The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-02-28
AN AWFUL SCOUKi;E.
Rsvages of the Plague In Braxil-HssIf n MILL
Ion of People Swept Away-A Horrible
Recital.

Much has been written of the hor-
rors of the great famine in China, and
scarcely an incident of the progress of
the plague in Europe has been allowed
to escape the notice of the newspapers,
but the great calamity in Brazil has re-
ceived comparatively little attention.
Some months ago brief dispatch no.
ticed the ravages of the smallpox in
connection with the drought and famine
in one of the northern provinces, but
this and subsequent reports were con-
fined to generalities and failed to give
an adequate idea of the horrible vista
ton.
Last year, when the yellow fever des-
olated so many districts in the Southern
States, the sympathetic people of our
enterprising nation had railroads, steam
boats and the telegraph at hand to en-
able them to render efficient service and
prompt assistance. Under the most
favorable circumstances the scOurge was
terrible enough, and the deaths in the
infected regions reached total of
nearly 10000. But in the stricken
provinces of Brazil the deaths, in popu-
lation OF 100000, numbered nearly
100000.
The particulars of the great calamity
are given in letters from Ceara, Brazil,
to the New York Herald. The writer
penetrated to the infected districts, and
speaks from personal observation, pic
turing a scene of desolation and terror
that scarcely has its equal i'll the his
tory of famines and plaques.
The province of Ceara is about as
large as the Middle States, and was in
habited by class of people dependent
on the crops of their small farms for
support. There were no manufactures,
no Industries, no trade with other re-
gions few roads, no railroad, and no
telegraph. The principal commercial
town on the coast, Fortaleza, has no
harbor. and reports of the famine, which
began in 1877, We're long time in
reaching the Government or the out
side world. BY the beginning of 1878
the mortality from starvation was ter
rible, and the panic-stricken and starv
ing peasants flocked TO =, 9 larger towns.
Here there was little to give. and Gov
eminent aid came slowly. Men fought
like tigers for refuse, women died with
starving children in their arms, and, in
some cases, men and women devOured
the dead bodies of their own children.
1t is estimated that 10000 people died
from hunger.
At last supplies reached the famine
districts but the ignorant people were
denoraliZed, and it was difficult to en-
force sanitary regulations. The dead
bodies of those who had starved were
III many cases not buried, and in other
cases only a few han1fuls of earth had
been thrown upon them. The surviv-
ors huddled together in the towns lived
in filth ana idleuess The whole pop
ulation of the province was gathered in
a strip of territory along the coast not
more than seventy-tive miles wide. The
drought still continued, and birds, in
sects and animals died. The people
were fed 10y Government ratiOns, bat
the fearful death-rate continued, and it
was discovered that smallpox had
broken out among the refugees This
was in june, 1878, and the disease spread
rapidly 10 all classes, including the
Weather and aristocratic people of the
cities Up to Tins date the Govern
ment had had the advice and air of these
Now MI became panic-stricken, and
reign of terror was lnaugurated. In the
90000pcople gatheredm and about For
taleza the deuth-rate i'm the latter part of
November WAS over 800 per day On the
last day of November there were 574
dea,hs, and during the month nearly
1900 uterments ha3 taken place i'm
thc t~0 cemeteries. and thousands of
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