Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-12-04

The Shanghae Budget of October 4th con-
tains letter, from which we copy as follows;
| All who have heard of the terrible floods in
| North China. CONSEQUENT upon tile overflow of
the rivers, must wish that ii were possible to IN
veStigate fully the causes, progress, ard results
| OF an event which cannot but have sad and far
reaching effects But, unfortunately, we have
to gtIesS at good deal, rs usual We can
only collect and compare the niedgfe and
not very reliable evidence afforded by official
documents with the stories current among the
people, and the testimony of the few foreigners
who have had the Opportunity of making per-
sdnal observations, The country immediately
about Ptking has escaped, and the crops there
abOutS being above the average, it is said that
our friends ia the capital have concluded that
the inundation is local and quite unim-
portant. For the sake of the poor peas
anuy, every one must hope that it is
so, But | fear the hope is deluSive.
According to the most trustworthy information
we can get land it so happens that we have the
testimony of three or four English eye-wimesseS
from as many extreme points, it would seem
that the submerged district is of vast extent
probably at least 10000 square miles. To realize
what this means we have only to remember that
it represents an area larger than one-third of
England and Wales. The mind is appalled, mt
the bare thought of such calamity. Those
upon the spot, as they look down upon drowned
villages and ruined crops, or listen TO the tales
OfdesolutiOn which reach them from the Interior
or see the crowds Of homeless and ioOdleSS
refugees pouring into this city from the country,
get some faint idea Of rhe kind of suffering it is
causing; but even they can have no adequate
conception of its amount
The story goes, that before the river actually
broke at Iszchu-hn, messenger was sent
from Yamcn to inspect the threatened spot. He
found Il small hole, and every sign of the COM
Ing disaster But in the hole was a large fish.
This was declared to be a god, and the cOnclu-
sion drawn was that it would be impious to
try TO stop the passage of the waters as it was
plainly the will OF heaven that the bank should
give way.
When the catastrophe had actually occurred,
and successive attempts to I'LL the breach had
failed-the rushing stream having swept piles
and reeds away-the tale grew. 1t was then
said there were two fishes, one of which had
gone up he country while the other remained
about the opening, aud that of course it would
be useless to do anything until the wanderer
returned A few days later 1 learned that the
Iau-tai of IientSin, in his capacity of ronser-
VatOr OF rivers, etc, had gone 10 the break in
the Eucho, on the west of the city, to Sacri-
nee to ucn-Shcn, fabulous tortoise or fish,
who is supposed 10 control the waters. He went
IN great state and was accompanied by other Of
hclals. Tables were placed upon heriver bank,
tablet, incense urnS, Candlesticks and all other
necessary paraphernalia placed in their proper
places, and then this strange ceremony began.
Not having been fpresent, | can only give the
principal business was a long prayer offered
by the Iau-tai, who recounted the Sufferings
caused by the flood, the fTutless efforts made
to stop the va.iOus breaks in the banks of the
rivers, and besought the fish-god to allow them
now to be repaired The works at this spot
were then recommended at once.
Unfortunately, Yuen-chen does not seem to
have been satisfied, for before long the waters
again asserted their power ard swept away all
the material gathered to resist them. Then the
Iau-tai grew angry and paid another visit to the
breach. But there was no worship on this oc-
casion. No incense no offerings. Cannon took
their place, and the magistrate roundly rated
the god for his noncompliance with his Wishes
"Ddn', tell you so and so and so, and you paid
no attention. You don't care for the trouble
caused TO so many thousands of people," &c, SC,
&c. Bang! bang! bang the cannons were let fly at
him, and suppose the worthy magistrate went
home feeling that he had done his duty There
can be little doubt, whether he has made any i'm
preston on Yueu-chen or not that he has to
certain extent succeeded in convincing the peo-
pie that he is not responsible for the flood and
in confirming the popular superstition.