NUMBERS ON RELIEF WORKS 277 



understanding was given that when she was sent 

 away to the strange land her old father should be cared 

 for while alive, and decently buried when dead. As 

 time passed these absurd beliefs and restrictions wore 

 themselves out.' The ripening of the spring harvest 

 and the occurrence of the Holi festival drew large 

 numbers away from the relief works in March. By 

 April 10 the 1,381,000 people who swarmed on the 

 relief works at the close of February had fallen to 

 under 700,000. The total number in receipt of relief 

 in all forms was almost exactly 1,000,000. As the 

 harvest work became exhausted the people began 

 steadily to flow back to the works. By May 1 the 

 700,000 on the works had become 935,000. During 

 May the numbers steadily grew, and at the close of 

 the month they again exceeded 1,500,000. Agricultural 

 work was in abeyance, and the people dependent on 

 daily labour for their support continued to return till 

 the second high -water mark on relief works was 

 reached on May 29, when the daily attendance on 

 the works was returned at 1,157,000. The rainy 

 season usually sets in during the month of June, and, 

 in anticipation of work at their homes, the people now 

 began to withdraw from the works. For the first 

 fortnight the decrease in numbers was slight. ' Here 

 and there one or two members of a family would 

 return home to look after the repairs of their houses, 

 as customary at this season, and make their other 

 little arrangements to prepare for the burst of the 

 monsoon ; but the bulk of the labourers awaited the 

 opening of the rains. June 12 found 1,096,000 still on 

 the works. With June 13, however, commenced a 

 series of showers in nearly every district, light at 

 first, but persisting and increasing in a way which 

 soon left no doubt that the welcome monsoon had 

 stolen in. The effects of the break of the monsoon 

 upon the relief workers was immediate and significant. 

 Within one week the numbers on relief works fell by 



