Approach of famine—Closing of shops—Rise in mule-hire—Laying in of stores—Seizures of grain—Sale of goods by poor—Immigrations of villagers to the towns—Desertions of children—Increase of crime—Arrival of money from England—Orphanage—Labour question—Koomishah—Village ruffian—His punishment—Prince’s accident—The kalāat—Mode of bringing it—Invitation to the ceremony—Procession—Gala dress of the prince—The arrival of the firman—Assemblage of grandees—The kalāat—The Kawam’s kalāat—Return to town—Sacrifice of an ox.
The famine was now setting in in Persia seriously—for two years not a drop of rain had fallen; the crowds of professional beggars were reinforced by really hungry people, thefts from shops became common, as did burglaries, and the roads were now very unsafe. In the corn-chandlers’ shops very small supplies of grain were seen, and these much adulterated by the addition of dust, stones, etc. The bakers baked as little bread as they could, mixing their dough in as small quantities and as slowly as possible; the loaves became gradually worse and worse, though the price remained nominally the same. The coarse barley-bread ceased to be baked altogether, and at last the bakers refused to sell to the crowds which formed at their shop doors unless they were their regular customers, and then only for ready money, and one small loaf to each person, selling by weight being discontinued altogether. All who had enough ready money laid in a store of grain and flour.
FAMINE GROUP.
Those who had cheap horses and donkeys sold them, and the price of the cheaper class of horse fell very low, till at last beasts were turned out as worthless, and killed and eaten by the poor.
Meat fell in price, but this did not much help those who had no money to buy even bread. Large establishments were suddenly much reduced; the armies of hangers-on, who live on the leavings of the rich and their attendants, were now thrown upon the streets. Many of the bakers and butchers closed their shops and fled.
Mule-hire rose to an almost prohibitive price, and it must be remembered that this, in a country where all transport is by mule and camel, meant the paralysis of trade. All the animals, save of the very rich, presented a half-starved appearance. In the waste grounds near the towns, and by the sides of the high-roads, lay the bodies of dead and dying mules and horses.
Flour became adulterated, and was ground at home by the consumers. Grandees, and merchants began to lay in stores of grain from their villages, disposing of none, although an enormous profit could be obtained on the contents of their granaries. The Governors of the towns seized grain, or paid for it at a nominal price, and sealed it up in the public or Government grain stores. Provender on the high-roads became unattainable.
Prices, though steadily rising for all descriptions of cereals, suddenly dropped on the hope of rain, only to rise in a few hours to a still more serious figure. The lower classes began to pledge and sell their copper-ware, tools, arms, and clothing. In the post-houses, where from six to ten horses were generally kept, only two, and at times none, were seen.
Villagers in quest of food began now to pour into the towns, and remained herding in starving crowds in the mosques, having neither the means nor the strength to return to their homes. The charity of the Persians themselves was nearly exhausted, for each rich man had to feed his crew of hungry servants and their families. The few unorganised attempts to feed the poor, resulted in the crushing to death of several, and the one loaf of bread doled out to each person on these rare occasions only served to prolong their sufferings. Children now began to be deserted in the streets, the dead and dying to be seen frequently, the greater portion of the bazaar to be closed, typhoid to be rife, and crimes of violence to be frequent.