HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Herald, 1924-06-05, Page 3SOUTH AMERICAN ABORIGINES HAVE
EDEN STORY LIKE TIIAT IN BIBLE
Tell of "Tree of Life" and of Sentence of Mankind to Hard
Labor, but Embellish' Le t;entd With New Details,
A new story of the creation of Ivan, ' came to a great tree, bearing on its
branches all kinds oR fruits and vege-
tables up4an which the anneals fed
each day, .and .there was plenty for
all ---the vegetables and fruits lay in
great profusion ozi the aground, . Then
they said, among themselves: `This ie
where the god Duwid gets .our food,
Let us, hereafter, core and get it for
ourselves—then we will not have to
thank the god for it." '
"Next day, therefore,they told Du•
wicl that he need . not trouble himself
to bring them food any more, for they
knew where to get it themselves.
" 'It shall be as you wish,' said Du-
wid, 'but henceforth you will have to
work to obtain food to eat. To -mor-
row the tree will be cut down, but, in
order that you may not starve utter-
ly, l will tell you this: If you break off
a branch bearing each kind of fruit
and plant this in the ground and water
it every day and cultivate it, and pro-
tect it, it will grow and bear its own
kind. Then you may plant the seeds
which are in the fruit, and they in
turn will grow and produce each after
its kind,. Thus you may continue to
eat of the fruit of the tree, but you
will have to work for it.
Were Lazy; Lost Many Foods.
"Following the instructions of Du-
wid, the first men proceededtobreak
off branches of the tree, selecting
those which bore different kinds of.
fruit and vegetables. Presently they
grew tired of their labor and stopped;
hence, when the tree was cut down
only a few of the many varieties of
food which it bore had been .saved
for mankind. Conseonently, there are
only a few varieties of edible plants
in the world, whereas, if the first peo-
ple had been more industrious, these
would have been found in greater
plenty. Moreover, to this day it is
necessary to work hard to make the
cassava grow. The stump of the tree
remains to this day."
Anthropologists are aware that sim-
ilar legends are to be found in many
parts of the world, but they are at a
loss to account for their spread prob-
ably thousands of years ago.
told by a tribe of South American Ine,
dulls who had never seen .a white
man, has just been added to the known
stories of primitive man. This is con
tamed' in the verbatim rendering of
the story, as narrated by one of the
wise men of the tribe.:' ,
The tribe was discovered . in the
mouxit5ine which separate Brazil from
the British Guianas, utterly cut off for
many-euturies froxu the rest of the
world. The tribe is wholly unaffected
by -civilization, and has never even
learned the art ot.making dental imple-
ments,
The story of the' creation held by
this tribe, according to ree0rds •of the
University Museuxii, :is strikingly sim-
ilar tow ti:xe 'account of the creation in
the book of Genesis, in that it des-
cribes a "tree of 1ife" from which the
first inen and women ate the "fruit of
knowledge" and thereafter were
:orced to give up the idyllic life in the
Brazilian Garden of Eden to earn theii,;
bread "in the sweat of their brows."
The 'Indians claimed a great rock to be
the petrified stump_ of the "tree of
life. Its storywas told by the old
"wise rnan of the tribe in the follow.'
ing words:
Curiosity Possessed Them.
"In the beginning there were two
gods, Taminkar and his brother Du-
wid: .It was Tuminkar who created
men and women, and afterward the
other animals. It•' was Duwid who
brought men and women food. Day
after day he 'brought fruits and vege-
tables in great quantities and in much
variety for them to eat, so that they
were grateful to Duwid and rendered
him thanks:
"Having nothing to do, the first
men and women amused themselves
by looking at the animals. They, soon
noticed that these were in the habit
of passing in one direction in the
morning of each day, and returning in
the opposite direction in the evening;
so -they said to themselves, 'Let us go
with the animals•and see where they
go, and what they do.'
"So they followed the animals and
Davy Jones gained a rare prize when the British plane A.D.H. 18 took
nose dive into the channel and disappeared beneath the waves never to be
seen again. Casualties nil.
What Some Plants Can Do.
Some kinds of plants Have been
found which can be made to photo-
graph themselves.
A- beam of light is turned on then,
the plants absorb it, just as phoepher .
us' will absorb light, ancl�,then give it
oat again. A photographic plate is
placed :over the plants, and .when the
light is yielded up by them they photo-
graph the outlines of their own form
and structure on the sensitive plate.
They are very small plants which
thus supply their own photographs, so
small as to be seen properly only un-
der the microscope; but they may be
very •important for good or evil, foe
the bacteria, the yeasts aiid the
moulds, are all microscopic plants.
„it tias always been difficult to ob-
tain trustworthy portraits of the- in
sides of these tiny things,,but now it
llae been found that in many of them
the substances which cruor them have
this power of giving out light again,
and: so producing the color • photo-
graphs
Colors.
Oh, scarlet hurts, like some strange
lust;
Mauve stills your heart with sleepy
things;
Blue dreams forever; yellow laughs;
But green—green sings.
Oh, silver is a shining peace,
And purple • throbs, like Bacchfc
kings;
Opal has quick, fair mysteries;
But green—green sings.
.-Weir` Vernon.
No Need to Ask.
Otte: after another the neighbors had.
come into admire the new baby that
had arrived at the Jones'' household.
Little Mary was rather fed -up withall
the attention that was la.vishecl on the
newcoaner—.attention which had, up
till then, been hers,
"Does the baby talk yet, Mary?"
.asked one of the friends of the family.
"No," _}•eplied the baby's disgusted
sister, "the baby doesn't .necil'to taller"
"Doesn't need • to talk;" exclaimed
the friend, astonished.
Cross -Road Sarcasm,
Bug Traffic Cop—"Hey, 1\4r. Snail,
thie is the third time I've warned you
about obstructieg traffic, get• a move
on."'
You get cheez4out el life in
proportion as yott put cheerfulness in.
You caniiotinvest countel5:feit coin 'and
ert,eSeet dividends is: real mone.V. ,
"No," said the little girl: bitterly.
"All the baby has to do. is to 'e11,and
it gets everything worth leaving in the
house."
He Hurried.
"How 'far away were you when the
first snot was fired?" asked counsel,
"Four yards,"'replied the witness,
"'.lalte your time now" cautioned the
pro s-exa1niner. "This is an. import
ant question, Where were .you when
the secondsie& was fired?"
The man in file box hesitated.
"As e matter of fact, sir," he said
at last, ""J'didn't take ,my time, but
I. Wes about half e xi111e away.
.'No ship that was ever launeled
drifted into ixarbor. Yon have :got to
work
to get at there,
1
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Developing Canada's Mineral
Resources.
Government reports indicate that
the mineral output of Canada in 1923
amounted to $214,102,000, and that in
1922 minerals to the value of $184,-
297,242 were produced.
While . we appreciate that the value
is rapidly increasing, we do not quite
realize what Canada's mineral re-
sources mean to her. It is only when
comparisons are made that big figures
can be fully appreciated. One of the.
largest figures with which Canadians•
generally are familiar is that of the.
national debt. On December 31, it
amounted to $2,415,538,100,, truly •a
large figure, mainly the result of the
war; but the value of the minerals
produced in Canada since 1910 amount-
ed to $2,410,225,000, almost an equal
amount.
The importance of mining to Canada
is very aptly put by Dr. Camsell, de-
puty minister of the Department of
Mines, in his annualreport for 1923,
when he says:
"The mineral resouroe,s of Canada
are among its greatest natural assets,
and, owing to our natural climatic
conditions and the relatively limited•
area of the country capable of agri-
cultural development, the mining' in
diistry must necessarily occupy a pro-
portionately largerplace in our econo-
mic "development than in those coun-
tries of the world more fortunately en-
dowed with respect to climate. Min-
ing is not affected by, climate and can
be carried on irrespective of it. The
importance of this industry is indi-
cated by the growing increase in the
annual production of minerals per
capita, which has risen during thirty-
five years from $2.23 to $26.40 a head
of population. This production is in-
creasing from year to year until It
should ultimately exceed that of any
country in the world."
The range of minerals found in Cana-
da in commercial quantities is very
large, and in many this country has
almost a monopoly. In others the
Canadian supplies are nearer to large
United States .markets than .their.
own, such as in the case of the gyp-
sum of the Maritime. Provinces, and
in these development is taking place
at a rapidly increasing rate. Many of
our own minerals, unfortunately, are
being exported in a raw state; end sup-
ply the materials for Iarge industries
outside of Canada. It is of interest,
however, to note that there is a grow-
ing tendency to manufacture more of
our mineral products at home. Thls is
especially noticeable with regard to
nickel ,asbestos, lead and zinc. ..
In discussing the question of greater
home manufacture of mineral pro-
ducts Dr. Camsell says:
"It is urgently necessary that we
should develop home markets by the
establishment of industries comple-
mentary to the mining industry, so
that the products of our mines may be
utilized for ruanufacture .into finished
articles, A. study of our mineral trade
balance will show several instances
factured article is produced in this
country, but is shipped outside for
manufacture and is then sold back to
us at many times the value of the ma-
terial in it. Thesecuring of capital
for the development of these comple-
mentary industries appears to be more
in the general interests of the country
.than capital for the production of raw
material, and until those complemen-
tary industries are established in one
own country the production from the
mine will not increase to a stage bear-
ing a proper relation to what we be-
lieve to be our potential resources."
As an indication of the possibilities
of mineral production in Canada in
1918 the copper output was 118,769,434
pounds, while Iast year it was 86,312,-
000 pounds, and the latter was more
than double that of the previous year.
In 1918 the production of nickel was
92,507,293 pounds, while last year it
was 61,444,000 pounds, and in 1922 it
was but 17,597,123 pounds. In 1913,
when building construction was nor -
Mal, there was over one million bar-
rels of portland cement more produced
than the 7,652,000 barrels recorded for
last year. In' 1918, notwithstanding
the great demand for lead created by
the war, Canada's total output was
but 51,398,000 pounds; the production
1923 was -more than double that
-oust, being 112,600,00n pounds.
Development of natural resources is
one of the most pressing problems
with which Canada is to -day face to
face, and in none is the situation more
acute than in that of minerals. The
Mines Department is giving particu-
lar attention to finding markets for
our wide variety of both metallic and
non-metallic minerals, in their raw
state and as maniffactured goods, and
in this work the department has the
whole -hearted support of the Cana-
dian public.
• Points About Common Salt.
Coal sprinkled with a strong solu-
tion of salt and water will last much
longer on the fire,' and its heat -giving
properties will not be affected, The
colors of a carpet that has been sprin-
kled with salt before sweeping will
"come up" well. A tablespoonful of
salt dissolved in a tumblerful of luke-
warmwater is a simple emetic. A.
handful of it thrown on the fire when
the kettle has boiled over will prevent
a disagreeable odor. Added to the
bath salt gives an invigorating effect.
Headless, Too.
'How could Washington Irving's
hetidless horseman find his way?"
Just as easily as many motorists
where the raw materia.) for ti mane• do to -day,"
'8.BA,ANGE OF ��
THREATENED BY crnLazAToN
Rule of World May Pass to Busy Insects Extinction of
Species That Prey Upon Lower Forms of ]Life May
Wipe Out Reigning Power on Earth,
33y 0, A. Drown, what will happen whennature is .coxae-
Nature delights in balancing organic pletely mastered and her wild life des
life. Throughout the history of ant, . Greyed?
rad life on the •earth we find that, ?Aunts, insects and the )ewer ant
while there
LI been an endless '0140- mals have all played their parts in
cession of types and species tevelolx- helping man to develop. They have
lug and .decaying over long intervals Eed him, helped hire, clothed and or
of time and in mare or less restrieteo nan ented him and protected him.
areas", tizere always has been a notiee- They also have warred on him and
able 'balances of forces. To.. -day we made him develop his brain power and
find parasites living on parasites, in oo-operation .and s.ociel habits. In a•
sects upon insects, ilsh upon fish, bird recent ifigplr dealin
upon bird, animal, upon animal, and, with the
scientimportantc rolmanoesr a
rainvertebratge
economically, man upon man through- animals have played in the develop-
out the animal kingdom. went of civilization these assertions
This interdependence of organic are made;
life follows fixed laws which are de- "There is no group of animals, ver -
finite parts of the physics of the uui- tebrate or invertebrate, which has so
verse They assure a balance of lire, much significance to man as the group
'the proper dispersal of birds, insects, of insects. They touch almost •every
fish and animals over the surface of activity and interest of civilized 1ffe,
the globe where they can secure an They attack our growing food, our or -
abundance of food and do the econo-
mic chards and forests, our clothing and
work nature sets for them: our dwellings: Our bodies and those
Man is Subject to Great Laws of our domestic animals are annoyed
Which Govern Animal Life. e or infected with disease germs through
Man has been subjected.to the oper- the activities of insects. They are our
atious of these great laws from the chief competitors in the struggle for
remotest period of his history. He existence, and our fight. against them
has been restricted by them when is getting more severe and costly
they have operated against him, and every year."
he has been their agent when called Other scientists express fears that
upon to atack other animals. Being in the next few centuries man will be
always a mighty hunter, he has always unable to continue the struggle against
tended to keep down the spread of big insect life and will not be able to sus
game animals like the lion, tiger, ele- tain himself in the face of their com•
phant and buffalo. Since he has be- petition. Therefore, the future holds
come •civilized he has exerted strong- out the prospect of the possible ex-
er and ever stronger activities against tinction of man with the buffalo, lion
the other species of organic nature, and elephant and the dominance of
and to -day we find many authorities the world by the insects.
warning us that the balance of nature
1 is being destroyed and that this will,
in the near future, lead to world-wide
economic disturbances. Game, bird,
forest and plant preservation associa-
tions are carrying on broad campaigns
for the balance, while farmers and
others are advocating the continuance
of .a war of extermination against pre-
datory animals, birds, insects, plant
diseases and germs.
Insect pests are innumerable. Every
economic crop raised in North and
South America, and in all tropical
countries, is subject to attack by des-
tructive insects. The wire -worm is
an enemy of wheat, the grasshopper
destroys grass, eelworms cause root -
knot in the cotton plant, the boll -wee-
vil destroys the boll, the bud -worm
eats the heart out of the tobacco plant,
the cinch -bug, army -worm, Hessian
It has taken nature many millions fly, cutworm, corn -rot and other
of" years .to design and develop her aphides; bill -bugs, white grubs, saw
creatures and man, within a couple of flies, fruit -fifes and weevils and beetles
generations, has completely wiped off are all given to raiding some crop or
the face of the earth some of her farming stock. There is constant war -
finest animals and birds and is to -day fare being waged against them.
hastening the destruction of many Not all the so-called predatory in -
other species. Within another century sects; animals, and plants are general -
there will be comparatively few of the ly harmful. The snakes, lizards, toads
many wild animals remaining. Future scale insects, beetles, fruit and grain
generations• will have to depend for flies, wildcats, rodtnts and multitudes
their knowledge of lions, cheetas, of other organisms perform services
beavers, tigers; •moose, zebras, giraffes valuable to others. They feed upon or
and elephants on the descriptions of are fed. upon by,others, or they render
them written by naturalists to -day. similar services to the bee in fertii.iz-
• The.destruction of wild life advances ing plants and palms, like thedate
cumulatively with. increased settle- palms, they aerate or fertilize the
went, and occupation of the land by soil, they remove disease germs, or
man and his domestic herds and flocks ether harmful matter from plants and
and 'commercial slaughter hastens the animals and in many •other ways as -
destruction. Civilized man and his sist in the balance of nature. These
destructive weapons are menacing services have become so effectively
wild life throughout the world. Civili- adjusted that any considerable inter-
zation is warring on nature every- ruption of them is liable to destroy na-
where and nature is severely suffer- ture's balance and seriously jeopardize
ing. Man is carrying the clay, but civilization.
Not Successful of Late,
Teuton—"All the former rulers of
Germany learned trades and were suc-
cessful at them."
Yank --"Ali our Presidents have
been cabinet-makers—but not very
successful of late."
Laws of Leap Year.
Leap year once had a definite place
in the social system. A law in Scot-
landof the fourteenth century read:i
"It is ordained that for each year
known as leap year each maiden lady
of high and low estate shall have lib-
erty to bespeak the men she likes;
and, if he refuses to take her to be his
lawful wife, he shall be mulcted in the
sum of one pound or less, as his es
tato may be; except if he ran snake
it appear that he is betrother to an-
other womee, he then shall be free."
Canada is,getting )plenty of baby immigrants these days. The babies
looking Scotch anothers, targe in ago from If?, days to 12 mouths,
Shown, with
1.heir fine,
heleeeln
Cor emergency messages the Cana-
dian air force depends on carrier
pigeons. 9'hc trustworthy little birds
alway,i return+, to their base when re- '
leased.
A Most Excellent Reason.
in a book by Sir J. C. Perry entitled
Moro Bulls ancl Blunders,: wo read of
a man who went up to a. railway port•
er rat one of the big :London stations
mid said, '"]'here are half a dozen
,clocks 10 the place. and they are each
• different."
"Well, sir," relied the porter, "if
they were all alike, one would do."
According to Orders.
i)octor---"Ilesyour husband) had
any lucid intervals since ny last visit,
2vI10..link,5 ?"
M ' , .links (wi.lt dignity) —"Hee—"Hee
had nothing except whet mi ordered."