Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/181

Rh About an hour before sunset, the procession began. Bowanny was carried on a litter upon men's shoulders. She sat upright, by the side of her husband's body, which was covered with a linen cloth. She scattered about pieces of the money of that country, and some red powder. As they drew nearer the spot, the curtains of the litter were opened; and though the sun had been some time set, the strong illumination presented her distinctly to view. She kept one hand upon a tassel, which hung from the top of the Utter, whilst with the other she held a fan over the corpse. Her figure was graceful, and rather larger than that of the generality of Hindoo women. She was dressed in the fashion of the country, in a red gauze striped and edged with gold, and had various gold and silver ornaments. The whole of her forehead was stained with vermilion, as is customary on the day of marriage. By this she was rather disfigured; but the lower parts of her face had some marks of beauty: while a placid countenance, bordering on melancholy, shewed a mind steady and collected. She was talking in a pleasant tone of voice to the bramins who walked beside her; and frequently raised her eyes to look around, without the least sign of confusion or disquiet at the sight of the numbers by whom she was surrounded. She once stayed the litter, to bless the English chief and his company, who from curiosity and interest had joined the train—and prayed at intervals, till they arrived at the burning place of the family.

No preparation had been made there for the ceremony; and when it was begun, a fearful time! Bowanny appeared still calm, but sometimes rather faint, as if from weakness, when she was supported by the bramins and her husband's brothers, and retired into Rh