The New York herald., 1879-02-14

gain few dollars herdsmen or by hiring
themselves out for . day occasionally The upper
classes, the contrary. will compare favorably with
any in Brazil Most OF them pure whites; they
are intelligent. brave domestic---f ahead in fact
of tho Rio or Sac Paulo Brazians. This mixed
populstion was distributed through the sertao
much the people are in our Western communi
ties-there were numerous villages and haniots
Joined together by toerable roads. hardly any rail-
roads. and as have intimated. navigable rivers
1t is important to note this 1t explains much Of
the suffering brought on by the drought The sertao
is asrip averaging 500 miles in width extending from
the Parabyba River southwark along the coast
1t to the Francisco thence between the coast range
Of mountains it is continued southwestward to Mnas
Geraes almost in the latitude of Rio The drought Of
ls77-7s felt all this tract. but its black
cleus in the province Of Ceara This province to
which my observations were confined. is about as
100000 inhabitants. of which at least 10000
non-proprietors--the poor people of whom have
written. The province contained only one port Of
importance its capital this is ndiferently set down
ation is 900. The streets well laid and in
general the little city of the prettest and neat
est in Brazil. There Is harbor; vessels anchor In
the open roadstead and passengers taken to and
fro in little sailing rafts-tanaadas or catamarans
FIRST TERnons OF 1877.
With these preliminary remarks on the Sertao and
the province Of Ceara your readers are in posi-
tion understand the drought and its terrible effects
In Ceara the winters of 1876 1876 and 1877 were all
remarkable for torrental rains Tho poor people had
abundant harvests from their little clearings and all
went on happily enough They were preparing to
plant again with the rains Of January. But carly in
the winter of 1878 vague reports Of drought began
circulate In Fortaeza. 1t was said that Crato. Je0
rains; that the cattle were dying. and even the
poorer people began to be pinched for food, evcn
went far seriously to fear bad year. The gov
ernment papers insisted that these reports wero q
came and the rumors were worse than ever the
Bishop ordered prayers in all the churches od pre-
tenda 'uvium. Still. except for this uneasy feel
Ing that ran through all business there was nothing
unusual observed in the pleasant city or the villages
around 1t. I visited the place in March, 1877. The
drought was then subject of general conversation:
but nobody understood the extent OF the calamity.
Suddenly, like q thundorbot. there came to the
quiet town a message Of terror; mons faces grew
white; mems hearts sank within them. for they
knew what the words prophesied. 1t was from
Telha, in the interior Of tho province letter dated
March =. 80 that it must have reached Fortoleza
about March 20. The words were simple enough
'PEoPLE ARE DYING HERE OF HUNGER
Now this was early in March, when the drought had
lasted no more than two months. when It was not
yet certain that the year would be altogether bad
one. But the poor sertahejo is so evenly balanced
with nature that he cannot stand fresh strain.
His mandoca fields arc for year only. In q
year. and month he will starve. unless no has new
crops. II was sad month In the scrtco--this one
Of March. In some places there had been light
showers. but the young grass growth from these had
dried up on the black plains. There no leaves
on the trees. The cattle crying for water as
only mute nature Children werc crying for food
in the palm thatched huts All the oarth cried for
rain. and yet not Of pity from the clouds
The largo cattle proprctors began to kill their stock
in order to get the meat and hides while there was
time The peasants gathered around these slaughter
houses to beg morsel Of flesh. and. for the most
part. they found willing hearts and hands. for the
richer Cearenees not the men to refuse aims.
But where there cattle the poor people suf-
fcred dreadfully. Already they began to dcvour the
seeds dixie red BEAM and forest roots-un-
wholesome. disease producing food-but what could
starving people do April came with blazing sun |;
no hope of rains. The people,. indeed, were in
despair. They had formed long penitential process
sions cutting themselves with sharp knives
or carrying heavy stones their heads. Now
they began to fee from the country to
the larger villages. Somo Of them came down
to the city of Foraloza ragged dirty wretches with
famine marks on their faces. with famine weakness
in their thin forms. And still the government in
sisted that the drought was political scheme to
bring their party into disrcputc. Tho people wcro
citing and dogs by this timo, when they could
get thcm. But for the most part they were begging
Of richer ncighbors. Tho strain was so great that
private charity began to fail. Cattle stealing and
petty thefts OF provisions of everyday occur
renee Letters written at this time already con-
taned sad pictures Here is ono from s. Pedro:-
PLANTERS HAnAssED THIEVES AND FAMINE.
Tho vegetables planted the plains are entirely lost
those the hills are ready to die for want of little
rain. There is food on the lowlands. Scores OF
poor people have been obliged to migrate to tho
mountains in search of refuge from the famine.
Many arc in such miserable condition that 1t cuts
our hearts. II we do not soon have public aid many
people will die OF hunger. But what is more band
of vagabonds and thieves have invaded the mountain
lands along with the refugees; obliged to
keep Soma thirty soldiers under arms 10 guard
against their attacks.
This picture is from Canind6:-
Provisions already very scarce. and what thcrc
is is too costly for the poor people. They have
nothing to buy with. They 70 begging through tho
streets. All! my friend. the picture is u sad one
pcnitential procession was formed; more than .
Thousand persons walked tho streets barefooted and
carrying great stones. Two hundred of the pcn-
tents cut themselves in horrible manner. met
two carrying dying woman to be confessed I
asked what disease she was smitten with Hunger"