in such a city as[10] Benares, with a population of three hundred thousand people,[11] so prone to popular insurrections, or risings en masse very like them.  He long argued the point of the time that had elapsed, and the unwillingness of the woman, but in vain; until at last the thought struck him suddenly, and he said that ’The sacrifice was manifestly unacceptable to their God—­that the sacred river, as such, had rejected her; she had, without being able to swim, floated down two miles upon its bosom, in the face of an immense multitude; and it was clear that she had been rejected.  Had she been an acceptable sacrifice, after the fire had touched her, the river would have received her’.  This satisfied the whole crowd.  The father said that, after this unanswerable argument, he would receive his daughter; and the whole crowd dispersed satisfied.[12]

The following conversation took place one morning between me and a native gentleman at Jubbulpore soon after suttees had been prohibited by Government:—­

’What are the castes among whom women are not permitted to remarry after the death of their husbands?’

’They are, sir, Brahmans, Rajputs, Baniyas (shopkeepers), Kayaths (writers).’

’Why not permit them to marry, now that they are no longer permitted to burn themselves with the dead bodies of their husbands?’

’The knowledge that they cannot unite themselves to a second husband without degradation from caste, tends strongly to secure their fidelity to the first, sir.  Besides, if all widows were permitted to marry again, what distinction would remain between us and people of lower caste?  We should all soon sink to a level with the lowest.’

’And so you are content to keep up your caste at the expense of the poor widows?’

’No; they are themselves as proud of the distinction as their husbands are.’

’And would they, do you think, like to hear the good old custom of burning themselves restored?’

‘Some of them would, no doubt.’

‘Why?’

’Because they become reunited to their husbands in paradise, and are there happy, free from all the troubles of this life.’

‘But you should not let them have any troubles as widows.’

’If they behave well, they are the most honoured members of their deceased husbands’ families; nothing in such families is ever done without consulting them, because all are proud to have the memory of their lost fathers, sons, and brothers so honoured by their widows.[13] But women feel that they are frail, and would often rather burn themselves than be exposed all their lives to temptation and suspicion.’

’And why do not the men burn themselves to avoid the troubles of life?’

‘Because they are not called to it from Heaven, as the women are.’

’And you think that the women were really called to be burned by the Deity?’