STARVED TO DEATH.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 88, 15 April 1887, Page 5

STARVED TO DEATH.

Horrors of tie Famine in Indla.J

A HXXtUOH PEOPLE PERISH.

How tho pestUute Natives Were Provided for by the Government. '

More disastrous to India than any similar period in thia -century was the latter hall of 1878 and th 6 early months of 1879, for it waa in this period that there raged so fearful a famine ■ that many huge districts were entirely depopulated, while others were so crippled, by death and disease that .their recovery will be a matter of .years. Not. only was South India assailed with this disease, but even the fertile valleys of the Juma, the uplands _ of the northwest provinces, and the hillsides of the Himalayas. The periods of famine are not rare occurrences in India. Bengal and Lower Bengal have been repeatedly scourged, but the distress in these provinces has never been of so severe a nature as..that of the great"'famine. In Bengal transportation is esasy.: It has railroad facilities, its noble rivers,penetrating into the very heart of the jungle, flow through gigantic cities, whose, marts can be supplied with ricefrom Burmah and China. But it is otherwise in the benighted presidency, where in 1878-79 there were very feeble transportation arrangements. Ite only large river, the Godavery, has its course through a country where the distress was but slight, consequently the food supplies had to be imported either by sea and unladen in the most dangerous roadstead in tho world, whose surf is the terror of the traveller and the delight of the artist; or by a railroad whose chief duty lay in getting blocked when under any extra pressure, and by the clumsy bandi, a twowheeled contrivance, drawn by slow but patient ox teams. So while the Government was straining its every department by inquiry to meet the evil, while the railroad stations were blockaded with grainladen car*, and steam coasters were dropping bags of .rice into the Madras roadstead, instead of depositing it on shore, millions of men, women and children were dying that most horrible of deaths—slow starvation. An Inefficient Government. Although Sir Lepel Griffin, erstwhile Lieu tenant-Governor of the Punjab, has declared in English periodicals that he would as lief live in Russia as in the United States, it must be admitted that, perhaps with the exception of Russia, there existed no moris despotic or feeble Government than did that which was in India under the Viceroyalty of Lord Lytton. Like the Russian Czar, Lord Lytton refused to believe when it was to his interest to disbelieve. In vain the papers referred to Simla as the Capua of India. While towns, villages, and hamlets were being polluted by the unburied dead, Lord Lytton and his senile court were luxuriating in the healthful air of Simla, giving performances of " Pinafore," into which representation every man with a graceful figure _ and a note of song was impressed, while the ladies of India, under the immoral influence of the gifted Viceroy, established a brief reign of contempt against social ordinances, which drew upon them the scathing rebuke of Dr. Austin, the correspondent of the London "Times," who referred to Simla society as a " leprous sore" and the ladies as "soiled doves." There were, however, good men and true in the Viceregal^ Council who detested this fooling and fiddling, and importuned Lord Lytton to succour the famishing people of Madras. Finally, the Government of Madras informed the Viceroy that it was at the end of its tether, and if prompt assistance was not rendered South India would nob have a soul left to tell the tale. Belief Measures. Then began another tale of haste, hurry, and incapacity; Relief pleasures were proposed and rejected, rejected and proposed. The bombastic Sir Richard Temple, Governor of Bombay, became a sort of confidential adviser to tho Government, which so exasperated the Governor of Madras, the Duke of Buckingham, that matters were brought to a standstill, while the gentlemen were quarrelling -about infringements and presumption. It was, however, resolved that famine camps should be located in the distressed centres/ that those unable to work should be fed, and for thoso able to labour work was to be provided by the authorities. Then came the harvest of the baniab, the middleman of North India, who brings up the grain. In the most reckless manner were these purchases made. Exorbitant prices were asked and paid, till, the local governments found themselves bankrupt, and were administered a severe snubbing by the Viceroy, and a grain rate was fixod ; money was borrowed from native money-lenders at a ruinous rate of interest, and the game of famine relief was pursued with vigour. Thousands of centals were poured into Madras, and rotted or wore stolen. Then the intelligent Madras Government suggested that European officers be sent to the presidency to organise the distribution of the grain and money. Again Lord Lyttoa showed his inability. The Department of the Northwest was ordered to send every available man south. Their expenses were to be paid, also that of a horse, servant, and entire camp equipment. The officers were to receive 25 per cent.increaso of their pay, and 25 cents a mile for every mile they travelled wheD- on duty. , Exorbitant Charges. The average Indian official, especially when young.is utterly devoid of conscience, and many a young fellow declared his inability to move under 500 to 1,000 rupees, which was paid, without a murmur. .He was also furnished with an order 'either on the Bombay or Madras presidencies far money "if required." Many a gayhearted fellow started south with many a brandy-bottle, and between the brandy and the famine fever there was no final settling. The writer was in Naini Tal, in the Himalayas, on sick' leave, when he was furnished with command to report at Jooty, in Bombay Presidency, made famous by Lord Macaulay's wonderful description of its fortress and rock, for orders. At Bareilly, at the foot of the hills, he fell in with several others bound on Similar duty and all liberally supplied with money. In fact, an F.O. (famine officer) was a prize to the liquor dealers and hotels. . Here there seemed to be much distress, and as we looked at the scrawny bodies of the wretched natives who were picking up the grain which had fallen from the cara on to the track the remark was made : " By Jove !we ought to be famining it here." All'through the north-west •was distress ; through the central provinces the people seemed even more unhappy ; through Bombay the condition was even worse ; but when we reached Madras there broke in upon us tho ' horrors of hunger. From the windows of dur carriage we could see villages without a human being, and thereupon the ground lay stretched the dying and the dead, and we had to close the windows to shut out the polluted air. Men t Women, and children, horses, dogs, cows, jackals, lay dead together. Above was a pitiless blue sky Without speck or blemish. On earth was a parched ground, wells without water, river beds dry, the huge lakes without moisture. Of vegetation there was not a green thing, and for nigh three years had ft so beon, until all the surplus grain was gone and there vvaa nothing to do but lie down and die. ... ■. A Camp of Paupers. After being delayed a week at Jooty, where at the Government expense I lived sumptuously, I was ordered to Madras, where I did not fare so well, but was finally «*dered to Tinnererly, the most southern,.

State in all India. From thence I was senb to Ootipadaram, where the Collecter had; established a huge camp, and where 10,000; to 12,000 paupers were being fed. The' village of Ootipadaram sits on a huge tree-' less plain, which plain in better yeaty raised vast amounts of grain, and the village: was the most thriting of that districts But now its rich Brahmins were dead.: Used to a life of ease and plenty, they had1 been the first to succumb to want and: privation, and thqre in their houses with; their hands clasped across their kness, or' writhing on the floor in agony, they had! gasped out their breath calling on God for I succour. Women who were once beautiful' lay dead with their children in their arms, and on the putrid bodies—on the grim skeletons — lay golden anklets, bracelets, earrings, and the fine golden platter which adorns the wealthy Brahmin woman's head.'. Jewels fit for crowned heads lay scattered about-^jewels which had been offered for a! handful of millet, and had been refused, and through all this gloom and misery: stalked the professional beggar, poking and; prying to find something with which to stay the gnaVving-at his vitals.

A Carnival of Death. There were thousands of human beings busy making the camp, and very little food. But the grain was coming, coming as fast as oxen could dr-ag it, and the many hungry people, elated with hope, strug-; gled bravely against death. In all that vast and starving crowd there was no mur-. mur. Once or twice an importunate woman would catch my leg and ask: whether it were true that the grain was • coming. No shudder of horror electrified ! their frames when thrice each day the carts | laden with dead would pass from out of! camp and dump the ■ bodies in the • long trenches. At last the grain train: came. Every pauper outside the camp; was driven in and securely locked up within the fence. The grain was unloaded —but the food they so anxiously wanted to eat was denied many a one. The stain: in many instances was too great. The joy was too violent, and in sight of plenty they died. After the arrival of the^ train the camp was organised, and two aily doles were made—one in the morning. and one in the evening.. One dole con- ; sisted of rice and chile water, and afterj the first day's food the mortality in j the camp was frightful. It rose to over j 1,000 a-day. The, paupers were ranged in long lines, each was furnished with a platter into which was thrown the rice, and then sprinkled with chile water. Ere the. hand could convey the food to the mouth, the expectant eater would be dead ; othei'3 whilst gulping down their food would be i seized with convulsions; some who had' finished their rice would linger an hour or , so, their stomachs swollen to an incredible ; size, and die raving maniacs; and some would dash their heads against the ground j delirious from joy. In every horrid shape i stood death—death in every revolting and j hideous form. Public Works. The public works started for the relief of famine paupers were simply useful to con- < tractors as money-making ventures. Of their utility to the Government every one in the Tinnevelly district doubted. A huge reservoir was made under the superintendency of the Public Works Department, but it was playing at work. Frauds were . being perpetrated on every side; the; Tehsilders, or native collectors, began to purloin rice, the worthless native doctors put in huge supply lists where port wine, brandy, sago, and arrowroot conspicuously figured ; but neither the solicitude of the Hospital Department, the potency of the brandy, or the strengthening influence of arrowroot and sago could keep alive a people who were practically dead. At one time it seemed that no human endeavour could keep the district from entire depopulation. The food supply was gradually diminishing, and orders were being frequently received to keep the dole down. The distress was spreading to other taluks, and it appeared that the Government j would soon be called-upoQ to feed the en-; tire native population of India, and there-; fore it was necessary to curtail the supply. This measure again increased the mortality, and the death rate stood higher than , ever. Virulent diseases broke out, small- j pox raged furiously, the hospital attend- i ants opened the hospital pens and fled ; • the sore-covered patients invaded the ' camp, wot out of the inclosure, and spread ! the disease to a frightful extent. For near a month there was a total lack of order. :

The Fatalist's Belief. In vain the European officials attempted to restore courage and discipline. " It is the fate of' God that these people should perish," would the Tehsildar remark. " Save yourself, Swami. You can- , not fight God, The only thing that will restore courage is rain. If God would send : us but one shower, then shall we be saved." : It was useless to insist that providence ' lay in effort. " Swami, our hands are tied." God alone can assist us. Will rain be , present at our last appeal?" _ i The Tehsildar made this request in ai strangely agitated manner. He was a j Vishnuite Brahmin, a very learned man, j an efficient officer, and imbued with heresy. I I asked him what the appeal was to be. j He took a chair, and said, "Two years ago , I told the collector that we should have a J famine. Once in every ten years there is j famine. In 1889-90 there will be another ; one worse than this. ' It is the law of i the land. The Brahmin priests told the j people to save their grain. Some have! done so. Their words came true; no rain: fell. But yet they hoped. Rain, said they,,' will fall next year. Again the season, passed, and not a drop of rain did Godj send us. Then came this year, and daily; we have watched, daily we have prayed for rain. Our rivers, one by one, ran dry, our j tanks became waterless, our wells have all disappeared. Thirst is not the only torture we suffer. But in the temple there is ; a spring whose waters' are fast drying. To-' night at sundown we shall take the water, that is left and make a libation to the; offended God. Will you come ?• It will • strengthen and help the people."

Coming of the Rain As the sun sank that night, the priests bearing a jar'of the precious water, escorted j by a hungry, sore-afflicted throng to beat \ of a drum and tinkle of cymbal, made the ! libation. " Well," TMisild->r said, "and what if yet no rain—and your last water gone ?" "The rain will come, Swami," was his calm reply. "We felt it yestered morn-, ing." The TehsiWar spoke but too truly : for a few days afterwards the heavens broke in deluge, and the country was flooded. From the Tinnevelly district I was sent to the Shevary Hills, in Central Madras, to or-; ganise relief measures ; from thence to the; Northwest, where the distress was very; acute. Thus for two years and a-half I was placed in the most distressed portions \ of India. That the Indian Government, was in some measure- to blame for its; apathy in not early recognising the distress! there can be no doubt, but praise must be accorded to the individual officers for their endeavours to do their duty. Some estimate can be formed of the prevalence of the distress when it is stated that the province of Mysore lost over 1,000,000 of people.: Perhaps no other country would have done better under similar circumstances.