DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.644#0325
3©2 GANGETIC HINDOOSTAN.
an uncommon viclim among fome mongrel Hindoos. Mr.
Hodges faw the head of one cut off and flung lipon the altar,
at a grand facrifice performed by the wild mountaineers, in a
diftricT: not far from fort Bidjegur in Bahar *. I have another
inftance among the wild inhabitants of the Garrow hüls, in the
north-eaft of Bengal. There the hen, as well as the cock, is
facrificed. Among thofe people it makes part of the nuptial
ceremonyt.
The agreeable Bernier, iv. 119, gives an inftance of perfe-
verance of a fair widow, whom no perfuafions could move from
this horrid adt of felf devotion. The account is fo well told,
and the ceremonies fo minutely related, that I cannot forbear
giving it in the words of the ingenions writer : " When I was
" pafling from Amadevad toAgra, over the lands of the Rajabs
" that are in thofe parts, there came news to us in a burrough
" where the Caravane refted under the fliade (ftaying for the
" cool of the evening to march on in their journey), that a
u certain woman was then upon the point of burning herfelf
" with the body of her hufband. I prefently rofe, and ran to
" the place where it was to be done, which was a great pit,
" with a pile of wood raifed in it, whereon I faw laid a dead
" corpfe, and a woman, which ata diftance feemed to me pretty
" fair, fitting near it on the fame pile, befides four or five Brab-
w 7711ns putting the fire to it from all fides; five women of a
" middle age, and well enöugh drefTed, holding one another by
* the hand, and dancing about the pit, and a great crowd of
* fiodges's Travels, p. 91. f Afiatic Refearches, i. p, 27.
" people,
an uncommon viclim among fome mongrel Hindoos. Mr.
Hodges faw the head of one cut off and flung lipon the altar,
at a grand facrifice performed by the wild mountaineers, in a
diftricT: not far from fort Bidjegur in Bahar *. I have another
inftance among the wild inhabitants of the Garrow hüls, in the
north-eaft of Bengal. There the hen, as well as the cock, is
facrificed. Among thofe people it makes part of the nuptial
ceremonyt.
The agreeable Bernier, iv. 119, gives an inftance of perfe-
verance of a fair widow, whom no perfuafions could move from
this horrid adt of felf devotion. The account is fo well told,
and the ceremonies fo minutely related, that I cannot forbear
giving it in the words of the ingenions writer : " When I was
" pafling from Amadevad toAgra, over the lands of the Rajabs
" that are in thofe parts, there came news to us in a burrough
" where the Caravane refted under the fliade (ftaying for the
" cool of the evening to march on in their journey), that a
u certain woman was then upon the point of burning herfelf
" with the body of her hufband. I prefently rofe, and ran to
" the place where it was to be done, which was a great pit,
" with a pile of wood raifed in it, whereon I faw laid a dead
" corpfe, and a woman, which ata diftance feemed to me pretty
" fair, fitting near it on the fame pile, befides four or five Brab-
w 7711ns putting the fire to it from all fides; five women of a
" middle age, and well enöugh drefTed, holding one another by
* the hand, and dancing about the pit, and a great crowd of
* fiodges's Travels, p. 91. f Afiatic Refearches, i. p, 27.
" people,