National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-09-27

on the voyage from Panama to Acapulco,
and records the impressions OF the author
gathered on the Pacific Coast. and during
n land Journey OF nearly three hundred
miles in the Valley of Chillan, between
the coast range and the Andian chain
from Conception, at the mouth of the
river Bio Bio, northward to the capital OF
Chile. This valley which, commencing at
the Cult OF Ancud, extends over fifteen
hundred miles to the north, he finds to be
the bed of vast glacier, whose ice slide
to the north has ground and polished the
rocks of its east and west boundaries, the
Andes and the coast range. so that while
they stand they will tell to students the
history of one of those wonderful changes
which have marked and shaped the earth's
surface. At one point. a little south OF
Santiago. he finds the track OF more
recent glazier which, moving literal,
from the Andes toward the west, across
the drift of the great glacier, has left il
its course volcanic bouders in the direc
ton OF the coast range, which stayed II
progress. 4 gradual recession of the ice
boundary towards the South Pole, which
was accompanied with an ascending TEN
perature, was followed by the formation
of successive lakes. whose deposits now
form series of terraces OF various level
through the whole length of this interest:
ng valley
An examination OF the group of sand'
called the Galapagos has afforded an op-
portunty for a study of new land. Thi'
archipelago, situated near the Equator
seven hundred miles west of the coast o.
Ecuador. are evidently OF recent volcanic
origin. Their animals and plants are ssmt
of them of types found nowhere else on
the known glo DE, and naturally seem specia
creations for that locality or strange in
stances of the almost creative power oI
transformation in nature. Evidently the
Professor incines to think there has been
"A direct creation of organized beings for
those distant new islands in the wide
Pacific, and he confesses that as yet sci
ence is unable to answer questions of the
origin of organized beings Small differ
ence is noted in the vegetable products OF
the Atlantic and Pacific coasts in the
neighborhood of Panama. bat in marine
animals decided variation was discov
cred, while all classes of animal life on
both sides bear decided American charac-
teristics. During the long and busy voy-
age the party of which Agassiz is the
CHEF have made careful observations of a
large class of subjects, and accumulated
such store of specimens As will in his
able hands make most valuable additions
to our knowledge in the sciences of geol
ogy and zoology.
A SAILORS Description OF A RIDE
ON HORSEBACK Therefore, arising be-
times, / hired a very fine horse, and,
manning him bravely, lald his head cas-
and by south, as near us might be,
according to our biunacle But though
the wind was abaft the beam, and tide
and all in his favor, and a brave com
mander upon his poop, what did he do
but bouse his stem, an run out his,
spanker-drige and up with his tairail
rs if | was we airing him in a laundering
heavy sea. / resolved to get the upper
hand of this uncaued-for mutiny and
the more so because all our crew were
gazing: and at the fair had laid down
the law very strictly concerning horses.
slipped my feet out of the chains, for
fear OF any sudden capsize, and then |
raped him over the catheads, where his
anchor ought to hang He, however,
instead of doing at all what | expected,
up with bis bow spirit and down with his
quarter, as if struck by whale under his
forefoot. This was so far from true
seamanship, and proved him to be so IN
built for SAILING, that | was content to
disembark Uvel his stern.an with slight
con cussions. Never say die" has
always been my motto. and always will
be mailing my colorS to the mast, | en-
barked upon another horse of less than
half the tonnage of that one which would
not answer helm. And this craft, Icing
broken-backed, with strange SQUAD at
her portfolios, could not under press of
sail bowl along more than four knots an
hour Aud we adjusted matters between
us SO, that when she was tired also was
sore, and therefore disembarked and
towed her, until we were both fit Tor
sea again. Therefore IT must have been
good meridian when | met arson
Chowne near his houSe-From " The
M1,dof Skey," By r. f. B'ackmore.
GUNPowD ER.-A little charcoal, and
little nire, joined together, and We have
that wonderful mixture which rules, fol
good or for evil, the deStinies of men.
When gunpowder is ignIted the solid Is
almost Instantly coverted into gas, which,
were it fired under water, and the gas
cooled down to the ordinary temperature
of the air, would be found to occupy
900 times the space of the solid powder.
Gases, are, however, known to expand
with an immense force when heated !;
and as the gases of gunpowder are, ordi
narily, projected at red heat, they are
consequently greatly expanded, amount
ing. it is estimated. to more than 1900
times the volume of the powder burned :.
and it is here we see whence springs the
power of projection of firearms. Great
as are the evils OF wars, the use of gun-
powder has shortened their duration
from years to days,
The INNER LlFE.--One fruitful source
of discomfort. and one great bar of en-
iovment IN this world, is the practice of
comparing ones life with the lives of
others, utterly ignoring the fact tina:
every person has an inner as well as an
outer life or, in the old-fashioned words
of the Bible, that every heart knoweth
its own bitterness. How often is the
remark made by superficial observers,
How happy" such and such persons
must be y "If / were only they ~
when ten to one, these very persons,
oblivious of their wealth and position,
are weary and heart-sore with the din
and battle of life.
STRETCH 1T LITTLE.-A little girl and
her younger brother were on their way
to the store one windy. frosty morning.
They were both poorly dressed, but the
little girl had sort of cloak over her
As they walked briskly along, she drew