Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1885-08-27
FLOODS IN CHINA.
Over Ten Thousand Persons Drowned
in the Vicinity of Cauton-Entire
Villages Engul led,
And the Rice ami silk Crops Almost
RHined-Great Destituti0n and
Suffering Prevailing,
Hundreds of Families Being in Starv.
ing Condition - Heartrending
Scenes of Devastation.

WASHINGTON, August 26-Details OF
the destruction in Canton, China, and
vicinity b. the recent great rain-storms
there have been received by private
parties in this city. The storm was
the most serious which has visited Can
ton in thirty years. More than 10000
persons lost their lives, and far greater
number are left in starving condition.
Entire villages were engulfed, and the
rice and s TX crops in the vicinity were
almost ruined. The price of rice has
been raised Is per cept. in conse-
quence Of the loss of the crop. The
rain fell Che latter part of June filling
and overfowing all the rivers. Many of
the streets OF Canton were flooded for
over week. At Sez Nj City the water
broke through the city wall. 1t is re-
ported that several thousand people were
drowned in that place. The embank-
ment of the river was broken in numer-
Gus places and the waters swept across
the surrounding country, carrying every
thing before it. A foreigner, who was an
eye witness of the
SCENES OF DEVASTATION,
reports that one night the boat he occu-
pied anchored near a bamboo grove. In
the morning the water had risen to the
top of the bamboos. At other points it
rose as high as forty feet during the
night, and the inhabitants fed from the
villages and camped ON the hillsides. At
Kun, in market place situated near an
embankment of the streams con-
nected with the river which brings water
from the north and west rivers the
majority of the inhabitants were drowned
by the breaking through the embank-
ment of the water. Some escaped to
rising ground in the neighborhood, but
the water outinued to rise and gradually
overtoppesS the elevation, drowning those
who stood upon it. Seventeen Chinese
graduates in Canton, hearing of the dis
tress and suffering prevalent in their
native villages, took passage on boat
with a view to proceeding home to
render what assistance they could in the
way. The boat was capsized and all who
were in it were drowned. In some places
parents tied their children on the high
branches of trees while they instituted
ioI tuCii
the trees were washed up by the roots,
and the
HEARTRENDING CRIES OF THE chill
DREN
were silenced in the surging water. The
body of bride, dressed in her bridal
robes was found floating in the river at
Canton. 4 large tub was also seen. 1t
was picked up and found TO contain a
boy and girl. With them was found a
paper stating their names, the day and
hour of their birth. The parents had in
stituted this means to save the
lives Of their offspring. The writer
adds that the suffering which thou
sands are enduring is heartrending,
parents replying with tears in their eyes
TO their children s request for food, that
they have none. The people are obliged
to use tie flthiest water, and this, added
| to the disease that will ensue upon the
| subsidence Of the waters, will greatly
aggravate the horrors of the situation.
Meantime all that is being done by the
inhabitants to abate their misery is the
beating Of the gongs, burning of incense
and bowling of prayers to idols,