Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 135, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 November 1903 — TEN THOUSAND STARVE. [ARTICLE]

TEN THOUSAND STARVE.

Inhabitants of the Cape Verde Islands Are Famine-Stricken. The people of the Cape Verde Islands are famine stricken. Letters received in this country tell a frightful tale of loss of life, for in the island of Santiago alone the dend number 10.000. In spite of the measures of relief that have have been adopted the death rate continues to he from 30 to 35 a day. The Cape _Yerde Islands belong to Portugal and are situated nbbut 320 miles to the west of that African promontory from which they take their name. There are many islands in the group, ten of which are of considerable size. The largest and most important is Santiago. The* Cape Verde Islands owe their origin to the action of submarine volcanoes and all are very mountainous. The highest elevation is reached in a volcanic peak 9,157 feet above the sen, on the island of Fogo, and which is still active. The total population of the group is about 100,000, nearly all of whom are negroes, indolent, but harmless. The ■climate is unhealthy during the rainy season. Although water is deficient, vegetation is luxuriant, yielding African and southern European products. Sugar, cotton, tobacco and indigo are grown and the trade in archil, a coloring substance, monopolized by tiie government, has in some seasons yielded £24,000. Several of the Euro;icnn domestic animals thrive well. Turtles are abundant in the surrounding sens and whales are also fished by British and American vessels. Amber is found on the coasts and great quantities of salt, formed by solar evaporation, is ohtnined on the lagoons along the shores, especially on the island of Lai. Each island is affected by the famine, but the loss of life in Santiago is the greatest. In spite of the thousands of deaths the Portuguese government has , not taken any steps for the relief of the stricken people nnd all outside aid has come from the Board of Trade of Lisbon.