718 
INFLICTION OF THE BASTINADO. 
off their shoes, they place themselves flat on their backs in a row 
on the ground, then raise their legs high enough to rest them, 
near the ankles, on a strong pole, the ends of which are held by 
two men. Three loose nooses had been previously attached to 
the apparatus we saw, through which the feet of the culprits 
were thrust, and the pole twisted till it drew the nooses close, 
and fixed the limb firmly to the pole. Thus prostrate and 
secured, the flagellation was inflicted by two of the ferroches, 
who were stationed on each side of their victims, who, notwith¬ 
standing the coolness with which they prepared for the stroke, 
the moment it was given, set up the most horrible shrieks and 
howlings, and so continued, as if every lash entered their souls, 
though I believe more sticks were broken against the pole than 
touched their feet. However, so unpleasant a scene was not 
allowed to endure long : Dr. Sharpe was soon satisfied that his 
commission needed no more, and he and myself united in beg¬ 
ging the prince-governor to put an end to the punishment. His 
Royal Highness did not require persuasion, since the object of 
the charge d’affaires was now acknowledged to be accomplished, 
namely, that no insult offered to a British subject should 
pass with impunity. And having commanded the men to be 
withdrawn from the place, he requested that we would put our 
names to a paper to the same effect, adding, “ It being neces¬ 
sary to have such a voucher, that these men, or others, might 
not be punished a third time for the same offence.” 
If all the punishments of the East equalled the gentleness of this, 
there would be no reason to complain of oriental severity ; the 
ordinary style of the infliction seldom producing more inconve¬ 
nience than a few days’ extraordinary tenderness in the parts 
that sustained the stroke. 
