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.
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