176 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
after daylight had mantled the broad heavens, he 
repaired to the ghaut, upon the first step of which he 
paused for some time, his lips audibly muttering some 
mysterious mantras, intelligible only to the divinities 
to whom they were addressed, but who, in truth, 
were unable to hear them. His preparatory devo- 
tions being concluded, he descended to the edge of the 
water. By this time the ghaut was thronged with 
bathers ; but not a creature attempted to frustrate his 
holy purpose. Though all knew his intention, none 
interposed to divert it. 
Without taking the slightest notice of those by 
whom he was surrounded, the voluntary victim de- 
liberately marched into the river, one of the jars 
being fastened to his back, and the other to his breast. 
He continued to mutter his prayers as he proceeded, 
his eyes fixed on vacancy, and his whole demeanour 
that of a man elevated by a consciousness of effectual 
expurgation into a silent but visible ecstasy. The 
persons who had by this time crowded to the scene 
beheld him with mute awe, some of them clapping 
their naked breasts with the palms of their hands in 
token of encouragement : but this was not needed, 
for the visionary advanced until the water reached 
the vessels ; he was almost instantly borne off 
his legs and gradually wafted into the midst of the 
current. When satisfied that the stream was suffi- 
ciently deep for his purpose, he suddenly withdrew 
the plugs, to which cords had been previously attach- 
ed, from the earthen jars : these immediately 
filling, bore him to the bottom. A few bubbles rose 
to the surface, and he would most certainly have 
