The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1877-02-15
The Bengal Disaster.

The Gazette Of India contains tho
following minute of tho Lieutenant
Governor of Bengal, Sir Richard Tenn
pie, on tho cyclone and storm wavo
in the districts of Backergunge and
Noacolly.
In an area of some 5000 square
miles out of 100000 persons sud
denly throw into more or loss of
danger, 215, 900 must have porishod.
This, of course, is only an estimate;
the .exacet number cannot be known
yet awhile, perhaps mover will be
known. We found in somo villages
thirty per cent. of the inhabitants lost,
in others fifty Fer cent, in somo
even seventy per cent. There was
% severe cyclone in the bay Of Bon
gal on the night of the 31st October.
But it was not the wind which proved
so destructive, though that was bad
enough; it was the storm wavo, swoop
ing along to height of from ten feet
to twenty feet, according to different
localities; in some places, whore it mot
with any rosistance,i it mounted even
higher than that. In the evening tho
weather was little windy and hazy,
and had boon somewhat hot; but the
people, q million or thoreabouts of
souls, retired to rest apprehending
nothing. But before eleven o'clock
the wind suddenly freshened, and
about midnight thoro arose cry of
"The water is on u.s." and great
wave burst ovor the country several
foot high; it was followed by another
wave, and again by a third, all three
rushing rapidly southwark, tho air and
wind being chilly cold. The people
were thus caught up before they had
time to climb on their roofs, and wero
lifted to the surface Of the water, to-
gether with the beams and thatches
of their cottages. When tho storm
burst thcre was an abundant rice crop
ripening for tho harvest-tho well
known deltaic rice crop which is much
beyond the moods Of local consump-
tion, and quantities (mcasurcd by
thousandSAot tons annually for ex~
portation to distant districts. A part
is lost, that in which the plant had
not advanced beyond the stage Of
Towering, and part is still safe, that
in which the grain had formed or
begun to form. If even one third is
saved that would suffice tor the popu-
lation now on the land. The wealth
lost almost entirely agricultural
crops or cattle. 70 this, however,
there is one noticeable exception,
namely, Dowlutkhan, rich trading
town, clean destroyed and valuable
records. 1t had eight thousand in
habitants, one fourth of whom por~
tshed, perhaps more. 1t may be
asked, in conclusion, whether any
protective means against such calam-
tiles in future can be devised-any
embankments or the like? This ques-
ton will be duly considered; but at
present [ know not how to doviso
such safeguard, nor have [ scen any
one who can suggest anything. The
area to be protected would be too
great to be encompassed with pro-
tective works. If embankmonts be-
came preached in such storm, they
would afterward do more harm than
good, for they would prevent or retard
the running off and the subsidence of
the waters. Perhaps the peoplo NIGH t
build perches for themselves on plat
forms, on stills, and the like; but the
trees which invariably surround tho
homesteads serve this purpose admi~
rably, and it is to them that tho sur
Vivors mainly owe their escape.
Keep your own counsel. Nothing
aaD ba rooya ipiurioOn to ,,o,,., -