The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-11-11


and are for the most part mounted and provided
with excellent arms and ammunition obtained
from the Hudson Bay Company. Their long
intercourse with the Company has likewise ac-
customed them to the use of arms and rendered
them more intelligent than tribes less favorably
situated. 1t was reported that they had routed
a company OF 200 white men, while the latter
were on their way to the gold diggings on
Fraser river The writer of this letter express
es an unfavorable opinion of the Frazer river
gold washlngs, on account of the depth of water,
which makes it almost impossible to procure
the gold.-Star. f.N
In the city of London, coal is sent to consu.
mers In sacks, containing one hundred pounds
each. These are loaded on large carts drawn
by enormous horses, with scales and weights
to each cart, and if desired by the purchaser,
the sack is weighed by the driver When the
honesty OF the coal merchant and the integrity
of the driver are well established, the weighing of
the sack is seldom required And in the pur-
chase OF a cart-load Of sacks, some three or four
OF them, taken promiscuously, are tested by the
scales, and If found correct, the weighing of
the remainder of the load is dispensed with.
his mode of buying and selling coal is the re-
suit OF many years experience in the vast city
OF London, and is better calculated to do Justice
to the honest dealer and the consumer than any
plan we have seen in practice or proposed in
this country
The St. Louis Republican of the lst instant
records singular and fatal accident, the result
of somnambulism
Friday evening, farmer named John Bray,
from Indiana, who was removing to some point
on the Missouri, river with his wife, father in.
law, and four children, came in ON the Ohio
and Mississippi railroad. Being in straitened
circumstances, the family obtained permits.
sion to stop tor the night in a small room on
the ferry dock at the foot of Carr street. Be.
tween twelve and one o clock in the night, BRAY
arose an his sleep, and taking his youngest
child, aged three years, in his arms actually
walked from the room and into the water The
piteous wailing cries of the child, and the loud
calls Of the father for help, soon drew number
OF persons to the melancholy scene, from ada
cent places on the levee. The frantic grief of
the family partook of the incoherence and wild
ness of the maniac, and is described to be of
the most heart-rending description. Before in
genuity could resolve on any means of rescuing
the drowning object, both had sunk, to be seen
no more alive"
Among the curiosities of the ordnance room,
at the navy yard, Philadelphia, are two huge
shot, recently brought home by a United States
vessel from the Dardanelles. They are made
of granite, and weigh from FIVE to six hundred
pounds each. They are about the size of
bushel measure. They are used in the Turkish
forts which guard the Dardanelles. They are
intended to be thrown from mortars and to fall
upon the decks Of an enemys shipping.
: From the VolksbIdtt published at the Ger
man settlement of Hermann, in Missouri, we
learn that this years vintage in the vicinity of
Hermann, IN spite OF the poor prospects in the
early yart OF the season, has been an average
one The quantity of wine produced will reach
$4,000 gallons, which is highly satisfactory, in
veiw of the fact that last years yield was enor-
nous, and that the vines seldom yield two con-
secutive heavy crops. The yield per acre of the
different vineyards is variable-three and four
hundred gallons per acre being secured in some,
while others afforded only fifty gallons per acre.
In general, however the winners are well pleased
with the result, and have no cause to complain
of hard times
The New York Courier and Enquirer pub
fishes list of marine losses for October, which
amount, in the aggregate, to thirty vessels, val
ued at $533,500. The total losses during the
last ten months included two hundred and fifty
nine vessels, valued at 1881 1871. During the
same period in 1857, four hundred and eighty
seven vessels, valued at Sl5,42l 900, were lost
The Indiana pententiary contains four hun
dred and forty convicts, eight of whom are
females. There are but three hundred and
forty-four cells, and no room for more. The
fall courts will probably increase the population
to about five hundred. The prison is now over
crowded, without proper accommodations for
near hundred of the convicts, who have to
sleep in the halls or in the cells, two in a bed
The trustees will recommend to the Legislature
the construction of another somewhere upon
the limestone region of the Wabash.
Accounts from Barbados, to the 9th of Octo-
Der, state that the total shipments of sugar for
molasses 1854 puncheons. The prospects for
the growing canes are gloomy indeed, and I'M
der the most favorable circumstances the com
ing crop will fall short 1000 hhds. of the pres
ent one, and may reach 10000 hhds Many
parts Of the island are suffering severely from
the want of rain, without which, they will make
scarcely any crop at all. Some fine showers
had fallen within the last AZ hours, and indca
tons are that the rainy season has finally set in
A correspondent of the Raleigh Standard.
who has succeeded in the cultuse of tea in
North Carolina, writes that the Paraguay tea,
which it is proposed to introduce into the United
States, is identical with the Yopou," which
grows wild on the North Carolina coast, and
is very generally drank among the poorer
classes in that section. Many of the captains
Of vessels prefer a supply of it to coffee, as
they say their men are with it able to endure
more fatigue and accomplish more labor. 1t
al L -
cultivated and trimmed, makes beautiful tree.
The India trade is reviving at Boston. A large
feet has recently arrived from India ports, and
many more vessels are on the way from Cal
cutta, Manila, &C., and most of them will be due
shortly. AT Calcutta, September 8, fifteen ships
were loading for Boston and from August %
to September 8, ten ships more had sailed for
this port. AT the other East India ports-such
as Singapore, Batavia, Padang, Penang &c
a number of vessels were loading for Boston.
Mail robberes have been recently committed
in Maine. A bag, lost on the 2lst ultimo, was
found on the lst instant, concealed under leaves
and moss in the woods, about threequarters of
a mile from Miler's house All the letters had
contents. The papers had been but little dis
turbed.
The Common Council of the city of Memphis,
Tenn, have under consideration an ordinance
for the licensing of houses of prostitution. The
committee which reported the ordinance held
that the vice was one which might be controlled
and regulated, but not to be eradicated.
The farmers of Iowa seem to take the lead in
the Northwest the present season in the cultiva-
ton of Chinese sugar-cane. With the most or
binary care, and upon ground so wet that the
plant got very late start, the crop yielded two
hundred gallons of excellent srup per acre.
The article is so abundant in some localities,