The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-01-16
SCIENTIFIC NOTES. .

menu which 1nlJateS on q small scale
the eruption of volcanoes. It is based
on the property possessed by sulphur
when melted under the vapor of water
having pressure of three atmospheres,
to absorb certain quantity of water,
which afterward escapes in the form of
vapors during the cooling. In opera
ting on a quintal of sulphur, a super
fetal crust formed, an opening being
made in which pieces of sulphur emer-
ged, accompanied by explosions and
puffs of vapor At-the end of an hour
1t formed cone, having diameter of
from 30 to 80 centimeters at the base,
and about 'centimeters in height, ex-
actly resembling the volcanic cone re-
sulting from the successive accumula-
tions of lava streams.
Curious PHENOMENON IN MoRocco.-
1t is well known tibet there exist no vol
canoes on the continent of Africa, al
though many are found in the adjacent
islands of Ascension, Teneriffe, Lam
zerote, etc. That fact gives additional
interest to a discovery just made of
burning cave in Morocco, not far from
the town of Fee. The pit in question
is designated under the name of BENZ
guazeval. It's orifice is about ten feet
above the ground, and twelve feet wide;
the sheets of flame Issue internationally,
but what is remarkable, always in a
horizontal direction, as if driven by a
bellows through a retort. There is no
eruption of stone or lava, but the fire is
driven with such force to the oriice
that it is accompanied with loud hiss
ing noise, while the current is sufficient
ly strong to blow away anything placed
near the opening. The researches made
to discover the origin of the pheno-
menon have led to no result; but the
hypothesis generally admitted is that
there exists beds of coal in the noun
tain, ON the side of which this cavern
is situated, and that the fuel having be-
come ignited, the combustion is main
tanned by the draft of air, and will
continue 80 long as the flames shall
find any thing to feed on.
SWIMMING APPARATUS. = Frederick
Barnett, of Paris, has just patented a
novel yet simple apparatus for SWIM
mers. The invention consists of supply
ing to man an imitation of the appara-
tus peculiar to the frog. For the hands
he has large membranous fin, which
is held to its place by loops passing
over his fingers and a strap around the
waist. The surface presented to the
water by these fins is so large as TO add
greatly to the effectiveness of the strokes
of the arm, but not so large as to ex-
hnust the muscular power. Their effect
is to very much reduce the effort usual
~ required in swimming. But the
greatest ingenuity is displayed in the
form and fitness of the fins for the legs,
which are attached to the ankles, and
are 80 formed that they act upon the
water, both i'll the movement of bring
ing the legs and throwing them back.
They act so finely in treading water, as
swimmers call it, that one can walk, if
not on the water; at least in it. The
difference between swimming with this
apparatus and without it is very much
like the difference between rowing a
boat with the handle and a blade of an
oar. The old swimmer has no trouble
in using the fins at first trial, and is
surprised to find with what strength he
could swim without exhaustion. He
easily swims twice as fast with the APP
paratus as without it and with. it he
can sustain himself for hours upon the
water, or swim for many miles.
PRoGREss OF THE HoosAo TUNNEn.-
The great railway tunnel through the
Hoosac Mountain, near North Adams,
Massachusetts, is progressing very eff
fectively, and it is probable that the
bore will be completed in October, 1873.
The boring for the past year or more
has been carried on at four headings,
one at each side of the mountain, and
two, in opposite directions, from the
bottom of vertical shaft which is sunk
near the middle of the mountain. The
18th of December was an eventfui day
among the workmen. After some I'M
usually heavy hastings, junction of
the two headings between the east end
of the tunnel and the central shaft was
then effected, greatly relieving til
contractors by the immediate drainag
of water from the central shaft. The
central shaft is ], $50 feet in depth, and,
since the junction was make, it is found
to operate like an immense chimney.
producing a strong draft through the
whole length of the eastern section of
the tunnel, a distance of nearly two and
a half milf miles. 1t has not yet been
ascertained what, if any, difference ex-
lists between the lines of the two Dor
ings which have iuss been united; but
it is believed that there can be only
triffing variation. The working of the
pumping machinery, previously re-
quired to keep the shaft free, was a
difficult and expensive operation. The
water viii now flow down grade into
the Deerheld River and the pumps
may be removed. A distance Of about
four thousand feet remains to be cut in
order to complete the bore. The total
length of the tunnel viii be almost five
miles. 1t is the second longest tunnel
in the world, the Mont Gents bore,
through the Alps, being nearly eight
miles in length. But the st. Gotthard
tunnel, through the Swiss Alps, which
was commenced during the present year
will beat both of the above, as it viii
bo thirteen and half miles in length.
PoIsoN OF SERPESrs. When Major
Noah, an ancient editor of New York
was Consul of this Government at
Tunis, he collected many interesting
facts in natural history. DESTROYS of
just how far q scorpion
coal be trusted in gentleman's bed,
whera they often secrete themselves in
tina part ii Africa, he relates the fol-
loving experiment.: A fully grown
scorpion was placed in a box with a
glass cover, into which were also intro |
duCa1 two Y,,ico VHl,vo,,r,l a., -. A..