224 INDIAN CUSTOMS. 



witches, which account is taken from official re- 

 cords, and is in itself very curious, and at the same 

 time corroborates strongly the description I have 

 given of the ignorance and superstition of the 

 inhabitants of that country, I shall here in- 

 sert it. 



This is the same trial I have given a short de- 

 scription of in page 124 ; and although it differs 

 in some particulars, the material points are alike. 

 It happened upwards of thirty years since : I was 

 stationed there at the time, but was not in court 

 during the trial, or present at the investigation 

 which took place soon after, (in consequence of 

 a special deputation from the Governor General,) 

 which, I trust, will be some apology for my not 

 having a perfect recollection of all the circum- 

 stances. I had an idea that more than one 

 woman was murdered, but not recollecting the 

 number, I stated it only as one. 



The custom which I have related of their 

 throwing women suspected of being witches into 

 water, might not be mentioned in court on that 

 trial ; if not, I am confident it was in some former 

 case, and I have repeatedly heard the natives 



