The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1881-02-03
VOL. X.--NO, 20.
BITS OF INFORMATION.

The fiddle is spoken of as early as
1900 A. D., in the legendary life of st.
Christopher.
=, CHAMols skins are not derived from
Ihe chamols, as many people suppose,
but are the flesh side of sheepskins,
The skins are soaked in lime-water, and
in solution of sulphuric acid: fish oil
Is poured over them, and they are care
fully washed in a solution of potash.
In 1889, when the Federal Govern
ment was organized, heads Of DEPART
ments received $3, 500 per annum salary.
| The principal Secretaries who formed
Washington's first Cabinet were: OF
State, Thomas Jefferson of the Treas
my, Alexander Hamilton of War Gen.
Knox Attorney General, Edmond Ran
dolph.
The heaviest loss inflicted upon the
American arms in any battle of the Rev
olutlonary war was at the battle of
Long Island d--2,000 in killed, wounded
and prisoners. But 10000 Americans
were engaged, AMI the loss was only 20
per cent. AT the Battle of Hubbardton,
VT, 700 patriots engaged 1000 British
troops, and 324 were killed or wounded
nearly 80 per cent. At Guilford Court
House, Gen. Greene lost 1900 out of
f,4OU-a loss OF 81 per cent.
YELLOW bananas come from Jamaica
and Aspinwall, and the red bananas from
Cuba. The yellow bananas sell the best
because they grow more to the bunch.
q bunch of yellow bananas averages
about ten dozen, and sometimes they
average rs high as twelve doz~n, while
the red bananas seldom run Ver five
dozen. The punches are sold 1t about
GO IL. Il
to sell the yellow ones for les and still
make better profit than thoy can on
the red ones. The flavor Of the banana
depends greatly on the soil in which it
Is raised.
The. English guinea was so called be-
cause the gold of which it was first made
was brought from Guinea by an African
trading company. Originally it was in
tended that the guinea should begworth
20 shillings, but, owing to q number 81
errors in calculating the proportion Of
the value of gold and silver, it never
circulated at that value. Sir Isaac New
ton fixed the true value of the guinea,
in relation to silver, at 20 shillings
pence, and, by his advice, the crown
proclaimed that in future it should be
current ut 81 shillings.
The hanging gardens of Babylon con-
sisted of an artificial mountain 400 feet
on each side, rising by successive ter
races to O height which overtopped the
walls of the city. The terraces them
selves were formed of q succession of
! piers, the tops Of which were covered by
Hat stones sixteen feet long and four
feet wide. Upon these were spread
beds of mating, then thick layer of
bltumen covered with thick sheets of
lead. Upon this solid pavement earth
was heaped, some of the piers being hol-
low, SO as to afford depth for the roots
Of the tallest trees. Water was drawn
from the river to irrigate these gardens.
which thus presented to the eye the ap-
pearAnce of q mountain covered in yerd-
ure.
The day upon which any historical
event referring to the Christian era hap
pened may be determined by the follow
ing rule l. Subtract l from the date
and divide the remainder by 400. 2.
Point off the centuries from the result
ing remainder and divide the odd years
by 4. B. Multiply the resulting quo
tlent by and to the product add the re-
mainder. 4. From the sum subtracttwico
the number of centuries pointed off and
divide the remainder by 7. 5. Add the
resulting remainder to the day of the
year upon which the event happened
and divide the sum by 7. 6. To the last
resulting remainder add /. Then will
the sum be the number of the day of the
week required. When the first quotient
is zero, OF when it is l and the centuries
pointed off B, unless there be remain
der, to avoid negative results, add 27 to
the date instead OF subtracting from it.