Burning Of Forty-seven Women

At the Funeral of an Indian Prince, thus describes in an extract of a letter from Tranquebas in the East Indies, written by a Danish Missionary. They dug without the walls of the'city, wherethat Prince who died at the age of eighty, made his residence, a large pit, which they filled wilh wood, ranged and piled up as for a bonfire. The corpse of the deceased, riehly habited and adorned, was brought forlh in great pomp, and laid on the pile ; afier which the Bramius (heathen priesls,) kindled the fiïe, with an abunance of superstitious ceremonies. Tlie wives and concubines of the deceased, who, according to the law of custorn of the country, oughl die with him, appeared tbere at the same lime, and walked 3everal times around the funeral pile. They were in number forty seven, all finally decked with jewels, and adorned with flowers. The favored wife or concubine carried the poinard of the defunct prince, which she delivered up to his successor, and a short speech exhorting him to use it with moderation, so as never to let t light on any but the guilty. Then she boldly turned her face to'vards the pile, and, after invoking her gods leaped inlo the midst oftheflames The seccond was the sister of a prince named Tandaman, who was present at these horrid rites. She gave him the jewels she wore, and the prince in receiving them embraced her most tenderly, end poured out a flood of teais; hut the princess wiihout betraying the least concern, looked alternately, with a steady countenance on the pile and on the spectators, and crying wilh a loud voice, ' C hila ! Cl ñla ? which is the name of one of their gods, she jumped as cheerfully into the flames as the first did. The others followed her close ; some of them appeared resolute enough, but olhers looked wild and dejected. There was one in particular, who, being more dismayed than her companions, ran to embrace one of the spectators, who was a Christain, praying him to save her ; but this was not in his power to do, and the poor wretch was immediately tutubled headlong into the fire. However intrepid most of these unhappy victims appeared before jumping into the pit, the note was vastly altered when in the midst of the flames. They shrieked hideously, tumbled one over another, slriving to reach the edge of the pit, and get out of it ; but they were kept in by throwing heaps ofbillets and faggots upon them, as well to knock them on the head as to increase the fire. - When they were comsumed, the Bramins drew near the yet smoking pile, and peiformed abundance ofridiculous ceremonies over the ashes of the poor wretches. The next day they gathered up the bones, and having vvrapped them up in fine linen, carried them to the place near the Isle of Ramesuren, where they cast them into the sea. After which, the pit was filled up,and a temple since erectel on the spot, where the sacrifices are offered up in honor of the prince and his wives, who from thenceforth are numbered ainongst the iftints or goddesses.