The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1878-03-12
TIE rAMrNEIN CHINA.
Terrible Hufrrrings Of che Inhabi.
ta0ts Of the Nerthern Of the
sOustry.

We-cnang. Cniila. uhder date OF JANUARY
l6. to the Shanghai Courier as follows:
During the last year have been travel.
Ing north, east, south and west Ia the
provinces OF Shensi. the iurthest point
reached beiLg Jen.sng.tu, 40 miles North
OF Sisang tn. the capital. and about the
same distance south Of the Gres, Wall, 90
that | have had fair opportunity TO
Judge OF the people and place. Nearly
all this time the fleet Il the long drouth
has told on the price OF provis ons, but
not until the three months before ny
second return. about . month since. did
the famine. with all Its terrible conse.
quences. come with fall power on the
already suffering poor, and knowing this
to be the third year the harvest has
filled, they were utterly unpNpared to
cope With the fearful calamity coming
down surely and swiftly upon them.
lie latter part OF my sojourn In the
north was spent In, or within $50 miles
direct north Of Stang fu. and 10 my ri.
most daily journeyinx met with large
numbers Of refugees, their pale. haggsrd
faces. and unearthly expression OF
ha 49, .-"iaD milo - s,lu;niv ~
the loss OF all they had, ii the weary
miles they hal trsyersed. and the
psngs Of hunger they ielt, many
Ut them actually trying to support
life by picking and eating Wild berries
from TIE roadside hedges, while leaves Of
Trees was common article OF diet, both
tor them and tor ourselves at nearly
every country inn we stayed at. Often
did my hands involuntarily empty any
loose cash possessed into the upliited
hsnds oi some hunger stricken suppliant
ut my feet. whose every look and work
told VOLUMES Of the cruel sufferings with,
In. Indeed. purrosely avoided COLI
tact with them. tina, I might not
witness misery was unable u relIe,e Z.
On one occasion met with the lean. pale
face OF one lying dead BY the roadside.
Probably q sample OF hundreds, nay
Thousands. now this severe winter has
set In. who die uncarpd tor and unknown.
In the mountains one day we met man
with sunkrn eye and hollow law, too
weak 10 walk. A brother missionary
"ccused him Of oplun,.smOklng, which
he vehrmently denied. xnd soon abun.
dsnt evl'i' ice confirmed his statement
that he was another Victim. These are
ISOLATED cases; more might be given
were II not that amid the multitude OF
Sufferers, particular cases could scarcely
be nolicrd. In the capital Itself thous. |
a"ds had flocked In, hoping to obtain re-. |
lief. but although the Government has
granted help. the needy. through the
avsrice and dishonesty OF the Chinese OIL.
cials. tall to yet the "lion's SHARE" ana |
while some benefit BY the pittance eked
Out by the authorizes, others are dying
daily ut the magistrates door, and On
the STREETS girls aud boys are being
btaght and sold. a. though the cursed
irsffc in human nesh aud blood hxd re-
Appeared In Chino. Even n We travelled
along children were brought to ", beg.
Ring W. would Luy the,n. Que [ picked |
up on barren mountain road des.r cd |
oy 10 parents. IN two large cities,
hAhcneng and p'u.cheng. risings have
sAken plaos BY . people rendered rssk. |
lsss and desperate BY see,ng their
wives aud children starving before their |
faces, aud many less Well authenticated
bat smaller risings Of similar nature
Sc reported In Other place.. In P'u.
chenR they dragged the Mandarin from
the yaalen and behesded him because he,
with many others, looked we'll to feather.
Ink their own nests, but cared little for
the suffering Of their people. In one city
slsrRs crowd VI rsspectable- looking men
esggsd ! would allow them to fellow me
ssiny ssrvsnts h ! only would supply
them with brad 70 sai; and mot every
where ~ INST old women gathering
wsrds or grabbing up roots, BY which
they sustain lite for . few more days.
This state ii things, I beg you 10 ~mem.
Der, was some months ago. God only
knows what tho intervening time and
bitter winter has add~d 70 their suffer.
inEs. 1t has been trying 10 those who
have good homes and every comfort OF
lis+; what to thoss who hsvs had TO cell
Ithstr houses. Mds faiaiheA thsls. Ali.
s! ss;sE ss.s