Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057345).pdf/195

 KHE 187 The famine of 1783-84.–Formerly, as in 1783-84, there were no such alleviating circumstances, and the following account by an eye-witness of that famine as it prevailed in the Nawab Wazir's territories is con- firmed by the local traditions of the great Béráhsadi, for so it is called, as having occurred in the year 1200 of the Moslem cra. After relating at length the schemes of the monopolists and forestal- lers, who having bought up corn refused to sell it to the starving, the riots which ensued, the bursting open of granaries and the pluncler of shops, the wilful destruction by burning of valuable grain by frenzied and famished crowds, who thought not at the moment even of supplying their own necessities, so bent were they on disappointing the execrated bariáns, the writer proceeds: “ All could not be relieved, consequently the station occasionally exhi- bited a scene of the most horrid licentiousness, which few, however neces- sary it might be, could harden their hearts sufficiently to repel. As to live-stock, little was left. Religious boundaries were annihilated, and all castes or sects were seen to devour what their tenets taught them either to respect or to abhor. Many devoured their own children, and thousands perished while attempting to force open pantries and other places con- taining victuals, insomuch that it was connon to find in the morning the out-offices of our houses half-filled with dying objects, who with their ghastly countenances seemed to express hope, while their tongues gave utterance to cuirses. The good intention of the donors was productive of a very serious cvil, which in the first instance was not, perhaps, sufficiently guarded against. The intelligence was rapidly spread throughout the country that the Europeans at the several military and civil stations had made pro- vision for supplying the poor with rice. This induced all to bend their course towards the nearest asylum. Thousands perished by the way from absolute hunger, while numbers fell an easy prey to the wolves, which being bercft of their usual means of subsistence by the general destruction of all eatable animals, were at first compelled, and afterwards found it convenient, to attack the wretched wanderers. The little resist- ance they experienced in their depredations on these unfortunate creatures emboldened them in an astonishing manner, and taught them to look with contempt and defiance towards a race of whose powers they were heretofore in awe. "Such numbers, however, succeeded in finding their way to the canton- ments that we were to all intents in a state of siege. The wolves followed, and were to be seen in all directions committing havoc among the dying crowd. They absolutely occupied many gardens and out-houses, and often in open day trotted about like so many dogs, proceeding from one ravine to another without seeming to entertain the least appre- hension, So familiar had they become with mankind, and so little did they seem disposed to remove from what to them was a scene of abundance ! I cannot give a stronger idea of our situation than by inform- ing the reader that not only the wolves but even the swine were to be seen in all directions attacking the poor wretches, whose feeble endeavours