OP THE RELIGION OP SA88ACK. * 
m 
It is always a near relation who gives the first wound with the 
kris, but never father or son. Sometimes dreadful spectacles occur ; 
such was one at which Mr. K. was present. The woman had re¬ 
ceived eight kris stabs, and was yet quite sensible. At last she 
screamed out, driven by the dreadful pain, “ cruel wretches, are you 
not able to give me a stab that will kill me !” A gusti, who stood 
behind her, on this pierced her through and through with his kris. 
The native spectators, whom I had around me, saw in this slaugh¬ 
ter which took place before our eyes, nothing shocking. They laugh - 
ed and talked as if it was nothing. The man who had given the 
three last stabs wiped his leris, and restored it to its place, in as cold 
blooded a manner as a butcher would have done after slaughtering 
an animal. 
Only the wives of the more considerable personages of the land 
allow themselves to be burned, because this is attended with much 
more expence than krising. They then make a very high platform 
of bambu. The woman ascends after many ceremonies, and when 
the fire is at its greatest heat. She then springs from above into the 
middle of the flames. Mr K. thinks that they do not suffer much 
because during the springing they are stifled; and at all events the 
fire, strengthened by fragrant resins, is so fierce that death must 
speedily follow. 
I have already said that the Balinese are very tolerant. They 
binder neither Mahomedans, nor Chinese nor Europeans in the cul¬ 
tivation of their respective religions. The Rajd of Mataram only 
has sent away the English Missionaries, who wished to establish 
themselves on the island. This he has probably done at the insti¬ 
gation of Christians themselves as I have been told. 
While I was on Lombok they were making every preparation for a 
great feast. This feast called « Karia Dewa Yagna” is given in hon¬ 
our of all the gods at very irregular intervals,—for example, once in 
20, or 50, or 80 years. The Idas determine the period of the feast. 
The preparations were indeed uncommon for such a small country as 
Lombok, TheTeast must last 49 days, of which the last 15 are the 
great feast-days. Unfortunately I was not able to remain, but was 
