Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-11-29
Incidents of the Famine i'm India

Much has been said of the distressing
scenes WITNESSED in India during the re-
cent famine, but we have seen no mar
rative more touching than the following,
which we copy from an English mag
aZine:
"It is in Orissa, Canaan and Midna- |
pore that the distress wrought by the |
famine is felt in all its intensity. In |
these districts it is supposed that the
death.rate has been thousand day
for many months but the number OF
those who have thus miserably perlshed
by hunger and disease will never be &C
curately ascertained. Vast numbers
| have fed from the districts, some to
| sleep an eternal sleep by the roadsides,
where their unburied bones lie bleach
ing in the scorching sun-mute wit
nesses to the blessings of British rule
and others to arrive in Calcutta so
emaciated that they appear as if their
skeleton frames were covered with thin,
transparent India rubber. In the CITY
of Palaces and other towns where they
have sought refuge, it is calculated that
seventy five thousand are daily leo oy
public charity and at least double that
number, or one hundred and fifty thou
sand by private charity.
'To see one of these immense crowds,
, when the daily distributions OF rice take
place, is most heart-rending spectacle
of utter wretchedness. In one quarter
are thousands of Hindoos, in another
thousands of Mussulmans, and at a lit
tie distance, sheltered by the ghaut, are
= the women, girls and children. You
n can scan the faces of the assembled
!. thousands and see in every one of them
the same expression-the pinched, des-
pairing, yet resigned look Of mortal
Is weakness, or Of mortal sickness, which
u the sight OF food suddenly changes into
l. hungry, longing devouring look-the
" kind Of look which inspires feelings Of
g. nity for even a starving wild animal
M but which when worn " the human
'n countenance, is indescribabiy painful tc
re behold. Over all is the silence of death
III no loud and noisy laughter, as would bt
NC the case at other times hardly SOUND
20 save at intervals, when some famishet
wretch throws up his arms and utters {
cry of wild despair, wrung from MIN D.
A the gawing, unappeasaoe pangs OF nun
Dr. ger. At other places fearful struggle
re- to get possession of the food take place
of and many lives are lost in the sickenlni
n scramble.
-, 1.-THE picture would not be complet
"i did not add that many of the men VIII
ne receive this relief have fed from thei
he wives and families, leaving them to th
as fate which they themselves have escaped
on Thus has the misery wrought by tn
famine stamped out the love Of offsprin
" and of home-conspicuous features /
the character of the people of India, an
EN- more especially of the Hindoos. Ot tn
nd women thus deserted by their nature
er- protectors many touching stories al
- told by eye-witnesses. For example
cir planter was informed that woman ha
bel died by the roadside, and that Twin
Os- child was at her breast. He sent GU
lg- his servants, who found the corpse, an
tee the child so tightly clasped in th
ct, mothers arms, that in bending 1t bach
ne stiff and cold, it broke. The poor littl
he infant, exhausted by exposure and wan
he died as it was being released. Anothe
Oh case A woman, with her three chi
til dren, crawled up to planters nous
of Just as tiffin was being cleared away
&C. the remains Of the curry and. rice wei
lily carried out in the verandah and place
RS before her. Without attempting to ca
she seated the three children round th
TX dish, who speedily devoured its contents
he and although the mother was wasted t
ID a skeleton, mumbliDg her thanks, sh
as turned away, grateful that her offsprin
on had been fed, even while she herself sti
IN, hungered. Here is yet another instanc
bel stiA more wonderfully touching in it
ed forgetfulness Of self A little girl an
ter her mother were seen lying under mai
he go tree. Both were faint FROM hunger
bel they had been trying to keep life t.
ut gether by feeding on snails, berries, an
en- lizards but growing weaker day /
ex- day, they at last sunk down under tn
'ch tree to await lingering death. Son
ny, boiled rice was placed before them. I'll
led mother was too weak to raise herseI
use SO, although the child's big eyes fash'
ash with hungry gleam,' her little hand
the well filled, first sought the mother
air, mouth, and not until half the rice W
iud thus consumed did she herself eat"
one