widow is stretched on the pile with the dead body of her husband, and will be in eternity in a very few moments. I will mention a few instances of the burning of widows, that you especially, my dear little girls, may be thankful that you were not born in this dark land. The first to which I would call your attention took place in the village of Tanjore.

A merchant having died, his wife, who was about thirty years old, determined to burn herself with his corpse. The news of what she was going to do spread rapidly in every direction, and large numbers of people collected to witness the burning. After she was adorned with jewels and dressed in her best clothing, and after her body was tinged with the yellow infusion of sandal-wood and saffron, bearers arrived to bear away the corpse, with the wretched woman. The body of the man was placed on a car, ornamented with costly stuffs, flowers, etc. There he was seated like a living man, elegantly decorated with all his jewels, and clothed in rich attire.

The corpse being carried first, the wife followed in a rich palanquin. As she went along, the surrounding multitudes of people stretched

out their hands towards her, to show how much they admired her conduct. The women in particular went up to her, apparently desiring to receive her blessing, or, at least, that she would pronounce over them some pleasing word. She tried to satisfy them all, saying to one that she would long continue to enjoy her worldly happiness, and to another that she would be the mother of many beautiful children. Another was informed that she would arrive at great honor in the world. These and similar expressions she made to all who came near her, and they departed with the full belief that they would enjoy all the blessings of which she had spoken. She also distributed among them some betel leaves, which they gladly received as relics, or something of blessed influence.

During the whole procession, which was very long, her countenance was serene and even cheerful, until they came to the pile on which she was to die. Then she suddenly became pensive. She no longer attended to what was passing around her. Her looks were wildly fixed upon the pile; her face grew pale, she trembled with fear, and seemed ready to faint away.

The Brahmins who took the lead in this ceremony, with her relatives, seeing her sad condition, ran to her and endeavored to restore her spirits; but she seemed not to know what they said, and answered not a word.

They made her quit the palanquin, and her nearest relatives took her to a pond of water, which was near the pile, where they washed ⚫ her. They then attended her to the pile, on which the corpse of her husband had already been laid. It was surrounded with Brahmins, each with a lighted torch in one hand and a bowl of melted butter in the other, all ready, as soon as the poor victim was placed on the pile, to envelope her in fire.

The relatives, armed with muskets, sabres, and other weapons, stood closely around in a double line, for the purpose, it was said, of making her afraid if she might wish to draw back, or of frightening any body who might pity her and endeavor to rescue her.

At length, the time for firing the pile being proclaimed, the young widow was stripped of her jewels, and led on towards the pile. She was then commanded to walk three times around it, two of her nearest relatives supporting her