The Republican journal., 1871-02-02

| On SCULPISs. Much as we dispise money, w
had rather find Il thousand dollars left on our tab
than for one short spell to be sculpin
| scupin, gentle reader, is a scay little cuss tina
hangs round salt water ponds like this of ours
They are called, by small boys, Cape Cod Minis
ters, which is libel on one or the other. We nevc
knew sculpin that was a minister, but we Oc
OCCASIONALLY hear of minister who is a sculpin Thu
| last one caught was the New York gentleman wht
refused to perform the funeral services of thu
veteran Geo. Holland, simply because he was al
actor. Ii is not that kind of sculpin we wish t
notice, as they are not Indigenous to our waters.
The sculpin proper resembles an exclamation
point minus the dot, with the mouth on the bis
end. If a marlin spike was covered with DARK
brown bark and had fins, it would look dreadfully
| like sculpin. They derive their name from the
Dragon, and there is no disputing but what they
will drag on line with more ounces to the pound
THAN any thing of their size that wears scales
There is not much of sculpin except head, and
the head is most all mouth. They don't own any
| ears, having no place to put any. If a scupr
wore ears, he couldn't have much mouth, and if
there lie one thing s sculpin delights in more than
another it is the door of his face 1t is Hoosac tun
nell on small scale. We do not wish to he per-
ooildi. ~ w III IlOl tti WHOSE LlOutH lOOhs lht
sculpin; he asked US not to. No ever tished
for sculpins. People have been mean enough to
rob grave yards and poison their great grand
mothers but there is no instance on record of any
one getting low enough to fish for sculpins. A
sculpin will live as long out of water rs any one
ever lets hum. We have seen them lie on wharf
in the sun and flap round and cape for half a day
and being put back into the water swim off as
though they had not been away from home min
ute. They are the bummers of the fish creation,
the loafer that hang round ready to steal drink,
when they can't get an invitation. They don't care
what they eat any more than a shanghai rooster,
which will make hearty meal on leather headed
carpet lacks, and then swallow the paper to do them
up in. When fisherman catches sculpin it is al
ways by accident. and the first thing he does on
landing it, is to pat its head several times with the
heel OF his boot and then stoop down to unfasten
his hook, He gently slides the right hand down
the line and with the left firmly grasps the head of
the sculpin which with fixed eyes, and open mouth
awaits the movement. The moment he feels his
head elutched he closes one eye, shuts his mouth
with snap, and a horn which he wears Oh his
snout, la rhinoceros,s abbed into the tsherman's
palm. The angler resumes an erect position,
shakes his tlipper, sound that resembles ''lamn'
is an lncipent state issues from his mouth. and he
cuts off his hook and proceeds to gauge another.
Thus it is to catch a sculpin-aad when hooks cost
not over Sl.Oo each never try to take ono out of
scupns ss. If there is anything else that we
remember about sculpins we have forgotten it, but
what we don't know about them our friend Prof.
Agassiz does and will tell you all about them if you
will address him enclosing stamp.
LECTURES. We did not hear the poem by Mr..
Sake on Yankee Land, but understand that it dis
appointed the audience generally 1t had some
good points, and sharp hits, but was married by de-
tectlve utterance which made the words inarllibe
to large portion of those present.
Mr.. Dingley's lecture, on Days Among the Nor
mons, delivered on Friday evening, was exceeding
ly interesting. With clear, distinct utterance, and
III beautiful language, he described the approach to
Salt Lake City, lying so near to the ranges of
mount aims that their towering heights seemed to
oyerop it in the clear atmosphere. 1t is literally
a city of gardens, each house having attached
square OF ground for orchards and vegetables, and
filled to overlooking with the harvest. Clear
streams of water from the mountains run along
the streets. The houses are low and of extended
the different wives Of the proprietors. The num-
Der of wives that a saint possesses may be known
by counting his front doors! A Mormon endeavors
to divide his attention mpartially among his wives
tho lecturer adding that some, very likely, find
the services of a book keeper necessary to keep
things square. Brigham Young has wives innum-
erable and on occasion, when claimed by n
woman, said after a careful scrutiny of her face,
she din look farni1i1r-but ha
invitation the lecturer dined with Mormon bishop,
who modesly contented himself with two wives
The meal was served in the apartments of one
wife, while the other was her guest There were
two focks of children presented to him by the
father, us 'the children of Eliza and ''the children
Of Sarah" The younger and prettier wife, who
presided at the table, was chatty and cheerful
while the elder sat sober and sad-faced
The lecturer visited the residence of President
Brigham Young, who was himself absent His
grounds, thirty acres in extent. are enclosed bv a
high wall, within which are his residence, those of
his wives, his Offices and the storehouse to which
the people bring one-tenth of their crops for the
church-or Brigham. From his office telegraph
wires run to all parts Of his territory. He can
fash along them messages that will be obcved to
the letter.
The people had comfortable homes, and appar-
emily enough Of everything. Their industry and
thrift were wonderful. The yielded implicit obedi-
ence to Brigham Young, whose rule was of the
most absolute kind. What was to be the fate of
this strange community he couldnot say Hethouoht
the policy of the government of the United States
would be to keep ygant guardianship over its
territorial condition, without admitting it to the
powers of a state-to submit it to the pressure of
moral Influences so far as it can, until the peculiar
and undesirable features Of the community dsap-
pear, which they would do in time. The lecture
occupied an hour and half, and was listened to
with the closest attention.
The next lecture will be on this Thursday eyen-
ing, by Prof Edward S. Morse. Subiect-IIow
Animals Move. The remaining lectures of the
course will be by Mrs. Livermore, Du Chaillu, and
probably Wendell Phillips.
New WATERING PLACE. We saw yesterday the
plans and elevations for the hotel to be erected
the coming spring on the land at Fort Point Stock
ton, recently purchased by Capt. Chas. Sanford
and Hugh Ross, Esq, of this city. The hotel is to
be built by stock company and the requisite
amount is nearly all subscribed. Work will COM
mence as soon as the season will allow, and it is
expected that the house will be ready for company
by the first of July. The site is 400 feet back
of the light and is very commanding situation,
from which magnificent view can be obtained in
all directions. The spacious grounds will be ele-
gantly laid out in lawns, ETC., with trees and
every part of them accessible. A new wharf. at
which the steamers will stop every trip, fur
nshes landing place, whence winding drive
way will lead to the hotel. The main building