The Exeter Times, 1888-11-15, Page 3i•
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"ROUGHING IT
IN THE BUSH."
CHAPTER)XIii.—THWant mini AND
OUR INDIAN FRIENDS.
Man of strange race 1 stern dweller of the
wild!
Nature's free-born, untamed, and daring
child 1
The pleads of the preceding night, instead
of dissolving. in ,enow, brought on a repid
thaw. A thaw in the middle of winter is the
moot disagreeable change that can be ima-
gined. After emend weeks of clear, bright,
bracing, free* weather, with a serene atmos-
phere and cloudless eky, you a vv ake Orlemorn-
lug surpriseaaeathe change in the tempera,
ture ; and, ne.....eelookivg cut of tee window,
beholn the woods obscured by a murky haze
—not so dense ae an English Novemoer fog,
bub more black and lowering—and the heav-
ens shrouded in a uniform covering of
leadewooloured clouds, deepening into a
livid indigo at the edge of the horason. The
snow, no longer hard and glittering, has
become loft and spongy, and the foo dips
into a wet and ineidiouely-yielding magi at
every step. Faran tete roof pours clown a
continuous stream Of water, and the branches
of the twee, leolleotieg the moisture of the
reckieg atmotiplierele ela.oever it upon the,
earth from every dripping twig. The oheere
leas and unoorneotabie.opeot of things with:
oub never fails to produce a oorreeponding
effect upon the minds of those within and
casts meta a edamp upon the spirits diet it
appears to destroy for a time all omit; of en-
joyment. Many persona (and myself among
the number) are ruade aware of the approach
of a thunderstorm by an intense pain acid
weight about the head; and I have heard
numbers of .0anadian8 complain that a thaw
alveaye made them !eel bilious and heavy,
and greatly depreesed their animal spirits.
I had a great desire to vieit our new lima.
tion, but when I looked out upon a cheerios
wake, I gave up the idea, and contented
myself with hoping for a better day on the
morrow ; but many morrows came and went
before a frost again hardened the road suffi-
ciently for me to make the attempt.
The prospect from the windoes of my
siater's log hut was not very prepossessing.
The small hike in front, which formed mob
a pretty object in Bummer, now looked like
an extensive field covered with snow, hem-
med in from the rest of the world by a dark
rout of sombre pine woods. The clearing
round the house • was very small, and only
jusb reclaimed from the wilderness, and the
greater part of it covered with piles of
bruehwood, to be burnt the first dry day of
spring. The charred and blackened stumps
on the few acres that had been cleared dur-
ing the preceding year were everything but,
picturesque/. and I concluded, as I turned,
disgusted, fr'reni the prospect before me, that
there was very little beauty to•be found in
the backwoods. But I came to this decision
during a Canadian thaw, be it remembered,
when one is wont to view every object with
jaundiced eyes.
Moodie had only been able to secure sixty-
six acres of his government grant tipon the
Upper Katchswanook Lake, which, being in-
terpreted,/means in Erglish, the "Lake of the
Waterfalls," a very poetical meaning, which
mob Indian names have. He had, how-
ever, eecured a clergy rcserve;of two hundred
acres adjoining ; and he afterwards purchas-
ed a fine lot, which likewise formed part of
the wane block, one hundred acree, for £150.*
This -vas an enormously high price for slid
land ; but the prospect of cpaning the Trent
and Otonabee for the navigation of steam-
boats and other small craft, was at that per-
iod a favorite speculation, and its practica-
bility, and the great advantages to be deriv-
ed from it, were so widely believed as to
raise the value of the wild lands along these
remote waters to an enormous price; and
settlers in the vicinity were eager to secure
Iota, at any sacrifice, along their shores.
Our government grant was upon the lake
shore, and Moodie had chosen for the site
of his log house a bank that sloped gradually
from the edge of the water'until it attained
to the dignity of a hill. Along the top of
this ridge, the forest road ran, and midway
down the hill, our humble home, already
nearly completed, stood, surrounded by the
eternal forest. A few trees had been cleared
in ita immediate vicinity just sufficient to
allow the workmen to proceed, and to pre-
vent the fall of any tree it jurieg the building,
or the danger of its taking tire during the
premise of burning the fallow.
A neighbour had undertaken fro build this
nide dwelling by contract, and was to have
it ready for 110 by the first week in the new
year. The want of boards to make the di-
visions in the apartments alone hindered
him from fulfilling his contract. These had
lately been procured, and the house was to
be ready for our reception in the course of a
week. Oar trunks and baggage had already
been conveyed thither by Iter. D--; and, hi
spite of my sister's kindness and hospitality,
I longed to find ‘myseltonoe more seteled in
a home of my own.
The day after my arrival, I was agreeably
surprised by a visit from Monaghan, ho
Moodie had once mi
ore taken nto tris ser-
vice. The poor fellow was delighted that
his nurse-el:111d, as he always called little
Katie, *had not forgotten, him, but evinced
the most lively satisfaction at the sight of
her dark friend.
Early every morning, Moodie went off to
the house; and the first fine'day, my sister
undertook to eseerb me through the wood to
inspect it. The proposal was jqyfoully ac -
opted; and although 1 felt rather timid when
I found myself with only my female compan-
ion in the vast forest, I kept my fears to
myself, lest I shonld be laughed at.
The snow had been so greatly deoreased
by the Tate thew, that it had boon converted
into a coating of ice, w high afforded a clangeroue and slippery footing. My sister, who
had reeided for nearly twelve months in the
Woode, was provided for her week with In-
dian r teocasins, which rendered her quite
indeP. cant ; but I stumble' at every step.
The sun shone brightly, the air was clear and
invigorating, and, in spite of the treacherous
ground and my foolish feare, 1 greatly etijoy-
ed my first walk in the woods. Naterally
of a cheerful) hopeful di/mention, my sister
wets enthusiastic in her admiration of the
woods. She drew such a lively picture of
the charms of a summer residence in the for-
est, that -I began to feel greatly interested
in her deacriptions, and to rejoice that we,
too, were to be her near neighbours and
this circumstance not a little reconciled me
to the change.
Hoping that my husband would derive an
income equal to the one he had parted with
from the investment of the price of his COM,
miettion in the steamboat stock, I felt no
dread of 'wank Our legacy of 07000 had
afforded us timans to purchase ,land, build
our home, and Ova out A large portion of
land to be Cleated, and, with a considerable
sum of money still on hand, our prospecte
for the future were in no way discouraging.
J. When we reached the top of the ridge
that overlooked our cat, thy sister /topped,
and pointed out a logauaise anion the tisee,
"There, S—," oh° said, "is your hetet°.
When that black bear evecarip is cleared
tee
away, that now hides the lake from us, you
will have a very pretty view." My conver-
sation with her bad quite ;tittered the aspect
of the country, and predispeeed Inc to Wow
things in the mese favorable light. I found
Moodie and Blemish= emplayed in piling
up heaps of bush near the house, which they
intended to Mira off bv hand, prove:ma to
and inmost screalned with delight ,when, showed her a small. piece Of silver, She
folleveing the othrise of the Trent with theirlshoek her heed. I tenteithd her With pork
!lagers, gkey came te thine QVVp hike. , and ethr, but ehe receeired neither. I had
How eagerly each pelatiia out the Riot to just given up the idea /if dealing with her
mei fellows; 119w,tlat,fitly their black heads in despair, when suddenly she seized amen
were bent eewa and their de* eyes fixed me, and, lifting up nay gown, pointed ex -
upon ,the map What strange ileccuth ix- ultently to my quilted petticoat, clapping
elamaitionti ef surpriee buret from their lips her hands, and laughing immoderately.
ae they rapidly repeated tee Indian neMes Another time the led me all over the
Of every lake and river on this wonderful litho, ohow me what she wanted in ta-
pe:ice of paper 1 clamige for boteket. My .patience was well
.The old other rater al ogan begged hard nigh exhausted in following her from plats
to place, in her attempt to dieoover tho
coveted article when hanging. upon a peg
in nay ehembei; she espied a pair ot trousers
belonging to my huabaud's logging -suit. The
riddle was solved. With a joyful ory ;she
pointed In them, exclaiming "Take basket
or t e coveted treasure. He would give
firing the rest of the fa low, W prevent eny "Canoe, venison, duck, fish, for It; and
riek to the building from fire. The house mere by -and -bet",
was made of cedar loge, and presented a ,I felt sorry that I eves unable to gratify
superior air of comfort to most dwellingsse Ille whiles abut the map had 0081i UPW0148
of the same kind. The dimensions were of. six dolbere, and was daily consulted by
thirty-six feet in length, and thirty -to feet my husband, in reference to the name and Give them!" It was with no small diffi.
in breadth, which gave us a nice parlor, a situations of loolitees ein the neighbour- culty that I reedited the indispensables from
'kitchen, and two small bedrome, which heed, 7 •
. •
heagraep.
were divided by plank partitions. Pantry . g had in my ingeeeeige 4 mimeo Japanese From this woman I learned* a store' of
or store -room there wait none t &him rough swore, which had been given to me by an Indian coolness and courage which made a
shelves in the kitcher, and a, deal cupboard uncle of TOMWilmin'il—a etronge gift th a deep imPremicae on my mind. • One of their
in one corner of the parlor, being the extent
of my accommodations in that way. • ouriesity, end had ne reference to my war- Voting lady- bet it was on amount of its tquews, a near relation of her own, had ac -
of her husband on a hunting ex -
Our servant, Mary Tete, was busy scrub- like prepensities. The sword was broad, pediuon into the forest. He had been very
bing eat the parlour and bed-reom ; bus theand three -aided in the blade, and in ahape successful, and having killed more deer than
kitchen, and the sleeping -room off it, were reeembled a moviig snake. The hilt was they could well carry home, he went to the
atill knee-deep , in ohms, and fried with the formed' of* hideous carved image of one of house et a white man to dispose of some of
carpenter's bench and tools, and all our lug- their war ode; and a more villianowelooking it, leaving the squaw to take care of the
gage. Such as it was, it was a palice When •'wretch wits never' connived by bee moat rest until his roam She sat carelessly
compared to Old Satan's log hut, or the mile distorted imagination. He was represented upon the log with his hunting -knife in her
arable cabin we had winlaired in during the in a sittieg attitude, the eagle's claws,that hand, when she heard the breaking of
severe winter of 1833, Lind I regarded lb with `flerm'el e,i, imite„, - resting upon. his knees; branches near her, and, turning round,
complacency as my future home. ' his legs terminated in lion's paws • and hie beheld a great bear Only a fe At paces from
While we were standing outside' 4he few scvas a °twang' compound of beast and•
her
t
building conversing with my- husbanda. bird.e-the ripper pert of his person being Ib was too late to retreat; and seeing that
youngentleman, cf the name of M
covered with feathers, the lower with long, the animal was very hungry, and determined
g ,organ ,
who had lately purchased land in tfiat vicin! shaggy hair. The ogm of this awful weep°, to come to close quarters, she rose, and
• was :made of
wood, aec4 im spite of it, placed her back eminent a small tree, holding
orpentine fermi fitted it exactly. No brace per knife close to her breast, and in a
eodf .a join could 1.30, found in the scabbard,
which *as tf hard wood, and highly polieh• straight line with the bear. The shag
monster came on. She remained motio
gY
n -
less, her eyes steadily fixed upon her enemy,
One Of my Indian friends found this and,, as his huge arms closed around her, she
sword lying upon the bookshelf, and he slowly drove the knife into hie heart. The
hurried to cenimunieate the important dis- bear uttered a hideous cry, and sunk de
ad
oovery to hie companions. Moodie was at her feet, When the Indian returned, he
absent, and they brought 15 ±0 me to demand found the courageous woman taking the skin
an explanation of the figure that formed the from the carcass of the formidable brute.
hilt. What iron nerves these people must possess,
I told, them that it was a weapon that when even a woman could dare and do
deed like this I
belonged to a very fierce people who lived
in the Eesb, far over the Great Salt Lake; The wolf they. hold in great contempt,
Quit they were not Christians as we were, and scarcely deign to consider him as an
but old their 'prayers to images made of enemy. Peter Nogan assured me that he
silver and gold, and ivory, and wood, and never was near enoneh to one in his life to
that this was one of them; that before they thoot it; that, except in large companies,
went into battle they maid their prayers to and when greatly pressed by -hunger, they
Shat hideous thing, which they had made rarely attacked men. They hold the lynx,
with their own hands. or wolverine, in much dread, as they often
The Indians were highly amused by this spring from trees upon their prey, fastenin
relation and passed the sword from one to upon the throat with their sharp teeth anf
the other, exclaiming, "A god 1-0wgh—A claws, from which a person in the dark could
god!" ecaroely free himself without first receiving
But, in spite of these outward demon- a dangerous wound. The cry of this aniinal
is very terrifying, resembling the ehrieks of
station of contempt, I was sorry to per-
oeive that this circumstance gave the weapon a human creature in mortal agony.
re great value in their eyes, and they regard- (so BE CONTINUED.)
ed it with a sort of mysterious awe.
For several days they continued to visit
the house, bringuag along with them some ,-..111111414111110..-/
Why He was Arrested.
froth companion to look at Mrs. Moodie's
Where were you yesterday ?" asked a
god I—until, Vex1141 and annoyed by the
delight they manifested at the sight of the traveling man of one of the clerks.
"I WAS very unfortunate yesterday," was
eagle -beaked ;monster, I refused to gratify
their midway, by not producing him the reply
a sail; and MOfit of our leisure hours air -
cedar canoe, to which he attached a keeleuldj The manufacture of the sheath, whioh
bad caused me mach perplexity was ex.
ity, went Into the kitclien to light his pipe
at the stove, and with true, bsokwood care-
lessness, let :the -hot cinder fall artiong the
dry chips that etrewed the floor. A few
minutes after the whole mass was in a blaze,
and it vras not without great difficulty that
Moodie and Mr. =milled hi putting
out the fire. Thus wereave dearly deprived'
of our home before we had token up our
abode in it.
The indifferences to the dangea of fire in a
country where most of the dwellings are
composed of inflaramalle materials Is truly
astonishin.g. Accustomed to see enormous
fires, blazing on every hearthstone and to
deep inefront of these fires, his 'bedding
often riddled with holes made by hot herd -
cies of wood flying out during the night,
and igniting beneath his very nose, the
sturdy baokwoodaman never dreads an en-•
emy in the element that he is used to regard
as his best friend. Yet what awful acci-
dents, what ruinous ealannues arise out of
this orirninal negligence, both to himself and
others !
A few days after this adventure, we bade
adieu to my sister, and took posaession of
our new dwelling, and oommenoed "a life
in the woods."
The first spring we vent in oomparative
ease and idleness. Our cows had been left
upon our old place during the winter. The
ground had to be cleared before as could re-
ceive a cropof any kind, and I had little to
do but to wander by the lake shore, or
among the wtods, and amuse myself,
These were the halcyon deed; of the Well:
My husband had pun:shoed a very light
ectly the snows melted, were spent upon the
water.
These fishing and shooting exclusions were
delightful. The pure beauty of the Cana -
dein water, the sombre but august grandeur
of the vast forest that hemmed us in on
every side and shut ns out frein the rest of
the world, soon cast a magic spell upon our
spirits, and we began to feel charmed with
the freedom and solitude around us. Every
object was new to us. We felt as if we were
the first discoverers of every beautieul flower
and stately tree that attracted our attention
and we gave names to fantastio rookie and
fairy isles, wed raised imaginary houses and
bridges en every pictureque spot which we
fleeted peat during our aquatic excursions. I
learned the use of tie paddle, and became
quite a proficient in the gentle craft.
It was not long before we received visits
from the Indians, a people whose beauty,
talents, and good qualities have been some-
what overrated, and invested with a:poetical
interest which they scarceIy'deeerre. Their
honesty and love of truth are the float traits
in characters otherwise dark and unlovely.
But these are two God -like attributes, and
front them ;tiring all that is generous and
ennobling about them.
There never was a people more sensible of
kindness, or more gratefiel for any little act
of benevolenee exercised towards them. We
met them with confidence ,• our dealings
with them were oonduoted with the strictest
integrity; and they became attached to our
persons, and in no single instance ever de-
stroyed the good opizailm we entertained of
them.
The tribes that occupy tbe shore; of all
these inland waters, back of the great lakes,
belong to the Chippewa or Missasagua, In-
dians, perhaps the least attractive of all
the wild people, both with regard to their
physical and mental endowment.
The men of this tribe are generally smell
of stature, with very coarse and repulsive
feature'. Tim forehead is low and retreat-
ing, the cbserving faculties large, the in-
tellectual ones scarcely developed; the ears
large, and standing off from the face ; the
eyes looking towards the temples, keen,
snake-like'and far, apert ; the cheek bowie
prominent, the nose long and flat, the nos-
trils very round; the jawbone projecting,
massive, and brutal; the mouth expressing
ferocity and sullen determination; the teeth
large, even, and dezzlingly white. The
mouth of the female differs widely in ex.
preesion from that of the male; the lips are
fuller,' the jaw less projecting, and the smile
ie simple and agreeable. The women are a
merry, light-hearted set, and their oonstant
laugh and ineesoant prattle form a strange
contrast to the iron taciturnity ot their grim
lords.
Now I am upon the subject, I will reoapit-
ulate a few traits and sketches of theme pee-
plained by old Peter in a minute. "Tis
hunt out," he saki. "Instrument made
like .word—heat red hot—burnt through—
polished outside."
Had 1 demended a whole fleet of canoes
for my Japanese sword, I am certain they
would have agreed to the bargain.
The Indian possesses great taste, which is
displayed in the carving of his paddles, in
the shape of his canoes, in the elegance and
symmetry of his bows, in the cut of his
leggings and 'mama/dna, the sheath of his
hunting knife, and in all the little orna-
ments in whioh he delights. It is almost
impossible for a settler to imitate to perfec-
tion an Indian's oherry-wood peddle. My
hatband made very creditable attempte, but
still there was something wanting— the
elegance of the Indian finish was not there.
11 you show them a good print, they invari-
ably point out the most natural, and the
best executed figures in the group.They
are particularly delighted with pictures,
examine them long and carefully, and seem
to feel an artiat-like rleasure in observing
She effect produoed by light and shade.
I had been snowing John Nogan' the eld-
eat son of old Peter, some beautifulcoloured
engavinge of celebrated females; and, to my
astonishment, he pounced upon the best,
and grunted out his admiration in the most
approved Indian fashion. After having
looked for a long time at all the pictures
very attentively, he took his dog ,Sancho
upon his knee, and showed him the pictures
with as much gravity aa if the animal really
could have shared in his pleasure.
The venity of these grave men is highly
amusing. They seem perfectly unconscious
et it themselves, and it is exhibited in the
most child -like manner.
Peter and his son John were taking tea
with no, when we were joined by my
brother, Mr. S —. The latter was givirg
us an account of the marriage of Pcter Jones,
the celebrated Indian preacher.
"1 cannot think," he said "how any lady
of property and education could marry each
a man as Jones. Why) he's as ugly as Peter
here."
This was said, not with any idea of in-
sulting the redskin on the score of his
beauty, of which he possesied not the small -
eat partiole, but in total forgetfulness that
our guest understood English. Never shall
I forget the red flash of that fierce dark eye,
as it glared upon my unconscious brother. I
would not have received such a fiery glance
for all the wealth that Peter Jones obtained
with his Saxon bride. John Nogan was
highly amused by hie father's indignation.
He hid his face behind the chief ; and,
though he kept perfectly still, his whole
frame was oonvuleed with supprested
laughter.
A plainer human being than poor Peter
could scarcely be itnegthed ; yet he certainly
ple, as they came under my own immediate , deemed himself handsome. I am inclined
observatiozi. I, to think that their ideate of personal beauty
A dry cedar-swami:1,32ot fag from tbe home differ vory widely from ours.
by the lake shore, had been their usual plaoe Tom Nogan, the chief' s brother, had a
of encampment for many years. The whole very large, fat, ugly squaw for his wife.
block of land was almost entirely covered She was a mountain of Wimpy fieh ; and,
with maple trees, and had originally been an but for the innocent, good-natured expres-
Indian sugar-bueh, although the favourite don which, like a bright sunbeam penetrating
spot had now passed into the hands of a swarthy aloud ;Tread all around a kindly
strangers that still frequented the plats, to glow, oho might have been termed hideous.
make canoes and baskete, to fish and thoot This Newnan they considered very hend-
and occasionally to follow their old coups- calling her "a fine equaw—clever
tion. naw-- a much good Woman •''? though in
Scarcely a week mused away without my what her superiority consisted, 1 could never
being visited by the dark strangers; and as my discover, often fie I visited the wigwam. She
husband never allowed them to eat with the WAS 171011 dirty, arid appeared quite indiffets
servants (who viewed them with the same ent to the claims of common decency (in the
horror that Mrs. — did black Mollineaux), disposal'of the few filthy rags that covered
but brought them to hie own table, they her). She was, however, wry expert in all
goon grow friendly and eommunioative, and Indian craft, No Jew could drive a better
would point te every objetb that attracted, bargain than Mre. Penn; and her urchins, of
their attention, asking a thousand questions whom she was the happy mother of five or
al to its nee the material of which it was slx, wore ab cunning and evariciotie at her.
made, and if we were moaned to exchange aelL
for their eornniodities ? One day she visited me, bringing along
With a large inep of Canada they were in- with her a very pretty baeket for tale. I
finitely delighted. In a moment they re. asked her what this wanted for it, but could
cognieed eterylbay and headland in Ontario, obbain fro' ir no eabiefeetory sineWer.
" In what way?"
" r was arrested."
"Arrested 1"
"Yes. An offioer said that I Rooked lik
e. sailor—he thought I answered the deserip
tion and he guessed he would run me in."
"But what charge did he place ,agains
you?"
"1 couldn't say exactly, but as near as
could make out they said I was arrested fo
a salt"
T
the traveling man went out and
didn't show up for an hour.
She Had Realized.
"Amelia Sassafras," said Marceline Roddy
with an aocent of pain in his rich voice, "do
you realize the anguish you have owed me
by your refusal of my heart and hand? No,
nyootnhainrge.00tld and passionless. You realize
"You are mistaken, Mr. Reddy," said
Amelia haughtily. "Do you remember the
ring you gave me? And the opera glasses?
And the braeeletts ? And the gold thimble ?"
"1 do remember them," moaned the
wretohed young MAIL
"Well,"said Amelia, '1 have realized
on them all. I give you the pawn tickets
and this bundle of letters. Farewell for-
ever, Mr. Roddy."
Sensible Miss Phelps.
Elizabeth Stuart Phelps who was recently
married to a man twenty years her junior,
was on one occasion, before the wedding,
asked her opinion on the vexed question
"Is Marriage a failure ?" She replied brief-
ly and severely,
"The present discussion of the question
Is Marriage a Failure ?' is offensive to
good taste and harmful to a large class in
every community. People do not stop to
think of the immoral bearings ef this matter,
and I for one do not wish to take any part
In the discussion of it. '
How Girls in India Study.
Mrs. Andrews, the returned missionary
from India, says that a stranger on ap-
proaching one of the mission schools in India
would imagine from the raeket that they
were disorderly. But this was notethe case.
It is due to the feet that a girl in ladle
when ;studying screams at the top of her
voioe and rooks back and forth, and the
more interested she beoomes in her leeson
the louder she screams and the harder she
rooks.—[The Buffalo Courier.
Not Proper for Mother to Read.
Mother—" Gertrude, why did you hide
that yellow -covered book when 1 entered the
room ?"
Gertrude (with di, niby)—" Because, num.
ma, I do not contider it a proper book for
mothers to read."
A Matter of Prinoiple,
" Say, pa," said Willie after an exciting
interview with his father in whion the ges-
tures were far more impressive than the
language, "1 thoeght you WU a free trader.'
" Thane what tom, but it hasn't gob any-
thing to do with this operation that I oan
see.
"Ye, sir; but T think you might live. up
to your principles anyhow."
"What do you mean?"
"Why, what' I mean is that it would
have been about the right thing for you to
do a little aomething towards renioving the
twin from the ahingles."
And Willie Slid away and avoided further
difficulties.
Sir Charles Warren, hi a letter explaining
his failure to catch the Whitechapel murder-
er, ratherillogically lap; the Masao on Mr.
Gladstone, who, in elfin and Opposition, en-
courage&mob rule in Loudon.
STATISTICS.
TILE MORTALITY TABLE roit 1887.
The report shows that during the year
there were 17,622 deatini in 26'' cities
and towns of Canada, whioh have an mann.
ed population of 751,670; in accordance, as
stated la the report, with the municipal
minus returns of esoh of the plaoes. This
makea a total average mortality of 23,3 per
1,(4.10 of population per annum.
Of the 26 places Hall shows the highest
mortality, ooly ?motion lese than 42 pee
1,000 of its population. Sorel stands next,
with a halation less than 36 per 1,600. Mon-
treal gives gives the third highest rate, sa 7
per 1,000.
The lowest mortality is recorded by Chat-
ham, Ont., which gives gives only 12 per
1,000 of population; while' Charlottetown
gives only a fraction more. Some may ba
disposed to queetion ehe accuracy and oom-
pletentss of the returns from these places.
Kingston gives less than 17 per 1,000;
Hamilton has than 18 t Halifax, 18.17;
Toronto, 19 34 (with a given populabion ox
126,169 for the average of last year) ; St,
John N. B., 2095, and Ottawa, 21.96 per
1,00d.
As to the eauses of death : Itis, of course
found thab he the different cities different
causes prevail moat. Where there WAS a
high mortality among children, there atro-
phy and dirrahote prevailed most ; while in
other places diseases of the respiratory
organs stand highest on the list. These with
consumption, diphtheria, scarlet fever and
cancer, stand high up or highest in the list
in nearly all the plume. ,
Zymotic, commonly called filth, dismiss,
caused about 4,000 of the deaths, and alone
gave a mortality of 5.5 per 1,000 of popula-
tion • more than double the average rate of
the 28 largest Eaglish towns.
Of the total 17,522 deaths recorded, 9,206,
onsiderab'y over one-half, were of children
under 5 vow of age. Of the 503 deaths
in Hull, 347 were of those under this age.
Of the 243 deaths in Sorel, 152 were of like
age. Of the 6,050 who died in Montreal,
3.881 were under 5 years ; and of Ottawa's
813 deaths, 413 were of chi/dren under 5.
A Mithigander has been vexing, the soul
of a Canadian resident in But Saginaw.
His tormenter dared to insinuate that any
ono of the States mentioned below is greater
than the combined area of Ontario, Quebec,
and Manitoba, with the Mealtime Provineee
thrown in. Not une American in ten thpu-
sand knows any betber. The names of the
States, Territories and Provincee follow,
and we have, as requested attached the area
in equare miles to each :—
Square
miles.
Michigaia 53,915
Dakota 149,100
New York . 49,170
Ontario *181.300
Quebec 187,688
Manitoba 60,620
Maritime Provinces • 50,214
*Ontario is a few t'musand miles larger
than this, but the Dominion Government
has not yet recognIzsd the Privy Council's
judgment awarding the Province a boundary
on the north. The true extent of Ontario is
over 200.000 e gore miles.
The Massaonusetts board cf health ex-
amined last year 4 780 samplee of food, in-
cluding 3,030 of milk. The percentage of
adulrerations, etc., in milk was 38 33, as
against 87 0 ill 1633, when the law first
went into operation. Drug adulterations
were reduced to 27 27 per one The gen-
eral percentage was 35.05,
. •
How Gortsohakoff was Ont -Witted.
A few years ago, says a London " Star e
writer, Count Andrasay told an interesting
story, which shows that age had duUed
Prince Gortechakoffe faculties some time be-.
fore his death. "The policy, as you know,
of Russia ab the Berlin Conference was to
secure a lar,ge Bulgaria,
" said Count And-
rassy,." but she was afraid. openly to oppose
England and Austria. So a map was sent
to the Prince, with two lines drawn upon
it, one showirg the size of the principality
Rank desired, and the other marking the
are she would. if necessary, accept. Armed
with this map, Prince Gortschakoffcame down
to the conference, and, with deplorable want
of forethought, laid it open on the table.
Betore long the two lines caught ,the quick
eye of Lard Bescontfield," added Count An -
dressy, his bhaggy eyebrows twitching with
amusement at the reminiscenee, "and with
a nudge and a wink he pointed them out to
me, the prince being in sublime ignorance of
what was going on behiad his back. I need
hardly say 1 took the hint, and Russia had
to be contint with whab she said she would
accept, and not with what she wonli have
liked to gob. In this way the small Bulgaria
WM formed."
A Royal Breakfast,
A letter written by Anne Boleyn about
three and a half centories ago has twit been
published, lb was on the °masa= of her
first visit to Lendon, and the writer de-
scribes, among other things, the unfavorable
effects produced in her ease by the late
hours and dissipations of the oapitel in the
early part of the reign of Henry VII. She
writes :—" We rim so late in the morning—
seldom before six o'clock—and Bit np so
late at night—being scarcely in bed before
ten—that 1 am quite sick of it. The irregu-
lar life which I have led sins° I mime te
this place has quite destroyed my appetite."
She then proceeds to mention a little detail
which illustrates the ideas of the Lady
Anne Boleyn and her contemporaries
as to what was a normal appetite th
healthy English woman at that period.
"on know," she writes to her cones.
poneent, "I could manage one pound of
bacon and a, tankard of good ale for my
breakfast in tke country; bub in London I
find it difficult to get through half' that
quantity."
A Very Natural Mistake.
A funny s sne occurred in front of a ololshireg
house the other day. The passers-by at the
time were shelled by the sheieke and
morns of a women and, a little lad was
sprnevling on the pavement. It seems 60
he had grabbed her violently around the
lower limbs, and she, frightened out of her
seneee, had let her wrath go off violently as
she gave the boy a kick in an effort so
get loom from his grip. The pedestrians
gathered around her while she was ou the
verge of hysterics, and it was some time be-
fore matters were straightened oui and the
explanation that followed found eatisfao•
tory. The boy ie elsenteminded and me-
chanical in his movements. 16 Was near
clerk when one of the proprietors ordered
the lad to go out in the street and bring in
the " dummica." A line of them stood in
front of a large show window, and the young.
ster, in a fit of absorption of the mind, Mite
took the lady for a dummy alma proceeded to
haul her in out of the weather. The pro-
prietor had some trouble in explaining how
natural the mistake WAS, and he is not
yet oortain whether he made %hinge setts-
fatatory.
What Becomes of the Slam 2 •
We aro hearing a gomrdeal ttOWD4aYg
bate regions in inner Afriea depopulated
by Arab slave,dealers and of movements in
Europe having in view the resouo of the
Dark CoNinelic from this muideroue traffic.
A few years ago, the east coo* export awe
trade Weejelmost unimpeded,;. was easy to
see what bscame of the unfortunates who were
driven from the tar interior to the eee. Con-
sul Holmwood avid that in 1874 1000 alaves
a month passed through the pr G of Momba-
sa alone. Capt. Eton confirmed these
figures, and added ±10± 10 tenet year 30,000
slaves were exported from the various ports
controlled by the Sultan of Z trztbar, They
were bound for Arabia and Turkey and the
blends off the east coast of Africa. In later
years, however, the embargo upon the ex-
porb ;slave trade brought it praetioally to a
atandatill, and it is Interesting to inquire
whet becomes of the many thousands of
new victims whose Sufferings have aroused
tbe pity of the civilized world.
While every port of importance is now in
the hands of the British, Gentians, and
Portugueoe, the horrors of the slave trade
are raging more violently teen ever in inner
Africa. The explanation is that Africa her- •
self has become the market for the poor
captives who oan no longer be sent abroad
with safety. The Arabs and the native
chiefs, who encourage their crimes, now
absorb the greater part of the new supplies
of slaves in cultivating the large plentetions
they have started for three hundred miles
along the Congo, beteen that river and
Lake Tanganyika, and at intervals between
the lake and the Indian Oman,
They no longer engage Zanzibar porters
to carry their trade goods into the oountry
and their ivory te the sea, but great slave
oaravana, often numbering over a thousand
souls, now perform these services. While
many native (Aide are assoeie.ted with the
Arabs in the business of slave catching, many
others gladly exchange their ivory for slaves;
and by far the larger part of field labor and
the household drudgery in some tribes is
now pertormed by slaves, purchased of the
Arabs, whose captives aleo fid the harems of
the chiefs and important men.
Within the past two years, the British
having relaxed their vigilance 10. guarding
the coast, there has been a peanut revival
of the export trade. The number of slaves
who have been smuggled into Arabia has
been insignificant, hut of late there has been
a large increase of the traffic between e
east coast and Madagascar. Mr, Abram as-
serts that many of the so-called cattle coast-
ers plying between the Zarzibar coast and
Madagascar are in reality slave dhows ear-
ring the French flag. Mr. Sturge writes
that "the introduction of new slaves by Ar-
abs into Madagascar under the French flag
is going on at a fearful rate," The French
government last week ordered an investiga-
tion of these and mmilar charges that rts
lig is being thwidishonered.
Romance and Stern Reality.
Here is a little nuptial story that shows
how hard it is when romance facies stern
reality. A certain handsome young man in
O far-offforeign land, connected with a bank-
irg house betame acquainted with a Phila-
delphia la:cly who transacted some money
inattera there. He fell in love wiGh the
heiress, and Mewed his ardor by travelling
long distanoes to be near her. Site returned
to Philadelphia. He followed, was accepted,
end they were married.
But 'the youngman, with the economic
ideas of his fatherland, found that a fashion-
able wedding in this land of extravagance
was a more expensive matter than ne had im-
agined. The arrangements were no sooner
web under way than he discovered thatio
would cost five or ten times as much to be
marxied in style here as it would at home.
He aid not mind the passage over of his best
man and relattvea, bub the estimates for the
caterer, the florist, and so on were what
went against his grain. Every move; he
found, cost enormously here, and in vain he
tried to reduce the impending outlay. As
It had been given out that he wa,s rich, he
had assumed as his share of the yodeling
arrangements giving a reception and supper
after the ceremony. It also became appar-
ent that the lady's fortune was not large.
The question ef remittances became lamer-
tanb ao the bridegroom,
Many weeks have now passed since the
wedding festivities'and the bridegroom ia
anxiously sought for though his where-
abouts( are ab premed unknown. Florists,
musicians, wine men end various others who
contributed to the joy of that nuptial feasb
are all in a state of anxiety, wondering if the
bridegroom will turn up or if his remittances
are on the way.
The Problem of a Flying -Machine.
' We must admit that a bird is an incom-
parable model of a flying -machine. No
machine that a e may hope to devise, for
the same weight ef macnine, fuel, and
direoting brain, is half so effective. And yet,
tide machine, thus perfected through infinite
ages by a ruthless process of natural selec-
tion, reaches its liknit of weight ab about
fifty pounds I I said, " weight of machine,
fuel, and directing brain." Here is another
prodigious advantage of the natured over
the artificial machine. The flying animal
is its own engineer, the flying -machine must
carry its engineer. The directing engineer
in the former (the brain) is perhaps an
ounce, in the latter it is one hundred and
fifty pounds. The smallest possible weight
of a flyineenaachine, with its necessary fuel
and engineer, even without freight or pas-
sengers, could not be less than three or four
hundred pounds.
Now, to complete the arguntInt, put
these three indumutable foots together: 1.
There is a low limit of weight, certainly not
much beyond fifty pounds, beyond which
it is impossible for an animal to fly. Nature
has reached this limit, and with her utmost
effort has failed to pass la '2. The animal
machine is far nuire effective than any we
may Melee to make; therefore the limits of
the weight of a successful flying -machine
cannot be tuore than fifte pounds. 3. The
weight of any machine constrected for
flying, inoluding fuel end engineer, can nob
be less than three or four hundred pounds.
is it not demonstrated that a true flying,
machine, self-raising, selfsustaining, self-
propelling, is physically impossible 7--
JOElePetLu, Coivrit, in the Popular Science.
Monthlq.
•
Wanted Something Hard.
"What do you think of that ?" inquired.
klrs. Smith, who wits reading a newspaper
to het husband. "Fifteen worrien hurtled
a Denver fool ?"
"That's no6 bad," replied Mr. Smith.
"You have nob noticed the worst aripecb of
She affair yet, my dear.'
"Why, john, what is worse than fifteen
women marrying a tool?"
"Why, olio man inarrying fifteen fools.
Ask me something hard, ihy der.'