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■;3QKE TO THE RALEIGH’S MEN.
I ,H)1 \T tIKIJiLEV'S VISIT TO
mi: famous warship.
...,| l il"li’ii Tli-m I lion Their H.*-
Work at Manila—Aoureil
"1 n "a l '"* !,nil Generous
H , | ; -.iiiir Home—Salute Fired as
|he Presidential Party Went on
■ , | ,,. ir ,|_M.n Gave Three Cheers for
■ ||lt . president ami Secretary I.oiir,
H ij.hia, April 28.—President XlcKin
■ , i)is party left the Hotel Bellevue
■ , , ne r 10 o'clock this morning for a
■ ul the cruiser Raleigh, which lies at
I , ~11 the Delaware river, oft the cen
, of ihe city.
r, e m arines stood at the guard rail on
deck. and the crew were ordered
0 m lh „ rail as President McKinley and
h; , party stepped aboard.
same moment the gunners began
f _ the national salute and the blue
. K ., _ doffed their hate. Accompanied
b . i -otrhlan, the President proceeded
r in of the cruiser, where he held
L formal reception. He was then es
f ... it,, [he lower deck, oil which the
*„ ~i. u re lined up for inspeclion. Capt.
toehlan introduced the men of tha snip
E. follows.
| , . | ~ -ident, these are the men of the
l . h Part of them are from the flag
-I‘, ■', niyiv.pia. They all served through-
I',’ the whole campaign.”
I The President's Remarks.
I \fter passing before them with bar
.Mr McKinley addressed the M.t
I T „to. -as follows:
I“.'.', coghlan and men of the Raleigh:
It gives me great pleasure to bid you we.-
I home and to congratulate you and
lu ;, one of you on the heroic part you
1..,.,1 m ihe great battle on the flrsi of
Cay at Manila, which was a most glori-
E,is’triumph of American arms and made
ft ~ w and glorious page in American hls-
I-d assure you that when I give you wei
loir... 1 am only speaking the hearts’ wel
of 75,010.000 American citizens, who
Jonor you all for your splendid services
E, votir country.
I II is feeling not only extends to your
Jr.at admiral, whom we all love and hon
-1 hut to fhe humblest member of the
■row ivho was in that great fleet at Ma
nia hay.
I I give you all a warm and generous
l-.- : ,ime. ond my thanks.”
Is, . re,ary of the Navy Long also made
ft short address.
ttave Three Cheers.
I A: the conclusion of Secretary Long's
Epeech the sailors gave three cheers for
Ihe President of the United States and
Ihree for the Secretary of the Navy.
I T President then shook hands with
fth. various officers of the cruiser, and
Ipoke a pleasant word to each. Then,
tph the li lies of the party, the President
liade a tour of inspection of the war-
Ihip.
I General handshaking concluded the vis
it, and the presidential party returned to
Ihe tug.
I The presidential party left for New
Cork in a special train over the Penn
sylvania Railroad at 2:35 o'clock p. in.
I CHEERS FOR THE PRESIDENT.
Itirge Crowd Was Waiting at the
Manhattan Hotel. *
I New York, April 28.—Cheers and the
Bi’uvivig of hats greeted President McKin
lay. Mrs. McKinley and their party when
|h'y reached the Manhattan Hotel at 5:30
I'flock to-night. Tfje demonstration took
place as the President stepped from his
lairiage. It came from a crowd that had
■icon waiting for nearly an hour to see
Bhe chief executive. A number of police
men guarded the entrance to the hotel and
fttept back the crowd.
I President McKinley remained in doors
10-mght. A large number of politicians
Ealled at the hotel, but only a compara
tively few intimate friends were admitted
o the President’s rooms.
I President McKinley expressed himself as
■nuen pleased with the news from Ihe
■ hiliieiines.
1 1 am very glad of the success of our
ft 1 " n.' 1 .-aid the President, “and am glad
kn .w that the prospects for peace are
Brightening. 1 heard from Gen. Otis Just
I” 1 "'as Stepping into my carriage at the
■ t l Heltevue to go to Capt. Coghlan's
• ■up 1 stopiied the carriage and imme-
P ueiy sent a message of congratulation to
■ a- troops. That message expresses my
■ timents, I think, in regard to the Phil-
I The President’s plans with regard to his
ft' 1 •’ in this city were not made public to-
Right.
I IT VV ILL START AT TOLEDO.
Slack Diamond Railroad Will Be
O,table Tracked All the Way.
T- 1-do, 0., April 28.—1 t is announced that
foiedo is to be the northern terminus of
v e Black Diamond system. The road is to
v built from Port Royal, S. C., and the
" :rc distance is to be double-tracked.
He s.'sttm is also to have a line of lake
it'-mi'rs at this end and an ocean line
I™ m Port Royal to Liverpool. The esti
n in made of the cost of construction is
'"KJ.IM' and there wifi be no bonds is
ihe entire capital being furnished by
B British syndicate.
I THE VM her has absconded.
f v iscokic Was Found f X,OO Short
in Hin AcconntN.
Kansas City. Mo„ April 28.—J. E. Wis
a.kie, city treasurer of Argentine. Kan.,
i üburb of Kansas City, Kan., has ab
’ ' 1 He is $16,900 short in his ac
[ 1 The City Council and Mayor
■ i ght authorized the issuing of
’ ■' "'ram for his arrest, charging em-
VViscokie leaves a wife and
; ’ "ii ■ n in Argentine. None of his
able to offer any explanation
>f ‘he defalcation,
I "Ravers out on a strike.
■ ——
I om l , a\ tiefnsed to Reinstate Dis
charged Employes.
'’■ H.. April 28.—The weavers of
"ho Manufacturing Company
' l io the factory gate to-day and
r '•* 'hat certain discharged em-
I ' " 1 "instated. Th.s being denied,
I . .. " " 1 ® 80 to work. Every de
"f the mill was closed. About
operatives are affected.
•‘IT TO PRACTICAL I'SE.
-■■Kllsli Lightship Saved by Wire
less Telegraphy,
' April 28—Wireless telegraphy
i put to practical use to-day. The
■minds lightship was struck by a !
v an<l he crew, utilizing the
; ‘•* r *Pbr appat at us. notified,
' and that their ahlp> was In a j
■’ Ution. Tugs were thereupon '
I to the assistance of the light-j
SALE BEGINS THIS MORNING
PHENOMENAL VALUES.
Notice Display in Broughton
Street Window.
PORTER SPEAKS IN ENGLAND.
Increasing Commercial Tics Bind
l* to Great Britain.
London, April 28.—Mr. Robert P. Porter,
who was the principal guest of the White
Friars' Club to-night, responding to a
toast, "The Anglo-Saxon Brotherhood,”
dwelt upon the ever-increasing commercial
ties binding the United States to Great
Britain, ties which, he said, would be “still
further improved by the fact that the tar
iffs for America's new dependencies would
be patterned after England’s ‘open door.’ ”
In the course of his remarks Mr. Porter
said that during his recent visit to Ger
many, he had tried to make it understood
that Germany could profit as well as Eng
land, by manufacturing American raw ma
terials. In this connection, he observed
that despite recent events, the United
States was in “close sympathy” with Ger
many.
WANTED TO PI'LL THE ROPE.
Negro Hanged in Presence of His
Victim nnd Her .Mother.
Dallas, Tex., April 28.—Tom Robinson,
colored, was hanged to-day at Hillsboro
for assault. He claimed to be Innocent.
The condemned man invited Mary Adams,
bis victim, and her moiher to be present
at the execution. Mrs. Adams attended
and wanted to "pull the rope.”
ANOTHER CRANK ARRESTED.
W ns Found Armed W illie Qneen Re
gent Wn* Ht the Theater.
Madrid, April 28.—While the Queen Re
gent was attending the performances at
the Comedia Theater this evening, a man,
armed with a revolver and a dagger was
arrested among the audience. He is be
lieved to be a lunatic.
Forming n New Trust Company.
New York, April 28.—John I. Waterbury,
president of the Manhattan Trust Com
pany; Henry W. Cannon, president of the
Chase National Bank, and C. Bulwer of
Cuyler, Morgan & Cos., are engaged in the
organization of anew trust company, to
have a capital of $1,000,000. it is to take
over many of the assets and a portion of
the business of the Equitable Mortgage
Company, which failed in 1893.
Anglo-R usslnit Agreement.
lajndon, April 29—The Berlin corre
spondent of the Morning Post says:
"The Anglo-Russian negotiations have
practically concluded an agreement aiming
to put an -end to the battles for railroads
and other concessions in China. The agree
ment recognizes Russia's sphere as the
north and Great Britain's as the Yangtse
valley.” _
McGovern YVon the Eight.
New York, April 28.—Terry McGovern of
Brooklyn was given the decision on points
over Joe Bernstein of New York in a
tweny-flve-round bout before the New
Broadway Athletic Club to-night. Mc-
Govern weighted in at 119 and Bernstein
at 124 pounds.
Fire at St. Francis, Kan.
Atwood, Kan., April 28.—The business
portion of St. Francis, county seat of
Cheyenne county, was destroyed by fire,
which broke out shortly after 1 o'clock this
morning. Fifteen bui.dings were destroy
ed. leaving only one business house stand
ing.
Trip of the Nashville.
Greenville, Miss., April 28.—The gunboat
Nashville left at noon to-day for Helena,
Ark The officers kept open house from 8
o’clock a. m. until noon. Thousands of
people went aboard and took a look at
the armament of the ship.
An American Woman and a Plnmher
From Harper's Magazine.
The English are a much less nervous,
more even-tempered, patient people than
we, and their work-folk give them plenty
of opportunity to practice these virtues.
The service in the large department stores
is like that at home—brisk, prompt, and
ready to meet-any want-but it Is very dif
ferent In the smaller shops. Wherever men
tinker, mend, make or trade in a small
way. they are maddening to deal with.
There is an American woman in London
who, after repealed disappointments, at
la"t got a plumber into her house to look
at a leaking pipe. She turned the key in the
door and pocketed It. "Now,” said she.
“I've got you here at last, and I mean to
have you do this work. You can send for
tools and help by one of my ntalds.*but
out of this house you don't go until this
pipe D repaired " It seems to me that the
cobblers and menders ot every sort are
always annoyed by a calf for their ser
vices They do not resent It: they are po
lite enough. But they adopt a troubled ex
pression of face, and put you off a day
or a week, and talk of being dreadfully
rushed, though you may have* come upon
them smoking and reading a ipe-r In the
doorway. It ,s that they arc siow and easy
going and dislike being hurried. But one
comes in time- Io be used Io their delays.
There even e-omes it time when an Ameri
can adapts himself Io the slow gait, long
stops and Infrequent trains of the London
underground, und can set out Into the
great world of itir metroitolls on a 'bus
with the *am- philosophy that a itattsenger
by a tailing-veafiti wu.ta upon wind and |
fide.
fHE MORNING NEWS, SATURDAY. APRIL 29, 1599.
POSITION GOMEZ HAS TAKEN.
AMERICAN CONTROL IS NECESSARY
FOR THE PRESENT.
lint He Continues to Fnror l Itlnmte
Independence—Some Paper* Dub
Him an Ally of the United States.
Saneti Spiritin' In n Deplorable
Condition—Bandits Getting In
Their Work—Santa Clara Province
Behind the Times.
Havana, April 28.—The attitude of Gen.
Maximo Gomez toward his “intervening
power,” as he calls the United States,
causes a lively controversy among politic
ians here and even among his friends.
LaDiscussion and El Reconcentrado treat
him as an ally of the United States, and
refer to him as "a traitor to the cause of
Cuban independence."
La Lucha and La Patria view him ns a
consistent leader of the Cuban people.
From time to time the copies of his pri
vate correspondence embodying allusions
to public business are supplied to the
press, and afford material for speculation
and argument regarding his real position
and purpose.
Gen Gomez's Position.
A member of his household has given
the following explanation of the position
of Gomez:
“Of course, Gen. Gomez continues o
favor, as he always has favored, ulti
mate independence, but he considers n
period of American control as a logical
preparation for that independence. There
fore he wishes to co-operate with the
Americans without reservation in disband
ing the troops and in quieting and recon
structing the country. He cannot tell how
long this period should be, but he would
probably have issued a statement, declar
ing his formal support of the American
provisional control, if the recent severe
attacks upon his views had not been
made.”
The report that Gen. Gomez is drawing
up a proposal for the organization of Cu
ban militia is not verified by him.
Gen. Brooke to-day issued a decree re
ducing the taxes on mortgages, deeds, be
quests and inheritances 50 per cent., and
in some instances to one-third the original
amount.
The Cobnn Army Rolls.
Gen. Gomez and the consulting commit
tee, or junta, of Cuban generals, are push
ing their inquiries in the work of verify
ing the Cuban rolls, and it is now believ
ed that the final list will not include more
than 28,000 names. The lists will probably
be ready before the arrival of Maj. Fran
cis S. Dodge, of the pay department, who
will disburse the $3,000,000.
La Lucha publishes a telegram from
Saneti Spiritus describing the conditions
there as most deplorable. The correspond
ent says the citizens can get neither food
nor work, and that thousands are apply
ing daily for assistance to the municipal
authorities.
La Lucha suggests paving the streets
of Saneti Spiritus as one way of provid
ing employment.
Work of the Bandits.
La Lucha publishes a dispatch from Hol
guin, province of Santiago de Cuba,
reporting that bandits yesterday
attacked the villages of Saro,
Hutia. Peregrinia, Canelon and Sa
ma, ail in the northern part of the prov
ince, and that another party of fifteen
attacked San Andres, about 25 miles
northwest of Holguin. The outlaws rob
bed the houses at each place, securing
principally groceries and clothing.
The' dispatch says that Cuban Gen. Sal
azar, with seven men pursued the bandits
and overtook them in the Vijaiu moun
tains where a hot fight ensued. The rob
bers were eventually driven from behind
the rocks and retreated, leaving one dead
—a negro—four hors-03 and several bundles
of plunder. The dead man was identified as
Domingo Martinez, a Jamaican who has
long resided near Holguin.
Gen. Wood, military governor of Santiago
department, wires the governor general
that the planters in the neighborhood of
Holguin have been conniving at the opera
tions of the bandits, in order that Ameri
can troops might be stationed on the plan
tations. Gen. Wood says the reports of
outrages are exaggerated.
Santa Clam Way Behind.
Advices from Santa Clara show that the
province is far behind Santiago or Puerto
Principe in the matter of administrative
reform.
Every oid Spanish office is sill] in ex
isience. Th* Cuban civil governor, Jose
Maria Gomez, is seemingly allowed inde
pendent sway, irrespective of the army.
He wears a gorgeous uniform and spends
his lime m showing It m public placets.
Gomez has had quarrels wdh the mayors
of several cities over the matter of ap
pointments to the rural and civil guards,
the mayors Insisting that they should t>e
permitted to make appointments to ine
civil guards.
tfanr-lt Bplrltus Is probably the worst
managed city of Its size in the world. With
a population of less than 10,mo, ,<too of
the Inhabitants are receiving government
gallons.
SNAKE SENT HIM lIY MAIL.
Mr. Sterry. W hom It Tried to Bite,
Thinks It May Ben Cold-Blooded
Asp.
From the New York Sun.
This is a snake story, which the man
who is most concerned regards as im
portant. On Monday afternoon a batch
of mail matter was brought to the office
of Weaver & Sterry. wholesale druggists,
at 79 Pine street. A clerk had taken It
from the firm's lock box at the posioffiee.
George E. Sterry, Jr., secretary of the
company, found addressed to him a pack
age about three inches long and about
three-fourths of an inch deep and wide.
It was wrapped in a sheet of white note
paper, and the address was written In a
faded dark ink in what appeared to be a
man's hand. A series of small pun.-ture-.
in the package looked as if they had
been made by a pin. Inside was a jewel
er’s pasteboard box with the name scrap
ed off.
When Mr. Sterry removed the cover a
brownish, thin snakP about six inches long
struck at his left rvrist. The snake land
ed fairly, but didn't bHe. Mr. Sterry jump
ed and let out a yell, and the snake drop
ped to the floor.
A half dozen clerks came in on the run.
“See that snake?” yelled Mr. Sterry.
“Step on him, somebody! He tried to bite
mo, and he's seared me almost to dentil.”
"Hold on there,” said one of the eierks,
hho wasn't afraid of snakes. "I’ll save
rim alive.”
Somebody brought a small pair of
wvezers and a bottle with a wide neck,
and after a number of attempts, which
thy snake resented by hissing and dart
ing out its tongue, the men succeeded in
picking up the snake by the tail and put
ting it in the bottle.
The next day Mr. Sterry took the snake
over in the bottle to William R. Hoyt, a
druggist, at 416 Bedford avenue. Williams
burg, a friend of his, who had had some
experience with snakes. The druggbt
looked the snake over and said he thought
it might be an asp.
“It looks as if it might have eome from
some foreign country,” he said. “I’m sure
I never saw any snake like it In this
country."
At this inspection, says Mr. Hoyt, the
snake began to show sings of anger, and
its flat head swelled into a hoodlike shape.
The men looked in an encyclopaedia and
came to the conclus'on that they prob
ably had an asp In the bottle.
"If any one meant to play a Joke on
me,” said Mr. Sterry yesterday, "that was
a pretty mean way to do it. If, as Mr.
Hoyt says, the snake is an asp and ven
omous, then the alTair Is pretty serious. T
can't imagine who In the world would
want to do me harm, anyway.”
Mr. Sterry had kepi the box and cover,
and he took them out to show them to
(he Sun reporter. It was then discovered
that what at first appeared to be “Pine
street" in the address on the wrapper was
really 'Time street." Mr. Sterry said he
couldn't recognize anything familiar in the
handwriting.
There were three postmarks on the cov
er. Two of them were undeciphcrabV,
but the third read: ”P. O. N. Y. 4-22-09-2
P.” The first two seemed to he stamps of
the general post office.
"I am going to try to trace the sender
of this,” said Mr. Sterry.
A Sun reporter saw the snake-at Mr.
Hoyt's drug store. The snake was about
six inches long, near a quarter of an inch
in diameter, with narrow brown trans
verse stripes on its hack, some of the
stripes being lighter in shade than the
others. The head was small, and the
sinake refused to shdw any signs or a
hood at the time.
DOCTORING IN GEORGE IPS TIME.
Directions Wlilch (tor Ancestors Fol
lowed to Keep In Health.
From a London Paper.
An old pocketbook has been found during
the demolition of some old buildings ad
joining the free library at High Wycombe,
which contains some highly interesting
notes as to the manner it, which our an
cestors were advised to “physlcjc" them
selves in the early years of the last cen
tury. *—
The book was issued under the name of
"Rider's British Merlin, adorned with
many delightful varieties and useful ve
rities,” and was "made and compiled for
his country's benefit” in 1735.
The “varieties and verities” include some
quaint ''notes of husbandry and phj’siek.'’
In January they were advised as fol
lows:
In this month ?et not Blood, nor use
Physick, unless necessity constrain thee.
It's huriful to fast long. To drink white
wine fasting is good. Use meats that are
moderately hot; for the best Physick Is
warm diet, warm clothes, and a merry,
honest Wife.
In February, “slimy fish,, milk and the
like, that do oppllate and stop the liver
mid veins, and thicken the blood, are to
be eschewed as enemies to health,”
In March) the reader is to "advise with
the honest and able asirological physician
ond letting blood Is "good.”
Physick is "seasonable” in April, and
also blood-letting; and it is good to ab
stain from wine, "for many diseases will
be taken thereby, to the ruin of many.”
The May admonitions nin thus:
Now every garden and hedge afTords
thee Food and physick. Rise early
walk the Fields by running Streams the
North and .West Sides, Sage, aud sweet
butter an excellent Breakfast. Abstain
from Meats that are hot In Nature and
salt in Quality.
In June "honest, moderate labor” ‘and
“thin and light diet" are prescribed; and
In July the prudent man will forbear su
perfluous drinking, but cat heartily U “e
cold herbs and meats; abstain from Phv-
Ikk.”
In August the afternoon siesta in con
"f° Iha * brings OppHatlons,
Headaches, Ague* and CaLarrhs ”
In November the "best Physick in good
Exercise and you are to “be gU re to
go dry of your fret." Finally in Decern
ber: '
Let'a warm Fire and a Cup of Nectar
be thy Bath; the Kitchen, ,hy Apothe
cary s Shop; hot Meats and Broth ihv
Physick; and a well spread Table Ihe
iroof of thy Charily to thy poor Neigh
bois. *
BABY' FALLS FORTY FEET.
Strikes on Her Feet nnd. Krtsrnlnz,
•Meets Her Mamma on the Stair-.
From the New York World.
Elinor, the beautiful 3-year-o!d daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. B. Abel of Westchester
avenue. Port Chester, was playing on the
fourth floor of her home yesterday after
noon. The windows had been thrown open
on account of the heal. A steam roller
being trundled up Irving avenue attracted
the child’s attention. She was not tall
enough to see over the sill, *o she climbed
on a box. Her weight forced open the
blinds and she dtsupiv ared.
Mr*. Abel saw her baby roii out of Ihe
window She rushoi downstairs, expect
ing to find her dead When she’ reached
the first floor she nut the child on her
way upstairs. The little one was cool and
unconcerned. The fnli of forty feel didn't
even make Iwr cry The family physician
found the child hadn't received a scratch.
Those who saw the accident say the
child darted through the air heaij first, hut
that Just before reaching the ground she
turned ami struck on her feet.
%Ev
S Te
V
No. 3 Broughton Street) West.
Jno. \A/. Parker, Manager.
GERMANY DOES NOT LIKE IT.
EVIUEKCK IN THE DBEYFIS CASE
BHINGS FORTH A NOTE.
German Government Threatens to
Oflielnlly rnblisli tlie Fact* —Eigh-
teen of the Judges of the Court of
Cassation Favor Revision, While
Fifteen Oppose It—Believed on the
Final Vote the Revisionists Wilt
Hove a Majority of Eight.
London. April 28.—Ernest Vizotelly, who
has hitherto shown that he is well-inform
ed on the subject treated, has an article
in the Westminster Gazette to-day, In
which he says the German government
has addressed an expostulatory note to the
French government regarding the Dreyfus
case.
This note was recently presented to M.
Deleasse, the French minister of foreign
"affairs, by Count von Munster, the Ger
man ambassador to France, and deals
with the proceedings before the Court of
Cassation as published In the Figaro, and
which the note says, surprised and pain
ed the German government.
The note, according to Mr. Vizolelly, in
timated that In certain eventualities. It
would be impossible for the German gov
ernment to refrain from officially publish
ing the facts, in Justice to Its own offi
cers, who have repeatediy solicited per
mission to speak. The note urged In forci
ble terms the desirability, In the interests
of both countries, to a speedy conclusion
of the present agitation.
The presentation of this note led M. Du
puy, the French prime minister, to bring
pressure to bear on the Court of Cassa
tion. which, however, by a majority of
three, decided to continue the proceedings
in its own way and hold a supplemental
inquiry, which is now virtually ended.
Mr. Vizotelly learns that eighteen of the
Judges of the Court of Cassation are in
favor of. and fifteen opposed lo the revis
ion of the Dreyfus case.
It is probable, Mr. Vizotelly adds, that
on a full vote of the judges of the united
Court of Cassation the revisionists will
have a majority of eight.
ESTER HAZY 1 * STATEMENT.
More of It Given In the Figaro** l*ul
llentlon*.
Paris, April 28—Th‘e Figaro continues
to-day its publication of the evidence of
fered by Esterhazy before the Court of
Cassation. The greater part of it is al
ready known. The witness reiterated h,s
statement that until July. 1898, he was pro
tected by the general start. He refused to
say anything regarding his relations with
Col. Handherr and the foreign agents or
regarding the authorship of the bordereau,
contending that the latter question had
already been settled by the courtmartial
and the tribunals. He denied that he had
admitted in the hearing of MaJ. Chinc h.lies
being the author of the bordereau.
CAIIINFT ro INVESTIGATE.
Want* to Know How the Flginro Got
f’nleolngue's Evidence.
Paris, April 28.—The cabinet council this
evening decided to open an Inveatigat.on
Into the way In which the Figaro obtained
the evidence offered by M. Paleoiougue,
one of the prommenl official* of the for
eign Office, in hi* aupp.cmental deposition
Before the united chambers of ihe Court
of Cassation where hut testimony appsr- I
sully establishes a nsw fulgsiy, •
At this store the
SUIT OR COAT IS
ALL WOOL.
At other stores the
Suit or Coat MAY
BE All Wool.
MEN’S SUITS at
$7.50, at $lO, at sl2,
at sls, at $lB, at s2o.'
FISHING WITH PICKAXES.
No Unit lleqnirrd In Centrnl Africa.
From the New Yolk Sun.
*'l have had some remarkable adventures
with big game in Africa,” said a returned
traveler, "but the experience which Im
pressed me most was a fishing trip. 1 had
on old college mate on one of the rivers
branching from the Niger, and hearing
that I was in the country, he sent some of
his people for me. A week luter I was
ot his plantation, in the very heart of the
game region. One evening my host said
to me:
“ ’John, the larder Is pretty iow. How
would you like a day's fishing?'
“ 'Nothing better,' I replied. 'lt's a long
time since I’ve whipped a stream with a
rod.’
“ 'Oh,' said ray friend, 'we don't use
rods here, especially at this time of the
year. There are the too.s,' and he point
ed to a number of the natives armed with
picks and shovels. i
“I said nothing, as I supposed It Cvas n
Joke, and Joined the procession that wound
away through the woods. It was a won
derful country, splendid forests, with
trees centuries old, so thick and inter
woven with vines that you would think
night had eomo on, then suddenly you
came out into a little glade, an oasis
among ihe trees, with tall grass, where
the gorl.ia was said to sun himself, and
which so reminded me of the Indian tiger
country that I did not feel happy as long
as we were In It. But nothing was seen,
and finally we came to an open country,
covered here and there with low brush,
and the men hulled on the edge of a pe
culiar and Irregular saucer-ilke depres
sion about 100 yards across. It looked like
the dry bed of a lake, and such it was,
an odd place to go fishing, hut It was the
place selected by my friend, and present
ly the men were hard at work with pick
and shovel.
"The earth was- baked very dry, and the
dust flew in clouds. Finally one of the
men gave a shout and threw something
out that he had struck about two feet
down. It looked like a brick will! the
edges worn off. My friend picked It up
and handed It to me, saying: 'There's the
first fish; It is yours as guest of the trip.'
I took it, and still thinking that I was
being fooled, dropped it Into my pocket.
But my friend insisted that I Investigate,
so with a stone I broke the brick-like ob
ject Into pieces, when out rolled a fisn
almost a foot long, alive and opening its
gills as though it had been awakened from
a t~n years’ sleep. The flsli had been
packed away in case as deftly as though
made by some skilled worker.. The inside
was as smooth as glass ond Ihe color of
mahogany, and, so far as I oouid see. air
tight; in this the fish had been hermetic
ally sealed.
"The men were now tossing out fish
every few minutes. Some of the cases
broke as they fell and the fishes soon
died In the hot sun, but In most cases
they were kept Intact and plied In a heap
until twenty or more had been found.
They lay at a depth of from one ,to two
and one-half feet, and It was not acci
dental. The fish, at the approach of the
dry season, left the surface and wriggled
its way down through the mud, then, by
the aid of Ihe mucus on its scales, formed
a smooth, hard case, in which It Jay until
the rain came again.
"These dry lakes I learned had been
the cause of reputed miracles. People had
been camping In them possibly when the
first rain came, and where an hour or two
before was earth baked to a brick-like
consistence, wan now a small pond alive ,
with fishes. The moment the water pene
trated to them the soil melted sway „ n d
the fishes worked their way up througu
ihe soft mud. When the nallves had dug
up enough fish we returned to camp, where
they were piled up like cordwood. When
one was required for the table the cook
simply put the case In water as he would
a potato, soaked out the fish, and them
It was. alive and ready for the hroller. The
fish was a long, eel-shaped creature, with
u head like a snake and four fins placed
ns though they were legs. It was .very
good to the taste, despite the fact that it
wus preserved fish.
EXCITEMENTS OF BALLOONING.
A Leap fur Life From n Hlglit of 1,10
Feet.
From the Youth's Companion.
Mr. Arthur Williams, a professional aer
onaut, and Mr. Sidney Darby, a Journal
ist, recently undertook to croee the Eng
lish channel from London to France. The
appointed day was stormy, but the Jour
nalist who, an it appears, had the expe
dition In charge, was persuaded thal this
would be no disadvantage, but rather the
contrary, as the wind would only serve
to hasten the passage. The men were pro
vided with carrier pigeons, provisions,
pneumatic blouses to aid them In swim
ming, In case they were precipitated into
the sea, and other appliances.
By the time they reached the neighbor
hood of Brighton, on the coast, the aero
nauts found that, on account of the c>n
densation of the gag, they could keep
themselves up only by throwing out bal
last; and they perceived that, at the rate
they were throwing it out, they had rot
enough to carry them across the channel.
At the same time, the balloon was blowing
very fast in the direction of the sea.
Nothing remained for them but to de
scend, by whatsoever means they could,
and at once. It was now almost dark.
Not a moment was to be lost. "We hava
got to go down the guide-rope,” said Wil
liams. He himself began the descent first,
letting himself down hand over hand, on
the whirling rope. Mr. Darby followed, an
closely as possible.
Mr. Williams reached the ground with
out serious injury, but as he let go and
fell, the thing haptiened which should have
been foreseen—the balloon, relieved of hla
weight, shot upward, carrying poor Dar
by with It. He let himself down to the
very end of the rope, but this was now
far above the earth. It was impossible
for him to climb up again into the bal
loon. and lo do so, even if it were possible,
would only postpone the Inevitable calam
ity.
Even now he could hear the washing
of the sea; he might at that moment be
above it. It was too dark to see anything
clearly. The balloon was still ascending.
He could hope to get no nearer to earth
than he was at that moment. With death
above and probably daath below, he had
but a poor choice. Nevertheless, he chose
to let go and fall, feeling that his best
chance lay in dropping to the earth while,
there might still be- the earth below him.
He let go and fell into the darkness.
He lost consciousness, and knew nothing
of what happened after that. Next day
he was found, alive but badly hurt, in a
marsh close by the sea. His pneumatic or
air-cushioned clothing had broken his
fall, and he had providentially dropped
in such a position that the water of the
tnarsh did not drown him. He was taken
to Brighton, and received medical care.
He could hardly have fallen from a
high! of less than one hundred and fifty
feet.
—Ahmed Ertendl. the former Turkish
ambassador In Berlin, when entertaining
company, was In the habit of distributing
sweets among the ladies present. On one
occasion he gave a certain lady two or
three 'lmcs as tnueh as the rest. Bhe,
vain -f her triumph, got an Interpreter to
inquire the reason ol hi* preference. "Be
cause her mouth Is twice as large as that
of the other ladies,' was the reply.—Tit-
Bits,
5