INDIAN FAMINES - Institute for Social and Economic Change

34 TRADITIONAL AND
In Northern India a drought had prevailed
during the preceding year, which added, of
course, to the severity of the famine. As early
as October emigration towards Oudh commenced,
and "death left its mark freely along
the road." "Every man's hand was against his
neighbour, and the strong ruthlessly seized the
portion of the weak, for the struggle to maintain
life overcame all scruples." *
Other detail is on record of this fa.mine, but
it is of a character which cannot interest the
general reader. The fact is, that we are now
approaching dates connected with the rule of
the British in India, and consequently, the later
we come, the more detail we have. As this
famine occurred in native states, we have no
record of the measures of relief, &c., which were
adopted.
The next famine I shall notice in any detail
is that of 1837-38, which will be found in the
following chapter, as I include it under the
term of "Recent." Between the famines of 1783
and 1837, Northern India generally appears to
• Girdlestone. The subsequent accounts in this chapter
have been abstracted from his official report.