The corpse being carried first, the wife followed in a rich palanquin.  As she went along, the surrounding multitudes of people stretched out their hands towards her to show how much they admired her conduct.  The women in particular went up to her to wish her joy, apparently desiring to receive her blessing, or at least, that she would pronounce over them some pleasing word.  She tried to satisfy them all, saying to one, that she would long continue to enjoy her worldly happiness, and to another, that she would be the mother of many beautiful children.  Another was informed, that she would soon arrive at great honor in the world.  These, and similar expressions, she made to all who came near her, and they departed with the full belief that they would enjoy all the blessings of which she had spoken.  She also distributed among them some betel-leaves, which they gladly received as relics, or something of blessed influence.

During the whole procession, which was very long, her countenance was serene and even cheerful, until they came to the pile upon which she was to die.  Then she suddenly became pensive.  She no longer attended to what was passing around her.  Her looks were wildly fixed upon the pile.  Her face grew pale.  She trembled with fear, and seemed ready to faint away.

The Brahmins, who took the lead in this ceremony, with her relations, seeing her sad condition, ran to her, and endeavored to restore her spirits, but she seemed not to know what they said, and answered not a word.

They made her quit the palanquin, and her nearest relatives took her to a pond of water which was near the pile, where they washed her.  They then attended her to the pile, on which the corpse of her husband had already been laid.  It was surrounded with Brahmins, each with a lighted torch in one hand, and a bowl of melted butter in the other, all ready, as soon as the poor victim was placed on the pile, to envelope her in fire.

The relatives armed with muskets, sabres, and other weapons, stood closely around in a double line, for the purpose, it was said, of making her afraid, if she might wish to draw back, or of frightening any body who might pity her, and endeavor to rescue her.

At length the time for firing the pile being proclaimed, the young widow was stripped of her jewels, and led on towards the pile.  She was then commanded to walk three times around it, two of her nearest relations supporting her by the arms.  The first round she accomplished with tottering steps; but in the second, her strength forsook her, and she fainted away in the arms of those who were holding her.  They were obliged to drag her between them for the third round.  Then senseless, she was thrown upon the corpse of her husband.  At that instant, the multitude made the air to ring with their shouts of gladness, while the Brahmins poured the butter on the dry wood, and applied the torches.  Instantly the whole pile was in a blaze.