, 1877-07-06
Famine in India.


tanned letter from the Rev. Jacob
Ohamb erlain, for fifteen years mission
nrV of the Dutch Reformed Church 10
India. One of our Baptist missionaries,
Rev. LYMAN Jewett, D. D., who has him
self labored many years among the Te-
loogOos, says: "Dr. Chamberlain during
fifteen years labor in India travelled
through the length and breadth of the
famine-stIicken districts. His letter is
full picturesque and reliable. He writes
as only one can write who has lived
among the people-in the time of fam
ine." We make the following extracts
from the letter:
Tie rainfall in Southern India is con
fined to two seasons. The southwest
monsoon" as it is called, which sets in
from across the Sea of Arabia during the
months of May and June, brings the les
ser rains, which, continuing month
more or less, partially fill the water
courses and reservoirs. They also mois-
ten the high ground, where irrigation
cannot be made use of, so that the farm
ers caa begin to plough their lands for
the autumn sowing. Occasional show
en fall in July and August. But the
great monsoon comes in October. The
wind. suddsnly changing from southwest
to northeast, sweeps down, bringing the
heavily charged rain-clouds, and for more
than = month it rains good part of the
time night and day. This is India's
hope, India's riches. Filling all the
walercourses, filling all the myriads of
reservoirs throughout the country which
store the water for months of irrigation,
it renders possible India's marvellous
fruitags of grain which keep her teeming
millions alive.
At once, tsO, on the coming of this
monsoon, the millions of acres of uplands
which cannot be cultivated by irrigation
are sown with millet, ragi, pulse, corn
and the host of minor cereals used by the
Hindocs. But the most of their food
grains are raised by irrigation. Give the
Hindoo plenty of water, and the richest
crops will be raised everywhere. With
out water be can do nothing. Let now
the monsoon fail TO come, and almost i'm
mediately the direst distress reigns every
where and reaches nearly all classes. The
thousands who have grain, we'll knowing
that twill be many months before more
can be raised, hold on to what they have
with an iron grip. A large proportion
of the iaboring classes are thrown out of
employment at once. There is no rain
to mOisten the land; it cannot be
ploughed; the channels of irrigation are
dry growing crops wither; no wedding
or cultiyating is TO be done; no harvest
labor is wanted; what money there is is
needed for food; building ceases; carpen-
ters and masons are thrown outof employ
ment; old clothing must be worn; the
millions Of hand-looms all through the
country must stop; weavers are added to
the distressed multitude, and so with
each industry, more or less. The thou
sands Of the Weli-to-do will in some way
pull through without actual suffering,
but the millions who live from hand to
mouth speedily succumb.
How not one monsoon but two have
failed. The southwest monsoon of May
and June, 1876, did not come. The lands
could not be plonghed. The early irri-
gation crops could not be planted. The
price of food at once advanced, but no
actual distress prevailed. The eyes Of
all we're turned heayenward for the Oc-
tober and November rains. None came
in the famine districts. The heavens
were brazen. Scorching suns, but no
rain-clouds. The hearts Of all sank with
IN them, for it was evident that a time Of
dire distress was at hand.
Had the area Of famine been small, the
energetic measures adopted by the Gov
ernment and BY private parties, with
abundance Of grain in the surrounding
regions, would have been efectual to pre-,
vent great loss Of life. But it is not
small. In the Madras Presidency alone
the famine reaches over more than so. 900
square miles, containing nearly 9O,0OO,-
900 Of people, while in the Bombay
Presidency adjoining it reaches over some
$1,000 square miles, with population Of
100000 to $4,000, 900, together equal
ling thTee-fourths of the population Of
the United States. And in the surround
ing districts, while there is no actual fam
inc there is great scarcity, so as to pre-
vent their helping their neighbors. Un-
fortunately this state of affairs is not to
be Of short duration. Two monsoons
have already failed. Our first ray OF
hope is in the early May and June mon
soon. But even when that comes, it will
not at once stop the distress or even the
actual starvation. The crop will be ex-
ceedingly light at best. No. The best
judges say that from four to six months
Of starvationis yet before the people. God
send relief
come now to speak of what this fam.