Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-05-11
Lacusfrine People.


In the winter of 1853 it happened that the
waters Of the Lake of Zitrieh sank lower than
they had ever been known to do before and
the people of Mielen, who had seized this Op
portunity of completing some buildings along
the shore, made the discovery that here too
there we've numerous old sharpened stakes,
as well as pottery and articles made of stone
and bone. The news soon reached the ears of
the scientific world, and much zeal was shown
IN exploring the bottom of this and the other
lakes OF Switzerland; and the result of these
investigations was that much light was thrown
upon the " Pile building Period as the Ger
man scientists have named it, an age which
dates back more than $500 years before the
dawn OF history, and had until now been COM
pletely hidden from us. More and more dis
coyerlss were made. AS soon as the dwell
lngS OF tE al time had been recOnStructed-by
no meals an arduOuS taSk-the domestic
utensils and hunting weapons, and the re-
mains OF plants and animals, all seemed to
md their proper places. No doubt remained
as to the manner of life led by these ancient
people, and although we may have no positive
assurance as 10 their name we are able to di-
vide the time of their existence into three
wel[defined ages called respectively the Stone
Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age, according to
the materials of which their weapons and i'm
Elements were successfully made The Stone
Age of course, was the earliest: the Bronze
Age showed some advance in civilization:
and with the Iron Age we come to the times
Ofthe Romans. All the lakes have yielded
more remains of the Stone Age than of either
OF the two other; but all three periods may
be best studied at NeuchateI By degrees
whole sets of such things as went to make ND
the furniture of pile-dwelling were recOV-
cred, and ale now to be seen displayed in the
museums OF various Swiss towns. There are
stone hatchets and hammers, spears and darts,
all made either of flint. Serpentine rock crys-
tai chalcedOny, or jasper, and sometimes
even of raTer stones; there are implements
made of bone clubs of stays horn. daggprs of
bone. hSh hooks made of the claws and tuSks
oil the Wild boar, needless, primitive Orna-
mentS for the throat and hair, part of 4 spin
die, even a undle of fax warn for wearing
woven stuff, and netting of various kinds To
complete the picture some ten different kind
OF cereals h: We been found, various sorts of
pulse, Dis OF apple, cherries, and raSpberreS
all O1WnIch having been turned into charcoal
are perfectly well preserved. Both the fauna
and flora OF the period have been accurately
determined, and from the bones found in huge
quantities around the piles it seems that the
enemies and friends of man in those DAYS
We're the bear, urus, piSOn. wildgOat. fox, wolf,
morse, pig, cat, pOle-cat, don't site cattle, and
many others D:SldeS- But the men of those
days must have had hard battle for exis-
renee with the rough rude elements, the wild
beasts and the hostile tribes ION the other side
OF the mountains" 1t was probably their
fear of the latter, together with the marshy
state OF the soil on the shore, which induced
them to build their dwellings over the wa ;ers
OF The lake There could not have been much
enjoyment of life: there could have been no
nght hearted laughter, no sound of singing, as
the lake dweller i'll his canoe glided over the
waters 1Or The purpose of fishing, or went TO
the shore either to take game OF TO pursue the
weaTlsome labor OF cutting down wood with
nut anOrded him very slender protection
against the frequent damp fOgS arising from
the ley glaciers and all the horrors of a long
winter, in spite of his having built his dwell,
ing close up against those of his neighbors, in
spite OF his having filed up the creVices with
moss and clay. and in spite, too, of his having
covered the roof with a matching of pine
branches. There must have been good deal
OF wind and plenty OF Thorough draughts and
IN tact, as says the poet: " The ancient history
OF Europe must have begun with colds, tooth
ache, and swelled faces.'-I London Society
Threshing Floors In Spain.
The threShing floors is an institution of an
Gent times, and is still formed and used i'm
Spain as In the days of the Patriarchs. cir
the pri mitive means of stick and string and
the circumference bOrdered Wi goOdIy
stones. Over the interior area, first well
and leyeled, and water Is turned over the
whole surface. which is then beaten smooth
by heavy mail-ts and left to dry in the sun.
These fools, which are often the scenes of
great feStiyi!y. of moonlight dances and quiet
hours of chat after the days labor is done
and the tired wOrkmen throw themselves
down on the piled-up sheafs to smoke their
cigarettes, present, also at time of wheat
threshing as characteristic scenes as any, per
hapS, TO be witnessed among these primitive
huSbandmen. First, the harvest is brought i'm
On Oid-fashiOned numbering vehicles and
arranged in huge circle, several rows deep
and as high As mans head, around the erea.
Then, beginning at the center, circle upon cir
Gle Of sheaVes are laid, the one tapping slight
ly inward and over the other, till the whole
area shows one mass OF golden spray, fixed
oferlng splendid surface for the blowing
horses that are soon to tread it out. Down
they come, a fine loose herd of mares. their
long tails switching in the wind, and driven
on Dy boys and men, who shout and throw
their long stats here and there. as some men,
Der of the herd strays from the ranks or stops
10 crop the grass by the waySide Seven
abreast, these horses are attached 10 a wood
en- drag with smooth rounded bottom about
TWO TWO ana nan lie, ieet square, Upon this uncer
horses heads toward the circumference OF the
eTea. The BE- aStS plunge in, and at a long flour
ish and loud crack of the whip away they 90
Amid the flying wheat straw they keep on
their course around and around-the 1.-THE,
tai form Of the driver, bending back 10 keep
his balance, With picturesque costume, his
broad SOmbrerO. his swarthy face sparkling
with excitement, and his wild, 81 APP cries to
his horses, making an animated and peculiar
spectacle, vel worth looking at
A SHIPMENT OF AMERICAN TEA-Messrs.
Martin Giiiet & Company have received from
Dr. Alexander NJ. Forster, of GEORGETOWN, ).
e. quanti Y of pure tea raised BY that gen
tleman on his farm. The tea is incurred and
has the appearance of the leaves of the ia
pOnica- Tie leaves vary in size from an inch
In length and under 70 three inches. They
are extremely delicate looking, and have much
the appearance of wax, MesSrS. Gillei & Com
pany had the tea shipped to them with the in
tention oi curing II. in the proper way, in order
TO produce an article of American growth that
ture IN THIS country Is not only feasible but
will be profitable to those who undertake il
with pr per knowledge and experience in
the matter The pickerS of the tea received have
fallen into the general mistake OF plucking
the larger leaves in preference 10 the smaller
under the impression that they were obtain
ing the choicest leaves. MeSSrs. Gillet & Co
however, are confident of producing a good
drinking article, and are now engaged i'm cur
ing and drying the leaves.
The process of drying and curing is of Suffi-
clent interest TO justify brief description of
II. The leaves are first cleared of all foreign
matter, anu the largest leave are stripped OFF
and placed in a common sieve. The sieve is
cid over rot Of boiling water and the leaves
steamed: Tie action of the steam makes them
imp and pr, pares them for the next process
Ih-y are then taken up in handfulS and
Iuooed together, which curls up the edges
ana t"ists hem into small balls. In this con-
clIlOn they become very glutinOuS and stick
togtlhef- After the rubbing they are placed
IN the ~ or an oven, and under the action of
IN neat soOn curl into the small particles
la ailIlaf To all tea drinkers.-[ Bot more BuL
HE USE OF NERBENA IN SPAIN-In En- gland,
we Enc lady plucks a sprig and scents her
hah1 With II; so does the Spanish lady, but
she Knows wei its value, and treasures and
olle> To- wint use every leaf of H. II is here
wen Known a one of the finest eordials and
SION achlcS III the world. Ii can be taken i'm
TWO WAYS either made into a decOction with
nOt water and sugar, and drank cold ne a