The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-22
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

to have figured at a banquet in Brussels
by which Napoleon had hoped TO celebrate
a victory over the allied forces was re-
Gently sold in Brussels for the sum or ST.
600. The strange part OF il all is that so
valuable service should have been held
in Brussels so long at so low a price.
The dromedary is patient, untiring,
quiet at the same time a rapid traveller.
and in the long run it outstrides the fleet
est horse, while carrying double the load
says the Philadelphia Record. 1t can
Furthermore, stay five days without wa
ter, while any horse would in the
meantime, have become useless. Drome-
diaries have been known to continue at an
even gait for seventy-two hours without
resting. The distance between Cairo and
Gaza about 5T miles, was covered by
dromedares carrying ammunition to the
Egyptian army, within forty-eight hours
at the time of the Syrian war. The best
dromedary for which a very high price
is paid, is the so-called Ababdeh. A num-
Der of this species were taken to Algiers
from the Nile valley, and the results of
the experiment are very gratifying. The
Ababdeh is of originally Arabic origin
and many stories are told about it's fine
qualities, its intelligence and its faith
fulness. The Arab leader of the
dromedary succeeds very well in making
the dromedary understand his slightest
wishes, and one of the methods of OBJ
tanning good results from a dromedary is
to allow it occasionally to inhale tobacco
smoke. 1t certainly seems odd, but the
dromedary has very strong craving for
smoke, and highly enjoys inhaling 1t
whenever given an opportunity to do so.
Playing cards are an importation from
the east and their origin is to be sought
for in the most remote antiquity. says the
rIof,. Int
Europe which took place about the end
of the thirteenth century, was due to
gypsies. 1t must not, however, be mag
ined that these very ancient cards, deriv-
ed from a quarter so remote, bore much
resemblance to those now in use which
are mainly, in point of fact, of French
origin. They bore emblematcal figures,
mysteriously grouped in accordance with
the lore of Ind, and were doubtless en-
ployed rather for the fancied interpreted
ton of the will of IN unseen God than for
amusement. Much research has been
employed in seeking the origin of playing
cards, and there has been no little con-
troversy regarding the date of their first
appearance in Europe. For a long time
it was generally believed that playing
cards were first invented in Europe, and
that Jaquemn Gringonneur French
painter, had first painted a deck of them
to serve as pastime for the melancholc
II
had been the case is shown by the fact
that there are still preserved at the Paris
library seventeen cards which had been
painted by that artist for the purpose in
Dictated, as an account book of the court
treasurer of Charles VI, conclusively
proves wherein the expenditure of a GER
tain amount paid to Gringonneur for
three decks of playing cards, painted in
gold and colors, is duly entered. Later
researches have proved, though that
cards had been introduced in Europe be-
fore that time, and an Italian author, Fee
licianO Bussi, in the history of Viterbo
cites a passage from an unpublished
chronicle of Viterbo. Nicolo de CoveIuzzo,
wherein it is mentioned that playing cards
were brought to Europe in 1879 by the
Saracens. This statement is supported by
the fact that the Spaniards. who were the
first to come in contact with the Saracens
after their conquest of the Iberian pc
ninsula, call their cards "naipes" which
word is undoubtedly derived from
"na-eeb,' the Saracen name for the
game.
The famous whaling bark Cape Horn
Pigeon is no more. She was lost in the
Japan sea recently, while cruising for
whales says the Chicago Record Her
crew, consisting of twenty or thirty men.
many of whom are known in and about
New Bedford, was saved, but the old YES
sci was total wreck. She was one of
the old-time fleet that sailed out of New
Bedford when whaling was the chief bus
mess of that port and at a time when
Nantucket, Bristol, Warren and Stoning-
ton were in the swim as whaling ports
The Cape Horn Pigeon, says the ProVi-
dence Journal, was not a large craft, but
was handsome bark in her day when
she cruised with the Milton, MattapOisett
James Arnold, which now flies the Chilian
flag; Attleboro and other square riggers
that hailed from New Bedford and small
ports in Buzzard's bay. Ut was in the SOS
that the Cape Horn Pigeon left the stocks
in South Dartmouth, and took her place
in the large fleet, but finally she followed
the other lost whalers TO the bottom of
the sea. The steam whalers of San Fran
cisco have driven most of New Bedford's
sailing fleet out of the business, but the
Cape Horn Pigeon, California, Mercury
and 9th RS continued 20 look for oil and
bone in the wide Pacific and South At
lantic. The Cape Horn Pigeon was a lucky
craft. She aided in making the city OF
New Redford known all over the world.
She had record of many fine catches
and only "A short time before she went
down her master sent home 200 pounds of
bone valued at $4,000. When she sunk
she had 200 barrels of sperm and whale
oil in her hold. She had been cruising
most of the time since she left the stocks
in 1873, and paid for herself several times
over III return. She was only 100 feet IN
length but with her canvas spread she
made a fine picture. Her breadth was o
feet and her depth Il feet. Her gross ton
mage was PIP tons.
1t needed a very bold man to resist the
medical testimony of three centuries ago
against water drinking. according to Lon
don Hospital Few writer's can be found
to say a good word for. Il. one or two
only are concerned to maintain thar
when begun In early life. IL may be
pretty freely drunk with impunity." and
they quote the curious instance given by
Sir Thomas Eyot in his Castle OF
Health" l5ii Of the Cornishmen, many
of the poorest sort. which never, or very
seldom, drink any other drink, are not
withstanding. strong Of body and like and
live well until they be OF great age"
Thomas Cogan. the medical schoolmaster
OF Manchester fame. confessed in his "Ha.
ven OF Health" 1889 designed for the use
Of the students, that he knew some who
drink cold water az night or fasting in
Nss. aNr.a4 10 l. 4.