The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-03-07
DESTRUCTION AT BAGDAD.

/
Groves, an English Missionary, who hao
resided for some years in the City Of Bag
] dad, under the protection of the Englisf
Consul. and witnessed the terrible havoc
made by the plague in that devoted city
| last spring. Out of population of 10000
but 5000 remained. We select the fol.
lowing passages from this gloomy record
emitting the constant and daily expressions
of pous resignation and reliance on Provi-
dence, which sustained the excellent wri-
ter through the trying scenes he describes
.4pra 22.-Surely every principle of dis
solution is operating in the midst of the
Ottoman and Persian empires, plaques,
earthquakes, and civil wars. Having had
occasion to-day 10 go out TO the Residency.
to endeavor to save some things from the
water which has come into all the cellars,
in every way was overwhelmed with the
awful state of the city. 1t is difficult to
obtain help of any kind at any price. The
servant of Mr.. Taylor, who is left in charge
of the house, told me he had applied in ev-
cry direction, but could get no one one
had wife dead or dying; another moth
err; another was employed in carrying wa
ter for the dead; and in oCr way we saw
the yard of the Mashid full of graves, and
no longer having room there, they were
bnrying the dead in the public road.
23.-The plague not decreasing. Two
more brought out from the passage oppo.
site, making seventeen from eight houses.
The mother ofthe Seyd; who owns our house,
has been buried in her house, nc one being
to be got to bury her. Another most af-
fecting instance has just occurred: a little
girl, of about twelve years old, was seen
carrying an infant in her arms, and being
asked whose it was, she said she did not
know, but had found it in the road, having
heard that both it's parents were dead
Water now is not to lie had for money.
M.--They have just been digging graves
beside Our house. Almost all the cotton is
consumed, SO that persons are, wandering
all over the city to find some for burying
the dead. Water not to be had at any price,
nor water carrier to be seen. In one
short month, not less than 10000 souls have
passed from time to eternity in this city,
and yet even now there is no diminution,
apparently, of death. One more taken from
the little passage opposite, making l6 from
the houses.
26.--The. accounts are heart-rending of
little children left in the streets; five were
left yesterday, poor woman said, near the
Residency, and in every other direction.
2.-To-day all thoughts are turned from
the plague to the inundation; the falling of
a portion of the city wall, on the nolth-w west
side last night, let the water in full stream
into the city. The Jews quarter is mum
dated, and two hundred houses fell there
last night; we are hourly expecting to hear
that every part of the city is overfown. A
part also of the wall of the citadel is fallen.
1t must be many years, if ever, before the
city can recover. But it seems to me that
this seat of Mahomedan glory, and of its
proudest reeollections, has received its
death warrant from the hand of the Lord.
This lHundation has not only ruined an i'm
mense number of houses in the city, and
been the cause of tens of thousands dying
OF the plague, but the whole harvest is de-
stroyed. The barley, which was just ready
to he reaped, is utterly gone, and every
other kind of corn must likewise be ruined,
so that for thirty miles all round Bagdad not
a grain of corn can be collected this year
and, perhaps, if all was quiet, this might
be of no consequence, for from Mosul and
Kuardlston, it might easily come, but here
at present is nothing but line of enemies,
with whom this Pashalic has no communi-
cation. The poor are beginning to feel
immense difficulty in the city, for all shops
being shut, they have no where to buy, and
there being a great scarcity of wood, they
are unable to cook and should the water
now occasion a general inundation Of the
whole city, the heart sickens at the con-
temptation of the scenes that must follow
for if the houses OF the rich are but imper-
Iu hntl e H.,
thing but mud, and scarcely one of them
will be left standing.
2o.-We have taken one poor little Ma
nomedan child, about three or four years
old, from the streets, and are supplying
poor Armenian woman with pap for anoth-
er; but what is this among so many! We
know not what to do. 1t makes passing
through the streets most painful and affect
ing thus to see little children from month
or six weeks to two or four years crying
for home, hungry, and naked, and wretch
ed, and knowing not what to do or where
to go. Thank God, however, to-day the
water is little, about a span, lower.
29.-The Pasha's palace is left open,
without soul to take care of any thing 4;
his stud of beautiful Arab horses are run
nlng about the streets, and every one catch
ing those he can; they are worth here from
ten to one hundred pounds each lis stores,
also, of corn. are left open, and every one
takes what he wants, Or what he can carry
away. This is great relief to the poor,
for the quantities were enormous, being in
expectation of siege.
The water, thank God, is little lower
There seems now no other prospect than that
the moment the waters decrease the sur
rounding Arabs will come in and plumber
the city.
May 5.-Inquire where you will the an
swer is, The city is desolate. Around
the Pasha four Georgians alone remain
alive out of more than one hundred. The
son of our Moolah, who is dead, told me
not one is lefl-they are all dead. Out of
about eighteen servants that Major Taylor
left. and seapoys, fourteen are dead two
have now the plague those two died,
and two are well. Again, of the Armeni-
ans, more than half are dead. An Armeni-
an was with us to-day, who says there ale
net more than twenty-seven men left in one
hundred and thirty houses. | however
think that this is much sore than the fact.
AT Hillah, the modern Babylon, (popula-
ton l0,O0O) there is scarcely soul left, as
Seyd lbrahim told me to-day, aud the dogs
and the wild beasts alone are there, feed.
ing on the dead bodies. This Seyd Ibra.
! nm Is one OF the surviving servants of Ma
Jor Taylor hut this man, though himsel
alive, Is the only one of his family of four
teen-iour brothers, their wives, his own
their children and his are all dead.
For digging grave they ask sum tina
i canals In ENGLAND CO In cnnsnnnnnnn q