INDIAN FAMINES - Institute for Social and Economic Change

RECENT FAMINES.
historical sketch of famines, to repeat one's self
occasionally. I will, however, assume that
the reader now thoroughly understands that a
famine means great suffering and misery, and,
under the best of management, some deaths.
I will consequently, in future accounts, avoid
such details as much as possible. I will endeavour
to draw attention to leading features,
to show the progressive steps which experienc.e
teaches, and to discuss subjects of a more general
and interesting aspect than a mere detailed
record of passing events would possess. The
table at pages 89,90 will give concise results of
some details which the narrative avoids. There
is one episode which is common in the course
of all famines, and which has not as yet been
described-viz., the wanderings of the people
from district to district in search of food. This
practice was more common in former days than
at present; but the famine of 1868-70 in the
native states of Western Rajputana (which
states resemble those of former days more than
our own provinces now do under European
administration) will illustrate this trait of the
native character in a striking and interesting