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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1959-04-16, Page 3Great Naturalist Kept His Secret Without making, a rippje, the birch canoe glided over the river. The paddler, a lithe, dusky fig - me, leant over'ehe side and made several wail'ii7g • noises, Suddenlyr lthe river banks seemed to -eerrie alive, Hundreds of beavers, normally wary of man, could be seen nosing their way through the water to the canoe, When they reached it many of them jumped into the canoe to sit on the paddler's lap. The rest followed in the canoe's wake. It was a fantastic sight. Not many men have, the privi- lege of being on terms of mutual trust with wild life, but to the. man in the canoe, Grey Owl, one of the world's most remark- able naturalists, the gift came naturally, For many years he was one of Canada's most skilful beaver trappers, but this would neve: have brought him fame and im- mortality. It was his decision to quit trapping that resulted in his name becoming a household word halfway round the world Nineteen -twenty-five was the fateful' year. It was then that he. met the young and beautiful Anahareo, member, of .the proud tribe of Iroquois: Indians, whom he was to marrytwoyearslater. l r . In that year, toot came the sud- den realization that years of trapping had so reduced the beaver population of Canada That if it went on much longer there would soon be none left, Now it was protection they needed, not exploitation. The change from trapper tt: protector was not difficult for Grey Owl, for he had come to love and admire the beavers. His efforts to safeguard them were as successful as his earlier efforts to destroy them, and the present affection in . which the beaver is held all over Ca- nada owes more to the work and teaching of Grey Owl than to any other man. 'At first his efforts at saving them were confined to the re- mote parts of Quebec, where .he 3ived in .his log cabin beside the 'river but when the Cana- dian Government decided to establish colonies of beavers on the streams running through thee. new- Riding Mountain National Park, they turned • to Grey Owl for help. A winter seldom passed with- out two or three young orphan beavers sharing his log cabin BEFORE HER EYES - ' Mary Tooled is seeing "Nuvistors," which are thimble -sized elec- tron tubes for home, military and industry. Under develop- ment at the RCA plant, the compact tubes were shot by photographer from mirrored reflection through glass plate. • with him. At ;times' they were rather disconcerting companions. They preferred to live in dark- neas, and went to great lengths to seal up every window and crack with blankets and any other material they could find. On one 000asion Grey Owl came tome after a day on the river to find that he could not open. the cabin door, so skilfully had the cracks. between the door and the frame been plugged with blankets, Constant observation over the years taught Grey Owl a great deal about his beloved beavers. "The voice of the beaver,", he once wrote, "registers his feel- ings with inflections startlingly human and very easily inter- preted. From it I have gathered that he seems to be subject to all the simpler emotions, in- cluding to a marked degree those of gratitude and affect- tion. "This is not mere cupboard, love either, as witness the ease of the yearling beaver which I liberated from a trap. "I nursed his injured foot for several weeks,and although he had never before set eyes on a man, the poor creature seemed to realize‘, that I had saved his life and followed me round - the camp like a dog, sleeping alongside of me at night, "When I set him free he took up residence in the pond, often following my canoe up and down the lake and on occasions climb• ing into it. "He showed his affection for me at times by climbing on to my knees and squeezing from his coat a pint or so of cold, muddy water, mumbling con- tentedly to himself the while." Grey Owl, during his lifetime, became a legend.. But his death was to reveal a story •even more sensational than that of his amazing life. • During the winter of •1937 he had visited England, and had been honoured by an invitation to lecture to the King and Queen and the two princesses. Soon after his return from 'Eng. land early in 1938 he was taken suddenly ill with pneumonia, and in a few days was dead. Only then was the secret of Grey Owl, pride .of all the Red Indians of North America, re- vealed. Despite his reputation and appearance, Grey Owl hadn't a drop of Red Indian blood in his veins. He was, in fact, an Englishman who had been born at Hastings. in 1888 and christened Archibald Be- laney. Even as a boy he had two absorbing interests - animals and Red Indians, At home'. he kept all manner of pets, and his favourite books were about Red Indians. As he grew up he developed a fixed determination to go to Canada. as soon as he was old enough in the hope of being able to join a Red Indian tribe. At the age of sixteen he sailed. For the first few months he worked in a store saving enough money for his future journey into the remote Red Indian country. His determination never wavered, and within a year Archibald Belaney, as such, had ceased to exist. The seventeen -year-old boy linked up with a band of Ojlb- way Indians and took the name Grey Owl, by which he was destined to be known to millions of people all over the world. The revelation of Grey • Owl's true origin, unearthed by the newspapers within a few days of his death, created a sensation In some quarters he was de- nounced as a fraud and a hbax. No amount of hostile criticism, however, could detract from'the great work with the beavers to. which he had devoted so many years of his life. And today his books still de- light millions of. children - and grownups, too. CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1. Trudge 6. Bleached 11. Back tooth 12. Dwell 13. Non-metallic element 14. Hostile spirit 16. Hypothetical force 10. Baptismal vessels 10, Half hose 110 Clear profit '21 hlubbub. 23. Legal nctlnn 24, Press - 26. A Secretary j of Commerce r8, Torment 0, Anginas 84. Cut In smt4ll cubes 18Y Tissue 89 Pronoun 142 Lacicedvitror 4A Swah 146 Son of Seth 47, Helmsman 40, Jumbled type 50. Morning serenade 82.Overieyed 54 101emrntnry render 66 Lukewarm '60 neocmes aware of 167 Paradise DOWN 1 Seedcontalner 8. Arabian letter Y. Island In Malay Archipelago. Y. Draw forth 10. Writing tables 31. Jewe4 32. Ran oft to wed 83. Fast 35. Antics 36. Yale „ 11.. Not ancient 37.,i0xpunge S Hacleslastloal 39. Piles law 13 Ancient 90. Harden 4. Before this region In 41. Song bird time Asim Minor 1 43 Distributed 6, Edible 57. Draw 4r Belonging marine 11511 20 Large weight to Sam 6. Alother 22. Augment 98. Binding tabrit chicken 26. Bow the head 51 Scotch river 4. Egyptian 27, Held a sresl in 12 Metal goddess 29 Shrill hark "nntel net Mal AA 111111Illia® 11••11 ®11Z° 1:'•.11®1111®1®11 :4°d, `coo r. ���;7 ®1111 ►' �®11®®r:�� sac<..�.:•"'' � •e ®®11®®1: a °•� �:❖:.0•::�1®11®®® ®111111111 111N11111111 11111111111111k. 1111®11:� . 111111 X1111 11111111111111111A111111111111111 11®1111 1111111111110 1111111111 58 111111®11�:r �®111111:°e•.:°a� 60 Answer elsowhree on th s page WORDS -WORDS -WORDS - Caught by the camera in an unusually'.untousled condition, Soviet's boss Nikita Khrushchev is shown as he delivered one of many speeches on his recent visit to East Berlin, TllIil'AIN FRONT Jokzeoussa Resistance of insects to insec- ticides is one of the most press- ing problems facing researchers today, according to L. A. Miller,. Canada Department of Agricul- ture entomologist. ' He told the Essex County As- sociated Growers that this resis- tance appears related to the per- iod. that insects have been wee posed to the insecticide. The longer the exposure time, the more likely resistance is to occur. Destruction of Southwestern Ontario's onion crop by maggots last year pointed up this prob- lem, • . ,a Aldrin, dieldrin; or heptachlor had given growers a measiireof security against the onion Mag- got for four or five years. Yet 100 per cent losses were common in 1958 and were it not for the fact that entomologists expected this resistance to develop - though not as explosively as it did = the outlook for this year's crop would not be encouraging. • M • As it is, United States re- searchers have developed con- trols that are equally as effec- tive as any previous ones. Ma- terials they are using belong to .group of chemicals known as the organophosphates. They, in turn, will likely lose their effec- tiveness but by that time other methods of coping with the prob- lem will have b$n' found. Mr. Miller sp ke optimistically of the use of •systemic insecticides for vegetable insect control. Sys- temic compounds are absorbed by the plant and flow in the sap stream to all parts where they ,are stored. Insects are either re- pelled from feeding, or if they feed; are killed by the insecticide as it' is ingested along with the plant tissue or .sap. • • • 'When compounds are found that are less poisonous to humans and plants, while retaining a high degree of toxicity or repel- lency to insects, the practical ap- plications of this method of veg- etable insect control are almost limitless, he said. Progress has been made with biological control, Mr. Miller said, and "we may well watch for further encouraging devel- opments in this line of research" Basically, this means, holding in check pest species by means of beneficial ,predatory or parasitic species of insects. * • • An obvious advantage of this method of control is that there is no risk of insecticide residues, Which is probably the most im- portant consideration in chemical controls. t "Constant striving for top qual- ity produce and higher yields is afeature of our way of life," Mr. Miller concluded. "Vegetable in- sect research is but one of many disciplines contributing to this goal. "We have made rapid strides in the past decade and the re- search that is presently in pro- gress and some that is just being contemplated augurs Well for the future," • • Has the. goose a future? With Canada's poultry indus- try expanding rapidly, this .ques- tion takes on added' meaning and it is currently under study at the Central Experimental Frans • ai Ottawa. * 4 i Results of a breeding program prove that rapid progress can be made with the geese, but whetll- er goose meat can be produced as cheaply as other types of Poul- try only time will tell. Geese are seasonal egg layers, producing only for four or five months each. spring. Their low egg production has meant high gosling cost. * * * The Ottawa breeding program , has met considerable success in- creasing egg production. Average number of eggs in the first pro- duction year has been raised from 14 to 34-a staggering 140 per cent hike -over a period of seven generations. While this is still lower pro- duction than that of large 'type turkeys, the goose's production increases during the second lay- ing year and again in the third • year. Further, the effort that has been directed to increasing egg production in the goose is very small compared with that de- voted to turkeys or chickens. • • .• • Other advantages: (1) It is the most rapid growing of the do• mestie species 01 poultry; (2) It is a good forager and pasture can be used to reduce the amount and quality of feed; (3) It is. more resistant to disease than chickens and turkeys and mor- tality in growing and breeding flocks is generally much lower; and (4) It is extremely hardy, so that inexpensive housing can be used in the winter and no hous. ing is needed in summer. Tolerance For The Non -Drinker Some of the major airlines are right proud of a service which they have and.I suppose it ap- peals to most of their customers, but it falls completely fiat with me. This is the practice of serv- ing cocktails before meals. Recently I boarded a plane here in Kansas City about 4:30 p.m. It was a little late taking off and after awhile I asked the hostess when we were going to eat. She said dinner would be served after we had passed St. Louis, which seemed about right. Time went on and there was considerable activity in the plane's "kitchen." I assumed, din- ner was on its way, Much later, the bar maids (hostesses) came down the aisle with their little bottles of whisky and glasses of ice cubes. As far as I could see. most people accepted the drinks. I couldn't object to what the other fellow wanted, so I just bided mytime t me waiting for the dinner. At 7:30, much to my surprise, the young women started the second round of drinks, This was too much. I inquired if I were going to be served dinner on the planeor in Washington, which was my destination. The. hostess, who probably thought I was a crank, apologized and said she would get my dinner in a few minutes, which she did. I was the first person served on the plane and for a fellow who had had only a sandwich for lunch, I was ready. Plane fares have been in- creased recently. At least, you get no reduction for buying a round-trip ticket. I wonder who is paying for the drinks. I figure I paid even if I didn't get any, but there is no way to get a refund. And if some one suggests tol- erance, why make the fellow who doesn't drink wait an hour and a half for his dinner just so those who want their whisky before £sting ggn have it? - Roderick Turnbull,Editor, Weekly rata Farmer Kansas City, Mo.). "Was your garden a success last year?" "I should say so. My neigh- bour's chickens took first prize at the poultry show!" LOADED FOR POLAR BEAR - A strange -looking airline stewardess is Johanna Van Duffelen. She's wearing survival gear carried on KIM Dutch Airlines polar route flights from Amsterdam to Tokyo. The lightweight rifle uses the 7.62 standard NATO cartridge. Other kit items include sleeping bags, 'snowglasses, axes, snowsaws, knives, snares, rations, etc. ?MAYSl001 JJSSON By Itev R. Barclay Warren B.A., B.D. Israel's First King I Samuel 10:17-27 Memory Selection: Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things He hath done for you. I Samuel 12:24. This is the first of three les- sons in which we Shall study the life of Saul, the first king of Israel. When Samuel was old he made' his sons judges over Israel and they were ungodly men. They accepted bribes and perverted judgment, The elders came to Samuel and said, "Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations." Samuel was disappointed but while in prayer God said to him, 'They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them," Samuel warn- ed the people of the great ex- pense that would be involved if they turnedto the monarchial type of government but they persisted in their desire for a king. There were three main steps before Saul was firmly establish- ed as king. First, Samuel direct- ed by God, took him to dinner and then anointed him king, God gave Saul another heart, When 'met by a company of prophets. "The Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them." Samuel then summoned the people to Mizpah. Lots were cast and Saul was chosen, He was 'found hiding among the baggage. He was presented to - the people who cried. "God save the king." Then Saul went home. A crisis arose when the Ammo- nites' were going to thrust out the right eyes of the people of Jabesh-gilead. Saul summoned Israel and led them in battle against the Ammonites. He wen a great victory. Saul called Israel to Gilgal and renewed the .kingdom there, Sacrifices of peace offerings were presented before the Lord and Saul and all the men al' Israel rejoiced greatly. Saul stood head and•shoulders: above the people. Other qualifi- e a t l o n s being approximately 1 equal, people prefer leaders who are of great physical stature. I They have to look up to theme But there have been noteworthy leaders of small• stature. John Wesley, the founder of Metho- disni, was of slight build. David Lloyd George, the Welsh prime minister of Great Britain visited USA, after World War I. One dignitary said, "I expected to see a big man." Lloyd George, put ting his hand under his chin, said, "In our country we mea- sure men from here up." Saul started out well. Next week we shall see the reason for his tragic . failure. "What's an•old-timer?" asks a reader. A fellow who has made the last payment on his house. Upsidedown to Prevent Peeking NIIHAU KAUAI HAWAIIAN ISLANDS MILES 50 0,,-, 04)44 ►�®0®aj SO®ps PACIFIC OCEAN MOLOKAI yt: MAUI LANAia KAHOOLLAWE THE ISLANDS -, Newsmap, above, shows the eight principal islands of the Hawaiian Archi- pelago which will be embraced by statehood For Hawaii, In all, there are 23 or more islands, some of them little more than reefs, in the state to be. Howai!i's population numbers some 600,000 persons, Her principal industries are sugar, pineapples, tourism, in that .order, willp, touists, alone, bringing an estimated 85 million dollars to the islands annually. Capital is Honolulu, on the island of Oahu.