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springs. We also establish a system that could be made general, is applicable
to the whole country, and one that would be permanent, requiring no outlay or
expenditure on the part of Government to keep it going. Neither would the
scheme be repugnant to the owner, nor would it entail any hardship or expense
on him. The village machinery necessary to put this scheme into working
order already exists, and if approved could be put into force at once. I feel
confident, with this proposal in working order, that a very great improvement
would soon be apparent throughout India.
Mortality amongst cattle.
57. It is difficult to estimate the mortality which has taken place in cer-
tain parts of this Presidency. But there can be no doubt that the districts of
Ahmedabad, Kaira, Panch Maháls and Broach have lost something like 70 per
cent. Surat, being well supplied with fodder both from grass lands and arable
fields, has not suffered to the same extent. Before the famine the above 4 dis-
tricts had a little over 13 lákhs of head of cattle, and during the 8 months, from
August to March, exported about 300,000 maunds of hides. Assuming 6 hides
go to an Indian maund, the above figures represent a mortality amounting to
1,800,000 head of cattle. Sind and Native States, from where cattle were brought
early in the season into Ahmedabad and the Panch Maháls in the hope of find-
ing grazing, are to a great extent responsible for this number. The figures,
however, give an approximate indication of the cattle mortality in the British
districts of Gujarát. Among the Gujarát districts, Ahmedabad has suffered most.
Next comes the Panch Maháls. In Kaira, where fodder crops were raised to a
considerable extent, the mortality was not so high as in the first named two dis-
tricts. Broach, by timely removal to the Rájpipla forests, has been able to save a
considerable percentage of its cattle. Among the Deccan districts, Khándesh
appears to be suffering most. In the five months ending January 1900, it ex-
ported 20,300 maunds of hides. Prom Násik the exports for the same period
amounted to 10,600 maunds, from Ahmednagar to 4,400, from Sholápur to 4,900
and from Poona to 1,100. The mortality in Sátára and the Karnátic districts of
Belgaum, Bijápur and Dhárwár is not likely to be very heavy, as those districts
are well supplied with fodder. The mortality in the Deccan districts during
the months of February, March and April amounted to 33,282 and in the Guja-
rát districts for the month of April to 8,144; the total mortality up to the end
of April according to these figures amounts to 2,089,226 head. But i do not
think that they can be anywhere near the mark, as they are only calculated up
to the end of April, leaving the two most trying months (May and June), in
which the mortality must have been very high, still to be accounted for. No
proper estimate can possibly be found until next August or September, as very
large numbers of the cattle which have managed to exist during the hot weather
are in their impoverished state bound to succumb from the effects of eating the
young green grass.
58. The Native States bordering on the Bombay Presidency have suffered
to a very great extent, and Káthiáwár, as far as I was able to judge when touring
in that district, must have lost between 60 to 70 per cent., as very early in the
season nearly all the carts were worked by hand labour. The Junágadh State
is estimated to have had 105,411 head of cattle before the famine commenced,
and if the figures are reliable, at the end of April about 70,000 were still alive.
If this is correct, the percentage saved is high.
59. The Deccan cultivator, who is a man accustomed to deal with times of
scarcity, realized the position very early in the season and concentrated all his
efforts in endeavouring to save his working cattle, and, as far as I can gather
from personal observation and enquiry, has to a great extent succeeded. The
mortality in the Deccan has been chiefly confined to the small useless cattle
that are invariably to be found in large numbers in every village in times of
prosperity, and who do not assist in working the land.
Cattle Camps in Gujarát.
60. In the month of August 1899 the Government of Bombay realized
that the famine in Gujarat had assumed such a serious aspect, and that the
mortality amongst cattle would be so great, that it was necessary that some
steps should be taken with a view of endeavouring to save even a small propor-