The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-04-21

the government relief these cases would have
been much more numerous. 1t Is impossible
in such country, and with a people who
are so ignorant, timid, and caste bound that
they should not occur under the best ar
engagements. Sir George Campbell has sane
toned at once every order OF Sir r. Temple,
and you may imagine the hberality of his
orders when say that the lieutenant gov
ernor publicly expresses doubt whether
relief on so very liberal scale is within the
means OF Recommendations il may pos
sibiy not be beyond the means OF a great
| government to feed such popu-
lation.' No money or labor is being
spared in the attempt, at least, but the gov
eminent of India lost a month at
starting, and that makes all the differenc g
now. Sir George Campbell has now asked
for 3S2, 600 tons of grain for all the distressed
districts, not including Nepaul, nor a reserve
| OF &c, 900 tons which the lieutenant governor
wishes TO keep for-ominous fact!-the
eastern district. l am sanguine that the
extraordinary efforts ofthe government will
really take this grain to the worst localities.
What has been and is now being sent may
keep great mortality of till the many small
steamers now being prepared can pour in food
when the rivers rise in June" The Daily
News correspondent at Durbungah, under
date February 20, writes thus: "Among the
| public relief works which have been under
taken in this subdivision for giving employ
ment to the destitute classes of the famine
| stricken community, is the construction of
a new road from this station in an easterly
direction to Buheyra, distance of about
| twelve miles. L was informed that at the
Durbungah end of this work, and within dis
lance OF some two miles from the town, up
ward of six thousand persons-men, women,
and children were employed, and that at
rate OF remuneration which sufficed at least
| to avert physical deterioration from scant-
ness of food. 1t seemed to me that an in
spection OF this industry would afford a
pleasant relief co the scenes of misery which
presented themselves with such relentless
persistency before my eyes as l sat in my
tent on the Madam of Durbungah finishing
the letters which sent you last week. 1t is
no easy thing TO write coherently with the
: MOAN OF MISERABLE sTARvELINGs
constantly in ones ears. Whenever looked
up from the paper there stood or squatted
before me outside the open door of the tent
some half dozen forlorn, hollow-eyed, ema
ciated women, begging for FOOD to keeI
them from starving. III called for the chu
: prassie to move them on'-for TO work
within sight or hearing of them was impos-
sible-they went patiently away with the
dull resignation of fatalisIs- But no sooner
were they gone than others came. Lear
mothers came, and laid down little children
u that lay prone on the grass, as if they
4 were dead, for they were too far gone in star
!. walton to stand on their wasted little legs
O little ones. Wretched old women, shriveleC
. and starved almost out of human semblance
= trotted over the grass to fall PROSTATE out
q side the tent, and pray. for relief while thei
) gray hairs trailed among the dust. The ali
. was full of the dull, monotonous hou
y in which relief is craved, as. a marsi
o at eventime echoes with the croak
ing OF frogs. We rode forward upoI
!, the new road, the construction of which il
g remarkably good; the work, if slow, has
n certainly not. been scamped. There met III
a continuouFstream of people, men, womer
!, and childreEE returning from the works to
q ward the town. 1t was not o'clock, and i
a occurred to me as strange that the day.
n work should to all appearance be over 81
: early. In answer to my question, Mr.. Henry
q told me that by reason of the defective su
? perintendence the people employed did jus
2 what they please, came early and lef
!, late, or came late and wen
n away early as seemed good t,
! them. Certainly it was obvIons that yer,
n many preferred to go away early. Ate
o riding about half a mile, we reached an opeI
!. field on the side of the line of road. Their,
: are two trees, under one of which sat ma
. tive accountant, with ledger; under tn
y't.l other a native cashier. with cash book anC
:, pile of uncouth copper money on a cloth b,
! his side. Around these two calm method
n cal officials, close about whom few nativ,
q policemen kept a ring with their sticks
q ! there thronged dense mass of people, mum
o. | bering 1000 at the very least. We hat
g heard clamor as we approached, but thi
: was nothing to the din that assailed us a
: we rode up. The people crowded in upoI
o being kicked or trodden on, implOring witt
3 clssped hands, shouting at the top of thei
: | voices
4 | ,rrSrfn mr.