The weekly Butte record., 1862-09-27
Burning Widows in India.

husbands, called suffice, has been abolished BY
an order of the government; aud, | can truly
say, no intelligence was ever more grateful to
me than the news Of SO praiseworthy an act on
the part of Lord William Bentinck, who has
gained more laurels by this order than any OF
his predecessors have done by their splendid
victories or advantageous political treaties
Never shall forget the awful shrieks of ex-
piring widows, which, in many instances, have
met my ear. Sometimes l have beheld the
poor aged matron, unable TO ascend the pile,
thrown upon il by the hard-bearted Brahmns,
with as little remorse as they would have felt
if they had been throwing up log of wood,
aud with the same roughness, too-whist at
other times, have beheld the youthful victims
of superstition and Brahminical cupidity eager
ly and fearlessly ascend the funeral pile OF her
deceased husband, and embrace the putrid re-
mains, quietly submitting to be bound with
fax, and to have load of dry wood placed
over her, till at length the fatal torch being
applied By the next of kin, the swiftly spread
ing flames have dispelled her dreams OF fancied
bliss. The last suttee witnessed was attend
ed by the most distressing circumstances the
widow was young, and the mother of three
children, two boys and one girl.
1t was about seven O'Clock in the morning
of one of the hottest days in July. that heard
of the death of man, and of the determina-
tion of the widow to become q suttee.
Immediately went to the house but was refused
admittance. | returned home. but went again
in short time, and then found the body OF the
and the widow sitting by it, she had taken the
cloth from her own shoulders and spread it
over the face of her husband, so that she was
naked from the waist upwards. In her hand
she held branch Of a sacred tree, with which
she brushed off the flies from the dead body
beside her. l Immediately reasoned with her
on the sin and folly of her proposed selfde-
struction, pointing out the sinful nature of the
crime, and in forsaking the duties incumbent
on q mother, as well as the excruciating pains
she must endure if she persisted in mounting
the funeral pile.
To all entreaties 10 desst from her purpose,
she constantly answered, am suttee,
holy woman When | asked her what she
hoped TO obtain by this selfdestruction, she
said, Two millions of years of happy lives Tor
transmigrations) for myself and husband too"
This declaration was eagerly caught at by the
host of Brahmins around, who. with clamorous
tongues, assured her this would be the case, at
the same time advising her TO answer none of
my questions. This advice for some the strict
ly adhered to and when | spoke to her, in
stead Of answering she would frantically shout.
." Hurrubholl. Hurrubholl ~ However, after
reasoning with the Brahmins. and patiently
and persevingly putting questions to her, she
at length returned answers to them; and |
found that her mind was most fully bent on
undergoing the fiery ordeal. She was the most
interesting native female, in appearance, that
| ever saw, and evinced a courage all through
the awful scene that seldom remember to have
seen equalled. In consequence Of the Judge
humanely desiring to prevent her burning, the
days during the whole of which time she was
obliged to remain without food. except few
grains of dried rice, presented by the officiating
Brahmin neither could she leave the dead
body of her husband, which, long before the
ceremony of burning took place, was so putrid
that the Brahmins, who delighted in the cruel
work. were obliged 10 keep at good distance
from it, yet the poor woman sat beside the
corpse, tanning away the flies the whole time,
now ard then addressing some endearing words
to it A great deal of impatience was mani
Tested on the second day by all parties for the
arrival of the perwhanna and the brother of
the deceased set out for Allipore, distance of
four miles, to expedite the business Through
the haste and anxiety of this messenger he
brought away the order without the signature
Of the Judge What was now TO be done,
puzzled them ALL The relatives wished TO burn
the bodies, but this the Daroga forbid. 1t
was too late now to wait on the judge that
day, as the offices were closed Some advised
that the dead body should be burned, and the
woman on the same spot next day but the
relatives said that if the body was once burnt
the womans resolves might fail, so that it was
determined to postpone it until the morrow.
Thinking, under the distressing circumstan-
ces in which she was now placed, another effort
might succeed, called her two little boys,
who were sitting at distance, to me, and
taking one in each hand, went up to her, say
ing, Can you, then thus leave your children
without protector? Have you no maternal
feelings left Can you forsake the children to
whom you have given birth Remember how
YOU have nursed and cherished them, and do
not act so cruel. so unnatural part towards
them" Leapng upon her feet, and lifting her
hands TO heaven, she exclaimed They are