Extraordinary self-sacrifice by a Chinese widow.
A
Hong-Kong paper contains the following account, by an eye-witness, of a voluntary sacrifice of life by a disconsolate widow:
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A few days since 1 met a Chinese procession passing through the foreign settlement, escorting a young female in scarlet and gold, in a richly decorated chair, the object of which I found was to invite the public to come and see her hang herself — a step she had resolved to take, in consequence of the death of her husband, by which she had been left a childless widow.
Both being orphans, this event had severed her dearest earthly ties, and she hoped by this sacrifice to secure to herself eternal happiness, and meet with her husband in the next world.
I repaired, on the day appointed, to the indicated spot.
We had scarcely arrived, when the same procession was seen advancing from the joss-house of the widow's native village, towards a scaffold and gallows erected in an adjacent field, and surrounded by hundreds of natives of both sexes.
The female portion, attired in their gayest holiday costume, were very numerous.
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The procession having reached the foot of the scaffold the lady was assisted to ascend by her male attendant, and, after having welcomed the crowd, partook with some female relations of a repast prepared for her at a table on the scaffold, which she appeared to appreciate extremely.
A child in arms was then placed upon the table which she caressed and adorned with a necklace she had worn herself; she then took an ornamented basket containing rice, herbs, and flowers, and, whilst scattering them amongst the crowd, delivered a short address, thanking them for their attendance, and upholding the motives which urged her to the step she was about to take.--This done, a salute of three bombards announced the arrival of the time for the performance of the last act of her existence, when a delay was occasioned by the discovery of the absence of a reluctant brother, pending whose arrival let me describe the means of extermination.
The gallows was formed by an upright timber on each side of the scaffold supporting a stout bamboo, from the centre of which was suspended a loop of red cord, with a small wooden ring embracing both parts of it, which was covered by a red silk handkerchief, the whole lining being surmounted by an awning.
The missing brother having been induced to appear, the widow now proceeded to mount on a chair placed under the noose, and to ascertain its fitness for her reception, deliberately placed her head in it, then withdrawing her head, she waved a final adieu to the admiring spectators and committed herself to its embraces for the last time, throwing the red handkerchief over her head.
Her supports were now about to be withdrawn, when she was reminded by several voices from the crowd that she had omitted to draw down the ring which should tighten the cord around her neck.
Smiling an acknowledgment of the reminder, she adjusted the ring, and motioning away her supports, was left hanging in mid-air — a suicide.
With extraordinary self-possession, she now placed her hands together before her, and continued to perform the manual chin-chins until the convulsions of strangulation separated them, and she was dead.
The body was left hanging about half an hour, and then taken down by her male attendants, one of whom immediately took possession of the halter, and was about to sever it, for the purpose of appropriating a portion, when a struggle ensued.
This is the third instance of suicide of this sort within as many weeks.
The authorities are quite unable to prevent it, and a monument is invariably erected to the memory of the devoted widow.
