"No other effectual duty is known for virtuous women, at any time after the death of their lords, except casting themselves into the same fire."

"As long as a woman, in her successive transmigrations, shall decline burning herself, like a faithful wife, on the same fire with her deceased lord, so long shall she be not exempted from springing again to life in the body of some female animal.”

"If the husband be out of the country when he dies, let the virtuous wife take his slippers, or other things of his apparel, and binding them on her breast, after purification, enter a separate fire."

"A woman who may be pregnant, or doubtful whether she be so, or menstruous, cannot ascend the pile”—and the Vishnoo Pooranŭ adds, " or lately brought to bed."

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If the husband die on the third day of the wife's menstrual discharge, and she desire to burn with him, the burning of his corpse shall be delayed one day to accommodate her."

"If the wife be within one day's journey of the place where the husband died, and signify her wish to burn with him, the burning of his corpse shall be delayed till her arrival."

As soon as her husband dies, she is to declare her resolution of burning with his body. Taking in her hand a twig of the mango tree, she proceeds with it to where the body has been carried, and sits down beside it. The edges of her feet are then painted of a red colour. She afterwards bathes, and puts on new clothes. During these preparations, the drum beats a certain sound, by which it is known that a widow is about to burn herself. Numbers from curiosity and devotion resort to the place. The son of the deceased takes charge of preparing the things necessary for the ceremony. If there be no son, the nearest male relation does it, and if no relation, this duty devolves on the chief, or head person of the place. An oblong hole being dug in the ground, beams of green wood

are laid across it, which are covered with faggots, dried hemp, strewed with Ghee,* pitch, and other combustible materials. The chief of the officiating Brahmins goes to the widow, and causes her to repeat certain appropriate parts of worship; in which she prays, that, by the act she is about to perform, her husband, father, mother, and their ancestors, may with her be forgiven their offences. The prayers being ended, she takes off her ornaments, and distributes them to her friends, ties some red cotton yarn round both wrists, puts a new comb in her hair, and paints the marks of her cast on her forehead. While these things are performing, the dead body is anointed with ghee, and having a new dress put on, prayers are chaunted over it. He who has the charge of the ceremony taking some rice in his hands, offers it in sacrifice in the name of the deceased. Ropes being extended over the bed of combustibles, and a sheet of new cloth spread over them, the

* Clarified butter.

dead body is laid on it. The widow then walks seven times round the pile, strewing parched rice and Cowries,* as she goes, which are given to her for the purpose. The rice and Cowries are caught by the bystanders with great avidity as they fall, from the idea that the possession of them will serve to prevent or cure certain diseases. The widow having ascended the pile, and laid herself down by the body of her husband, the sheet is drawn over them, the bodies bound together with the ropes, and faggots laid upon them. The son of the deceased, or principal actor in the ceremony, turning his face from the pile, applies a lighted torch to it opposite to the head of the deceased, and persons placed round the pile, with torches in their hands, then set fire to it on all sides. If local situation admits of it, the ceremony is performed near to some sacred river, in order

* Small sea-shells, used in some parts of India as an inferior money.

to throw into it the bones, or ashes of the deceased.*

Some Hindūs, in different parts of India, bury the dead, and among these it is the duty of the widow in certain tribes, or families, to bury herself with the body of her husband. The religious ceremonies being performed, she descends into the grave with him, and taking the body in her arms, is with it covered with the earth.†

* Accounts of those sacrifices, by persons who were present at them, are to be found in numerous authors: see Bernier, Tavernier, Holwell, Sketches of the Hindūs, Asiatic Annual Register, Ward, &c. &c. The account here given, seems to be the most circumstantial of any which the author at present recollects.

+ Bernier, after speaking of women who burn themselves, says: "Ce sont certainement des choses bien barbares et bien cruelles; mais ce que font les Brahmens dans quelques endroits des Indes est bien autant ou plus. Car, au lieu de brûler ces femmes, qui veulent mourir après la mort de leur mari, il les enterrent peuà-peu toutes vives, jusqu'à la gorge; et puis tout d'un coup se jettent deux ou trois dessus, leur tordent le cou, et les achevent d'étouffer.'

See likewise Voyages de M. Dellon, en 1668, tome i. p. 143, &c. Amsterdam.