New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-14

ANN'''AAN-'N
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, 80.
WASHINGTON, March g. 1850
10 HeSsrs scRIBNER & CO., TAB Broadray Ne,e-fors
GENTLEMEN. / have to acknowledge the receipt
Of your letter Of 1t instant with the ineo'ure re-
hating TO the famine I'm the Empire OF Brazil, and In
reply 20 acquant you that the Consul at Pernanouco
made report upon the subject under dale OF the 9th o.
January. 1879 which portrayed the condition Of the
people of the Province OF Ceaa at that time. The re-
port has not been published. IucO'e herewith copy
OF tt in ITS entirety for your Information and agreeaoy
to your request
The Department IS somewhat at loss for such sug
stions as You desire with respect 70 The best method
of transmitting moneys relief 10 the sufferers bat
seems that the INTERPRETATION Of well known COM
Inercal house IN Brazil Cea6 would be The surest
mode of accomplishing the object. with this Wow Oh
the matter and without knowing Of any house OF that
KIND at CearA It Il suggested that the long established
American firm Of Messrs Henry Forster Co., at FER
nambucO would, from their well known Philanthropy
probably not be averse interesting Themselves on 50
crave an occasion as that under consideration This
firm "a represented in New-York City by Messrs II. H.
Swift & Co.. who would most likely DO able to commu-
neate 20 you more recent Information upon the subject
than Las been received here.
lam gentlemen your obedient servant
JOHN Hay Assistant Secretary.
THE UNITED STATES CONsUBs LETTER.
UNITED STATES CONSULATE,
PEREANBUCO. Jan. o, 1879.
Hon W. HUSTER Second assistant Secretary Of STATE
Washington, D. O.
eIR A. the Province of Ceara is within the limits Of
nay Consulate is proper that should send to the De
partment OF state account OF the great seccA or
drought OF Northern Brazil. which extended along the
sertoo 1.-THE term sertao simply tho interior Of
country as opposed to coas the inhabitants OF the
sartao are called Serlnejosl INTERIOR from the head
waters OF the Rio MedeiIo the Sierra Ararlpe
which separates the Province Of Ceara nom Pernan
buco The cimqte is hot and dry except on the coast
where is modified by the breezrs There Il not
single naygabe river IN the Province but the sertao
"a watered by a host OF ntte rivers. all flowing directly
into the ocean II has been valuable for pasturase
aud Ceara noted Tor its cattle, particularly It's Inc
horses.
Ceara ~ an agricultural province covering an area OF
6sl square miles, and It's inhabitants are, for the most
part Intelligent and industrious farmers Cotton, COT
fee and sugarcane were extensively cultivated It's Prn
cipa export being cotton, its greatest source OF wealth
the cattle commerce. The rainy season begins In Jan
uary and lasts ill June. The remainder OF the year be-
my without RAIN the rivers and stree dry up, aud In
ordinary seasons the want Of water Is sometimes so
great that the inhabitants have been obliged to leave
for more favored districts.
Two noted secoas prevailed during the years is25 and
1s45 but doubt whether there has been here,
elsewhere the history OF the world famine so fatal In
effects IN proportion the population this Of CearA
Those india and China, 1t must be considered, oc
curing in crowded countries where the people are
counted by millions. and not by thousands ike the
Cearenses. Two years and half ago, when the seocs
commenced, the Province OF Ceaia numbered 100000
abitans out OF these 100000 have died OF disease
and starvation.
The .ecca began in the Summer Of 1876, and has
continued to the close OF the year 1873, lasting
for thirty months rain having fallen during the
who two years and half and the once fertile and
uxuriant sertaO where the farms and villages pros
pered In peace and plenty the appearance
of a vast blackened desert burnt over by fire.
In November Of 1876. after the EastIvete or Sum
mersleep when the Chuvas de Cajus" or fruit rains
failed to appear the people did not worry, their
acue!es or ponds were yet exhausted, and they
looked confidently forward TO the Winter rains to set
everything right But these never came, and, as the dry
Spring advanced sad accounts began to come cOasward
OF poverty and suffering amoug the poor Later on as
the burning sumner slowly passed. bringing no Hovem-
Der showers and another January wentby without RAIN
there appalling news OF famine disease. dead cat
tie and OF dying and despairtng people
Long penltentlal PROFESSIONS were formed and the
miserable sertanejos beat and otherwise punished
themselves TO appeaso offended Deity. But the pitt
ess secca still continued threatening everything ana
eyeryDOd with inevitable destruction.
The wre,ched people now reduce 70 tie necessity
OF eating roots eOttonpOd-. the Mueuma bean, which
produces drOp-y lizards dogs, cats Fas, reaches any
living or dead thing capable OF ahOrdlug sustenance
and in instances iAey were even goaded 10 canul
bahsrn by the pangs OF hunger.
To Increase toe giuaJe horrors OF the situation
the smallpox broke ont among the SertanejOs and be-
came epidemic C., phus and other levers raging
and IN February ana Haich OF 1879 the mortality Oc
came frtgHtfuL
The cattle were now all dead, rivers dried Up, ana
there being railroads OF otuer commune ttiOu by
which provisions could reach the ,cT;aO the inhabitants
dreadng wholesale starvation, abandoned altogether
anu tue whole torrent Of fc swept seward
Ceara. Parahyba. Aracafy. Batuulc.-ali the towns
along now alive with suffering humanity;
stricken coming 10 from the county by thousands upon
thousands.
the CIty OF Ceara with 25 600 inhabitants OF its own
received over 90 900 SeTnFOs Impossible 70 provide
for such host the CaereDses did tEcr best, but IL
sorrOwful rpectice thousands OF eaciated
lures lying N the open argos (quaIes smtcB
with smallpox aud other iOatisOme diseases. some
amenting their fate, the o,s OF rgtnis 0tGeTs
weak III 10 complain; some wishing To die from
despair and Others insane from suffering dangerous
and most narrowing scene, one with few parallels Ia
history.
In Ceara FOrlseza, II Is unfortunately called.
the highest mortality normal tunes was poo yer year
Now about halt population l2o0oO !. dad. III the
beginning oi last November tue population. inelGdag
the influx. numbered 10000. The greae.t mortality
prevailed tie months OF November and December ~
1873 From 81 OF November 10 the 27h OF ID
Der OF smallpox alone, and buried la the
IaC6a Funda deep lakcr) CemeterY for the ony
% 40 estimated rom 27th 10 3lst December, 1000;
IL the Ba piiste Cemetery, Obj in the Cay
Cemetery 900; estimated buried outside fields. etc.
1000; add this tho mortality from other Diseases 10
Del cent $40 total nerneris Tor Two months. 81 OIL
have given statistics. ngnres tell lber 0wD iu.
conference.-the tale. sixty thousand CeaFenses have
been buried in the Las0s Funda Cemetery when was