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The
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JfgT" - - -
The Weekly Enterprise.
. . n 4 n VI?
i FOK THE
- Business Man, the Farmer
Aral the FAMILY CIRCLE.
published every Saturday
AT THK
I Qffjc -Corner of Fifth and Main streets
I Oregon City, Oregon.
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' ' JOHN JIVE IIS, Financial Agent.
jjUSlNESS' CARDS.
V. C. Jl)lIN?ON. F. O. M COWS'.
Notary Public.
JOHNSON & McCOWN,
Oregon. City, Oregon.
Bff- " attend to all business entrusted to
om- c:ue in any of the Courts of the State,
'..;k-ct mnney, Negotiate loans, sell real estate
(!c. Particular attention given to contested
I.::il caerf.
A. C. GIUUS. C. W. PARHISH,
Notary Public and Com. of Deeds.
GIB33 & PARRISH,
A'-tomeus and Counselors at Law,
I'oktlasd, Oregon.
OFFICE On Alder street, in Carter's
brick block.
J. II. MITCH KLL. J. Jf. DOLm. A. SMITH
Mitchell, Dolph & Smith,
Attorneys and Counsellors at Law,
Solicitors in Chancery, and Proc
tors in Ad mi rally.
j7" Ollice o-er the old Post Office, Front
utreet, Portland, Oregon.
fiogan, Shattuck & Killin,
ATTORNEYS AT LAW,
Xo. lO!) S'ront Street, 17 p Stairs,
P0 RTLAN P, O UEGON.
I
AGE & TIIAYEK,
ATTORNEY'S AT LAW.
OFFICE In Cree'rf Huildinf?, corner of
F.uut and Stark Mreets, Portland. 3:!:t(
J. T. CAIM.E.-. J- C. MOKELAXD.
CAPhES & MOH ELAND,
ATTORNEYS ATfLAW,
Cor. FRONT and WASHINGTON Sts.,
PORTLAND, OK EG ON.
rilTwATKINS, M. D.,
SURCJF.ON. PoKTr.Axi), Okegc n.
OFFICE I).") Front street Resideuce cor
ner i)t' Main and Seventh street!.
J. WELCH,
DENTIST.
I'l'rmaneiitly Located, at Oregon City Oregon
IiOOMS With Dr. Rnffarrans, on Main st.
A. II. CELL.
E. A. 1' AKKEK.
BELL & PARKER.
AND DEALKRS IK
Chemicals, Patent Medicines, Paints,
Perfumery, Oils, Varnishes,
And every article kept in a Drug Store. Main
Street, Oregon City.
i. O V s
EXCELSIOR
MARKET !
Corner of Fourth and Main streets
OREGON CITY.
Keep constantly on hand all kinds of
m-Mi and salt meats, sucn as
BEEF, POKK,
MUTTON, VEAL,
CORNED BEEF, IT A MS,
PICKETED PORK, LARD,
Ad everything else to be found in their line
of business.
JOHN II. SCTIIIAM.
Manufacturer and Dealer in
SADDLES, HARNESS,
etc., etc.,
Main St 'ret, Oregon City,
"3Wiues to represent that he is now as
well prepared to furnish any article in his line
as the largest establishment in the State. He
particularly requests that an examination of
his stock be made before buying elsewhere.
"112 131
FRONT STREET, FIRST STREET,
Near Morrison Street, Near Yamhill.
KAST & CAHALIN.
New Stock of Boots and Shoes
JUST RECEIVED!
Best Selection in the City
Comprising all theleading and best brands
known, such as P.enkerfs, Tirrell's, Fogg's
Honyhton & Coolidge's, Reed's, GodtreVs
and numerous others, of gents' and bovs'
wear. Also Mile's, Sieberlich's, Burt's
Sun Francisco and custom-made ladies and
childreu's wear.
Oar customers and the public in general
are invited to call and examine our stock
which we will sell cheaper than ever. '
F. S. Boots made to order, and an assort
ment efcur make cousUutlv on hand.
5; ALBRIGHT.
IN THE COUXTItY
ET JfLIA A. SnEAKMAX.
O'er the smoky track of the railroad,
Stretching in from afar,
Borne by the snorting iron horse,
In the dusty, crowded car.
From the city's noise and glare I come
Occe more to a realm of peace,
Where the din is all hushed in silence
And the turmoil seems to cease.
Yesterday hosts of pale, careworn men,
Threading the crowded street,
With eyes that scarce see the blue of heaven,
For watching the weary feet.
To-day, the sweet, happy, careless birds,
Warbling from tree to tree,
Drinking in life with each balmy hour
And breathing out melody.
Yesterday sad looking, patient beasta,
Dragging their straining loads,
Forced by the whip and the cruel rein
Over hot and dusty roads.
To-day herd.s of well fed cattle
Grazing beneath the trees,
Or chasing each other in frolic
While suuffing the sweet, fresh breeze.
Yesterday rows of gaudy windows
Flaunting their showy wares,
And groups of unnatural women
Parading their silly airs.
To-day sweet Nature's own drapery
Hanging in exquisite grace,
Green grasses for carpets, aud flowers
For delicate woven lace.
And across the road at the window
A fair young face I can nee,
'Tis Sally, the farmer's fair daughter,
Watching, yes, watching for me.
With her sleeves rolled above her elbows
And hands that can work with a will,
I'll match her with any town damsel
Decked out on BioaJwayto kill.
Breathing freely amid this beauty
I'll forget the city' ways.
Sheltered here alike from its labor,
From its censure and its praise.
FISIIINO IN AMERICAS WATERS,
TheV disciples of Izaak "Walton,
owe Mr. Genio C. Scott a debt of
obligation for the ample vol time
just issued from the press of Har
per & Brothers, New York, en-
- - a -trr
titled Jushinq in American a-
ters. lie has endeavored, and Ave
think successfully, to portray the
recreation of the angler in Ameri
ca with his implements and his
game, adding a tribute to the tem
perate and industrious class ot
men wno ionow lor a mcunuou
the hazardous business of fishing
on the broad seas. He considers
the general characterization of
fishes : ceneral habits and senses of
fishes ; taste, smell and hearing m
fishes; fecundity of fishes; variety
of fishes ; times of feeeding and
haunts of lishes ; coast and estuary
fishes; angling and trolling for
bass; Southern sea trout ; angling
for sheepshead; freshwater fishing
with fly and bait; coast fisheries
and fineries of the United States;
ancient and modern fish culture ;
fih propagation assisted by art ;
Iethyology, etc. The author is an
enthusiast in the " gentle art." lie
writes warmly, sometimes extrava
gantly, almost gushingly on the
subject of the tinny tribes ; but he
is so sincere in his enthusiasm, so
truthful and withal so intelligent,
that we have no disposition to be
over critical with regard to those
blemishes of style and crudities of
thought that occasionally force
themselves upon our notice. "We
give some extracts below :
FECUNDITY OF F1SHFS.
First, Mammalia, including
whales, porpoises and all fishes
which bring forth alive and suckle
their young, whether herbivorous,
or carnivcrous seldom have more
than one or two young at a birth,
which sailors term calves.
Second, The families of which
the salmon and trout are the
heads are called by naturalists the
remis Salmo. These fishes have
the palpable mark of an adipose
second dorsal fin ; their meat is of
a tint between mallow and pmk,
and they are regarded by anglers
and epicures as the highest game
and most luxurious fishes of the
oviparous class, or those fishes
which replenish their species by
laying eggs, Avhich arc vivified by
the milt of the male, and then, af
ter a time, the eggs hatch in the
water. This process is common
to all egg-laying fishes ; but, while
eirgs of the salmo genus require
from three to four months to hatch,
those of the clupca genus hatch in
as many days. Seth Green hatch
ed shad artificially on the Connec
ticut river within 40 hours from
the time the ova and milt fell into
the hatcing-boxes in the stream
being the main current of the river
and not in boxes so placed as
that a stream should run through
or over them, but anchored so as
to float in the current of the river,
submerging a sufficient portion of
CITY, OEIOI9 SATUEDAY, SEPTEillBEB4
them, for keeping the ergs covered
with -water to a sufficient lcith.
A salmon is supposed to lay a
thousand eggs for every pound'the
mother fish weighs consequently
they average from ten to thirty
thousand fur each pair.
Third. Included in this class are
all the oviparous tribes but those
of the genus sahno. The number of
eggs in the roc of some of these
fishes is so great as to appear al
most incredible. "While the caro
and the sturgeon produce from
half a million to a million and a
half, the celebrated Dutch natural
ist Lemvenhocc reckoned that the
codfish contains over nine million j
ot eggs.- lhis estimate was based
upon weighing accrrrritely a small
part of the roe and counting the eggs
then weighing the remainder, and
estimating the Avholefrom the part
counted. AVithout doubt the fe
cundity of all the food-fishes of the
sea is beyond human estimate; so
that, if all the spawn should be
fructified by the male fishes, the
vast body of lishes M ould, within
a few vears, become too great for
the waters to contain.
VOKACITY OF F1SIIKS. '
The innumerable shoals of young
lishes constitute the chief part of
the food for larger ones, and even
those full grown often meet in
fierce combat, when the one which
has the widwst throat comes oil
victorious by swallowing his oppo
nent. Fish being cold-blooded
animals tire not susceptible to an
acute sense of pain ; thus it does
not hurt an eel much to be skinned,
and a shark has been observed to
seek prey for some time after he
was split open and entirely eviscera
ted. The prettiest and most play
ful of fishes, almost domesticated
in private ponds, do not fail occa
sionally to devour such members
of their own family as venture near
enough. Sir "William Jardiue
states that "the lake trout arc
very rapacious, and, after attain
ing the weight of three or four
pounds, feed almost exclusively on
small fish, not sparing even their
own young
75
This being
true of the finny
tribes generally, how malapropos
is the sympathy extended for them
by good souls who do not under
stand the savage character of the
objects of their solicitude.
Instances are common of fishes
following a hooked one, and while
it is being played by the angler,
biting pieces out of it, and some
times swallowing it, so that both
are landed. It may be readily in
ferred from this that small fish
form attractive bait. Fish evince
no mercy for any living thing
which inhabits the waters, and
most of the angler's lishes feed
readily on their own broods. As
fish are generally attracted by the
sight or smell of blood, red feath-
ers, burnt wool, and scarlet braid,
etc., arc found to fascinate them
attached to trolls; especially is
this proven to be the case in troll
ing for bluctish, black bass and
maskinongc.
I therefore conclude that, as the
principal food of all fishes consists
of animals and animalcules, with
water-insects and the spawn de
posited in the waters, these last
seeming to form the dainties most
eagerly sought by them, so the un
limited voracity of lishes, which
has no counterpart in any other
branch of animal creation, may. be
one of the means wisely ordered
to check an excessive multiplica
tion ; and that their extraordinary
fecundity is probably a provision
of nature for supplying an ade
quate amount of food, upon the
same principle that land insects
are so greatly multiplied probably
for supplying foods to birds.
STKKNGTII AND PUOrUXSIVE POWKU.
The true indication of a fish's
strength is found in the shape of
its head and shoulders back to the
first dorsal fin, while its speed, or
propulsive power, is shown by its
shape from the front of the second
dorsal and anal fins to the end of
the tail, and the shape of this cau
dal continuation. Of the forked
tail, it has already been remarked
that the sword fish and salmon arc
supposed to be the most rapid
swimmers, while of the square-tails
the brook trout and squerteague
are supposed to propel with the
greatest velocity. Among fishes
which unite the greatest velocity
with the degree of strength must
be reckoned the "Whale ; for, struck
with a harpoon or spear with a line
attached, the leviathan of the wa
ters darts down into the deep with
such velocity that if the line were to
entangle it would cither be broken
or the boat would be capsized.
Upon the act of striking a whale,
therefore, one man is stationed to
-ive his whole attention to the line
running off clear, while another is
employed to pour water continually
on the wood over which thd line
runs, to prevent ignition by fric
tion. The angler knows that the
sheepshead has this power of div
iner with the velocity of licrhtnino-;
so have all lishes which arc swift
and wide compared to their length.
In diving or darting upward, the
swim-bladder is a great assistance,
as it is found to be compressed
while the fish is at the bottom, and
expanded when the fish is on the
surface- of the water. Probably
the salmon and the bluehsh unite
the greatest amount of muscular
strength to the greatest power of
propulsion. Other fishes of our
coast, such as the Spanish mackerel,
bonetta, cerus and the horse mack
erel, add to the muscularity of the
salmon aud bluelish the propulsive
ower of the swordiish and the
dolphin. The pectorals, ventrals
and anal fino assist the fish in
maintaing its balance or level posi
tion of body. In expermenting
upon the use of fins, Professor Bor
elu, of Naples, ascertained that af
ter clipping off the pectoral, ven
tral and anal fins of fishes, all their
motions became unsteady, and
they reeled from rigHt to left, and
up and down, in such irregular
manner as to prove that they were
left at the mercy of their voracious
neighbors of the deep.
vj- e-c.
Heroisms of Humble Life--An Affect
ing S1ory.
From the New York San.
Perhaps the linest of these mod
ern instances occurred two weeks
ago on board an English steamer.
A little ragged boy, aged nine
years, was discovered ;on the fourth
day of the outward voyage from
Liverpool to New York, and car
ried before t lie first mate, whose
duty it was to deal with such cases.
When questioned as to the object
of his being stowed away, and who
brought him on board, theboY who
had a beautiful, sunny lace, and
eyes that looked like the A ery mir
rors of truth, replied that his step
father did it, because he could not
afford to keep him, nor to pay his
passage out to Halifax, Avhere he
had an aunt avIio Avas Avell off, and
to whose house he Avas going.
The mate did not believe the story,
in spite of the winning face and
truthful accents of the boy. He had
seen too much of stow awavs to be
easily deceived by them, he said;
and it was his firm conviction that
the boy had been brought on board
and provided Avith food by the
.sailors. The little fellow was very
roughly nanuieu m consequence.
Day by day ho was questioned and
requestioned, but always Avith the
same result. He did not know a
sailor on board and his father alone
had secreted him and given him
the food which he ate.
At last the mate, Avearicd by the
boy's persistence in the same story,
and perhaps a little anxious to ex
culpate the sailors, seized him one
day liA'thc collar and dragging him
to the foremast, told him that unless
he confessed the truth in ten minutes
from that time lie avouLI hang him
on the yard arm. He then made
him sit down under it, on the deck.
All around, him Avcre the passen
gers and sailors of the mid-day
watch, and in front of him stood the
inexorable mate, with his chronom
eter in his hand and the other
officers of the ship by his side. It
was the finest sight, said our infor
mant, that he ever beheld, to sec
the pale proud, sorrowful face of
that noble boy his head erect, his
beautiful ees bright through the
tears til at suffused them. "When
eight minutes had fied, the mate
told him he had but tAvo minutes
to live, and advised him to speak
the truth and save his life; but he
replied, Avith the utmost simplicity
and sincerity, lnr asking the mate if
he might pray.'
The mate said nothing, but nod
ded his head and turned pale as a
ghost, and shook with trembling
like a reed Avith the Avind. And
there, all eyes turned on him, this
brave and noble little fellow, this
poor Avaif, Avhom society owned
not, and Avhose own step-father
could not care for him there he
knelt Avith clasped hands, eyes up
raised to heaven, while he repeated
audibly the Lord's Prayer, and
prayed the Lord -Jesus to take him
to heaA'en.
Our informant adds that a scene
as of Pentacost then occurred there.
Sobs broke from strong,hard hearts,
as the mate sprang fonvard to the
boy and clasped him to his bosom,
and kissed him, and blessed him,
and told him Iioav sincerely he now
believed his storv, aud Iioav glad
he Avas that he had been brave
enough to face death and be "will
ing to sacrifice his life for the truth
of liis own word.
It
A STRANGE CHARACTER
The San Francisco Herald gives
the following history of a species
of vagabond that seems peculiar to
that city:
Early in the morning, rainy or
pleasant, Sundays notf excepted,
Ave behold a strange-looking, oil
cloth clad old man, pattering along
like a badger, near the outer edge
of the sidew.dk, Avith his eyes fixed
intently upon the gutter. His
gait is quick and business-like, and
his air the A'ery essence of diligence
and independence. On Irs head is
an oil-cloth hat of many summers,
and over his back and shoulders is
thrown a seedy and Avell-patched
oil-cloth coat. With, this Avater
proof habit, Avhich he never -chan'-.
ges, he may be seen A'enturing
forth in a tempest. "Who is that
strange creature? The bystanders
v.'ill tell you that he is " the San
Francisco "Gutter-snipe;" avIio, be
sides the garbage-gathering Celes
tials and the uncouth Digger In
dian, is the only one the city can
boast of. "What he has been is
shrouded in remote mystery. It
is thought by some that lie is a cun
ning, miserly old monomaniac, who
hoards away his gold. Others sup
pose that he Avas once a millionaire
and that lie lost everything in Avild
speculations at Frazicr river, Avhile
still others assert that he Avas re
duced to poverty through the
treachery of a friend, and that he
now abstains from man's society
and his monopolies in fulfilment of
a vow. "What is the real truth con
cerning his past history aud the
causes Avhichled him into his pres
ent strange course of life, Avill prob
ably forever remain unknown.
Attempt to folloAV him, and after
going the rounds of many blocks
and curious crooked alleys, you
will bring up at the place of start
ing, but little Aviser for your curios
ity. Apparently Aoid of reason,
this strange creature exhibits an
instinctive trait, strong in some of
the lower animals, by universally
returning to the starting point.
In his transit along the gutters
he seeks only for his food, which
consists of such Avaste culinary
preparations as he can collect from
the general rubbish. If he sees a
piece of an apple or a rusty cracker
iioanng sevcrward, he pounces
upon the prize as a halcyon Avould
oive for herring.
He holds no con Averse Avith his
iioAv-man. and the nearest an-
"1 . T .
proach to sociability apparent in
him is a certain predilection Avhich
lie has for Avatching the movements
and flight of house-flies. He takes
his chances in his daily food-fishing
journey, and has no regular thing
to depend on. If he is successful
in finding a morsel, all is Avell; if
not, it seemingly makes no differ
ence, for his imperturbable equa
nimity is never disturbed. He will
not eat a regular meal or touch
food that is offered him; and noth
ing but food will he take from out
the gutters.
This strange and unique creature
has shuffled along our. pavements
day after day for nine years, his
read name unknown. If a question
is asked him he gives the speaker
a hasty half vacant, half inquisitive
look, but pauses not an instant.
Place yourself immediately in his
path a dozen times, and like a per
sistent bug he Avill turn out and
continue his peregrinations. Not
even is his place of abode knoAvn.
Those Avho have attempted to trace
him to his lodgings generally lose
sight of him in the sand hills near
the mission. "When lie made his
first appearance he was more civ
ilized, and inhabited a brush hut in
what Avasthcn a wild spot onTay
lor,betAveen California and Sacra
mento streets. Now he is thought
to burrow in the sand, or to sleep
in the cemeteries that border the
western portion of the city.
The Ncav England Homestead
says: "The man avIio has ten acres
in cranberries, Avell ditched and
Avatered and in good order, has a
fortune Avhich Avould require a very
round sum to represent as his cap
ital, for his annual income, under
ordinary circumstances would re
quire the capital of a small bank in
order to yield such an amount of
interest. There are still such lands
to be had. The expense of prepar
ing them Avill be more than met
by the first full crop, and after that
the yield is usually more than one
hundred per cent on the iiiA'est
meut. A
I) isg ust ed 13 o y. "Mam-
ma : said a precious little ooy,
Vvdio, against his will, Avas made to
rock the cradle of his baby brother:
"if the Lord has any more babies
to give aAva don't voutake 'em."
aBBHtMBeaomsr
TJic IVIId Horse of tiie Plains.
From the Willamette Farmer.
Our readers Avill no doubt peruse
with interest the folIoAving sketch
of the horse in his primitive state,
from a correspondent avIio has trav
eled through the uninhabited parts
of Texas and the adjacent territo
ries :
" The day before Ave came in"
aucav of the Rocky Mountains,"" I
saw, in the greatest perfection, that
impressive and, to me, almost sub
lime spectacle, an immense droe
of wild horses, for a long time ho
vering round our path across the
prairie. I had often seen great
numbers of them before, mixed
av it I i o t h e r a h i m al s,a ppa re n 1 1 y q u i e t
ami grazing like the rest. Here
there" Avcre thousands, unmixed
unemployed ; their motions, if such
a comparison might be alloAved,as
darting and as Avild as those of
humming-birds on the flowers.
The tremendous snort Avith Avhich
the front columns of the phalanx
made known their approach to us
seemed to be their Avild and ener
getic Avay of expressing their pity
and disdain for the servile lot of
our horses, of which they appeared
to betaking a, survey. TheyAvere
of all colors, mixed, spotted, and
diversified Avjth every hue, from
t tie brightest Avhite
to
clear
ami
shining black; of every form and
structure, from the long and slen
der race to those of firmer limbs
and heavier mould ; and of all ages,
from the curveting colt to the range
of the patriarchal steeds, drawn up
in a line, and holding up thcirhigh
heads for a survey of us in the rear.
Sometimes they curved their necks,
and made no more progress than
just enough to keep pace Avith our
advance. Then there was a kind
of slow - and Avalking minuet, in
Avhich they performed A arious evo
lutions Avith the precisions of the
figures of a country-dance. Then
a rapid movement shifted the front
to the rear. But still, in till their
evolutions aud movements like the
flight of sea foAvls, their lines were
CD
regular and free from all indica
tions of confusion. At times a
spontaneous and sudden moA'ement
towards us almost inspired the ap
prehension of a united attack upon
us. After a moment's advance-, a
short and retrograde movement
seemed to tcsify their proud esti
mate of their Avild independence.
The infinite variety of their rapid
movements, their tamperings, man
euvers Avcre of such a Avild and al
most terrific character, that it re
quired but a moderate stretch of
fancy to suppose them the genii of
these grassy plains. At one period,
they Avere formed, for an immense
depth, in front of us. A Avheel ex
ecuted almost Avith the rapidity of
thought presented them hovering
on our flanks. Then again, the
cloud of dust that enveloped their
moA'cmonts cleared away, and pre
sented them in our rear. They
evidently operated as a great an
noyance to the horses and mules
of our cavalcade. The frightened
movements, the increased indica
tions of fatigucjsufficiently evinced,
Avith their frequent neighings, Avhat
unpleasent neighbors they consid- i
ered their Avild compatriots to be.
So much did our horses appear to
suffer from fatigue and terror, in
consequence of their A'ivacity, that
we Avere thinking of some way in
Avhich to drive them, off, Avhen, of a
sudden,a patient and laborious don
key of the establishment, that ap
peared to have regarded all their
movements Avith philosophic indif
ference, pricked up his long ears, j
and gave a loud and most sonorous
bray from his vocal shell. Instant
ly this prodigous multitude, and
there Ave re thousands of them, took
Avhat the Spaniards called the
"stampado." With a trampling
like the noise of thunder, or still
more like that of an earthquake, a
nise that Avas absolutely appal
ling, they took to their heels, and
were all in a few moments itiA'isi
ble, in the verdant depths of the
plains, and Ave saAv them no more."
- -O- 5-
A good story comes from
Rome. In preparation for the
oecumenical Council the Pope or
dered from his architect certain
emboli shment, the plan of Avhich
was brought for his inspection by
that gentleman's little bo v.
Charmed by the plan, the Pope
opened a drawer full of gold, and
said to the child: " Take a handful
of coin as a reward for the beauty
of your father's work." "Holy
Father," replied the child, "take it
out for me; your, hand is bigger
than mine." Pius IX couldnot
help smiling, and obeyed the child.
Why is a colt like an egg?
Because it ii not fit for iif.e untifit
is broken.
1
Tlic Unseen. Rivers of the West
From the S. F, Times.
Since the first exploration of Fre
mont and his coadjutors among tho
peaks and canyons of the Rockv
vuiuaiu system, me uooics ot
travelers in that region teem Avith
accounts of paradoxes that set tno
ordinary courses of nninw
ance. f
the
se there arc almost
numberless
different classes, but
two or three will serve for illustra
tion. Large rivers, they tell us,
after flowing hundreds of miles,
and receiving the.water of a large
tributary system, suddenly disapr
pear, vanish from sight, and give
no clue to their exit. In somes
cases the mouth of a stream seems
to be at or iiear its middle, the cur- .
rents rlovring both av ays till they
meet and disappear. , Salt Lake,
with' all the Avaters it receives,
ncA'cr rises a single inch nor loses a "
drop of water through any visible
outlet.
Again, the traA'cler, standing
upon some of the immense masses
of rock among the hills, fCcls a tre
mendous quivering motion, as
though some Titanic Kail way train
thundered along "beneath the
surraee. xnrougii lissures in tnu
cliffs strange currents of an
roar
and whisper, and from far Avithin
there comes the faint murmur as
of a mighty or-an. From Fremont
to Dixon, travelers have been con
tent to rejveat the phrases of their
Indian guides and call these phe
nomena simply
"trembling rock
'bloAvijig caves
ft
and " lost riv-
ers." ii tiny nave uareo to theo
rize, they have feared to write what
they have dreamed.
There is at last, hoAvevcr, a book
in the press which boldly faces the
mystery. The Avriter is 3(r. ( ieorgo
Catih,vho for many years dwelt
among tho Indians of the West,
and Avhose portraits of otcd lied.
Men form the principal record by
which that race will be remem
bered. Mr. Catlin boldly announces his
theory that under the entire Moun-'
tain chain, from Alaska to the Car
ibbean Sea, there flows a vast sub
terranean river, Avhose tributaries
burrow beneath all the principal
and divergent ranges, and derive
their Avaters from the- constant'
melting of the ice and siioav of tho
mountain slopes, raid from the flow
of the " lost rivers" of the plains.
The "trembling rocks" are the roof
of some subterranean cataract,
Avhose spray rising through the fis
sures gives us the "steaming caves"
of the Rocky Mountain story.
Among the mountains of Oregon
the traveler finds a lake
shores are a sheer wall of
Avhose
granite
e
foot ever scaled its perpendieular
face, no human hand ever touched
its silent Avaters. Like a huge Avell
it sinks away into the earth like
the guarded door of a realm Avhiclt
human discovery can never pene
trate. May not this be a window
looking down upon the' submoii
tagne Amazon Avhich the Indian
painter has attempted to describe,
a single peep-hole down to the si
lent river Avhich Hoavs thence under
a thousand miles of mountain rock,
to mingle at last Avith the Avaters
of the tropic gulf?
Two. Avell known facts r-ec-m to
point strongly toward the truth of
Mr. Catlin's theory. A glance at
any map Avill show that the river
system of the Kocky Mountain
country is entirely inadequate to
carry off tho Avater Avhich the snow
and rain of that district would cre
ate. Secondly, the level of the
Carribbean sea, at the point Avhere
Mr. Catlin's theoretical river would
naturally pour out its submarine
efflux, is noticeable higher than the
open sea outsid e.
Whatever other facts may sus
tain or dispute thisncAV hrpoth.esis'i
t mi A
it is certain to open the ay ay to a
much more minute and intelligent
iiwestigation of the subject th?m it
has ever before received. The
study of the submontagne river
system and the Aztec monuments
of Mexico and California, should
make that corner of the Republic,
the chosen haunt of science and
discovery for a century to ...come,
-o -G-
The poisonous effects of color
ed socks have attracked attention
in Paris, and Dr. Tardieu has giv
en the question scientific investiga
tion. He found that the violet
color is produced by aniline, and
the red by eofaline The batten is
one of the most violent of irritat
ing poisons. Bv means . of hypa
derrnic injections he introduced
under the skin of dogs, rabbity
and frogs very minute portions
coraline. The results were. ,th.a.t
the animals died in from two to
four days. ;
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