Smyrna times., 1866-05-02


AN ALLIGAToR.-We are permitted to make
the following extract from private letter toa
gentleman in this town.
William Riley and AbsalOm Crook >hanks
caught strange looking animal in the Octora-
ro creek, the night before last, (April 10Th,
near ROwlandsyillc. Some Of the scicntitcs
pronounce it a young alligator. 1t Is, | think
about twenty-five inches long has fiat head
resembling catfish, no tongue. skin smooth.
like the skin of cat, fish or eel, four legs and
feet; the feet look like four fingers and Il thumb.
1t is "a strange looking 'hannimal. They killed
it when they caught it--scared badly Of fcuur,c.
| This is the description of the strange beast
A rivcrman by our elbow suggests that the
aforesaid alligator is river scorpion of larg:
proportions : ElktOn Wing.
STRINGENCY OF THE LATE BLocKADE-A
distinguished Admiral Of the United STATE.
Navy in recommending the pardon Of an cui-
nent cotton merchant of Louisiana, SAYS ..Fi
nancial writer's now candidly admit that tl,,
stringency of the blockade, for which the navy
is now receiving merited credit kept cotton IN
this country to the magnificent amount ofS40p.
600, 900 in greenbacks, or $500, OOO. .GWin goj
which since the closing Of the Rebellion ho.
come to the relief Of the national credit, tL,.
| national currency and the tax payers from ono
) end Of the Union to the other.
Rev. Dr. DAILY, special agent OF the Post GE
fee Department for Louisiana and Texas, ar,
rived in Washington on Monday on business
connected with the postal service in the South
: He reports favorably as to the speedy re-cstab.
lishment Of post offices and post routes in his
district. When he visited Texas last Fall NOT
; a single commissioned postmaster was 10 be
found in that State, while now nearly all the
principal mail routes are opened As to Loui j.
lana, he thinks it the best 'rconStrn,f.F'
State in all the South-the situation ac-
cepted in good faith, and freeClntca and whites
hard at work in reconstructing plantations
! and lost or wrecked fortunes In his Opinion,
! Louisiana will soon be herself again.
# A NICE RoOM-Thc blue room Of Bucking-
f ham Palace is described as a very splendid
e apartment, papered' with blue dama~k silk
9 in panels; on either side, rich gold bordering
t The window curtains, hangings, ETC., are like
v wise of the same rich blue silk. On both sides
J. of the fireplace are full-length portraits by
" Winterhalter, Of the Queen and Of th4 lat.
t Prince COnsOrt. both bearing testimony to the
e artist peculiar grace. All the furniture is
e e!abOrately carved, and Overlaid with burni>h-
1t ed gold and covered also with the blue silk =
is Against the wall are fine marble pillars, ami,
: from the ceiling which is profusely enriched,
:, hang seven most beautiful glass chandeliers
> Prof. Newman says, contrary to the general
} ly received opinion, birds prefer to fly again>
D the wind The quailS of Europe almost inya
rlably start on their passage Of the Mediterra
Y mean with a head wind, and if it chops round
n and blows fresh from the southwest, they art
70 drowned by thousands, and their dead bodie.
r. are washed ashore for weeks afterwards When
IN the wind is abaft, it gets under the birds fea-
IN theirs in the most aggravating manner, and up
s. sets his equilibrium and equanimity at the
nj same time.
er The Rochester Union says "There are mil
OF lions of bushels of rotten wheat now lying il
1u the store-houses of Chicago to be shipped whel
I'd navigation opens. The grain, in all stages Q
I'd decomposition will be put into vessels sent t.
1g Buffalo, put into elevators, thence taken il
s. canal boats to all points where these crafts &c
chiefly to New York and thence it will be sel
ut to New England. This wheat is wholly unh
lie to be eaten, and will breed cholera wherever
IT. goes.
ne FOREIGN CONTRIBUTIONS Sir Morton u,
~ to and the Hon. Arthur Kinnard recently col
II tributed $500 each for the benefit of the Amer
~ can freedmen, which sum has just been SCI
Vi by Secretary Seward to General Howard,
the Freedmen Bureau. General Howard,
He reply, thanks the English gentleman, : not ol
of y for their liberal gift, but for their perSi>ter
)w and eloquent defence of the cause Of our Uni,
n during our war.
Ire A Cork SHIP.-The Mobile papers repo
re the arrival Of great curiosity at that city,
IL vessel made of cork which is lying at one
= the wharves That she will never sink ma
el- may be true enough, but the other claim of Il
ing Mobilians, that 8 she will last forever, +
es- quires some proof.
rs INEBRIATEs.-It is statel that within
CO. month after the opening of the New Yo
of State Inebriate Asylum, over fife IN hundr
ere applications we're made by wealthy parents f
rec tee admission of their daughters, who had CO
red tracted lntemperate habits from the use OF
quors at fashionable parties
lalt Beautiful Cashmere Suits for Spring fl
ept nished to order at reduced prices, at the VI,
10Y chant Tailoring Establishment Of Baggs & c,
are ton.
hill