out hope and without sympathy, the most unfeeling indifference marking the countenances of the few individuals who witness the scene. It is intended to publish a memoir of this amiable youth.

DINAGEPORE.-Extract of a letter from Mr. Fernandez, dated June 22, 1824:-"I am happy to inform you, that, through the divine blessing, five persons, viz. four men and a woman, were baptized here on Lord's-day, the 6th instant, on their profession of faith in Christ; and on the same day, thirty-three of us sat down together to commemorate the dying love of our blessed Redeemer, some of the members not being able to attend through illness.

"The members of the church here, now amount to Ninety-two persons, many of whom, I am glad to say, have given me great pleasure and satisfaction by their christian-like behaviour; this pleasure how. ever has not been unmixed with pain through the misconduct of a few. I have had the misfortune of losing three members by death, within these twelve months past. The Christian population now amounts to a hundred and sixty-six persons, of which, ninety reside here, and seventy-six at Sadamah'l. Wherever I may be, here or at Sadamah'l, I always spend every evening of the week days, in instructing them. Six persons are now under probation for baptism.

"My School continues to go on pretty well. The scholars are improving fast in their learning, as well as in the doctrine of the gospel; but they are irregular in their attendance, about seventy is their nominal number; between forty and fifty, however, attend, and sometimes less; no more than ten Christian children are included in the above number. I am very desirous of re-establishing a school at Sadamah'l, as there are many Christian children there, as well as those of Hindoo and Musulman parents, big enough to receive instruction.

"I have for several months, been ailing with a pain in my stomach, which at times has been very acute. I have however, through great mercy, been quite free from my usual gouty fits and rheumatism for these eighteen months past, for which I have great cause for thankfulness. I sincerely hope, my dear brother, that you both enjoy good health, and that the dear family at the Mission-house are also very well, to whom please to give my christian love." We are certain that many will rejoice in the success that still attends the labours of our venerable friend, now within three years

of seventy; and that the infirmities of age give so little interrup tion to his work. Long may he be spared to feed his interesting

flock!

MONGHYR.-We are happy to learn, that our friends Mr. and Mrs. Leslie arrived safely at Monghyr, on Saturday evening, the 17th July. They seem much pleased with the station,

DIGAH. In a letter, dated July 7, 1824, Mrs. Rowe says, "There are seven distinct schools, of which one is entirely female, and two others mixed, boys and girls. Two additional schools are soficited by Zemindars. Grammar, spelling from the book, reading, writing, arithmetic, and catechism are taught where any of the old scholars attend. Seven of the Moinpoora girls came with the school-master to worship, last sabbath: and the school-master at Rookhampore came the sabbath before last, and brought ten boys so neatly clad that they pleased me much."

POOREE.-Suttee. We earnestly recommend the following tale of horrors to the admirers of Hindooism, and more earnestly still, to the friends of humanity. Will nothing rouse them to feeling in this cause? Are we waiting till the cry of the blood of these infatuated women reach to heaven, and judgment be required?*

"Another of those horrid examples of self-murder called Suttees, took place here on the second instant; and, as I was present, I will send you some account of it. The infatuated woman whose death I witnessed was the widow of a brahmun who had died the same morning. Their residence was about four coss from this place, and they probably came hither to attend the Rut'h Jattra. The man's age seems to have been about 40, and the woman's 30, or 35. The brahmun is said to have a father still living, aged about 80, and the people intimated that he was too infirm to be present. I was like. wise told that the deceased had three brothers, two of them younger than himself and one older, who were all expected to be there. I was further informed that the man had left two children, a son 15 or 16, and a daughter 18 years old; the daughter I understood was not expected to appear, but the son would come "to give his father and his mother fire." The deceased was a man of little or no property, not more than a hundred rupees; but he provided for

* Since this article has been in type, it has appeared in the public papers ; baš we could not think that a sufficient reason to induce us to cancel it,

these horrid rites, by paying a sufficient sum to one of his friends, before he died. The place where this murder was committed is called Swurgo-dwaro, the gate of heaven, and when I reached it, I found the coolies employed in digging the hole.

"It is well known, that, on these occasions, the bodies are frequently burnt on a pile, but sometimes the fire is kindled in a hole dug for the purpose, and I think this is generally the case in this neighbourhood. This hole or pit was circular, about six feet deep: its diameter at bottom perhaps a little less than its depth, and at top twice as much. Soon after my arrival, about twelve coolies came, each of them bringing a load of wood on his or her head, for several of them were women, and they came twice. I charged all the labourers with being accessary to the crime about to be committed, and the general reply was, in substance, that they worked for money, and did this work as they did other work, because they were paid for it. Carelessness or levity characterized all the Hindoos on or near the spot. Ten or twelve were playing at some game but a little way off, and one nearer the pit proceeded to break some of the wood into small splinters, in order to facilitate the kindling of the fire, with as much apparent indifference, as if he had been about to boil his own rice. When he thought he had broken enough, he proceeded to light a small fire near the pit; but he took care previously to light his own cheroot, and he was at once employed in smoking it and kindling the fire. This being done, a small fire was kept up, for the purpose, as I supposed, of being ready to kindle the larger

one.

"The pit being finished, a quantity of water was mixed with cow dung, and sprinkled on the margin, and about one-third of the way down, in sufficient quantity to turn the sand its own colour; two ropes were also well wetted with the same mixture, the use of which will appear hereafter. On inquiring the use of two bamboos which lay near, I was told that they were to stir the fire, and turn about the bodies. The bits of wood prepared for the occasion, were between 12 and 18 inches long, and I suppose on an average 5 or 6 in circumference: a quantity of them were now thrown into the pit, and a man at the bottom proceeded to set them up on their ends, two or three thick round the sides. Upon these he placed a second tier, and on the second a third; he now covered the bottom, perhaps five or six inches thick, so that the pit was two-thirds

tiers

lined with wood; but, as may be readily supposed, the upper were thinner than the bottom one. Soon after all was finished, the dead man was brought on a rough bier, which I can readily sup pose might have been constructed by one man, in less than a quarter of an hour. The sides were two bamboos, sufficiently thick for the purpose, and across them were tied eight smaller ones, some of them about the due length, and some of them considerably too long. The corpse was partially wrapped in a quilt, and a mat, and it was brought, by four brahmuns, preceded by a fifth. This leading brahmun carried a bundle of straw, tightly bound up, about the length and thickness of a man's arm, and ignited, in which way the Hindoos often preserve fire for a considerable time. These men seemed to be repeating some formula, but they very readily left off to answer any questions that were put to them, relative to the business they were about.

muns.

"Soon after this, I received a message which obliged me to go home, and returning as expeditiously as I could, I found that the man had been placed in the pit, in a sitting posture, with his back resting against the side. The fire, too, had been lighted, but the wind blew it from the body. Proceeding, now, the way the woman was expected, I soon saw the procession (if it may be called a procession) halting a few hundred yards before me. The crowd was kept off the woman, by a square made of four bits of wood each five or six feet long; I believe the men who carried it were all brabThe rabble was preceded by some of their rude music, which was not playing when I got up to them; but I had the pleasure of seeing two of my worthy countrymen, humanely employed in persuading the woman not to destroy herself. These gentlemen were Lieut. W. and T. B—. Esq. and they gladly ac cepted my assistance; but alas! we all laboured in vain. I urged the grief which her death would occasion to her daughter, and I would have added her son, but as I understood that he was ready to act his part in the infernal tragedy, I rejected that argument as a useless one. I assured her that God would not be pleased, but displeased with her conduct-that she was going the way, not to heaven, but to hell-that the aot was not required, even by their own shastras ; and finally I assured her of a sufficient maintenance if she would consent to live. But it was all of no use; she said that her daughter had a husband and children, and would not be

grieved at her death. As to the morality and safety of acting as she was about to act, she denied the truth of what I said, and assured me that she did not want money. She was so far from seeming depressed, that she laughed when she replied to what I said. Several times she desired us to allow her to proceed; and when she did proceed, it was with as composed a mien and as firm a step, as any other person there. Unwilling to see her burn herself, my worthy companions tried, I think twice more, to prevent the horrid deed, and I lent my feeble assistance, but to no purpose. They halted twenty or thirty yards from the flaming pit, where the last effort was made, and that failing, her infamous co-adjutors gave her alighted lamp, which I think she put into an earthen pot, that she carried under her arm. What became of this, afterwards, I do not know, for in a little time all was confusion, and a scene, the most perfectly hellish that we ever saw, was presented to us. A way was made for the woman to the pit, and its margin was left clear. She advanced to the edge, facing her husband, and two or three times waved her right land. She then walked hastily round the pit, and in one place I thought the flames caught her legs; having completed the circle, she again waved her hand as before, and then, without either hurry or hesitation, jumped into the fire.

"At this moment, I believe, the drums beat, and a dreadful shout rent the air, but I can scarcely say I know: all was confusion, a dense smoke issued from the pit, intermixed, at intervals, with partial bursts of flame. This was occasioned, I suppose, by quantities of powdered rosin being thrown into the pit by handfuls, and what was thrown in at one time, popped off in a sudden blaze, whilst what followed it obscured the pit with smoke. In a little time, however, they allowed the fire to clear itself, and we then saw the wretched woman in the midst of it. 1 think her posture was that of kneeling down, and sitting on her heels, her body was erect and motionless, except that she sometimes moved gently, backwards and forwards, as if she bowed. The assistant murderers

kept throwing a little rosin at her, but she did not seem likely to be out of her misery in a little time, for the fire was not large and fierce enough, to do the dreadful business very quickly.

"The poor creature still kept her erect position, but at length she seemed partially to rise, and she pitched forwards with her head against the side of the pit, about two feet from her husband's