Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-06-18
For the Oxford Democrat.
AmOnD the HindOOs.

One hot day. after II long. tedious ride
through tho close, filthy streets Of u great
cit, in India, the carriage we had hired to
take us 10 places of interest in and around
tho city. stopped before II massive brick
wall-a Hindoo Burning Ghaut. We were
conducted up dark, narrow avenue,
whore the sun never smiled, and the ut
mosrhere was lrcighted with ietid and
loathsome odors, proceeding from the
burning of decomposed human flesh, and
The various acids used about The funeral
pile. On either side wero whining, i'm
ploring heggars olamorous for our attsn-
tenllon and acceptance Of their services
as an escort To the enclosure. We select.
ed our greatest prosecutor, and soon found
ourselves in quiet field among n crowd
OF heather, both the living and the dead,
Tor this WAS their great burning ground,
and Se had come just in time TO witness
their cers monal rites and the funeral pile
There were many piles of iaggots made
ready lor tho torch, and upon one which
was burning at full flame. was body but
little consumed; The upper part seemed
the least affected. while from tho under,
which looked black and charred, the fat
dropped down upon The iaggots beneath.
There were several piles Of ashes here
and there. and n number oil bodies in pre-
paralion Tor burning. Water, oil and
acids ale used about them 10 cancel guilt.
aud wipe away the stnins OF lransgress.
ion, and fragments of songs ale sung, or
rather. repeated in a wild, bowling man
ner. u. professional party marched
around the blazing pile which Graded
The form of near relative. Mothers
asonized over their children, and wives
knell in the scorching heat, supplicating
lnnumerablc Gods TO receive the departed
spirit 10 somo blest abode, Alter the
bones are entirely consumed. the ashes
are taken TO The river Ganges. and with
much ceremony and gesture thrown TO
the river Gods for safe keeping. We
know it 10 be fact that in cases of ty-
phoid and other fevers. when the patient
becomes deliriouB, he is taken TO tho mys.
tic edge, his mouth and ears filled with
clay, and then lett TO he borne away on
tho rising tide.
Civilization is sast removing fatalism-
clearing away the mist from the eyes OF
this 'ieluded people, and rs in days gone
rs the mother does not throw her precious
babe under The wheels Of the ponderous
car OF Jugselnaul or to the river saurans
to be destroyed. Nol many years ago.
the widow sacrificed herself on the iuner.
al pile Of her deceased partner, but the
British Government, by dint Of persever'
ance and pleasant influence. have dissuad
ed her from pelpetrating this inhuman
crime and taught her to see the fallacy
and wickedness OF such step. We felt
our alOneness In the mids. of this heathen
lhrong, and a cold sensation OF horror
crept through our soul. We looked again
at the burning corpse; at the deluded. SUI
perstitious people about us. then up at
"a hot, copper sky" and blessed God for
the clear, bright skies, the congenial at
mosphere, the cool, green.covered land
and the glorious light OF education, liber.
ty and religion of our own transatlantic
home. But Tor them day of brightness
is dawning.-when that joyful era shall be
ii;ally ushsred in it will reveal to them a
Divinity not of gilded wood or. chiselled
stone. NJ. Z. F.