Meer Hassan Ali, B.: Observations on the Mussulmauns of India: descriptive of their manners, customs, habits, and religious opinions ; made during a twelve years residence in their immediate Society (Band 2) (London, 1832)

356 A SUSPECTED WITCH.

Willing- as my friend was to get the poor
woman released from the hands of the accusing-
party, and finding reason or argument of no
avail in turning them from their purpose to
detain her, the terms were acceded to on the
one part, provided the woman herself was wil-
ling to comply, to which, when she was asked,
she replied, "I am not the wretched creature
my accuser imagines, and therefore can have
no objection, on condition that I may be al-
lowed afterwards to return to my home in
peace."

The poor old head was now in danger of
being plucked of its white hairs by the sur-
rounding crowd, whose extravagant desire to
possess the, to them, invaluable specific against
witchcraft—for they still believed she was ac-
tually a witch—led them to overlook humanity
and feeling ; but the peacemaker's voice was
again heard, commanding the crowd to desist,
and they should all be gratified, when the scis-
sors he had sent a servant to fetch, might
enable them to possess the prize without in-
flicting pain on the poor persecuted woman.