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vent these shocking occurrences. The suicides were at last so fre- 

 quent, that I was under the necessity of issuing an order, to be 

 affixed at the market-place and city gales, that ihe body of any 

 female found in a well or tank, within the Dhuboy districts, should 

 be exposed naked for twenty-four hours before it was taken to the 

 funeral pile. This had so far the desired effect, that after the pro- 

 clamation of the edict, cither no more suicides were committed, or 

 they were carefully concealed from my knowledge, as I never had 

 occasion to make an exposure. Suicide is not only sanctioned 

 among the Hindoos, but on certain occasions is deemed merito- 

 rious. Major Moor mentions, that among the five most eligible 

 modes, is that of going into the sea near the mouth of the Ganges, 

 and there praying and confessing sin, until the alligators or some 

 other monster devours the penitent. 



While writing on this subject, I shall insert a singular petition 

 presented lo me when acting judge in the court of adawlet at 

 Baroche; which, however ludicrous or trifling it may appear to 

 an European, strongly characterizes the superstition of the Indians, 

 and the difficulty of accommodating English laws to a people 

 under such extraordinary prejudices, and who believe in a race of 

 beings whose existence we do not admit of. I shall only premise 

 that the heroine of the story was the wife of a rich and eminent 

 merchant at Baroche, of a very repectable family among the Par- 

 sees; and that all the persons necessarily convened to investigate 

 this mysterious affair, were astonished at my entertaining any 

 doubts about it. 



