THE STORY-TELLER.

ON THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA. Continued. The sun was getting low, and we were on the point of returning, when there appeared a savage procession coining from inland towards the next cliff to the one on which we were. Judging that some Fetish worship or superstitious rites were about to take place, we concealed our selves behind a rock to watch the proceed ings.

On came this wild horde of savages, with much beating of drums and cymbals, howling and shouting, and other horribly discordant sounds. Their usually ugly faces were rendered ten times more hideous by a profusion of red and yellow paint, which was also daubed freely over their bodies. Thus as they came wildly dancing and leaping along, filling the air with their savage cries, they more re sembled a band of fiends than human beings. They were preceded by four men bearing a long wide plank ; this, on reach ing the edge of the cliff, they launched out nearly half its length and left balanced on the brink. The dreadful truth flashed across our minds, for this explained everything. They were about to offer a human sacrifice to their Fetish. We turned sick and faint as we thought of their horrible custom of making their victim walk to the end of the plank, which, overbalancing, precipi tates the miserable wretch with a shriek and a plunge into the sea, to be, whilst yet struggling, devoured by the swarming sharks. And yet we dared not move to turn away from this revolting spectacle. The victim is generally intoxicated with some poisonous decoction of drugs, and at the last moment, being completely stupe fied, voluntarily walks the plank. It would render the sacrifice infficacious were hands to be laid upon the victim to push him over. But in this case there seemed to be some difficulty. From the strug gling on the verge of the precipice it would seem that the miserable creature had refused to make a sacrifice of himself.

Perhaps the drugs had not done their work.

Presently we observed them goading the unfortunate being on to his destruc tion with the sharp points of long arrows. Up to this time we had been unable to catch sight of the victim ; but now, the crowd opening a little on our side, we saw him, and with one voice exclaimed, “ Good Heaven, it’s a European !” There in that savage crowd he stood bleeding, frantic with the pain of the stabs from the arrow-heads, wildly implor ing mercy, his cries drowned in theirs, and doing what he could to resist the fearful death that awaited him. One more instant and he would have been over. A steady aim, and with a sharp crack from my rifle a bullet went swinging through the air, and found its billet in the head of the chief, smashing his skull and laying him lifeless on the ground ; the doctor reserved his fire whilst I re loaded. For a moment they seemed to waver, perhaps totally bewildered ; and then, utterly terrified, took to their heels, and scampered away with all the speed of susperstitious fear. As soon as they were out of sight, we ran to their victim, whom they had en tirely forgotten in their headlong flight. He was sitting with his back towards us, gesticulating violently, and talking wildly and incoherently. His mind was evi dently gone, and he fancied himself already in the sea fighting with the sharks, for he was saying in a thick unnatural voice—

“Keep off, ye ghastly grey sharks— hungry fiends—why will ye glare so 1 Tear me not, ye triple-fanged demons, I never harmed ye. For heaven’s sake, spare me one moment. What a bitter draught that was ! Aha ! you change— you are black imps now. Curse ye, I fear ye not. Keep but but one white devil, that I myself made, away from me, and then I defy you all. Curse ye, I say.” He turned suddenly, and I found my self face to face with my long-sought adversary. It was no other than James Trail With erington. As his straining, blood-shot eyes met mine, they dilated fearfully—his whole form was convulsed with a frenzy of maniacal terror. He started back shriek ing— “’Tis he! ’tis he! This is the devil I feared! save me from him. Oh, save me.” and then in a lower tone, “Keep him off, good sharks; tell him not that I fired too soon, .because I thirsted for his blood. See, there he is, as I left him in the forest. Look at the blood, how it roars and rushes out of his mouth ! Blood ? blood 1 Ho ’tis not ; ’tis molten copper ! and,” shrieking again, “ see he bathes my heart in it ! he pours it down my throat! Mercy—mercy—spare me ! ” As he said this, he ran backwards towards the edge of the cliff. In vain we tried to warn him of his danger. The longer we approached him, the faster he ran backwards, screaming— “ Away—away ! keep back, ye fiends— keep back ! save me from him ! Back, I say, back —keep him off ! ” Thus shrieking, he stepped back over the precipice and disappeared. A dull, heavy splash told us that the shark infested waters had received him, and it was all over.

It turned out subsequently that Wither - ington, alias Miguel Antonio dos Santos, had been carrying on his nefarious policy of kidnapping, instead of fairly buying slaves, and in doing so had himself fallen into the hands of the natives. They were not slow to find out what to do with him. He would make as good a sacrifice to their cliety as one of their own men. Although we cheated the Fetish of his victim, we had not robbed Nemesis of hers. _ . On my return to England. I received a most affectionate letter from my uncle, consenting gto my marriage with his daughter, my pretty cousin, Kitty Heath cote 3 ; and | now, when my wife Kitty reads this, she will know the only secret that I ever kept from her—namely, why I went to the West Coast. CONCLUDED

Gold. —A Hokitika telegram says : Some six or seven shafts have bottomed on good payable gold at a new rush at the Forks, Okarito. The ground is about 400 ft. in breadth, and if others bottom who are sinking on the same line, it is thought that a considerable rush will shortly set in.

CHURNING.

Trouble in churning is frequently com plained of in winter. Much of the trouble is due to a neglect of the temperature, which cannot be told with any approach to accuracy except by using a thermometer. If the cream is brought into a warm room until the thermometer shows it to stand at 60°, we rarely find any difficulty. In old times the cream was thought to be bewitched, and as the power of a horse shoe to keep witches away is well known, it was used to drive witches from the churn. The horse-shoe was heated red hot and dropped into the cream in the churn. It drove the witches away when it brought the cream to the right tempera ture.

MIXED FARMING

Until our country is settled up, and the virgin fertility of the new soil is beginning to be exhausted, we cannot hope for that safe and solid foundation for our agricul ture which comes from mixed farming. When every farmer conies to that point when he knows that his land is the medium through which crude fertilising elements pass in becoming food-vege tables, fruits, grain, flesh —he will feel the importance of a variety of products—a rotation of crops—and the value of animals in the economy of the farm. As our country grows older from necessity, if for no other reason, farmers will be more thorough students of their profession.

SOME CORN IN ILLINOIS.

The corn crop of the single State of Illinois for the year 1879 is reported to be 305,813,377 bushels, and estimated to be worth 97,483,052, or about cents, per bushel. It is difficult for the mind to take in the full magnitude of these figures. Here are some calculations that will help the conception : Load this corn upon wagons, 40 bushels to the load, and start them off on the road so near together that there shall be 100 teams in every mile. The line of wagons carrying this one crop of Illinois corn would stretch away 76,453 miles, or more than three times around the world ! —Again : Load this crop upon railway freight cars, 2851- bushels or about 8 tons to the car, and make up these cars into a continuous freight train, allowing 30 feet of track to each car. The train would extend 6,080 miles, or nearly twice across the continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans ! —Again : Suppose we put this corn crop into a square bin 20 feet deep. Let the arithmetical young readers of the “American Agriculturist’ reckon how large this bin would be each way. Also, how many acres it would cover.—Also, how many pounds of pork it would make if given to pigs weighing 10s lbs. each when they begin feeding upon the corn, and 250 lbs. when killed for pork.

THE ASHBURTON HERALD

I Friday, April i 6, 1880,



Public Notice. NEW TAILORING ESTABLISH MENT. CRAIGHEAD & Co., MERCHANT TAILORS, HAVE opened those premises situated in Tancred street adjoining Messrs. Orr and Co ’s General Store. A SPLENDID ASSORTMENT OF TWEEDS, FANCY GOODS, &c., &c., JUST ARRIVED. Mr. Craighead’s experience as Head Cutter in connection with First Class Tailoring Establishments in Edinburgh and San Francisco has extended over a period of ten years, and from the immense success which has always attended his efforts to please, he is prepared to guarantee a perfect fit in every case. TANCRED STREET, (Next Orr and Co.’s. CRAIGHEAD & CO. 982 a



RUBBER STAMPS, RUBBER STAMPS, Made to order, any shape or size, and SUPPLIED AT REASONABLE PRICES, \,\f H-EKS O/ W OQ tel 'v BURTO^ tel o in Ashburton of these useful Rubber Stamps, for stamping paper, goods or linen. East Street —Near Railway Station— Ashburton. Conveyances. THE LONGBEACH COACH ! GEORGE WILLCOCKS respectfully acknowledges the liberal support which he has received during the short time his Coach has been running, and soiicits a continuance of the same. The fares by Willcocks’ coach are exactly 3d. per mile ordinary fares, and Ujd. per mile for Saturday return. They are as under— Longbeach to Ashburton, ordinary 65., return Bs. Waterton to Ashburton, 3s. Gd. ordi nary, Gs. return. Ashton to Ashburton, 3s. ordinary, ss. return. Wheatstone to Ashburton, 2s. Gd. ordinary, 4s. return. SINGLE FARE RETURN ON SATURDAYS. The coach leaves the Booking Office, Quill’s Commercial Hotel, each day at 3.15 j Post Office, 3.30. 292 g ECOOKSON, Wills Street, runs the . MAIL COACH from Ashburton Railway Station to Green Street, Alford Forest, and Mount Somers, every Tuesday and Friday, returning Wednesday and Saturday at 3 p.m.



Alfred Harrison. IMPORTANT SALE OF STOCK AND FARMING IMPLEMENTS. WEDNESDAY, 21st APRIL. At 12 o’clock. ALFRED HARRISON has received instructions from the owner (who is leaving the district) to sell BY PUBLIC AUCTION, At his Yards, on the above date, WITHOUT THE SLIGHTEST RESERVE, 1 bay Horse, Punch, syrs. 1 grey Horse, Prince, syrs. 1 black Mare, Flora, 3yrs. All first-class Heavy Draught Horses. 7 Cows, reared by the owner, and thoroughly good milkers ; all to calve about end of August. 1 Reaper and Binder, McCormick, new 1 Reaper, Samuelson, in good order 1 D.F. Plough, Reid and Gray 1 S.F. Plough, Blythe 1 S.F. Plough, Hornsby 2 Sets Harrows 1 Two-horse Power and Intermediate, complete 1 Chaff-Cutter, Bentall’s, 3-knife; Patent 1 Light Cart and Harness, Swingle trees, Plough and Leading Harness, Collars and Haimes, Horse Covers, Cheese Press and Dairy Utensils, Hurdles, Posts, Wire, and Sundries, too numerous to particularise. The Auctioneer would call special at tention to this sale, the Stock and Horses being well bred and in splendid condition the Implements, also, are in excellent order, and will be sold ABSOLUTELY WITHOUT RESERVE. Sale at 12 o’clock sharp. WEDNESDAY, 2ist APRIL. ALFRED HARRISON, 322 c Auctioneer. Business Notices. SATURDAY, MARCH 13. OPENING NEW STORE, East Street, Near Bullock, & Co’s. TAMES CLARK Begs to inform the Public of Ashbur ton and Surrounding Districts that he is commencing business as GENERAL STOREKEEPER, FRUIT ERER, BAKER, &c., And trusts by supplying good quality articles at moderate prices, to share public support. Note the Address — JAMES CLARK, PROSPECT BUILDINGS, East Street, Near Bullock & Co’s., Ashburton. 163 c M. NEALAS, . BOOT AND SHOEMAKER, AND IMPORTER, S CLEARING OUT the whole of his Present Stock at REDUCED PRICES, :xt to Taylor’s Bakery, where he has iened with a Large Stock of Boots of ery description. Note the address — M . NEALAS, EAST STREET, ASHBURTON. 219 C NEW PRINTING MACHINERY, FOR RINTING LADIES’ AND GENTLEMEN’S VISITING C A RDS FROM COPPER PLATE. °ffec(Cp IgfiiaxMj <sjcuxvM iJuMxv# muX gJuMistow# ASHBURTON. Specimens and prices on application at the EVENING HERALD AND GUARDIAN OFFICES, ASHBURTON.



Edmiston,& Gundry, Co. "tomorrow/ ONIONS, CHICK-WHEAT, FANCY GOODS, ETC. Messrs, edmiston, gundry, & CO. will sell at their rooms 50 Bags Onions, 20 Bags Wheat Cheese, Apples, Fancy Goods, etc. Sale at 1.30 p.m. EDMISTON, GUNDRY, & Co. 327 c Auctioneers. FOR SALE, BY PRIVATE TREATY. THE undersigned have for sale by Private Treaty, the following Pro perties : R.S. 28216, 7,8, 9, containing 686 acres, which will be sold in farms of 100 acres and upwards. This property is within 4 miles of Ashburton township, is very good land, and will be sold on very reasonable terms, viz, 10s. per acre cash and the balance at a low rate of interest on a term of years. 210 ACRES on Gould and Cameron’s run. This property is partly fenced with gorse fences. 128 ACRES at Chertsey, all securely fenced, and is at present sown with turnips. This property will be sold at a low price on easy terms. 125 ACRES at Greenstreet, securely fenced with live fences, and sub divided, and a permanent stream of water. 285 ACRES at Greenstreet, to be sold or let on a purchasing clause in one or more blocks. This is excellent land, and laid down in English grass, and well watered with creeks. This would make a capital farm, and will be sold on very liberal terms. 210 ACRES close to the township of Ashburton, with good dwell ing-house, stable, granary, &c. This property will be let for a term of years at a low rent. 500 ACRES at Orari, in one or more blocks.



150 ACRES at Tinvald. A capital farm, being all fenced and ready for cropping. There are three creeks running through this pro perty. 150 ACRES at Ashton. A well com pact farm, together with house, stables, &c. Price very low. 800 ACRES at Mount Possession. 1600 ACRES near the spread Eagle Hotel. T.S. Ho 879, Ashburton. T. S. 301, 302, Burnett-street, Ash burton. T.S. 247, Kermode Street, Ashbur ton. I T.S. 182, 183, opposite Church, Tinwald, a bargain, &c. EDMISTON, GUNDRY, & CO., Auctioneers and Estate Agents. Agents for the gOUTH BRITISH FIRE & MARINE INSURANCE COMPANY. Capital £1,000,000. Risks taken on all kinds of Property, Growing Crops, Grain in Stack, Thresh ing Machines, &c. EDMISTON, GUNDRY, & CO., East Street. Business Notices. NEWS AND MAGAZINE AGENCY. STATIONERY AND FANCY GOODS DEPOT. RE-OPENING. HM. JONES begs to inform his . customers and the public generally that he has re-opened part of the premises lately occupied by A. Weston and K. Sando and Co. for the sale of Newspapers, Magazinse, Stationery, Fancy goods, Toys, &c. English and Colonial papers. Periodicals, &c., by each mail. Licensed to sell Stamps. Lowest prices—Terms cash. Agent for “ Ashburton Guardian,” “Ashburton Herald,’, “Ashburton Mail,” “Lyttelton Times,” “Canterbury Times,” Daily “Press,” “Weekly Press,” “Otago Witness,” “Australasian,” “Town and County Journal.” Subscribers to “ Canterbury Times” and “ Weekly Press” can obtain their copies at the above Establishment. *l2lc T OST AND FOUND, a Sensational -S-l Story, by an Australian author, on sale at “Herald” and “Guardian” Sta tionery Depot. BRACELETS, Earrings, Scarf Pins, and a variety of Fancy Goods, must be cleared out at once. Weeks & Dixon. WANTED KNOWN —That the cheap est and neatest CARDS may be had at Uie “ GUARDIAN OFFICE.” MATEUR GARDENERS should read the instructions on gardening in the “Ashburton Guardian” every month, by a professional gardener. nnHE PENNY made the postal system 1 of England a success. So has it mad. the Herald. Everybody buys the Herald.



Business Notices. McSHERRY DRILLS. A SHIPMENT of these celebrated Drills is expected shortly to arrive. They will range in width from 6 feet 6 inches (12 Hoppers) to 10 feet (17 Hoppers). Orders taken by the undersigned, FREDK. PAYITT, Ashburton, For the SOLE AGENT, JOHN ANDERSON, 46g-240c Canterbury Foundry. BREAD!BREAD! Co-operative Bread and Biscuit Factory. Triangle, Wakanui Road, Ashburton. A. THIELE, BEGS to inform the public that he is now in a position to SUPPLY BEST BREAD, 6d. per 41b. loaf, unsur passed. Delivered daily to all parts of the Borough, also, Confectionery, &c. Mixed Biscuits reduced from Is. to Bd. per lb. Wedding Cakes made to Order. 986a-5700 TO FARMERS, LIYERY STABLE KEEPERS, SPORTING MEN, AND OTHERS OWNING HORSES. GEORGE KIDD, Moore Street, BEGS to announce the fact that the PRICE for SHOEING hacks and light draught HORSES is now REDUCED to 7s. per set, and that all horses of this description will be specially attended to by himself. Horses liable to cut are shod on a prin ciple of George Kidd’s own invention, which has proved an effectual cure for brushing. All kinds of blacksmith’s work, and repairs to agricultural machinery of any description done on the shortest notice. GEORGE KIDD, 75c-526g Moore street, Ashburton.



PUBLIC NOTICE. BOOTS! BOOTS! T. CHAMBERS WHILE THANKING the public of Ashburton and surrour ding dis tricts for past favors, begs to infi rn them that he has received, and to arrive, at his place of business, East-street, a WELL-ASSORTED STOCK OF LADIES’, GENTLEMEN’S, AND CHIL DREN’S BOOTS AND SHOES Of all descriptions. T. 0. also calls special attenth 1 to the Measure Department, and imites the gentlemen of Ashburton to inspect the superior class of Sewn Boots and Shoes he is now making. Riding Boots, Shooting Boots, Walking Boots and Shoes, Cricketing Boots and Shoes, and Running Shoes. WORKMANSHIP UNSURPASSED. A PERFECT FIT GUARANTEED T. CHAMBERS, PROSPECT BUILDINGS, Next to Montgomery’s, East-street. MEDICINE . ASTRINGENT, * certain cure for Diarrhoea in Children or Adu Is. 6d. and 2s. 6d a Bottle. CAMBRIDGE’S BLACK CUR RANT COUGH ELIXIR, Is. 6d. and 2s 6d. a Bottle. CAMBRIDGE’S ORANGE QUIN INE TONIC WINE, 2s. 6d. and 4s. 6d. a Bottle. CAMBRIDGE’S EXTRACT OF BARK, CURES SORE, TENDER, and CRACKED NIPPLES. CAMBRIDGE’S ESSENCE of RENNET, 3 Drops will turn a pint of milk into delicious sweet curds, Is. and 2s. 6d. a Bottle. J. M. CAMBRIDGE, Chemist, MEDICAL HALL. N.B.—Teeth carefully Extracted. 2s. 6d. REDUCTION IN THE PRICE OF BREAD. EDWARD TAYLOR has reduced the Price of his best Bread to sd. Cash at shop, and if delivered by cart, sjd. EDWARD TAYLOR, Saunders’ Buildings, 119 c ASHBURTON. Ball programme cards in very neat styles, with Pencils and Ribbons, printed at the Herald Office, East street, near Railway Station, LABOURERS requiring work can secure first opening by applying early at Herald Registry Office, on pay ment of Is. WANTED KNOWN—That Visiting Cards, plain or mourning, can be obtained printed in various styles, at the “Herald” and “Guardian” offices, near the Rai w ay Station CHINIQUY’S LECTURES.—Just Ar rived, New Edition H. M. Jones, aring Square.



Business Notices.



Guns! Guns! Guns POWDER. SHOT, CAPS.



ORR AND CO JJAYE now on hand a very fine assortment of BREECHLOADING DOUBLE AND SINGLE-BARREL GUNS, And as these have been imported direct from the manufacturers, we are prepared to Sell at the 'most Reasonable Prices— From £2 10s to £25. ORR AND CO



Business Notices. TINWALD BOOT AND SHOE SHOP BOOTS! BOOTS!! mHE Undersigned begs to draw the at tention of the public to his well as sorted stock of Ladies’, Gents’, and Chil dren’s Boots, which he has just received, and will dispose of CHEAP. Motto— “ Small profits and quick returns.” All kinds of Boots made and repaired on the the shortest possible notice. 382 g C. HAWKINS, Bootmaker. M. McCALLUM, AND JEWELLER Every description of 'Jewellery made to order and repaired. Electro-plating and Gilding. Hair plaits and Devices done. Watches and Clocks accurately Repaired. Diamonds and every description of Stones substantially Set. Clocks from 7s. 6d. each. Do., with alarm, 15s. CASHEL STREET, Next Bank of Australasia, Christ church. 221 c ANSTEE’S DINING ROO MS, TANCRED STREET, ASHBURTON. THE Proprietor begs to inform visitors 7 to Ashburton, and the travelling public generally, that the best accommo dation for Boarders in Ashburton is to be had at the above establishment. A LIBERAL TABLE & MODERATE CHARGES. MEALS AT ALL HOURS ... Is. - BEDS Is. BOARD & LODGING ... 18s. & 20s. PRIYATE REFRESHMENT ROOMS FOR LADIES. PROPRIETOR, J. G. ANSTEE. 985 a



PAPERHANGING WAREHOUSE, TANCRED STREET, Ashburton. J. R. CHAPMAN PAINTER, PAPERHANGER SIGN-WRITER, Etc., Has much pleasure in stating that, owing to the large increase of Business, he is now Importing from the Manufacturers— PAPERHANGINGS, WHITE LEAD LINSEED OIL, WINDOW GLASS, BRUSHWAPE, And all the necessaries of the Trade, and is therefore in a position to compete with any house in Canterbury for price and quality. Every description of work in the trade executed under personal superin tendence. Competent workmen sent to all parts of the country. ESTIMATES GIYEN. 251 c T. Bullock. THE undersigned has the following PROPERTIES to LET with a pur chasing clause, or FOR SALE on liberal terms of payment— -| ACRES good WHEAT LAND, JLOU a n ploughed and ready for cross ploughing for wheat ; situated about three miles from the township. ACRES, near the above ; also good v » WHEAT LAND, ploughed once and ready for cross-ploughing. A ACRES, partly improved, near Wins low. This will be sold very cheap, and on very liberal terms. TOWN PROPERTIES. YTALU ABLE BUSINESS SITE in Bur. » nett Street, being T.S. 177, next the “ Mail” office. “DART of T.S. 139, Peter Street. This will be sold cheap, and on liberal terms. mO Railway Employes, Mechanics, and Others.—FOß SALE, cheap, Lot 78, situated on East Town Belt. Terms, £5 cash ; balance by monthly or quarterly payments. T. BULLOCK. FOR SALE, Cheap, Dwelling-house of 7 rooms, situated on the East Belt, near the Parsonage—For particulars apply to T. Bullock. 206 c ASHBURTON COPPER, ZINC, IRON, & TIN PLATE MANUFACTORY. JOSEPH HYDE (Late Foreman at the Malvern Works England, and the Canterbury Works, Christchurch, New Zealand) BEGS to thank his friends of Ashbur ton and surrounding districts for the liberal support accorded him during the past two years, and to intimate that he has opened NEW BUSINESS PRE MISES in Moore street (next Air. Neate’s chemist shop) where he is prepared to execute every description of Plain and Japanned Tinware, Lamps, Gas Reflec tors, Chimney Tops, Portable Washing! Boilers, Baths, Cheese Yats, etc. LOCKSMITH, BELLHANGER, GAS PI! TER. Artesian Wells, Beer Engines, Pumps, &c. Steam Kettles, Hot Closets, made on the premises. Estimates given for Spouting. All work done under J. H.’s personal Superintendence, and guaranteed. J. HYDE, Moore Street Ashburton. Drawing paper, ail sizes, just opened at WEEKS AND DIXON, East street.