A GRUESOME STORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12401, 14 October 1903, Page 2 (Supplement)

A GRUESOME STORY.

THE HORRORS OF SUTTEE.

Lv "The Memoirs of George Elers," published by William Heinemann, the author gives the following description of a case of suttee which he witnessed : —

I had the opportunity of seeing a young widow burn herself by the side of her deceased husband. . The funeral pile was about 10ft high ; in the middle of the pile, lay her deceased husband, an old and miser-able-looking man. The devoted victim was a young creature about 17, dressed in white, with all her jewels on.' There was a confused noise of singing and shouting, raicrmixed with the sound of tom-toms, and at intervals the hollow and sonorous sound of gongs and trumpets. The priests and her friends crowded round her, all speaking to her at once, apparently to distract her attention and to prevent her shrinking at tte last moment from sacrificing herself.

There was a small tank of water close to the funeral pile. They led her to this. I was very near her when I saw her quietly take the jewels from her ears, her nose, unclasp her gold bracelets, a?„ well as the bangles from her ankles, and every ornament she had on, which were received by her relations.

She then stepped into the water, divested herself of her clothes of pure white, and replaced them with clothes of a yellow colour. She then performed her ablutions, came out of the water, and, unassisted, walked three times round the pile, followed by the priests and her friends, who at this period appeared to be more urgent and loud in their discourse to her to distract her attention. She then, unassisted, mounted the pile, laid herself down by the side of her husband, and put; his head under her arm, turning herself towards him.

They then sprinkled large quantities of oil and straw on the pile. The fatal fire was then applied, and amid loud shouts, and while the fire readied her I distinctly heard her utter the words, " Nirva ! Nirva!"

I was very near her during the different parts of the ceremony, and could have saved her life by merely touching her, as she would then have been defiled, and would not have been permitted to have the honour of sacrificing herself.'

But in saving her life I stood the chance of being torn to pieces, and 1 certainly should have been brought to a court-martial for disobedience of orders, for the English in those days were strictly forbidden to meddle with the customs and prejudices of the natives,