The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-08-18 00:00:00

atisaftarteorts 4ntethgence,
tThIEP FOREIGN, AND COLONIAL

THE NATIONAL DEBT. —A Parliamentary paper,
issued on Monday, contains an account of the opera-
tions of the Commitsione)s for the reduction of the
National Debt tor the year ending March 31, 1883.
The sums received from the Exchequer during the
year were :—Under the heading terminable annuities,
£7,283,012 17. Bd.; old sinking fund, 2349,72516mAd.
new sinking fund, £213,793 2A. sd, the total being
made up by o4ber sums to £8,107,319 19a. 11d, Of
this, £1,113,829 31. ld. represents interest, making
the repayment of capital, swelled by land tax, corn.
position of stamp duty, &c., £7,149,284 15s. 7d. The
net value of the debt, after deducting loans recover-
able and Exchequer (Suez) Bonds, is now £723,768,087
41. 6d.

A BEVERAGE FOR THE HARVEST FIELD.—The writer
of "Our Agricultural Reports" in the Morning Post
gives the following recipe for a good harvest drink :
A gallon of boiling water should be poured over a
pound of coare oatmeal. Into this slice a lemon, and
sugar according to taste. It should be well stirred for
a short time, and then let stand until cold. The result
will be a tasty aid refreshing drink.
THE TWEED SALMON FISHERIES.—The produce of
the Tweed salmon ti,hrry during last week continued
good. Salmon, however, are still very scarce, while
trout have also diminished in number. Grilse sti 1
maintain their abundance. Prices on Saturday were:
—Salmon, ; grilse and trout, 11d, per pound. The
prices in the corresponding week,of last year were :
Salmon, Is. ; grilse, is. 2d.; and trout, is. id. The
great bulk of the fish come from the sea fisheries at
Goswick and other places.
THE GROWTH OF NORTH BORNEO.—North Borneo
seems to be getting on quite rapidly. A large staff of
surveyors are employed in defining boundaries, mark.
ing off lots, and laying out roads. Trade is springing
up, and Elopura, the new capital, is fast becoming an
important town. Brick.making, lime-burning, steam
saw.mills, the clearing of jungle, and prospecting
seem to be the ord. r of the day. At Elopura a club
has been established, and a Masonic lodge, under the
Hong Kong district, is to be opened without delay.
Further discoveries of coal have been made; a pearl
fishery has been found. A small colony of Hakka
Christians, established about three miles from Kudat,
is said to be flourishing and contented,

A FRENCH CAPTAIN WEBB —The French papers
announce that a man named Hilarion Balsan, of the
village of Milian in the Aveyron, is on his way to
America, to make the same attempt as that in which
Captain Webb lost his life. Bateau is a powerful
young man, twenty•five years of age, who has a great
reputation as a swimmer. He asserts that Captain
Webb perished because he was a swimmer instead of
a diver. To swim along the Falls of Niagara it is
necessary to remain under water a long time, and
Bateau rer resents himself as having remained sixty-
plunging through an eddy
five seoonds under water in
firmed by a cataract of the river Tarn, between
Broquies and Albi,

THE DUKE OF CONNATJOHT.—The Army and Navy
Gazette sa :—" The Duke of Connaught will leave
England for his Indian command on Nov. 1, and
,will most probably estalish his headquarters at
Meerut, on his arrival there. The presence of a
Prince of the Blood Royal in command at that
cantonment, where the great mutiny in 1F57 began,
will be regarded with much interest by the natives,
and the assumption of military service there by the
Ofl of the Empress prumises to mark a new and a
very different era, we hope, in the history of British
India."

EXCURSIONISTS AT THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.—There
was a p-markable suene at the House of Commons on
Monday. Some time ago Mr. Arthur Peel, M,P. for
‘Varwick, promissd to take 40 of his constituents over
the House. On Mt nday morning he was surprised to
learn that oue trsin had h-ft with 300 persons, and
that snothk-r was leaving with an coal number. Upon
their arrival at Westminster the impression for the
inment was that they formed a provincial demonstra-
tion in favour of !kir. Bradlangh, but this misappre.
hension was soon removed. The members of the party,
including many women who carried children in their
arms, were conducted in relays by Mr. Peel through
the principal apartments of the House. A similar
scene, it is said, has never before been witnessed at
the House:

A CROCODILET2tOTIOTED TREABURY.—A private
letter received trom Cochin China, and published by
the Paris Temps, Rives a curious trait of To Duc's cha-
racter. When the Annarnite consul was expelled from
Saigon in June, he had rapidly to sell off his furniture
and equipaße, but he could find no customers for 15
crocodiles which he had bought for Tu Due, and which
the ca tain refused to ship. Tu Due was fond of
crocodiles, and the rumour was that within his palace
was a large basin of water, in which from time to time
be threw trunks of trees, hollowed out and filled with
gold or silver. To guard against himself cr others
being tempted to trench on this reserve, designed for
extreme exigencies, Tu Duo kept crocodiles in the
basin. These could not be clandestinely killed, for
they are tenacious of life, and a thief who imagined
he had killed all the custodians of the treasure might
fall a victim to a remaining one concealed beneath or
inside one of the trunks.

THE ITALIAN PRESS.—An official report on the
Italian Press, lately published, furnishes us with the
following statistical particulars. About 1,378 papers
and periodicals are pnblished in Italy. Lombardy has
the largest number, 217, and the provinces of Rome
comes next with 210. Tuscany, Piedmont, and Cam-
pania have each a little over 150. The other provinces
follow in a declining scale from 100 downwards. The
Basilicata, a province of the former Neapolitan king.
doin, has only five. The city of Rome itself publishes
290, Milan 141, and Naples 120. In all Italy 160
papers appear daily, 112 twice or thrice a week; 537
are weekly periodicals. There are 200 purely political
journals, 58 politieo.religious, 69 purely religious, 194
deal principally with economical or agricultural sub-
jects, and 83 are humorous. The oldest paper in
Italy is the Gazeti di Genmpt, which was established
in 1797. In the year 1881 166 new journals and
periodicals were started, 323 in 1882, and 34 since the
beginning of the present year.
WAGES IN SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE.—At a joint
meeting of coal•masters and operatives, held in Bir-
mingham on Monday, it was decided to form a joint
hoard of conciliation to regulate wages in the South
Staffordshire and East Worcestershire coal trade in
the future on the model of that which used to exist in
the iron trade. For ten years they had been working
under a sliding scale, but it was thought that a con-
ciliation board would work more smoothly. A com-
mittee was appointed to make the preliminary arrange-
ments.

WASTE NOT IN DREAMS.—LittIe Girl: "Oh Pa
dear, I've dreamt such a nice dream, that you gave
me a piece of cake. Give it me, and it won't make
me ' Papa : "Go back to bed, dear, and dream
you have eaten it. It will save the cake, and a powder
toot"—Pun.
METALLING A ROAD WITH SILVER —The American
E.gineering and Mining Journal reports that a con-
tractor, who had lately undertaken to repair a road in
Clinton county, State of New York, employed for the
purpose clinkers and refuse from a neighbouring smelt.
log furnace. People soon remarked an abundance of
aiptening particles on the road-surface, which, on ex-
amination proved to be pure silver. The explanation
was soon found. The ore sent to the furnace came
from an ironttone mine which was traversed by an
irregular vein of silver ore. The workmen did not
take the trouble to separate the ores, but sent all in.
discriminately to be smelted, and so silver became
mixed with the scoria, that were employed to repair
the road. It is unnecessary to add that the contractor
proceeded to collect carefully all the silver that could
be gathered from his road stuff.
MORE SELF-DENIAL.—Dear little wife at seaside,
writing home to her husband. "Do try and come
down for a day ; I wouldn't press you to stay longer."
—[Dear, good and kind, affectionate little thing !]—
Judy.
VRISON EMPLOYMENT IN AMERICA.—About 011 e hun-
dred and fifty persons in the Maryland penitentiary
are engaged in the manufacture of merino shoes. The
merino shoe is made of coarse wool from South
America. It is. put through the usual process of
cleaning and carding at the penitentiary, and is then
steamed, hardened, and made into a tough, pliable
cloth, about twice the thickness of ordiaary shoe
leather, and, in general appearance, not unlike the
uppers in arctic overshoes. The soles are made in the
same way, of the same material, but are harder and
heavier The shoes are not impervious lo water, but
are intended for use principally in the dry, cold
climate of the north. It is stated that, no matter how
low the temperature, the feet will never get c iid when
eticaßed in these shoes. The shoes are shipped prin.
&pally to the north and north-west, where they are
used in the lumber camps.
JOHN AND MARY.—Mary (Out for the day). "I
hunderstands, professor, as you reads people's thoughts,
and I'd be much obleeged if you could tell me what
my John is a-thinking on just now? "—Professor.
" Cert'nly, Miss, nothing easier! He's thinking that
'lf you love him as he loves you, there's nought can
cut your loves in two.' He c.,nsiders also that the
Information will be cheap at five shillings."—Mary.
" Lor ! !"—[Parts cheerfully.]—Judy.

A SHIT' RAILWAY IN THE SANDWICH ISLANDS—
The Hawai Government has just had conAtructed at
Honolulu a ship railway, as it has hitherto been found
necessary to send all vessels requiring repair to San
Francisco, the port of Honolnlu being unsuitable for
operations of that kind. The marine railway will
answer the purpose of a dry dock, and it may be
described as a sort of cradle or case in which the ship
is enclosed, its keel and aides being supported from
end to end. The cradle is so constructed that the
weight of the vessel is equally distributed, and that
the pressure on the ground is not heavier than that of
an ordinary locomotive. The vessel being thus encased
is lifted out of the water by an engine on to an inclined
plane upon which a line of rails has been laid down,
and the engine is strong enough to raise to Vie re-
quired height a vessel of 1,700 tons burden, Vessels
of higher tounage can be inieed high enough to admit
of their hulls beiog cleaued or repaired and of their
screws being removed.

AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN —The follow-
ing are the average prices of British corn for last week
as received from tbe inspectors and officers of Excise:
—Wheat, 43e. 61,; barley, 274. 91,; oats, 235. 11d.
per imperial qr. Corresponding week last year :
Wheat, 50s. 6d.; barley, 265. 7d.; oats, 225. 11d.
EMERALDS IN AMERICA.—A large emerald ha l been
found in North Carolina, weighing vine ounces, and
hopes are entertained that other emeralds of the finest
grade may yet be discovered in the State. Small
emeralds (says The Times) have already been found in
Mr,ntana, but North Carolina is the only part of the
States where they have been obtained of large size and
under conditions which encourage a search for them.
Tney are at first found by accident lying on or near
the surface of the ground, like the large or Greens-
borough specimen already referred to. It is assumed
that the presence of one indicates that of others, and
if several should be discovered in the vicinity, the
probability would be strong that the native rock in
which the emeralds originally occur could be struck
by digging.
EDUCATION IX NEW YORK,—The annual report of
the Education Committee of the City of New York
shows that 3,500,000 dole. were expended in that city
on education during the year 1882. In St. Mary's
Naval School, conducted on board ship, the education
and maintenance of each pupil cost 274 dole. 18c.
(25416 s ) per annum; the education of each pupil at
the Normal College costs, on an average. 64 dois. 950.
(213 nearly); and in the preparatory classes for the
same college 21 dole 74c. (nearly £4 75.). In the
grammar schools the annual cost averages 32 dole. 38c.
($695.); in the primary schools, 14 dole. 24c (22 175.);
in the better class of evening schools, 18 dole. 7c.
(23 125.) ; and in the usual kind of eveniug schools,
11 dole 59c. (22 60. Not only is the education free in

all the publiu schools of New York, but books, copies,
ink, pens, and other educational utensils are supplied
gratuitously.
ENGLISH LANDOWNERS IN AMERICA.—An American
journal, in publishing statistics as to the immensequaa•
titles of land held by English noblemen and others in
the United States, reports that Sir E. J. Reed, M. P.,
owns no less than 2,000,000 acres; the Duke of Suther-
land, 400,000; the Earl of Dunmore, 100000; and
the Earl of Dunraven, 60,000 acres. Messrs. Phillips,
Marshall, and Co. own a farm of 1,300,030 acres;
the heirs of Colonel Murphy, 1,100,000 acres; H.
Diston 12.000,000 acres, and the Standard Oil Com-
pany 1,000,000 acres. It appears that nine men
own a territory equal to that of New Hampshire,
Massachusetts, and Rhode Island combined. Then
there are the great railroad corporations, whose free
gifts of land from lavish Congresses amount to up-
wards of 200,000,005 acres Elev..n of these corpora-
tions only have received 120,000,000 acres. The
Northern Pacific Road had grants amounting to
47,000.000 acres, and other grants made have ranged
from 1,000,000 acres upwards.
DEPUTIES' WORK AND THEIR PAY,--The Paris
Figaro publishes a curi 'us calculation with regard to
the work performed by the Chamber of Deputies and the
amount paid to the members. There are 557 deputies.
They eat last year during 452 hours, making 45 days of
10 hours each. For this they received 3,342,000 francs,
making an average of 130 franca 27 centimes each per
day, or 13 francs 27 centimes each per hour. Suppos-
ing the 557 deputies were to work during SOO days out
of 365 at the same rate of 130 francs odd per day, the
Chamber would cost 217,684(00 franca 17 centimes
per annum.

THZ FRUIT GARDEN.-1. he Gardeners' Chronicle
says :—Apricots, which are very scarce this year, will
now require to be looked over almost daily and
gathered before they become dead ripe, or as soon as
they can be easily detached from the tree. Great
care must be exercised, as the least injury will cause
speedy decay. The early varieties of peaches and
nectarines should be frequently examined and
gathered before they become fully ripe. These will
finish in the fruit-room, and keep for several days
longer than when left to becorce quite ripe on the
trees. By looking often over the early varieties of
pears, and picking those which readily separate from the
tree, without breaking the stem, the season may be
more prolonged. Most early kinds are better for picking
before they are ripe, if left on the tree to ripen the
flavour becomes much deteriorated. Early apples
also are best gathered and stored immediately they
detach easily from the tree. Both should be gathered
and stored when dry. Plums—give the same atten.
tion to the gathtring as for apricot', and to trees
infested with aphis continue to use the syringe.
All fruit trees making a second growth After the
summer forcing pinch back closely, Remove the old
and fruiting canes of raspberries, as the crops are
finished, thinning-out the suckers to the required
number for the trellis or stakes for next year's fruiting,
retaining the strengeet for that purpose, so that they
have the benefit of the sun anel air as much as possible
to ripen them. Clear off the weeds, and as the mulch-
ings put on in winter or early spring have neatly
disappeared, a good Dutch hoeing and loosening of the
soil will be beneficial. Autumn bearing raspberries
should have their suckers removed aud kept well
mulched and supplied with water. The late goose.
berries and currants, if Lot already netted up, should
first of all be surrounded with tinch mesh wire net-
ting. Continue to make new beds of etrawbstrriee, as
the plants become established he the pots where
layered, and keep them 9upplied with water until
they have made a at4rt. Remove the suckers from
old fruiting Nag and clear off weeds. Keep toe
growths of figs stopped, and pinch in closely any second
growth made after the thee stopping. Make the net
secure on Morellos, for, now the small fruits are nearly
gone, the birds will naturally visit the late cherries, and
will find out the least hole left where it is vossible to
,
enter 4

PEARL FISHERY IN THE GULF OF MEXICO:A
fishery of this nature, and of great promise, has been
opensd up in the Gulf of Mexico. Among mans,
sir:slier gems, the fishermen have discovered several
large and very valustle pearls. One taken from the
shell of a pearl oyster in December last is believed to
be the largest on record. It weighs 75 carats, and was
purchased by a jeweller for 14,000 dole., though that
sum was very far below its real value. Another of 47
carats has also been found. It is perfect in form and
finely tinted, and is valued at 5,000 dole. A third
very beautiful pearl of 4() carats has been exhibited at
La Paz, where a bid 01 3,000 dols. for it was declined.
It is thought from these and other examples that there
are extensive deposits of pearl-bearing oysters, and
there is great excitement on the shores of the Gulf.
MARRIAGES IN ENGLAND.—The Registrar-General
reports that he number of marriages in England in
proportion to the population in the first quarter of the
cu rent year exceeded the rate in the corresponding
peri. dof any year since 1876. The rate indeed has
been steadily rising since 1879. A curious variation is
shown by the returns in the marrying propensities of
different counties. The shires least matrimcnially in
dined appear to be Herefordshire, Rntlanckhire, and
Hertfordshire. At the other extremity of the scale are
Northumberland, Durham, and Nottinghamshire,
where out of every thousand of the population consider-
ably more than double the number marry in a year
than in the former three counties. The exact rates per
thousand are :—Hereford, 77. ; Rutland, 81; Herts
84; Northumberland, 159; Durham, 160 ; Notts,
163.

SINGULAR ACCIDENT AT ACCRINGTON.—An exciting
scene was witnessed on 6unday evening at Accrington.
Main P e wc• ring i being executed in the town, and
while two men were working in the Union-street sec-
tion a large quantity of earth fell upon them. One of
them named Matthew Carroll managed to escape, but
Edward liargreaves a mason, was caught and buried
up to the neck for three houre. Great exertions were
made to relieve him and keep down the water. The
manual and steam fire engines were brought out, but
the water burst forth in a large volume and drowned
the unfortunate man. The deceased was married, and
leaves a widow and seven young children.

THE BIGGEST SPONGE EVER FOUND.—"A Monster
from the Sea" is a sign which attracts passers by to a
glass case in front of a sponge stcre on William street,
New York. "The big sponge," said the dealer, " wafl
fished up off Key West. When the fishermen saw it
through their magnifying glass they could hardly be-
lieve their eyes. When they fished it up and measured
it, they found it to be the largest sponge they had ever
seen. It is fully eight feet in circumference. We
have had an offer of 300 dol4. fpr it, but we don't care to
sell it. The sponge weighs fully twelve pounds. It
would take a long time for any one who used it to
squeeze it out."—Detroit Free Press.
SWALLOWING A TROMBONE —" Wal, neow, will you
look at that feller," raid a gentleman from the coun-
try, laying one hand affectionately on the shoulder of '
the scribe, aud pointing with the other to the trom-
ben° player. "I can take my affidavy I saw him run
three foot of o' that ere brass thing down his throat
not half a minute ago; there he goes again; he shoved
a yard of that thing into himself then, sir, if it was an
inch ;he must be frightful holler inside." "It is long
practice which enables him to do that," said the re-
porter. "When he gets done playing on that instru-
ment he will swallow it entire." "He won't have no
more brass in him than you've got, if be does, sonny,
said the rustic, perceiving the guile of the scribe as the
lattar fled from the wrath to come. —American Paper.
PROTECTION AGAINST TORPEDOES.—It is stated that
it is intended to fit all seagoing line of battle ships,
whether masted or mastless, with nets composed of
wire rope for torpedo defence. These nets are intended
to protect only the central compartments of the vessel,
including the magazines, it being understood that
those for the protection of the bows and stern may be
extemporised when necessary. When ships are on a
statien this gear is not to be kept on board but in store
on shore.

• I

MILITARY CARRIER PIGEONS.—The German War
Office keep up a service of trained carrier pigeons,
which are kept in a state of efficiency by continual
exercise. Some days ago a special exercise was held,
the line of flight being from Cologne to Hanover. The
pigeons were all started at 6 a.m. precisely. The first
made the journey in 3h. 35n-titi., being an average rate
of flight of 1,243 metres a minute; the second, 311.
48min , average 1,145 metres a minute; the thin], 31'.
50min. • the fourth, 411. exactly; the fifth, 4h. lmin. ;
the sixth, 4h. 19min, ; and the seventh, 41'. 35min.,
being an hour longer than the first. The average rate
of this 154 t pigeon was 950 metres a minute; the
average time of the whole lot was 4h. 2min.
DESTRUCTIVE LIGHTNING FLASH.— ['he Petersburger
Zeitung reports the destructive action of a flash of
lightning, which struck the stable attached to the
cavalry officets' school at kraenoje-Selo, killing 16
horses on the spot. The electric fluid, on striking the
corner of the building, seems to have travelled along
the iron with which the racks were covered, and set all
the hay on fire at once. The horses all fell to the
ground. Most of them rose again quickly • but 16
were found to be dead, and two were quite deaf In
all the horses that were killed the electric fluid seems
to have entered at the head or the neck, passing down
through the fore feet. The killed horses were not all
together or in adjoining stalls, but were scattered up
and down the stable, justifying the presumption that
fheir death was caused by their coming into contact
with the metallic covering of the racks. The horses
which survived were most probably not in contact with
the metal at the moment when it was being traversed
by the electric fluid.
CAUSE AND EFFECT.—Can we wonder at the Ocean
being occasionally rough, when we consider how con-
tinuslly it it "closed '?— Punch.
THE LUNACY COMMISSIONERS' REPORT.—The thirty-
seventh report of the Commissioners in Lunacy has
just been issued. The returns show that the total
number of lunatic., idiots, and persons of unsound
mind registered as being insane in England and Wales
on Jan. 1 last was 76,765, being an increase of 1,923
upon the number returned for the previous year. The
average weekly cost per head for maintenance of
patients in county and borough asylums during the
year was—in county asylums, 9s. 3id. ; in borough ,
asylums, 10s. ; in both taken together, 9s.
These figures show that the downward tendency of
this cost during recent years has been continued, the
decrease of last year upon the year 1881. being id. The
commissioners report a demand for an increase in the
asylum accommodation for pauper lunatics.
TRAVELLING NOTES.—Did you ever know an (MOM.
sion train which left London without one person irt
every compartment saving "Now we're off ?—Dici
you ever know an ''excursion party of whom one did ,
not say, "dope it won't be wt?'—ls it not one
reason that excursionists are always "sold," inas-
much as it is always. according to the natives, "a tins -
day for a sail?"—Did you ever hear of a railway offl*
cial who was dismissed for taking a gratuity? "—Did
you ever see a party of excursionists who, whilst going
away ostensibly for enjoyment, did not return
thoroughly 'fagged out," at.ci did not all express.
themselves "pleased they're home again?"—Moork-
shine.
HORNCASTLE HORSE FAIR.—The annual fair fz,r the

sale of horses commenced at Horncastle on Mondays
This fair is considered one of the largest in the king'
dom, and draws together buyers from all parts of the
country and from the Continent. Several agentsof
the French, German, and Russian Governments were
in attendance and made large purchases. Business
was rather inactive in the early part of the day, but
towards evening trade increased considerably. The
following may be quoted as the general prices at which
sales were effected :—Hunters, from 60 to 120 guineas ;
first-class carriage horses as high as 300 guine as the
pair; cart and heavy horses suitable for drays and:
railway work, from 60 to 90 guineas.
MR. RAWLINSON, CE., ON PRACTICAL ENGIN/MB.
ING.—Mr. Robert Rawlinson, C.E , C. 8., on sasurs
day distributed the certificates gained during the
summer term by the students in the Crystal Palace
Company's School of Practical Engineering. In the
course of an address he said that it was above aui
things important that young engineers should have
a ready invention and be able to turn their handle
to anything. Otherwise disappointment would often
await them. At the outset of his own career be
aspired to be is civil engineer' to be a builder of
bridges, docks, and canals ; but instead of that be.
was a sanitary engineer—a position which he bad
not sought, but which had sought him. It was r..3*
cessary, therefore, that students should take up that
department of engineering which came before then)
and should work it well. There was no royal road tcs
engineering, and in his time he had himself been e,
bricklayer, a mason, a sawyer and a blacksmith. 1:1°
used in his youth to fancy that he was born too latee
and that all the great engineering work of the world had
been done, but he began now to believe that his thne
came too soon, for he saw that there was a great deal of
engineering work to be done yet. In fact, he would
like very much to Eee the future progress of engineer-
ing science.
DEATH ON THE Mons.—On Monday afternoon
General Widians Gordon died very suddenly while
out grouse shooting on the H4ll of Correena Aberdeen'
shire. The general was in company with Mr. Robert
Grant, of Drutnminor, and when he started appeared
to be in perfect health. About four o'clock Mr. Grant
was surprised to see him fall on his face. He attempted'
to rise, and had succeeded in partly raising himself,
when he again fell, and immediately expired, Steps'
were taken to have the body conveyed to Drumminer
House, where it was shortly afterwards seen by 9:
medical man, who was of opinion that the cause a
death was heart ditease. The deceased, who wIV4
sixty years of age, was a general in the arm3r, and I,:acl
his residence at Southsea, Portsmouth.
_

TRE EFFEcT OF BLIZZARDS ON Camel,' have
seen blizzards on the plains that swept through IL
man who was clad in heavy woollens and fur over
garmetta as though he was dressed in tarlatan (saYg
an American writer.) X have known parties of
buffalo hunters, men used to hardship, and whose
stomachs were filled with buffalo marrow, and wh°
were wrapped in blankets and robes, to freeze to
death in their wagons while endeavouring to escape-
from the unendurable, icy blasts of an arctic blizzard,'
Cattle, weak and ill-fed on frost bitten erase, dissP
pear before these storms. They drift with the %elude.
As they pass by the ay is filled with the sound, e,f thel
mournful moaning. They wander staggeringly along,
over the trackleme plains, vainly endeavouring to fin'
"
water to quench the intense thirst produeed by exceed
in, cold weather. The water holes are frozen. The °
we-aker cattle drop out of the hind. They be down 00.
die. The snow drifts around them. They are fre;ti-
ing to death, and are still consumed by raging f.ever•
Toe wolves attaek them as they lie on the fr)zell
ground unable to rise, unable to protect th.emBeives.
Ihe cry of despair tittered by the evretcl..
ania)3l°
when they realize that the horribledtb
ot bein‘
eaten alive by carnivorous animals iS,their doom,
an itioarthly one. As the peculiar bellow of an av"
mai when it finda the scent of tho blood of one of lt;
fellows on the ground excites tan herd with the info"
mation : "Here one of ue leas been slain," and renders ,
tneou unmanageable, no does the death cry of a feeble
cow frighten the deleting herii. They disappear dol'
the wind, The wolves close in on the doomed anitosa•
She struggles desperately to arise. In vain,
hungry wolves attack her. They tear her opelt
They drag her entrails out and devour them before he:3
eyes. She dies, and the wolves pick her bones 1133""
then gallop after the herd,

!

[ALLI
,RIGHTS RESERVED.]

EVE AT THE WHEEL,

G. hfANVILLE FENN.
4uthor of " S'hip J ()toy," "Dutch, the Diver," "The
rouedry Belle," #O., #O.

CHAPTER X.
EXPLORATION.

A QUIET night had been passed, many of the ship-
wrecked party spending it upon the open deck, so
soft and balmy was the air. Save for a strange,
dull murmur or two, which seemed to come from
the woods ashore, not a sound broke the stillness of
the glorious night, and all slept heavily the deep
Sleep of those who had for nights been tossing in a
wild sea, momentarly expecting the end.
With the morning the first toil of a busy day
began. Helston went to his patient, and found him
cooler, and evidently progressing well. Then, on
Passing to the deck, he found 'Thello already busily
a work, and Deborah Burrows giving orders.
The young doctor was about to go up to her; but,
on second thoughts, it seemed to him that the most
sensible plan would be to let her have her own way, and
only to come into collision with her when she in-
terfered, or in any way showed herself obnxious to
those whom he took upon himself to protect.
"The first thing should be to explore the place,"
said Helston, "and that shall be my task. I think
you will bear leaving very well for a few hours," he
said, going to Laurent's cot.:
"Oh, yes, I shall be up in a day or two," was the
reply. "Where are you going ?'
"Ashore, to see what the place is like."
"Alone, Mr. Helston P' said Grace Monroe,
!darting.
" Well—yes ; unless you will walk with me," said
lielston, smiling.
And the girl coloured and shrank back, ashamed
of the anxiety she had evinced.
"Grace Monroe and I had been talking about the
Place," said Mary Dance, coming to the rescue;
'and we were wondering whether there were any
Wild beasts. It would be so awkward if they ate
the doctor," she added, drily.
"I'm glad you both take such interest in me," he
said, laughing. "But I don't think there is any fear.
You must take care of your patient."
"But the ship, doctor," said Laurent, earnestly,
"is there any danger of her breaking up ?"
"I should say not, for years," replied ITelston.
"She is grounded in shallow water, and is evidently
settling down in the sand, so that in a day or two
she will be nearly upon an even keel. The bank
outside will be protection enough. But, there, I
Can't stop talking.'
He went to his cabin took a double fowling.
Piece, a revolver and plenty of ammunition, a long
Sheath knife, and a hatchet In addition he carried
a flask, and some biscuits, and preserved meat, and,
Slung over his shoulder, a light telescope, presenting,
when ready, a formidable object to the women, who
were about descending:to the raft.
"And where are you going, doctor ?" said De-
borah Burrows, coming forward as he moved to-
wards the gangway, where the raft was moored.
"Ashore, to examine the place," said Helston,
Wetly.
"And by whose authority P" exclaimed Deborah,
Sharply. "I intend;exploring the place with a party
this 0,-,ernoon."

"I 'fraid you spoil your labbly complexion,
!Ila'arr," said 'Thello. " Hy-yah, hy-yah de sun
Derry hot dis fine wedder, ma'am. Better let de
tame 'loctor go."
"Hold your tongue, you black scoundrel!" ex-
claimer' Deborah. And then, as Helston went on
still towards the raft, "You heard what I said, sir ?"
"Y," said Helston, "I heard what you said,"
and he quietly lowered himself down to where two
Of the women were already standing.
• "I, Smith, stop that man," said Deborah. "If
he will not mind, he must be taught."
She ran to the gangway, closely followed by
half a dozen more women, half in earnest, half
laughing, for they did not take the movement, in
Spite of her lessons, in quite the same light as De-
borah Burrows; for, out of danger, and in that
lovely climate, to some the affair seemed to tegin
to wear the aspect of some novel picnic that would
1;le at an end before many days were past.
Before Deborah reached the gangway, though,
ilels+en was on the raft, and the sudden descent of
the armed figure of the 'young doctor was sufficient
to make the two sturdy gir's, Lee and Smith,
shriek, and scramble up the swinging w, oden steps
to the deck, leaving Helston at liberty to cast off the
rope, give the raft a thrust, and send it sailing gently
away from the ship.
"Come back, or I'll fire on you," cried Deborah,
fiercel_ .

But at that moment there was a roar of laughter;
for, with a whoop and a yell, 'Thello broke
from among those with whom he was at work,wash-
ang potatoes, ran across the deck, gave a tremendous
leap, turned a summersault in the air, and came
down with a mighty splash in the water.
Helston looked at the agitated lagoon in horror,
and levelled his gun ready to fire at the first shark
that appeared; but 'Thello was on the surface again
in a moment, struck out rapidly for the raft, and
Climbed upon it in safety.
" H-yah, hy-yah I" he laughed. "Look at de
shark. But they no_hab niggah, sah—him too
black."

"For Heaven's sake, don't venture upon such a risk
again!" cried Helston.
ic By-yah, hy-yah ! Mass' doctor, dey tink me
noder kind of shark when I show 'em do teeth.
ny-yah ! Good-bye, ladies; I not coming back yet
awhile. You wash de tater yourselfs ; and you,
Ma'am Burrows, you may frow em all ober de ship,
dis chile going out wid massa doctor for de day."
Deborah gave one stamp of her foot in impotent
rage as 'Then° seized an oar, and the raft was pro-
pelled pretty quickly towards the shore, drawn up
so as to be safe from floating away, and then the
two explorers turned to go upon their expedition.
nelston gazed thoughtfully first, though, towards
the ship; for it had flashed across his mind that
Deborah might endeavour to revenge herself upon
the two girls in the cabin for this evasion.
"But it must be done," he said, half aloud, "and
I,_ may not be allowed another chance. Heavens!
AaNv can people be so absurd ?"
"'Pose I carry der biscuit and de chopper and
zlaife and spy-glass, mass' doctor," said 'Thello; " dat
Make him lighter for you."
" Yes ; and sling the flask over your shoulder, too,
'Thello," said Helston.
"What in him flask, mass' doctor ?" said *Thello.
"Physic?'
"No, 'Thello,” said Helston, smiling—" brandy."
~" Den mass' doctor carry; flask himself, sah ; for
caa niggah death on grog.'
"Pooh, 'Thello ; surely you can carry that for
rae ?"
"I no like to try, sah, less the top 'crewed on
,berry tight, so I can't get at urn. When I carry grog
fiottle, urn allus seem to laugh inside, and go
dinkum, till I 'bliged to pull de cork out
and smell um, and den I taste, an' him all ober wid

"Come, then, I'll watch you, 'Thello," said Hel-
akon "for we must have a drop with us in case of a
breakdown."
"Den mass' doctor not bully dis chile if de liquor
go?" _ .

-
I'll trust you, 'Thello; so come along," said
tateiston 'l'd have brought two guns if I had
gnown.9
.."Nebbah mind, Bah; only you wait while dis
°sale cut himself a big 'tick here, and den we
go ow)
13Y means of the hatchet, 'Thello soon laid a
I.lFurcly sapling on the ground, and cut himself from
1' a fine fat staff, which was likely to prove a for-
331idable weapon in case of danger; and then they
steppo out, leaving the shore, and trying to make
direct folk the mountain, which Holston hoped to
Surmount before his return.
, It was hot, but there was a soft breeze beneath
„the waving, cocoa palms, as they went on through a
falick wood, where the undergrowth was sufficiently
'Von, though, to allow of easy passage. Of fruit
are seemed to be a fair quantity; and bright
Plumaged parroquets flitted before them, uttering
their wild cries, and then flying round and round
4‘b if anxious to see the aim of their visit to these
So far, with the exception of a few lizards, and a
staali snake or two, nothing bad been seen that bore
the semblance of dangerous, though here and there
td!rtse' dank, jungly dells were passed that would
'lre afforded plenty of coyer for the most danger-
iii beasts. But the principal aims of Helston's
°lPedition were to ascertain whether there were in-
habitants, and whether this were an island or part
°I some continent.
•Sooui they came to open park-like tracts of land,
til bushes scattered about, lush with blossoms, ,
musical with insects. So beautiful were some
°I these pieces, that it seemed quite natural to
V_Tect a handsome mansion to peer out from amidst
Patches of grove, or sheltering clusters of tall
trees.
But, no; save for the cries of birds, all was still,
'nil apparently theirs were the first feet that had
Iressed the rich green carpet over which they trod.
As they advanced the ground became more broken.
.Luey crossed litt!e valleys, some of them quite deep
I,clrges, down which, out of sight, amidst a wonder-
"' greenery of ferns and mosses, trickled musical
N_V,stters, -whose birthplace was evidently the mountain
whose summit they kept catching glimpses
'4-Lrough the trees.
drirhe beauty of some of the little ravines was won-
, °llB, the explorers making their way over moss-
_ overed heaps of lava, amongst which the clear
haters trickled—here forming beautiful basins, over-
durtg With ferns there, and a little farther on leaping.'
in miniature cascades, whose waters seemed of
and silver, so beautiful was the twilight in
they moved; for, save where here and there
ht golden shafts of sunlight darted through, the
all'ines were ftiled with a green network of ferns
c.lbelirnbing plants, which thrust out great trumpet
ell-shaped blossoms, to court the notice of wan-
," ring beedes as they flitted by.
tink, sah, we come to berry nice place, arpter
' said 'Thello, suddenly. "Only all dam women
aoou. spoil um, with {at great huffier she-horse
44384 'ani• Dia way rah. I—golly, look dah .1"
- •

As he spoke, he gave a sharp cut at soincthinv
which was gliding softly over a prostrate cocoa pa:m
in front.

In an instant, the serpent—for such it was—that
with one be n cut he had divided, writhed and
darted a out in the most furious way, the head por.
tion in one direction, the tail in the other; and so
furiously did both parts twine and lash about, the,
though placed beyond power of offence, had the
travellers been within reach and caught by the folds,
death would probably have followed.
This was a startling episode, for the serpent was
sixteen or seventeen feet long, and moderately thick;
but there was greater danger to come. Scarcely had
the violent writhings of the I oa subsided, and the
dissevered halves disappeared amongst the long,
green undergrowth, than a low, dull hiss from a few
yards' distance was succeeded by a rustling noise.
The smaller ferns were seen to vibrate, and, be rore
Helston and the black had time to think of fleeing,
a second serpent glided into view; and then, seeing
the two men, in place of beating a retreat, curled
itself up, and raised its head in a menacing way, its
eyes glistening, and its foiked tongue playing about
its parted mouth, as it uttered a low hiss.
"Golly, mass' doctor, why don't yer run ? " whis-
pered 'Thello. "Look out, Bah, urn going to make
a spring."
As he spoke, 'Thello placed himself behind a tree;
but, to his horror, Helston stood perfectly still, as if
paralysed with horror, and the black ran out once
more.

As he did so, raising his cudgel the while, the ser-
pent daited, turning itself into a living lasso, and
Helston's fate seemed sealed; but, with a hoarse
cry, "Thello struck with allhis might at the yellowy-
green mottled reptile, his staff catching it full, with
such violence that its aim was spoiled, and it fell
twisting and writhing in agony, bruised if not
broken; and a ch -age of shot from Helston's gun
completed the work.
"That was a narrow escape, 'Thello," said lid-
Eton, shuddering, as they walked on, the latter re-
charging his gun the while.
"Golly, sah, I like to see Ma'am Burrows mcet
dem serpums ; she frighten urn into fits." _ _

"1 hope there are not many such reptiles here,
'Thello," said Helston in reply, " or7the Paradise
will he haunted indeed."

" Nebbah mind, sah," said 'Thello, shoxvinz his
white teeth—" plenty Eve—plenty serpum ; but If:
nebbah see &ngle apple dree all froo de place."
At the end of an hour they were well on the rising
ground; and as they prom essed, the ferns and palms
grew fewer, the gorges deeper and more ro ky, the
stones being of tat dull grey red or blackened grey
which told of volcanic formation, and every step
now showed more plainly that they were ascending
the side of some great volcano; but the lava and
cinders had been gradually weathered, the warm,
humid moisture of the clime had made vegetation
thrive, and everywhere there was some rich gl eon
owth to hide what had probably been a scene of
scorched df solation.

"Big country dis here, Bah," said the perspiring
black, as they halted upon the steep ascent.
"I'm afraid not, 'Thello," said Helton; "hut
keep on," man—another hour, and we shall be on the
top" _

7` I keep on, sah, till you tell me to stop," said
'Thello, grinning.
And he tramped forward, with the result that in
less than an hour they had climbed the last and
steepest slope, to stand looking down into the deep
crater of the mountain, a hollow of a cone form,
quite a thousand feet deep, and a mile or so round,
its northern edge being lower than the southern,
upon which they stood.
But it was no horrible scene of scorched rock and
lava, for the interior vi as of the most vivid green.
Flowers abounded, and save in one spot, where a
faint blue thread of smoke arose in spirals, like the
fire from some gipsy encampment, the place seemed
a perfect Eden.
That tiny thread showed, though, that the fires
which had raised the island were not extinct. For
island it was—a volcanic cone thrown up in the
midst of the sea, vomiting forth lava, ashes, and
huge stones, to crumble down, in the courte of ages,
and become soil fit for the growth of seeds drifted
to it by the restless tides ;rand summer had succeeded
summer with growth and fruition, till the place was
the smiling paradise before them.
Helston stood on the highest poin.t, sweeping the
shore of the land, to see that it was nearly circular,
save where here and there it ran out like a buttress
into the sea, forming point and bay; and then,
sweep the hori7on as he would, in every direction
there was nothing but the eternal sea.
As far as he could judge, the island was about
twenty miles round, and they were the only in-
habitants.

They sat down, and had a good rest, as they par-
took of the simple refreshments they had brought
with them, 'Thello seeming perfectly happy after-
wards in the enjoyment of a very dirty black pipe;
and then descending by another ravine, one of the
many thA.scored the mountain to the summit, they
reached the shore about a mile from the ship, walked
along the firm, yellow sands' and reached the raft
just at sundown, the softly heaving waters of the
lagoon being dyed of a rich orange as they rowed
across to the ship, where, in spite of Deborah Bur-
row's authority, they were immediately surrounded
with a host of inquirers, eager to learn what the
place was like.

(To be coxtinited.)