crushed
by the heavy wooden covering which is
placed over it.
When woman intends to burn her
self with her husband, her grief assumes
a sublime character she sheds no tear,
she makes no lamcntation, she lays aside
her veil, and no longer conceals her face
from the eyes of men the thought Of
entering with her beloved husband with
whom her life has been passed, into the
blissful state beyond the grave-nay, by
this expiatory sacrifice, to have facilita-
ted and prepared the way for him. gives
her the incredible energy to dedicate
herself to such martyrdom. Women
have been seen to pray and wiring their
hands in the flames others, overcome
by their sufferings, have rushed wildly
out of the fire, but were Immediately
driven back by those around them. An
Euglishman, who was witness of a scene
-,,o L 90 1,-o bcva docor;loJ tooI- +Lo ma ~
of the unhappy woman, and stopped the
awful sacrifice but what was his sur
prise, when on the following day she
overwhelmed him with the most viru-
lent reproaches, saying that he robbed
her Of her eternal salvation, and that for
the rest-the deplorable remainder-of
her life, she must be an outcast and
wanderer upon the earth, neglected and
despised by all her friends, relations,
and fellow ountrywomen.
But Of all the accounts of the Suffice
that haveyet appeared, there is none so
extraordinary, so striking, SO full of
mournful interest, which touches TIE
heart whilst you condemn the sentiment
and its occasion, as the burning the elev
en- women, who were sacrificed Oh the
pile of Runjeet Sing. -Four Of these wo-
men were his wives and seven were his
female slaves or mistresses. 1t must
have been an impressive sight when
those interestingmourners, some ofwhom
were in their early girlhood and almost
children, went slowly along from the
gate of his palace amid the sound of mu-
sic, and the thunder of artillery. The
whole city Of Lahore was present-men,
women and children. The body was
placed in sitting position, between high
piles of wood ; and as soon as the flames
were at the strongest, the unhappy vic
tins prepared for death.
Two Of these were only sixteen, and
eminently beautiful iadeed they leaked
haPDy ia 6cing able far tile first time to
&soac tier charms to the multitude they
took off their precious jewels, gave them
to their relatives aud friends, asked for
looking glass, and with slow. meas
ured step walked towards the Pile, some
times gazing at the glass in their hand
then at the assembly, and anxiously ask
ing if any change were Observable in
thelrcountenance. IHcyeRteredhe!g 1olc-
ing furnace, and IN an instant acere caught
By tie flames, and s46ocated by tie heat
and smohe.
CRUELTY PUNIsHED-AtA bo, in Fin
land, dog that had been run over by