another time saw men washing a corpse in a pool of stagnant water. Horrible scenes occurred when the poor could not afford burial, and threw the corpses into the street.
The small town possessed only two coffins, and in these simple boxes all the dead made their last journey to the burial-grounds. The coffins were not buried, but served only as biers. At the grave the body was lowered into the ground and placed in a niche or excavation, so that the earth might not weigh on it. The coffins were carried by men, and were naturally another medium for spreading infection. These coffins were in constant use, and often went to and fro several times in a night. Interments were more and more carelessly performed, and we heard of two cases in which natives digged their own graves that they might have them ready in time, and might be sure of decent burial, and not be exposed to birds of prey and jackals. There was a certain affecting resignation in this. On April 15, it was reported that at two houses, where deaths had occurred, the inmates had cleared out with all their belongings, locking the doors and leaving the corpses to corruption. It was anticipated that poor wretches would break into these houses and settle in them. We had heard, as far back as April 1 o, of cases where people did not take the trouble to carry bodies to the usual burial-grounds, but buried them anywhere, in courtyards and fields. On April 11, it was reported that a poor wretch had dragged a body along in the dust of the street and thrown it down before some shops, that their owners might see after its interment.
The fresh, cool weather still prevailing was considered very favourable to plague. It has been noticed in India that plague declines and almost ceases in midsummer. I t was, therefore, hoped that the great heat would put an end to the epidemic in Seistan. The reason seems to be in a great measure that in cool weather the people remain indoors and crowd together in small stuffy dens. When it is warm the people are more scattered, and the infection is prevented from passing from one to another.
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