The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-01-05
THE CHINESE DELUGE.
TWeHfS Thousand Square Miles Sab.
naerged-Bu uPersfftufisn Of the Ma
tfves.

Twenty Thousand Square Miles Sab.
Iaaerged-Supersfitutisn Of the Ma
tfves.
The Shanghae Budget of October
4thi 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 il were possible to fully in
Vestlgate the causes, progress and re-
suits of an event which cannot but
| have sad and far-reaching effects.
But, unfortunately, we have t. guess
a good deal, as usual. We can only
collect and compare the meagre and
noF very reliable evidence afforded by
official documents with the stories
current among the people, and testi-
nlony of the few foreigners who have
hsd the opportunity of making per-
sonal observations. The country i'm
mediately about Pekin has escaped,
and crops thereabOuts being above
the average, it is said that our friends
IN lhe capital have concluded that
tae foundation is local and quite un-
flIs2rtant. For he sake of the poor
peasAntry, every one must hope
that it is so. But fear the hope is
trustworthy Information we can get
land it 50 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 it represents
an area larger than One-third of Eng
land and Wales. The mind is ap-
palled at the bare thought of such a
calamity. Those upon the spot, as
they look down upon drowned vii
lagos and ruined crops, or listen to
the tales of desOlatiOn which reach
them from the interior, or see the
crowds of homeless and fOodless re-
fugccs pouring into this city from the
country, get some faint idea of the
kind of suffering it is causing; but
even they can have no adequate con-
ceptlOn of its amounts.
The story goes, that before the river
actually broke at Tsz-chu-lin, a mes
sengcr was sent from Yamen to in
spect, the threatened spot. He found
a small hole, and every sign of the
coming disaster. But I'm the hole was
n large fish This was declared to
be a good, and the conclusion was
that 1T would be impiOus to try TO
stop the passage of the waters, il 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-the rush
ing stream having swept piles and
reeds away-the tale grew. 1t 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, it would
be useless to do anything until the
/ learned that the Tau-tain Of Tient-
sin, in his capacity of cOnseTvatOr of
rivers, etc, had gone to the break in
the Eucho, on the west of the city,
to sacrifice TO Yuen-Shen, fabulous
tortoise or fish who is supposed TO
control the waters. He went in great
state. and was accompanied 10y other
officials. Tables were placed upon
the. river banks tablet, incense
Urns, candle-sticks, and all other nee
essary paraphernalia placed in their
proper places. and then this strange
ceremony began. Not having been
present, I can only give the bare facts.
Besides the actual worship, the pTin-
tlltttl blSlieSN was = IOllS III oH OilCl-
ings caused by the food, the fruitless
efforts made to stop the various breaks
in the banks of the rivers, and be-
sought the fish.gOd to allow them
now TO be repaired. The works at
this spot were then recommended at
once.
Unfortunately, Huen Shen does
not seem to have been satisfied, for
before long the waters again asserted
their power, and swept away all the
material gathered to resist them.
Then the Tautai grew angry and paid
another visit to the breach. But
there was no worship on this OccG-
sion. No incense, no offerings. Can
non took their place, and the magis-
trate rOundly rated the god for his
noncompliance with his wishes.
Didn't [ tell you 50 and 50, and you
paid no attention. You don't care
for the trouble caused to so many
thousands of people" &c, &c. Bang!
bang, bang! cannon were let fly at
him, and l suppose the worthy mag
istrate n ent home feeling that he had
done his duty! There can be little
doubt, whether he has made any inn
preston OH Yuen Shen or not, that
he has to a certain extent succeeded
in convincing the people that he is
not responsible for the flood and in
confirming the popular superstition.