Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-10-17
GLEANINGS AND GOSSIP.

The dreaded tSetSe-fiy OF Africa Is
supposed to breed in the banana PLAN
| tations. AS the banana is the staple
food of the country, the plantations,
cannot ne destroyed. and it is proposed
to introduce the jungle fowl to eX-
| terminate the flies. beginning the cx-
pertinent on the t,y-infes,ed deserted
island of Kimm. in the Victoria
NyanZa.
The first steamer that ever crossed
the Atlantic took "a days to make the
trip. AMI the early boats of the Cunard
| line, organized in 1S40. made the trans
atlantic trip in IA days. or in about the
same time as the best of the clippers
of the Black Ball and other lines. In
1860 the sailing ship Dreadnought made
he passage in nine days and 1. hours.
and it was long time before Il steamer
beat that record 1t is nearly two de-
cadcs since the five-day ship came upon
the scene. and ever since then the rec
ord has been lowered by four hours
rather than by days.--New Orleans
PiCayune.
The Rcrbers. who although African,
are rs white as Europeans. are the old
est white race on record, says an OK
come from the south of Europe in an
cient days. :he Dundee Advertiser
SAYS. and. although their language
and customs are entirely different from
ours and their religion Mohammedan.
they are probably closely akin by de-
scent. Blue eyes and fair hair are not
at all uncommon among the Berbers,
and many of them have rosy cheeks
and features like our own that were
they dressed in British fashion they
would easily pass as natives of the
British Isles
Has this years comet affected the
weather? \ century ago the answer
would nave been yes. Thus, to the
charge of the comet of 1911 was laid the
fact not only of the excellent vinta ge
and abundant crops of that year, hut
also that wasrs were then few and flies
blind and that a shGemaker's wife In
London had four children at a birth
sides such calamities as invasions
neStilences and the like, the comets OF
various years were held responsible for
many minor tragedies, including the
destruction of a church clock by
meteoric stone, fit of sneeZing that
became prevalent in Germany. and in
1868 an epidemic among cats in West
minister.-Indianapo News.
In America, in China and in most
countries Of the world. with the cx-
ception of India. says q special agent
of the department of commerce and
labor. the clothing used is woven in
wholesale lengths. and the tailor does
the rest. In India the cloth is woven
| in the required shapes and sizes and
only rarely cut t" fit the body. DhoO-
ties. sarrieS and cnadars, the three
| great Indian cloths. are used as they
are woven, and are not touched by
| needle or scissors. The Mahometans
| usually wear garments requiring the
| use of tailor. but the great bulk Of
| the Hindu population, either from mo-
| tives Of economy or from aversion TO
depart from established custom, prefer
simple loom made garments. and to
many orthodox Hindus made-up clothes
are an ahomination. The majority OF
the population. therefore. still wear the
dhoOtie and the sarrie. though the up
per classes are day by day gradually
assimilatinS the customs of the
MahOmetans
Two gold prCspectors recently discov-