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four francs； in August three francs； in November fifteen sous； in
December ten sous； and then five sous。 Naturally； all provisions rise
proportionately in price。 A pound of bread in Paris； January 2； 1796；
costs fifty francs； a pound of meat sixty francs； a pound of candles
one hundred and eighty francs； a bushel of potatoes two hundred
francs； a bottle of wine one hundred francs。 The reader may imagine；
if he can； the distress of people with small incomes； pensioners and
employees； mechanics and artisans in the towns out of work；＇102＇ in
brief； all who have nothing but a small package of assignats to live
on； and who have nothing to do； whose indispensable wants are not
directly supplied by the labor of their own hands in producing wine；
candles； meat； potatoes and bread。
Immediately after the abolition of the 〃maximum；〃＇103＇ the cry of
hunger increases。 From month to month its accents become more painful
and vehement in proportion to the increased dearness of provisions；
especially in the summer of 1795； as the harvesting draws near； when
the granaries； filled by the crop of 1794； are getting empty。 And
these hungering cries go up by millions： for a good many of the
departments in France do not produce sufficient grain for home
consumption； this being the case in fertile wheat departments； and
likewise in certain districts； cries also go up from the large and
small towns； while in each village numbers of peasants fast because
they have no land to provide them with food； or because they lack
strength； health； employment and wages。 〃For a fortnight past；〃
writes a municipal body in Seine…et…Marne；＇104＇ 〃at least two hundred
citizens in our commune are without bread； grain and flour； they have
had no other food than bran and vegetables。 We see with sorrow
children deprived of nourishment； their nurses without milk； unable to
suckle them； old men falling down through inanition； and young men in
the fields too weak to stand up to their work。〃 And other communes in
the district 〃are about in the same condition。〃 The same spectacle is
visible throughout the Ile…de…France； Normandy； and in Picardy。
Around Dieppe； in the country；＇105＇ entire communes support themselves
on herbs and bran。 〃Citizen representatives；〃 write the
administrators； 〃we can no longer maintain ourselves。 Our fellow
citizens reproach us with having despoiled them of their grain in
favor of the large communes。〃 … 〃All means of subsistence are
exhausted；〃 writes the district of Louviers；＇106＇ 〃we are reduced here
for a month past to eating bran bread and boiled herbs； and even this
rude food is getting scarce。 Bear in mind that we have seventy…one
thousand people to govern； at this very time subject to all the
horrors of famine； a large number of them having already perished；
some with hunger and others with diseases engendered by the poor food
they live on。 〃 … In the Caen district；＇107＇ 〃the unripe peas； horse
peas； beans； and green barley and rye are attacked；〃 mothers and
children go after these in the fields in default of other food； 〃other
vegetables in the gardens are already consumed； furniture； the
comforts of the well to do class； have become the prey of the farming
egoist； having nothing more to sell they consequently have nothing
with which to obtain a morsel of bread。〃
〃 It is impossible；〃 writes the representative on mission； 〃to wait
for the crop without further aid。 As long as bran lasted the people
ate that； none can now be found and despair is at its height。 I have
not seen the sun since I came。 The harvest will be a month behind。
What shall we do？ What will become of us？〃 … 〃In Picardy；〃 writes the
Beauvais district； 〃the great majority of people in the rural communes
search the woods〃 to find mushrooms； berries and wild fruits。＇108＇
〃They think themselves lucky；〃 says the Bapaume district； 〃if they can
get a share of the food of animals。〃 〃In many communes；〃 the district
of Vervier reports； 〃the inhabitants are reduced to living on
herbage。〃 〃Many families； entire communes；〃 reports the Laon
commissary； 〃have been without bread two or three months and live on
bran or herbs。 。 。 。 Mothers of families； children； old men；
pregnant women； come to the （members of the） Directory for bread and
often faint in their arms。
And yet； great as the famine is in the country it is worse in the
towns； and the proof of it is that the starving people flock into the
country to find whatever they can to live on； no matter how； and；
generally speaking； in vain。 … 〃Three quarters of our fellow
citizens；〃 writes the Rozoy municipality；＇109＇ 〃are forced to quit
work and overrun the country here and there； among the farmers； to
obtain bread for specie； and with more entreaty than the poorest
wretches； for the most part； they return with tears in their eyes at
not being able to find； not merely a bushel of wheat； but a pound of
bread。〃 〃Yesterday；〃 writes the Montreuil…sur…Mer municipality；＇110＇
〃more than two hundred of our citizens set out to beg in the country；〃
and； when they get nothing； they steal。 〃Bands of brigands＇111＇
spread through the country and pillage all dwellings anywise remote。
。 。 。 Grain； flour； bread； cattle； poultry； stuffs； etc。； all come
in play。 Our terrified shepherds are no longer willing to sleep in
their sheep pens and are leaving us。〃 The most timid dig Carrots at
night or； during the day； gather dandelions； but their town stomachs
cannot digest this food。 〃Lately；〃 writes the procureur… syndic of
Saint…Germain；＇112＇ 〃the corpse of a father of a family； found in the
fields with his mouth still filled with the grass he had striven to
chew； exasperates and arouses the spirit of the poor creatures
awaiting a similar fate。〃
What then； do people in the towns do in order to survive？ … In small
towns or scattered villages； each municipality； using what gendarmes
it has； makes legal requisitions in its vicinity； and sometimes the
commune obtains from the government a charitable gift of wheat； oats；
rice or assignats。 But the quantity of grain it receives is so small；
one asks how it is that； after two months； six months or a year of
such a system； that half of the inhabitants are not in the grave yard。
I suppose that many of them live on what they raise in their gardens；
or on their small farms； others are helped by their relations；
neighbors and companions； in any event； it is clear that the human
body is very resistant； and a few mouthfuls suffice to keep it going a
long time。 … At Ervy；＇113＇ in Aube； 〃not a grain of wheat has been
brought in the last two market days。〃 〃To morrow；＇114＇ Prairial 25； in
Bapaume； the main town of the district； there will be only two bushels
of flour left （for food of any sort）。〃 〃At Boulogne…sur…Mer； for the
past ten days； there has been distributed to each person only three
pounds of bad barley； or maslin； without knowing whether we can again
distribute this miserable