268 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY 



After about a minute spent in total inactivity, and apparent 

 stupor, the voice and physical powers were suddenly recovered, 

 and the consequence was, a long succession of the most horrid 

 shrieks, the mourners rolling over and over upon the ground, 

 biting the earth, and sobbing loud enough to be heard above the 

 dreadful din of the multitude. Soon after this, commenced the 

 most disgusting and barbarous part of the whole exhibition. A 

 number of men and women, and even some little boys and girls, 

 laid themselves upon their backs on the ground, and a man ap- 

 proached them with a small ivory, or hard wood wedge, and a 

 large oval stone in his hand. He commenced his operations 

 upon the first of the victims, who was a fine looking young man, 

 by placing the wedge between two of his front teeth, and striking 

 it a hard and quick blow with the stone. This loosened it effec- 

 tually ; then by inserting the wedge upon the opposite side, and 

 giving another similar blow, out flew the tooth in an instant. In 

 this manner, every person who was lying there, lost, some two, 

 others three of his front teeth, and during the whole time the cry- 

 ing was not suspended for a moment. 



The question naturally arises ? — Why have not the mission- 

 aries, who have such unbounded influence over this people, taken 

 measures to abolish this most barbarous and shocking custom ? 

 They have, as I well know, used great exertions to do it away, 

 and so far as the higher ranks of society are concerned, they have 

 probably succeeded ; but there are yet, and will for some time be, 

 hundreds among the common people upon whom they can exert 

 little or no influence. Reason and argument are thrown away 

 upon such, as nothing will convince them of the inutility and 

 absurdity of so old and long established a custom. 



How often, how very often, do I thank Providence in my 

 heart, that I was born in a Christian and enlightened country, 

 free from the shackles of barbarism, and under the influence of 

 benign and wholesome laws. It is a blessing which those only, 



