The Wingham Times, 1888-07-06, Page 7CARACAS, AND ITS CLIMATE.
si )raid Which Evers ))'respect
1i as s.
e e
'ILLIAM AGNEW FATTO'N, ,
Thr travel le mcahagrseah1
y
su
r
ri.
ced
on his arrival at (iaraoas to find a large and
well-appointed hostelry, much superior in
to arraueeinents and 'appointments to the
average hotel ordinarily to be found inSpan-
ish America. It is well ordered in all its
purlieus and purprisee, agreeably neat and
Olean, and is pervaded, moreover, by an et.
mosphere of ease and homelike repose, in
all its aspects and belongings holding forth
promisee of good living and comfortable en.
tertainment. Like all the larger houses in
the city of Caracas the hoteliq of two stories
only. Living as they do in constant fear of
earthquakes, although there have been few
of these calamitous visitations of late years,
the inhabitants of the Venezuelan capital
do not rear lofty dwellingsor public build-
ings that by the slightest disturbance of the
earth would certainly be thrown down,
burying in a mase of ruins hundreds of
citizens, involving the loss of many lives.
I have said that tremblings of the earth
have not been of frequent occurrence, al-
though in 1813, as will be remembered, un-
told misery and the loss of 10,000 lives were
caused by the great earthquake of that year
of hideous memory ; nevertheless the peo-
ple, mindful of this horrible visitation, live
in constant expectation if not in momentary
dread of the horror of a like disaster,
Certain it is that the woeful forebodings
indulged in by the victim of apprehensions
and vague unrest interfered not one jot or
tittle with my enjoyment during my delight-
ful sojourn in the beautiful valley,
A GARDEN OF EDEN
swoop down to feast upon gruesome masses.
of garbage or filthy refuse that otherwise
would be left to infect the air and breed a
pestilence or become an offense to the eyes
and noses of passers-by, This foul and dis-
gusting feathered tribe are to be seen in
thousands infesting the neighborhood of the
"abattoir," re
where are daily alaughte d
droves of cattle that furnish meat for the bet-
ter elms of well-to•do inhabitants.
The climate of Caracas ie, no doubt, ox-
oeedingly healthy, as witness the well-la-
vored appearance of all classes of people.
At no time of the year, if the sanitary con•
ditions of the oity are strictly oared for, is
thole any likelihood of the outbreak of an
epidemic or even of sporadin oases of yellow
fever, cholera, or any of the other filth die.
easescommon in countries lying near the
equator, where the ignorance, indolence, or
negligence on the part of the people to their
physical welfare subjects them to attacks of
terrible plagues and wasting sicknesses.
The temperature of the valley is at all sea-
sons moderate and only slightly variable,
Even in January, the coolest, as well as in
July, the hottest, of the months, when less
favored cities—Hamilton and Winnipeg for
instance—lie baking and grilling in a fer-
vent heat, with the thermometer ranging
from 15 0 to 20 0 higher than it ever hoe
been known to register in the vale of Chacao,
the climate of Caracas is delicious and
wholesom@, Prof. Ernst, the learned cura-
tor of the ?�}useum of the University of Car-
acas, is my ap}ithority for the statement that
never in the donrso of many years has the
degree of heat s xeeeded $4 0 Fahrenheit.
To this testimonyais to be added that of
the
OLDEST WEATHER-WISE INHABITANT
whose memory goeth not back to the con-
trary. Likewise at La Guayra, at the foob
of the mountains, on the seashore, where the
heat is not all times tempered by the genial
influence of the trade winds, the mercury
seldom amounts above 90 0 , and this too at
a plane lying almost on the isothermal line
of greatest subequatorial heat. Itis within
bounds to say that at Marcuto, a watering
place three miles to the east of La Guayra,
where the quality and gentility of Ven-
ezuela resort during the fashionable seaside
season, (December, January, and February,)
the heat is never so oppressive as it is
during many days in some parts of Canada.
For nine months of twelve the blessed
trades blow with. unvarying consistency
across the Caribbean, and although
at sea level the climate is much warmer than.
it is, among the hills, it is nevertheless sal-
ubrious and by no means so enervating as at
places further to the east—Trinidad, for ex-
ample, or Barcelona ; or to the westward,
at Puerto Cabello and Coro, on the Vone•
zuelan coast. Situated, as had been already
stated, 3,000;feet above tide water, surround.
ed by grand and lofty mountains, Caracas is
remarkable for the geniality of its climate.
As a Winter resorb, a city of refuge from
the torture and trials of our Northern Win-
ter it has—for so my experience of it teaches
me—no equal on ,the American Continent.
Even Florida and Southern California are
not to be mentioned with it in any compari-
son that can possibly be made by those
whose judgment in such matters is to be re-
lied on as trustworthy or unbiased by preju.
dice born ot ignorance or the hope of divid-
ends from railroad stocks or profits deriv-
able from the ownership of so-called Winter
hotels in the regions named. When desira-
biliby of climate is taken into consideration,
and to it is added the fact that in Caracas
and at Macuto ono may be comfortably, yes,
luxuriously, housed and provided for in the
matter of food, it is passing strange that
travellers from the States and Canada are
not to be met with at allthe street corners of
the Venezuelan capital. Especially during
the days of blizzards, chilblains, pneumonia,
snow, slush, chill winds, and bitter weather;
that is to say, from Christmas till May day,
when living in Montreal is no more nor less
than unadulterated heart -breaking woe and
misery to poor humanity endowed with
abnormal .sciatio nerves, big toes, meteor.
ological shoulders, delicate lungs, inflam-
mable ducts, tubes, nares, weak, overtaxed
or malformed membranes. Victims of dys-
phonia, clericorum, diphtheria, quinsy,
tine, bronchitis, bronchitis, and other nosological pheno-
mena, with supersensitive organs, would do
well to flee from these torments and seek
refuge in the mollifying air of the vale of
Chacao.
Caracas is moreover a city possessed of
more attractions than are merely climatic,
and no one who has visited it will deny that
it is a good place for man to dwell there,
not only because of
which has, alas, so often been the scene of
geological disturbances and, more disastrous
still, political revolutions and social upheav-
als. I can, however, in all truth and verity
affim—not in a spirit of bravado or reckless
boasting —that 1 would as soon think of
being deterred from visiting Caracas or ot
being warned away from it by the fear of
earthquakes as I would by rumors of wars'
and " short-winded accounts of new broils."
During our first night's stay in Caracas, in
the valley of endless midsummer, we were
somewhat troubled by the mosquitoes. The
attacks of these pestilential visitors nerved
to abate somewhat our enthusiasm at find•
ing ourselves (in the middle of Winter) so.
journing in a region where we could enjoy
the luxury of sleeping with all the windows
of our apartments wide open without find-
ing it necessary to oppress ourselves with
the weight of extra blankets and coverlets.
Having learned by maddening and sleepless
experience the necessity for closely looking
to the nice and secure arrangement of our
mosquito nets, on following nights we
tucked and pinned ourselves impregnable
within our canopies, and thereafter slept in
peace and comfort.
The city of Caracas, seated on the easter
end of the valley of the same ,name, or, as it
is sometimes palled the Vale of Chacao, is
Built four square, being laid out with great
regularity. Its streets and avenues °roes
one another at right angles, forming blocks
of houses into almost exact apexes. So
perfect and well designed is this arrange-
ment that it requires but a glance at the
excellent plan of the town, published by
La Opinion NacioNlal, to enable the stranger
with only the most rudimentary "bump of
locality" to find his way about readily
through all the predate and parishes of the
town. This may even the newly -arrived
traveler do with certainty and without
confusion, especially if he be a man given
to town trotting and possessed„ of an eye
quick to Mark and a mind sure to re-
member
THE FACES AND EXPRESSIONS
of houses, the color and wording of sign.
boards, and the characteristics of shops and
the display in their windows. So, taking
heed to know again the street corners and
crossings he passes in his perigrinations, he
may "dander about)" tho city in search of
sights and wonders, in quest of amusement
or opportunity to study, enjoying the pro-
cess of absorbing from his novel surround-
ings the knowledge that is to be gained by
travel in foreign lands.
For my part, I enjoy nothing so much as
turning myself loose in a strange town, pro-
vided always it be worth study in the
matter of picturesqueness and color of the
scenery, as well as the quaintness -or even
oddity of its people. It pleases me to try to
find my way about without guide book or
courier, unacoompanied even by a friend
familiar with the nooks . and turnings, or
without appeal to passer-by or casual.po-
liceman. I carefully go my way at my own
sweet will, reckleas of losing myself, feeling
assured that all in, good time I shall " come
out somewhere." Indeed, there is a pleasure
in being for the time entirely " turned
round" and apparently—one never is actu-
ally—lost •,'' for, like the Irish sailor's mar-
linespike, which, by reason of being safe at
the bottom of the sea, was not, according to
its owner's way of thinking, lost or mislaid,
so one is never hopelessly out of reckoning,
but is always sure of turning up all right at
the right time at the right place. Besides,
the light-hearted gadabout can always com-
fort his heart with the " self -thought " that
although he may not be sure in what direc-
tion lies hist otel, there can be no doubt
that he is in Peking or Penang, for instance,
or, as in my present South American experi-
ence, Caracas—" Big Indian not lost ,' wig-
wam lost 1"
But let me go on with my too long•de.
layed description of the city, which I hope
may be graphic enough to enable the reader
to form some picture of it in his mind. The
streets and avenues (calle y avenida) of the
town aro, as a rule fairly well paved, and
although not frequently watered
Iet THE DRY SEASON
or swept ab any time, are neither very mud-
dy when ie rains nor dusty when the sun is
shining, Lying on a plain that slopes gently
from wonderful mountains towering in the
north, between the valley and the sea
coast, toward the bed of the Rio Guaire,
Caracas is well drained and abundantly
supplied with sweet water which is drawn
from the surrounding hills and conducted to
the heart of the city through well-construot-
cd aqueducts, some of there many miles in
length. It is comparatively easy for the
people to keep their houses glean and whole-
some, and this.they succeed to a certain ex-
tent in doing, being aided in no iuconeidor'
able degree by the vultures that are to be
seen hovering hi the air over the town,
From time to time these soaring scavengers
great °hush ot the parish of the flame
Amine, out to the pleasant and fruitful
es of San Bernardino,La Gula and the
Curdle G remau, three eutiful plantations
of sugar and groves of g000a, Passing these
it reaohes the terminus of the Ferrooarril
Central, the railway to Petare, a romantic
and
quaint town
ninei
ofilea sway at, the
eastern end of the vale of Caracas. From
the south aide of the Plaza Bolivar Avenida
Sur deaconds into the Valley of the softly.
flowing Rio Guaire passing in the rear of
the Tomplo Santa Teresa, which stands on
the northers confines of Piste . Washington,
where is a statue of the " Father of his Coun-
try." Avenida Oeste is but one-third the
length of either of the other evenness , owing,
to the nearer approach of the hilts to
the central plaza ; it conducts one to a flight
of stone steps that rise to the summit of
Mount Calvario, in the midst of Paseo Guz.
man Blanco, and on the top of which is a
colossal statue of El Ilustre Americo. Be.
yond this is the station of Ferrocarril, La
Guayta Caracas, up whose tortuous track
our train had climbed the afternoon of the
day we left the sea behind ue to seek the
Mecca of our pilgrimage, Caracas, in its
wonderful valley of delight,
Thanks to the activity and progressive
spirit of Gen. Guzman Blanco, Caracas has
in these late years become a really beautiful
and picturesque oity ; it is embellished with
numerous plazas, alamedas, public .build-
ings, and statues. The streets are well
paved, and nowhere can one find a more.
pleasant or
CHAiteIING PUBLIC GARDEN
than the well.laid-out and carefully -kept
Paseo Guzman Blanco, whence from the
top of Mount Catvario, amid the shade of
beautiful trees, surrounded by flowers and
blossoming shrubbery, one can obtain views
of the valleys of Caracas and Anternano that
would baffle the power to paint word pic-
tures of them of even the great master who
wrote of the Delectable Mountains, or of
him who sings of the glories of the rose•
strewn vale of Cashmere.
Just before sunrise on the morning after
our arrival at the hotel, I stepped out upon
a balcony that Bung in front of my, window,
which gave toward the north, and from it
enjoyed a wide ranging view of the moun-
tains of Caracas. It was a grand and never.
to •be -forgotten sight. The day was dawn-
ing—" the jocund morn stood tiptoe—"
There the quotation fails of accurate appli-
cation, for the mountain tops were not
misty nor obscured by drifting clouds, but
distinctly lined against a .gray sky that
faded rapidly to warm and dazzling azure
as night fled precipitately away before the
face of day. The grand peaks towered 6,000
feet above the valley still sleeping in shadow,
and as the sun rushed up the east, crag and
pinnacle became suffused with a wonder-
ful light that transformed rook and
precipice into glistening ramparts and bat-
tlements built, in all poetioal probability, of
gold and precious stones. The light crept
down the mountain sides illuminating the
ribs and ridges, still leaving the valleys in
darkness, the sun peeped over the low bilis
at the eastern end of the valley
I''LOQDSxIN MEXICO..
Fifteen Suniireil Lives Reported to Save
)seen Lost.
St, LOUIS, June 26,-4. City of Mexico
special says a ---Daring the pasb ten days the
table lands between here and Zacatecas have
been visited
vuun oeo dhme rains. Every
rivulet along the Central railway
for more than two hundred miles has been
converted into a destructive torrent, and the
valleys present the appearance of lakes.
Many cities and towns have been inundated,
and Leon and Silao have hese partially de-
stroyed. "On the 18th inst. the following
telegram was received from Saao :—" it
commenced raining heavily, yesterday after-
noon, and continued all night, raising the
Silao River out of its banks, breaking at the
north end of the town' and laessine through
the streets with irresistible force and vol-
ume. Most of the houses here being adobe,
they soon became saturated with water and
began to fall. About 325 houses have been
destroyed,
iv:mutes ANA STARVING PEOPLE,
The stationbuildings are occupied by
homeless people, who aro unable to obtain
anything to eat, except watermelons and
fruit found floating in the water. The rain
has been general, and the whole country
around Silao is flooded. Several dykes have
given way. It still continues raining." On
the 20th it was learned that the flood had
been more destructive in Leon than Silao.
On Monday, the 18bh, the river broke over
its dykes, and notwithstanding all efforts to
check its course it made rapid headway and
finally flooded the city. As the rain fell the
river rose rapidly, its volume of water flow-
ing into the town, gradually wearing away
the foundation of the buildings, which com-
menced to,fall as night came on. On Monday
night the people, believing themselves secure
from the flood, went to bed in those parts of
the town where the water had not found its
way. The steady downfall of rain into the
extensive water bed of the outlying country
increased the flow of the rive:, and rapidly
extended its channel until over half of Leon
was under water, and a loss of life commenc-
ed unparelleled in the history of any of the
great inundations of modern times.
DAY CAME IN ALL ITS GLORY
—the white walls of Caracas shone dazzling
white—the roofs of its dwellings put on a
rich and mellow red of tiles that contrasted
beautifully with, the green of -vines and
overhanging palms and wide -spreading
trees. It was a delicious morning, the air
fresh and health-giving—deep in -drawn
draughts of it exhilarated and set the blood
freely coursing through the veins—a gentle
breeze cooled and soothed the face and eyes ;
it was as refreshing to the whole body as a
bath ina mountain brook in midsummer ;
the atmosphere was clear and sound -bear-
ing ; it was luxury to live ; the world made
merry, and one could not but feel contented
on one of the gladdest and sweetest mornings
of the whole long year of Summer. It was
on an ideal May morning—a May morn-
ing such as English poets sing.
According to my calendar, however,
it was near the middle of February,
and no doubt further north it was behaving
itself as such—in Caracas it was all smiles
and graces, gentleness, and geniality.
I was in the midst of my rapturous en-
joyment of the feast that nature had prepar-
ed for my eyes when a rap at our chamber
door announced the coming of John -Jean-
Hans-Juan—he answered to all four names
with equal alacrity. John was a " charac.
ter"—he was born of African parents under
the Dutch flag that floats over the island of
Curecoa—his native speech was Papioimen-
to, he also spoke Spanish, mumbled French,
and said he " soik Ingleeisch" and speak
English he did as well as the writer could
understand him, which is to say not at all.
During my stay in Caracas I practiced what
little Spanish 1 could pick up on John, and
John retaliated by setting me by the ears
with his smattering of Papieimento English.
Ho was amused at my attempts to !speak
Spanish, and no doubt had sufficient cause.
As for his hit-or-miss manner of drawing a
bow at a venture to shoot at Anglo-Saxon
words, it diverted me: beyond measure, al-
though I kept a grave face and triedwith all
my ears and understanding; to make myself
"konspeekle" of what he was trying to ask,
or tell. The object of John's corning was
to take away our boots to polish them, and
to say inquiringly " How it brikfass?"
Aqui?" " A present ? To me, in virtue
of supposed superior acquirements in the
matter of speaking the language of Sanoho
Panna, was left the task of ordering that
meal which I had learned from Meistersohaf
was called "Desayuno."
ponding limb of a. very powerfni man
scarcely exceed. a foot in circumference. I
r
t fd .
un a is. eo
opportunity not had thea x
by h
have
P
p dqi of
I to disse a
ting
a tiger, but I have helped
which is poseessed of similar powers,
was struok with wonder at the tremendous
development of the muscles of the forler,
3Vorde.
--(;=cots
— ,.,s• -.,rear.. •---�-�
Lord Woolsley on Artillery.
A great deal had been said about the
moral effect of artillery. It was very
considerable, but he believed the moral
effect of artillery was greater than the
actual or possible effect, Ile saw a number
of drawings and statistics before him on
the platform, and when he first glanced
at them they looked fearful and demo-
ralizing, but ' i.c confessed, when he
came closer and looked on the .other
side, his nightmare disappeared, He spoke
in the presence of a great company of men
who had been subjected to the fire of artii-
ery. It was every uncomfortable and a very
disagreeable feeling to hear these shells com-
ing towards them, and to see them dropping
in their midst. But those who talked absents
the awful and uncomfortable sensation
which came over a man when under artillery
fire, he would only ask if they had ever
been under a close fire of musketry, be-
cause if they had not, he would tell them
it was still more dreadful. If they got
over the fearful excitement which the
burstiug of great shells gave rise to,
he 'thought the sweeping and dead-
lyfire of musketry was still more deaiiful.
On the subject of the moral effect of artil,
lery while in action, he could net do better
than draw their attention to what took
plane in the Indian mutiny. Our men were
always looking round to hear the guns go
elf, for it was that which gave the men con-
fidence. He had known the enemy fire
blank cartridge long before they came into
range, with the object of inspiring their own
men with confidence and to strike terror in-
to us. That was a good illustration of how
considerable was the moral effect
of artillery in action. There was
one point, he was very sorry to say, had
not been referred to in the course of the dis-
cussion. He confessed that he was rather
astounded at this fact. When he came
there he expected to hear a considerable
amount of discussion, or at least a reference
not only to machine-guns, but also to quick -
firing guns in the future, He could not help
thinking that quick. firing guns sivould play
an important part in the warfare of the
future. With respect to the maehine•gun,
he had a conversation with Mr Maxim ab
Hythe, some time ago. He (Lord Wolseley)
said to him, " Can you produce a machine-
gun that will pomp lead into an enemy at
3,000 yards ?" He said he would do it, and
he had since written to say that he had
done it. He said, " I will not only at 3,000
yards, but with great effect at 4,000 yards."
If he could do that, there was a bad look out
for artillery, as they could not make use of
cover as infantry could.
.APPALLING L)SS OF LIFE,
As the buildings fell the unfortunate
sleepers were either crushed to death or
drowned. Ono wnole night of terror fol-
lowed. Men, women, and children fled to
the streets in their nightclothes, some to find
shelter on high ' ground, and others to bo
swept away by the flood. On Tuesday morn-
ing the rain was still falling. All night it
poured, until Wednesday morning saw the
lake surrounding the city undiminished in
size, with steady rain disturbing its surface.
In tho afternoon, however, it ceased raining,
and the waters commenced to recede. It is
estimated that 700 persons perished. There
is a strong stench from the heapsof rub•
bish that once formed houses, and one is led
to believe that there musb be bodies buried
under them. There are also bodies still
floating in the water. One hundred and
eleven bodies have been recovered without
moving any of the ruins of the houses, and
hundreds of bodies must be buried under
them. The destoryed houses are estimatod
at 2,000, and the loss at $2,000,000. Many
other towns have been badly damaged, but
the loss of life is only reported from Silao
and Leon. The Mexican Central railway was
washed out in a number of places. The State
of Guanajuato and the Federal Government,
are doing much to succour the victims of the
flood.
ITS DELICIOUS WEATHER
and glowing skies, but because everywhere
in, about and around it there are beautiful
orchards, groves, and plantations, quaint
villages, flower and vine covered farmhouses,
fields of living green and quiet pastures by
the sweet waters of the Rio Guaira and
other winding streams. There is beauty
enough in all one sees in this charming
place to fill the heart with gladness and
content. In the, midst of the city is the
Plaza Bolivar (not Bol-i-var as I was taught
in my early school days to pronounce the
name of the liberator—but Bo-lee.var—
throwing the accent strongly and sharply' on
the second syllable, breathing the final
"var " gently diminuendo.) This square 13
what may be termed the heart of the town,
and from it extends the four grand avenues
that divide Caracas into quarters and regu.
late the system of naming the streets after
the four cardinal points of the compass.
The four avenidas are, respectively, called
Avenida Norte, Oeste, Sur, and Este ; that
is to say in our English speech, North,
West, South and East avenues, and each
has its beginning on that side of the plaza
indicated and suggested by the name given
to it, The four boulevards extend in a
straight line from the equate out into the
country in a northerly, westerly, easterly
or southerly direction, as the case may bo.
The streets running parallel to Aveniday
Norte and Sur to the west of those thorough-
fares are designated by even numbers ;
those to the east of the avenues by odd num.
bars, Norte 1, 3, 5, &s., up to Norte 15, and
the streets (callers) crossing these at right
angles are similarly numbered by odd num-
bers, if they be to the north of Avenidas
Oeste and Es'o, and by even ntunbers if to
the south of them.
AvenidajNorto (Northern-ayenue) extends
toward the foothills of the grand mountains
of Caracas on the north of the city, towering
between it and the sea, It ascends gently
from the plaza for nearly three•quarters of a
mile to where the Panteon Nacional oo•
oupiex a prominent kite
ON Tl1E BORDERS 01? Wirt OM.
Avenida Este strotoltex down a moderate
descent part the Temple Candelaria, the
Two Tiger Stories.
Comedy and tragedy go hand in hand in
Hindoo tiger bunts. An amusing example
of the fernier is given by a traveler. A
tiger had been wounded, but although one
of his hind legs was broken, it made its way
into a patch of high grass, and hid there.
Guided by the Bheels, the elephant entered
the grass patch for the purpose of driving
out the tiger. The cunning animal allowed
the party to pass, and then sprang at one of
the Bheels, " a little, hairy, bandy-legged
man, more like a satyr than a human being."
The Bheel dashed to the nearest tree, and
owing to the broken leg of the tiger, was
able to olimb out of reach. Finding him-
self safe, the Bheel "cornmencd a philippic
against the father, mother, sisters, aunts,
nieces and children of his helpless enemy,
who sat with glaring eyeballs fixed on his
contemptible little enemy, and roaring as if
his heart would break with rage."
"As the excited orator warmed by his
own eloquence, he began skipping from
branch to branch, grinning and chattering
with the emphasis of an enraged baboon;
pouring out a torrent of the most foul abuse,
and attributing to the tiger's family in
general, and his female relatives in particu-
lar, every crime and atrocity that ever was
or ever will be committed.
"Occasionally he varied hie insults by
roaring in imitation of the tiger; and at
last, when fairly exhausted, he leaned
forward till he appeared to be within the
grasp of the enraged animal, ended this
inimitable scene by spitting in his fade."
Sometimes the tragic eleinent prevails.
In one of these too numerous instances a
man-eater, which for six months had been
the terror of the neighborhood, had been
traced down and was seen to creep in a ra-
vine. The beaters were at once ordered off,
as they could not be of service, and might
be charged by the tiger, which had already
been rendered furious by the wound. Un-
fortunately these men aro in the habit of
half intoxicating themselves with opium
before driving the tiger from its refuge, and
one of them having taken too large a dose
refused to escape, and challenged the tiger,
drawing it defiantly. In a moment the
animal sprang upon him,4dashed hint to the
ground with a blow of his paw, and turn-
ed at bay. After a series of desperate
charges he was killed. The hunters then
went to the assistance of the wounded
pian, bub found that he was past all aid;
the lower part of his face, in.iluding both.
jaws, having been carried away as if by a
cannon -ball. The terrific effect of the
single blow indicates the power of the
limb which struok it. Had the blow taken
effect a few inehea higher the whole of the
head would have been carried away. By a
similar blow a tigerhas been known to crush
the skull of an ox se completely, that when
handled the broken bones felt as if they
were loose in a bag, The wonder at this
terrible strength diminishes when the limb
is measured. The tiger which killed the
fool•hardy man was by no moans a large
one, measuring 9 feet 5 inches from the nose
to the tip of the tail; yet the girth of the
forearm was 2 foot 7 inches. he cortex.
The Duke of Cumberland's Claim.
Emperor Frederick's death probably de•
stroys the Duke of Cumberland's last hope
of recovering the large private fortune of
which he was practically robbed by the Ger-
man Government. Old Emperor William
wanted to restore it to him; but Prince Bit.
marek'overruled his desire, Emperor Fred-
erick was determined that he should have
it, and, had his life been spared, would
doubtless have carried out his design in spite
of the Chancellor. But now the Duke's
righteous claim is not worth a cent on the
thousand dollars.
o_
The Vatted States, not to be beaten in
the competition among nations for instru-
ments of destruotfon, has also found a new
explosive, to which the name "ommensito"
has been given, It is said to be twice as
powerful as dynamite, Its inventor, a Dr.
Emmons, thinks that with an appropriate
gun he could by means of his mu"ltiehargo
accelerating cartridge of emmensite obtain
a range of twentyseven miles.
0
Anarcnisln in Chicago.
Mrs, Parsons, relict of the anarchist who
was executed last autumn in Chicago, is
making things lively, as becomes an ortho-
dox anarchist. Driving through the streets
of the city the other evening, the legends
upon the carriage, "Let the voice ot the
people be heard," and "My silence is more
terrible than speech," attracted a large
crowd. The lady in vigorous accents ad-
dressed the police as " blue -coated murder-
ers," and was finally arrested for breaking
the law prohibiting the distribution of hand-
bills in the street. Mrs.Parsons had been
scattering hand -bills advertising her late
husband's book on anarchy, thus fulfilling
the mission of the true anarchiet, which is to
agitate for revenue only.
Gambling Above Reproach.
The good work of colonization is still fur-
thered in Quebec by the bad lottery system.
A recent announcement sets forth that in
the colonization lottery a piece of property
valued at $5,000. another valued at $2,000,
another valued at $1,000, ten lots valued at
$300 each, thirtyfive bed -room suites, a
hundred watches valued at $50 each, a hun-
dred vatted at $40 each, and several other
prizes, have been drawn. Lotteries and
raffles are illegal because wrong, but when
promoted for religious or national objects
they are tolerated. It is held that in this
form of gambling the end justifies the
means.'
Sea Fisheries of the tinted
Ilan glom.
A return issued yesterday by the Board
of Trade shows that the total quantity of
fish returned as landed on all coasts, exolu.
sive of shell fish, amounted in 1887 to 6,029,-
000 ewts., or say 301,000 tons, of the value
of:,£3,779,000, which, with the addition of
the shell fish, having a value of £324,000
makes a total value of fish landed on the
English and Welsh coasts in 1887 of £4,103,
000. The corresponding figures for 1886
were—quantity of fish landed, exclusive of
shell fish, 6,412,000 cwts., or 320,000 tons
of the value of £3,688,000 ; the value of the
shell fish landed being £269,000—making a
total value of fish landed in that year of
£3,957,000; consequently, although there.
was a decrease of 383,000 cwts., or 19,000
tons, in the quantity of fish returned asp
landed, exclusive of shell fish, it appears
that there was an increase in the value of
the same of £91,000 ; the value of the ahell
fish returnodiaslanded having also increas.
ed by £55,000.
Death of General Sir Duncan
Cameron, G, C. 11.
The death of the above gallant general is
announced. Sir Duncan was the son of
Lieutenant -General Sir John Cameron, K.
C. B., and was born in 1808. He entered
the army in 1825. He served throughout
the Eastern campaign 1854 5, and command-
ed the 42a Foot ab the battle of Alma, and
the Highland Brigade at the battle of Bala-
clava, and received the medal with three
clasps for the aeigeof Sebastopol, etc., where
he took part in the assault on the outworks,
For his service during the war he was made
a Companion of the Order of the Balli and
au Officer of the Li ion of Honor. He was
appointed colonel of the 42d Foot in 1863,
and in the name year proceeded to New
Zealand is command of ;the forces there
with the rank of Lieutenant•General, In
1861 he was made a Ii, C. B. He was 'Gov.
ernor of the Royal Military College at Sand -
hunt from 1868 to June, 1875. For several
years he has been oolanel of the Gordon
Highlanders, Sir I)anean was appointed
Major-General in 1858, Lieutenant•G nets
in 1868, and General in January, 1875,