The weekly union record., 1865-08-05

bearing that the renowned Captain Gordon
had been run through the body by some un-
lucky traveller.
THE LAND MAIL TO OREGoN.-The follow
ing in regard to this subject, appears in the
San Francisco Bulletin of July 29th:
We have already published the fact that the
Overland Mail from Lincoln to Portland had
gone into the hands of new contractor, who,
according to the contract, was TO commence
running the mail on the lst of July, but fail
ing to come TO time, the California Stage Com
pany, who have carried the mail for several
years past had consented to continue the job
until the end of this mouth. We are now in
formed that they positively refuse to convey it
any longer, and as the new contractor has not
the stock on hand necessary to do the work, the
prospects are that after Monday next the Over
land Mail TO Oregon will cease. The new con
tractor is Reside, of Washington city, man
who never was on the Pacific coast, and ap-
pears TO have known little about the nature or
extent of the work he contracted TO do He
t bid off the contract at S225 900 per annum
which was $4,000 less than the bid of the
/ California Stage Company. Reside sent an
agent out here TO look after the fulfllment of
Z LIS SNht4oSti WIZ pipPO>Cu " iuu tuC
with two-horse buggy. Considering that
the mail matter frequently amounts to three
tons per day ION the arrival of the Panama
steamers it averages from three to FIVE tons)
it must be admitted that Resides two horse
buggy arrangement was big thing" The
agent soon discovered that there was large
miscaculation somewhere, but as telegraph
communication with the East has been inter
rupted most of the time during the month, he
has not been able to get the necessary author
:ty from the contractor to make arrangements
for fulfilling the contract. Neither has Gas
kill, the Special Agent of the Post Office De
partment, been able to communicate with the
Postmaster General so as to inform him of the
state of facts and get authority to provide
remedy. He will, however, do bis utmost TO
induce the California Stage Company to con-
tnue carrying the mail until the Government
can be apprised OF the true state of things.
The Stage Company carried the mail last year
for S250000 but they claim that they lost
money, and this year they raised the bid to
100000, which was the reason of the route
being given to new contractor 1t is daily
mail, and the distance six hundred miles.
4 VILLAGE OF LEPERs.-At a little dis
tance after leaving Sinjan We came TO small
collection of mud novels, budded together at
some distance from the road. When we drew
near the whole population turned out and
stood in line-men, women and childrcn-by
the side OF the path, all begging vociferously
for aims. These unhappy beings, thus living
in habitations hardly fitted for brnte animals,
not TO mention human beings, cut off from all
communication with their fellow creatures,
save such as are afflicted with the same loath-
some and incurable disorder, were lepers, who,
by the strange custom of Persia, while pro-
hibited from coming within certain distance
of a town or village, are yet allowed horrible
as it may seem, TO live together, contract mar
riage, and thus perpetuate the curse through
an entire race.
The miserable wretches poured out Of their
dens like pack Of half starved hounds, falling
over each other in their eagerDess to be the
first to reach the vicinity of the traveller, whom
they dare not approach nearer than a certain
regulated dstarce. Their swollen and dis
torted features were dreadful to look at, their
limbs deformed and eaten away by the revolt
ing malady, were held eGGtt iiffsIpforingy and in
some instances the features blackened and
scorched by the vrulence of the terrible dis
order, scarcely retained the appearance Of those
of human beings. The whole of the north
NSSt VI L CiSld HOulu SSCui " Oc Win
this frightful scourge of humanity. During
the remainder Of the way to Debreez not
dag passed that we did not meet with one or
more of these communities, severed from the
sympathy and care of relatives and friends
No attempt is made TO cure the disease.
The instant it shows itself the sufferer is
banished from the society of his kindred to
that of those similarly afflicted. In his misery
be is supported by their offerings and by the
labor of his own hands, so long as his strength
lasts In the case of women, the severing of
all family ties, aud the life of wretchedness
which is their only prospect, makes the pun
ishment many times more severe than tina: of
men, bitter as is the lot of the latter The
leper lives and dies in isolation. He is buried
by those afflicted like himself-his own kin
dred, from whose minds absence may not have
erased ali affection. standing efar of, and Wis
iting the grave only when a sufficient time has
elapsed to remove all chance of the awful
infection.-A Journey from London TO Per
sepolis, BY John USHER, f. r. G. S.
The CoURT TO TRY JEFF. DAvIs.-Colonel
Forney writes from Washington to the Phila
delphia Press: