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only transacted business, audited accounts, carried on his corres- 

 pondence and received his own officers, but gave audience to 

 foreign deputations. This is the more extraordinary, as a very few 

 Hindoo women can either write or read. 



A short time previous to our visiting Brodera, Hiroo was seized 

 with a dangerous fever at Neriad. The brahmin physicians giving 

 very little hope of recovery, he sent for his wife, who arrived in 

 lime to administer the last consolations to her expiring husband. 

 She accompanied his corpse to Brodera, where the funeral pile 

 was to be erected, with a fixed resolve not to survive him. On 

 hearing of the duan's illness, Futty Sihng sent to assure his wife 

 of his favour and protection; and in case of his decease promised 

 the regard due to a faithful minister should be transferred to his 

 widow and children. Her husband amply provided for her by 

 will, and, contrary to the laws of dowry, and general customs of 

 the Hindoos, he made her totally independent of his family. All 

 were of no avail, she persisted in her determination to attend him 

 to a better world, and suffered not the tears nor supplications of 

 an aged mother and three helpless infants to change her purpose. 



The funeral pyre was erected on the banks of the river Biswa- 

 minlree, without the gates of Brodera. An immense concourse of 

 all ranks assembled at the cremation ; a band of music accom- 

 panied the brahmins who superintended the ceremony. The bower 

 of death, enwreathed with sacred flowers, was erected over the 

 pile of sandal-wood and spices, on which lay the body of the de- 

 ceased. After various ceremonies, the music ceased, and the 

 crowd in solemn silence waited the arrival of the heroine! She 

 approached from a temporary retirement with the brahmins, at- 



