The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-07-24

ihough there rs every prospect oil an
abundant harvest this year throughout the
greater part Of Asia Minor, the famine is
by no means at an END, and the latest ac-
counts depict the condition of the popula-
ton in very sombre eolors. From Erze-
roum, for example, ii is reported that, in
the districts Of Alashgurd aud Pasin,
grain cannot be obtained at less than ten
times its ordinary price, and the inhabi.
tants suffer terribly from want Of food.
Rain has fallen, aud the harvest prospects
are good; but if help be not obtainable for |
somc time to come many must die Of star
walton.
AZ Khanous there is intense suffering,
and the benevolent intentions Of the cen.
tral authorities have been to great ex-
tent frustrated by the inhuman conduct
Of the kalmakam, Iskander Bey. That
funetionary was ordered to sell 10 the
peasants some Of the grain belonging to
the Government at "a per SONAR, but, in
stead Of acting according to these instruc.
tons, he gave part of the supplies to the
spectators, who shared the profits with
him, aud he sold the rest to the people at
e. per SONAR. A considerable portion Of
the grain obtained by the peasants was
carried of by the Kurds and Circassians,
who have taken advantage of being armed.
At Mardin food is said To be twenty
times the usual price. The Protestant
community Of that town has done much
to alleviate the suffering, but it can no
longer procure the necessary amount Of
grain, and the bakeries are besieged from
morning till night by famished crowd.
ln the villages many Of the people sustain
life by eating herbs, roots, grass, linseed
eotton-seed, and the leaves Of certain trees.
Horrible diseases are the natural result Of
this unwholesome kind Of nourishment.
In the neighborhood Of Mossul the famine
seems to be still more intense. A cores
pondent from that town writes as follows .
The suffering and despair engendered by
the famine are such that ths people have
abandoned their usual apathetic resigna-
ton, aud VIC are now living in an inde-
scribable chaos. Robberes anddcprcda.
tons are committed in broad daylight in
the public streets. Emaeiated, ghastly
forms, resembling skeletons rather than
+ living men aud women, wander about beg
ging for morscl Of bread In the town
from five to ten Of these unfortunates die
daily. In the neighboring villages the
peasants sometimes stay the pangs o
hunger for the moment by swallowing I
kind Of earth The mortality is from 81
, to 100 per day. We have seen parent
offer to sell their children, but no on,
) wished to buy them. At El-Kosh, th,
Kurds have sold hundreds Of young girl
at about $40 head in order to buy food
From all sides | learn that the Britisl
Consuls, the Armenian relief committees
e and the American missionaries have beel
most active aud have done all in thei
power to alleviate the miseries Of III,
famished population; but the means a
their disposal are very insufficient, ant
there has been hitherto great difficulty il
transporting grain from one district Il
another, partly on account Of the deel
snow and bad condition Of the roads, ant
partly on account Of the general state o
insecurity. Those who have contributed Il
, the relief funds in England and elsewhere
may have the satisfaction of feeling tha
they have helped to save many from deatl
by starvation; but the mortality has beef
very great, and unless more funds can BE-
speedily obtained, large number must
still perish.
The following incident Of the famine
rests upon the authority of the London
Telegraph: According to the latest ae.
counts from Armenia, famine Is Staying
its hundreds daily in that unfortunate
country. 1t would appear that the inhab.
itants Of certain districts, having consumed
their horned stocks to the last working
bullock and milch COW, have taken 10 eat
ing the dogs that abound in all Oriental
lands, and that extremity Of hunger has
forced them to even more desperate ex.
pedients to obtain animal food. Only the
other day heayily-laden camel was being
driven BY its owner through the bazaar ol
Van. II was a comely, well-ied, aeshy
beast, and its mcaty aspect proved an
irresistible temptation TO the starving
Yanites, some dozens Of whom, as though
prompted by common impulse, made q
simultaneous rush upon the luckless Ship
Of the Desert, and hacked at 1t mercilessly
with their knives, cutting away Jumps oI
flesh, which they deyourcd while still
warm ana bleeding. Presently the man.
gled brute gave up the ghost, succumbing
to loss Of blood, whereupOn its carcass
was so swiftly disposed of BY the famished
crowd gathered round the scene Of ia
slaughter that few moments later only a
litter Of clcan-picked bones remained to
mark the spot upon which The inhabitants
Of Van had eaten up whole camel, raw
and all but alive. London Times
TRANsPLANTiNG IN THE NIGHT.--A
gentleman anxious TO ascertain the effect Of
trausplanting at night, instead Of by day
made an experiment with tho follow;ng