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diff --git a/75818-h/75818-h.htm b/75818-h/75818-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2cee0c8 --- /dev/null +++ b/75818-h/75818-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2593 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + Chambers’s Journal, November 27, 1886 | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} +hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} +@media print { hr.chap {display: none; visibility: hidden;} } +hr.full {width: 95%; margin-left: 2.5%; margin-right: 2.5%;} + + +.header {text-align: center; margin-top: 0;} +.header p {text-align: center; text-indent: 0;} +.header .floatl {float: left;} +.header .floatr {float: right;} +.header .floatc {padding-top: .5em;} + +.x-ebookmaker .header {text-align: center; margin-top: 0;} +.x-ebookmaker .header p {text-align: center; text-indent: 0;} +.x-ebookmaker .header .floatl {float: left;} +.x-ebookmaker .header .floatr {float: right;} +.x-ebookmaker .header .floatc {padding-top: .5em;} + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} +h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + + +.smalltext{ + font-size: 75%; +} + + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + text-indent: 0; +} /* page numbers */ + + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + +.blockquot_ans { + margin-left: 1.5em; + text-indent: -1.5em; +} + + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps; + font-style: normal;} + +.allsmcap {font-variant: small-caps; text-transform: lowercase;} + + +/* Images */ + +img { + max-width: 100%; + height: auto; +} +img.w100 {width: 100%;} + + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + + +/* Poetry */ +/* uncomment the next line for centered poetry */ +.poetry-container {display: flex; justify-content: center;} +.poetry-container {text-align: center;} +.poetry {text-align: left; margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 5%;} +.poetry .stanza {margin: 1em auto;} +.poetry .verse {text-indent: -3em; padding-left: 3em;} +.poetry .attrib {text-align: right;} + + + +/* Poetry indents */ +.poetry .indent0 {text-indent: -3.0em;} + + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75818 ***</div> + + +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> +<h1>CHAMBERS’S JOURNAL<br> +OF<br> +POPULAR<br> +LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART.</h1> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class="nobreak">CONTENTS</h2> +</div> + +<p class="center"> + +<a href="#SEALSKIN_COATS_ALIVE_AND_DEAD">SEALSKIN COATS, ALIVE AND DEAD.</a><br> +<a href="#BY_ORDER_OF_THE_LEAGUE">BY ORDER OF THE LEAGUE.</a><br> +<a href="#THE_PLEASURES_OF_RUIN">THE PLEASURES OF RUIN.</a><br> +<a href="#COUSIN_GEORGE">COUSIN GEORGE.</a><br> +<a href="#AIR_AS_A_MOTIVE_FORCE">AIR AS A MOTIVE FORCE.</a><br> +<a href="#A_NINETEENTH-CENTURY_PIRATE">A NINETEENTH-CENTURY PIRATE.</a><br> +<a href="#THE_MONTH">THE MONTH: SCIENCE AND ARTS.</a><br> +<a href="#OCCASIONAL_NOTES">OCCASIONAL NOTES.</a><br> +<a href="#A_BRIGHT_DAY_IN_NOVEMBER">A BRIGHT DAY IN NOVEMBER.</a><br> +</p> +<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> + + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_753">{753}</span></p> + +<hr class="full"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="figcenter" id="header" style="max-width: 37.5em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/header.jpg" alt="Chambers’s Journal of Popular Literature, Science, +and Art. Fifth Series. Established by William and Robert Chambers, 1832. Conducted by R. Chambers (Secundus)."> +</div> + +<hr class="full"> +<div class="center"> +<div class="header"> +<p class="floatl"><span class="smcap">No. 152.—Vol. III.</span></p> +<p class="floatr"><span class="smcap">Price</span> 1½<em>d.</em></p> +<p class="floatc">SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1886.</p> +</div></div></div> + +<hr class="full"> + + +<div class="chapter"><h2 class="nobreak" id="SEALSKIN_COATS_ALIVE_AND_DEAD">SEALSKIN COATS, ALIVE AND DEAD.</h2></div> + + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> ladies of England, who, living at home at +ease, shield themselves from the inclemency of +our not very rigorous winters in their elegant +sealskin coats, think little, and know less, of +the curious animal from which their beautiful +garment is taken, and of the peculiar circumstances +of its habitat and capture. Nor can their +ignorance be deemed much of a reproach, seeing +that until recently, even scientists were accustomed +to regard the fur-seal as but a variety +of the hair-seal, not unknown on the shores +of Scotland, and abounding in the North and +West Atlantic. But the two are quite dissimilar +in their individuality and character, and as Mr +H. W. Elliott, of the Smithsonian Institute of the +United States—to whom we are chiefly indebted +for the substance of this article—says, ‘the truth +connected with the life of the fur-seal, as it herds +in countless myriads on the islands of Aleutian +Alaska, is far stranger than fiction.’ Mr Elliott +spent three years in continuous observations on +the spot, and is the first to afford us a complete +and trustworthy view of the strange eventful +history.</p> + +<p>The fur-seal formerly abounded in the southern +hemisphere on the borders of the Antarctic +Circle; but reckless killing has well-nigh exterminated +it there, and now, one may say that the +only habitat of commercial importance is in that +portion of the North Pacific which washes the +Aleutian division of Alaska; and even here, the +range is practically confined to four comparatively +small islands. These islands were discovered by +the Russian navigator Pribylov in 1786, and are +still called by his name. They lie about two +hundred miles due north of the group usually +called the Aleutian Islands, off the western +extremity of the Alaska peninsula. The Pribylov +Islands rest in the very heart of Behring Sea, +but far enough south to be free from permanent +ice-floes, and thus to escape the ravages of the polar +bear; while also far enough from the mainland +and inhabited islands to be free from the attacks +of the primitive races. Thus the seals had +collected and bred there for countless ages, undisturbed +by beast or man, until the Russians +first broke in upon their preserves. They have +been the objects of constant attention and pursuit +ever since.</p> + +<p>There are three kinds of seals. The <i>Phoca +vitulina</i> is the common hair-seal, which may often +be seen on our north-western shores, which the +fishing-vessels of Dundee, of Hull, of Peterhead, +and of Greenock, go out to Greenland and +Labrador to catch every season for the sake of the +oil—the skin being of little value—and specimens +of which, alive or stuffed, we may fairly assume +every one of our readers has seen somewhere or +other. There is probably not an aquarium of the +country which has not a family of them. Then +there is the <i>Eumetopias stelleri</i>, which the Russians +call ‘Seevitchie,’ and which is known to +our mariners as the ‘sea-lion.’ This and the +walrus, which may be considered akin, are found +in all the circumpolar regions. Lastly, there is +the <i>Callorhinus ursinus</i>, called ‘Kantickie’ by the +Russians, which is the true fur-seal, and which +is the subject of our sketch. It has no generic +affinity with the others, and is of quite different +habits. As has been said, it is now found only +on four islands of Behring Sea.</p> + +<p>Of the fur-seal, it has been said that there is +no known animal on land or water which can +take higher physical rank, or which exhibits +a higher order of instinct, closely approaching +human intelligence. The male fur-seal is in his +full prime at six or seven years of age, and +will then measure from six and a half to +seven and a half feet from snout to tail. He +will weigh between four hundred and six +hundred pounds—the latter weight, however, +being found only in older animals, and not very +frequently. He has a small head, with a muzzle +and jaws not unlike both in size and form to those +of a pure Newfoundland dog. The lips, however, +are firm, and pressed together like those of man, +and the large eyes of blue-gray are capable of +expressing both soft and fierce emotions. On the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_754">{754}</span>upper lip he has a long moustache of grayish +bristles, which are often long enough to extend +over his shoulder. He swims with his head high +over the water, and on land walks with an undulating +carriage and head erect. If frightened, he +will run as fast as a man, but not very far—thirty +or forty yards sufficing to exhaust his wind. The +hind-feet are longer than the fore-feet or flippers, +and in shape are very like the human foot elongated +to twenty inches or so, and with the instep +flattened. There are three toes on the hind-feet; +but the fore-flippers are fingerless hands some +eight or ten inches broad.</p> + +<p>The female fur-seal is from four to four and +a half feet in length from snout to tail, lithe in +form, without the heavy covering of fat round +the shoulders which the male has, and with beautiful, +gentle, intelligent, dark-blue eyes. She will +weigh from fifty to a hundred pounds, according +to her condition. Her manners are as amiable +as her eyes, and she never fights with her neighbours, +as her quarrelsome lord and master does. +The cow-seal has but one voice—a sort of bleating +half-way between the cry of a calf and that of an +old sheep—and this is used for calling the young, +which, curiously enough, are known as ‘pups,’ +although the mothers are ‘cows,’ and the fathers +‘bulls.’ The male seal, however, has four voices. +One is for battle, and resembles the puffing of +a labouring locomotive; another is a hoarse loud +roar; a third is a sort of low gurgle or growl; +and a fourth, a sort of chuckle, half-hiss, half-whistle. +The breeding-grounds are called ‘rookeries,’ +and there, during the season, the din of +roars, puffs, growls, and whistles from countless +thousands of vigorous ‘bulls,’ is ceaseless, and +in volume has been compared to the boom of +Niagara.</p> + +<p>It is odd that the breeding-place of ‘bulls’ +and ‘cows’ should be called ‘rookeries,’ but so +it is. The first to arrive at these rookeries are +the bull-seals, and the season begins about the +first of May. As it is ‘First come, first served,’ +and as there is an unwritten law among them +that a bull requires a clear space of from six +to eight feet square for the accommodation +of himself and family, there is much scrambling +and fighting for plots, and the late arrivals +may be driven away without being allowed a +landing-place at all. They fight with great +strength and courage—only the adult males, +however—running at each other with averted +heads, and then seizing each other with their +teeth. The battles are often long, and the +wounds severe; but these soon heal; and an +adventurous ‘bull’ thinks nothing of forty or +fifty desperate combats in a season. While fighting, +they utter both their roar and their whistle, +the hair is sent flying in all directions, and the +eyes gleam with angry fire. It is said that in +a seal-fight there is always an offensive and a +defensive party, and that if the latter is beaten, +he simply vacates his position to the victor, +who does not follow his foe, but lies down on +the conquered territory and gives vent to his +chuckle.</p> + +<p>Although the cows are amiable, they are +not particularly demonstrative to their infants, +which are born immediately after the females +are located in the rookeries. Twins are very rare, +and mothers always suckle their own young. +The pups do not know their own mothers, and +if separated from them, will take with the +greatest alacrity to the first kindly cow which +will console them with her rich creamy and +abundant milk. The pups, for the first three +months after birth, are jet black in colour, and +bleat in a minor key after the fashion of the +cows. At birth, a pup will weigh three or four +pounds, and measure twelve or fourteen inches +in length. Curiously enough, the pup-seal cannot +swim, and even if he is several weeks old, +will helplessly sink, if thrown into the water. +But about the second week of August begins one +of the most curious episodes of seal-life—the +education of the young. By the time he has +counted six weeks or so of life, the pup-seal begins +to feel an inclination to play on the margin of +the sea, where, as the waves flow and recede, the +shore is alternately covered and uncovered. The +baby-seal finds that thousands and thousands and +tens of thousands of his fellow-babies have been +smitten with the same curiosity about the sea +almost simultaneously with himself, and that +the beach is swarming with tumbling, floundering, +gurgling, whistling, playful, yet nervous +young animals. By-and-by, one plucks up +courage to try a plunge in the deeper surf; +others follow; one gets carried beyond his depth, +and in frantic struggles to reach the shore again, +discovers that he has a power of locomotion +even in the water. It is but feeble; and when +a kindly wave chucks him out of harm’s way on +to the rocks, he is blown and exhausted. But +he takes a short sleep, and then has another go; +and after a few more efforts, finds, to his great +delight, that he is even more at home in the +water than on the land. For the next few weeks +the coast-waters of the islands are black with the +little fat bodies revelling in their new-found +power, and gamboling among the breakers like +children on the grass. It used to be believed +by the old sailors that the parent seals drove +their young ones into the water and taught them +forcibly to swim; but more recent and careful +observation places it beyond doubt that the +parents take no part whatever in the process +of education, but leave the young ones to learn +the battle of life for themselves.</p> + +<p>By the time the breeding season is over, all the +young seals have become able-bodied swimmers. +By this time, too, the pups have grown to thirty +or forty pounds-weight, and have changed the +black coat of infancy for the thick, gray, hairy coat +of youth. At this age, the coats of both male and +female are similar; indeed, not until the third +year do they assume their permanent differences. +The outer coat of the full-grown bull is of a +dark-brown colour, and the hairs are short and +crisp; beneath, like the down under the feathers +of a bird, is the close, soft, elastic fur, so esteemed +by man, or rather woman. The full-grown cows, +as they come into the rookeries at the beginning +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_755">{755}</span>of the season, are of a dull, dirty-gray colour, +which, after they have been a short time on +land, changes to a rich steely gray on the back, +and snow-white on the chest and belly; but after +a few weeks the white changes into a dull ruddy +colour, and the steel gray into a brownish gray. +The breeding season is over by the end of July; +the families begin to break up, and the rookeries +to be disorganised during August. By the middle +of September, all order and distinction is lost, +and the young ones have commenced life on their +own account. By the end of October, all the +mature seals have left the islands; and by the +end of November, even the youngest have disappeared.</p> + +<p>Whither? That is one of the conundrums of +nature, as is also the question, where do the seals +die? It is certain that none perish from natural +causes on the islands, and all that is known of +their doings elsewhere is, that they seem usually +to shape a southern course. They are lost in the +vast mazes of the Pacific, not to be seen of man +again until the following summer. They have +natural enemies in sharks and other submarine +animals of prey; but it is not thought that their +numbers suffer much diminution on this account. +Their own food is fish, and Mr Elliott has calculated +that an adult male seal will consume +forty pounds, and an adult female ten to twelve +pounds, per day, of fresh fish. Taking, with the +young ones, an average of ten pounds per day +each, and the numbers annually frequenting the +rookeries of the Pribylov Islands—which have been +ascertained by careful measurement and estimate +at about four millions and three-quarters—we +have a total of six millions of tons of fish consumed +every year by the fur-seals! The figures +are stupendous, but they seem beyond doubt.</p> + +<p>As to the now approximately known number +of seals, there is no reason to believe that it is +any greater than it was when the islands were +first discovered; and while the number will not +be decreased by the present method of capture, it +is not thought that it will increase. The supply +of fur-seals, then, may be taken as a fixed +quantity, with a known annual yield to man. +That yield is restricted by the law of the United +States to one hundred thousand skins per annum. +The government holds the islands for the State +and leases the right of capture to a Company, who +are permitted not to take a larger number than +that just mentioned. They employ the natives of +the Aleutian Islands, who work in gangs, under +their chiefs, and receive forty cents, or one +shilling and eightpence, for every ‘pelt’ or hide +they hand to the Company’s officials. Government +officers, again, keep a separate tally; so +there is a double check upon the Company, who +cannot easily, even if they wish, exceed their prescribed +rights. As the annual birth-rate is about +one million, of which one half are males, the +number annually abstracted by man can have no +appreciable effect in reducing the supply or in +affecting the natural increase. The average natural +life of the male seal is believed to be from fifteen +to twenty years, and that of the female, about +ten years, so that deaths by man on the rookeries, +and from submarine foes during the winter, suffice +to keep the race within the bounds now known.</p> + +<p>The men operate only on the haunts of the +‘bachelor’ seals. It is presumed that about two-thirds +of the males are not allowed to land on +the rookeries by the stronger and abler remanent, +so that the wants of man can be supplied +without interfering with the operations of the +breeding-grounds. When the ‘bachelors’ are +dozing about the shores in the early summer, the +natives get in quietly between them and the sea. +The seals on perceiving the men turn to run +inland, and are easily driven to the appointed killing-grounds. +Three or four men can easily guide +and secure as many thousand seals, and the +driving is done leisurely, for if the animals become +overheated, the fur is injured. The men therefore +allow them to rest from time to time, and renew +the drive by clattering and shouting, to startle +the seals to fresh exertions. They move with +the docility of a flock of sheep, and only the old +bulls ever show fight. These last will occasionally +make a stand and act on the defensive; but +as they are of little value commercially, the +bellicose oldsters are allowed to drop out and go +their own ways. It is only the animals between +one and five years old which are desired, for after +the fifth year, the fur deteriorates, the undergrowth +becoming shorter and coarser. The +thickest and finest pelts are those of the third +and fourth years. Beneath the skin is a dense +layer of oily blubber, which, unlike the blubber +of the hair-seal, has a very offensive odour.</p> + +<p>The work of catching and pickling the pelts occupies +June and July, by which time the Company +will have secured its legal number of one hundred +thousand, or as many short of the number as +circumstances have confined them to. After July, +the seals begin to moult, and the skins become +of less and less value as the season advances. +Altogether, three hundred and ninety-eight persons +are employed annually on the Pribylov Islands +in this work.</p> + +<p>After the ‘catch’ is ended, the skins are taken +in the Company’s steamers to San Francisco, and +thence nearly all or about nine-tenths are shipped +to London, for London has the monopoly of the +preparation of these furs for market. The skins +as they come into England are very different +in appearance from what we see on the backs +of our lady-friends. They are indeed very unattractive; +and all the coarse stiff outer hair +has to be carefully extracted before the rich +under-fur is seen. This last is then dyed and +dressed. It is hurried or defective dyeing and +dressing which accounts for the variation in +prices of the finished furs, for there is little +difference in the original quality. The more +careful and skilful the work of the furrier, therefore, +the dearer becomes the sealskin jacket.</p> + +<p>The Alaska Commercial Company’s lease of the +islands is for twenty years from the 1st of May +1870, and they pay the government a rental of +eleven thousand pounds per annum for the islands, +and a tax of eight shillings for each sealskin, +ten and sixpence for each fur-seal skin, and fifty-five +cents for every gallon of oil, shipped. The +Company is also bound to supply the inhabitants +with a stipulated quantity of dried fish, firewood, +and salt; to maintain a school on each island +for the education of the natives; and not to sell +or give any ‘distilled spirituous liquors’ to the +natives. We believe that the Company has in +only one year (1881) taken its full number of +skins, the usual number shipped being from ninety +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_756">{756}</span>to ninety-five thousand. Between 1870 and 1881, +the Company had paid the United States Treasury +nearly three and a half millions of dollars in +rent and royalty.</p> + + + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"><div class="chapter"><h2 class="nobreak x-ebookmaker-important" id="BY_ORDER_OF_THE_LEAGUE">BY ORDER OF THE LEAGUE.</h2></div> + + +<h3>CHAPTER XVI.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">Consumed</span> by conflicting emotions, and torn by +a thousand hopes and fears, Maxwell set out on +his journey to Rome. At any hazards, he was +determined to commit no crime, and trusted to +time and his own native wit to show him a +way out of the awful difficulty which lay before +him. All the old familiar country he passed +through failed to interest him now; he saw +nothing but his own fate before his eyes; and +the Eternal City, which had once been a place of +mystery and delight to him, now looked to his +distorted fancy like a tomb, every broken statue +an avenging finger, and every fractured column +a solemn warning.</p> + +<p>It was night when he arrived and secured +apartments—the old ones he had occupied in his +student days, the happiest time in his life, he +thought now, as every ornament recalled this +silent voice or that forgotten memory slumbering +in some corner of his brain. He could +eat nothing; the very air of the place was oppressive +to him; so he put on his hat and walked +out into the streets, all alive with the citizens +taking their evening walk, and gay with light +laughter over flirtations and cigarette smoke. +He wandered long and far, so far, that it was +late when he returned; and there, lying on the +table, was a sealed packet, bearing the device of +the Order, and in the corner two crossed daggers. +He groaned as he opened it, knowing full well +the packet contained the hated ‘instructions,’ as +they were called. He tore them open, read +them hastily, and then looked out of the window +up to the silent stars. And it was Visci, his +old friend Carlo Visci, he was sent here—to +murder! The whole thing seemed like a ghastly +dream. Visci, the truest-hearted friend man +ever had; Visci, the handsome genius, whose +purse was ever ready for a fellow-creature in +need; the man who had sat at his table times +out of number; the student who was in his +secrets; the man who had saved his life, snatched +him from the very jaws of death—from the yellow +waters of the Tiber. And this was the friend he +was going to stab in the back some dark night! +A party of noisy, light-hearted students passed +down the street, some English voices amongst +them, coming vaguely to Maxwell’s ears, as he +sat there looking on the fatal documents, staring +him in the face from the table.</p> + +<p>‘Et tu, Brute!’</p> + +<p>Maxwell looked up swiftly. And there, with +one trembling forefinger pointing to the open +documents, stood the figure of a man with a +look of infinite sorrow on his face, as he gazed +mournfully down upon the table. He was young—not +more than thirty, perhaps, and his aquiline +features bore the marks of much physical suffering. +There were something like tears in his eyes +now.</p> + +<p>‘Carlo! is it possible it is you?’ Maxwell cried, +springing to his feet.</p> + +<p>‘Yes, Fred, it is I, Carlo Visci, who stand +before you. We are well met, old friend; you +have not far to seek to do your bidding now. +Strike! while I look the other way, for it is your +task, I know.’</p> + +<p>‘As there is a heaven above us, no!’ Maxwell +faltered. ‘Never, my friend! Do you think I +would have come for this? Listen to me, Visci. +You evidently know why I am here; but sure +as I am a man, never shall my hand be the one +to do you hurt. I have sworn it!’</p> + +<p>‘I had expected something like this,’ Visci +replied mournfully. ‘Yes, I know why you +came. You had best comply with my request. +It would be a kindness to me to kill me, as I +stand here now.’</p> + +<p>‘Visci, I swear to you that when I joined the +Brotherhood, I was in the blackest ignorance of +its secret workings. When I was chosen for +this mission, I did not even comprehend what +I had to do. Then they told me Visci was a +traitor. Even then, I did not know it was you. +Standing there in the room, I swore never to +harm a hair of your head; and, heaven help me, +I never will!’</p> + +<p>‘Yes, I am a traitor, like you,’ Visci smiled +mournfully. ‘Like you, I was deceived by claptrap +talk of liberty and freedom; like you, I was +allotted to take vengeance on a traitor; and like +you, I refused. Better the secret dagger than +the crime of fratricide upon one’s soul!’</p> + +<p>‘Fratricide! I do not understand.’</p> + +<p>‘I do not understand either. Frederick, the +man I was detailed to murder—for it is nothing +else—is my only brother.—You start! +But the League does not countenance relationships. +Flesh and blood and such paltry ties are +nothing to the friends of liberty, who are at +heart the sternest tyrants that ever the mouth +of man execrated.—But what brings you here? +You can have only one object in coming here. +I have told you before it would be a kindness +to end my existence.’</p> + +<p>‘But why? And yet, when I come to look +at you again, you have changed.’</p> + +<p>‘I have changed,’ Visci echoed mournfully—‘changed +in mind and body. My heart is +affected, diseased beyond all hope of remedy. +I may die now, at any moment; I cannot live +four months.’</p> + +<p>They sat down together, and fell to discussing +old times when they were happy careless students +together, and Maxwell did not fail to notice the +painful breathing and quick gasping spasms of +his friend, altered almost beyond recognition +from the gallant Visci of other days.</p> + +<p>‘Salvarini advised me to come here. You +remember him; he claims to be a true friend +of yours,’ Maxwell observed at length. ‘He +said it would gain time, and enable me to form +my plans.—But tell me how you knew I was +in Rome. I have only just arrived.’</p> + +<p>‘I had a sure warning. It came from the +hand of Isodore herself.’</p> + +<p>‘I have heard much of her; she seems all-powerful. +But I thought she was too stern a +Leaguer to give you such friendly counsel. Have +you ever seen her? I hear she is very beautiful.’</p> + +<p>‘Beautiful as the stars, I am told, and a noble-hearted +woman too. She is a sort of Queen of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_757">{757}</span>the League; but she uses her power well, ever +erring on the side of mercy. She has a history, +report says—the old story of a woman’s trustfulness +and a man’s deceit. Poor Isodore! hers is +no bed of roses!’</p> + +<p>‘And she put you on your guard?’ Maxwell +asked. ‘Come, there must be some good in a +woman like that, though I cannot say I altogether +like your picture. I should like to see her.’</p> + +<p>‘I should not be surprised if you did before +many days. She is the one to protect you from +violence. With her sanction, you could laugh +the mandates of the League to scorn. Had I +long to live, I should sue for her protection, +and wherever she may be, she would come to +me. Even now, if she comes to Rome, see her +if you can and lay your case before her.’</p> + +<p>‘And shield myself behind a woman! That +does not sound like the chivalrous Visci of old. +She is only a woman, after all.’</p> + +<p>‘One in a million,’ Visci answered calmly. +‘If she holds out her right hand to you, cling +to it as a drowning desperate man does to a rock; +it is your only chance of salvation.—And now +it is late. I must go.’</p> + +<p>Despite his own better sense, Maxwell began +to dwell upon the fact of gaining assistance from +the mysterious Isodore. At meetings of the +League in London, he had heard her name mentioned, +and always with the utmost reverence +and affection. If she could not absolutely relieve +him from his undertaking, she could at anyrate +shield him from non-compliance with the mandate. +Full of these cheerful thoughts, he fell +asleep.</p> + +<p>He found his friend the following morning +quite cheerful, but in the daylight the ravages of +disease were painfully apparent. The dark rings +under the eyes and the thin features bespoke +nights of racking pain and broken rest.</p> + +<p>Visci noticed this and smiled gently. ‘Yes, +I am changed,’ he said. ‘Sometimes, after a +bad night, I hardly know myself. It is cruel, +weary work lying awake hour after hour fighting +with the grim King. But I have been singularly +free from pain lately, and I am looking much +better than I have been.’</p> + +<p>‘There might be a chance yet,’ Maxwell replied +with a cheerfulness wholly assumed, and thinking +that this ‘looking better’ was the nearest +approach to death he had ever seen. ‘An absence +from Rome, a change of climate, has done wonders +for people before now.’</p> + +<p>Visci shook his head. ‘Not when the mainspring +of life is broken,’ he said: ‘no human +ingenuity, no miracle of surgery can mend that. +Maxwell, if they had deferred their vengeance +long, they would have been too late. Some +inward monitor tells me I shall fail them yet.’</p> + +<p>‘You will for me, Visci, you may depend upon +that. Time is no object to me.’</p> + +<p>‘And if I should die and disappoint you of +your revenge, how mad you would be!’ Visci +laughed. ‘It is a dreadful tragedy to me; it +is a very serious thing for you; and yet there +is a comic side to it, as there is in all things. +Ah me! I cannot see the droll side of life as +I used; but when the bloodthirsty murderer +sits down with his victim tête-à-tête, discussing +the crime, there is something laughable in it +after all.’</p> + +<p>‘I daresay there is,’ Maxwell answered grimly, +‘though I am dense enough not to notice it. +To me, there is something horribly, repulsively +tragic about it, even to hear you discussing death +in that light way.’</p> + +<p>‘Familiarity breeds contempt. Is not that one +of your English proverbs?’ Visci said airily.—‘But, +my good Frederick,’ he continued, lowering +his voice to a solemn key, ‘the white horseman +will not find me unprepared, when he steals +upon me, as he might at any moment. I am +ready. I do not make a parade of my religion, +but I have tried to do what is right and honest +and honourable. I have faced death so often, that +I treat him lightly at times. But never fear that +when he comes to me for the last time’——</p> + +<p>Maxwell pressed his friend’s hand in silent +sympathy. ‘You always were a good fellow, +Visci,’ he said; ‘and if this hour must come so +speedily, tell me is there anything I can do for +you when—when’——</p> + +<p>‘I am dead? No reason to hesitate over the +word. No, Maxwell; my house is in order. I +have no friends besides my brother; and he, I +hope, is far beyond the vengeance of the League +now.’</p> + +<p>‘Then there is nothing I can do for you in +any way?’</p> + +<p>‘No, I think not. But you are my principal +care now; your life is far more important than +mine. I have written to Isodore, laying a statement +of all the facts before her; and if she is +the woman I take her for, she is sure to lose no +time in getting here. Once under her protection, +you are safe; there will be no further cause for +alarm.’</p> + +<p>‘But it seems rather unmanly,’ Maxwell urged.</p> + +<p>‘Unmanly!’ echoed Visci scornfully. ‘What +has manliness to do with fighting cowardly +<i>vendetti</i> in the dark? You must, you shall do +it!’ he continued vehemently; but the exertion +was too much for him, and he swayed forward +over the table as if he would fall. Presently, a +little colour crept into the pallid face, and he +continued: ‘You see, even that is too much for +me. Maxwell, if you contradict me and get me +angry, my blood will be upon your head after +all. Now, do listen to reason.’</p> + +<p>‘If my want of common-sense hurts you as +much as that, certainly. But I do not see how +this mysterious princess can help me.’</p> + +<p>‘Listen to me,’ Visci said solemnly. Then he +laid all his schemes before the other—his elaborate +plans for his friend’s safety, designs whose +pure sacrifice of self were absolutely touching.</p> + +<p>Maxwell began to take heart again. ‘You +are very good,’ he said gratefully, ‘to take all +this infinite pains for me.’</p> + +<p>‘In a like strait you would do the same for +me, Fred.’</p> + +<p>‘Yes,’ Maxwell answered simply. ‘How Salvarini’s +words come back to me now! Do you +remember, when I wanted to throw my insignia +out of the window that evening, the last we all +spent together?’</p> + +<p>‘I recollect. It was two days before little +Genevieve disappeared,’ Visci answered sadly.—‘Do +you know, I have never discovered any +trace of her or Lucrece. Poor child, poor little +girl! I wonder where she is now.’</p> + +<p>‘Perhaps you may see her again some day.’</p> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_758">{758}</span></p> +<p>‘It has long been my dearest wish; but it +will never be fulfilled now. If ever you do see +her once more, say that I’——</p> + +<p>‘Visci!’</p> + +<p>As the last words fell from the Italian’s lips, +his head hung forward, and he fell from his +chair. For a moment he lay motionless, then +raised his face slightly and smiled. A thin +stream of blood trickled down his fair beard, +staining it scarlet. He lay quietly on Maxwell’s +shoulder.</p> + +<p>‘Do not be alarmed,’ he said faintly. ‘It has +come at last.—There are tears in your eyes, +Fred. Do not weep for me. Do not forget Carlo +Visci, when you see old friends; and when you +meet little Genevieve, tell her I forgave her, +and to the last loved and grieved for her.—Good-bye, +old friend. Take hold of my hand. +Let me look in your honest face once more. +It is not hard to die, Fred. Tell them that +my last words——Jesu, mercy!’</p> + +<p>‘Speak to me, Carlo—speak to me!’</p> + +<p>Never again on this side of the grave. And +so the noble-hearted Italian died; and on the +third day they buried him in a simple grave +under the murmuring pines.</p> + +<p>No call to remain longer now. One last solitary +evening ramble, Maxwell took outside the +city wall ere his departure. As he walked along +wrapped in his own sad thoughts, he did not +heed that his footsteps were being dogged. Then +with a sudden instinct of danger, he turned +round. The feet that followed stopped. ‘Who +is there?’ he cried.</p> + +<p>A muffled figure came towards him, and another +stealthily from behind. A crash, a blow, a fierce +struggle for a moment, a man’s cry for help +borne idly on the breeze, a mist rising before the +eyes, a thousand stars dancing and tumbling, +then deep, sleepy unconsciousness.</p> + +<p class="center">(<i>To be concluded next month.</i>)</p> + + + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"><div class="chapter"><h2 class="nobreak" id="THE_PLEASURES_OF_RUIN">THE PLEASURES OF RUIN.</h2></div> + + +<p><span class="smcap">There</span> must be many people to whom the above +heading will be at once suggestive of the famous +chapter upon Snakes in Iceland; but to the +philosophical mind—and it is marvellous how +philosophical one can become under adversity—there +are certain compensating advantages in the +state of ruin, which, if not quite so intense as +the Pleasures of Hope, or Memory, or Imagination, +do much to reconcile us to the change in our +circumstances. The first feeling is one of extreme +relief that the whole thing is over and we are +out of suspense. The smash has come; writs +and summonses have blossomed into sheriffs’ officers, +and the auctioneer, whose fell and inexorable +hammer has made short work of our goods and +chattels; our wealthy friends have said that they +knew it would come to this; and Jones, who +used to look dinners and five-pound notes at us +whenever he met us formerly, now crosses over +to the opposite side of the street. The cheap +lodgings in the shady neighbourhood have become +hard and ineradicable facts, and we can look about +us at last and endeavour to make the best we +can of the position.</p> + +<p>You now have a newly acquired sense of freedom +and independence to which perhaps you +have long been a stranger. It is no longer a +question of whether you shall dine at the <i>Bristol</i> +or the <i>Blue Posts</i>, but in all likelihood the choice +will lie between the <i>diner du jour</i> in Leicester +Square, a chop, or Duke Humphrey. Nor, if +you be a married man, need you now vex your +soul with the proper precedence of a brigadier-general, +an Indian judge, a colonial bishop, and +a resident commissioner from the Punjab, as has +happened in the days gone by when you gave a +dinner. Nor will the varying merits of asparagus +soup and turtle, salmon mayonnaise and aspic +of lobster, truffled turkey and oyster-stuffed capon, +and all the rest of it, come between you and your +night’s rest. Again, your circumstances are such +that you are no longer harassed by the touters +for subscriptions, male and female, and you find +it therefore needless to discuss the comparative +merits of the claims put forward by the friends +of the Cannibal Islanders for French mustard, +and by the friends of the Mayor of Little Pedlington +for a new pump in the market-place in +honour of that excellent cheesemonger and municipal +chief.</p> + +<p>When you go to the theatre or opera, you are +no longer compelled to pay fifty or a hundred +per cent. for the privilege of receiving your +ticket from an agent, and you go to the pit, +where, if the orange peel and ginger beer and +nuts are a bit of a nuisance at first, you are not +long in getting used to it; and at anyrate you +are permitted to hear the piece without being +bored by one of Smith’s ‘good stories’ during +Patti’s chief <i>aria</i>, or while Irving is giving some +fine piece of declamation. You discover sources +of gratuitous amusement which indifference has +hitherto hidden from you. That glorious rotunda +in Bloomsbury, the British Museum Reading-room—the +mausoleum of the mind of the world—gives +you opportunities for study and recreation +of which you have never before thought of +availing yourself; and the treasures of South +Kensington and the National Gallery, which you +have hitherto neglected as ‘slow’ and ‘bad form,’ +are now a source of delight to you. The only +fault that you can now find with the latter institution +is, that it spoils you for all the modern +galleries about Pall Mall and Piccadilly. You +have a feeling of proprietorship now in the royal +parks, which you never had when you sauntered +in the Row, or attended the meet of the Coaching +Club at the Magazine, or dawdled about the Mall +in St James’s Park on a Drawing-room day. +You don’t attend these ‘functions’ now, for, +though they are open to you as to the rest of +the world, you feel yourself rather out of the +race. But you often enjoy the air in the higher +ground of Hyde Park, which you will come to +consider as bracing as the Sussex Downs; nor are +you to be persuaded that Burnham Beeches has +a much finer show of trees than Kensington +Gardens.</p> + +<p>But the time when you do really and +thoroughly enjoy the Pleasures of Ruin is +when that delectable moment comes—which it +inevitably will, sooner or later—when a temporary, +or, let us hope, it may be a permanent, +change in your fortunes takes place. Your book +has found a publisher; your picture a buyer; +some one pays up an old debt; or an unknown +relative mentions your name in his will. Whatever +it may be, the keen appreciation of the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_759">{759}</span>benefits we formerly enjoyed which our vicissitudes +have taught us, and the knowledge we +have acquired of the dingier side of nature, give +a remarkable zest to our return to a brighter life. +And if a man has good health and good spirits, he +will find that it is as true that ‘hope springs +eternal in the human breast,’ as that when things +are at their worst they mend; and if he is of an +extra-hopeful disposition, he will welcome the +increased depression of his fortunes as a sure forerunner +of a change of luck.</p> + + + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"><div class="chapter"><h2 class="nobreak" id="COUSIN_GEORGE">COUSIN GEORGE.</h2></div> + + +<h3 title="CHAP. II.">IN TWO CHAPTERS.—CHAP. II.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">All</span> went well in the Smethby circle, indeed +things had never before gone so smoothly in +that not unprosperous group. Harriet, it is true, +did not get more manageable in the Robert Crewe +direction; she was perfectly ready to flatter and +please the Australian cousin, and had an eye +to the main chance as keen as others; but the +young doctor was not to be jeopardised. Thus +Harriet might be regarded as an exception; so, +of course, might Mr Crewe; but after all, as +he does not actually appear in our narrative, +he need not count for much.</p> + +<p>There were frequent indications that the ridiculous +disguise, the absurd plea of poverty, at first +put forth by Styles was being gradually discarded—was +‘peeling off,’ Mr Joe said, with a +happy touch of description. But Mr Smethby +would not see all these indications—pretended +not to notice any flaws; he would humour his +cousin just as long as the latter chose.</p> + +<p>The proposed investment was still in favour, +was about to be made, indeed; and so earnest +was Cousin George in the matter, that when +Smethby said he had given notice at the bank +for his money, he confidentially told him that +if there was any difficulty about getting it, his +friend would advance the sum for a week or +two—or for a year, if Smethby would like it. +The latter thanked him, but declined. Of course +he could see through this, as he had seen through +the other flimsy screens.</p> + +<p>The bank was good enough, he explained, and +so it was, for the money was duly paid to him; +and it was proposed that they should go up to +town together, Smethby and Cousin George, +where the latter would see his friend’s broker +and arrange for the purchase of this stock.</p> + +<p>In a confiding mood, not usual with him, +Smethby had proposed that Styles should send +a cheque up, or go up with it by himself, if +going up were necessary; but the latter declined +to do this. He seemed to have a strange dislike +to cheques or drafts, and as he said: ‘It was +not their way at the diggings; a man liked to +look after his own business there.’ So Cousin +Nick must go with him.</p> + +<p>He, Cousin George, had also asked Harriet +what kind of bracelet she preferred; for his friend +had desired him to consult some lady’s taste, +as he, the friend, was thinking of making a little +present. Harriet was not proof against this +temptation, so explained that amethyst bracelets +with amethyst pendants—or sapphire and +diamonds, if she <i>did</i> have her choice—was what +she liked. Cousin George, with a highly expressive +wink on hearing this, said his friend would +be much obliged by her opinion. He should +perhaps see him on the next day but one when +he, Styles, and her father went to London.</p> + +<p>‘All which means, my dear,’ said Smethby, +when he had a chance of whispering to his +daughter, ‘that this farce is about to end. He +means to present me with the whole of these +twenty thousand shares, and you will have a +present also. Beyond this, you will have an +offer in plain language—his language has already +been plain enough to show what he means; so, +be a sensible girl, and don’t lose a chance the +like of which will not occur again, if you live +for a hundred years.’</p> + +<p>Harriet did not reply; there was indeed a +recurrence of the pouting and flouncing; she +could not resist the jewelry; but when Robert +Crewe was endangered, she exhibited some of the +old perverseness.</p> + +<p>In the morning, Cousin George took a stroll +into the town, as was his habit. Smethby knew +quite well that his eccentric relative went to +the post-office, whither his letters, as every one +knew, were directed. No one, however, pretended +to suspect anything like this arrangement, which +was just as shallow and easily penetrated as his +other schemes. On his return, he was in higher +spirits than usual; a little fitful, perhaps, but +certainly more jocular and fuller of sly allusions +than he had hitherto allowed himself to be. +This was evidence enough, to such a man as +Smethby, to show that the end of the scheme +was approaching. He broached a capital joke—he +undoubtedly so considered it—in the way of +a question as to what his cousin Nick would +have thought of and said to him, Styles, if he +had come back from the diggings loaded with +shiners—‘Not one or two, Nick, but some +scores of thousands, eh!—what then, Nick?’ he +exclaimed.</p> + +<p>Smethby was of course acute enough to seize +such a palpable chance, so replied with the +utmost heartiness and frankness, that, delighted +as he should have been at such good fortune, it +never could have made any difference in his +feelings to his old friend and cousin, George +Styles. The latter grasped his hand at this, +and seemed for the moment almost overcome by +his feelings. He was indeed about to say something, +which Smethby expected would prove a +clearing-up avowal; but he checked himself, and +saying abruptly, ‘No; wait a day or two,’ turned +the conversation.</p> + +<p>Yet, all through the day, there was an uneasiness +in Cousin George’s manner which could +not escape the attention of those around him; +and he took several short strolls in the open +air to soothe his nerves, which, he admitted, +seemed rather shaky. On the last occasion that +he took his saunter, it was in the twilight, and +in the glance which he naturally threw around +him before entering the house, he could see, +standing in relief against the clear summer sky, +the figures of two men, who were apparently +conversing earnestly as they paused on a knoll +not far from Mr Smethby’s residence.</p> + +<p>Then Styles went in, and found the lamps +were just lighted, the curtains were drawn, while +his host and his daughter, evidently in the best +of moods, were awaiting him. With a decision +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_760">{760}</span>which was almost like abruptness, Styles began +about the visit to London on the morrow. He +explained, as he had done before, that until +the transaction was completed, he did not want +any one, not even the broker, to know that the +stock was not entirely for his friend, who had +promised to take over all the disposable shares; +and that was why he had asked Mr Smethby +to provide money instead of a cheque for the +payment.</p> + +<p>‘I understand,’ smiled Smethby; ‘and, as you +know, I have arranged to get notes in the +morning. But here is the cheque, if that +would suit you—you can have it to-night, if +you like.’</p> + +<p>‘No; O no!’ returned Styles; but the response +came so slowly, that it seemed as if he had +hesitated before deciding. ‘There will be no +use in that; so long as I can see the broker +alone, that will do.’</p> + +<p>‘Just as you please,’ said Mr Smethby. As +he paused, a ring at the street door was +heard.</p> + +<p>‘And now a word or two about that little +villa my friend thought of buying at Richmond,’ +resumed Styles. ‘I had a letter this morning’——</p> + +<p>‘If you please, sir,’ said the maid-servant, +appearing at the door, ‘a gentleman wishes to +see you.’</p> + +<p>‘To see me, or to see Mr Styles?’ asked her +master. Another ring was heard at the street +door as he said this.</p> + +<p>‘I believe I want to see both of you,’ said a +voice behind the servant, which voice being deep +and harsh in its tone, and coming so unexpectedly, +made each person in the room start; +‘so I shall take the liberty of coming in +here,’ continued ‘the gentleman;’ then, suiting +the action to the word, he pushed past the +attendant, and came close to the table which +filled the centre of the room.</p> + +<p>All looked at him in amazement; while, before +any one spoke, Mr Joe and Mr Brooks, who +had called just then to have a chat with Mr +Styles, also entered, and gazed at the stranger +with as much astonishment as was shown by +their friends. The stranger was an elderly, +grizzled, but powerfully built man, with hard +features, high cheek-bones, indented nose, square +jaws, hidden by his stiff iron-gray beard, and +moustache.</p> + +<p>‘You are Mr Smethby—Nicholas Smethby, I +believe: in fact, I know it,’ said the man.—‘But +may I ask who this is?’ pointing to Cousin +George as he spoke.</p> + +<p>‘I really do not know what your business here +is, or why you make this inquiry,’ returned +Smethby, a good deal nettled by the intrusion; +‘but I certainly am Nicholas Smethby, and this +gentleman is Mr George Styles. Have you any +business with either of us?’</p> + +<p>‘Did you ever see George Styles look like a +cross between a skittle-sharp and a stage +smuggler?’ continued the visitor, ‘which is what +this fellow looks like.’</p> + +<p>‘Do you mean’—— began Cousin George, but +he spoke falteringly; while Mr Joe and Mr +Brooks, who stood behind the stranger, could +see that the speaker turned pale.</p> + +<p>‘Yes; I do mean,’ interrupted the visitor; +‘and I mean a good deal more than that, as you +will find.’ He flourished an ugly-looking stick +which he carried, as if to give emphasis to these +words.—‘As for you, Nick Smethby, I am surprised +and ashamed to think you could be such +a fool as to mistake a fellow like this for your +own cousin—for <i>me</i>!’</p> + +<p>Here every hearer started in reality; and +Smethby, drawing a long breath, looked from one +to the other with an expression which clearly +showed that he did not mean to contest the +announcement.</p> + +<p>‘Do you think,’ resumed the new-comer, ‘that +a man, after twenty years’ beating about the +diggings, which I have had, could look as young +as he did when he started? which is pretty nearly +what this fellow does, in spite of his make-up.—I +have come back with enough to pay you your +loan, Nick, but I have been down very low in +my time. I have fought two battles in the +colonial ring, and I am going to show this fellow, +presently, how I won them.’</p> + +<p>‘All this is dreadfully mysterious!’ exclaimed +Smethby; ‘yet one thing is clear enough: I +will swear you are my cousin George Styles. +But then, who is this?—Yes, who are you, you +impostor?’ he cried, turning sharply upon his +guest, who gasped once or twice, as though trying +to speak, but was paralysed by the new-comer, +from whom he could not remove his eyes.</p> + +<p>‘Don’t trouble yourself about him yet,’ pursued +the second Styles. ‘I will just say what I have +to say, and then I will get it all out of him; +you will see that. I fancy, however, I am only +just in time. Is it true that you have agreed +to go up to London with this person and invest +a lot of money among his confederates?’</p> + +<p>The ‘first cousin,’ as he may fairly be called, +groaned at this; while Mr Smethby uttered, as +well he might, an ejaculation of intense astonishment +at finding his intentions and plans thus +known to a man whom he had not seen for +twenty years.</p> + +<p>‘I see you are surprised, Nick, and that our +customer there feels he is bowled out,’ said +the stranger. ‘But after all, there is nothing +to wonder at in the matter. I inquired my way +at the station—having learnt your address from +your old office—and a gentleman who overheard +me, kindly offered to show me the place. I +told him who I was; and he was just as much as +flabbergasted as you are; but he was delighted as +well. He told me all about this’—— The speaker +paused while he cast a look of utter contempt +at his predecessor, and then went on, evidently +unable to find an epithet suitably strong. ‘He +told me he was a doctor, by name Robert Crewe.’ +(It was now Harriet’s turn to start and change +colour.) ‘We walked together to a point just +below here, where he turned off at the brow of +a hill. He not only told me about the impostor +who was taking my name, but pointed him out +as he slunk in at the gate.’ (The unlucky cousin +remembered, and groaned audibly as he did so, +the two men whom he had seen in converse +on the rise in the road.) ‘So here I am; and +the first thing I mean to do is to collar this +fellow, and thrash him until he has not a sound +inch of skin on his carcase.—But don’t you turn +pale, my dear.’ This was said to Harriet, and the +speaker raised his cap with a sort of reassuring +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_761">{761}</span>politeness. ‘Though I have come straight from +the mines, I do not forget what is due to a lady; +and I shall take the fellow outside to have +his thrashing, and he shall have it now.’ With +this, he made a stride forward, and thrusting his +huge hand inside the man’s collar, clutched him +with a grip which might have been of iron, and +with a single tug pulled him to his feet; but +the victim seemed unable to stand, and sank +back on his chair all of a heap.</p> + +<p>Harriet uttered a scream as the real Cousin +George bent over the man, evidently intent upon +dragging him out by main force; while Mr Joe +and Mr Brooks seized his arm, and urged him +not to be violent—Joe at the same moment +briefly introducing himself and his brother-in-law.</p> + +<p>‘I am glad to see you again, anyhow, young +Joe,’ returned Styles. ‘I remember buying you +a drum the last time I was in your company.—But +you had better let me settle this fellow at +once.’</p> + +<p>‘Spare me!’ whined the man. He could not +speak comfortably with such a grip on his collar +and with such knuckles buried in his neck.</p> + +<p>‘Why, what I am going to do is real mercy +to you!’ retorted his captor. ‘You will be sore +for a week or ten days, and then be as well as +ever; but if I give you over to the police—— Well, +as you seem to dread a simple licking so +much, we will go to the police. Come on!’</p> + +<p>Another tremendous tug here dragged up the +unfortunate creature, who broke into most despairing +petitions, imploring that they would +not give him up to the police—<i>they</i> knew him, +he said.</p> + +<p>‘Why, confound it! you do not suppose you +are to be let off scot-free, after such a game as +this, do you?’ exclaimed the other, whose astonishment +was so clearly genuine, that Joe and +Brooks could not repress a smile.</p> + +<p>‘I will confess everything; I throw myself on +your mercy!’ urged the man; ‘but don’t give +me up to the police. I am sure to get it hot, +if you do.’</p> + +<p>‘So you ought!’ ejaculated Styles.</p> + +<p>‘I think if you were to quit your hold on his +neck, he could speak freer,’ said Mr Joe; ‘and +I should really like to know how all this came +about.’</p> + +<p>‘Ah! so he might,’ assented Styles, acting on +the suggestion. ‘I can easily catch hold of him +again when I want him. I’ll bet he does not +give us the slip.’</p> + +<p>In spite of the threat conveyed in the last +speech, the culprit’s face visibly brightened after +Joe’s remark. Mr Smethby had remained silent +all this time, being not only confused with the +unexpected revelation, but a little ashamed, possibly, +of his own management, which was so +over-cunning as to make him a readier prey to +the swindler.</p> + +<p>‘Well, go on,’ was the rough command of Styles. +‘Who are you? Where do you come from?’</p> + +<p>‘My name is John Smith,’ began the man. A +furtive leer which he cast upon the company as +he said this, might have been involuntary; but +certain it is that none of those who saw it +believed he was speaking the truth. ‘I had got +into trouble,’ he continued, ‘and wanted some +money for a fresh start. While I was at my +wits’ end to get this, a pal—a friend—who knew +I had been in a difficulty, said’ (he paused here, +and glanced at Smethby)—‘he said there was a +flat to be had at Valeborough, if he was properly +worked.—No offence, I hope, sir. It was not +me who said this; it was my friend.’</p> + +<p>‘It was correct enough, whoever said it,’ +replied Smethby, to whom the remark had been +addressed.</p> + +<p>‘He knew a lot about the family affairs here,’ +continued Smith: ‘he had scraped about and +picked the particulars up, till he thought he had +got quite enough to enable a man to act as the +cousin they had not seen for twenty years; but +he owned he had not got the headpiece to keep +the game up for any time; so I was to be the +cousin; and he was to be a friend who knew me, +and was to manage—as he did very well—to get +hold of Mr Smethby, as if by accident, and tell +him all about the good luck of his old friend +Styles, and how he was going to try on a game +with his cousin Mr Smethby.’</p> + +<p>‘I never thought I was such an idiot; but go +on,’ said the host.</p> + +<p>‘We raked up some money between us,’ resumed +Smith; ‘but it was a hard job to get +enough, as of course I had to be pretty liberal; +but luckily this gentleman would not let me +spend much.—However, I got a letter this morning, +saying that Ben—my friend—could not send +another penny, and that unless I could make a +haul at once, the thing must burst up. But the +business was nearly ripe. I had prepared the +way for persuading my cousin, as I called him, +to invest a lot of money, by dropping a pretended +letter from my stockbroker, which I knew they +would find and read. In fact, there was no +difficulty all through; and I had arranged for +a visit to London to-morrow, so I was in hope +that’——</p> + +<p>‘That you could make the haul,’ said Smethby, +as the other paused. ‘How did you mean to do +it, when I should be with you? I was to go +to the office, you know.’</p> + +<p>‘I meant to take you to a place where you +would wait in a room, while I went into what +you would think was only an inner office, but +which I knew had a way out,’ answered Smith. +‘In fact, if I had once touched the money, there +would have been an end of it.’</p> + +<p>‘And your friend with the villa and the bracelets?’ +asked Smethby.</p> + +<p>‘All put in to make it seem more natural,’ said +the man. ‘But I have not robbed your place of a +pennyworth ever since I have been here, I assure +you. I hope you will take that into consideration.’</p> + +<p>He went on a little further, until he was interrupted +by Styles, who led him to the door—no +force was now wanted—and telling him that he +would give him in charge to the nearest policeman +if he ever saw him again, pitched him out +on the dark road, and then returned to the circle +he had left.</p> + +<p>At first, Smethby was terribly chopfallen, but +recovered ere long, and joined in the laugh with +which first ‘Cousin George’ and then the others +reviewed the past. Harriet was not the noisiest +of the party, but she was not the least happy, +and ‘Cousin George’ appeared to have taken a +great fancy for her.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_762">{762}</span></p> +<p>Styles paid his debt to ‘Nick Smethby’ that +night, to prove, as he said, that he was not another +impostor, and said, besides, that while he should +not bother about amethyst bracelets or diamonds +and sapphires, yet, if that young doctor had the +courage to get married within three months, and +a few hundreds would help him to get into +practice, why, he George Styles, had enough for +such a purpose, and Harriet should take care of +it, until it was wanted.</p> + +<p>Altogether, although rougher and coarser than +the first cousin, this second edition was a great +improvement; and settling down as he did in +Valeborough, he was a regular visitor, not only +at Mr Smethby’s but at Dr Crewe’s, when the +latter set up his own house, after an early marriage +to Miss Harriet.</p> + +<p>And improvident and wild as George had once +been, he was steady enough in his friendships +now, so he never left the little circle; and when +he died, his property—a good deal less than the +hundreds of thousands attributed to the first +cousin—went to the children of Dr and Mrs +Crewe, with which cluster of young people he +had always been a great favourite.</p> + + + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"><div class="chapter"><h2 class="nobreak" id="AIR_AS_A_MOTIVE_FORCE">AIR AS A MOTIVE FORCE.</h2></div> + + +<p><span class="smcap">In</span> a recent number of the <i>Journal</i> we touched on +the various methods of transmission of power, +and showed how steam had been laid on in mains +in the streets of American towns, and a house-to-house +distribution thus effected. Loss has been +found, however, to result from leakage and condensation, +and these defects have militated against +the system. Water under pressure has obtained +extended application in this country where power +was required in docks and warehouses; but up +to the present time, a motor has not been introduced +satisfying the necessary requirements of +economy sufficiently to render the system of +commercial value for supplying small power +either for domestic purposes or to the lesser industries. +Bursting of pipes, through frost or other +cause, might result in serious damage, moreover, +in dwelling-houses.</p> + +<p>The problem of transmission of power may +possibly find a solution in electricity in the +future; but as regards the present, suffice it to +say that the cost of production of such agency +entirely precludes it from entering into the field +of competition. Attempts now being made, in +Paris and Birmingham, to distribute power by +rarefied air in the former, and by compressed +air in the latter city, possess no slight interest. +In each case, the method adopted differs in no +way in principle from that of the systems already +touched on. Central pumping stations, furnished +with boiler and steam-power, supply the requisite +energy; whilst the transmitting medium—steam, +water, or air, as the case may be—is distributed +through the principal mains, which feed in their +turn the lesser arteries of the system supplying +the individual consumer.</p> + +<p>In the case of rarefied air, though, theoretically, +a pressure of fifteen pounds per square inch +could be obtained, in practice it is found advisable +to work at a pressure of about ten pounds, +without approaching nearer to an absolute vacuum. +Three classes of motors are employed to convert +the vacuum in the mains into useful work; suffice +it to say, however, that whilst differing in the +details of construction, the principle involved +throughout is the same, and consists essentially +of modifications of the steam-engine to the requirements +of air-pressure. Payment is made according +to the power absorbed by each consumer, an ingenious +arrangement actuating as counter, indicating +how much work is actually done, irrespective +of the number of revolutions made by the motor. +Even where gas is available, the cost of engines +for using it has not unfrequently militated +against its adoption by the smaller industries; +hence the Parisian Company for the distribution +of power by rarefied air has elected not only +to supply power but to lease out the motors as +well. Their customers embrace such users of +small power as hat-block makers, jewellers, wood-turners, +comb-cutters, stay and clothing manufacturers, +dentists, butchers, &c. The cleanliness +of this system, and its excellent ventilating capabilities, +should form an argument in its favour. +Not only is all smell from combustion, as in +the case of the gas-engine, avoided, but, by +drawing at every stroke a given quantity of +air from the room, the motor directly produces +ventilation.</p> + +<p>Time alone can show whether the system will +prove a commercial success; in any case, its +promoters could hardly have chosen a better field +for its introduction than Paris, a city containing +upwards of a million persons engaged in the +minor industries already indicated, and which +require small motive power.</p> + + + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"><div class="chapter"><h2 class="nobreak" id="A_NINETEENTH-CENTURY_PIRATE">A NINETEENTH-CENTURY PIRATE.</h2></div> + + +<p><span class="smcap">It</span> is not likely that many of our readers will +have heard of a certain Captain Hayes, who a +few years ago was one of the most notorious desperadoes +among the numerous ‘beachcombers’ +and other questionable characters who infested the +South Pacific. A few instances of this worthy’s +escapades in the paths of fraud and villainy, +drawn from <i>Coral Lands</i>, by H. S. Cooper +(London: R. Bentley & Son), may be of interest, +and will also show how, up to a comparatively +recent period, a determined character could +pursue a career of actual crime and piracy in +the Eastern seas with impunity.</p> + +<p>Of the antecedents of Captain (or ‘Bully,’ as +he was commonly dubbed) Hayes, little is known +before 1858, when he appeared in the Hawaiian +Islands, having landed from the ship <i>Orestes</i>. +After a short stay at Honolulu, he left for San +Francisco in the beginning of 1859; and a few +months afterwards reappeared in command of +a brig bound for New Caledonia. Having entered +a closed port without having first passed the +custom-house, the sheriff arrested him and took +possession of the brig. Captain Hayes put all +the blame on his first officer, and was virtuously +indignant with him for misinforming him as to +the necessity of first entering at the custom-house +at Lahaina, at the same time treating the sheriff +with unbounded courtesy and every mark of +respect. He at once agreed to proceed to +Lahaina, and seemed delighted to find it was +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_763">{763}</span>the sheriff’s duty to accompany him thither. +When, however, the ship was clear of the land, +Hayes ‘changed his tune,’ and coolly informed +the sheriff he had no intention of going near +the custom-house, and that he (the sheriff) could +either remain on board and pay for his passage +to New Caledonia, or find his way back to +port the best way he could. The sheriff found +himself completely outwitted, and was perforce +obliged to take to his small boat—luckily, still +alongside—and managed to reach the land with +considerable difficulty, having the melancholy +satisfaction of seeing his late prisoner laughing +at him over the taffrail as he resumed his course +for the Southern Ocean. Next mail brought instructions +to the United States consul at Honolulu +for Hayes’ arrest; and it then became known +that when last in the islands he had borrowed +money from a confiding clergyman, with which +he had gone to San Francisco and negotiated +the purchase of the brig, fitted her out, engaged +his crew and then set sail, paying nobody. His +cruise at this time, however, did not last very +long; shortly afterwards, his ship was wrecked +at Wallace’s Island, the captain and his ‘chums’ +escaping in the boat to the Navigators’ Islands, +leaving the rest of the crew to their fate. They +ultimately, however, succeeded in getting safe to +shore by means of a raft.</p> + +<p>Hayes was next heard of at Batavia in command +of a barque; how obtained is not known. +He succeeded in getting a cargo of coffee for +Europe—which it would never have seen—when +the Dutch East India Company got some information +as to his antecedents, and were only too +glad to get repossession of their coffee, losing the +charter-money, which Hayes insisted on being +paid before he allowed the cargo to be taken on +shore again. Finding he had not much chance +of doing any good—or evil, rather—at Batavia, +Hayes resolved to depart in search of a fresh +field for the exercise of his talents. Proceeding +to Hong-kong, he succeeded in filling his vessel +with Chinese coolies, and sailed for Melbourne. +After a fair voyage, he was nearing the Australian +coast, when he spoke a ship, and was informed +that a tax had been imposed on all Chinese +immigrants, and that he would have to pay fifty +dollars per head on his passengers before he +would be permitted to land them. This was +rather a serious outlook for the captain, but, as +usual, his inventive brain was equal to the +occasion. He sailed calmly on, and soon arrived +off his port of destination. Then he set to work +to carry out the plan he had conceived. He +coolly filled his ship half-full of water, hoisted +signals of distress, and lay to, waiting the development +of his ruse. He had not long to wait; +his signals for assistance were perceived, and two +tug steamers were soon alongside, proffering their +services for the purpose of towing him into port. +Hayes declared his ship would sink before she +could be got into dock, as his pumps were choked +and the water rising at a great rate. He implored +them to take off his passengers, leaving his crew +and himself to escape by means of their boats, +should the barque not float till they returned. +This the tug-owners agreed to do. The Chinamen +were trans-shipped, and the steamers bore +off, promising to return as speedily as possible +to his assistance. They got their load of Chinamen +safely landed, the owners paying the head-tax, +and steamed back to bring in the ship; but +she was nowhere to be seen, having, as they +supposed, gone down with all hands. No such +fate, however, had befallen the gallant captain. +No sooner were the tugs out of sight, than he +pumped his ship free of water, and lost no time +in putting a good few miles between him and +Melbourne, inwardly chuckling, no doubt, at +the clever way he had duped the antipodeans +and got his Chinamen landed at others’ expense. +Some time after this, Hayes speculated in another +cargo of Chinamen; but this time he landed +them without trouble and without paying anything, +having gone through the formality of +getting them all made British subjects before he +sailed!</p> + +<p>For a few years after this, Captain Hayes was +little heard of, except at some of the South Pacific +islands, where he occasionally turned up, ostensibly +pursuing the avocation of an honest trader. +By-and-by, however, he resumed his old habits, +and for a couple of years or so he made raids on +several of the island groups, robbing and destroying +the stations of the traders and native villages. +Eventually, he was arrested by the British consul +at Upolu. As luck would have it, at this same +time a certain friend of Hayes, Captain Pease or +Peace, arrived at Upolu in his brig the <i>Leonora</i>. +On some pretence or other, Hayes obtained leave +to go on board; and when next morning dawned, +the brig was invisible, having sailed during the +night with him on board as a passenger. In +due time, the <i>Leonora</i> arrived at Shanghai, and +by some dodge or other, Hayes managed to get +Captain Pease put in prison, passing himself off +to the authorities as the owner of the brig. He +next got on board the supplies he was in need +of, and set sail, as usual paying for little or +nothing. Hayes once more was in command of +a good ship, with a crew who asked no questions, +and in a position to resume his fraudulent career. +His first port of call was Saigon, where he was +chartered to take a load of rice to Hong-kong +and other intermediate ports. At the first port +of call, the owner of the rice went on shore to +try and effect a sale. Hayes took this opportunity +of leaving the owner behind, and set off +for Bankok, where he disposed of his cargo at +a good price, and departed once more for his +favourite hunting-ground—the South Pacific.</p> + +<p>Hayes some time after this was again without +a ship, having imprudently intrusted his vessel +to the care of his first officer, who treated the +‘Bully’ to a dose of his own game, and went +off with her, leaving him in a quandary on one +of the South Pacific islets. Hayes was now forced +to change his play, and accordingly came out in +a new character. Pretending to be converted +from his evil ways, he completely got the better +of the American missionaries, and obtained +command of a small schooner belonging to the +Mission. At the first favourable opportunity, as +may be supposed, he disappeared with the +schooner, and arrived at Manila. Here, however, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_764">{764}</span>his fame had preceded him, and on being recognised, +he was promptly arrested, and put in +prison. The captain’s game seemed now about +up; but his good luck had not yet deserted him. +Once more adopting the religious dodge, he +turned a devout Catholic, and so talked over the +priests, that, although there was evidence enough +to hang him and a dozen others besides, he got +off, and was next heard of at the scene of his +first escapade, San Francisco, where he stole a +smart schooner called the <i>Lotus</i>, and once more +was off for the Sunny South.</p> + +<p>On another occasion, Hayes was captured by +the U.S. steamer <i>Narraganset</i>, which had been +commissioned to look out for him. He was +not many days on board the war-ship, when, by +his affable manners and gentlemanly behaviour, +he so won over the sympathies of the American +officers, that they became convinced he was a +most worthy individual, and set him free, +actually supplying him with a new set of sails +and other articles he was in need of!</p> + +<p>On another occasion, Hayes called at Levuka, +the capital of Fiji, to obtain supplies for a +lengthened cruise. The goods were sent on board, +and the bill rendered, payment being expected +next morning before he sailed; but when the +day dawned, the captain, as usual, was off. +Unfortunately for him, however, in this instance +the wind failed him, and the merchant was able +to overtake the ship in a rowboat.</p> + +<p>The captain was not at all put about when the +merchant came on board; said ‘he presumed he +would have letters for him to post, and would be +delighted to be of use.’ The merchant was rather +taken aback at such coolness in an absconding +debtor, and mildly hinted at payment of his +account.</p> + +<p>‘Why,’ exclaimed Hayes, ‘you were paid +yesterday!’</p> + +<p>The merchant assured him that he was mistaken.</p> + +<p>Hayes expressed astonishment, and ordered up +one of his officers. ‘Didn’t I give you the cash +to settle this gentleman’s bill?’ he asked indignantly; +and then the ‘Bully’ opened the vials +of his wrath upon the innocent seaman, who was +cunning enough to see the captain’s object, and +held his tongue. Seeing, however, that there was +no sign of a breeze springing up, he was forced +to pay for his supplies, no doubt very much +chagrined at having to be honest for once in his +lifetime.</p> + +<p>After a long career of robbery and bloodshed—for +he gets the name of having perpetrated several +murders—Hayes at last met his deserts at the +hands of one of his officers, whom he had +defrauded and ill-used in a most disgraceful +manner. No doubt, the secret of his eluding +the hands of justice for so long a time was his +particularly pleasing manners and appearance. +He was by no means a common ruffian, but the +reverse, having a handsome face and figure, and +bestowing a deal of care and attention on his +personal appearance. His urbanity of manner +and conversational powers were of the most +fascinating description, and he could entertain a +friend or knock him on the head in an equally +charming style. When he first appeared in the +Pacific, he was accompanied by ‘Mrs Hayes,’ and +was seldom without a female companion, several +of whom are said to have been among his victims. +He was possessed of great natural abilities. If +he had only turned his talents into a proper +channel, he might have made a good position +for himself in the world.</p> + + + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"><div class="chapter"><h2 class="nobreak" id="THE_MONTH">THE MONTH:<br> +<span class="smalltext">SCIENCE AND ARTS.</span></h2></div> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Mr C. Tankerville-Chamberlain</span>, late acting +consul at Panama, gives a hopeful account of +the progress of M. de Lesseps’ giant undertaking, +the construction of the Canal across the Isthmus, +which is very different from the description of +the state of things lately published in the American +newspapers. He believes that the great +work will be actually completed in about three +years’ time. The line of the Canal, forty-six +miles in length, has been divided into five sections, +which have been handed over to five +responsible and solvent contractors, who are +bound under heavy penalties to complete their +work by the end of 1888. The holders of railway +stock and many others in America are interested +in believing, and trying to make others +believe, that the Canal is a failure and cannot +succeed. That it will be a financial success, +must remain an open question, for the expense +already incurred, added to that which is to come, +constitutes a larger sum than has ever yet been +sunk in a single engineering undertaking.</p> + +<p>A proposal is now on foot to connect by means +of a submarine tunnel the defences of Portsmouth +with the forts on the Solent and with the Isle +of Wight, and it is probable that preliminary +borings will be made to ascertain the practicability +of the scheme. It has been before proposed +that a fort should be built half-way between +Stokes Bay and Ryde, on a bank which rises +to within eight feet of high-water mark; but +the scheme was abandoned because of the difficulty +of finding fresh water for the garrison. +The tying together of this proposed fort and +the other defences would at once obviate this +difficulty, and would at the same time relieve +our expensive ironclads from the duty of protecting +a spot which has always been looked upon +as of great importance.</p> + +<p>Among all the wonderful things which were +exhibited in the late Colonial and Indian Exhibition, +there was nothing more remarkable than +the vast variety of different woods—strange to +European eyes—which were shown in some of +the Courts. These woods seemed to exhibit every +shade of colour and every variety of grain. In +one Court in particular could this be well remarked, +for the different samples of wood were +cut into the shape of books and highly polished, +each pseudo volume bearing its own name. +Messrs A. Ransome & Co. lately invited a number +of colonial visitors—engineers, builders, and +others—to their large works at Chelsea, in order +that they might demonstrate the applicability +of some of these woods to various purposes. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_765">{765}</span>About forty different varieties were subjected to +the operations of tree-felling, cross-cutting, sawing, +planing, moulding, mortising, tenoning, and +boring; while various articles, from casks to +doors, were actually made and completed before +the visitors’ eyes. The exhibition not only +formed an illustration of the suitability of many +colonial woods for employment in this country, +but it also showed to what a marvellous pitch +of perfection wood-working machinery has been +brought by Messrs Ransome. The demonstration +is likely to lead to a great shipment of colonial +woods to this country, many of which are plentiful, +and therefore cheap.</p> + +<p>The colossal statue of Liberty, which has been +presented by the French Republic to the Republic +of America, and which, with the pedestal, is +over one hundred and fifty feet in height, is, at +the time we write, nearly completed. When the +statue is quite finished, it is proposed to illuminate +it at night in a very novel manner. +The female figure of Liberty holds aloft a torch, +which will be furnished with eight electric arc +lamps, each of six thousand candle-power, the +rays from which will be thrown upwards towards +the clouds. At the same time, several other +lamps of similar power will shine on the statue +itself, causing it to stand out in strong relief +from its dark surroundings.</p> + +<p>A correspondent of the <i>Times</i>, quoting a letter +recently received from Sydney, New South Wales, +gives an account of the extraordinary instinct +shown by ants and other insects which live +in and on the ground. Some months ago, +the natives of a certain district predicted the +approach of floods, and left their low-lying +camping-grounds for the higher country. The +floods came as predicted, several weeks later; +and the natives said that their sole information +regarding them was gathered from the insects, +which had built their nests, &c. in the trees, +instead of, as usual, in the ground. The correspondent +asks whether this forecasting providence +of the ant is recorded by any of our travellers, +and whether any explanation of the fact can be +given.</p> + +<p>Here are two more natural-history notes recorded +by correspondents. It is pointed out by +one that, owing to our backward spring this +year, the swallows on their arrival were kept +so short of food that quite two-thirds of their +number died of famine; hence the unusual +plague of flies that we have experienced during +the summer. He pleads that the little mud nests +which are seen clinging under the eaves of so +many houses in country and suburbs should be +protected from injury, for if it were not for the +swallows, flies would constitute a veritable pest.</p> + +<p>In answer to this, another writer points out +that sparrows will sometimes prevent the swallows +building, and will often drive the rightful owners +from their nests. This fact he has ascertained +by direct observation. He also remarks that +the swarms of flies this year may be due in +great measure to the scarcity of wasps, which +destroy an immense number. The scarcity of +wasps in his particular neighbourhood is fully +accounted for, one of his friends having destroyed +no fewer than sixty-seven of their nests. His +plan of procedure is, as far as we know, as +novel as it is simple and effective. Tow soaked +in spirits of turpentine is thrust into the wasp’s +nest at night, and the hole is afterwards filled +up—presumably with earth.</p> + +<p>We are so accustomed to wonderful news +from the land of Niagara, that we are not +much surprised to learn that the largest photographic +negative ever produced has been taken +by an American worker. The glass plate upon +which the colossal picture was taken measured +sixty by thirty-six inches, and weighed more than +eighty pounds. The coating with sensitive material +of such a plate was in itself a very difficult +undertaking, while for its development after exposure +in the camera, over three pailfuls of +fluid had to be cast over its surface while it +was lying in a specially constructed tray. The +photographer succeeded in obtaining a good picture, +as well as a silver medal to reward him for +his enterprise.</p> + +<p>A French journal says that flowers may be +preserved with all their natural brilliancy and +freshness by dipping them into a mixture made +as follows: In a well-corked bottle, dissolve six +drachms of coarsely powdered clear gum-copal; add +the same quantity of broken glass, and fifteen and +a half ounces (by weight) of pure rectified sulphuric +ether. The flowers should be dipped into +this varnish-like fluid four or five times, allowing +them to remain in a current of air for ten minutes +between each immersion. This plan, if it does +not interfere with the delicate texture of the +petals, should be of use to flower-painters, who +often have to hurry their work unduly because of +the perishable nature of their models.</p> + +<p>Mr Graber has lately made some curious observations +upon the effect of light upon eyeless animals, +a Report of which appears in the Proceedings +of the Vienna Academy. He put a number of +earthworms into a box, which was provided with +an aperture at one side, through which light was +allowed ingress. The result of many experiments +showed that the worms sought the darkest part +of their temporary prison, and that at least two-fifths +of their number shunned the light. Experimenting +with rays of different colours by means +of stained glass, he found that the worms exhibited +a marked preference for red light.</p> + +<p>According to the <i>American Druggist</i>, an alloy +which will solder glass, porcelain, and metals, or +one to the other, can be made in the following +manner: Copper dust, made by precipitating the +metal from a solution of bluestone by means of +zinc, is put into a mortar and treated with strong +sulphuric acid. To this mass, formed by the +copper and acid, is added a little more than twice +as much mercury, the addition being made with +constant stirring. The amalgam thus formed is +washed with warm water to remove the acid, and +is afterwards cooled. When required for use, it +is heated, and worked in a mortar until it becomes +as soft as wax, and in this state it will cling +tenaciously to any surface to which it may be +applied. It is applicable more especially to +those substances which will not bear a high temperature.</p> + +<p>A year ago, Mr J. W. Swan of Newcastle +described before the North of England Institute +of Mining and Mechanical Engineers an electric +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_766">{766}</span>safety-lamp which he had invented for the use of +miners. This lamp, although efficient, had no +means of detecting the presence of firedamp. In +an improved lamp which the same inventor has +produced, this deficiency is supplied, for a firedamp +indicator forms part of the lamp. This +indicator is based upon one invented some time +ago, and consists of a coil of platinum wire which +can be switched on to the current which supplies +the lamp and brought to a red-heat. If firedamp +be present, the wire becomes far hotter, and +therefore brighter than it will in pure air; and in +one form of lamp a similar coil, shut up in a glass +tube containing air, is provided, for the sake of +comparison. In another form of indicator the +hot wire is made to explode the charge of firedamp +submitted to it, of course in a closed +chamber, thus forming a partial vacuum, which +acts upon a column of liquid in an attached +gauge tube. By this means the exact percentage +of fiery gas present can be accurately noted. It +may be hoped that these improved appliances may +come into common use; but of course electrical +fittings are somewhat expensive, and this is the +initial difficulty in introducing improvements +which would lead to much saving of life.</p> + +<p>In these enlightened times, when books without +number are published to instruct even the +youngest scholars about the nature of common +things, it seems almost impossible to realise the +ignorance which existed and the nonsense which +was written even as lately as the last century +concerning matters of the most elementary kind. +So-called facts in natural history of the most +ludicrous kind were handed down from writer +to writer and accepted as the exact truth by all +readers. Here is a specimen of chemical knowledge +which dates from the year 1747, and is +due to the pen of one George Adams. He +naively remarks that ‘some people have imagined +that the sharpness of vinegar is occasioned by +the eels striking their pointed tails against the +tongue and palate; but it is very certain that +the sourest vinegar has none of those eels, and +that its pungency is entirely owing to the pointed +figure of its salts, which float therein.’ There is +probably some confusion here between the sourness +of vinegar and the acidity of sour paste, which +latter is accompanied, as even young microscopists +know well, by the development of innumerable +so-called eels.</p> + +<p>At a recent meeting of the Society of Medical +Officers of Health, Dr Alfred Hill, the President, +delivered an opening address, which dealt with +the important subjects of the disposal of house-refuse +and the best method of treating sewage. +The employment of destructive furnaces for +getting rid of dry house-refuse was strongly recommended. +The efficient disposal of sewage is +of course a far more difficult problem to solve, and +one which has now for a number of years troubled +the minds of many. Dr Hill is in favour of +the sewage-farm principle, which has been so +successfully tried at Birmingham. He showed +that the system had not proved a nuisance to +adjoining residents nor yet injurious to health. +It was also a profitable system, for in the city +referred to, twenty thousand pounds had been +realised during the past year by the sale of stock +and produce from the sewage-farm. He believed +that if a similar system were adopted for the +metropolitan area, the sewage which is now +allowed to poison the Thames might realise in +meat, milk, and vegetables two hundred thousand +pounds.</p> + +<p>Mr Thomson Hankey has lately pointed out a +new use for sugar, which, however, is not new, +but it is so little known that he has done good +service in calling attention to it. In the preparation +of mortar and cement, the addition of a +certain quantity of unrefined sugar will give the +mixture extraordinary hardness and tenacity. In +India, sugar has been used for this purpose from +time immemorial, and walls built with mortar +of this description will defy all ordinary methods +of destruction. Plaster of Paris will also set +much harder if about ten per cent. of sugar be +added to the water with which it is mixed. +With plaster of Paris, it might be mentioned, +the addition of alum has much the same effect.</p> + +<p>At one of the recent meetings of the Iron and +Steel Institute, M. Gautier of Paris read an +interesting paper on ‘The Casting of Chains in +Solid Steel.’ In the course of this paper, he +pointed out that in order to compete successfully +with wrought-iron in chain-making, the steel +employed must be quite solid and absolutely free +from blowholes, and it is most necessary to +adopt a quick method of moulding the chains. +In the process which has been adopted by Messrs +Joubert and Leger of Lyons, these difficulties have +been successfully overcome. The process combines +chilled casting with instantaneous removal +from the moulds, after which the chain is finished +and annealed in oil. By this method he claims +that better chains can be manufactured than those +of wrought-iron, with the advantage of greatly +diminished weight.</p> + +<p>The deposition of dust and smoke by the +passage of electricity has been more than once +adverted to in these pages, more especially in +connection with the collection of lead-fume. +Messrs King, Mendham, & Co. of Bristol have +recently constructed a convenient piece of apparatus +for illustrating this phenomenon. It consists +of a jar capped at the top with a cover, through +which protrudes a rod furnished with a ball. +This rod terminates inside the jar in a point; +and a similar pointed wire, which finds a termination +outside the lower part of the jar, is opposite +to it. Below, there is a small combustion box, +in which a smouldering piece of brown paper will +soon fill the jar with smoke. Thus filled, the +jar is connected by its brass terminals to a +Wimshurst Electrical Machine. When the handle +of the machine is turned, an electrical discharge +takes place between the two pointed wires; and +the smoke, after being violently agitated, disappears, +leaving the air in the jar perfectly +clear.</p> + +<p>The Simplex Ironing Machine, which is +invented by Mr S. Bash, and which has been +examined and approved by the leading tailoring +establishments in London and Paris, is designed +to relieve workers from the heavy manual labour +attending the use of pressing-irons. The simplex +iron is suspended from a movable arm by a +universal joint, and can be moved in any direction +over the work and with any desired degree of +pressure. This pressure is brought about by the +aid of a pedal attachment. There is also provision +made for pressing long seams, a movable +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_767">{767}</span>table being made to travel to and fro beneath the +gas-heated iron. The inventor claims for his +method a saving in fuel and more rapid and +efficient work.</p> + +<p>A new explosive has been invented by a +Russian engineer, M. Rucktchell, about which +some very curious particulars have been published, +while the nature of the compound remains the +secret of its discoverer. The explosive gives a +penetrative power to projectiles ten times greater +than gunpowder. It emits neither smoke nor heat, +and its discharge is unaccompanied by any report. +If this be true, can the compound—whatever it +be—be called an explosive? But this wonderful +product is to be utilised in the arts of peace +as well as those of war, for it forms the motive-power +for an engine constructed by the inventor, +an engine for which he claims superiority over +steam and gas engines. It will be remembered +that an engine of much the same character was +invented a few years ago in America. Its motive-power +was a secret from everybody. The necessary +and inevitable Company was formed to buy +up the inventor’s rights, and then—nothing more +was heard of it.</p> + +<p>Mr W. F. Dennis has been exhibiting at Millwall, +London, a continuous wire-netting machine, +which is a great improvement on former contrivances +of this kind. The machine works from +bobbins of wire only, not from bobbins and spools, +as in the older machines, and these bobbins contain +a sufficient length of wire to keep the +machine at work for a whole day. In a day +of ten hours, a single machine will produce three +hundred and fifty yards of wire-netting twenty-three +inches in width. The machine in question +occupies a space of eleven by eight feet, +by six feet in height. Nor is it confined to +the production of netting from soft metal, for +hard bright steel and iron wire can be used, +producing a most rigid product. The consumption +in Europe of wire-netting is estimated at +forty million yards per annum, and the possibility +of producing it of a rigid character, hitherto +thought to be impossible, is sure to increase its +fields of usefulness.</p> + + + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"><div class="chapter"><h2 class="nobreak" id="OCCASIONAL_NOTES">OCCASIONAL NOTES.</h2></div> + + +<h3>WOODITE.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">Woodite</span>, a newly invented preparation of caoutchouc—so +called from the name of its inventor—is +attracting considerable attention at the present +time. In woodite are united the useful elastic +properties of india-rubber together with the +advantages of immunity from injury by fire or +salt water. The specific gravity of woodite is +only one-tenth that of iron or steel; whilst the +cost of the new material, as compared with these +metals, is estimated to be as three to seven, or +rather less than one half. Such facts fully explain +the importance attached to the proposition +now being made to utilise woodite as a protection—either +internal or external, as regards the +vessel’s skin—to men-of-war and torpedo boats. +Experiments recently made to ascertain the +behaviour of woodite under fire were as satisfactory +as conclusive, and established the interesting +fact, that the caoutchouc closed up again +so thoroughly and instantaneously, after the +passage of the shot, that no leakage resulted, +though the vessel was pierced below waterline.</p> + +<p>The value of a material possessed of such qualities +for naval purposes cannot be overestimated; +whilst in a variety of other ways, woodite appears +likely to play a not unimportant part in the near +future. In the construction of lifeboats, a material +so buoyant and indestructible cannot fail to be of +service; whilst for lining quay walls, harbour +entrances, piers, landing-stages, and the numberless +cases where it is desirable to moderate the +force of impact, woodite should be found of the +greatest value. In the case of a collision at sea, +a vessel fortified internally or externally with +woodite would be more likely to remain afloat, +than, <i>cæteris paribus</i>, one not similarly protected.</p> + +<p>In an age when every effort is made to secure +the requisite buoyancy in our huge floating citadels, +heavily laden with ponderous armour and gigantic +ordnance, a material combining buoyancy in so +high a degree, with its other advantages, cannot +but be destined, in the opinion of competent +judges, to play a brilliant part; whilst its future +in the more peaceful arts cannot fail to be equally +commensurate with its merits.</p> + + +<h3>TRAVELLING ARRANGEMENTS ON THE CANADIAN +PACIFIC RAILWAY.</h3> + +<p>A passenger by the Canadian Pacific Railway +gives an interesting sketch of the travelling +arrangements on this latest trans-continental line. +We learn that the locomotives have a haul of about +one hundred and twenty to one hundred and +thirty miles in each division of the line, when +they are changed, and fresh ones put on. The +continent is crossed from Montreal to Vancouver, +in British Columbia, in five days and fourteen +hours; and this will soon be reduced to one +hundred and twenty hours. Good time is kept. +The first east-bound trans-continental train that +was met in transit, passed Sudbury, going eastward, +at 4.17 <span class="allsmcap">P.M.</span>, after being about five days +on the journey. Before its arrival, there was +some curiosity to learn whether it was in time, +and bets were made on the time it would arrive. +This train, after travelling a distance of two +thousand five hundred miles, arrived only fifteen +seconds behind time. The railway route from +Montreal to Vancouver covers two thousand +nine hundred and nine miles; and the through +sleeping-coaches attached to the train run the +entire distance without change, which is a great +comfort to the traveller. Every week-day, a train +starts from each end of the line, leaving the eastern +terminus at Montreal at eight o’clock in the +evening, and the western terminus at one o’clock +in the afternoon. On Sundays, the trains do +not start; thus making six trains each way +every week. The west-bound train is called the +Pacific Express; and the east-bound train the +Atlantic Express.</p> + +<p>The Pacific Express, in which this correspondent +travelled, was made up of five coaches. At the +head was the luggage, mail, and express coach, +which carried the baggage. The next is the +colonists’ coach, a third-class carriage with seats +arranged so that they can be turned into a +double tier of berths on each side for sleeping +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_768">{768}</span>accommodation. The train carries passengers at +three rates. The ordinary American first-class +passenger coach follows the colonists’ coach, which +usually takes local travellers along the line. +Following this is the dining-coach, which usually +accompanies the train only from seven o’clock +in the morning till nine o’clock at night. Following +the dining-car is the through sleeping-coach, +which is constructed with six sections on each +side. In the aggregate, twenty-six persons can be +given sleeping accommodation in this car; while +at one end, toilet-rooms and a bathroom are +provided. At the rear of the sleeping-coach is +a large open apartment with a good outlook, +which can be used as a smoking-room, and +where passengers may have a view of the line +passed over.</p> + + +<h3>OVERHEAD TELEGRAPH WIRES.</h3> + +<p>This arrangement of wires has always been +considered as a disfiguring and dangerous eyesore, +and at last our quick-sighted cousins ‘across the +water’ have determined that the nuisance shall +be forthwith abated. In New York, Washington, +St Louis, Chicago, and other great cities of the +United States, legislative decrees have been issued +for the compulsory abolition of all overhead wires, +which will in future be conducted underground +in tunnels beneath the pavement, and by this +means a great improvement will be effected in +the matter of street architecture, and some dangers +to passengers will be removed. Many instances +have been known in America where, from violent +storms of wind or snow, the telegraph posts have +been blown down, occasioning injury and even +death to passengers. All this will be avoided by +the new arrangement.</p> + + +<h3>ANGRY BEES.</h3> + +<p>As a supplementary note to the article on +‘<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/72929/72929-h/72929-h.htm#BEES_AND_HONEY">Bees and Honey</a>’ which appeared in <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/72929/72929-h/72929-h.htm">No. 135</a> +of the <i>Journal</i>, a correspondent sends us the +following:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>‘A painful instance of the terrible consequences +of provoking bees is connected with one of the +loveliest sights in India, the famous Marble +Rocks of Jubbulpore. These rocks form a gorge +through which the great river Nerbudda flows, +and the marble formation extends for about a +mile. The dazzling walls which shut in the +river are studded with pendent bees’ nests, and +for any one proceeding in a boat down the +narrow channel to disturb the bees is a fatal +proceeding. If any warning were required, it +is given by a tomb which stands on the outskirts +of the village just above the gorge, to the memory +of one who was stung to death in this beautiful +spot. Actuated by a foolish impulse, he fired +his rifle at one of the nests, whereupon the bees +came down on him in such numbers that he +attempted to save himself by jumping overboard. +The relentless insects, however, still pursued +him, with fatal results. I quote the story from +memory, but believe it is to be found in detail +in Forsyth’s charming work, <i>The Highlands of +Central India</i>.</p> + +<p>‘A friend once told me that as he was driving +near a village some miles from Jubbulpore, he +and his servant and horse were attacked by bees +without any real provocation. The enemy +crowded round in such numbers that the situation +became serious. After receiving several +stings, and finding the horse, too, becoming +restive, my friend resolved to save his own life +and that of his servant, both of which were really +in jeopardy, at the risk of a little discomfort to +other people. Accordingly, he whipped up his +horse and made for the village, a cloud of bees +keeping up with the trap without the least effort. +When the village was reached, the bees, as my +friend anticipated, found so many other objects +of interest, that they distributed their attentions +with less marked partiality than hitherto. In +other words, the cloud left the trap and scattered +among the villagers, who were, however, so +numerous, that two or three stings apiece probably +represented the total damage. The expedient +was not, perhaps, a charitable one, but, +in the circumstances, was, I venture to think, +justifiable.’</p> +</div> + +<hr class="full"> + +<p><i>The <span class="smcap">Publishers</span> have pleasure in intimating that +next year will appear in this <span class="smcap">Journal</span> an Original +Novel, entitled</i></p> + +<p class="center"> +RICHARD CABLE,<br> +</p> + +<p><i>by the distinguished Author of the well-known works +of fiction, ‘Mehalah,’ ‘John Herring,’ ‘Court +Royal,’ &c.</i></p> + +<hr class="full"> + + + + +<div class="chapter"><h2 class="nobreak" id="A_BRIGHT_DAY_IN_NOVEMBER">A BRIGHT DAY IN NOVEMBER.</h2></div> + + +<div class="poetry-container"><div class="poetry"> +<div class="stanza"><div class="verse indent0"><span class="smcap">A Summer</span> hush is on the golden woods;</div> +<div class="verse indent0">The path lies deep in leaves—the air is balm;</div> +<div class="verse indent0">No sound disturbs these silent solitudes,</div> +<div class="verse indent0">Save some faint bird-notes, which, amid the calm,</div> +<div class="verse indent0">Seem like the sad, sweet song of one who grieves</div> +<div class="verse indent0">Over a happy past—yet with a strain</div> +<div class="verse indent0">Of Hope, which sees amid these yellow leaves,</div> +<div class="verse indent0">Bare boughs all clothed with Spring’s young buds again.</div></div> + +<div class="stanza"><div class="verse indent0">Even thus, most gracious Lord, in Sorrow’s hour,</div> +<div class="verse indent0">When Life seems saddest, and our hopes decay,</div> +<div class="verse indent0">Thou sendest comfort—as, in wood or bower,</div> +<div class="verse indent0">Some humble flower remains to speak of May;</div> +<div class="verse indent0">Some gleam of joy lights up the wintry scene;</div> +<div class="verse indent0">Some tender grace returns to bless and cheer;</div> +<div class="verse indent0">And though our trees no more are clothed in green,</div> +<div class="verse indent0">Bright days may light the closing of our year.</div> +<div class="attrib">J. H.</div></div> +</div></div> + +<hr class="full"> + +<p>The Conductor of <span class="smcap">Chambers’s Journal</span> begs to direct +the attention of <span class="smcap">Contributors</span> to the following notice:</p> + +<div class="blockquot_ans"> +<p><i>1st.</i> All communications should be addressed to the +‘Editor, 339 High Street, Edinburgh.’</p> + +<p><i>2d.</i> For its return in case of ineligibility, postage-stamps +should accompany every manuscript.</p> + +<p><i>3d.</i> To secure their safe return if ineligible, <span class="smcap">All Manuscripts</span>, +whether accompanied by a letter of advice or +otherwise, <i>should have the writer’s Name and Address +written upon them</i> <span class="allsmcap">IN FULL</span>.</p> + +<p><i>4th.</i> Offerings of Verse should invariably be accompanied +by a stamped and directed envelope.</p> +</div> + +<p><i>If the above rules are complied with, the Editor will +do his best to insure the safe return of ineligible papers.</i></p> + +<hr class="full"> + +<p class="center">Printed and Published by <span class="smcap">W. & R. Chambers</span>, 47 Paternoster +Row, <span class="smcap">London</span>, and 339 High Street, <span class="smcap">Edinburgh</span>.</p> + +<hr class="full"> + +<p class="center"><i>All rights reserved.</i></p> + +<hr class="full"> + +<p>[Transcriber’s note—the following changes have been made to this text.</p> + +<p>Page 764: Naraganset to Narraganset.]</p> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75818 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + diff --git a/75818-h/images/cover.jpg b/75818-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a11307c --- /dev/null +++ b/75818-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/75818-h/images/header.jpg b/75818-h/images/header.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7892f08 --- /dev/null +++ b/75818-h/images/header.jpg |
