The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1880-04-02
BRAZILIAN FAMINE.
A TERRIBLE PICTURE OF THE SUFFER-
IKas OF THE NATIVES.

The United States Consul ct Pernambu-
90, Brazil, whites to the Assistant Secrota-
~ of State, under date OF January o, Civ
ing details OF the terrible suffering in Nor
thern Brazil. caused by the protracted sec
ca or drought. He says;
"Two noted seccas prevailed during the
years Of 1925 and 1S45, but doubt
whether there has ever been here, or else
where, In the history Of The world a famine
80 fatal in effect in proportion to the pop
ulation as this of Ceara. Those of India
and China, 1t mnst be considered, occurred
In crowded countries, where the people are
counted by millions, and not by thousands
like the Cearenses. Two years and half
ago, when the recca commenced, the prov
ince of Ceares numbered 100000 inhabi-
tants, and OF these $4,000 have died of
disease and starvation.
The secca began in the summer Of 1875,
and continued to the close Of 1878.
lasting for 30 months, no rain having fall.
en- during the whole two years and half,
and the once fertile and luxuriaut Sertao,
where the farms and villages prospered in
rsace and plenty, now presents the appear
ance of vast blackened desert, burnt over
by fire.
In November, 1876, after the Eastivets,
or Summer-sleep, when tine Chuvas dc Ca
jus, or fruit rains, failed to appeal, the
people did not worry, as their acueles, or
ponds, were not exhausted, aud they look
ed 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 coastward Of pow
erty and suffering among the poor. Later
on, as the burning summer slowly passed
bringing no November showers, and an.
other January went by without rain. there
came appalling news Of famine. disease,
dead cattle, and of dying and destitute
p,ople. N."
Long penitential PROFESSIONS were form.
ed, and the miserable S,rtepei,s cut and
otherwise punished themselves to appease
an offended Deity. But the pitiless secca
still continued, threatening every body and
everything with inevitable destruction.
The wIetched people were now reduced
to the necessity Of eating roots, cotton
pods, the Mucuma bean, which produces
dropsy, lizards, dogs, cats, rats reaches Oh
any living or dead thing capable ~ afford
ding sustenance, and In some instances they
were even goaded to cannibalism by tn,
pangs Of hunger.
To increase the unimaginable horrors OF
the situation, the smallpox broke out
among the Sertanejos and became epidemic
typhus and other fevers were raging, and
in February and March Of 1873, the NOR
tality became frightful.
The cattle were now all dead, the river,
dried up, and there being no railroad or
other Communication by which provisions
could reach the Sertao, The inhabitants,
dreading wholesale starvation, abandoned
it altogether and the whole torrent of life
swept seaward.
Ceara, Parahyba, Aracsty, Baturit,-all
the towns along the coast were now alive
with suffering humanity age, youth, men,
women and children. oil famine. stricken,
coming In from the country by thousands
upol thousands.
The City of Ceara, with %, 900 inhabi.
tants Of its own, received over 80, 900 Ser
tanejos. Impossible to provide for such q
host, The Cearenses did their best /; but it
was sorrowful spectacle to see thousands
Of emaciatsd creatures sitting or lying on
the large open Iargos, or squares, smitten
with smallpox aud other loathsome DIS
eases, some lamenting the loss Of friends,
others too weak or Ill complain some
wishing to die from despair, aud other in
sane from sutfering-a most dangerous and
narrowing scens-one with few parallels in
histor