The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-29


plenty. Early in the year, in spite of the gen.
eral impoverishment of the people, the govern
ment, with shocking inhumanity, raised the
taxes. This completed the misery of its
unhappy subjects. What little money they
had left was torn from them, and they were
left beggared to face year whose horrors had
but begun.
| THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE INCREASED TAXA
TION.
The first effect of the increased taxation
was to drive the people from their homes in
the country to the big cities, as, owing to a
curious law, the imposts upon tillers of the
soil are very much heavier than those exacted
from the jewellers in towns. In cities, indeed,
the mass Of the population practically escape
taxation, and the revenue is raised, with the
exception of poll tax, from the merchants.
THE FAMINE GROWS WORSE.
Before the end of winter the famine had
spread from Farsistan to the other provinces,
which depended upon it for supplies The
cities of Ispahan, Yezd, Herman and Shiraz
were crowded with starving multitudes. Te-
heran, the capital, suffered least, but even
there the privations were terrible. Wheat in
Herman rose to nine times it's usual price.
FAILURE OF THE NEW CROP.
The new crop has failed also. The people
haze endeavored to keep themselves alive by
eating grass and roots, but even this scanty
nourishment has now been exhausted.
CHILDREN SOLD INTO SLAVERY.
In Khorassan, which borders on Cabool and
the wild steppes of Central Asia, people sold
their children into slavery among the Turco-
mans in order to save them from starvation
and at the same time to acquire few tomauns
to spend in the bazaar for sustenance.
CANNIBALIsM.
1t would be we'll if all the provinces could
have disposed of their children in the same
manner.
DEvOURING THEIR OWN CHILDREN
In Farsistan parents slew and then devoured
their offspring.
MAKING BANQUET UPON ooRPsEs.
In Ispahan men have been caught in the
act of exhuming the corpses of the dead for
the purpose Of eating them.
ALL THE HORSES EATEN.
Among the results of the famine may be
mentioned that oil domestic animals, even
horses, of which Persia raised great many,
not only for her own use, but also for exporta-
ton to India, have been killed and eaten.
THE CEMETERIES GUARDED.
A late despatch further informs us that the
cemeteries in Shiraz have to be guarded by
troops, lest the people, Infatuated by hunger,
should rife them of their CHASTITY contents.
NO RELIEF.
The people are almost beyond the reach of
help Even if food were brought from India
there are no cattle left to transport 1t into the
interior and even if there were, it is months
Journey from Bushire to Ispahan, and six
weeks to Khorassan.
THE WORST FAMINE ON RECORD.
This dearth will probably be the most hor-
rible on record. Two years ago couple of
millions of people died in India of starvation.
Unless, however, the Persian government con-
sents to the deportation of its subjects, there
will be among its eight millions of people
mortality even more appalling than this.
THE PLAGUE.
The report that the plague has broken out
is not confirmed /; but the cholera and famine
fever are busily at work. and these are sufi-
GENTLY terrible agents of death. The famine
stricken people are covered with hideous
sores, the consequence of hunger, while they
burn in the fortunes of devouring fever.
GUARANTEED.
The Russian government, in view of the
probability of the cholera spreading into its
dominions, has established quarantine regula-
tions along the frontier. One path of escape
for the Persians is thus blocked up. Probably
the British Indian government will soon
adopt similar precautions, and this will cause
the steamers from Bombay to stop running.
ENGLAND.
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