The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-01-09

already full, in May vast swarms of
locusts appeared, and invaded not only
the famine districts in which moderate
rains had admitted the planting of some
portion of the region, but also adjoin-
ing provinces, which up to then had
been the source of supplies for their
afflicted neighbors.
With this new enemy TO battle
against, one of the French padres, writ
ing from Sin-kiu under date of May "A,
says:
These poor famished people have
been goadel to become cruel among
themselves and against those most dear
10 them. Alas how many fathers of
families who lived honorably committed
suicide in order to avoid the ignominy
of begging, all their families folio wing
such dreadful Example. How many
woe stricken women, wives, sisters,
daughters, were sold by their fathers
brothers, and husbands to unknown
people! And, therefore, in many
places are seldom to be seen any women,
especially young ones. In a village
where l went to distribute relief all the
women except two we're old ones, and
sold"
From the Official register of this one
district we learn that over 100 900 per-
sons had been sold, principally females.
In July the prospects appeared to
brighten, but soon there came the in
telligsnce OF big hted harvosts. drought,
locusts, want, boggsrry, peStilence, and
famine. threatening the Ave great north
ern Provinces OF Chill Shansi,
Honau, and Shantung, the latter
having nevor recovered from her last
afniction. The situation was frightful,
and made doubly SO by the certain
knowledge that, were the aid hundred
fold that which might be reasonably ex-
pected, it would be too late to save mil
lions of sufferers for lack Of the means
of transportation many of the districts
in need lying in or beyond the noun
tains, with hardly n decent post-road,
much less a railway, in all the wide
land; and the only draught animals,
camels, and donkeys, totally inndeq nate
for the service. BY the 1st of January
Of this year the old, old stories that
chill the hesrt each time, no matter how
often they be told-began to arrive.
Fifty thousand refugees about Tien sin,
and the new famine three months old.
Much of the Government grain that
should have arrived a full six weeks
before is now shut out by barrier of
ice. In two weeks the number Of ref
ugees has reached 100, 900 at Tientsin
The Rev. Mr.. Richards writes from
Shansi that the famine is far more ex-
/ ION. i fba a.
than it was in Shantung. The Gov
ernor of Shansi reports the de ith-rate
AT 900 day. Mr.. Richards announces
the frightful fact that the sufferers have
restored to cannibalism, and that chill
dren are boiled and eaten. On the 9TH
of January fire broke out in one of
the relief yards at Tlentsin, the gate.
keeper of which locked the gate and
ran away, and the awful spectacle WAS
presented of 2, 900 starving women and
children burned to death. Then we
hear from Tai Yuen Flu in January. di
rect from the noble Richards. The
names Of eight or nine millions are
down for relief in the four provinces
these are the accessible ones, but what
of the starving millions beyond the
mountains? 1t is no longer hidden
secret; the slau.h of the inuocents
for food, or the sharing with the dogs
of the human carrIon that lines the hig Ii
roads increases, says the native High
Commissioner, beyond all efforts for
their interment."
Again Shantung is heard from, and
il the province ever needed help il
would seem to be now. On April We
read that 1.-THE famine increased daily
no rain has fallen, and the ground is
dry as bone. The distracted mothers,
unable to still the hopeless, unanswered
cries Of their children, expend their
last efforts in burying them alive &c
stop their moaning and end their mis-
cries. Many villages present the same
appearance as if rebel horde had dev.
astated them. As Chinaman re.
marked. where only short time age
one heard in passing along the barking
Of dogs and the singing Of children al
play, now all is hushed and still THE
dogs eaten and the people too weak to
laugh and sing, or to do ought bnt pray
for food or speedy death. Here is wha,
one OF the distributors writes of the
condition. up to the present time the
people contented themselves with eating
those who had died, but now they kill
the living in order to have them fol
food. Husbands eat their wives, pa.
rents eat their sons and daughters and
children eat their parents Women
and girls are sold at less than SO apiece
l H.. L