SUTTEES. 
199 
been done by the British government to improve the 
comfort of English residents. 
ee In 1530, Chunar was the residence of Shere Khan 
the Afghan, who expelled the Emperor Humayoon 
from Hindostan. In 1545, it was taken by the Mo- 
ghuls after a siege of six months. In 1563, this for- 
tress, after repulsing a night attack of the British 
troops, was, some time afterwards, delivered up with- 
out a siege, and has ever since remained in the Com- 
pany’s possession ; but since the British frontier has 
been carried so much further to the north and west, 
it has been superseded as a military depot by Al- 
lahabad.” * 
Of this part of the country Bishop Heber says,f 
“ Suttees are more abundant here than even in the 
neighbourhood of Calcutta, but chiefly confined to 
the lower ranks. The last yearly return amounted to 
above forty ; and there were several of which no ac- 
count was given to the magistrate. It has been in- 
deed a singular omission on the part of government, 
that though an ordinance has been passed commanding 
all persons celebrating a suttee to send in notice of 
their intention to the nearest police-officer, no punish- 
ment has been prescribed for neglect of this order j 
nor has it ever been embodied in the standing regula- 
tions, so as to make it law or authorise a magistrate to 
commit to prison for contempt of it. If government 
mean their order respecting the publicity of suttees 
to be obeyed, they must give it the proper effi- 
cacy ; while if suttees are not under the inspection of 
* Hamilton’s Hindostan, vol. i. page 313. 
+ See Journal, vol. i. pp. 351, 2, 3, 4. 
