The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-05-21
4 SOME PECULIAR RIVERS.

One Stream as Sour as Vinegar and
Another as Black rs Ink.
One of the most curious rivers that
have come to the knowledge of men
is the Webbe Shebeyli Of Eastern
Africa, a deep and rapid stream,
Astounding in strange fish and Zero
cious crocodiles. Although it flows
for hundreds of miles through fertile
lands, the immense volume Of water
never reaches the sea. A short dis
lance north OF the equa tor the river is
lost in a desert region a few miles
from the Indian ocean. I:
Some Of the more recent explorers
of Alaska and British America claim:
that the Mississippi can no longer be,
regarded as the longest river on the,
North American continent. This dis
tinction is claimed for the great Yukon
river. According to Ivan Petroff, who
spent over two years in Alaska col
lecting materials for the last census,
the Yukon empties into Norton sound
about one-third more water than the
Mississippi pour into the Gulf Of Mex
leo. The Yukon basin comprises the
larger part of Northern Alaska, and
600 miles from its mouth the river is
a mile in width. Many centuries be-
fore it was discovered by white men
it very likely served as the water high
way into the interior for tribes whom
we believe to have crossed from Asia
to the American continent The Yukon
river is over 1000 miles in length.
Travellers report that in Algeria there
exists a small stream which the chem
istry Of nature has turned into ink It
is formed by the union Of two rivulets,
one Of which is very strongly impreg-
mated with iron, while the other, mean
dering through a peat marsh, imbibes
large quantities of gallic acid: Letters
have been written with the natural
compound of iron and gallic acid which
forms this small yet wonderful stream.
The Dio de Vinegra, in Colombia, is
a stream the waters Of WHICH, by adj
mixture with sulphuric acid, became so
sour that the river has been appropri-
ately named the Rio de Vinagre, or
Vinegar river. @
The Orange, or Carried river, in
Southern Africa, rises in the noun
tains which separate Natal from the
Orange Free State. The length Of this
stream is 1000 miles. Its banks abound
in various valuable woods, and around
It are found rich copper ores. In this
stream are many varieties of fish,
which are found until the river passes
through the rocky region tanning
copper, below which the water is said
to be poisonous, almost instantly kill
ing the fish that venture near it.
Another remark river is the Indus
great stream in Hindoostan. 1t rises
IN Thlbet, and it's course is a wonder
full one. On reaching the Sussi, its
most northern point, it turns south
ward, losing itself in the hills, and re-
appears at Takot, in xohistan. The
Indus is 1,7OO miles in length After
receiving the waters of many tribu-
tarles its channel grows narrow, and
here it divides into many channels,
some Of which never return to the
parent stream. 1t abounds in fish and
crocOdiles
That classical river, the Ganges, is
erratic in its course, like the Hoang
Ho. It is prominent both in the re-.
ligion and geography of India. It va
ries not only from season to season,
but from year to year, and frequently,
exchanges old passages for new ones.
y It has been said that the Ganges de-
livers into the sea every year 543O0O,-
matter.-Ph Philadelphia Press.
Largest Circulation In the World. III
The distinction of having ''the largest
circulation in the world belongs to
the Bible. Every year, we gather from
an interview with Rev. John Sharp,
the secretary Of the British and For
eign Bible society. in the Christian
Commonwealth, more copies Of the.
Scriptures are sold than that of any
other publication. In 1894-5, for in.
stance. the society a lone issued nearly.
q million complete Bibles and over a
million New Testaments, the exact
total, including portions. being 3S37,-
S22. The number of Bibles. Testa-5
ments and portions issued up to March
81, 1895, In over 300 languages by the
society amounts to 1433 ,396, 2;sO, while
those issued by allied societies bring
the total up to 23120s, 1924,