The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-06-24
HOOk-SNingiRg in India.

Rev. Mr Noyes, a missionary of the
American Board, stationed at Kambarn,
in Southern India, writes that the bar
barious practice OF hook swinging has
been revived in that section of India, and
he describes an occasion Of this sort W hich
he witnessed last summer. 1t is surpris-
ing that the British Government, which
once Forbade this inhumun rite, should
allow the priests to again inilict it upon
the people We copy his account as
given in the Missionary Herald:
Recently, while laboring in he itineracy,
| witnessed the 'hook-swine ing festival. y
At the beginning OF this festival the priest
Of the pagoda sends the sacred ashes and
other things to person whom he selects
as a victim to be suspended. On the
reception of these gifts tile nun COM
mences "a fast, denying hAnself all bodily
indulgences. On the day fixed for the
celebration of the feast he enters the
temple with pomp and ceremony. and
appears before the idol. L he priest per
forms a ceremony over him, uttering
munthrams Of heather forms of prayer,
and he pretend5 to be under tire influence
of devices, and acts ike a mad man.
" hie In this state some person standing
by gives him a severe blow on the back,
which produces a swelling. The muscie
is here pierced in two places, and open
ings are made sufficient fer the insertion
of the iron hooks, which, ere Immediately
introduced. and then pressure Is applied
on every side of the wound to prevent the
issue Of blood, greatly increasing the
man S sufferngs. The fact that no blood
flows is regarded by the peopleas mirac-
ulous interposiCn. After these prelimi-
naries the man is taken to the machine
upon which he is about to be suspended
and swung about This consists of four
wheeled platform car, in the centre of
which Is an upright post, twenty or thirty
feet high, and upon the top oft trans
verse beam, forty feet long, fitted to work
like we'll sweep, and also to be swung
around in a circle. Upon one end of this
beam the hook already inserted in the
mans back are fastened by strong ropes
Long ropes are also attiched to the other
end by means of which several men man
age Its motions.
The victim is first Swung around in
circle and then raised high in the air,
while the multitudes below ill the air
with their shouting. In going up he
favors himself by catching hold of the
rope with his hands, hut pretty soon lets
go, and is suspended BY the hooks, being
bent almost double, his head and feet
hanging, and the muscles of his back
being pulled up to the utmost tension
While he is hanging in this position, the
car is drawn by hundreds Of men over the
rough ground, around the temple, the
man being shaken aud tossed from side
to side by the motion Of the car 1t was
a full hour by my watch, that saw the
man thus suspended. His countenance
was picture of distress, and when taken
down he seemed much exhausted.
He is next presented to the people to
receive thei. offerings, and receives large
presents of money and lands-properiy
such as he could not have accumulated
by the labor of years. He is now taken
to his house, the hooks are removed, and
his wounds are treated by the application
OF small cakes OF mud. made SO hot
as to burn the skin. Three of the
plastcrs are placed on each wound al d
kept there for seven days, when they are
taken off and oGher medicines are applied.
This is severe treatment, but the wounds
- said to be effectually healed by it N
twenty days if the man survives it. en-
the first day he suffers but little, becaus
he is made insensible by Intoxicating
u,
several succeeding days, his sutfetiags
are so great that he will often attept to
commit suicide.
The Chicago and Northwestern Rail
way Company to-day commence the sale
of through tickets from this city to Sacra-
mento and San Francisco, an amicable
arrangement of the difficulties anG mis-
understandings between the Union Pacific
and the Central Pacific roads having been
! made. by which they will hereafter CO.
operate tremendously. The freight and
| passage rates have been materially reduced
| Passenger tickets are now sold at
! the Office of the Chicago and Northwest
/ ern Railroad Company, in this city. to
Council Bluffs for $3.50; to Omaha,
$50; to Sacramento or San Francisco,
$l5S. 35, in currency; and to intermediate
l nOlntS in the same ratio - CIs.oura