The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-01-04
THE CHINESA DBLUGB.
Twenty Thsussud square Miles sab.
merged psrstitutisa Of. tho Va
tiyeS.

Twenty Thsusssd square Miles sab
merged -hu psrstitutisn Of. tho Va
uyes.
The Shanghae Budget Of October
4th, contains letter from which we
copy as follows:
All who have heard of the terrible
floods in North China, consequent
upon the overflow of the rivers, must
wish that II were possible 10 fully In
ve7tigate the causes, progress and re-
suits Of m event which cannot but
have sad and fnr-reaching effects.
But, unfortunately, we have 10 guess
II good deal, as usual We can only
collect and compare the meagrc and
not very reliable evidence afforded by
official documents with the stories
current among the people, and tcsti-
mony Of the few foreigners who have
had the opportunity Of making per-
sonal observations. The country i'm
mediately about Pckin has escaped,
and crops thereabouts being above
the average, it is said that our friends
in the capital have concluded that
the inundation is local and quite un-
important. For the sake Of the poor
peasantry, every one must hope
that it is so. But | fear the hope is
delusive. According to the most
trustworthy information we can get
(and 1t so happens that we have the
testimony Of three or four English
eye witnesses from aS many extreme
points, it would seem that the sub
merged district Is Of vast extent
probably at least 10000 square miles.
TO realize what this means, we have
only to remember that II represents
an area larger than onc-lhird Of Eng
land and Wales. The mind is ap-
palled at the bare thought Of such a
calamity. Those upon the spot a.
they look down upon drowned VII
lagos and ruined crops, or listen TO
the tales of dcSolatiOn which reach
them from the interior, or see the
crowds of homeless and fOodlcss re-
fugeeS pouring into this city from the
country, get some faint idea of the
kind of suffering il is causing; but
even they can have no adequate con-
| ceptlOn Oh It's amounts.
The story COOS that before the river
actually broke at Tsz-chu-lin, n mcs-
senger was sent from GAmen 10 in
spect the threatened spot, He found
u small hole, and every sign OF the
coming disaster. But in the hole was
Il large fish. This was declared to
be n good, and the conclusion was
that it would be impious to try to
stop the passage Of the waters, it was
plainly the will of heaven that the
bank should give way.
When the catastrophe had actually
occurred, and successive attempts to
fill the breach had failed--thc rush
ing stream having swept piles and
reeds away-the tale grew. IT was
then said there were two fishes, one
of which had gone up the country,
while the other remained about the
opening, and that, Of course, 1t would
be useless to do anything until the
wanderer returned. A few days later
learned that the Tau-tan oil lient
sin, in his capacity of con4orVator o
rivers, ETC., had gone to the break II
the Eucho, on the Weet of the city
to sacrifice to Yurn- Shcn. a fnb,lloI.
tortoise or fish who ja supposed tc
control tine waters. lie went in great
state, and was ACCOMPANIED by other
officials. Tables were placed upon
the river banks, a tablet, incense
urns, cnndle-4ticls, and all other nee
essary paraphcrnalia placed in their
proper places, and then this strange
ceremony began. Not having been
present, I can only give the bare facts,
Resides the actual worship, the prin-
cipol business wns n long prayer offer
| inrs caused hv the food, the fruitlces
etf9rts made t0 4topthe various breaks
in tho hanks of tlir rivers, and he
sought thr fish.god to allow them
now TO be repaired. The works at
! thia .nnt v,,rn thcn rrrommrpcal at