of the river. At this time, about ten in the morning-, only a
few people were affembled, who appeared deftitute of feeling
at the cataftrophe that was to take placé ; I may even fay that
they difplayed the moft perfeét apathy and indifference. A f ter
waiting a confiderable time the wife appeared, attended by
the Bramins, and muffe, with fome few-relatiohs. | J The p'ro-
ccffion was flow and folemn ; the victim moved with a fteady
and firm ftep j and, apparently with a perfect Compofure óf
countenance, approached- elofe to the body of her hufband,
where for fome time they halted. She then addreflcd thofe who
were near her with compofure, and without the leaft trepidation
of voice or change of countenance. She held in her left
hand â cocoa nut, in which was a red colour mixed up, and
dipping in it the fore-finger of her right hand, fhe marked
thofe hear her, to whom fhe wiflied to fliew the laft a<5t of
attention. As at this time I flood elofe to her, Ihe obfcrved
me attentively, and with the colour marked me on the forehead.
She might be about twenty-four or five years of age,
a time of life when the bloom of beauty has generally fled
the cheek in India j but ftill fhe preferred a fufficient fhare to
prove that fhe muff have been handfome : her figure was
fmall, but elegantly turned ; and the form of her hands and
arms was particularly beautiful. Hér drefs was a loofe robe
of white flowing drapery, that extended from her head to the
feet. The place of facrifice was-higher up on the bank of
the river, a hundred yards or more from the fpot where we
now flood. The pile was compofed of dried branches, leaves,