ui
71
IJjjiir
UJJLLI
VOL. 4:.
NO; 3.
VHfM
The Weekly Enterprise.
A DEMOCRATIC PAPER,
FOB THE
DusinessWIan, the Farmer
And the FAMILY CIRCLE.
IUKIISHED EVERY SATURDAY
AT THE
OFFICE Corner of Fifth and Main streets
Oregou City, Oregon.
. o
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Half " C.r
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ROOK A ND JOB PRINTING.
Jfg- The Enterprise office id supplied wHh
beautiful, approved styles of type, -and mod
ern MACflLVE L'RKSSKfl. which will enable
the Proprietor to do Job Pouting at all times
Neat, Quick and Cheap !
flS Work solicited.
AH liuiinesx transactions upon a Specie baxi..
JiHlN'AIYER., Financial Agent.
Ji USIXESS CARDS.
JAGK & THAYER,
ATTORNEYS AT LAW.
OrFICL In Cree s IJiiiidiripr, corner of
Front and Stark streets, Portland. C2:t(
W. C. JOHNSON'.
F.
O. M'COWN.
Notary Public
JOHNSON & BTcCOVN,
Oregon. City, Oregon.
AT Will attend to all business entrusted to
o:ir care in any of the Courts of the State,
Collect money, Negotiate loans, sell real estat
etc. Particular attention ?ivcu to contested
Lund case.
Logan, Shattuck & Killin,
ATTORNEYS AT LAW,
IVo. 11K Front Street, Up S:uirs,
PORTLAND, ORE:-ON.
3. n. MiTcnELL. J. x. noi.nt. a. smith
Mitchell, .Dolph & Smith,
Altozneys and Counsellors at Law
Solicitors in Chancery, and Proc
tors in Admiral j .
7 Office oer t he old Pogt Ollice, Front
rreet; Portland, Oregon.
A. C, (iiCBS. C. V r.VIUM.irr,
Notary Public and 0n. oJ'JjtcJs.
GIBBS & PAItEJSH,
Attorneys and Counselors at Law,
Portland, ORF-borr.
. btFrCE-Oa Alder street, in Carter's
trick M.ck.
D
,M. McKEXXEY,
attoknet" at lAw,
oregon citt, okegox.
I
AXSIXG STOUT.
Attorney and Counsels at Law,
PORTLAND, OUKGON.
Offlce Under the United States District
t'niirt Hoom. Front street.
40tf
1 AW PAHTXERSniP;
ij ,
J AS. K.KELLY, .t. II. REED,
IU-.'idi-iKf, Colntiibia t Residence corner of
hft. 2d and 3d wis. Columbia and 7th f ts.
Jas. K. Kelly and J. II. liceJ; cttder the
firm name of
i KF.LLY iV R EED, .
'Vill practice lriv iti the Cotytfj of Oregon.
Oilioc on First street, near Aider, over the
!itw Post oftice room, Port.and. (iolf
1
riiEXE a. ciioxlX;
A TTOUXBY A T LA
Rooms
and 8 Carter's Block;
PORTLAND, ORECON.
4.
t. T. CAFLB.4. J. C. MOKELAND.
CAPLES & MORELANP,
ATTORNEYS AT LAW,
tir. FROST and WASHINGTON Sts.,
PORTLAND, OREGON.
J. WELCH,
DENTIST.
Permanently Located at Oregon City Oregon
ROOMS With Dr. SaiTarrdna, otl Main si.
W.11
W ATKINS, M. D ,
SURGEON. Porti.axo, Okkgc h.
OFFICE or, Front street Residence cor
net of Main and Seventh streets.
A. n. BELL.
K. A. I'AKKEK.
BELL & PARKER.
DRUGGISTS,
AXD DEALERS IV
Chemicals, Patent Medicines, Paints,
Perfumery, Oils, Vai-nisits,
And every article kept in a Drug Store. Main
Ptrect, Oregon City.
JOIinrsCHUAAL '
Manufacturer and Dealer in
SADDLES, IIARA'ESS,
elc.i etc..
Main St 'fit, Oregon City,
irS-Wishcs to represent that be i3 now as
prepared to furnish any article in his line
, V.'" ',ar"e-t establishment in the State. He
Particularly requests that an examination of
"tock be made before buying elsewhere.
F. S. 0STHEIM,
IMTORTER AND DEALER IX
Segars, Tobacco. Pipes, Stationery
CUTLERY, YANKEE NOTIONS, &c.
X.O. Pf! PftTtlnr r.C t?- 1 II- -.t :
o-
ton streets, fire proof brick store, called the
i' Corner, onnnsit Amcricnn Vv-ii
rnrt .,,,-1 rv ... 4
v.e-on.
37.3ni
DA It ST IT,
BY J. V. S.
Breathes there a man with soul so dead,
If he should tumble out of bed,
Who, never td himself has said,
Darn it!
Or wio, when shaving in morning cold,
gashed his chin with razor old
Who could those powerful words withhold,
Darn it?
When bowing to some lady gay,
His suspender buttons both gave wty,
Where is the man who would not say,
Darn it?
Or if, when dancing at a ball.
The boots he wore were mighty small,
Who would these two words let fall,
Darn it ?
Or when one's notes and bills are due,
And banks are hard and wont renew,
In these two words there's comfort true,
Daru it?
Or if a fellow with love is Fmitten.
And letters to his dove has written,
And after all should get the mitten.
Darn it ?
To all young ladies' We appeal,
If these three words are not genteel,
And if you've a hole in your stocking heel,
Darn it?
In
short, when
things
have
past
bearing,
All into threads one's r atience wearing,
These word are better, far. than swearing.
Darn it?
STATISTICS OF OREGON;'
BY A. J. DUFUR.
NO. 2.
COT.rJJilA COUXTV.
The following information rela
tive to the resources of Columbia
county, has been furnished the
Committee by 11. J. Stevenson,
Esq., a practical surveyor and civil
engineer, together with an outline
map of the most important locali
ties in 3Iarion, !k, Yamhill,
Washington, Clackamas, Multno
mah, Columbia, "Wasco and Uma
tilla counties, their connection with
the I'aciKo ocean -by the waters of
the AVillamette ami Columbia riv
ers; also, the feasibility of uniting
by railroad the most prominent
places in these counties with I'uget
Sound :
With a water line on the Colum
bia river, the entire length of its
northern boundary, a safe river
channel for navigation and har-
t
ors. a place 01 accommouatinir
Ocean steamers and
sauing
vessels
ot the larcrest size, this
county is
not only of importance to the far
mer lor its fertile soil, and adapta
tion to stock raising and dairying;
to the lumber-man, mechanic and
manufacturer, for its extensive for-
?ts of valuable timber, numerous
mill sites and water-power; to the
manufacturer of iron, for its rich
beds of coal and iron ore; though
now but thinly settled, is destined
to become ot importance at no uis-
Liint period, in a commercial point
of view.
Improved farming land of the
best quality, in favorable localities;
ciin be obtained at from eight to
ten dollars per acre, with unim
proved at four; There are about
two hundred and twenty thousand
(220,000) acres of unimproved up
land, principally covered with a
heavy growth of excellent timber,
mostly yellow fin Also about
eighty thousand (S0;000) acres of
bottom land along the Willamette
and Columbia rivers: a large por
tion of which is subject to periodi
cal overflows, from the first of June
to the middle of July; 15ut dur
ing the rest of the year, it is cov
ered with a luxuriant growth of
very nutritious grassy yielding from
two to three tons ot nay 10 me
acre, furnishing an almost inex
haustible supply of pasturage for
stock raising and dairy purposes:
The higher jrortioii of this bottom
land, known as hardback ridges,
seldom overflows, being an alluvial
deposit Of vegetable mould; is of
almost m exhaustible tertility, ami
when cultivated produces all kinds
of grain in perfection, and -appears
to bo especially adapted to the cul
tivation of roots and garden vege
tables. Dairy productions always com
mand a ready sale in this locality,
at remunerative prices: The ex
perienced dairyman arid stock
grower, with ordinary economy
and industry, cfm in a few years
place himself in independent cir
cumstances, with a comfortable
home.
Apples, pears, peaches, plums,
cherries, quinces, grapes, and the
different varieties of small fruits,
do well when planted in favorable
localities; and ornamental slintVbt?
ry, with beautiful flower "gardens,
can be successfully cultivated, so
as to suit the most fastidious taste;
Good government land can be
obtained within a mile of naviga
ble water, atone dollar and twenty
five cents jer acre, currency; also,
State and school land at two dol
lars. The principal kinds of tim
ber arc lit, cedar, cottonwood, ash,
oak, maple, alder, -willow, given in
the order in which they predomi
nate. 11110 water is abundant for stock
and domestic purposes. There arc
also about forty natural mill sites
in this county, situated in the vi
cinity of the navigable waters of
the Columbia and Willamette riv
ers. A tract of land known to be
rich in iron ore exists in the vicin
ity of St. Helens.. A portion of
these iron lands are owned by cap
italists, who contemplate erecting
smelting works thereon as soon as
practicable.
An extensive coal vein has also
been discovered in the vicinity of
St, Helen.
Valuable springs exist in the
southern part of this county, from
one of which a superior article of
salt is being manufactured. 'There
are six saw and one grist mill in
this county. The steam mill at St.
Helen is one of the finest in the
State, being capable of cutting
40,000 feet of lumber per day.
There are excellent inducements
in this county for mechanics who
have a small amount of capital to
commence business with, and a
limited, number of tradesmen of all
kinds would find steady employ
ment. Several good schools are estab
lished in this county, with one
church (Methodist) atSt. Helen.
All kinds of produce sell at i'ei
mimerativc prices, St. Helen being
a good market, with a safe harbor,
where consignments can be made
to Portland, Victoria, San Fran
cisco, or any other market Cii the'
coast,
The climate is mild and temper
ate, without extreme cold in win
ter, or excessive heat in summer.
Snow seldom falls to remain on
the ground more than two or three
days at a time.
A few cases of ague occur peri
odically in the southern part of
the county, but the country is
generally healthy, and fever and
ague is not prevalent in any part
of' the State.
The inducements held out to
professional men arc not very llat
tering in this locality, although
good school teachers are well pat
ronised; 'but the great secret of
success in a new place like this, is
money judiciously invested, back
ed by muscle, vigorously applied,
to develop a country naturally
rich in agricultural, mechanical
and mineral resources.
Grain and seeds, of the different
varieties, can be obtained by the
immigrant in almost any "of the
settlements in this county at a
reasonable rates.
Agricultural implements, me
chanics' tools, provisions, groce
ries, clothing, hardware, books,
stationery, and, in fact, everything
necessary to commence life with
comfortably in a new country, can
be as readiljr obtained in this lo
cality, and at almost as cheap a
price, as in the older States.
The population of this county is
estimated at about 700, with an
assessed property valuation of
$108,000; 1100 acres under im
provement, and covers an area 0f
about 300j000 acres
The Lnlca (Missouri) Gazette has
ii fighting editor vlio wfite3 as
follows of some one who had sent
him an anonymous threatening let
ter: "In reply to the contempti
ble poltroon whei penned it, we
would say that we arc personally
responsible for every line iti the
Gazette, and arc on the streets of
Inka seven days in every w"cek$
during six of which we. are prepar
ed to kick or cowhide any low
born blackguard or vulgar vaga
bond who may feci a desire to in
sult or injure us."
The. editor of the Xew Haven
Lever lids evidently been poisoned
by kissing a girl with powder on
her face." He warns boys to be
ware, as "one touch of those lips
to that enameled cheek may result
in death." The young man can't
scare its in that way.
"
"You have iost . sonic of your
friends, I see,'' said a traveler tta
ne"io whom he had met on the
road. " Yes, massa." " Was it a
near or distant relative:,' Well,
party distant; 'bout thirty-four
miles;" .
First and Last of a Desperado.
, Mtaippi, with its flat lands, its
sluggish streams, its great shallow
lakes and bayous, is not in its
scenery suggestive to romance or
poetry. A; few ragged bluffs ex
hibit its upland it has no cloud
capped mountains, no running cat
aracts, no shadowy glen p.
But Mississippi lias dark eyed
sylphs, formed for love, and love
alone men too, whose veins run
wild with blood as . hot as lava's
flood which overruns the red vol
cano's crest.
In 1848 a young man stood" on
the piazza of his father's -almost
princely mansion near NatcheX,
engaged in an earnest discussion
with that father, the wealthiest of
the planters in that .country. The
young man M as, in shape and fea
ture, very handsome but ;when
excited, his dark eyes and frown
ing brow spoke out but too plainly
that he had a nature which would0
brook no control.
"Tom;" said thenlantcr in a low.
rf'Qnlntr tonr
" this marriage must
not, shall not,
my only son if you do rs I wish.
all my property will soon be yours,
and until it is you shall have all
the money you can use to purchase
life's enjoy mciits. Excepting this
one thing I have never denied von
anything. I say again ; you must
not think of marrying that girl !"
"Father, you speak plainly, posi
tively. Go on a little further and
tell me why I must not marryMary
Proscott !"
And the young man spoke quite
as low as his father, while his face
wore a look of set determination.
"First, because I say it shall not
be !"
" Well, father, go on ; I wait for
your secondly."
" She is as poor as a church
mouse, and has only blood to be
proiuof!"
" AN' ell, sir; have you a thirdly ?
If so, let me hear that,before I give
yoU my first, but final answer!"
" Yes,- thirdly: years .ago her fa
ther crossed my path : we quarrel
eel ; lie got the better of me, and I
swore I never would forgive him
.and I never.will. His! blood lfever
mingled in friendship with mine !"
" Is- that your lastly, father V"
" Yes, Tom, it is; and now obey
-I T.l --I
my wishes, ami there is no wish,
but that one, on earth, that I can
accede to, which will not be grant
ed to you !"
" Thank you, sir; for your liber
ality in that respect, but that one
wish is the only thing on earth that
I happen to desire. Where a man
truly loves, he has but one thought,
one hope, one desire."
"A man! You are but a boy,
yet !
" Father ! At my age 3011 mar
ried !"
" Yes; and pleased my father;
while I doubled the estate yon will
own if you obey me!"
"Then I shall never own it. I
am engaged to marry Alary Pres
cotf, and I will keep the engage
ment." "I doubt it ; Mr. Tom Williams,
I doubt it. In the first place, my
sister will never 1 e allowed by her
father to beg a place in a rich man's
family ; in the next, my father hates
yours too much to ever forget the
past- or see his blood mingle with
yours !"
It was a young man, rather
coarsely dressed, but fine looking
in person, who spoke.
Tom Williamson an instant rec
ognized the brother of her whom
he loved so well.
"I will not debate the matter
with you ; Mary and myself will
do as we please!" he said bit
terly; as he turned to enter the
house.
"Try to sec her again, and see
who will stand in your path !" cried
poung Prescott, and he turned the
horse on which he had ridden up
the lane and galloped away;
" Now, I hope sir, you arc satis
fied; To be rebuffed and scorned
by her family ought to be enough
to rouse your pride at last !"
"It is, sir; It makes me proud
to" feel that I have enough strength
of mind, and, enough courage too,
to marry the girl I love in spite of
all opposition ! I did not intend
to hurry the matter quite so fast,
but now I will make Mary Prescott
my wife, before to-morrow's sun
goes down, or the devil will have
a mortgage 011 my soul !"
These last words were uttered as
the young man passed in, and the
father was -left standing alone onthe
piazza.
" He will not dare to persist in
this disobedience?", soliloquized
the old man. "The thought of dis-
inheritance will check him in time,
- -1- 7 -i-
Another day it lovely day, and
& lovely scene. -
A cottage under tho broad
spreading limbs of a live oak, a
cottage almost covered with red
honey-suckles, and white climbing
roses. And standing in the door
way of this cottage, a tall slender
girl, with eyes of that soft, dreamy
hazel, which at times seems black
ball hanging in jetty curls over
shoulders as graceful as a sculpt or
could iisk for a model.
This was Mary Prescott, and
holding a note from Thomas Wil
Hams against her throbbing breast
while her sweet eyes looked anxi
ously clown a lime tree avaonue, she
murmured: "Will he come; -oh,
will lie come r 7
" He had better not' said a stern
Voice close to her ear. , .
It was her brother who spoke.
"" Oh Jesse, you surely would
not interfere with our love?" slid
said, beseechingly.
"I have already interfered,
Alary. II is cursed old father said
you were a beggar, and I told him
and his son you would not beg
your way into their family. And
more than that, T told Tom , Wil
liams not to come here, or he vrould
find something in his way !" .0
- " Oh, Jesse, how could you, but
see, he is coming. Xow, dear
brother, do go away. I want to
see Tom, and see him alone !"
" You shall not, Mary ! That is
as good as sworn to."
" Oh, Jesse, you loved your poor
sister once." And Mary's hot
tears fell fast.
lie made no reply, but watched
Thomas Williams, as the young
man hurried forward to meet her
who was all to him.
"Stop -where you
are !" cried
, esse
T
Prescott. when Williams was
within ten or twelve
told you if you came
paces. " l
you AVOllld
r r w
find snmn 0110 ?n vorv -fiv
And he drew a derringer pistol,
cocked and raised it.
"There is but one will on earth
for me to obe y !" sa'd Williams,
till moving forward.
"Then I'll be the will to stop
you !" cried young Prescott, his
eyes sighting along the barrel
which now laid leVel with the heart
of Williams.
"Brother, brother I" screamed
Alary Prescott, as she sprang di
rectly in front of him.
A report a low scream a gasp
ing moan, and poor Alary Pres
cott's love and life were iced in
death.
Thomas .Williams for an in
stant stood as if he had been struck
with sudden paralysis. Then with
a howl of agony he sprang forward
and hurried - a knife hilt deep in
the heart of Jesse Prescott:
From that hour he was never', by
father or friends, seeii iff Mississip
pi.
But
4;
In Texas, 'then in
Xew Mexico, and in '49 and '50 in
California, a stiangely desperate
man, who called himself Tom Wil
liams, made himself dreaded and
feared by his reckless ferocity', al
most inhuman thirst for blood, a
carelessness of peril which amount
ed to utter madness.
Every where this man's track
was marked with blood.
A dead shot, he avoided no
quarrels, but continually sought
them, and he never failed to bring
down his victim when his hand
was raised against him. Men fear
ed and 'avoided him, until with a
sneer ho made it a common remark
that all the brave men weredead ;
or, to use his phrase ; wiped out !
One .night, after two or three
years of wild life, he entered a min
ing camp on or near the Yuba, then
known as Natchez. He was morose
and ugly' as usual, ready to quarrel
with any and every one, and fixing
his eyes on a young man named
Jack Moore, used a grossly insult
sng epithet.
The young man turned tpale
deadly pale, but it was not the pal
lor of cowardice.
" Tom Williams," said he, " I
stck 110 quarrel; I do not wish to
be what you are, a blood stained
murderer?, but unsay those words,
or1 you '11 repent .having spoken
them !" .
" Bah, you rtre cowardly like the
rest !" cried Williams. . .
The next instant, his face cover
ed with blood, he fell to the floor.
Moore had taken up a two pound
weighty and hurled it with unerring
aim at his head. ,
"Leave- Jack, leave !" cried the
alarmed inmates of the store; "He
will kill you Avheii he comes to I" .
" I will not leave ; I did not seek
the quarrel; I will not fly from it,
nor him."
1 I 1 L V
" I will take back One thing, you
rlro lio coward !" cried Tom. as he
joshed the blinding blood away
from his' eyes. "But look here,
Jack Atoore, heel youtseif ! (a Cali
fornia phrase for arm yourself,) the
world isn't big enough for both of
us ! Either you or I go under in the
morning ! Look out for mey then !"
t All right !" said young -Moore,
quietly, as tho dreaded desperado
staggered away.
In vain friends tried to persuade
Moore to avoid the encounter, that
they believed would be fatal to him.
Every effort was made to get him
to leave. He would not go. But,
arming himself, when the next days
sun rose, he went to the same store
where the,, difficulty had occurred
the night before. .. ,
. A few minutes later, Tom Wil
, liams, ready for the fray, entered
tiie door. Every one, but a kind
hearted old man, rushed outside to
get out of the way. He, reckless
of his own peril, stayed to try to
keep the men apart.
'Are you ready to die, Jack ?"
cried Tom Williams, as he drew
his vr capo it; .
" No, but I'm ready to put nh
end to your killing folks," replied
Moore drawing his ..Weapon.
The old man rushed up to Moore
and threw his arms around him
just as Williams fired the first shot.
NVith a groan of horror, he sprang
back, for the hot blood spurted out
all over his face from a wound re
ceived by Moore. Williams had
shot the latter through the neck.
But the young man did not fall
shot after shot passed between
the combatants, until suddenly
Williams dropped his pistol hand.
4rve got it, Jack!" he cried.
" You've killed the best and the
worst man in all California. Mary,
I'm coming at last !"
Those were the last words of
"Tom Williams, the Desperado."
Moore had shot him through the
heart. Though fearfully wounded
himself, the young man lived, and
is now Jiving in luiia county,
where this incident will be well re
membered.
Tattlers.
An exciiange say s it is requested
to publish the following:
Every community is cursed with
a class of people who make it their
concern to attend to everyr body's
business but their own. Ihese
people are the meanest, lowest,
and vilest specimens ot humanity
which providence permits to live.
It is known that a large class of
persons arc disposed to speak ill of
others, and tattling is a sin lroni
which few can claim to be entirely
exempt; but there is a distinct class
of tattlers whose chief aim is to
make talc bearing the constant
pursuit of their lives. They pry
into the private affairs of c very
family iii the neighborhood. They
know the exact state of a neigh
bor's feelings towards another's.
They understand every body's
faults; no. blunder or impropriety
escapes their vigilant watchfulness
They are particularly posted on eve
rything connected with courtship
and matrimony; know who are to
marry and. can guess the exact
time when it is to take place.
They watch every movement of
parties suspected of matrimonial
intentions, and if there is the slight
est chance to create disturbance,
they take immediate advantage of
it. They try to excite jealousy if
possible, and break up the match,
and do all in their power to keep
up a constant quarrel, they go
from gentleman to lady; from
mother to daughter, from father to
son,- and in the ears of all thev
pour black and bitter whispers of
slander and abuse, and at the. same
time pretend to be the most sincere
friend of those to whom they are
talking. Their black and nauseous
pills of slander are coated with
smiles and profession of love.
Tattlers are confined to no par
ticular, class of society, they be
long to all classes and operate in
all. We find them among the
rich and among the poor, and "up
per ten" and the "'lower, million,"
in the church and out of it. They
are" people who have no higher
ambition than td be well informed
in regard to other people's business,
to retail scandal to neighbors, and
exult in the fiendish triumphs over
the bruised heart find wounded
feelings of a victim
-o- -
A "Western steamboat captain,
importuned byr a, life insurance so
licitor, settled matters by; remark
ing: " Look here, my friend, I
never bet on any gam where I've
got to die to beat
it.
A man telling about a wonder
ful parrott hanging in a cage from
the window of a house; which he
had often . passed, said: " It cries
thief!' so naturlcy that every
time I hear it I always stop!"
A h STlt AI.I A N KAY1VKS.
The view on tho Murray repre
sents a large reed-bed near Lakd
Moira, with a native in the dis-'
tance, paddling a canoe, two oth
eis in tho fore-ground; It is a fa
vorite place for fishing for the Mur
ray cod, Avhich, here attains, an
immense size. , The black woman
in the feed-bed is hunting for eggs,
of roots 6f the reed; and her lord
is swiiilriiirig across the river to
aid her Hi her occupation, , -
lhc Alurray reed ,is a useful as
.0 : - t
well
as, ornamental., proauciion.
The stalk ivii-pm eight to ten feet
high," and jointed like the bamboo:
when dry . it becomes hard and"
tough; and th'e natives easily cor-"
vert it into thc.spcr so formidable
iri war: The head of the reed is
like that 6f the bulrush in appear-.
ance, but larger; and consisting of
a soft, downy fibre; which makes
admirable stuffing fbr beds and
couches. In fact this fine down of
the Murray reed. is considered by
many people to be far superior to
feathers for stuffing purposes, and.
is sold in Melbourne. The roots"
are about the thickness of a man's
wrist, but long and stringy. They
contain a farinaceous substance
which is largely used by the na
tives as food, and very nutritious"
and pleasant food it is, both look-1"
ing and tasting like arrowroot.
Pigs which have access to a rccd
bed soon, get fat upon these roots..
The native name for the root of
the Murray reed is Cnm-p.in-gie; it
is highly prized by the black fel
lows, who eat it either raw or
roasted. . There are immense quan-"
tities of these reeds spread over,
the Murray Valley, thousands of
acres in some places. As-might"
be expected, the reed-beds are in
fested with snakes
The Cod is a noble fish, highly
prized by the Australians, Some-'
times , you may get one large
enough to weigh from sevenny to
eighty pounds; but fish of such a
tdzc are exceptional, and not sc"
good eating as those weighing
fourteen pounds... The flesh isr
white; firm, of a delicate flavor,
and when properly cooked, is prer"
ferred by some to salmon. With'5
the black fellows, of course, it is av
prime favorite. They catch the
fish by spearing them in the watery
by netting, or by a hooked linef
when they can get one; Occasion-,
ally they liave capital chances ot
supplying their camp with abund
ance, for weeks together;
The banks of the Murray abound
in lagoons, which, being formed
by the ovefflow of the fiver, get
shallow on the subsidence of the'
flood. When the shallowing pro-'
cefs commences,' the black fellow tr
make a dam with stakes wherever
there is an outpour frOrn the la
goon. By this means they pre
vent the return of the fish to tho'
river, and catch them as they
like. , . .
The Murray tribe used to' "be d
very nerce one. .voout niteeit
years ago they numbered as many
as a thousand, m'efi; hilt it is ques
tionable if a hundred are left now
The vices and diseases of the white.'
man have killed the blacks OfTfast
er than they used to kill One an
other. Whenever you see theni
they are crowding about the public
houses for spirits. They fish anti
hunt; make baskets and opossum!
rugs, and sell their produce to the
whites and drink it;
The men arq rarely: in itifcif' e thafi
a jumper or shirt, often vilely dir
ty or an old smoky blanket, fast
ened over the chest with a.wooddri
peg: The women wear the blan
ket, 6f often in very hot weatridfj
an opossum-skiu rug; but when not
whites are hear, they freely dis
pense with both;
Fancy woods bV many Doautirul
hinds abound on the Murray. The
sweetly-scented my all is well-
known; -but there is another de
scription known by the blacks arf
nclia-j not at all inferior in perfume.
Both woods arc valuable, ffOfrt
their color and texture, for caHrrefc
work j
There are also the figfttwood, a
beautiful description of cabinet
timber, and the mallee oak, a dark
timber of g-reat hardness, and so
straight in grain that a six-foot
slab could be split into pieces fT
the thinness of luciier match.es yet
so solid that a sharp axe or eross
cut saw is blunted in cutting down
a tree not more than two feet in
diameter at the butt, .
Then there are the gums and the
pines and numerous other kinds
of timber, w hich are not only lux
uriant in growth, bnt capable
of being utilized in a variety of
ways. T I a cerhj Magazin c.
Tho sham-rocks mostly worn iiv
1 hats now-a-days are bricks.
t
jr.