the unseen world and other essays-第43章
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e preceding ten months have not been hideous phantasmagoria or a long； troubled dream。 On Christmas eve； the Council in Calcutta wrote home to the Court of Directors that the scarcity had entirely ceased； and； incredible as it may seem； that unusual plenty had returned。。。。。 So generous had been the harvest that the government proposed at once to lay in its military stores for the ensuing year； and expected to obtain them at a very cheap rate。〃
Such sudden transitions from the depths of misery to the most exuberant plenty are by no means rare in the history of Asia； where the various centres of civilization are； in an economical sense； so isolated from each other that the welfare of the population is nearly always absolutely dependent on the irregular： and apparently capricious bounty of nature。 For the three years following the dreadful misery above described； harvests of unprecedented abundance were gathered in。 Yet how inadequate they were to repair the fearful damage wrought by six months of starvation； the history of the next quarter of a century too plainly reveals。 〃Plenty had indeed returned；〃 says our annalist； 〃but it had returned to a silent and deserted province。〃 The extent of the depopulation is to our Western imaginations almost incredible。 During those six months of horror； more than TEN MILLIONS of people had perished！ It was as if the entire population of our three or four largest Statesman； woman； and childwere to be utterly swept away between now and next August； leaving the region between the Hudson and Lake Michigan as quiet and deathlike as the buried streets of Pompeii。 Yet the estimate is based upon most accurate and trustworthy official returns； and Mr。 Hunter may well say that 〃it represents an aggregate of individual suffering which no European nation has been called upon to contemplate within historic times。〃
This unparalleled calamity struck down impartially the rich and the poor。 The old； aristocratic families of Lower Bengal were irretrievably ruined。 The Rajah of Burdwan； whose possessions were so vast that； travel as far as he would； he always slept under a roof of his own and within his own jurisdiction； died in such indigence that his son had to melt down the family plate and beg a loan from the government in order to discharge his father's funeral expenses。 And our author gives other similar instances。 The wealthy natives who were appointed to assess and collect the internal revenue； being unable to raise the sums required by the government； were in many cases imprisoned； or their estates were confiscated and re…let in order to discharge the debt。
For fifteen years the depopulation went on increasing。 The children in a community； requiring most nourishment to sustain their activity； are those who soonest succumb to famine。 〃Until 1785；〃 says our author； 〃the old died off without there being any rising generation to step into their places。〃 From lack of cultivators； one third of the surface of Bengal fell out of tillage and became waste land。 The landed proprietors began each 〃to entice away the tenants of his neighbour； by offering protection against judicial proceedings； and farms at very low rents。〃 The disputes and deadly feuds which arose from this practice were； perhaps； the least fatal of the evil results which flowed from it。 For the competition went on until； the tenants obtaining their holdings at half…rates； the resident cultivatorswho had once been the wealthiest farmers in the countrywere no longer able to complete on such terms。 They began to sell； lease； or desert their property； migrating to less afflicted regions； or flying to the hills on the frontier to adopt a savage life。 But； in a climate like that of Northeastern India； it takes but little time to transform a tract of untilled land into formidable wilderness。 When the functions of society are impeded； nature is swift to assert its claims。 And accordingly； in 1789； 〃Lord Cornwallis after three years' vigilant inquiry； pronounced one third of the company's territories in Bengal to be a jungle； inhabited only by wild beasts。〃
On the Western frontier of Beerbhoom the state of affairs was； perhaps； most calamitous。 In 1776； four acres out of every seven remained untilled。 Though in earlier times this district had been a favourite highway for armies； by the year 1780 it had become an almost impassable jungle。 A small company of Sepoys； which in that year by heroic exertions forced its way through； was obliged to traverse 120 miles of trackless forest； swarming with tigers and black shaggy bears。 In 1789 this jungle 〃continued so dense as to shut off all communication between the two most important towns； and to cause the mails to be carried by a circuit of fifty miles through another district。〃
Such a state of things it is difficult for us to realize； but the monotonous tale of disaster and suffering is not yet complete。 Beerbhoom was； to all intents and purposes； given over to tigers。 〃A belt of jungle； filled with wild beasts； formed round each village。〃 At nightfall the hungry animals made their dreaded incursions carrying away cattle； and even women and children； and devouring them。 〃The official records frequently speak of the mail…bag being carried off by wild beasts。〃 So great was the damage done by these depredations； that 〃the company offered a reward for each tiger's head； sufficient to maintain a peasant's family in comfort for three months； an item of expenditure it deemed so necessary； that； when under extraordinary pressure it had to suspend all payments； the tiger…money and diet allowance for prisoners were the sole exceptions to the rule。〃 Still more formidable foes were found in the herds of wild elephants； which came trooping along in the rear of the devastation caused by the famine。 In the course of a few years fifty…six villages were reported as destroyed by elephants； and as having lapsed into jungle in consequence； 〃and an official return states that forty market…towns throughout the district had been deserted from the same cause。 In many parts of the country the peasantry did not dare to sleep in their houses； lest they should be buried beneath them during the night。〃 These terrible beasts continued to infest the province as late as 1810。
But society during these dark days had even worse enemies than tigers and elephants。 The barbarous highlanders； of a lower type of mankind； nourishing for forty centuries a hatred of their Hindu supplanters； like that which the Apache bears against the white frontiersman； seized the occasion to renew their inroads upon the lowland country。 Year by year they descended from their mountain fastnesses； plundering and burning。 Many noble Hindu families； ousted by the tax…collectors from their estates； began to seek subsistence from robbery。 Others； consulting their selfish interests amid the general distress； 〃found it more profitable to shelter banditti on their estates； levying blackmail from the surrounding villages as the price of immunity from depredation； and sharing in the plunder of such as would not come to terms。 Their country houses were robber strongholds； and the early English administrators of Bengal have left it on record that a gang…robbery never occurred without a landed proprietor being at the bottom of it。〃 The peasants were not slow to follow suit； and those who were robbed of their winter's store had no alternative left but to become robbers themselves。 The thieveries of the Fakeers； or religious mendicants； and the bold； though stealthy attacks of Thugs and Dacoitsmembers of Masonic brotherhoods； which at all times have lived by robbery and assassinationadded to the general turmoil。 In the cold weather of 1772 the province was ravaged far and wide by bands of armed freebooters； fifty thousand strong； and to such a pass did things arrive that the regular forces sent by Warren Hastings to preserve order were twice disastrously routed； while； in Mr。 Hunter's graphic language； 〃villages high up the Ganges lived by housebreaking in Calcutta。〃 In English mansions 〃it was the invariable practice for the porter to shut the outer door at the commencement of each meal； and not to open it till the butler brought him word that the plate was safely locked
