The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-05-30
June Magazines.

Hsrper's for June is the initial number Of
the forty.nnth volume, which certainly be.
gins well A series of illustrated papers on
Mexico, by Bishop Gilbert Haven, is com.
menced, and if kept up as begun, will prove
q great attraction. The illustrations are ad
He enters the queer republic by the usual
way-throuch Vera Cruz,-and his first par.
agrsph illustrates his descriptive powers:
| Very Cruz is the smallest, compactest,
cleanesi, and deadles, Of national seaports.
1t lies in the hollow Of your hand. II has
IpTaCtICally but two streets, one going straight
back from the mole 10 the center of the wall
that swings like scmicircle around the
town; the other is the string of this bow,
whereof the former is the arrow. ltstretches
along its diameter the enormous distance of
a mile. The arrow is about third that
length, Two or three streets cross this at
right angles going from the Gulf to the wall,
and two others are parallel to Central Street,
as il is called, but behind it, and shorter, sub
tending arcs of lesser area. What makes the
city such victim of the yellow fever is
question often asked and rarely answered
1t is not its tilthiness, for a cleaner town one
never sees. Its blackstone payements are
washed nightly, and shine like Philadelphia
door,steps. The big black blizzard acts as
scavengcr, and clouds of them occupy roof.
top and church cross, dipping into the street
for stray mOrsels, and in their raycnous hun
ger would make nothing of boots and hats
and old clothes, II the people ever had such
articles to cast away So far AS garbage and
dir, arc concerned, no city has less fault to
find with its fathers. The walls are
thought to be the chef source of the evil for
they shut in the air, and prevent its sweep.
ing easily through the town. They are TWEEN
ty feet high, and of no value whatever "a Il
protection. They only increase its perils,
for they necessitate bombardment in all civil
wars, which ruins roofs and churches and
destroys life, while they do not prevent the
capture Of the town. II they also cause the
pestilence, then there is every reason for
/ their removal.
\ second illustrated paper on DR.. Schwen-
turth's African Explorations takes the rca-
der into the land of the Nam MANS, and
treat. Of the wonderful race of piglnies be.
yond. As to these pigmies, although their
existence is affirmed Icy the earliest Greek
poet, and ll6godus and Aristotle speak of them
Is well known, the modernS stic profane.
~ doubted their existence as tribe, until the
case Is apparently settled by Dr. schwcin.
iurth' The Nam MANS positively affirmed
the tribe to be located on their own borders,
that they had frequent intercourse with them,
and could show the Doctor specimens any
day.
For several days, however. he was unssuc.
cessful in his attempts to Ste these men In
miniature; the Pigmies, having an idea tina,
the strangers would certainly eat them If they
, could catch them, kept out of sight. But one
morning there was u great shouting in the
camp, and Schweinfurth learned that Mo
manned, the chief of the trading caravan
had surprised one of the PigmieS in a,,rn
dance upon the king, and was CONVEYING
, him, in spite OF strenuous resistance on tho
!. part Of the little man, straight Ia Camp
SChweinfurth hurried forward to meet Ia,
strange visitor, and there was the little crea
ture, perched upon Mohammed's right Shout
der, nervously hugging his head, and casting
glances OF alarm IN every direction. lie wa,
: seated in a chair, and his fears paclfcd b,
means OF various presents and some gooI
things 10 cat DIR. SChweinfurth drew hi
portrait and by means of an Interpreter sue
ceedcd in gaining much valuable information
l. respecting his tribe and their country.
Inc name ol MS nation WAS Akhd, anu b
5 asserted that they inhabit large districts ly
e ing southeast OF the Monbuttoo country. !
portion of them are subject TO the Monbutto
king, who, DESTROYS of enhancing the splcn
dor OF his court by the addition of any avail
able natural curiositics, had compelled sever
al families of the Pigmics 10 settle in the vi
cinity.
The first of the Aka villages, he said, wa
four days journey from the residence o
Munza, on the farther side of the rive
Nalobc one OF the great tributaries of The
Wcllc; that the nation was divided into min,