Sir C. Napier put down the practice of suttee, which, however, was
rare in Scinde, by a process entirely characteristic; for, judging the
real cause of these immolations to be the profit derived by the
priests, and hearing of an intended burning, he made it known that he
would stop the sacrifice. The priests said it was a religious rite
which must not be meddled with--that all nations had customs which
should be respected, and this was a very sacred one. The general,
affecting to be struck with the argument, replied: 'Be it so. This
burning of widows is your custom: prepare the funeral pile. But my
nation has also a custom: When men burn women alive, we hang them, and
confiscate all their property. My carpenters shall therefore erect
gibbets on which to hang all concerned when the widow is consumed. Let
us all act according to national customs!' No suttee took place then
or afterwards.--_Sir C. Napier's Administration of Scinde._