Hide Article Text (OCR)
anything he might have omitted Rajah Gour dais would take care of, then wadked cheer fully to the gate and seated himself in his paliankeen, looking round him with perfect unconcern. As the Deputy Sherif and I followed, we could make no observation on his department, til we al arrived at the place of execution. The crowd there was ve ry great, but not the least appearance of a riot. ‘The Rajah sat in his pallankeen upon the bearers shoulders, and looked around, at Art, with some attention. I did not observe the mallet discomposure in his countenance or manner at fighter the gallows, or any of the ceremonies palling about it. He asked for the Bramins, who were not come up, and thewed some ecarnestness, as if he apprehended the execution might take place before their arriv al. I took that opportunity of assuring him I would wait his own time—* It was early on the day, and there was no berry.” The Bramins soon after appearing, Lotlered to re move the piers, thinking that he might have something to say in private, but he made a faction not to do it, and said that he had on ly a few words to remind them of what he had said concerning Rajah Gourdals, and the care of his Zenana*. He spose to me, and desir ed that the men might be taken care of, as they were to take charge of his body, which he desired repeatedly might not be touched by any of the bystanders ; but he seemed not the iatt alarmed or discomposed at the crowd a round him. There was some delay in the ne cessary preparations, and from the awkward ness of the people; but he was no way de sirous of protracting the business, but repeat edly told me he was ready. Upon my asking him if he had any more friends he wished to be, he answered he had many, but this was not a place, nor an occasion, to look for them. «* Did he apprehend there might be any pre sent who could not get up for the crowd ?” He mentioned one, whose name was called; but he immediately said it was of no conse quence, © probably he had not come.” He then defied me to remember him to General ‘lavering, Col. Monson, and Mr. Francis, and looked with the greatest composure. When he was not engaged in conversation, he lay back in his pallankeen, moving his Lips and tongue as before. I then caused him to be asked about the signal he was to make, which could not be done by speaking, on ac count of the noise of the crowd. He said he would make a motion with his hand, and when it was represented to him that it would be necessary for his hands to be tied, in order to prevent any involuntary motion, and I re commended his making a motion with his feet, he said he would. Nothing now re- ZEMAN» preps the apartments of the so geeny manning here or the fwy yeas as a song does vot admit at thy stay, BE y and youna Cntie 16%, manned, except the last painful ceremony. I ordered his pallankeen to be brought close under the gallows, but he chose to walk, which he did more creet than I had generally seen him. At the foot of the steps which led to the stage, he put his hands behind him to be tied with a handkerchief, looking a round at the same time with the unmost uncon cern. Some dufealties ariing about the cloth which should be tied over his face, he told the people that it must not be done by one of us. I presented to him a fobastern Seapoy officer, who is a Bramin, and came forward with his handkerchief in his hand; but the Rajah pointed to a servant of his own, who was ly ing prostrate at his feet, and beckoned him to do it. He had some weakness in his feet, which, added to the confinement of his hands, made him mount the frens with dificulty, but he thewed out the least reluctance, scrambling rather forward to get up. He then stood erect on the lage, whilst I examined his counte nance as sreadfastly as I could, all the cloth covered it, to see i I could observe the smal ler symptom of fear or alarm ; but there was not a trace of it. My own spirits sunk, and I stepped into my pailankeen; but, before I was well seated, he had given the signal, and and the age was removed. I could observe, when I was a little recovered, that his arms lay back in the same position in which I saw them first tied; nor could I perceive any con tortion on that side of his mouth and face which were visible. In a word, his steadi ness, composure, and resolution, throughout the whole of this melancholy transaction, were equal to any examples of fortitude I have ever read or heard of. he body was taken down after changing the usual time, and delivered to the Bramins for burning. Hy another Hand. The humane and intelligent reader will not fail to recalleét, that in Bengal, in 1757, the Last India Company’s servants with Colonel Clive at their head, were guilty of a most in famous forgery, in counterfeiting the signa ture of Admiral Watson to a treaty, by Which they defrauded Omichund a Gentoo merchant, of 250,000, promised him. Col. Clive had even the malignity, in person to in form Omichund of the deception by which he had cheated him. The Colonel’s words over powered him like a blast of sulphur, and he fell fainting on one of his attendants. When he recovered, he was found to be insane. The Colonel saw him a few days after, and with the same malignity advised him to make a pileriare to home pagoda for his recovery. the unhappy Omichund dived about a year and a half in a state of insanity , and then died of the shock of his disappointment. We irst committed a successful forgery on a na tive of Bengal, and storied in it, though it occasioned his death. Soon after we sent out Engh Jedges to establish English Laws in Inuatcountry, and with a justice peculiar to.
Newspaper Details
London Political Magazine
London, Middlesex, GB
Fri, Dec 01, 1780
Page 23
Full Page
Clipped by
Amber G.
AU 21 Jun 2026
Other Publications Near London, Middlesex
Bingleys Journal
Arminian Magazine
London Daily Mail
London Stars and Stripes
London Daily Universal Register
