among poor people.
They simply burn their dead on common wood or cow-dung; and if they
cannot even buy these materials, they fasten a stone to the corpse
and throw it into the river.

I will here relate a short anecdote that I had from a very
trustworthy person. It may serve as an example of the atrocities
that are often committed from false ideas of religion.

Mr. N--- was once, during his travels, not far from the Ganges, and
was accompanied by several servants and a dog. Suddenly the latter
disappeared, and all the calling in the world would not bring him
back. He was at last discovered on the banks of the Ganges,
standing near a human body, which he kept licking. Mr. N--- went up
and found that the man had been left to die, but had still some
spark of life left. He summoned his attendants, had the slime and
filth washed off the poor wretch's face, and wrapped him well up.
In a few days after he was completely recovered. On Mr. N---'s now
being about to leave him, the man begged and prayed him not to do
so, as he had lost his caste, and would never more be recognised by
any of his relations; in a word that he was completely wiped out of
the list of the living. Mr. N--- took him into his service, and the
man, at the present day, is still in the enjoyment of perfect
health. The event narrated occurred years ago.

The Hindoos themselves acknowledge that their customs, with regard
to dying persons, occasion many involuntary murders; but their
religion ordains that when the physician declares there is no hope
left, the person must die.

During my stay in Calcutta, I could learn no more of the manners and
customs of the Hindoos than what I have described, but I became
acquainted with some of the particulars of a Mahomedan marriage. On
the day appointed for the ceremony, the nuptial bed, elegantly
ornamented, is carried, with music and festivity, to the house of
the bridegroom, and late in the evening, the bride herself is also
conveyed there in a close palanquin, with music and torches, and a
large crowd of friends, many of whom carry regular pyramids of
tapers; that well known kind of firework, the Bengal-fire, with its
beautiful light-blue flame, is also in requisition for the evening's
proceedings.

On arriving at the bridegroom's house, the newly-married couple
alone are admitted; the rest remain outside playing, singing, and
hallooing until broad day.

I often heard Europeans remark that they conside