354 0N S0ME EXTRAORDINARY FACTS, CUSTOM 



is fully substantiated with respect to a particular 

 tribe on the frontiers of Juanpore : a district of the 

 province of Benares y adjoining to the country of Qude. 

 A race of Hindus called Rajekoomars refide here ; and 

 it was discovered in 17890111)', that the custom of 

 putting to death their female offspring, by causing 

 the mothers to starve them, had long subsisted* and 

 did actually then very generally prevail amongst 

 them. The resident at Benares , in a circuit which he 

 made through the country where the Rajekoomars 

 dwell, had an opportunity of authenticating the exist- 

 ence of the custom from their own confessions : he 

 conversed with several : all unequivocally admitted 

 it, but all did not fully acknowledge its atrocity ; 

 and the only reason which they assigned for the in- 

 human practice, was the great expence of procuring 

 suitable matches for their daughters, if they allowed 

 them to grow T up. It is some satisfaction to add, that 

 the custom, though general, was not universal, as na- 

 tural affection, or some other motive, had induced the 

 fathers of some Rajeekoomar families to bring up one, 

 or more, of their female issue; but the instances 

 where more than one daughter had been spared, were 

 very rare. One village only furnished a complete 

 exception to the general custom; and the Rajekoomar 

 informant, who noticed it, supposed that the inhabit- 

 ants had sworn, or solemnly pledged themselves to 

 each other, to bring up their females. In proof of 

 his assertion in favour of the village in question, he 

 added, that several old maids of the Rajeekoomar tribe 

 then actually existed there, and that their celibacy 



proceeded 



