Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser

FROM CALCUTTA PAPERS.
Received at Salem.
Calcutta, Dec. 16.
SUTTEE AT SULKEAH.

Suttees, so often and so justly deprecated by every Christian spectator as disgraceful to India, are still unfortunately of no uncommon occurrence.
A rite of this kind, which took place at Sulkeah last Thursday, in the person of a young Hindoo female, immolated on the same pile with her deceased husband, need only to have been witnessed, not merely to arouse heart-rending sympathies, but most unequivocally to exemplify a case of the cruellest murder. I was informed that the deceased had fallen a victim to cholera some time during the preceding night, and his infatuated widow, determining to become a Suttee, the corpse had been brought some miles from the interior, to mix in ashes with its living partner, by the river's side. Their first care on arrival, about nine o'clock in the morning, was to take measures to procure legal authority for this pious sacrifice and as some delay occurred in consequence an opportunity was offered to several European Gentlemen who were attracted to the spot, to endeavor, if possible, to prevail on her to relinquish her rash design; but her mind appeared already so fortified with religious bigotry, so bewildered and occupied with the phantoms of a terrified and disordered imagination, that no persuasion could prevail, because none, however forcible, could be understood. The jarring emotions of her soul had created such a degree of frenzy or madness that she already seemed to belong to another world. Yet when a gentleman present observed to her that, in giving her life to be destroyed, she was not only acting contrary to the will of God, but also doing an injury to society, by leaving her child unprotected, she evinced the most poignant anguish that can possibly be conceived. With a look of wild and pitiable distraction she said, 'speak not of my child—Why do you wound my bosom with the idea?' Then relapsing into superstitious ravings, she added. 'But that child no longer belongs to me—I am not its mother, or wherefore did I suffer death four times before at this age; shall I not complete my immortality; and I know that I am doomed to cremation twice again after regeneration'—so powerful is bigotry over the noblest affections of nature!
Amidst this scene of sorrow and misery, it may not be amiss to glance for a moment at the behavior of the surrounding mob.—Here nothing but merriment, laughter, noise and obscenity abounded in all directions.—Not a man or woman amongst them seemed to have heart to pity, or understanding to judge. One sally of wit set the whole audience a laughing for half an hour, and gave occasion to many more good jokes. 'Come on,' cried a wag, 'ye women of Sulkeah, as many as are fond of fire and husbands, now is your time to hug and burn'—another, on the importunity of the unfortunate wretch who was the subject of their merriment, to be put out of misery as quickly as possible, tauntingly replied, 'Don't be so impatient, my dear, you will be among the faggots soon enough.' Indeed, so far from any religious solemnity being attached to the occasion, no levity, confusion and indecency could have been greater than were exhibited in the conduct of both Hindoo and Mussulmen spectators.
At length, about 6 o'clock, it was announced that the sanction of the magistrate had arrived. The writer of this article now again approached the devotee, and endeavored, by exciting a love of life, to induce her to renounce her intention. He told her, that if she had any fear of future poverty or distress, 'all the gentlemen present pledged themselves to provide comfortably for her, and that they would immediately give her 100 Rs.' I had noticed with some hope the gradual decay of her resolution as time elapsed, and I was sanguine in believing, she might be recovered. Still, to the very edge of the pile, she was deaf to all entreaty. Her last words, however, betrayed much secret vacillation. She said, 'How can I go back?' The expression, with the look and action which accompanied it, immediately struck me as importing, 'how can I suffer the shame and reproach of such impiety.'
The usual Toojah being now performed, she was hurried to her doom; and employing the remaining moments of life in blessing her family, and tenderly recommending her child to the care of her mother-in-law, she stepped upon the pile. A scene ensued which I shall never recollect but with horror and indignation. The devotee's father-in-law, who throughout the occasion had showed the most execrable anxiety to close the business, now came forward with a thick rope to tie her down, so that if any attempt was made to escape, it should prove unavailable; but by the interference of [blank], he was frustrated in this design. Determined, however, not to be disappointed, if possible, he next produced two long bamboo poles, and would have fastened these across the pile, but being again prevented, he had recourse to a more infallible expedient, to which it was not in our province to make any objection. He heaped such an unusual weight of heavy logs of wood and faggots on the bodies, as effectually rendered the living as incapable as the dead from ever rising beneath their pressure. In this stage of the ceremony some of the mob cried out 'koon koon, set fire to the pile, light the pile.' This being done, I only remained to witness a catastrophe that in fictitious tragedy would have been performed behind the curtain. As soon as the action of the fire caught her body, the strugglings of this unhappy victim in the excruciating agonies of death, amidst the devouring element, would have melted a heart formed of adamant.
Who, within the pale of Christianity, could view this scene, without sighing for the depravity of human nature—who leave it, without lamenting that practices so abominable should be tolerated.
[Hurkaru.