A SOUTH SEA CRUISE

(By MrF. J. Moss, M.H.R.)

interesting notes by Mr F. J. Moss, C°-ff _ during his cruise in the steamer Bus '^ to the Eastern Line Islands, and thence _ the Central Groups westward to r olines, were posted to us at Swain's j hnfc did not reach Auckland for : t j ffle after Mr Mosss return home. ■ Jy'have, however, lost none of their '■ VaRAWAY PSOM! CIVILISATION. Twrite you this off Swain's Island, one of J rn ._••_- ftroup. We are well into our .*JtS°_d Plt r S haU l».«b to* SfJorM since we left, and nob likely to until we get home a gain. ihe vessels Scall ait long intervals at these islands tie round and follow in our wake. L letter will, I hope, be picked up ■J the Rhino, expected to call a c tfffs in a couple of months, and S thence straight to Auckland. Yet tZ- we are within a couple of hundred S of' Samoa, and if ib were nob for the fit loss of time in getting to windward gin we might go to Apia and be, by the L'sco mail, within a week of Auck and. M our road lies west, and we shall be much nearer China than New Zealand before Sing our faces homeward again For nearly .two months we had a dead iLk to windward, with much vexatious iter Just on bhe sixtieth clay we got bo Emm Island> novth of fche line- M have visited several of bhe Eastern Mids The people were much in advance of- what one would ex necfc Artificial flowers, fashionable hats, Ithers, and even those atrocities of civilisation, high -heeled 7boots, aro to be m "in all of them. Happily, the high .eels are rare.' The native ladies going to dim. h are generally content with the hats m_-wreaths, and wear no boots at all. Hey are certainly much in advance in all lings of what the Fijians were 15 years .iro° But,'unlike Fiji, these Lagoon Is lamls produce hardly any fruits or flowers. Ihe surface is coral rock, admirable for cocoanuts and pand'anus, but with little jlse Water is scarce, but the milk of the roanf cocoanut makes amends. The koons have pearl shell and an occasional war!. They teem with fish of an inferior iraality, bub have also abundance of fine Pie Melons, figs, and many other fruits oii-it to do' well, and it is wonderful that P&bave not long since been introduced among them

A L&GOON ISLAND.-2tiaiD CIiERICAL !__)___. __t Niene we enjoyed the hospitality of the Reverend Frank Lawes, a Congrega tionalist clergyman, whose name, with that of his brother and Mr Chalmers, both now in Jfe.Gii.uiea, one hears mentioned by people of all kinds wibh affection and respect. This cannot be said of all the missionaries, be tween some of whom and the traders there seems to be a standing hostility. Nieue is not a lagoon island, and has a native popu lation of about 5,000, but, unfortunately, no good anchorage or- harbour. It abounds nt. fruits, produces splendid yams and iarp, anel Mr Lawes has some very.fine date pirns which....... bear plentifully but fweno't,'so far, ripened their fruit. Pratably the climate is too moist for the date, but in the drier lagoon islands it oni-ht to flourish. The lagoon islands or itolls consist of a large salt-water lake .thin a belt of coral reef from 100 to 500 jirds wide. The lake is generally very deep, the water a beautiful blue, and the W seldom more than 10 or 12ft. above Mgh-vater mark. The population of a ■feoon isl_nd is too small to support a -imjean clergyman, and a trained native __si__*y takes his place. These gentle men seem fully impressed with their own importance and blessed with an abundant appreciation of the many virtues to which ie they attribute their present lofty p_itio_s. '. They are shining lights, but too often fussy, domineering and narrow. The power which their inquisitorial system of church discipline gives ■is very great, and its ignorant exercise more likely to make sneaks and hypocrites than to develop manly : self-respect and individual con science.; Singing, dancing, musical instru ments, cards. (of course), and all " light" a" "worldly" pleasures are tabooed by these rigidprimitive pastors. The children bvenotoys,and a few Jewsharps that found their way' to one island wero sternly con fiscated and proscribed. The great recrea tions of the people are church-going and law-making. On Sunday they have five public services, and on Wednesday and May one service each day. There are, in addition- innumerable prayer meetings. The Sabbath is most rigidly observed. No work is done, no fire kindled, and, till lately, no smoking was allowed. The law is now so far relaxed as to allow Sunday stoking in the house, but not outside. The literature consists exclusively of tho Bible. Hey are behind the Fijians, who have also fte Pilgrim's Progress and Eobinson Crusoe.

. The law making and its' administration [Wt&dless sources of distraction. The pnmen*(M.H.R.--s) are- elected by the rads of households. They are judges and policemen as well as legislators ; vice and jrame are equally within their jurisdiction. Nothing is left bo individual conscience, »d there are 'hone- of the disbincbions be weenvice and: crime which public polity bs dictated in other .countries. But I f ear m their system of . repressing vice by law hardens : the offender, destroys w individual delicacy and sense of HKKe, and is far less effective than wealthy public opinion would be. Women Jit into the public: stocks, '■ or publicly •tammed through the town with a crier routing out their offence, for the edifica «on of the gaping crowd, are* not likely to we much shariie or modesty left. Nor "n the tone of the people be raised by the -«ctacle. These islands having no anchor || landing is only possible at mosb of ™em on the reef. It requires a skilful crew Wtk . boat through the" breaker,, and tyteslrilhto' get her off again. Hence the -w-of-war' or missionary vessels which J^onally touch at them spend only a * hours at each. If: it were otherwise, % would see the working of this wretched «n, and, I doubt not, soon bring about sGaano*(*.. Toxicants strictly pro-. '"'HXBIT'i-D. they do-they allow no IzhK spirits., to,he sold and none to be be for Europeans, who are rNy fined if they give or sell to native.*, r*-"if people-whose amusements and re pes are so few, the introduction of Should be fatal. j With their primitive and life, its absolute exclusion is Wi an(l does not lessen their comfort. I ?f^», Sir*W. Fox denouncing in tbe 2.% the "wretched character of the J}* nouses in some parts of the Wei- Yon qopntry. -He'was particularly _w ° .- Q*£. landlady whose breath " smelt S^Mybf'gin.'" I think it was Dr.. who afterwards referred to the speech of the honorable mem- S W* the thing that* puzzled him was gtaadhe found out that the lady s Sv*^as of so, abominable, an. qdijur ? d£de<_7 .aWbeen no doubt about lbin tfe-?*?faLagoon Island Turiman. He Z^itonly parfc 0 f his duty, if he eus g^an or woman of having taken -X tePut his f ace to the culprit's mouth |»iiui t fl « blow." 1 am afraid the '4 v T a?a People are not yet prepared ■T^ehTpower to their Turimen..:, . 1 1 7*lSI!r-To; A TURI-HO USE. lfi da visit tea Turi-hoiise at oneof the ■■ A fir^ge building about 90ft

wick in if a oil each having a lamp TSnwinUmb6rotthe^^ of the diced J- W and 1 w^ infcro . S'Zeaand *$fc* T ™man from and wtffi t - * h. y were very ki'id, mew, . Sat W. th them entered X been tl ef. end°US °fficial «■ Ho Wh eh is -__- fch° I;° unds beatin S bh<-* drum all well and..' CUl' fe, W' and canTo to report SltSS^^a^ home..and quiet, af er _h„t l° Ufc °l'? hfc °'clock- -Wone out _r son h °1 *- l- S, fined- Tll°y have no S* o_er fc'- f fc-?y wish «^secure a S-dh_.tr' iPUb ,him in stocks or X )._, hl?. I1^ l. kles to a post in the to "Iv m¥h s tHaL I ought rather on. nfV* 11 he hears his sentence, for one ot their peculiarities is thab no one is „T, m, hl*s defence. Unhappy is bhe wretch thus taken up on Saturday, for in tlie stocks he must remain, an object of amusement to all and with great discom fort to himself, till his case can be taken on Monday.. Another curious . feature with these lunmenis that they divide all the tmes among themselves. No doubt this quickens their zeal greatly—too much so, occasionally. The system is altogether ex traordinary and none but people naturally so docile and amiable as these "savages". could stand ib. °

A SHIPWRECKED CSEW. At Manahiki we found the captain and seven of the crew of the Swedish bark Plana, from British Colombia to Sydnoy, and wrecked at Starbuck Island on the 12th August. They waited two months and would probably have waited many months longer, as Starbuck is a desolate, barren place, luckily with some brackish water, bub never good for anything but guano and abandoned long since for that. They saved but two boats and could only carry eight men, so had to draw lots for the four who should be left behind. Their in tention was tomakeforMaldon Island, where the "guano is being worked, but they could not fetch it and .had to go with the-wind. Af ber twelve days at sea, and for the last three days no water, they brought up ab Mana hiki, 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 ab 3 p ni., bub 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 and on, and next day tho strong current had carried us out of sight of the island. We succeeded in making the lecside at _ p.m. next day, and got a boat ashore about four miles from where the men wereliving. Now, four miles along sharp coral rocks and deep sand are very different to four miles of tho 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 greab anxiety on our part as to the boat and its crew, as well as the shipwrecked men. 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, and ho had to leave his tool chest— a greab loss, bub there was no help for it. We shall probably find no proper place to land these men on the voyage, and shall have to carrythemallthe roundto 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 bo bhe 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 wesberly 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 _-HE KANAKAS,

Speaking about the landing at these Islands reminds me of the wonderful skill of the kanakas in the management of their 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 end driving a shoal of porpoises ashore to capture bhem are quibe credible. In land ing ab Penrhyn we had to leave the Bus ter some distance in the open sea and 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 hung on to the bow of their boat in the open sea in order to deaden its way till we could overtake them. So, also, in landing on the reef. They- wait a favourably moment, rush the boat in on top of a breaker, are overboard the instant the boat touches, and have it high on the _ rocks* before the receding wave Can take it out again. They are splendid boatmen, and nd ship visibing bhese 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 reefs. SUWAS.ROW ISIiAHB.. We called also at Suwarrow. It is a splendid lagoon with a fine passage fit for steamers of any size and at any, time, and lies right on the road from Panama to Auck land French men-of-war from Tahiti often 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 New Zealand m connection with the Panama service; And yet its ad vantages over Rapa are obvious. There is nothing bub the clear, ocean, and there are none of the reefs and .low islands that lie between Panama and Rapa .j It is also far more directly on the. road. Suwarrow seems to me very important^ making us entirely independenb of bhe French, and saving the necessiby of f^y bargain wibh them for Rapa in return for the New Heb rides, or for any of the other concessions on our part which have been suggested.. , ;? • One thing has surprised me and upset all mv notions about the tropics, derived from a considerable.experience in the Atlantic and in Fiji. ' The climate of these Line islands in the Pacific is altogether different, being; remarkable for dryness instead ot rain At Suwarrow and Christmas the air (out'of the sun) was dry, cool, and delight ful There must be a great cold ocean current near them to cause this pleasant P Sail write again if 1 have a chance, but am afraid this is the last opportunity. A telegram of a few lines from Auckland would be worth its weight in gold. We often growl at telegrams a?.A nuisance and lonP* to get out of tlieir way, but I should be "glad enough to get within^ reach ol fn - office,* 3 if only for ' half-an hour, after being for nearly three months so completely isolated, and with the prosp. ct'of three months more before us.

These next three months will carry us west wards inbo newscenes.'ahd'iicquai lit lis With a new life. We shall visit some five-and twenty islands yet. Some few-are hi. h volcanic islands, .but the great majority 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 hio-h ---heeled boots, others still heathen and like Hans Breitman's Water Nymph "mid nodingson." Six months is a long time to be out of bhe world in this way, but ib has bo be done,and there is no use growl ing about it.

DRAWING LOTS FOR DEATH.

A Very Strange Story of tho 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 the British officers who drew lots on that occasion, and among the names is given thab of Sir Charles Morgan. This Sir Charles Morgan was my father. His name, however, ab that time was not Morgan, as he did not assume the. name of Morgan till 1782. Ho was then Captain Charles Gould of the Cold stream Guards, and I have oiten heard him narrate the circumstances of the case, which are jusb what are hero reported, and having recorded them, I will give a copy of my notes, which I made at the time. Captain Charles Gould, afterward Sir Charles Morgan, second baroneb, was gazetted Ensign in the Coldstream Guards, .November.2l, 1777; Lieutenant and Cap tain, March 22, 1781; Captain and Lieutenant-Colonel,: May 14, 1790, and retired December 5,. 1792, when he .assumed the name of Morgan. He left England for America December 31, 1780, and on October 19, 1781, he was, with 5,000 of the British army, taken prisoner at Yorkbown, and after eight months his family were able to procure an exchange for him, and he returned to England. He mentioned the circumstances of" the drawing lots, bub so far as I can recollecb, 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 seabed, and when he made bhe sad communication both ladies swooned away and fell, as it were, lifeless on tlie 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 tlie 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 Prance, 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 sfcand oh end with the following tale of horror :— In 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 he 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 tho grave of his victim. When he had been away a little time a horseman arrived at the homestead, came inbo bhe house, enbered bho 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 cub his son's bhroab from ear to ear. The mnrderer carried off the body (of the traveller, as he supposed) to rifle and bury, and tho traveller gob up from his place of concealmenb and cleared. The farmer had bold the story aboub his son, so as to be able to carry out his fell purpose unsuspected, bub bhe son had really reburned, and the murder was turned into a parricide. (?) If this story is not true, it shows thab the Free State has some "mute, inglorious" -Miss Braddons to boast of.

BULLS AMD 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 lighbs, and the gaudy uniforms of the matadors fairly blazed. The ' door of the bull-pen was thrown open at 8 o'clock, and the firs, 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 pieddor were laid out though nob 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 over and tossed in a terrible manner. One swordsman at tempted to kill a bull as he charged, and was caught on the animal's horns and tossed out of the arena! almost lifeless. ' The resulb of bhe 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 manufactory of Heintze and Blankgertz (11, Gollnow 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 in England. .After making the usual de duction of one-fourth for breakage, the Berlin factory produces , monthly aboub 80,000 gross, equal fco 1,000,000 gross per annum, or 144,000,000 pens. Of pen holders upward of 77.000,0.00 are burned out annually, riot counting the hnndreds of thousands of indiarubber and lead holders and similar requisites fqr .the writing desks which are also manufactured there. The weekly consumption of steel is nearly two tons, that of wood forty cubic metres. The factory employs upward of 500 people, twd thirds of whom belorig to the weaker sex.: the latter earn from 7£ to 18riiarks, the men from 30 to 50 marks a ■week. Two engines of 50-horse power each barely suffice to keep the employes busy. Owing to good management, a gro .s 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.Jacoesex, who has been in British' Columbia for some some years col lecting Indian curios for the Hamburg museum, and writing up bhe habibs, cus toms, and traditions of the aborigines, arrived down on the Boscowibz from Bella Coola. Tiie Professor spenb all lasb winter at Tucale, the head of the southernmost of bhe Bentinck arms, which is distant fi-rii Bella Coola about 80 miles. Here he found bhe Indian in his primitive state, a wild, untutored savage, with bub a scanb knowledge of bhe arts or customs of civilis ation. The inlet running far inland and being in every way out of bhe course of traders or prospectors, is never visited, and the Indians say no white men ever went up to bhe head of ib before. They live there as they do in most places .around the coasb. by hunting and fishing, deer and fur-bear ing animals abounding in large numbers. They are wibhout missionaries and canni balism is rampant.' The professor tells of some sickening sighbs which he wit nessed there during the past winter, which at this day, one could scarcely believe capable of being witnessed so near home, did bhe 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 the woodo, and after remaining there for some time, coming back possessed of a spirit and biting pieces of flesh from the bodies of those whom bhey first meeb. Ono who wished bo graduate last winter went out and remained from sight for several weeks, though ho camo near tho camp occa sionally and made night hideous with his yells. When he returned to the tribe he came naked, notwithstanding bhab ib was bhe middle of winter and two or threo feet of snow on the ground. Tho first man he met he seized, knocked down and bib a piece oub of his arm, which ho chewed ravenously. This was repeated many times over, his face becoming besmeared Wibh blood aud presenting a fiendish appearance. The victims of the would-be chieftains' bites received in return for their pains a small pecuniary compensation and ib is an honour to carry the scar. The more scars of this kind decorate an Indian's body tho more numerous are his honours, and when he oames to have a great many ho becomes a chieftan himself in a iitblo way. The biter on ono occasion made a break for the pro fessor, who soon gavo him to understand that he was going to experience something pretty tough if he tackled him. He was not further molested.

Heroism of a Mail way Conductor.

THE New York " Tribune's " Boston special of April 28th says : -Barely is greater hero* sm aiid unselfishness wilnessed than was shown last evening by a freight conductor on tlie Boston and Albany road; near Easb Brookflelcl. A freight train left Springfield in bho afternoon in charge of Conductor James Deblois. At South Spencer, while going up a heavy grade, bhe train broke apart. When bho train hands discovered the mishap, the train was reversed and the forward portion of the train backed after the runaway cars. Conductor Deblois was very anxious to stop tho cars, for ho know that if they were nob checked before reach ing Easb Brookiield bhey would be in col ision wibh a passenger brain ab bhab poinb, and probably cause much loss of life. After .a chase of a hundred yards bhe for ward part of the train came within a few feet of the other portion. Conductor De blois mounted the top of the real* car of the forward portion and prepared to jump to the other part. Ho knew that in order to stop and conbrol bhe 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 mako the leap. A minute later he made the effort, but the distance was too great and 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, Stationmastcr James Corcoran, with great presenco of mind, burned bho switch and let bhe cars on bhe south siding and bhey wero thrown from the track inbo the river meadows.

Romance of a Crime.

A New York dospabch of April 28bh says.— A London _nanci<.l journal, jusb received here, cbnbains further details of bhe shoob ing in the Transvaal country of South Africa of C. X. Hobbs, a mining prospector, by Jefferson McClelland 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 bhe big deals,and McClelland was a.min ing expert on bhe Comstock lode. "The news of his killing Hobbs recalls a circum stance that makes a romance of the event. More than ben years a_;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 thoy should ever meet. Both men were living in San Francisco then but Hobbs drif bed Easb and settled down in New York. From there' ho wont 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" McGelland came to go there is not known, but his friends here say that he went to Australia a few years ago, and 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. McGelland fired only one. shob, and ib went right through his opponent's hearb.

A Story of Kaiser William.

One of the mosb interesting anecdotes related of Emperor William is in regard to his early youth, arid which seems bo 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 Crowri Prince and a dashing young oflicer, 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 amusement of the other players. , It was then, as now, the custom of the'banks. to set aside a certain sum each day and put up a notice of the amount, beyond which, they could not play. If their losses amounted, to this sum, the bank must close William glanced at this notic***^2oo,ooo francs—quietly remarking. that he would play for the whole bank. " Who are you ?" exclairried the dealer with sudden respect. For reply, the future Emperor of Germany then opened his coat, displaying the im perial star upon hisbreast. The cards were dealt, the Prince won, and the bank was broken. Taking up the, enormous siim.he r deliberate^ dashed it on the floor, exclaim ing, " for che croupier !" Then turning on i his heel, left the apartment.

A RUSH THROUGH AMERICA.

[Special Correspondence' to Auckland

Star.]

Places and Points off Interest.

Considering that I travelled at express speed and completed the 3,000 and odd miles between San Francisco and New York within six full days, including the detour over the Rocky Mountains, ib may well be understood that my observation of the cities and towns bhab I passed through was of a very superficial character. Chicago, where there was a break of train and we stayed a few hours, was reached in the dusk of the evening. There was a drizzly rain and sleeb. The suggestion altogether was thab of London in the winter. Personally, my impressions are confined to the execrable paving of the sbreebs and bhe luxurious ex cellence of the Palmer House. The next day, by the way, one of the waiters at this hotel (a big negro) shot bhe "boss" waiter dead whilst dinner was proceeding— an occurrence described in a telegram to the New York papers as " interfering some what wibh the comfort, of bhe meal." Be tween San Francisco and New York the line runs through - literally so, for it gener ally takes tho 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 tho way. When a couple of dozen or so of these are clanging all ab onco in or about a big depot or station bho noise is .somewhat distracting. Salb Lake'Ciby, .and thab portion of the .State of Utah traversed, wero seen under unfavour able circumstances. The trees, being all deciduous, were bare of foliage, and the city consequently looked desolabe—-a con gregation of small wooden houses, bhe ■average of which appeared nob much abovo bhe ordinary four-roomer of the colonies. The pkace in summer, since all the streets are lifted 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 mo as being hideous. There is no doubt, however, thab the Mormons hit on a fine location for their territory. Tho soil appears marvellously rich, and there is absolute abundance of good water. The effect of pushing railways through the in terior may bo specially observed in passing bhrough the State of Nebraska, where ten years ago the occupation was practically pastoral. At the present time the line passes through small township, about every five miles, and the wholo country is under the plough. ..These townships areas 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 sbreebs and districts. From inquiries I found thab the townships are all what wo 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 ib liberally sparkled in the sun on a fine frosty morning. The situation is mostbeauti ful ocenpingboth banks of the Hudson, which was asolid sheetof ice. We crossed by a hand • some bridge, looking down on fleets of river steamers firmly frozen in, awaiting tho now imminent break up of tlie ice. From this to New York the line skirts bhe banks of bins glorious river. Ib is a day's ride to ro member. We see the famed Cabskill Moun tains, whoro Rip Van Winkle slept his twenty years, but where now there arc two huge hotels —one at the very summit, and a railway to about where Rip must have encountered the gnome ! The Hudson wa.s frozen over until within* about .100 miles from New York ; a nobahle thing to observe being the large number of ice-houses, in which bhe river harvest of ice for bho< city consumption is stored. Many of these houses are of large extent, covering about the samo area, but three times as high, as the Dunedin railway sheds. Ice, be it re collected, is in universal use in America, and this all the ye,ar round. Iced water is on the table at every meal, and come-at-able all day everywhere. Every railway car lias a huge filter at each end, from which delightfully cool water can at all times be drawn. Tho stcamors all carry ice, it may be said, in profusion, and a great luxury ib is.

New York.

I am going to say nothing about New York. What, indeed, could 1 say, consider ing bhab my brain ran inbo bhe Cenbral Dep.b ababoub 8 p.m., and I bad bo drive sbraighb bo the Cunard Wharf to secure my berth on the Servia, sailing ab daylight the next morning. I did, however, make an expedibion up town, visibed the Fifth Avenue Hobel, bhe 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 place itself and the exquisite costly works of art wibh which ib is adorned. There are some half-dozen pictures, the aggregate value of which is stated to be not less than Llf>,ooo, some beautiful tapes try and sculpture. The proprietor, who is plainly en evidence, is the individual who shot bhe noborious Jem Fiske some years ago. He was sentenced to death, had the senbence commubed, and eventually got off with about four years seclusion in Sing Sing Penitentiary. Peojole in Now York do not hesitate to say that by some means or other his vast wealth saved his 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 1 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 othor leading thoroughfares are very brilliant at night, nob only being brightly illuminated by electric lights on high standards, bub owing to the shop windows not being closed by shutters, whilst brightly ■ lighbed up wibhin. The establishments aro 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 all the large and many quite small towns from San Francisco to New York. The railway stations, clep6bs as bhey arc called, and bhe steamboat wharves are' lighted by night as by day. The, mere glimpse I had of New York by night, and "frem the harbour in the early; morning, gave me the idea of a very large and handsome city. I drove, in fact, through streets arid streets of fine houses similar to those in 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 Sbatue 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 fcjfned Colossus of Rhodes. The effect is really ,r lagnificent, and does not in any degree di .appoint the pre-conceived idea derived from photographs and pictures.. On looking over these notes I find that I have said nothing about San. Francisco. Landing, however, as I did, from the Ala jnedi. about 10.30 a.m., and leaving by the train from Oakfield at 3 p.m. the same day, my opportunities of observation were limi ted. The weather was fine, and I saw all thatcouidwellbeseeninthe time. The main 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 bhe ciby. ' The sysbem 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 five 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 presenbs a very animabed appearance, business of all kinds being demonstratively brisk. The huge hotels were absolubely so crowded bhab bhe Alameda's passengers were unable to get rooms either ab bhe' Palace or the Baldwin. lam informed bhab there wero ab the least 5,000 visitors from bhe Eastern States, who have been spending ( bhe win ber months in California, and were en route towards home. More anon.

WAS IT A RESURRECTION?

A Corpse Revived Two Moaths After

Burial.

There is a little one-story white cottage at 407, Fifbh-sbreet, which has been the scene of a most remarkable proceeding. It was the attempt of a grief-stricken mother to bring her daughber 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. Her body was placed in a vault at Lakewood Cemebery. During her illness I was converted bo the faith cure by a cure wrought by Rev. R. A. Torroy. About ben days after her death I bcca'no impmssed with the idea of re surrecting' by prayer. The bhoughb im pressed me strongly ; so much that I think Sod placed it there. I prayed constanbly for my daughter and broached the mabber at a meeting of tlio Faithists, at Mrs C. Sbrabton's home, 009, Madison-sbreeb. There were three or four ladies there. I bold bhem bhab I wanted their prayers for my daughter. They were greatly sur prised, and even 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 her 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 see her rise in perfect health. I was certain that she would. The first indica tion was a high temperature of the body. J turned to the other ladies and asked them to leavo bhe room. All did so but Mrs Allen, who, remained for a few minutes. I placed my hands on bhe abdo men ;ib 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 felb her heart flubber. The lungs svere partially inflated. The respiration started —very faint, it is true, bub still distinct. Mrs Allen had left bhe room afber 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, ivhen 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, j 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 tho days of the Apostles.and that he will answer prayers of faith. Had I had enough faith, my daughber would be alive and well. Can you imagine my agony afber 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. Sho was also silent when asked where the body is at present. The remains, she says, wero not at all decomposed, but apparently perfectly natural. The 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, and 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 Sbickney 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, and was employed as bookkeeper in Calhoun & Long's dry goods store. Overwork caused consumption of the blood. She would bleed for hours from the nose, and the blood would exude from the pores of the flesh. While she was sick Roy. R. A. T°ry effected a temporary cure by faith. The bleeding stopped immedi ately afber he began praying, bub when a caller came bhe girl bold her mother not to tall him. how she had been cured. The bleeding commenced again and death re sulted. This converted Mrs Stickney to the 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; action1 of the heart, the result of some very strong eriiotion or excitement, a Verdict .being re turned .accordingly. Subsequently a man, well-dressed,' had just passed, the sentry outside the Home Ofßce, when he drew a revolver from his pocket, arid shot himself through the brain. Nothing was found on him leading to identity, but liis linen was marked with the name of a gentleman who attended the inquest andproyed that he had lent the linen to.the gentleihan, whom he igmet nightly at the Criterion bar' in Picca dilly, and whom he knew as " Captain Davis." One of the jurymen, however, who had examined the body very Closely^stated that he felt sure the deceased was. riot Captain Davis, but a privaite 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 bo lighb which lead bo the conclusion that this private, Thomas.Greyj is the man who so rirysteriously disappeared from CamberweU on theSuriday night. '

.. Lost time," said the pastor soleinrily, "is lost for ever." ' 'So is anything else that you lose," said the neiyboy from Bitter Creek. " Ohj no," replied trie pastor..'" Yori may lose anything else and find it agahx" "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 that very boy.

POETRY.

BIRTHDAY. MUSINGS.

" Non seges est infra, non vinea cvlta."— TlB-__U3. Wherefore should we grieve a^out evils of to moirow? ..',.:. .' ~!, ■.. Wherefore should we trouble with the why and

with the how? Wherefore from the darkness of the future try to, borrow .-. -. -. !' - Hues for the now?

Think you that the star, while it shine 3in mid night splendour; a !*;' Grieves because morning all its beauty will begone? " Sweetly sings the nightingale,' though morning may him render r ■"' Mateless and lone. ~ • .... Bubbles on the river, though they burst while they are flowing,.. Reflect and absorb the golden sunshine while they last; . i ■ - f Man is but a bubble, and the sunlight on him glowing Soon will be past! O. 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 1" 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! "If thy mind fails thee," look no more on high, But turn and gather shells among the sands That lie around thee; but, if eagle eye, And resolute soul, sure feet and willing hands , Are thine, then climband claim thy meet abode, While the vain world below shall hail thee as a god! . ~ , J. L. Kelly. 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 l 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's 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 being overwise, ' 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 are full of pride. "Go forth. Sir Knight, arid conquer, and if then you speak of.love ■ . I may listen, but I tell you, your passion you . must prove!" ~ ■•. .. "A ring upon thy finger, and a bracelet on thy ■wrist, .;, ' And a kiss npon thy red lips that never yet were kissed. And then," he answered gravely, "I'll mount and ride away. And ill befall tho foremost who meets mo in the fray. . ,; And though she would forbid it, and her cheek is cold and pale, She utters not a word to that knight in shining And the ring is on her finger, the bracelet on her wrist, , ; ■ .: And he has kissed tho red lips that ae'«r till now were kissed. "Farewell!" he uttered solercnly; "thou'rt signed and sealed as mine, The meaning Lady, of my words,. Thou mayst not yet divine, But know-that, though I die or live, no other one • shall dare To touch those lips at once to me so fatal and so fair! - . ~ And still she cannot speak—she can only eaze andgazo Till his knightly figure melts to a vague and .': shadowy haze, • ' ■ -- ,-.. And she strives to be as she has been, but it is all in vain; She is his, alive or dead, 'she will ne'er be free again, a. '-'■ ■.•.-■■■ Would'st know the end? Right gallantly he bore him ill the fray : And many were the honours that he bravely bore away, ■• ,-? But while glory touched, his forehead.with the - laurel' crown of fame The inexorable summons of a stronger warrior came. , > He died. Beneath a lofty fane; his head was laid to rest. And prayers and raasses.chanted, that his spirit ' might be blessed ; And ever, morn and eve, as the choir their an them sing, .- " ' " . Stole in that lonely lady of the bracelet and tha nag. 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, inyjheart, too old, _..er to leap with love again, ' To feel the strong blood-torrent rolled Through heaving breast and teeming brain. Is it no more, my heart, for thee . * ~ - Life's one unquestioned ecstasy? "

Are faded quite those dim^ far days f When music mothered every sound, When up arid down youth's happy ways Fared glories on eternal round. Has chill of years killed every 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 '•' * r ' ■■'■'■■' From others by the forest thrown. The same glad songs from bush and bough— As once we heard, we 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]. 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-love.first bid theeleap; Still are we at the side of her . ,-, .-. They 1-id away 'neath yonder'steep. Though clods be on her arid a stone, * ' Jn the dear old lane we're not alone. «•'•* a.H iii ', J. Cheney,1 in the "Century."

Mudie's Immense Library.

Mtfdie's is patronised "chiefly by ridVel readers... It is one of the sights of, London to see people flocking into this place, and. at stated timesto watch rpEe packages of books beirig done up to send' all oyer the kingdom, not only England, but Ireland, Scotland and Wales, 'being yearly patrons of Mudie's, who,' have .'theirpwn express, like the American expresses, engaged in the safe conveyance :6f • books to then hun dreds 'of readefs.':ljf you pay . guineas or $25 per year you may take" out twenty-five Volumes at a time during the year. Every fewmbnths they have a sale of book's at absurdly low price's. Tn.Loridon arid' the suburbs they deliver books through town agents, called the " London' Book Society." Each year ;a' catalogue: for subscribers is published at Is 6d about 36 cents. This ia over-300 pages of good size.,' The clerks a| Miidie's _re;iriost polite... Thi'ey! are,'as afi the British TMuseum,' mainly gentlemen of good family, who thu's'seek to augment a sriiall income. Many an antiquarian stands behind one of Mudie's counters. T^ere the bobks, or rather the book-shelves,'' of the museum stretched but:' in line, their, length' would be overTO-'rriiles.', There are in all something like T, 500,000 volumes. A'copy ; of each book published in 1-oriaori rimst'be deposited in this treasure trove of litera ture. -

THE ATJGELAHD - E^ENINa STAR, JUNE 11^. 1887.

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