it was repaired. The carpenters and others worked with great diligence
until about eleven o'clock at night, when every thing was prepared for
the swinging. I expected immediately after this to witness the ceremony.
It however did not take place until the morning. While waiting for the
man who was to be swung to make his appearance, I took a pencil and made
a drawing of the machine to which he was to be fastened. The picture on
the first page of the book will give you some idea of it.

Yon have, perhaps, often seen a well-sweep. The long beam in the picture
is swung in the same manner as is the well-sweep, with a single
exception. In addition to its usual motion, it is made to turn
horizontally. The cuts which you may have seen, in two or three of my
little books, differ much from the above; of course different machines
are used at different times. There are stationary swingings, as well as
swingings of the kind to which I just alluded.

Between six and seven o'clock in the morning, the man who was to be
swung made his appearance for a few moments, and then disappeared. The
hooks by which he was to be swung, as well as the iron rods with which a
number of devotees were immediately to pierce their sides, were carried
through the streets, and held up that they might be seen by the people.
Soon afterwards the man again appeared with the hooks in his back, and
went up to the end of the beam to which he was to be fastened. This, of
course, was lowered. Notwithstanding the dense multitudes of people, I
made my way to the same spot, determined to be satisfied whether or not
there was any deception in the application of the hooks. There was no
deception. They passed through the skin, on the sides of the backbone.
To these hooks were attached yellow ropes, by which he was fastened to
the beam, as you will perceive in the picture. This being done, the men,
five or six in number, who had hold of the ropes fastened to the end of