w the party personally,
but it was the topic in all the houses I visited at that period. I made a
memorandum of the circumstance at the time, from which the following is
copied:

'Two children, a son and daughter of respectable parents, the eldest
thirteen and the youngest eleven years of age, were permitted to prove
their faith by the fast, on one of the days of Rumzaun; the parents,
anxious to honour their fidelity, expended a considerable sum of money in
the preparations for celebrating the event amongst their circle of friends.
Every delicacy was provided for opening their fast, and all sorts of
dainties prepared to suit the Epicurean palates of the Asiatics, who when
receiving the trays at night would know that this was the testimony of the
children's perseverance in that duty they all hold sacred.

'The children bore the trial well throughout the morning, and even until
the third watch of the day had passed, their firmness would have reflected
credit on people twice their age, making their first fast. After the third
watch, the day was oppressively hot, and the children evinced symptoms of
weariness and fatigue; they were advised to try and compose themselves to
sleep; this lulled them for a short time, but their thirst was more acute
when they awoke than before. The mother and her friends endeavoured to
divert their attention by amusing stories, praising their perseverance, &c.
The poor weak lady was anxious that they should persevere; as the day was
now so far gone, she did not like her children to lose the benefit of
their fast, nor the credit due to them for their forbearance. The children
endeavoured to support with patience the agony that bowed them down--they
fainted, and then the mother was almost frantic, blaming herself for
having encouraged them to prolong their fast against their strength. Cold
water was thrown over them; attempts were made to force water into their
mouths; but, alas! their tender throats were so swollen, that not a drop
passed beyond their mouths. They died within a few minutes of each other;
and the poor wretched parents were left childless through their own
weakness and mistaken zeal. The costly viands destined for the testimony
of these children's faith, it may be supposed, were served out to the
hungry mendicants as the first offerings dedicated to the now happy
spirits of immortality.'

This is a sad picture of the distressing event, but I have not clothed it
in the exaggerated