In
the first case, the unhappy victim is made fast between two planks,
and sawed in two longitudinally, beginning with the head; and, in
the second, he is either buried up to his head in the ground, and
thus left to perish of want, or else is fastened in one of the
wooden yokes I have described, while his food is gradually reduced
in quantity every day, until at last it consists of only a few
grains of rice. In spite of the horrible and cruel nature of these
punishments, it is said that individuals are found ready, for a sum
of money, to undergo them all, death even included, instead of the
person condemned.
In the year 1846, 4,000 people were beheaded at Canton. It is true
that they were the criminals of two provinces, which together
numbered a population of 9,000,000 souls, but the number is still
horrible to contemplate. Is it possible that there could really be
so many who should be looked upon as criminals--or are persons
sentenced to death for a mere nothing--or are both these
suppositions true?
I once happened to go near the place of execution, and to my horror
beheld a long row of still bleeding heads exposed upon high poles.
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