FATAL ACT OF SUPERSTITION. 
25 
them. They have various ingenious modes of evad- 
ing the force of these laws, among which this is one : 
a single drop of vinegar poured into a cask of wine 
immediately changes it from a prohibited beverage to 
one which any pious Islam may drink without scan- 
dalizing the prophet. Other religious obligations may 
be evaded by similar devices. 
Before we quitted Tanjore, I witnessed one of those 
awful acts of superstitious devotion so common in this 
country. I was riding rather early in the morning 
upon the banks of the Cavery, when I saw a group of 
some half-dozen persons descend to the river’s brink. 
The water was here many feet deep. Stopping my 
horse to see what was going on, I observed one of the 
group preparing to plunge into the stream. The in- 
stant I saw him I suspected he was about to commit 
an act of self-immolation. My whole frame thrilled 
with an irrepressible emotion — I was riveted to the 
spot ; and, in spite of the feelings by which I was nearly 
overpowered, I could not resist the painful temptation 
of witnessing the whole transaction. The victim was 
a man somewhat past the meridian of life, but never- 
theless apparently in vigorous health. He stood upon 
the bank of the stream, and on either side of him was 
a Brahmin, who fastened a large earthenware jar upon 
his shoulders. After this was done, the man made 
several prostrations, and entered the river. He slipped 
off the bank, where the depth was considerable, but 
the jars prevented him from sinking. The Brahmins 
folded their arms and looked silently on. They attempt- 
ed neither to save him from destruction nor to expe- 
dite his death. He remained for some time floating, 
D 
