A SOUTH SEA CRUISE.

(Br SIBF.J.Moss,M.H.R.)

• towiqfcin'f notes by Mr F. J. Moss, •rM. ID" 61 fi durin 0" his cruise in the steamer Bus -- tho Eastern Line Islands, and thence tert°„h the Central Groups westward to _*?>$ ~n eS) W ere posted to us at Swain's •^Y'b'iit did nob reach Auckland for W time after Mr Moss's return homo. 501116 \.l however, lost none of their They nay ' BfJwL* FKOM CIVILISATION. •fcvnii this off Swain's Island, one of ]fS Group. We are well into our 'hes° nS and I fear shall bo at least Zha moro before seeing Auckland. ■^"Sora w°"l from:any quarter of Not rl since we left, and nob likely to B®.Wi,i , VP o-eb homo again. The vessels eUfa lonn* intervals ab these islands *KS round "and follow in our wake. S-fletter will, I hope, be picked up WC. Rhino, expected to call at in a couple of months, and straight to Auckland. Yet fe!SWithin a couple of hundred W -t g amoa , and if ib were nob for the lllssof time in getting to windward d Jnii-htgoto Apia, and be, by the Siw&aweeUfArtuKl. mir road lies west, and we shall be & li-er China than New Zealand before &'6nr faces homeward again. iTn nearly two months we had a dead li o windward, with much vexatious hi Just on the sixtieth day we gob bo BpftM. north of the line. Srt .visited several of the Eastern nd 1,, '" The people were much in 1 cc of what one would ex- V Artificial (lowers, fashionable hats, rjLg and even those abrocibies of ■tJnn high-heeled boots, are to be ft all of them. Happily, the high Slsarerare.' The native ladies going to Lh are generally content wibh bhe hats j wreaths, ancl wear n0 boots at aIL Si are certainly much in advance in all m ofwhafc the Fijia'f we rQ 15 ycfs ,A But,' unlike Fiji, these Lagoon Is iproduce hardly any fruits or flowers. The surface is coral rock, admirable for Pdf and pandanus, but with little 1 Water is scarce, but the milk ot the \m i cotroanut makes amends. The Uonshave pearl shell and an occasional \_\_\ They teem with fish of an inferior Ljity but have also abundance of fine y e -Melons, figs, and many other fruits Jttto'do'well, audit is wonderful that fe.have not long since been introduced nßorig.'them. : AI4GOON ISLAND.-31IGID CLERICAL ;■ 8 £*£7L23. itJfietie we enjoyed the hospitality of tie Eeverend Frank Lawes,' a Congrega tjjsalisfc clergyman, whose name, with that m brother and Mr Chalmers, both now in forfrninea, one hears mentioned by people with affection and respect. Tnis oDoibesaid of all the missionaries, be fim some of -whom and the traders there amsto be a standing hostility. . Nieue is sit»lagoon island, and has a native popu _m ofabout 5,000, but, unfortunately, no md anchorages or harbour. It abounds nti'.froiW, produces splendid yams ancl ia'and Mr Lawes has some very fine date »te"' which...... bear plentifully but £c not,;-so far, ripened their fruit. itabably the climate is too moist for fedate, but in tlie drier lagoon islands it mto flourish. The lagoon islands or m_ consist of a large salt-water lake lima belt of coral reef from 100 to 500 jufewide. The lake is generally very kp, the water a beautiful blue, and the U seldom more than 10 or 12ft. above. i^water mark. The population of a H island is too small to support a Wan clergyman, and a trained native . alary takes his place. These gentle ts&m fully impressed with their own aptance and blessed with an abundant cfidation of the many virtues to which lbs tbey attribute their present lofty ?:$&:. They are shining lights, but too en fussy, domineering and narrow. The pro which their inquisitorial system of jVtji discipline gives ■is very great, and Sporant exercise more likely to make Ban'and hypocrites than to develop HI self-respect and individual con- Knee.;. Singing, dancing, musical instru aS, cards, (of course), ancl all " light" »"worldly" pleasures are tabooed by tefigidprimibive pastors. The children baptqys,and a few Jewsharps that found wir way'to one island wero sternly con fOted and proscribed. The great recrea feof the people are church-going and Inr-aaking. On Sunday they have five pic services,, and on Wednesday and Way one service each day. There are, Daadition, innumerable prayer meetings. sSabbath is most rigidly observed. No 'A is done, no fire kindled, and, till i%, no smoking was allowed. The law saw so far relaxed as to allow Sunday asking in the house, but not outside. The stature consists exclusively of the Bible. are behind the Fijians, who have also f Pilgrim's Progress and Eobinson

.%lay miking and its' administration Wdless sources of distraction. The are- -elected by the *of households. They are judges and fcmenas well as legislators ; vice and •j* are equally within their jurisdiction. mm ig left to individual conscience, 'none.'of the 'distinctions be- SBHivice and; crime which public polity in other .countries. But I fear « their system of .repressing vice | • hardens i the offender, destroys J mairidnal delicacy and sense of •?"V and is far less effective than wealthy public; opinion would be. Women | m the pubhc• stocks,: or publicly jammed through the town with a crier out their offence, for the edifica- M the gaping crowd, are' not likely to l??r shai?l° or modesty left. Nor JJ»wm oßhe people be raised by the ™cle. These island's having no anchor- H landing, i s only possible at most of gap reef. It requires a skilful crew Hw through the" breakers, and JJJp;to get her off again. Hence the m „ or" missionary vessels which ,*™ally touch at them spend only a L° Dr?ateaeh. If; it were otherwise, ' mi see the working of this wretched m and, I doubt not. soon bring about 8 ( STRICTLY TUO « ""HIBITED". J-lwd-thing- they do-they allow no S^%ritsjko-be gold and none to be be for Europeans, who are i^/i n^ifthe£'give,or sell to natives. L,° aPeoPle whose amusements and re- Cj*?,Bo few, the introduction of 888* kt&l' With their Primitive \Ap, -its' absolute exclusion is %\L s*es nofc lessen tlieir comfort- I fctfifeiW.'.Fox denouncing in the mi ; c wretched character of the in some P arts of the Wel" '(He'jwas particularly landlady whose breath " smelt f'gm" ~ I think it" was Dr., bestir! afterwards referred to the k\M sPeech of the honorable mem etliihg that puzzled him was MI adh(? f°and out that the lady's %tjuv, ?f so abominable an. odour ? t :bee» no doul^ aboufc ifc in 1 a Lagoon Island Turiman. He W^ Part of his duty, if he sus- of having taken Mi,?, face to the culprit s mouth Sf'ffiWWJft "blow." lam afraid the I«|S?P eopieare not yet prepared to their Turimen. z. ■ ml • ° A TURI-HOUSE. \ *Vf *«> a Turi-house at one of the hA§%ge 'building "about 90ft

cocoanut ifiSlJ^f Mtad with a few wick in it S n.li 11, ca c cl] Hay a la"4 Turimeiiweit SS'%^ °f F« duced as 'V'Sir ' agM -was inliro- New Zealand fe Turiman from and while I safe w 1?,,™., kind ' one with a trpmLV Uiem fchere entered hadbebniAvi& Pl lou^ o? cial st^b- He «h is ™* Iv ,ndS b^ afcin S fch« drum all well and lLl 7' and came fco report This was aboufJffW horne* a^ quiet, after bhab IKr^j^pj °Ub Prison, but if llj• , They have'no prisoner, nut l ?y w? h fco secure a padlock hE fc ank t ¥in stocl« or Turi-house iHMgtia 0 a T P° V\? c to say till l ie Ll,-A l °Uffhfc rather one offlini,. »! ,- ars hls sentence, for heard ftiW" 1"^ is no one is •retch thn«f.efence- UnhaPPy is th* the stoH? a * 1 taken UP 0n Saturday, for in anuseml, v T Sb remain ' an object of forttbW,, ut andwibh great discom- Monday Ah" Ws C£lSe c^ be taken on aS: ; Ano. fchey curious feature with fines Sn mep*i» th£lt they d^de all the q Lkon ??- emf eIV63' N° doubt this SSonlnf 61rrrf al greatly_too much so, EX* ? ie System is altogether ex soS l? y'i aiKl "^ c bufc People naturally

A SHIPWRECKED CREW, sedn na| liki we fo™d the captain and DHnn f the «'e- w, of the Swedish bark Pmna, from British Colombia to Sydney and wrecked at Starbuck Island on the 12th tS . \ ey Raited two months and n oulcl probably have waited many months longer, as Starbuck is a desolate, barren place, luckily with some brackish water, but never good for anything but guano ancl abandoned long since for that. They saved out two boats ancl could only carry eight men, so had to draw lots for the tour who should be left behind. Their in tention was tomakeforMaldon Island, where the guano is being worked, but they could ,°y_ tefcch, »t. and .had to go with the wind. After twelve days at sea, and for the last three clays no water, they brought up ab Mana iuki, just six days before we arrived, and having sailed 650 miles. Our long passage was therefore a good thing for the unfortunates they had left behind them. Our captain promised to call and take them off if he could. He suc ceeded in doing so; but it took two days, simple as picking them up might appear. The first day we sighted the island and got opposite the wreck at 3 p m., but could not find a landing place, and the men having no boats, could not communicate with us° So sunset came, and to our great regret, though we saw them running about on shore, we could do nothing for the men, and had to bear away from the land. At night we stood off ancl on, and next day tho strong current had carried us out of sight of the island. We succeeded in making the leeside at 2 p.m. next clay, and got a boat ashore about four miles from where the men were living. Now, four miles along sharp coral rocks and deep sand are very different to four miles of the road to Onehunga. It was necessary the men in the boat should go these four miles, and the men ashore came back with them before dark. The boat brought them off, but not till after dark, and after great anxiety on our part as to the boat and its crew, as well as theshipwreckedmen. The latter had to leave the few things they saved from the wreck in order to get to the boat before dark, by which they were overtaken after all, and we were glad enough to hear the boat's " cooey " close to us, about eight o'clock at night. One of the men was the ship's car penter, ancl ho had to leave hi 3 tool chest— a great loss, but there was no help for it. We shall probably find no proper place to land these men on the voyage, and shall have to carry them all the round to Auckland. If there is a Swedish Consul in Auckland, he should represent to his Government the conduct of our captain, " Peter Theet," in so perseveringly sticking to the island to save these men. If there is not, our own Government ought to do so. I know it cost him two nights' sleep, and a great deal of anxiety, hanging about this dangerous island, which is nothing but a big reef, with a very powerful westerly current settling dead on to it. The men tell us that the best landing-place is on the windward side, opposite a beacon put up by the old Guano Company, who have apparently widened by dynamite a small natural opening in the reef, ending in a little sandy beach. You should see that this goes into " Brett's Pacific Direc tory," for the benefit of future visitors at Starbuck, if visits should unhappily be necessary.

AQUATIC SKILL OF THE KANAKAS.

Speaking about tho landing at these Islands reminds me of the wonderful skill of the kanakas in the management of then boats, with which they are now well sup plied instead of canoes. The resident traders are often sailors, and have taught them boat-building, in which they are very proficient. They swim like ducks, are splendid divers, and are as much at home in the water as out of it. They have no fear of sharks, and I have seen enough to satisfy me that'the stories of their surrounding and drivino* a shoal of porpoises ashore to capture them are quite credible. In land ing at Penrhyn we had to leave the Bus ter some distance in the open sea ancl make for the passage through the reef, which was too shallow for her. As our people were pulling we hailed a Kanaka sailing boat ahead for a tow, which they readily gave. But the breeze was fresh and we could not get up to them, whereupon one of their crew at once jumped over and huno* on to tho bow of their boat in the open sea in order to deaden its way till Aye could overtake them. So, also, in landing on the reef. They ■ wait a favourable! moment, rush the boat in on top of aj. breaker, are overboard the instant the boat touches, and have it high on the rocks before the receding wave ban take it out again They are splendid boatmen, and no ship visiting these islands with a crew un used to the work could; get on without them, or could attempt a landing through the sea "that breaks upon these ocean reels.

SUWAH.ROW ISXiAITO. We called also at Suwarrow. It is. a snlendid lagoon with a fine passage ht tor Steamers of any size and at any, tnpe and HeTright on the road from Bahama to Auek and French men-of-war from Tahiti of ten call there, and know it well, but our own men-of-war never have occasion to visit it. No one has, sp far as I am aware, ever men tioned it in W S^j&StoS with the Panama service. And yet itl ad vantages over Rapa are obvious Theie, is nothing but the clear ocean, and there are none ?f the reefs and .low islands that lie Keen Panama arid Rapa. B"g*fe (out of the sun) ww dry, > d ocean -Stll write again if 1 ****?»*»> J&isis^hel^o^un^ iai A telegram of a fevy lines trom would be worth its weight in |oi often growl at teUggw >MA\£ t j shou i d long to get out of their way, re&ch E^^SSeSo^^beforeu,

These next three months will carry us west wards into newscenes/ancl'acquaint us With a new life. We shall visit some five-ahd twenty islands yet. Some few are bfeli volcanic islands, .but the great maiority will be coral lagoons, In some, the in habitants will be only a repetition of those I have referred to in this letter. In others we shall see people in all stages, some on the road towards artificial flowers and hi<rii heeled boots, others still heathen and like Hans Breitman's Water Nymph "raid nodingson." Six months is a lono* time to be but of the world in this way, but it has to be done,and there is no use growl ing about it.

DRAWING LOTS FOR DEATH.

A Very Strange Story of the Revolution,

At the first reference is a note signed "J. S." giving an account of the drawing lots by the officers of-the English army during the American war to decide who should be surrendered to General Washington to suffer death in retaliation for the execution of a rebel captain by a royalist officer. The writer gives a list of tho British officers who drew lots on that occasion, and among the names is given that of Sir Charles Morgan. This Sir Charles Morgan was my father. His name, however, at that time was not Morgan, as he did not assume the name 0 f Morgan till 1782. He was then Captain Charles Gould of the Cold stream Guards, and I have oiten heard him narrate the circumstances of the case, which aro just what are here reported, and havino* recorded them, I wijl givo a copy of mv notes, which I made at the time. Captain Charles Gould, afterward Sir Uiarles Morgan, second baronet, was gazetted Ensign in the Coldstream Guards, November 21, 1777; Lieutenant and Cap tain March 22, 1781; Captain ancl Ueutenant-Colonel, May 14, 1790, and retired December 5,. 1792, when he assumed tho name of Morgan. He left England for America December 31, 1780, and on October j 19, 1781, he was, with 5,000 of tho British army, taken prisoner at Yorktown, and after eight months his family wero able to procure an exchange for him, aiid he returned to England. He mentioned tho circumstances of tho drawing lots, but so far as I can recollect, only mentioned the names of three officers of tho Guards — Asgill, Ludlow, and Perrin— who drew lots which should be shot by tlie French-Ameri cans. The lot fell on Asgill, and Captain Gould bore, on his return to England, the sad intelligence to his mother, Lady Asgill, who was very intimate with his family.. ■ On arriving at tho house of Lady Asgill he was shown into a room where Lady Asgill and another lady wero seated, and when he made the sad communication both ladies swooned away and fell, as it were, lifeless on the floor. The surprise and horror of the servant, who was immediately summoned by Captain Gould, may be imagined when, on entering the apartment, he found tho two ladies apparently lifeless on the floor, thinking that Captain Gould had murdered them. Assistance, however, and restoratives were quickly at hand, but the shock was nocessarily very great. It fortunately happened that Asgill had great influence with the Queen of France, who succeeded in preventing the sentence being carried into execution.—Octavius. Morgan in " Notes and Queries."

A Tragic Tale

A South African contemporary has the following: -A citizen buttonholed us yesterday, and made our hair stand on end with the following tale of horror :—lh the district of , Orange Free State, as the shades of night were falling, a traveller sought and obtained the hospitality of a farmer. After supper, in the course of con versation, the stranger mentioned that he was buying stock, and that he had £500 with him. When the traveller went to bed his host said that his son would return during the night, and occupy the same room, so that ho need not be disturbed when he entered. The traveller retired to rest, but, hearing whispers, his suspicions were aroused, and he got under the bed. After a while the farmer went out—pre sumably to dig the grave of his victim. When he had been away a little time a horseman arrived at the homestead, came into the house, entered the room, turned into the bed vacated by the traveller and was soon asleep. Then the farmer re entered the room with a stealthy step, and cut- his son's throat from ear to ear. The mnrderer carried off the body (of the traveller, as he supposed) to rifle and bury, ancl the traveller got up from his place of concealment ancl cleared. The farmer had told the story about his son, so as to be able to carry out bis fell purpose unsuspected, but the son had really returned, and the murder was turned into a parricide. (?) If this story is not true, it shows that the Free State bas some "mute, inglorious" -Miss Braddons to boast of.

BULKS AND MATADORS.

The Novelty of a Bullfight by Electric

Light.

The novelty of a bullfight by electric light drew an immense crowd to Colon plaza, City of Mexico. Among the spectators were President Diaz and several members of his cabinet. The arena was brilliantly lighted by ten electric lights, and the gaudy uniforms of the matadors fairly blazed. The door of the bull-pen was thrown open at 8 o'clock, and the first bull made a frantic rush at the picadors and in a minute was master' of the arena, having killed one horse and gored two others. One matador and a picddbr were laid out though ■' not killed. The fighters became very timid and plied the sword from side to side, being afraid to face the animal, as is usual. Of the five bulls every one was desperate in the blazing light, and horses and fighters'were rolled; oyer and tossed in a terrible manner. One swordsman at tempted to kill a bull as he charged, and was caught on the animal'shorns arid tossed out of the arena almost lifeless. 'The result of the fight was four horses. killed and several torn and crippled, two matadors nearly killed and several picadors disabled. The dazzling lights seemed to make the animals wild. This was the 'first time bull fighting has been tried by electric light. "

Pens Made by the Million.

Among the interesting industrial establish ments of Berlin may certainly be counted the steel-pen of Heintze and Blankgertz (11, Gollnpw strasse). With the exception of one establishment, in France, it is the largest on the Continent, and is only, exceeded in size by one or two iii England. , After making the usual de duction of one-fourth for breakage, the Berlin factory produces.,monthly about 80,000 gross, equal to 1,000,000 gross per annum," or 144,000,000 pens. Of pen holders upward of 7,000,000 are turned out annually, riot' counting the hnndreds of thousands of indiarubber and lead holders and similar requisites fqr .the writing desks which are also ihanufacturecl there. The weekly consumptionI'of steel is nearly two tons, that of wood forty cubic metres. The factory employs upward of 500 people,' two thirds of whom belong to the weaker sex : the latter earn from 7£ to 18 marks, the men from 30 to 50 marks a week. Two engines of 50-horse power each barely suffice to keep the employes bnSy. Owing to good management, a gross of the cheapest, can be sold- at "a- price of 25 pfennings {3d of English money).

AMERICAN CANNIBALS.

British Columbia Indians Who Indulge

in Human Flesh,

Professor J. Jacoesen,. who has been in British Columbia for some some years col lecting Indian curios for the Hamburg museum, and writing up the habits, cus toms, and traditions of the aborigines, arrived'down on the Boscowitz from Bella Coola. The Professor spent all last winter at Tucale, the head of the southernmost of the Bentinck arms, which is distant from Bella Coola about 80 miles. Here he found the Indian in bis primitive state, a wild-, untutored savage, with but a scant knowledge of the arts or customs of civilis ation. The inlet running far inland and being in every way out of the course of traders or prospectors, is never visited, and the Indians say no white men ever went up to the head of it before. They live there as they do in most places around the coast, by hunting ancl fishing, deer and fur-bear ing animals abounding in largo numbers. They are without missionaries and canni balism is rampant.' The professor tells of some sickening sights which ho wit nessed there during the past winter, which at this day,- one coulel scarcely believe capable of being witnessed so near home, did the information not come from a reliable person. The custom is still carried out there of men ambitious for the honours of chieftain betaking themselves to tho woodc, ancl after remaining there for some time, coming back possessed of a spirit and biting pieces of flesh from the bodies of those whom they first meet. Ono who wished to graduate last winter Went out and remained from sight for several weeks, though ho came near tho camp occa sionally ancl made night hideous with his yells. When he returned to the tribe he came naked, notwithstanding that it was the middle of winter and two or three feet of snow on the ground. The first man ho met he seized, knocked down and bit a piece out of his arm, which he chewed ravenously. This was repeated many times over, his faco becoming besmeared with blood and presenting a iiendish appearance. The victims of the would-be chieftains' bites received in return for their pains a small pecuniary compensation and it is an honour to carry the sear. The more scars of this kind decorate an Indian's body the more numerous aro his honours, and when he oames to have a great many he becomes a chieftan himself in a iittle way. The biter on one occasion made a break for the pro fessor, who soon gave him to understand that ho was going to experience something pretty tough if ho tackled him. He was not further molested.

Heroism of a Railway Conductor.

Thp. New York " Tribune's " Boston special of April 28th says : -Rarely is greater hero sm add unselfishness witnessed than was shown last evening by a. freight conductor on the Boston and Albany road; near East Brookiield. A freight train left Springfield in tho afternoon in charge of Conductor James Deblois. At South Spencer, whilo going up a heavy grade, the train broko apart. When tho train hands discovered the mishap, the train was reversed and tho forward portion of the train backed after the runaway cars. Conductor Deblois was very anxious to stop the cars, for he know that if they were not checked before reach ing East Brookiield they would be in col isioh with a passenger train at that point, ancl probably cause much loss of life. After .a chase of a hundred yards tho for ward part of the train came within a few feet of the other portion. Conductor De blois mounted the top of the rear car of the forward portion and prepared to jump to the other part. He knew that in order to stop ancl control the runaway cars it would be necessary for some one to jump to the runaway cars before they met and gradu. ally to check the speed of both sections. Deblois resolved to make the leap. A minute later he made the effort, but the distance was too great ancl ho fell between the cars. His body lay across the track and tho locomotive and cars of tho forward portion of the train passed over him. The unfortunate man was literally cut to pieces. When the wild cars came in sight of Fast Brookiield, Stationmaster James Corcoran, with great presenco of mind, turned tho switch and let the cars on the south siding ancl they wero thrown from the track into tho river meadows.

Romance ot a Crime.

A New Yoek despatch of April 28th says.— A London financial journal, just received here, contains further details of tho shoot ing in the Transvaal country of South Africa of C. X. Hobbs, a mining prospector, by Jefferson McClePand on March 24th. For a quarter of a.century these two men figured among tho pioneers of California. "Old C. X.," as Hobbs was familiarly known, played,a somewhat prominent part in many of the big cleals,and McClelland was a pin ing expert on the Cofnstock lode. "The news of his killing Hobbs recalls a circum stance that makes a romance of the event. More than ten years ag;o McClelland had a dispute with. Hobbs over a stock speculation which resulted in an understanding that the quickest man with his pistol would be the only survivor if they should ever meet. Both men were living in San Francisco then but Hobbs drifted East and settled down in New York. From there' ho went to London a couple of years ago, and was employed last winter to look into some mining property in the Transvaal country for a London syndicate.

How "Jeff" McCelland came to go there is not known, but his friends here say that he went to Australia a few years ago, ancl he probably drifted thence to South Africa. The two men thus went around the world in opposite' directions, and ten years after their quarrel met as superintendents of adjoining properities in that dreary coun try. Tne immediate result was the death of Hobbs. McCelland fired only one. shot, and it went right through his opponent's heart. .

A Story of Kaiser William.

One of the most interesting anecdotes related of Emperor William is in regard to his early youth, arid'which seems to be little known. Since public gambling has been forbidden by the law in Germany, the votaries of fortune from all Europe who used to fill the hotels of Ems, Baden, etc., have flocked to Monaco. The story runs that Kaiser William, while still Crown Prince and a dashing young, officer, entered the Cursaal at Ems, wearing an overcoat which concealed his brilliant: .uniform, and' ap proaching the crowded table, placed thereon a coin of small value, about a dollar. With a contemptuous gesture the banker tossed the coin to the floor, with the remark, " For the croupier." Again the unknown gentle man threw down a coin and lost, the banker repeating- his action. and words, to the amuseriient of the other players. , It was then, "as howj the custom of the banks, to set aside a certain sum each day and put up a notice. of' the amount, beyond which J they could riot play. If their losses amounted to this sum, the bank must close William glanced at this notic»o^200,000 frarics—quietly remarking that he would play for the whole bank. " Who are you ?" exclaimed the dealer with sudden respect. For reply, the future Emperor of Germany then opened his coat, displaying the irii ■ penal star upon his breast. The cards were dealt, the Prince won, and the bank was broken.. 'Taking up the enormous sum, he deliberates?1 dashed it on'the floor, exclaim ing, " for the croupier !" Then turning on his heel, ieft the apartment.

A RUSH THROUGH AMERICA.

[Special Correspondence to Auckland

Star.]

Places and Pomts of Interest,

Considering that I travelled at express speed ancl completed the 3,000 and odd miles between San Francisco and New York within six full days, including the detour over the Rocky Mountains, it may well be understood that my observation of the cities and towns that I passed through was of a very superficial character. Chicago, where there was a break of train ancl we stayed a few hours, was reached in the dusk of the evening. There was a drizzly rain and sleet. The suggestion altogether was that of London in the winter. Personally, my impressions are confined to the execrable paving of the streets and the luxurious ex cellence of the Palmer House. The next day, by the way, one of the waiters at this hotel (a big negro) shot the " boss" waiter dead whilst dinner was proceeding— an occurrence described in a telegram to the New York papers as " interfering some what with the comfort of the meal." Be tween San Francisco and New York the line runs through-literally so, for it gener ally takes the principal street—townships innumerable, in all stages of progress. Every locomotive has a huge brass bell swung over the boiler, which tolls like a summons to church, and warns everything and everybody out of the way. When a couple of dozen or so of these are clanging all at onco in or about a big depot or station tlio noise is somewhat distracting. Salt Lake City, and that portion of the State of Utah traversed, wero seen under unfavour able circumstances. The trees, being all deciduous, wero bare of foliage, and the city consequently looked desolate—a con gregation of small wooden houses, the 'average of which appeared not much above the ordinary four-roomer of the colonies. The place in summer, since all the streets are lined with trees, must look picturesque, which is about all that can bo said about it. The only two public buildings I noticed— tlio Mormon Temple and tho Tabernacle— struck me as being hideous. There is no doubt, however, that the Mormons hit on a fine location for their territory. Thp soil appears marvellously rich, and there is absolute abundance of good water. The clTecfc of pushing railways through the in terior may bo specially observed in passing through tho State of Nebraska, where ten years ago tho occupation was practically pastoral. At the present time the lino passes through small townships about every five miles, and the whole country is under tho plough. . These townships are as like as two peas, each with a few score cottages, a little church, and school-house. The " big hotel " is conspicuous from its absence in theso streets and districts. From inquiries I found that the townships are all what we call private ones—simply the creation of the railway. It is a big skip from Nebraska to Albury, but my notion of the big cities passed through is considerably indefinite. Albury, however, stands out fresh and clear as it literally sparkled in the sun on a fine frosty morn ing. The situation is most beau ti - ful occupingbothbanks oftheHudson, which was asolid sneetofice. Wecrossed byahand • somo bridge, looking down on fleets of river steamers firmly frozen in, awaiting tho now imminent break up of the ice. From this to New York the line skirts the banks of this glorious river. It is a day's ride to re member. We sco the famed Catskill Moun tains, whero Rip Van Winkle slept his twenty years, but where now there are two huge hotels—one at the very summit, and a railway to about where Rip must have encountered the gnome ! The Hudson was frozen over until within about .100 miles from New York ; a notable thing to observe being tho largo number of ice-houses, in which tho river harvest of ico for the, city consumption is stored. Many of these houses arc of large extent, covering about the same area, but three times as high, as the Dunedin railway sheds. Ice, be it re collected, is in universal use in America, ancl this all the year round. Iced water is on the table at every meal, and come-at-able all day everywhere. Every railway car has a huge filter at each end, from which delightfully cool water can at all times be drawn. Tho steamers all carry ice, it may be said, in profusion, and a great luxury it is. New York. I am going to say nothing about New York. What, indeed, could 1 say, consider ing that my train ran into the Central Dep6t at about 8 p.m., and I had to drive straight to the Cunard Wharf to secure my berth on the Servia, sailing at daylight the next morning. I did, however, make an expedition up town, visited the Fifth Avenue Hotel, the celebrated Hoff mann Saloon, which, devoted to the liquid refreshment of the moneyed aris tocracy, is well worth a visit in order to see the placo itself and the exquisite costly works of art with which it is adorned. There arc some half-dozen pictures, the aggregate value of which is stated to be not less than LIT), 000, some beautiful tapes try ancl sculpture. The proprietor, who is plainly en evidence, is the individual who shot the notorious Jem Fiske some years ago. He was sentenced to death, had the sentence commuted, and eventually got off with about four years seclusion in Sing Sing Penitentiary. People in Now York do not hesitate to say that by somo means or other his vast wealth saved bis life and secured his liberty. The murder was most cold-blooded. He shot his victim from behind at the bar of the Fifth Avenue Hotel, the motive being jealousy of some worthless woman ! The practice of Carry ing firearms is as general as ever, although I believe it is prohibited by statute. But, like many other laws in the State, this statute is held in little account by those who have plenty of dollars. Broadway, the Fifth Avenue, and other leading thoroughfares are very brilliant at night, not only being brightly illuminated by electric lights on high standards,, but owing to the shop windows not being closed by shutters, whilst brightly • lighted up within. The establishments are closed, but a dazzling display of wares remains dis tinctly visible through the plate-glass win dows.' The electric light, it may be noted, is very'generally'used for street lighting throughout America. I observed it in ali the large and many quite small towns from San Francisco to New' York. The railway stations, clep&ts as they are called, and the steamboat wharves are lighted by night as by day. The, mere glimpse I.had of New York by night, and frcm the harbour in the early; morning, gave me the idea of a very large and handsome city. I drove, in fact, through streets and streets of fine houses similar to those iii the West End of London. In the harbour the atten tion is at once attracted to the Brooklyn suspension bridge - a structure of exquisite design and proportion — and to the newly* erected bronze Statue of Liberty on the^ Jersey side, the vast size of which is dwarfed by the situation and surroundings Nothing like this* has been seen in the world since the fysned Colossus of Rhodes. The effect is really ,? mgnificent, and does not in any degree disappoint the pre- conceived idea derived from photographs and pictures.

On looking over these notes I find that I have said nothing about San. Francisco. Laridirig, however, as I did, from the Ala jneda- about 10.30 a.m., and leaving by the train frorii Oakfield at 3 p.m. the same day, my opportunities of observation were limi ted. The weather was fine, and I saw all thatcouldwellbeseeninthe time. Themain streets struck me aa being somewhat har-; row, but that effect might possibly enough have been produced by the extreme height of the buildings, which run to eight or ten stories. The most notable thing in my view was the extent and variety of the tram service. There seemed to be an end less procession of cars each way along the

principal thoroughfares, and lines strike off at right angles at each block, running up pretty high gradients to the more elevated parts of the city. The system of Cable haulage is universal throughout; but horse cars also run on parallel lines of rail along the level. The fare, a general one, is Jive cents, which may be taken as representing the fifth of our shil ling. The main streets are none of them very long, but soon run out into sandy and somewhat desolate-looking suburbs. The city presents a very animated appearance, business of all kinds being demonstratively brisk. The huge hotels were absolutely so crowded that the Alameda's passengers were unable to get rooms either at the' Palace or the Baldwin. lam informed that there were at the least 5,000 visitors from the Eastern States, who have been spending the winter months in California, and were en route towards homo. More anon.

WAS IT A RESURRECTION?

A Corpse Eevlved Two Months After

Burial,

There is a little one-story white cottage at 407, Fifth-street, which has been the scene of a most remarkable proceeding. It was the attempt of a grief-stricken mother to bring her daughter back to life after two months. The south half of the little cot tage is occupied by Mrs Anna Stickney, a widow. She is a fine looking woman about 40 years old. Mrs Stickney sat in a well furnished room one morning and told her remarkable story.

"My daughter Cora," she said, "died November 30th. She had been ill about eight weeks. Pier body was placed in a vault at Lakewood Cemetery. During her illness I was converted to the faith cure by a cure wrought by Rev. R. A. Torroy. About ten days after her death I bcca'no impressed with the idea of re surrecting by prayer. The thought im pressed me strongly ; so much that'l think placed it there. I prayed constantly for my daughter and broachedthe matter at a meeting of the Faithists, at Mrs C. Stratton's home, 009, Madison-street. There were three or four ladies there. I told them that I wanted their prayers for my daughter. Tiiey were greatly sur prised, and oven startled, but they acceded to my request. We prayed a great deal. Finally I concluded to bring tho body to my house. The body was removed one week from last Tuesday and laid upon a couch. Every day a little knot of-ladies would gather about hor with me and we would pray.

" Last Sunday night I saw signs of life. For six hours thero were signs of life— from 5.30 to 11.30. Oh, no; I was not mistaken. I could not be mistaken. lam as sure of it as I am sure there is a heaven. Still I was greatly surprised. I expected to sco her rise in perfect health. I was certain that she would. The first indica tion was a high temperature of the body. I turned to the other ladies and asked them to leavo the room. All did so but Mrs Allen, who. remained for a few minutes. I placed my hands on the abdo men .; it moved slightly. Then I became aware of a strong odour of brandy. That was the last thing she took before she died. Then I placed my head upon her breast. I felt her heart flutter. The lungs were partially inflated. The respiration 0 started —•very faint, it is true, bub still distinct. Mrs Allen had left the room after the second breath.

" I was sure she was returning to life. In my eagerness I started to rub the body, hoping to hasten circulation. I had rubbed some time, when I felt the body' getting stiff and cold in my hands. I started back in agony ; all signs of life had disappeared. It was a judgment for my lack of faith. I wanted to interfere with God's work. I did not have enough faith. Did I believe God would answer my prayer ? Most as suredly. I believe God is just the same as he was in the days of the Apostles.and that he will answer prayers of faith. Had I had enough faith, my daughter would be alive and well. Can you imagine my agony after I discovered what my interference had done ? I never want to do anything like it again."

Mrs Stickney refused to say how the body had been removed from the cemetery and when it had been taken from the house. She was also silent when asked where the body is at present. The remains, she says, wero not at all decomposed, but apparently perfectly natural. Tlie proceedings were conducted with the greatest secrecy. Only five people knew anything about them. Even the family who occupy the house with Mrs Stickney were in ignorance. Mrs Allen, Mrs Strat ton, Mrs Swett, ancl Mrs Stanley, all of whom reside in the vicinity, corroborate Mrs Stickney's story. They say she is a Christian woman, of good common sense and rare intelligence. Mrs Stickney is a recent convert to the faith cure, al though she has long been prominent in church circles. Her daughter Cora was 19 years of age, ancl was employed as bookkeeper in Calhoun ft Long's dry goods store. Overwork caused consumption of the blood. She would bleed for hours from the nose, and tho blood would exude from the pores of the flesh. While she was sick Roy. R. A. Tory effected, a temporary cure by faith. The bleeding stopped immedi ately after he began praying, but when a caller came the girl told her mother nob to tell him. how she had been cured. The bleeding commenced again and death re sulted. This converted Mrs Stickney to tlie faith cure. It is said that Mrs Stickney is still confident that her daughter will be resurrected.

A Sequel to Two Mysteries.

It will be remembered that a few weeks ago a well-dressed man, accompanied by a lady, went one Sunday night to a chemist's in Camberwell, and stated that the lady ,was ill, and that, before any restorative could :be administered, she fell back in her chair and died instantaneously. The assistant went for the police, but during his absence the man decamped, and was not traced. At the inquest evidence was given that the death of the lady was due to sudden failure of the action of the heart, the result of somo very strong erriotion or excitement, a verdict' .being re turned accordingly. Subsequently a man, well-dressed, had just passed the sentry outside the Home Office, when he'drew a revolver from his pocket, arid shot himself through the brain. . Nothing was found on him leading to identity, but his linen iwas marked with the name of a gentleman who attended the inqutest and proved that he had lent the linen to.the gentleriiari, whom lie I ifnet nightly at the Criterion bar' in Picca dilly, and whom he knew as " Captain Davis." Orie of the jurymen, however, who had examined the body very closelyi stated that he felt sure the deceased was. riot Captain DaVis, but a private in one of the regiments which came home from'the Soudan war; and this statement appears now to be correct. Moreover, circumstances have since come tb light which lead to the conclusion that 'this private, Thomas Greyj is the man who so mysteriously disappeared from Camberwell on the Sunday night. '

'■' Lost time," said the pastor solemnly, "is lost for ever/ "So is anything else that you lose," said the nC\y boy from Bitter Creek. " Ohj no," replied the pastor.. v Yovt may lose anything else and find it again" " Then taint lost," said the new boy^ arid somehow the minister didn't just exactly know how to go on with .the * conver sation. And yet he had been warned against thab very boy.

POETRY.

BIRTHDAY MUSINGS.

" Non seges est infra, non vinea cvltct." — TIBUI.LTTS,

Wherefore should we grieve about evils of to moirow? , . Z. -A :.■■,.. ■■_ Wherefore should we trouble with tho why and with the liow? .' .'"'.. Wherefore from the darkness of the future try to. borrow m . :' .-.•."■; '■:<: m■■' ■ Hues for the now?

Think you that the star, while it shines in mid night splendour, ■■',' Grieves because by morning all its beauty will begone? Sweetly sings the nightingale.l though morning may him render "' . Mateless and lone.

Bubbles on the river, though they burst while _ they arc flowing,. Reflect and absorb the golden sunshine while they last; *, ,_ . Man is but a bubble, and the sunlight on him glowing Soon will be past!

0. E. Hugo.

SONNET-FAME.

"To be or not to be?"

"Fain would I climb, but that I fear to fall."* Wrote one—a poet and courtier of old time; And good Queen Bess said, filling up the rhyme— " If thy mind fail thee, do not climb at all I"

So, thou who standest 'neath Fame's dizzying cliff, ~..--: And lookest up with hot and hungry eyes To where the summit seems to embrace the skies, Behold thy destiny hang upon an If I

"If thy mind fails thee," look no more on high, But turn and gather shells among the sands Ihat lie around thee; but, if eagle eye, And resolute soul, sure feet and willing hands

Are thine, then climbandclaim thy meet abode, While the vain world below shall hail thee as a god!

J. L. Kelly. 'Attributed to Sir Walter Raleigh.

LADY ELA.

Lady Ela, thou art lovely, and thy face is very fair, But thy heart is false and fickle* there is evil cunning there ! How many knights have gone for thee, to death . . and danger's track ? Gone for the witchery of thy smile, but never more come back! Tis said thou art a wizard' 3 child, who once was skilled to tell Of magic charms and sorcery; he loved his art too well! . Death was the harvest that he reaped for beine over wise, And they say the father's spirit looks from out the daughter's eyes.— -. She stands upon the terrace high, a knight is by her side; * His armour rings and flashes bright, her eyes aro full of pride. "Go forth. Sir Knight, and conquer, and if then you speak of.love .-'" ■• ■ I may listen, but I tell you, your passion you . mustprovel ...-:-• i-A "A ring upon thy finger, and a bracelet on thy And ajdss'npon thy red lips that never yet were And then,''he answered .gravely, "111 mount and ride away, '■■ - And ill befall tho foremost who meets me in the And though sho would forbid it, and her cheek is cold and pale, She utters not a word to that knight in shinine mail, & And, th c ring is on her finger, the biucelet' on her wrist, _" "■ • And he has kissed tho red lips that ae'or till now were kissed. "^«ur» "Farewell!" he uttered solemnly, "thou'rt signed and sealed as mine, The meaning Lady, of my words, thoumayst not yet divine, J But know-that though! die or live, no other one ■ shall dare To touch those lips at onoo to me so fatal and so fair.' ;..-.,; .-. And still she cannot speak—she can only eaza and gaze " * " Till his knightly figure melts to a vague and shadowy haze, * '?■""- And she strives to be as she has been, but it ia , all in vain ; She is his, dlive or dead, she will ne'er be frp» again. :«• .* v Would'st know tho end? Right gallantly he bore him in the fray And many Were the honours that he bravely bora away, ■ But while glory touched .his forehead.with the laurel'crown of fame The inexorable summons of a stronger warrjor He died. Beneath a lofty fane, his head was laid to rest. And prayers and pmsses.chanted, that his spirit might be blessed; And ever, morn and eve, a3 the choir their an them sing, Stole in that lonely lady of the bracelet and tha ring. - a

And years passed on. One oven, as the shadows deepened round, Her still and silent figure by his monument they found, J But cold and lifeless Ela lay; she did but come to bring Back to the giver, at the last, the bracelet and the ring.

INDA,

IN THE LANE.

And art thou then, biyjheart, too old, Kver to leap with love again, To feel tho strong blood-torrent rolled Through heaving breast and teeming brain! Is it no more, my heart, for thee A- -" ■' Life's one unquestioned ecstasy? ''

Are faded quite those dim, far days When music mothered every sound, When up and down youth's happy ways Fared glories on eternal round 1 Has chill of years killed evory joy- That blossomed for the wandering boy?

These are the trees once known so well we felt to them all but beknown; Their, very shadows we could'tell From others by the forest thrown. The s<w.e glad songs from bush and bough— As once we heard, %ye hear them now.

And these sweet flowers beneath my feet, 1 heir young eyes greet us as of yore. . The hope, there! Still they think to meet Her glance that shall not answer more; ' To us alone it cannot bo-i They're looking up so tenderly.

This is the same grey path we took Behind the slowly going day; As they do now, the light leaves shook When evening breezes blew this way; And there's the glow upon the dome, Aria here the cows are coming home.

Ah. no, good heart, thou still canst stir, Still lives the- loye.first bid thee leap; ■ Still are we at the side of her . They laid away 'neath yonder' steep. Though clods be on her arid a stone, Jn the dear old lane we're not alone. " -. * iii '■■•■'•■ J. Cheney^ in the "Century.''

Mudie's Immense Library.

Mudie's is patronised 'chiefly by *. hovel readers.. , It is one of the sights of. London to see people flocking into this place, and at stated tifnes: to ■ watch ' tyxe packages pf books being done up to send' all over the kingdom,'.not' only, England,' but Ireland, Scotland and Wales,; being yearly patrons of Mudie's, who,' have .their ' own express, like the American expresses, engaged in the safe conveyance of books to their hun dreds of readers. If you pay 5 guirieas or $25 per year you may take;, put twenty-five Volumes at a time during the year. Eyery few months' they have a sale of book's at absurdly low prices.' 'In.London and the suburbs they deliver books through town agents, called the (t Londori'Bpok. Society." Each' year 'a' catalogue' for'subscribers is published at ls: 6d'about 36 cents. This is over 300 pages'of good size. The clerks at? Mudie's^r.e.'most polite., They' are,'as ati the British Museum^'.mainly ( gentlemen of good family, who thus "seek to augment a, small iriebme. Many an antiquarian stands behind one of Mudie's counters, t^ere the books', or rather1 the 'book-shelves,' .of the, museum stretched but. in line, their length would be over 100 iriiles.' There are in all sbmethinglike-1;500,006 volumes.' A 'copy of each book published iri toncibii must be deposited in this treasure trove of litera ture. -

THE ATJGELAND EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 1887.

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