Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057345).pdf/336

 328 LUC "The scarcity of 1784-85, alluded to, seems to correspond with that known as Bárahsadi, corresponding with 1198-99 Hijri. There does not appear to have been any serious failure of the crop in Oudh, but, owing to a great in- flux of starving people from the North-Western Provinces, prices rose, and the poor suffered heavily. Many slaves were then purchased. The selling price of wheat was fixed by Government at 9 and 10 sers for the rupee, but in the Unao district, which more nearly adjoined the famine district, 5 and 6 sers is said to have been all that was procurable. Nawab Asif-ud-daula, with his Wazár, Raza Hasan Khan, and his Diwán, Rája Tikait Ráe, established charitable institutions which relieved thou- sands. The Rúni Darwaza and great Imámbára, with Tikaitganj and several large bridges, were begun that year in order to afford work to the poor, and there is a general tradition that the work was carried on by torchlight, in order that respectable men might earn food who would be ashamed to be seen working by day. In 1837 A.D. the price of grain was not lower than 8 sers for the rupee; there was drought, but not failure of crops. The causes of distress were immigration of people and exportation of grain. The price of grain was nominally fixed by Government, and exportation was prohibited; all chungi on grain was remitted; exporters were punished. Importers were reward. ed with dresses of honour, and the sale to one person, at one time, of more than one rupee's worth was prohibited. In 1860-61 the crop was good, but enormous quantities were exported by land and water to the North-Western Provinces. This caused a rise in price, and consequent distress. It does not seem that the rupee in this division purchased less than 14 sers." The following price lists, extracted from the Government Gazette, are given. They are of value as showing the effects upon prices of past bad harvests and of prospective bad harvests. They contain all the important food grains except barley and kodo. The value of these several grains can better be estimated from the list of crops and estimate of their areas, given above in the agricultural section:- Statement of retail prices in sers per rupee for 1866. Articles January February. July. September. October. November. Mag, 9. c. Mdg. 9, c. Mdg. s. c. Mas. s. c. Mds. 9, c. Mds. 5. c. .RU .. Wheat, white Ditto, common Cran Bájra Juár Arhar Ura 0 12 31 011 16 0 150 0 25 4 0 25 14 0 10 7 0 16 14 O 13 6 9 5 031 12 0 12 6 0 150 0 21 12 0 212 0 10 12 0 14 15 0 14 0 090 0 14 1 0 la 10 0 14 12 0 16 0 0 14 0 O 13 0 0 130 0 14 0 080 ... 0 12 91 0 12 4 0 13 5 14 10 0 0 0 0115 0 12 3 0 13 0 08 0 0 13 1 0 12 0 0 15 01 0 18 8 0 0 0 0 12 0 0 13 12 0 138 090 0 14 8 0 14 3 0 16 2 0 19 8 0 220 0 130 0 16 0 0 14 0 0 8 0 Múng Bice 6.