"
LXXI. That the faith given for the restoration of their landed estates
being thus violated, and the money for necessary expenses being as ill
supplied as before, the women and children of the late sovereign, father
of the reigning prince, continued exposed to frequent want of the common
necessaries of life;[78] and being sorely pressed by famine, they were
compelled to break through all the principles of local decorum and
reserve which constitute the dignity of the female sex in that part of
the world, and, after great clamor and violent attempts for one whole
day to break the inclosure of the palace, and to force their way into
the public market, in order to move the compassion of the people, and to
beg their bread, they did, on the next day, actually proceed to the
extremity of exposing themselves to public view,--an extremity implying
the lowest state of disgrace and degradation, to avoid which many women
in India have laid violent hands upon themselves,--and they did proceed
to the public market-place with the starving children of the late
sovereign, and the brothers and sisters of the reigning prince! A minute
account of the transaction aforesaid was written to the British Resident
at Lucknow by the person appointed to convey intelligence to him from
Fyzabad, in the following particulars, highly disgraceful to the honor,
justice, and humanity of this nation.
Pages:
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622