curred, sometimes beyond the means of the parties. In large cities it is said that from 10,000l. to 20,000l. sterling will be squandered upon the feastings, illuminations, dancing, processions of elephants, &c. inseparable from a Hindoo wedding in high life.

The custom of burning the dead has obtained in India from time immemorial.

Before burning the body, great care is taken to have it well washed, perfumed, and arrayed with flowers and clean cloths. In some parts

of India music accompanies the funeral procession to the pyre; but elsewhere the only sounds which disturb the stillness of the scene are the sorrowing exclamations of the soldiers and attendants, and the screams of the many kites and other birds of prey, hovering about.

Of the first institution of Suttee nothing certain is known; though it is undoubtedly of high antiquity, being alluded to by Diodorus Siculus, who wrote before the Christian era, and it appears to have been in practice for a long period previously.

The belief that the widow is subject to any degradation should she survive her husband's death cannot be correct, seeing that it is by no means an uncommon occurrence for the relatives and friends of the family to endeavour, by all the means in their power, to dissuade the woman from the contemplated act: it is notorious that this is not only attempted, but often successfully; and amongst other expedients employed, is so to occupy the time and attention of the widow, that the body of her deceased husband may be removed and burned before she is aware of the fact.5

The ceremony of Suttee varies with the local customs of different parts of India; though not perhaps in any essential particulars. In Bengal the widow prepares for the act with many ceremonies, and invariably bathes before mounting the pyre, if possible in the sacred waters of the Ganges. Before firing the funeral altar, the dead and the living are bound together to the pile, so as to preclude the possibility of the latter effecting an escape. In the south of India the women would appear to need no such precautions. A widow will there coolly seat herself on the pyre, and placing the head of the departed husband in her lap, awaits with Roman firmness the moment when the flames of the burning mass shall envelope her in their embraces. In other parts of India the Suttee leaps into the burning mass from an eminence, or the funeral pyre may be below the surface of the ground.

Sometimes the courage of the woman will fail her at the critical time, and she will make a desperate attempt to escape from the cruel death which awaits her; but in this case the attendants invariably thrust her back into the flames. An instance of this kind is on record wherein an English gentleman being present, succeeded in rescuing the widow from the flames, much against the wishes of those present. His conduct was, however, but ill requited by the woman whose life he had thus saved; for on the following day he was not a little surprised at being upbraided by her for having thus shut her out from the companionship of her husband in Paradise."

This practice is far more frequent within the limits of Hindostan Proper than in any other part of India. Indeed, in the western districts it is but seldom that it occurs; whilst south of the Deccan it is almost unknown.

Elphinstone, vol. i. p. 359.

6

Ibid. vol. i. p. 361.

Amongst other customs prevalent in India, is one, which if it be not universal throughout that vast country, at any rate prevails to an extent which seems scarcely credible, and which was for a long period disbelieved, such is its revolting character.

There are certain Rajpoot tribes of the western and central provinces of British India, who have, almost from time immemorial, sacrificed the lives of a great portion of their female children as soon as born. In a part of the province of Benares, in Kach, and in the neighbouring district of Kalliawar, is to be found this degrading custom in its full vigour. In Kach and Kalliawar alone it is computed, on the lowest calculation, that 2000 female infants are thus annually put to death; whilst in the province of Benares as many more are yearly sacrificed.

The existence of this shocking custom is proved in other localities; though perhaps not to such a great extent as amongst the Rajpoots. The Sikhs of Bhopal, the Minas of Gahazpoor and Toukra, the inhabitants of Rewar and Jholawar, and the Chouans of Marwar, are all known to practise this method of ridding themselves of their daughters.

Not the least revolting feature of the custom is, that most of these infants die by the hands of their mothers shortly after their birth; and that none are preserved but such as the father requests may be saved.

This child-murder appears to have had its origin in the difficulty which the heads of families meet with in disposing of their daughters in marriage. By them it is considered incestuous to intermarry with members of the same tribe; their daughters must seek husbands among the tribes at a distance; and as this is often not practicable, and moreover as the poverty of many of the Rajpoots prevents them from providing for the marriage expenses, which custom renders absolutely necessary, they dread the disgrace which inevitably follows the single life of females in India; and with the view of averting this, resort to the barbarous practice of sacrificing their offspring.

The servants of the East India Company were no sooner made aware of the great prevalence of this crime within their own districts and those of friendly states, than they used every effort in their power to put an end to the enormity. So long since as 1819 the attempt was made by attaching heavy penalties to the perpetrators of the crime within the British territory; and in the case of friendly states, their chiefs were bound by treaties to do their utmost to put a stop to the practice. More than thirty years have elapsed since these praise