seeking no interview, * ehe knew that Teresa was firm in her resolution, and that it would be an insult to her piety and her aense of filial duty to attsmpt to snake it. So he hastened away, hoping by constant change and excitement to drive her image from his heart.

He passed the frontiers, and then the cold north winds began to blow, and he could not face them, and Lionel Merton learned that his only hope of life was indeed in Italy. It seemed almost as thongh Fate were bidding him to return, and so he passively resigned himself, and retraced by slow stages the way to Fras cati, delaying as he drew nearer and nearer to it, and yet with every intention of seeing Teresa once more. He took up his residence at the inn again, but saw nothing of Teresa ; neither did he hoar of her until, upon making inquiries from the innkeeper, ho found that immediately upon her return from the Campagna her parents had Iv^ taken ill and were now in the last staged of disease, and that they were poorer than evep. But Lionel shrank from intruding, although he and the old Cecchi had been very friendly. Still Teresa had a conciousnoss of his presence in the constant supplies of all needed for tho sufferers at tho hands of the innkeeper. and she did not refuse them, for she was almost worn out with her vigil and pcrhap3 regarded this as an answer to her prayers, and therefore not to bo ffung ungratefully aside.

And then came the end. Tho Death Angel closed the man's eyes, and the mourner carried him to his graye —soon io be followd by tho wife vrbo had jour neyed with him through tho world And then Teresa was loft an orphan alone in the world. And then Lionel Merton Once more said:

' Teresa, do you love me?' And Teresa replied, as she had done de fore ' Yes.' J3ut this timo sho added ; 'The vow that parted us us accomplished, and I am no longer forbidden to bo your wife. —[Jean Bonccor.]

The Cruise of H.M. Challenger.

'INTERESTING EXPLORATIONS. Her Majesties ship Challenger has ar rived at Spithcad after a long and eventful voyage. This vessel was fitted out in 1872, at the instance of the Koyal Society, for a voyage round tho world, of scientific ro search and deep-sea exploration. Captain G. S. Nares was selected to command the expedition, and besides the usual Staff of Naval officers, Professor Wyvillc Thomson, P. R. S. t of Edinburgh University, threo naturalists, a chymist and physicist, and an artist and secretary were attached to the vessel. The hydrographic and mag netic work was undertaken by the Naval officers, and the Natural History depart ment was placed in the hands of the scien tific Staff. Mr. J. Buchanan, chymist and physicist, determined the specific gravities of the water obtained from different depths, and Mr. Wild, artist, has contributed greatly to the success of the expedition by his remarkable mycroscopic drawings of deep-sea fauna, corals, and sponges. DEKPSWA SOUNDINGS The Challenger left England on the 21st of December, 1872, and tho researches during tho next year were confined to the Atlantic fuur complete sections having been taken across it. Tho result of tho deep-sea dredging was most satisfactory ; numerous specimens of fishes, &c, were obtained, some altogether new, and others of great rarity. Tho vexed question was Battled as to whether life existed below certain depths, and much valuable infor mation was obtained, by aerial tempera tares taken fro/n tho surface to the bottom, relative to the great oceanic currents. Tho deepest water found was off tho Virgin Islands, in the West Indies, where bottom was obtained at 3,875 fathoms. This depth has only been exceeded once—i.e., in the North Pacific Ocean, latitude 1124 N., longitude 143.1G E., where a sounding was made in 4,500 fathoms. In all probability this depth of water will nerer be much exceeded. Those remarkably deep sound ings taken by former navigators are un doubtedly entirely erroneous. In many places the Challenger proved that they were so by bringing up a portion ®f the bottom from less depths; and in some, where the time interval was carefully taken and published, with our present knowledge on the subject, the correct depth can be nearly approximated. When a certain quantity of sounding line has run out, its mere weight, even withoutthe aid of under currents, will make it continue to run as long as there is any on the reel; the intervals between which the marks on the line disappear beneath the surface will become gradually loDger as the weight » sinks, but there is a marked lengthening #^of the interval immediately it strikes the -bottom, amounting to one minute and a half at 2,500 fathoms for 100 fathoms of , line, and in that way the depth is determined ; 3,000 fathoms depth wasnever fouud south of tho Equator; a fact which will be of special interest to geologists who have raised theories on the fact of there being most dry land in the Northern Hemisphere; but, to counterbalance that preponderance the water is not so deep in the South. VISIT TO THE CROZETS. During the year 1873, North and South America, the West Indies, Western Islands, Maderia, Canary, and Cape Verd Islands, and Africa were visited, and 19,300 miles sailed over. After a refit at the Cape of Good Hope, the Challenger sailed from the South Seas in December,

1873. Marion Island and the Crozets were visited, the latter since brought into notoriety by the bss of the Stratmore ; as with that unfortunate vessel, gales of wind and thick fogs were experienced by the Challenger. The Island of Eerguelen had been fixed on as an observatory station for the Transit ot Venus which occurred in 1874, and, as it was desirable that it should be explored in order to settle the site of an observatory, the Challenger was intrustei with that duty. A month was taken in completing it, during which the eastern aide of tho island was surveyed and a site recommended, which was afterwards adopted. The western shores were altogether out of the question, on account of tho mists accumulated by the prevailing westerly winds. Heard Island, to the south of Kerguelen, was next touched at. It is quite barren, and consists of one immense glacier. A party of American whalers are stationed there, engaged in the sea elephant fishery, which frequent the beaches in great numbers. It would be difficult to imagine a more dreary life than those whalers lead ; they aro relieved and tha produco of tho fiishery is taken every year. ADVJSNTUB.ES IN ANTATITIC SEAS. The Challenger tohn sailed south until tho Antarctic Circle was crossed, and she reached within 1,400 miles of tho South Polo. Open pack ice was enterod and groat number.? of icebergs wero seen, as many as 80 being counted at ono time from the masthead. Borne wore 300 ft. high and between two and threo miles long. They wore nearly all flat or table-topped, only the calves or small bergs presenting the curious appearances of Arctic bergs. The antarcticcontincntoftho American explorer Wilks was srught for in vain. _ It was reported to have been seen by him when in command of tho discovery ship Vincennea in 183-1. As 1,300 fathoms of water were found on tho supposed silo it was concluded that, if it ever existed, it has now sunk. Gales of wind, accompanied by driving snowstorms, render navigation in those soas neither safe nor pleasant, and the seamanship of the officers was severely tried in keeping clear of the numerous ico bergs, to strike ono of which would bo destruction. The sea was full of lifo; innumerable whales spouted round the ship, and several kinds of penguins were seen. Tho water was also rich in surface crustacea upon which great- numbers of diomedia, procellara and prions fed. SOUTH SEA AND PUILLIPPINK ISLAND. Melbourne was reached on St. Pat rick's Day, 1874, and tho next three months were most agreeably spent in our Australian Colonies. A line of soundings was next run to Now Zealand, prepara tory to a telegraph cable being laid ; and afterwards, tho Friendly Islands, Fiji, New Hebrides, Arrou, and Xi Islands wero touched at, the natives being all found tolerably friendly. The Moluccas, or Spice Islands, were next visited, and expedition made to tho nutmsg, cinnamon, pepper, and cocoa plantation. Nothing can exceed the beauty of these islands, or the admirable manner in which tho planta tions arc conducted. At Manili, in the Philippine Islands, the.y had an oppor tunity of seeing tho enormous cigar factories, in some of which 10,000 girls ; are employed ; and then the ship proceed ed to China. At Hongkong, to tho great regret of all, Captain Nares was called away, ho having been selected to command the Arctic Expedition ; but his successor, Captain Thomson, in a short timo rendered him self equally popular. In the early part of 1875 a good deal of old ground was again sailed over in tho oulu and Celebes Soas. A short time was spent at Cebu, ono of the Phillippino group, dredging for tho beautiful Euploc tella sponge, bettor known by its popular name of Venus's Flower-basket, and which is now not uncommon iv our museums ; numerous fine specimens were obtained. On the adjoining island of Mactan tho great explorer Magellan was killed in an engagement with the natives in 1521. A cross, said to havo been erected by him at Cebu, is pointed out with reverence by the pious Spaniards. VISIT TO NEW GUINEA. Tho Challenger next sailed to the north eastern shores of New Guinea, and touched at Mumboldt Bay, whore tho savages were found in all their native and naked grandeur. They were armed with spears and bows and arrows, and objected to exploring parties landing, standing with their arrows drawn to the head. They appeared to have no idea of the power of firearms, and there was no inclination to teach them the _les3on. Notwithstanding the hostile attitude assumed when an attempt was made to land, they readily bartered their spears, bows, stone axes, ornaments, &c, alongside tho ship for hoop-iron and beads. The natives are a fine race, although many wero covered with some skin disease. The men wear boars' tusks thrust through their nostrils, which give them a ferocious appearance. Not one could be prevailed on to come on board, even by liberal offers of axes and nails, which would lead to the supposition that they had been visited bj kidnappers. At Admiralty Island the natives were more friendly, and freely allowed parties to land. They wero armed with obsidian headed spears. ROBINSON CRUSOE'S ISLAND. The Challenger then sailed for Japan, and on the passage obtained the deepest sounding, which has already been referred to. Two months were spent on the coasts of Japan and in the inland sea, and then

the ship sailed for the Sandwich Islands, Society Island, Juan Fernandez, and Valparaiso. Juan Fernandez was found inhabited by some Chilians engaged in the seal fishery. A goat, descended from Selkirk's pets, has taken passage in the Challenger, end is called Crusoe. After leaving Valparaiso, the passages leading to the Straits of Magellan were entered at Cape Tres Montos, and the ship emerged into the Atlantic at Cape Virgins, the scenery being magnificent, particularly the fino glaciers, some of which extended to the water's edge. The Falkland Islands Montevideo, Ascension, St. Vincent, and Vigo were visited on the passage home, and further researches made in the Atlantic by continued dredging, trawling, and sounding. GENERAL RESULTS. Photographs havo been taken of the natives and of the principal places visited during the voyage and make an interesting collection. The equator was crossed six times, and tho 180 th meridian of longitude five times. Total distance rua, 08,500 miles ; coals expended, 4,700 tons ; number of days at sea, 713 ; number of days in harbour, 568 ; number of deep sea soundings obtained, 374 ; numbor of serial temperatures, 255 ; number of successful dredgings, 111 ; number of unsuccessful dredgings, 19 ; number of successful travelings, 129 ; number of unsuccessful trawlings, 10 ; 243 men lefc England in the Challenger, of them 144 returned, 01 deserted, 10 died, and five went in the Arctic Expedition.

A Spring Mattress Adventure.

BY OCTOPUS

Gregory, my friend, is a fellow in a thousand—free, open-hoarted. find hand some, and lota of money. You should know ray friend Gregory; he has always a note to lend, and never troubles about its being paid back. He's as useful a man as you'd wish to meet. I only wish there were a few more like him. But this is not tho story. My friend Gregory made his money at the diggings, and came over to Christchurch with his pile. He soon fixed upon a genial little soul for a helpmate, took a two-storeyed house on the South Town Belt and started furnish ing. Now it happened to be the case that neither my Irieud Gregory nor his wife had had much experience in the house keeping line, und so, like the young cubs, they had all their sorrows to come. They were not over lucky as to the weather, for being winter the rain soon made mud of tho ground, and isolated their dwelling place from clean boots and carpets. Now, the damp nature of the place very soon penetrated to the ground floor, and gra dually crept up tho woodstucls, like a bottle of ink through a ream of blotting paper, until it affected tho floor, and began to rise up in the hollow tubes of tho bras 3 fourposter. Now, Mrs Gregory couldn't stand sleeping in damp sheets, so they tried blankets, but without avail. So bad indeed did the clammy moisture pervade even tho woollen coverings that they determined to vacate tho charming lit'.lo villa and go to an hotel. But there's an old adago that 'it's a long lano that's without a turning,' and so it fell out that Mrs Gregory, having in a confidential mood unbosomed her troubles to a femalo friend, that sho found ' balm in Gilead,' when the suggestion of a spring mattress scintillated before the eye of her imagina tion, and comfort, at least so far as sleep was conoernod, appeared socurod. Nor was thoro much time lost. My friend Gregory had only to havo a thing sugges ted to Mrs G. and it was done. So an order was givon for the largest and best spring mattross that was to bo procured for love or money in Christchurch. This was in the morning, and in the evening sure as sundown along comes a horse picking his logs in and out ol slushy holes, and dragging after him a furniture .man's cart, with a huge, unshapely mass upon it, stood up endways. But to go on, after sundry attempts the rivers of mud wero safely piloted through by the Sticks's Jehu, and the mattress was at the tront door. Gregory was there to receive it, and after it was safely deposited in the passage —1 beg pardon, they call these places halls hore in Christchurch—he gave the man a drop of something warm and let him depart. Poor Gregory, I pity him. Here was the commencement of a series of complicated manoeuvres, pro genitors of dire and unforeseen mishaps, such as few people excepting the unchristianised heathen would dare to scoff at. But to get along, my friend Gregory and his wife eyed the mattress with eyes of satisfaction, they squeezed themselves backwards and forward be twixt it and the wall, pressed against the top, standing up like to see how it would feel if they were lying down upon it, then shifted it over to the other side of the passage, again squeezing alone to get a chance of examining the array of bright copper coiled wires that are used as springs. They were satisfied, contented, and happy.

•Greg.' said the little wife, (she always calls him Greg.,) ' Greg,' says she, • let's get our tea over, and then we'll let Jane (that's the girl) help us upstairs with the mattress.'

' All right,' says he, but, as he told mo afterwards, upon the mention of the word upstairs, there suddenly fixed itself in his mind a preponderating idea that this article of comfort wasn't all the salubrious institution he'd been led to suppose, and his attention became diverted from

bis tea into a channel unexpected and unwelcome. He began to have grave doubts as to getting the mattress upstairs at all, and as he saya he belived during the peaceful enjoyment of that m?al he wished at least five hundred times that Mrs Gr.'s female suggestor had the elevating of the mattress, instead of himself.

The tea is ended, and Mrs Gregory, all in a flutter to put the bed to rights, says, ' Now, Greg, let's get that mattress up stairs.'

Jane was summoned to assist, and the struggle began: but to no purpose. Neither sideways, crossways, up ended, nor longways, could they manage it. At one time Gregory's leg got jammed in the turn of the stairs, then Mrs G. grazed her knuckles against the wall, and Jane lost her back hair for the time being. But nothing daunted, the brave little woman kept up the fight, and said she knew it could be done. She coaxed, she pleaded, she tried scolding, and even descended to tears ; but all was of no use—the mattress was to big. My friend Gregory, not to be beaten, and with a mind fully equal to the occasion, hits upon the means of circum venting all opposition on the part of the mattress, and suggests the window. The suggestion was caught at as a drowning man will catch at a straw, that is, with instant avidity, and the window is the cry. But all the time that they had been occupied at tea, and in futile efforts on the staircase, the weather had been showing sia;ns of greater inclemency, and the rain drops began to fall fast and furious ; but as they were, as they said, 'in for it,' they all determined to conqueror die,and preparations were gone on with. Jane was bidden to fetch the clothes line in, and away she went, ankle deep in water anci nelted with rain till she had not a dry rag left on her. She returns from the yard in triumph with the cord. She suffered on her return by being reprimanded by her mistress for the length of time she had taken. Meanwhile Gregory had mounted to the upstairs room, moved the dressing table, pushed the bedstead into a corner, and opened the sashes. Theso were of the French pattern, so there was no difficulty about that part of the business. He fastens one end of the cord to the bedstead, and throwiag the other end down to Jane in the rain, who is to take it into the passage, he descends and fixes it to the mattress.

'How,' ho says, issuing his commands in the voice and with the steadiness of a general ot division, 'we will carry the mattress out under the window, and I will run up stairs and haul up the top whilst you lift ; but mind the parlour window.

The mattress was got outside and tilted up until it stood with one corner six inches in the mud, and the other leaning against the side of the house. Greg, soon appears at the window, and frightening the rope in his hands, gives tho word to the women folk to lift, and lift they did ; but tho unfortunate Jane having happened by mischance to take hold of the corner which had been in the mud, she let her corner slip through her fingers. Greg, not anticipating any accident of this nature had made no provision in his calculation for a preventor ; and finding the thin line sliding through his hands with a burning sensation, he let go. There's a sound of broken glass, and following upon that an awful squash in tho water, with the wind up of a series of yells only to be heard proceeding from the tfcroat of ill-used woman.

'Greg, my dear ! Greg., come down !' shouted Mrs G. • Come down' Jane's killed ! I'm sure she is.'

'It don't sound like it,' muttered Gregory, with both the palms of his hands in his mouth, or as much of them as he could get there.

' Stop your yelling, can't you ?' he bellows ; ' we shall have all the Belt here directly. Be quiet, do !'

Jane's quiet enough by this time, the mattress having flattened her beneath it in the mud. However, Gregory's at hand, and the mattress is again under way. Jane is up, sound in wind and limb, and ready for another round, and this time success crowns the efforts of the noble trio. They get the mattress into the room aud fixed upon the bedstead, and when a change of raiment was effected by the whole of them, things began to look up considerably. The room was put neat, the mattress wiped dry, and the mud cleaned up, the damage to the palour window and the staircase walls duly investigated, and the cost of repairs estimated at three pounds ten; supper was resorted to and partaken of as a feast of victory. Now my friend Gregory was in the habit of taking a nightly pipe whilst Mrs Gregory retired to bed. Greg, smoked his fill and washed it down with, I am bound to say, a stiffer jorum than was his wont, for he felt elated somewhat at the success of his plans, and up stairs he goes throws aside his vestments, and puts out the light.

I have to explain here that my friend Gregory is a little bit fond of athletic exercises ; he is great at foot-ball, cricket, running, and jumping, and if there's any daily event that can be performed with an addition of a little tumbling, Greg, does it that way, so it was his custom always tc literlly jump into bed. Greg, measures with his practisd eye the difference in the height of the bed with the new mattress, and lights on the mattress with the full weight of fourteen stone. Talk about a bull in a china shop, or an alligator in the

nursery of a foundling liospijlT^ nothing to it, the concussion pr 0( ?'' k the fall ofGreg.'sbodyon hi^S\: bed correspondingly elevated tta whereon reposed Mrs. Greg, and .! * was the motion and so great the im^l given that she departed from the ?^| mattress, and, tying herself up in clothes as she went, she alighted mT \ dressing table, scattering f ar andw'? toilet bottles, multiplying the ]Z}1' glass by forty, and tilting the conte? the glycerine bottle into the new bo fives and three quarters. °| But what has become of Gf-re?n*, , this time? Why the reboundfl? demoniacal sprmgs made nothin? Vi. fourteen stone, and he lay sprawli! k his back with the upset water jug^ his head for a pillow. S Undei ; Murder ! fire ! thieves! Do] . J shrieks poor Mrs. Gregory <7 Mf wS ha^pSp^' 'Hold you're row, do,' sayg Gw /. speaking cross for the first time foil married life. ' Hold you're ro^ come and mop up this water' *"1 Now this was too much for the J, and she behaves as she should do away she goes off into a fit of hvstei! screaming; poor Greg.' he eets" gropes about for matches and finds no! he then raves for Jane, who i 8 doS hand by this time with a candle. BiL ing himself into his pantaloons, hind Z before, he gets Jane in to help him 5 his wife, and they ultimately succeed g thtur efforts to restore her to her sense! Gregory takes another nip, gives Mr S n a sweetened nightcap, and gets iato bed he remembered not to jump in this fa I m not prepared to say what arg^n he used to soothe the ruffled temper of liil spouse, but he had succeeded, and \J congratulating himself that things were'! no worse, when bang ! bang ! chine Scab I! clung ! goes the firebeil. I had forgottmX to say that my friend Gregory had,m^ fullness ot his heart toward his felloij^ creatures, joined the Fire Brigade as i volunteer that every day, and had brought homo with him his uniform. Brim Mot valour, anxious to show how alert le could be, the very first sound of the fire bell found him out of bed on the one side, \ and, sad to rolate, within a quarter of aa| hour of the lesson he had received, Iri,S Gregory was on the floor on theofaf Greg, shook himself together, litthelp once more, put his wife into bedagain,goij in himself, and from that day to this thst i Fire Brigade uniform lies, a food formoiii, at the bottom of a round-headed brail nail-studed trunk.

Says Gregory to me, 'they'll d<vmjS boy ; they'll do for my son, when he grows up. I could never wear them n^| self without fancying I was the ghost off a spring mattress.' . jj I think Gregory is a little touchedatoti ;j tho upper storey, as the youngster k i not arrived yet.

Varieties.

4 My wife tells' the truth three timesi day,' remarked a jocose old fellow, at tie same time casting a mischievous glance | at his ' better half.' ' Before rising in [ the morning she says, 'Oh, dear, Zmost t get up ; but I don't want.' Then after I breakfast she adds. 'Well, I suppose I I must go to work '• but I don't want to,'. and she goes to bed sayiog, 'There! I have £ been on the more all day, and haven't I, done anything.' ' Mithei,' said Jenney Graham, when j preparing her lesson for Sabbath school, but I canna get nothing twaproofs, illusta.' - tive o' the fifth commandment, an'lwtf | tae get three.'' A weel, leuk the Proverbs an' ye'llgetane,' said the doting mother; ' I cat?na mind the chapter an' verse, bat it says: • Though faither and mither an1 : a' should go mad, whistle, an I'll coome to ye, my lad.' A well-known lawyer in Chicago haa* horse that always stopped and refused to cross the mill-dam bridge leading out of I the city. !N"o whipping no urging would y carry him over without stopping, So he 4 advertised him—' To be sold, for no other j reason than that the owner wants togo I out of town-' 'Mt Lord,' said a barrister to thejadge* ' every man who knows me, knows th*t ► I am incapable of lending my aid to» mean cause.' 'That's so,' said his oppP" r nent; 'the learned gentleman never lends nimself to a mean cause, he always ge* cash down.' ,1 A man who was reprimanded by a divhw for swearing, replied that he did not Bee g i any harm in it. 'No harm in it,' said to 9 | minister, 'why, don't you know the com* 1 mandments, 'Swear, not at all ?' Ido not | swear afc all,' said the man; 'lonlyswea* 1 at those who annoy me.' When a man is in love with one woman 1 in a family, it is astonishing how fond W I becomes of every one connected with «■ E He beats time when the darling Fannl performs her piece on the piano, *n(1 smiles when wicked little Bobby upsew the coffee on his shirt. An elderly lady' telling her age,refflW*' ed she was born on the 23rd of Ap^1' Her husband, who was present, observed 'I always thought you were born the J-B* of April ?' People might well Judge so, responded the lady, 'in the choise I nWdfl of a hnsband !' . .

Printed and published by the proprietor, 3°??* Brett, of Parnell, at his General Steam PrfntWß Offieo, Wyndhana-atreet, in the Oity of AuflßWi New Zealand. Saturday, August 12, 1876

Evening Star Supplement, Axi-giist 1S» ISTG