The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-09-17
SOUNDING SAND.

The San Francisco Academy of
Sciences has lately received speci-
men Of sounding sand, taken from
a bank on the Island of Kauai, Of the
Hawaiian group. The person who
sends the sand writes that the bank
from which it is taken commences at
a perpendicular bluff at the south
west end Of the island, and extends
one and half miles almost due
south, parallel with the beach, which
is about one hundred yards distant
from the base Of the sand bank. The
sand drift is about sixty feet high,
and at the extreme south end the an
gle preserved is as steep as the nature
of the sand will permit. The bank
is constantly extending to the south.
1t is said by the natives that at the
bluff and along the middle Of the
bank the sand is not sonorous. But
at the extreme south end, and for
half a mile north, if you slap two
handfuls together there is a sound
produced like the low hooting of an
owl-more Or less sharp, according as
the motion is quick or slow. Sit
down upon tho sand and give one
hand a quick circular motion and the
sound is like the heavy bass ofa me-
lodeon. Kneel upon the steep in
cline, extend the two hands and clasp
as much sand as possible, slide rap
idly down, carrying all the sand you
can, and the sound accumulates as
you descend until it is like distant
thunder. With the experiments that
were made it seemed the sound was
in proportion to the amount of sand
put in motion with q proportionate
velocity. Another consideration
seems requisite-that is, its perfect
dryness. The dry sand would sound
on the surface, where six inches be-
meath it was wet but if any of the
vet sand became mingled with the
dry. its property of sounding ceased
at once. The sand appears to the eye
like ordinary beach sand, but ordinary
beach sand will not produce the
sounds.
SARATOGA FRIED POTATOES.
&c. B. B." writes to the Springfield
Republican a bit of information that
may interest a great many people be-
sides visitors to Saratoga:
Saratoga potatoes, the poetry of
common life, and costly charm Of Del
monico's and Parker's, can be made in
perfection in any kitchen, by the use
Of very simple apparatus consisting of
a sharp blade set slanting into wood
en- trough with narrow slit in the
bottom, two wire screens or sieves and
a common spider. Select eight large
potatoes, pare them and slice very
thin with the cutting machine, soak
them in cold water for two hours, and
stir common table salt into the water,
one teaspoonful to quart, and al
low them to remain in the brine half
an hour longer. Pour them upon the
screen to drain, and put a spider with
pound of clear lard over a
brisk fire. Wipe the sliced potatoes
dry on a towel, wait until the lard is
smoking hot, and pour large plate
full into the spider. The result is like
small sea in white squall, and now
the cook shows the artistic soul,
which every votary Of the noblest Of
the arts must possess to be worthy Of
the name. Patient and calm, with
steady and incessant motion Of the
skinner, she prevents adhesion Of
any two afectionate slices, and watch
es carefully for the tender blush Of
BROWNIES to appear. Slowly it crceps
and deepens until it rivals the hue of
the fragrant Havana. Haste then
takes the place Of caution, lest any
martyrs burn for the perfection of
others, and they must be quickly
spread upon another sieve to drain
until dry and greaseless enough for
the fairest fingers, then served hot, to
melt away like a kiss on sweet lips,
with dying crackle, like the fallen
leaves of autumn"
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