th£ late Regent of Tanjore. 27 



child, a daughter four years old. Tiie fathers and brothers 

 of both were present in the assembly ; they made use of the 

 most pressing and affecting entreaties to'avert them from 

 their purpose, but without success. 



The British resident at Tanjore, having been apprised of 

 the intention of these ladies, and not being able to be per- 

 sonally present at the residence of the late recrcnt, had sent 

 his hircarrah to the spot, with orders to use every possible 

 effort, short of absolute force, to prevent the horrid sacri- 

 fice. When the relations of the ladies found their entreaties 

 of no avail to induce them to relinquish their purpose, the 

 hircarrah was sent for; but his threats of the displeasure of 

 government had only a temporary and feeble effect. The 

 Mahratta chiefs observed, that the Company had never in- 

 terfered in their religious institutions and ceremonies ; that 

 the sacrifice in question was by no means uncoinmon in 

 Tanjore ; that it was highly proper to use every art of per- 

 suasion and entreaty to induce the women to relinquish 

 their resolution ; but, if they persisted in it, force ought 

 not to be used to restrain them. The women laughed'at 

 the menaces of the hircarrah, when he told them tliat their 

 fathers and brothers would be exposed to the displeasure of 

 government. The younger widow observed, that it was not 

 the custom of the English government to punish one person 

 for the act of another ; and pointing to her father, who had 

 actually thrown himself at her feet in an agony of grief, 

 asked the hircarrah if he thought anv other inducement 

 could alter her resolution when the afilictio-. of her father 

 failed to move it. The young brother of the other widow 

 went into the women's apartments and returned with his 

 sister's child in his arms, which he laid at her feet ; but 

 such was the resolution of these astonishing women, that 

 not a single expression of regret, not a sigh or tear cnuld 

 be drawn from them. Any one of these weaknesses would 

 have disqualified them from burning with the bodv ) and 

 the efforts of the relations were strenuously and constantlv 

 directcd to excite theni, but in vain. In answer to an ob- 

 servation of the hircarrah, that if the late regent had been 

 aware of their intention he would have forbidden it, thev 

 said ihcy had formed their resolution a year before, and 

 communicated it to him; who, after several ineffectual at- 

 tempts to dissuade them, had consented to it. 



The hircarrah, however, determined to protract the per- 

 formance of the obsequies, if p(»ssible, until the arrival oi 

 the resident. The women waited with patience until seven 

 in the evening, taking no other refreshment than a lutlr 

 3 bad 



