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The Seaforth News, 1958-08-28, Page 2Pile Of Sand Led To Great Discovery The French missionary gazed, helplessly at the high wall in front of him. ''It stretched for miles, completely enclosing the Imperial hunting Park of the Chinese Emperors, south of ,Peking. lab stranger had ever bee allowed inside it, The missionary, Pere David, had often walked by the wall in the hope that one clay he might somehow be able to see what lay beyond it. He had had an absorbing interest in natural history and was intensely eager to see the large herds of deer the park contained. It was ru- moured that some of them be-. longed to a species unknown Co science. Pere David had been intrigued by the park even since his ap- pointment as head of the Laza- rist Mission School which was opened in Peking in 1861. Be- fore he had left France he had undertaken to collect specimens in his spare time for the Natiore al Museum in Paris. So con- siderable was his reputation as a naturalist that the govern- snent had agreed to pay all ex- penses. During his first year in China, David's work was confined to the districts immediately around Peking, but in 1862 he under- took a month's journey into Mongolia. From then on he be- came more and more absorbed in natural history exploration, and before long was giving up West of his spare time to it. After each trip, large con- signments of valuable specimens were shipped back to France. Some idea of the skill of his collecting can be gained from the fact that even today the Nation- al Museum in Paris has a more comprehensive collection of Chinese animal and plant life than any other museum outside China. Despite the consistent success of his expeditions, Pere David's principal aim was still unful. filled — he had yet to see the inside of the Imperial Hunting Park. He determined to discover just what the park did contain before he returned to France. Thus, for the umpteenth time, he found himself gazing up at that forbidding wall.. onein September, 1865, He waked alongside it for a while — then suddenly he drew in his breath in jubilant expectation. Work- men had been busy outside the wall and had left a Iarge heap of sand piled up against it. Warily Pere David looked around him; No one was about This was the chance for which. he had waited so long, He scrambled up the pile of sand and from the top of it was able be hoist himself on to the wall. It must have been a thrilling moment for him as he found himself looking at a herd of deer grazing about a hundred yards away, and realized that he was seeing not only a new species but a particularly unusual one. He had to get hold of a skin and skeleton to send home to France, or, better still, a live specimen or two. But there were snags. The French Embassy could not ask the Chinese government be- cause no one officially knew that the deer were there. Pere David, however, had other ideas. "Luckily I know some Tartar soldiers who are going to do guard duty in the park," he wrote to Professor Milne -Edwards, of the Paris Mu- seum of Natural History. "I are sure, by means of a bribe, that I shall get hold of a few skins, Which I shall hasten to send to you" One dark night a few weeks later he slipped furtively out of the city for a secret rendezvous outside the park wall. Inside, his soldier friends were waiting with the skins and bones of one male and one female, At a prear- ranged signal these were passed ever the wall to him. He lost no time in packing them up and sending them to his friends in Paris. As a tribute to their discoverer t. hese deer were called Pere David's deer, and the missionary is also commemorated in their scientific name — elaphurus davidianus, Curiously enough, when the Chinese learned' that the secret of the Imperial Park deer had been discovered they were not in the least upset. In fact they expressed their willingness for Pere David and others to -send living specimens back to Europe, and in August, 1869, the London Zoo received its first pair of the deer, obtained and presented by Sir Rutherford Alcock, British envoy to China. Subsequent invest i gations showed that the Imperial Park herd was the only 'one in exist- ence, but how and when they came there, and when the wild herds from which they must have been derived became extinct, are questions which have neverbeen answered. Each year Pere David's excit- ing annual journeys became more ambitious, as he systemati- cally explored more remote and uncharted regions, and in May, 1868, he set out on his greatest journey — an expedition which was to last for more than two years. It' was on this trip that he nide his second momentous dis- covery: By March, 1869, he had reached Tibet, enticed there by rumors of a white bear that lived in the high mountain forests. At first he could obtain little information about it, and he be- gan to doubt its existence. Then, on March 11th, he stayed at a remote farmhouse, and to his great delight saw in a corner of the room a complete skin of this animal. It was white, but with considerable areas of black Including two black circles around the eyes. The farmer was able to con- firm that the beast was found in the district. Furthermore, he thought it might be possible to obtain one for his guest. Arrangements were according- ly made with some local hunters, and in a few days they came back with a live young speci- men. Examination showed that the very unusual looking aninial was not a bear, yet it bore no close resemblance to any other animal. In fact, the Giant Panda, as it came to be called, is one of those isolated animals that have no close relatives among living beasts. It is a rare animal, and very few have ever reached the zoos of the world. Such an unusual Iooking creature is bound to cap- ture the public imagination wherever it is exhibited, and many readers will recall the sen- sation caused by the only two specimens that London Zoo has ever received — Ming, just be- fore the last war, and Lien -Ho in 1946. Peking Zoo at present has three specimens, but whether the Giant Panda will ever be seen in Britain again seems doubtful, because, apart from its rarity, it is difficult to feed, fresh bam- boo shoots being its favorite diet — and it eats a lot! Pere David's deer has been in the news again recently. Through a series of calamities the Peking herd was destroyed in 1900, leaving about eighteen specimens in various European Zoos as the sole survivors of the species. These were collected together by the Duke of Bedford at Woburn to form a single small herd which today is more than 300 -strong. Since 1944 calves have been distributed from Woburn to found other herds, first at Whip- snade, and then at other zoos overseas. Last summer a keeper from the London Zoo travelled to Peking with four well -grown calves, and thus Pere David's deer returned to its native land after an absence of more than fifty years. HOLD THAT WHEEL! From the looks of things, the driver of this Citroen 2CV had better hang or, to his chassis. The wheels are on the ground but the body looks as though it's about to fly off in a different direction. The little cur provided loughs for ;pectafors of a race in Hockenhetm, Germany. THAT'S MY BOYI — King, a proud lion at Fleishhacker Zoo, shares centre stage with one of his three recent offspring. The big, protective paw seems to indicate, "That's my boyl" b, isrTisrT''t�3�>; ,L•T1�w+s5 tai J TABLE T4LKS From the Home Economics Department of the Washington State Fruit Commission come some tempting cherry recipes. There are three varieties of fresh sweet cherries for your summertime eating: dark, plump Bings, bright red Lamberts, and the golden -blushing Royal Annes, all equally delicious served any Way you choose. a * Top quality sweet cherries are plump, fairly firm, shiny, bright and juicy. They should be kept in a cool place and should not be washed until just before us- ing, Homemakers are advised to store the ripe eherries in plastic bags in the refrigerator, to retain their freshness and crispness, and prolong their keeping qualities. And here are some recipes you May want to tryl Cherrytime Salad 1 ib. ripe, pitted, awaet cherries $ ripe bananas $ tablespoons lemon juice 1 large grapefruit, sectioned Salad greens Wash and pit cherries. Cut peeled bananas in half length- wise. Marinate in lemon juice. Peel and section grapefruit. Ar- range fruits on individual plate on crisp salad greens. Serve with Honey -Mayonnaise Dressing, Honey -Mayonnaise Dressing Vs cup mayonnaise 34 cup honey Few grains paprika 1 tablespoon Iemon juice Combine all ingredients care- fully. Makes 3 cup dressing, n * * Heavenly Cherries 2 cups sweet cherries, pitted 1 cup pineapple cubes 2 cups cooked rice 18 marshmallows, quartered 3 tablespoons sugar, divided 34 cup heavy cream,' whipped Few drops vanilla extract Wash and pit fresh sweet cherries. Mix pineapple, rice, marshmallows, and two table- spoons sugar, and let stand 1 hour. Whip cream, adding van- illa and one tablespoon sugar. Fold cherries and rice mixture into whipped cream, Pile into sherbet dishes, and chill. Gar- nish with unstemmed sweet cherry to serve. Serves 6. * 0' v' Cherry Coconut Cream Pie 1 cup pitted and halved sweet cherries 2 tablespoons sugar 1 package coconut pudding and pie filling mix 1% cups milk 1 10 -inch baked pie shell 1 package cherry -flavored gel- atin 1 cup hot water 1 tablespoon lemon juice Cherry juice plus cold water to make ;a cup Whipped cream for garnish Wash, halve, and pit sweet cherries; sprinkle with 2 table- spoons sugar; allow to stand un- til ready to use. Prepare pud- ding unix as directed on pack- age, using 1z cups milk, Cool slightly, stirring occasionally, and turn into cold pie shell. Cover surface with waxed paper and chill well. Drain juice off cherries, add enough cold water to make % cup. Dissolve gelatin in hot water; add lemon juice and cheery juice -cold water mixture and chill until syrupy, Fold in cherries. Remove waxed paper from pie filling, spread with cherry -gelatin mixture and chill until firm. Garnish with whipped cream, Makes one 10 - inch pie. . x, "Since 1 experimented and developed this cabbage custard we often enjoy it—it is a de- lightful and interesting recipe which props up sagging budg- ets." writes Rose Alberta Bair- baugh. CABBAGE CUSTARD I medium head of cabbage 2 eggs, beaten. 34 teaspoon onion salt Y8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon butter, melted 1 cup evaporated milk Boil cabbage in salted water • for 15 minutes uncovered Drain and chop fine; add remaining ingredients in order given in recipe. Stir well, Pour into buttered casserole and set cas- serole in pan of hot water, Bake in :325° F. oven until brown and set — 45-60 minutes, * * * "I love to compile new deci- pes of my own, and am sendjpg one of a favorite salad," writes Mrs. E. H. Bulgrin. FAVORITE SALAD 1 pkg. lime flavored gelatin vy4 cups hot water 1 teaspoon vinegar 3/ teaspoon salt Dash pepper 1 cucumber, peeled and diced 1 tablespoo dnioan chopped green 1 cup cottage cheese, creamed type 1 teaspoon chopped green onion Salt and pepper Dissolve gelatin in hot water; add vinegar and seasoning. Cool, When mixture is consistency of jelly, pour 1 tablespoon into each of 6 individual molds and let congeal in refrigerator. Keep remaining gelatin at room tem- perature. Combine the teaspoon of chopped onion, salt and pep- per with cottage cheese. .Add 4 mound of this seasoned cottage cheese on the congealed gela- tin in individual molds. Mix cu- cumber and the tablespoon of onion in remaining gelatin and pour on the cottage cheese mounds. Chill. Unmoid on let- tuce and serve with mayon- naise. Cost of a Wife —tine Paving Stoner When the chief of an African tribe announced recently that his daughter was open to offers of marriage, he couldn't have expected much competition — for the groom wasto be chosen by the value of his present for the chief. But the local bachelors took to his offer like ducks to water. Valuable presents, ranging from ivory tusks to large sums of money, poured in on the chief. He wasn't impressed. Then a young man from the next village brought a marble paving stone — and collected the bride! The old chief had never seen anything like it be- fore and thought it was valuable stone, Marriage by barter is one of the world's oldest institutions and is still practised in many places. But apparently inflation is beginning it hit even that mar- ket, too, Among one African tribe a wife was estimated as being worth at least four goats, three spears and a quiver of arrows, Today the price has soared. A suitor must be prepared to pay at least four cows, a bull, five bows and a hundred- ar- rows. And, even if the suitor has these, the current complaint is that they are also having to provide extra under-the-counter cows. Things are not sq bad among the Australian aborigines. Only a gift of game is exepected there. If the girl is particularly fetch- ing, a boomerang is sometimes thrown in as well. Eskimos, on the other hand, are satisfied with a few harpoons and fur. Wives are considered a big asset by ttibesmen of New New Guinea, but, a man con- sidering marriage there has to be wealthy. It he marries a girl from a neighbouring village, ha is expected not Only to send gifts to her family, but to the entire village as well! Criminal Hobbies In crime novels it is often the gifted amateur who takes up. crime as a hobby, But in real life a crook has to be a pro- Sessional if he is to make a living. There are some people, however, who make a genuine hobby of crime subjects. Last yeara priest safe-cracker died, Once he amazed the police by ,taking' only a 'quarter of :an hour to open a safe which had defied locksmiths fox years. Ile also used to lecture the police on the use of nitro- glycerine and other methods of opening safes. The study of safes was his hobby and if he had not been an honest man he could have been very dangerous, It is In prison that many men develop their hobbies, In Ameri.. 'a, a convict sent off a request for a pamphlet entitled "Mathe- matics as an aid to making de- cisions", his pals suggested that perhaps he wanted to figure out the height of the prison wall! In many et our prisons, in- mates sentenced to more than six months can learn a wide variety of trades; others continue to study their own profession. One prisoner, a chemist, spent his time in thinking out a chemi- cal formula. The result was a very successful brancl of washing powder, Your Nose Knows "To get a good night's sleep, follow your nose," Dr, Maurice H. Cottle of Chicago advised at a meeting of the Illinois State Medical Society. The nose, which Dr. Cottle calls a "Inman alarm clock," actually directs th e body's actions during sleep. When the body tires from sleep- ing in the same position, on the left side, for instance, the right, or top side of the nose, which does the work of breathing while the left side is buried in the pillow, sends out reflex signals to the facial muscles, ears, lungs, and even the heart, The body turns, assumes a new, more com- fortable position, and the rested nostril takes over the job of keeping the air flowing into the lungs. Contrary to the popular be- lief, "sleeping like a log" is not restful, Dr. Cottle reported, "With increased pressure in the nose, you breathe through your mouth, you snore, you wake up, your sleep is disturbed,"' he ex- plained. FOSSIL MAN STILL ALIVE? Soviet scientists have reported that primitive, Neanderthal - type men are still living in the deserts of central Mongolia. (See mop.) Quoting a Mongo- lian scientist, who called the creatures "gimes," the Russians said they "very much resemble human beings, but their bodies are covered with a thin, red- dish -black hair. . . They have powerful jaws and low fore- heads." Neanderthal man lived' in the time of the Old Stone Age. Picture at right is of fig- ure in the Chicago Museum of Natural History. Last year the Russians reported the existence of "abominable snowmen" in the Himalayas, somewhat re- sembling the Mongolian "alma." A recent American expedition reported evidence of the snow- men, but no actual sighting. THREE DIE AS BOMBER HITS HOMES — The wreckage of a U.S. Air Force jet Kimber lies among the seven homes it destroyed ,xftet the plane crashed into a Japanese village near Johnson Air Force Base, Tokyo. The pilot and two Japanese boys were killed. The navigator, a Jap- anese woman and her two sons were seriously injured.