Evening Star Newspaper, June 24, 1893, Page 11

JACK FROSTS HOME. That is Where the People of Point| "n= Barrow Live. IN FARTHEST ALASKA. The Most Northerly Point of Uncle Sam's Dominions — Curious Facts About the Natives Who Dwell There—How They Get Food and Amuse Themselves—Queer Fish- ing and Hunting. HERE IS NO COUN- try in the world too cold for people to live in. Human inhabitants would doubtless be found at the north pole if food were to be got there. At that point the temperatare ~~ is not so low by many degrees as in a latitude much farther south— sad say, in arctic Siberia. where the natives be- Seve that they are better off than they would be anywhere else. The most northerly part of Alaska is Point Barrow, where there has been a considerable settlement of Eskimo for centuries, There they were found by the first white explorers, living very much as they do today. In many ‘Ways these people are extremely interesting. From time to time accounts of them have been Published, but nothing on the subject has got into print soexbaustive asa report that is about to be issved by the bureau of ethnology. It is Prepared by John Murdoch, who a ‘€n expedition to Alaska a while ago, Lad scientific observer. HOW THEY USE TOBACCO. Perhaps there is nothing more peculiar about ‘the Eskimo of Point Barrow than their methods of using tobacco, which, of course, ther procure from the whites. They know good from bad tobacco. When ther get hold of a few plugs of commissary tobacco from a vessel of the United States navy they show = marked ap- MOUSE IX UTKIAVWIN. ‘Preciation of it. The habit of chewing the d seems to be universal. Men. women and even unweaned children keep a quid, often of enormous size, constantly in the mouth. The Juice is not spit out. but swallowed with the saliva, without producing any symptoms of nausea. ‘These people, for the sake of making their gobaceo go further, ent it up very fue and mix it with finely eb wood, in the p: ion et about two pert of tobacco to cub of wood Willow twigs are commonly used for this pur- pose, possibly because they have a slightly aromatic flavor. The mode of smoking the weed thus prepared is very odd. The smoker, after clearing out the bowl of his pipe with a little picker of bone, plucks from his deerakin elothing in some conspicuous place a small wad of hair. This be rams down to the bottom of the bowl, the purpose of it being to prevent the fine tobacco from getting inte the stem and clogging it up. The Pipe is then filled with to- bacco, of which it only holds a very small quan- tity. “The tobacco is then ignited and all of it issmoked ontin twoor three strong whiffs. ‘The smoke is very deeply inhaled and is allowed to pass out slowly from the monthand nostrils. ‘Pais method of emoking would be found ex- ceedingly trving by any white man. In fact it usually brings tears to the eyes of the Eskimo, often producing giddinevs, and almost alwars @ violent fit of coughing. native will some- times be almost prosirated from the effects of | SP! & single pipeful. These people carry their fon produce nausea in « civilized povten,, This habit has been likewise observed northern Siberia. They also eat the tobacco ashes, perbaps for the sake of the potash they eontain. THE FooD THEY EAT. These Eskimo depend mainly for food on the flesh of the rough seal. They also eat the meat Of the reindeer, the walrus, the polar bear, the “bowhead” whale, the white whale and many Binds of birds. "Walrus hide is sometimes cooked and devoured in times of scarcity. They regard the epidermis of « whale as a grent delicacy and are very fond of the tough white gum around the roots of the whalebone. The whaleskin and whalegum are eaten raw. Meat fe sometimes consumed ina raw state, though generally it is boiled in water over a fire of driftwood. the broth thus made being drunken hot before eating the meat. Fish are often eaten raw in winter at the d-er-bunting camps. When traveling in winter these natives use for food a sort of pemmican. The marrow ‘extracted from reizdeer bones by boiling, and to quantity of this is adled two or three pounds of crushed seal or whale biubber, the | ‘mixture being beaten up with the hands ina large wooden bow! to the consistency of frozen €ream. Into this they stir bits of boiled venison, Bsually the poorer portions of the meat, scraped ff the bones and chewed up small by the women and children. each using some charm Word as they cast in their mouthfuls. Finally, ‘the mass is made up into two-pound bails and €arried in little sealskin bags. Flour, when | obtained, is made into a sort of porridge. There is always plenty of driftwood to supply the fires. When a family is fortunate enough to secure | s large supply of meat, it mvites ali the neigh- | bors to partake until ‘the provisions are ex- | hausted. This habit of hospitality prevents their laying up any considerable quantity of Provender, and ther depend for subsistence al- | most from day to day on their «nccess in hunt- ing. When encamped in «mall parties in the summer, however. they often take more seals than they can consume. The carcasses of | these, stripped of their skins and blubber, are | buried in the gravel close to the camp and are dug up and brought home when meat becomes ecarce io winter. | These people consume water in great | goantitios and like to have it extremely ‘cold. a the house, in winter, there is alwars a lump of clean snow on a rack close to the family lamp, with «tub to catch the water that drips from it. When tramping about they eat an astonishing amount of ice and snow, and on the march the women carry small canteens of seal- in, which they fill with snow and keep inside of Jackets, where the heat of the body melts the now and keeps it liquid. This great | fondness for plenty of cold water has been | noticed among the Eskimo elsewhere and seems to be characteristic of the race. “ANIMALS WHICH THEY BUNT. Among the animals which they bunt, for one | ‘seful purpose or another, is the Arctic fox. ‘Two species of lemmings is known to them, as | ‘well as a tiny shrew mouse, which in irony they gpl by the same name as the largest kind of jlies the lamp with oil. ice, and ides and ivory as well as ber. The bowhead whale, hich produces the Whalebone of commerce, and the white whale afford objects of chase in fhe summer. On the. ice-pa fs not uncommon, sometimes making raids on ‘the provision storehouses in the villages. 1% the polar bear | Polar bears are occasionally met with in win- | ter by the seal hunters roaming about the ice | fields at some distance from the shore. They ustally run away from a man, and often do not aenke a stand even when wounded. Sometimes, howe one of them, rendered bold by hun- ger, comes in from ‘the ver and makes an Sttack on some native’s storehouse of seal meat, even in the midst of the village. Of course fn such s case he has very little chance to es- cape, as the people ail tara out with their riffes and ‘cut off his retreat. The beast is niways attacked wih a pet the rifle, often with the help of | oue ead etring fe it i i ; : > 8g t was merely a stont stick of w long and half an inch broad w ateach end. One of these was folded Wise into the shape of the blubber, and frozen solid. ‘out on the snow, where the ik e Le ret DEERSKIN MITTENS. and swallow it. The heat of its body would thaw the blubber, releasing the e, which would straighten out and pi the walls of the stomach, thus killing the wolf. The berst could not go far after swallowing one of these blubber balls, SEAL CATCHIXG. ‘The most common method of hunting the seal is to wait at its breathing hole in the ice and shoot or spear itas it comes up for air. The native thus engaged has frequently to stand for hours motionless. His feet would be- come very cold, though they are so warmly clad in fur, were it not for alittle three-legged stool which he carries with him. On this he stands or squats, wrapped in deer-skin cloak and holding his weapon in readiness. Mean. while he whistles gently or scratches on the ice with a sort of claw for the purpose to en- tice the game. Seals have a great deal of curi- osity and are easily attracted by any unusual sounds. The best season for seal catching begins with the closing of the sea, about the dale” of October. When the pack ice comes in there sre many small open pools to which the animale resort for air. Most of the men in the village go out every day armed with. rifle ‘and harpoon, traveling many miles among the ice hummocks —— of such food. Tale method of bunting is practiced throug! winter. A native going to visit his nets al- ways carries his weapons in case he should come across # sea otter. The bunt at this season is accom with considerable danger, as the ice pack is not yet firmly con- solidated, and portions of it frequently move off shore with a shift of the wind, so that the hunter runs a risk of being carried out to soa, ‘The natives generally avoid crossing a crack if the wind is blowing from the land; but, in spite of their precautions, men are carried away every now and then never to return. ‘On the morning of November 24, 1882, all of the heavy ice at Point Barrow broke away from the shore and began to move rapidly to the northeast, carrying with it three seal hunters. Fortunately, they were near enough to the vil- lage to be seen by loungers on a hill, who gave the alarm. A boat was immediately mounted onasied and carried out over the shore ice with great rapidity, rescuing the men before it was too late. The promptness and energy with which the people at the village acted showed how well the danger was appreciated. PURSUING THE WHALE. The pursuit of the bowhead whale is carried on with much system and great formality. It is valuable not only for the food furnished by its flesh and skin, and the oil from its blub- ber. but for the whalebone which serves so many useful purposes in the arts of Eskimo, and is the chief article of trade with ships. ‘About the middle of April the season is on the point of beginning, and the natives begin anxiously to expect an east or south- east wind to drive off the pack ice. Should it not speedily blow from that quarter, recourse is had to supernatural means for bringing it. A party of men go out and sit in a semicircle facing the sea on the village cliff, while one in the middle beats a drum and sings a monotonous chant, interrupted by cu- rious vibrating cries, accompanied by a violent shaking of the head from side to side. This ceremony is conducted with great solemnity. Tt appears that the chant is addressed to = it, requesting him to make the desired A NATIVE cosTUME. breeze blow. During this period and while the whaling is going on no pounding must be done in the village. and it is not allowable even to rap with the knuckles on wood for fear of frightening away the wuales, ‘A whaling boat always carries a number of amulets to insure success. These may be wolf skulls, dried ravens, the vertebrie of a seal or the tip of a red fox’s tail. This Inst is consid- ered a very powerful charm. In one case oken of the captain and the bharpooner wore fillets of mountain sheepskin, with a little ervs- tal or stone image of a whale’ dangling at each side of the face. Both wore little stone whales attached to the breast of the jacket. Similar customs are followed in Greenland, where it is said that the natives “dress themselves in the best manner for a whaling expedition, because, according to the sayings of the sorcerers, if any one were to wear dirty clothes the gume would escape, or, if it were dead. it would a. m these Eskimo of Point Barrow are on h for whales the great harpoon is kept ngged and resting ina crotch of ivory in the bow of the boat. When the big game is sighted they paddie up as close as possible, and the harpooner thrusts a harpoon into him.’ The | other boats, ifany are near, join in the chase until the nuimal is so wearied that be can be lanced, or a favorable opportumity occurs for shooting bir. © whale is struck are entitled to a share of the whalebone. ‘As soon as the whaie is killed he is towed up to the edge ot the land floe, and everybody tanding on the edge of the ice begins hacking away at the flesh biubber, some of them ing to work more carefully to cut out the lebone. The “cutting in” without order or control, everybody who can be on the spot being apparently entitled to all the meat, blubber and skin he or she can cut | off. FISHING THROUGH THE ICE. For fishing through the ice a line is used with | sinker, and, perhaps, two “jiggers” of walrus ivory--smail elongated pieces of wairus tooth, to which Looks are attached. The white ivory “figgers” attract the fish, which nose them and are booked by an upward jerk of the line. For this kind of fiehing, which vegins about seal. The bludber of the little rough seal sup- | February 1 and continues until the ice has be- 1 kin and intes- | gun to mel Herds of | with an ice pi n season, | dipped out with a long-handied wi hole a foot in diameter ick, the fragments of ic scoop. The line islet down through the hole until the “jiggers” hang a few inches from the bottom. ‘he fisherman holds in his left hand the dipper above mentioned, with which he keeps the hole clear of the quickly forming ice crystals, while with his right hand he jerks the line continually up and down. When a fish is brought to the surface it is detached from the barbiess hook with a jerk and almost in- freezes solid. When fish are plentiful they are caught as fast as they can be hauled up, Sometimes one on each “jigger.” ‘The bors use a sort ot snate for catehing sitting birds, bone made into a slipnoose, which is set over the eggs and fastened to the ground, so that the fowl is caught by the leg. A contrivance known in other parts of the woridis employed for the capture o' gulls. Itis simply a little stick 1 both ends and fastened to six feet long, the other All boats in sight at the time | This is simply a strip of whale- | THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D. C. SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 1893—EIGHTEEN PAGES. il extremity of which is tied to a stake driven into the frozen soil. The stick 1s covered with » Piece of blubber, the string being carefully covered. When the jows the blubber he is caught. Im it accessories to hunting are wooden See eee ness. They are simply a wooden cover for the eyes, admitting the light by narrow horizontal slits, which allow only a small ‘amount of light to reach the eyes and at the same time give it range of vision. Such goggles aro universally employed by the Eskimo ‘everywhere except in Siberia, where a simple shade is used. To mark the place where they have buried meat in the snow hunters com- employ little ivory rods, each with a bunch of feathers tied to one end. Few plants that are of any service to man grow in the region of Point Barrow. The wil- lows near the coast are nothing but creeping vines, sometimes used for fuel. Catkins are Utilized for tinder, and moss furnishes wicks for the lamps. Ali the wood available comes from the drift along the beach. Most of that thrown up on the beach west of Point Barrow seems to come from the southwest, and may be derived from the large rivers flowing into Kotzebue sound. The driftwood, which is abundant east of Point Barrow, probably comes from the great rivers emptving Tito ‘the Arctic ocean. This wood is sufficiently abundant to furnish the natives with all they need for fuel and other purposes, -and consists chiefly of ine, spruce and cottonwood, mostly in the | form of water-worn logs, often of large size. Of late years much wood has drifted ashore from VERY FEW CIVILIZED HABITS. ‘These natives have adopted very few civilized habits, though they have had a good deal of in- tercourse with white men. They have acquired a taste for civilized food, especially hard bread and flour, but these they are unable to obtain for ten months of the year. The greatest evil which has come from their acquaintance with the whites is liquor, of which thé ery fond. To get it they will barter away valuable articles which should have served to secure smmunition or other things of real use. How- yer. the whisky traffic is kept down by the influence of the revenue cutters. The morals of the are very lax, but this condition of affairs does not appear to have been intro- duced by the whites. They have learned very little Englivh, their knowledge of the language consisting chiefiv of a few oaths, exclamations like “Get out of here!” and the words of such as “Little Brown Jug” and “Shoo, Fly,” curfously distorted. Diseases of the Iungs and stomach are tho ‘most frequent ailments from which they suffer. The former are due to the practice of sleeping on damp ground and to extreme carelessness in exposure to draughts when overheated. Nearly every one suffers from coughs and colds in the latter part of August, and many deaths occur at the beginning of winter from pneumonia. All are subject to bleeding at the nose and usu- ally plug the bleeding nostril with a bunch of deer's hair. ‘This weakness seems to be charac- teristic of the Eskimo wherever they are mot with, and it has been supposed to he a process of nature for relieving the fullness of thecircu- latory system caused by an exclusively animal te Asa rule, they are quick-witted and intelli- gent and show a great capacity for appreciat- ing and learning useful things, especially mechanical arts. In disposition they are light hearted and cheerful. ‘They have a keen senso of humor and are fond of practical jokes. In the main they are truthful, though they prac- tice considerable trickery in trade. tried to sell the carcass of a dog to the expedition with the skin, head, feet and tail removed for a young reindeer, and when it was desired to purchase seal oil for lamps, « woman brought a tin can nearly filled with ice with merely }layer of oil ontop. Their curiosity is un | bounded and they ark questions without num- ber. Their continual begging is also very annoying. Files are eagerly sought by the natives. who use them with great and patience, doi nearly all their motal work with these tools. One ingenious man converted his Winchester rifle froma rim fire to a central fire with noth- ing but a file. Another native neatly mended a musket barrel which had been cracked by fir- ing too heavy a charge. He cut a section from another old barrel of somewhat longer caliber, which he heated until it had expanded enough to slip down over the crack and then allowed it to on. MOST ARE TATTOOED. ‘These Eskimo ere commonly tattooed. Such ornamentation ona man is a mark of distine- tion. Those who have captured whales usually have marks on their persons to indicate the fact, sometimes forming a tally. The tattooing in done with a needle and thread, smeared with soot or gunpowder. It is a painful operation, oducing considerable inflammation and swell- The practice of tattooing the women is almost universal among people of this race wherever they are found. They pierce their lips and insert p!ags, which are supposed to be decorative. For such labrets glass cruet stop- rs and glass stoppers of Worcestershire sauce ttles are highly prized. ‘One of the games played by the natives at Point Barrow might be called “fox and geese.” There ix a fox carved in ivory, with a score or more of geese and ducks with flat beilies, done in the same material. ‘They are used somewhat after the manner of “jackstones.” The player tosses up a handful of these images, scoring points for the number that sit upright when they fail. Children play with httle models of the implements and utensils used by their | parents. Perhaps the commonest thing of this sort is the boy's bow. As soon as a boy is able | to walk his father makes him a little bow and blunt arrows, and he practices shooting at | marks until be is old enough to kill small birds | and lemmings. ‘The women are ver} ¥ fond of playing “cat's | cradle,” whenever they have leisure, and make {a number of complicated figures’ with the | strings, many of which represent various ani- | mals, ‘One favorite figure is a very clever rep- resentation of a reindeer. Another amusement | of the women and children is tossing three bul- | lets or smail pebbies with the right hand, after ‘the manner of a juggler. Mr. Murdoch wit- neased quite an elaborate performance by a ty of children. On the edge of the roof of a [vase sad three title boys, ouch beating on an empty tomato can and singing at the top of his | lungs, while another boy and a little girl were | dancing on the snow, at the same time trying | to avoid a girl who represented a demon. She | was stooping forward, rolling her eyes fiercely, licking the blade of an open clasp kni drawing it slowly acroas her Jips. SEAL OLLOYS (scRATcHERS) | Boys of six or seven begin to shoot small birds and animals aud to hunt for birds’ eggs | When they reach twelve or fourtesn years | they are intrusted with a gun and se | accompanying their fathers on the chase. In | the meantime. the little girls are learning to sew, in imitation of their mothers, and by the time they are twelve years old they take their share of the cooking and other housework and | assist m making the clothes for the family. —— The Ruling Hand. From Truth. “TI thoroughly believe the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.” “That is undoubtedly the case now. But parents did not always leave the care of infants to servants.” oe “At Par.” From Life. spear, | ON MIDSUMMER EVE. Strange Things That Might Happen Tonight, According to Old Tales, ST. JOHN’S DAY CUSTOMS. How the Worship of St. John Was Coupled With Curious Superstitions—The Origin of Bonfires—Fairies and Hobgoblins—How Maidens Tried to Peer Into the Future. eed HIS IS MIDSUMMER ‘day. It is « festival dedicated to St. Jobn the Baptist, being his birthday. He is the only calondered saint . whose birthday is cele- B brated. With all other sainte it is the day of ‘death that is made a festive anniversary. Scripture says, “There <&, shall be rejoicing at his ¥ birth,” and throughout medieval Europe his day was especially joyful. Falling on June 24 the old Pagan rites of mid- summer are sometimes curiously entwined with ceremonies ordained by the church, giving rise to peculrly interesting superstitions and cus- toms. In old heathen worship, at the midsummer solstice, great fires formed a permanent feature, while their counterpart is found in the bon- fires that blazed on St. John’s eve from the north of Scotland to the south of Spain and far into interior Europe. 8T. JOHN'S DAY FIRES. These fires were not individual, but belonged toeach township, while every citizen felt a pride in contributing fuel for their burning. From these boons or kindly gifts most writers think bon is derived; others from bon, good. One quaint old writer is at some length to prove his derivation of bon from bon: in the worship of St. John the people waked at home and made these manner of fyres; one was clene bone and no woode, and that is called abone fyre; another ii bones, and that is called a woode fyre for peo- ple to'sit and wake thereb: “The thyrde is made of woodeand bones, and iscalled Saynte Johnanny’s Fyre. knoweth that Dragons hateth the stench o burning bones, and therefore they gathered a many as they might find and burned them. The second fyre of woode shall be seen far and be- tokeneth thatSt. John was = lamp of light unto bis people.” Lighting the bonfire at sunset St, John’s eve was an act of great solemnity and intrusted to some one high in authority. ‘The fuel was always blessed by the priest, who was frequently the chief actor in the scene. The cheerful blaze served the double purpore of keeping off evil spirits and keeping up the spirits of the watchers. Evil was abroad and the powers of enchantment loosened, so the “fyre was goode to wake thereby." ‘Traces of eastern fire worship are found in the practice of leaping and dancing in circles around the fire and in carrying off pieces of burning brands to kindle the home fire as pro- tection against evil. Jumping through the flame was in a measure purification; he who came through unsinged was free for another twelve months from “plague, devil and dragons. In Pagan ceremonies the fire wheel typified the sun's revolution from the summer to the winter solstice, declining daily in power. ‘This wheel was very common on the Rhine borders, where St. Jol was celebrated and the most popular festivity next to the bonfire. A WHEEL OF FIRE. A large wheel wrapped in straw and set on fire was started down from a high hill and as it rolled was followed by @ shouting crowd of men, women and children. If the wheel ran blazing into the river a good vintage was sure to follow, but should it turn aside from its course or the fire die out before reaching low ground some direful catastrophe threatened. ‘The custom of keeping vigil St. John’s eve arose partly from tho belief that while sleeping the soul had freedom from the body and power to visit the scene of future death. Those wishing.to know who would die in the eoming year had only to watch on the church porch at midnight, when a shadowy procession would file by, each knocking on the church door. Frequently the curious watcher recog- nized his own spirit among them, and death in- variably followed in the twelvemonth. An old Dutch proverb runs, “He has passed a St. John’s night,” whenever one has been particu- larly wakeful. Throngh the power of St. John many who are held unrighteousiy in the bond cf enchant- ment are released for the time between mid- night and sunrise. in the Alhambra Boabdil holds a shadowy court and Spain is once more under Moorish sovereignty. His faithful Moors leave the treasure they guard and swarm to pay him homage; then mines of riches are open to him who has this talisman of Solomon. By judicious use of plants trimmed under certain charms common mortals can keep aloof from harm intended by witches and wiz- ards who are evilly disposed, One old couplet runs: “-Vervain, Crow’ Hinder witchesu! THE MAGIC POWER OF FERN SEED. Ordinary fern seed is traditional in its power |to render the wearer invistbie. Many — fail simply through neglect of gathering—if the word be admissible—the seed correctly. ‘The | plant should never be touched by the hand, but | the seed allowed to drop of its own accord ‘into |adish, while the patient watcher solemnizes | the waiting hours by special charms and |adjurations. ‘The operation is somewhat | tedious, but, if successful, has never been | known to fail Five-leaf clover is likewise maj ing good luck to the wearer. All kinds of recipes were known to brew love potions that would kindle flame in the cold heart or make the sluggish heart beat faster. Sometimes the fairies invoked were not kind and played all sorts of pranks upon dospairing lovers. On the Isle of Man it was believed that any one trespassing after sunset on enchanted | ground would have a ne winged horse that rose from the ground. ‘The same tradition is current in some parts | of Spain, but the Spanish horse is not winged, jand though in each ease the ride results i fearful bumps and bruises to the unwil riders, the steod of Spain is accompanied by seven lean hounds that try to bite the unfor- tunate horseman. Usually tradition points a moral by proving the total depravity of the luckless man, no such fate overtaking the pious. TELLING THE FUTURE. As on Hallowe'en, there were all sorts of ks and devices for determining the future. ‘Two plants stuck in clay on the roof of a house midsummer eve bent or blew during the night in the direction dictated by fate. Should the one representing the man turn aside from the other plant then the lover was faithless and the girl must either resign him utterly or die unmarried. gical in bring- t ing toward each other happy life was insure ‘To determine your husband's profession pat a lump of pewter in water on going to bed midsummer eve. Next morning put » pail of water directly in sunshire and as the clock trikes 12 pour in the pewter boiling hot; when cold and settled take it out and you will find emblem of trade. Ifa ship, then your fate is a sailor; tools for a workman; trees, a gardener; ring, a silveremith or jeweler; book, a parson or learned man, In an old periodical of the last century, called The Connoisseur, girl gives her ex: cake together, two must make it, two bake it, two brenk it and the third put it under each of their pillows, not speaking a word. Then you will dream of the man you ure to have. “This we did,and to be sure I dreamed of Mr. Blossom. The’ same night, exactly at 12, I sowed hemp in the back yard, saying: * ‘Hemp seed I sow, homp seed I hoe, And he that is my true love come after me and mow.” “J looked back and saw him behind me plain ascoujd be. Then I took two midsummer men tuck them up, one for him and one for me. ‘ow, if his bad died away I do assure you we should never have come together, but his | blowed and turned to mine! “Our maid Betty teils me if I go backward | into the garden, without speaking, midsemmer Jeveand gather arose and put it in a clean | sheet of paper and keep it without looking at | it until Xmas day it w:ll be as fresh as in June, | and he that is to be my husband will come to take it out. “My sister Hetty, who died stood last midsummer eve on just after Xmas, church porch turnal ride on a! But if the morning sun show the two inclin- | periences: “I and my two sisters tried dumb | to see all that had to die that year in our parish and saw her own apparition."’ WHAT WIZARDS COULD Do. An old wizard boasts in the most tremendous way of the things he can do, but retains the useful knowledge of how he does it. “On mid- summer I teach the wolf's paternoster to shep- herds, teach cunning men how to turn, teach fairies to danco by moonlight, gamesters to look under gallows for four of clubs, teach sheeted ghosts at midnight to demand of holrs the performances of those vows they promise, give flying money returns after it fs spent, &c. Until recent years quaint old custom was continued at len College, Oxford. Asermon was preached every St. John’s day from astone pulpit in one corner of an open court, the entire court embowered in green to typity St. John in the wilderness. In old times t branches of trees were used in decorating jouses to make this festival more joyful. ‘As lato as the time of Henry VIII citizens of London kept vigil in great crowds, carryi out their rejoicing with all manner of cheer on tables spread in the heart of the city. ‘The men themselves were nobly decorated with ribbons, jewelry and flowers, and carried huge cressets or torches to illumine their watch. Oct bonfires blaze on St. Jobn’s eve on the coasts of Penzance and in Spain, but the magic solemnity of midsummer is entirely rel- egated to Queen Titania and her court, who keep up mystic revelry even in this skeptical nineteenth century. MR —————— OLD-TIME SMUGGLING. A Romance and an Ince to It That Are Now Entirely Gone. From London Society. Instead of a run by night in an opon boat, frcm the French coxst to the shores of Hamp- shire, Sussex, Essex or Kent, we have to con- tent ourselves in these prosaic times with petty attempts to cheat the revenue, for which women are more frequently responsible than men. Such an incident once happened at Belfast, where an Irish woman,named Mary MacMahon, was brought to the police court, charged with keeping whisky on premises which were un- licensed. Sergt. Jones deposed that he went into the defendant's house and found a woman named Granton, who was seated before the fire. Upon searching her the sergeant came upon thirty-six bottles of porter and two bottles of whisky, stowed away in her petticoats, To the inexpressible amuse- ment of the spectators the sergeant produced the peccant garments in court. Each petti- coat was made of coarse sacking and was girt with innumerable pockets, all of them lined with soft materials, so as to keep the bottles from clinking and possibly breakin, other. Unhappily for poor Mary MacMahon, the petticoats, whisky and porter were con- fiseated by the relentless police magistrate and the chief delinquent was sent to jail for three months. [entertain no doubt that the hearty sympathies of nine-tenths of those present in court went with Mary MacMahon to limbo. There has, we fear, never been a time in Scotland and Ireland when surreptitious potheen and mountain dew which never paid 8 bawbee to the state exchequer did not. like stolen kisses, taste the sweeter because of their clandestine birth. He, however, who would fain find amusing ories about running the blockade and emug- ing contraband of war through an enemy's lines may turn with advantage to many trans- atlantic magazines which teem with articles re- vealing the illicit trade carried on during the American civil war. Ladies of the Belle Boyd and Mrs. Greenhow type were caught trying to make their way down oath with pountions Doxes of copper caps and packages of quinine stitched ion aon crinolines. Capt. Roberts, better known under his real name, Hobart Pasha, tells us that he smuggled great quanti- ties of Cockle’s pills into Secessia, but that the southerners, differing in taste from the lamented Col. Fred Burnaby, would ha’ none of them. A certain ‘young lady, who appeared to be in delicate health, took ship at New York for Havana, whence she hoped to run the blockade into’ Mobile. Overpowered by seasickners during the voyage, she could not prevent the stewardness from discovering that she was girt round about with linen bandages, among which many costly drugs were stowed. Such is the complexion to which modern smuggling has come at last. Our coast guards have no preventive duties to perform, and their only raison d'etre is to watch that no foreign foe makes a descent on our coasts. The Dirk their stead petty larceny revenue cheaters like Mary MacMahon have sprung into existence. FOUND A PETRIFIED BODY. A Prospector’s Search in the Gulch Reveals a Curiosity. From the Glenwood, Col.. Avalanche. Thomas Harkins, who bas prospected the mountains, hills and valleys in this vicinity for the past four years, rushed into the Avalanche office yesterday afternoon ina of excite- ment, He had in his hands a small package, which the reporter thought to contain speci- mens of gold or silver, but, to his surprise, “the perfect petrified hand and arm of a human form was revealed. Mr. Harkins stated that while prospecting in the dry gulch just beyond the lime kiln, about two and one-half miles from this city, he acci- dentally discovered upon the surface of the ground the hand in his possession. Thinking to perhaps find the entire body beneath the surface he at once began to use bis pick and shovel. Ina few moments his search was re- warded. His pick came in contact with some solid substance, which proved to be the arm from which the hand had in the past become extracted. The lonely prospector became in- tensely excited at the exposition of a petrified male form as his work progressed. Mr. Harkins extended an invitation to J. J. | Reilly of New York city, who is visiting Gien- wood and two representatives of the 4ralanche to accompany him to the seene. In thirty min- ates the party was safely landed and again the | ghoulish proceedings bes | It was nearty 5 o'clock when the party | reached the city, with the wonder of wonders partly expose in the rear of the wagon. A majority of the persons who examined the form decided that from the features, 80 promi- tly displayed, it was an Indian, while many ted that from the broad, flat nose and shape of the head it was a negro. Others thought a cliff dweller, perhaps, and died from natural causes, for age was most certainly de- picted, and was now to become one of the mys. teries of the present day. ‘The man had certainly been in life a dwarf, as the height, upon measurement, proved to be but three feet and two inches, allowing four | inches for the feet, they not being found, and being certain that the dislocation was at or very near the ankles. A measurement of the form gives the following: Height, three fect two inches; from hip bone to feet, thirteen mches: length’ of arm, eleven inches . around forehead, twenty-four inches; face, from top of head to’ chin, seven inches; width of face on cheek bone, four inches; chest, thirty-three inches; hips, thirty-one inches; hips to shoulder, xeventeen inches. It will readily be seen by the above meesure- ments that it does not imply that of a sym- | metrical form. The lege and arms are very | slender, while the head and body are very large. a Amateur Photography. From the London Datiy News, A good notion of the extent to which pho- tography is studied in an amateur way may be gathered from the little volume devoted to this subject, entitled “The Blue Book” (Walter | Sprange). ‘The references guide comprise some 250 towns from Aberdeen to Cork, and from Oban to Penzance, all of which have one or more amateur societies. Detaila of these so- cieties, with lists of members, are furnished, together with rules and regulations. Many have a “dark room open to visitors on applica- tion.” One has for its object to make “a com- plete survey to Devon.” A large number hav weekly meetings and enjoy “outings” during the season. The Boys’ Own Postal Photo- | the circulation of prints and criticisms thereon.” hold periodical conversaziones and ex- 8, While “the Helios Postal Photographic in the sunny town of Hastings circulates a case among its members for the msertion of photographs and the mutual criticisms of each other's work in a note book which accompanies the case, ———_+e+__. A Boom. From Puck. Editor Bungtown Bugle—“Wha: are we claiming now?” Foreman—‘Nine hundred.” Editor-—“Better claim nine hun -d and fifty this week. I got two new subscriptions today.” circulation Good Reason. From Truth, Maud—“I don’t understand how it is you are so continually getting engaged, and yet you never get married.” Marie--“You are a goose. I'm collects Jewelry, not oid gold." ie LEARNING TO SWIM. An Expert Tells the Young Folke How to Do It. THE DIFFICULTIES OF LEARNING THE ART XOT 80 GREAT 4S ARE USUALLY SUPPOSED—EVERY BOY SHOULD LEARN—DIRECTIONS WHICH, IF FOLLOWED, WILL MAKE THE TaSK EAST. From the New York World. Every boy should learn to swim. Girls are by no means exempt. Not only is swimming the most healthful and exhilarating of pastimes, but it isan accomplishment which may some day be utilized in the saving of life—your own or that of some one dear to you. As an exer- cise it is incomparable, bringing into play overy muscle of the body, the work being so evenly divided that no part is strengthened at the ex- pense of another. As a recreative sport what is there to compare with it? wo. lL If swimming were a difficult art to master there might be some explanation of youth growing up without learning to be at home in the water. But, really. it is almost as easy as rolling off the ‘proverbial log. There is far more bard work in learning how to stop grounders, throw accurately to bases, pitch a curve ball or play lawn tennis expertly than there isin mastering the frog-like motion of armsand legs, which is your primary step ina delightful and health-giving With such easy conditions to recommend it it is sad to think of the thousands of lives lost through a the best course to pursue in to swim is to place yourself under the care o} an instructor—and the fees are very modest— there is no real necessity forit. The advantage gained is that you acquire a “good style” at once, while self-instruction may bring on a go- as-you-please which would be difi- cult to correct later. small centage of swimmers expert on. The most graceful, strongest and fastest ewim- mers are found among the New York boys who infest the city's wharves, and they certainly ate self-taught. Salt water is the best to learn in. First, it is so much heavier than fresh water that it ‘sup- Buta. very take ports the body easily, and this buoys will give confidence to the beginner. Secondly, its bitter and nauseating taste will teach the learner # most important lesson of swimming, yiz.. to keep the mouth tightly closed and breathe through the nostrils. Thirdly, ite temperature is higher in the summer than fresh water. Floating should be the first lesson. It is easy and natural,and when a learner finds out be caunot sink if he keepe still and has » supply of air in his lungs, his dread of the water will be half vanquished. It will astonish you to dis- cover how easily you can fiat on top of the water. Ina bath or shallow water wade out until the water is up to your armpits. It is best to have a companion with you when mak- ing your first attempt at floating. Or a rope fastened to a stafte on shore which you can hold will be a stop cock to your nervousness. In the bath you can keep close to the rope which is stretched across. you bave got up to your armpits in water turn your back to the landing place and bend your knees till the water nearly reaches your chin, as shown in the first cut. Then gradually ‘throw your head back as far as it will go. not grow nervous when the water strikes your ears. slowiy ro the head back until the of it is immersed and the water covers your ears, You may feel squeamish at this point, but slowly put up your arms and extend them behin¢ your head as far as they will go, ee qlee gems uppermost and slightly hollowed.Now, after graphic Club at Weymouth is established “for | breath and swelling out of the chest, give a Little push off the bottom with both feet, having the position of the second picture. As’ you do xo. 2 this you will probaably feel your head sinking and "the water will come over your mouth. Don’t get alarmed and struggle to get to your feet. Keep your mouth closed and in a second your mouth and nostrils will appear above the surface. Tho legs must now be stiffened and separated slightly, and you will find them grad- ually rising until the tips of your fingers, toee and knees, as well as your face and breast, will be clear of the water. Keep the head well thrown back to elevate the mouth and chin. Spread your legs ferther apart now and lie motionless like the boy in the third cat, Breathe through your nostrils, and if the water 18 calm you can lie in that position as long as you wish, Of course, it is not said you will float successfully the very first time, becouse your nervousness will probably spoil the thing time and again, but atick to it. A little perse- verance will make you comparatively expert. Having learned to float you can now take the {first lesson in swimming. + Take the same posi- tion on your back, but place your hands at your ide. Lie there quietly, and then very gently Use the hands as paddles, sending the water to- Ward your feet. ‘The hands must be kept below the surface. By keeping up this gentle pad. dling you will find soureelf moving slewiy sbead. Don't raise vour head to see where sou are going, for thon the water no longer su: it and its heavy weight is thrown on ‘the Body, and down you go. When you have learned to propel yourself head forward just reverse the action of your hands and you will go feet forward. You can steer yourself by using one hand more forcibly than the other. Having mastered the band paddiing you can begin to use your feet. Just strike out your fect with the legs apart, and then bring them toget i cay ieoee up and repeating the e. The feet should be kept about a foot beneath the surface. This leg work is quickly learned, and a combination of paddling and kicking will come easily to you. Steering is easily done by keeping one leg in- active, according to which direction you wish to turn. When you can float and propel yourself on your back you can take hold of breast swim- ming, which is the most common form and the easiest, Wade out to your armpite again and then turn to the landing place. Join your hands in front of the chest, palms inward, fingers and thumbs together. Lean forward in the water, pushing your bands out slowly until the arms are quite straight, and let your feet leave the bottom with « little push forward. You will propel yourself a foot or two toward the land. ry how long you can float and then gently drop the feet tothe bottom. Be careful to keep the head well back. Keep repeating this until xo. 3. you feel confident that the water will support you in this position as well as on your n try the leg stroke. Lie in the water as before with arms outstretched, but when the feet leave the bottom draw them close to the body and kick out quickly, spreading apart the legs. When they have reached their full extent press them close together, keeping them quite straight with the toes pointed. This move- ment will drive you forward a few feet, and when you feel yourself sinking drop the feet to the bottom. Kee ticiug this stroke for pract some time, and when you get familiar with it pass to the arm movement. Place dn the same leaning position and use stroke. Then before the force of the is expended turn the hands of the outstretched arms a little outward and sweep them through the water to the hips. This movement will not only add to the force of the stroke, but will also sup and propel them as before, and as they cleave the water reach out your arms for another stroke down to the hips, and so on, alternating the two. Assiduous practice will bring as- tonishing results in a week. But don’t try to learn too quick. Practice just one stroke until vou have the movement. ‘Then practice two strokes, then three, and #0 on. When youcan go half « dozen strokes without trouble you are a swimmer, for then it is just aseasy togo ten times the number if you do not burry and distress yourself. ‘These are the first rudiments ot swimming. The side stroke, hand@over-hand stroke, the racing stroke, jumping, diving and the many tricks of swimming will come in time when rou are at ease in the water. These actions will be treated in another article. Here are « few points which you will do well to observe: Remember that the less there is of you above the surface of the water the easicr you will float. You might as well put a five-pound weight around your neck as raise your head and shoulders out of the water. It a grow weary while swimming on your breast just turn over and float or paddie on your back until you are rested. Don't try to become a“racer” right off. Go slow and steadily and do not exhaust yourself. Always breathe .through your nostrils and expel the air when you are making the stroke. ‘ou can practice the swimming stroke at home. The arm movements can be done stand- ing up and the arm and leg strokes lying on a chair in front of a mirror. Banish all fear going mto the water. Confi- dence is everything. Don’t bathe before breakfast; and wait at least two hours after it before going into the water. Between 10.m. and 3 p.m. are the best hours for bathing. Never go into the water after eating heartily. Don’t wait to cool off after you undress if you are hot and perspiring. Plunge riebt in. Don’t wade slowly into the water or throw it over yourself to get accustomed to the temper- ature. Fall right in. And above all don't attempt to swim in deep water until you are thoroughly proficient. — WHY THE DEAL CLOSED. He Was Beating the Bank, but His Friend Gave Him Away. From the Seattle Press-Times. “Ibada curious experience when I first struck Seattle,” said a well-known gambler to & Press-Times reporter last evening, as he stood in front of the Delcho saloon on Yesler avenue near South 2d street. “That was one time when I wasn't very glad to meet a friend and when his ‘hello’ to me Probably cost me several hundred dollars of a. good banker's money. “Thad been playing pretty lucky down “in Denver and up in the Cripple creck country and came up to the sound by way of Portland. Don’t know why I came, but just came. I didn't find many of the boys whom I knew, but soon got acquainted and Was moving around, having ‘8 good time, but not playing any. Ibadagood deal of money and was enjoying a few days of leisure. One evening Isat down in front of a faro layout and was keeping case myself. I didn’t know the dealer from Adam's orphan, and didn't pay much attention to the game. i was simply chipping along waiting for cases, keeping about even and seldom making more than one bet at the start of a deal, “After a while my attention was called to one player. In fact, about all of them had dropped out but us two, and as I was noticing my own play only enough to see that bets were properly paid, I had to notice him. He seemed to have plenty of money, and was dropping a good deal of it by placing it on the high card. “Now, there are a good many things about a faro box that every one 1s not on to, but with # fellow who makes his bread and butter on the green cloth, as I have for years, it’san old ac- juaintance. I own a little one that I got from ifford down in San Diego a year ago, and I practice with it semi-occasionally up in my room when I baven't anything else to do and nothing particular to think about. “When I noticed the fellow lose his money I turned my attention to the dealer. The man with the money must have been greener than the cloth in front of him, for he didn't tumble to the deaier, who was working very raw. He was putting up more than haif the deck for the high card to lose. He didn’t paya bit of at- tention to me, and so Idid to him. I have a Pretty good memors, because T need it in my siness. It wasno trouble for me to watch him shuffic and remember cight or ten turns from the top, and of course I could catch the last turn. He was putting up for the other fel- low and thought I was just playing lucky, for I didn't play many cards open, but had my chips leading over from some out-of-the-way card to the card I knew was going to win, and was, of course, apparently ax much surprised as the dealer when it was seen that my chips led right. “The dealer was busy and was accomplishing what he was striving for. I was busy, too, and equally successful. The result was that in two or three deals the moneyed gentleman had dropped close on to $1,000, while I was fully ‘that much to the good and the dealer was ap- parently not noticing that his hard work was sccomplishing very little toward increasing the nk rol “About that time Rickebangh of Los Angeles walked ito the room and stopping near me, in surprise, anid: ‘Hello, Lem, what are you doing in this ‘country? Thought you'd gone into mines in Colorado and quit faro.’ I looked uj and was of course surprised to see him, but knew the little game in which I was not taking much interest was up. “The dealer looked at me a moment and said: ‘Say. Rick, do you know this gentleman? He's been playing mighty lucky.’ “Rickebaugh ®lanced at the great stack of chips in front of me and sarcastically remarked: “Lucky, h—!" “The dealer looked sold. and at the end of that deal quietly turned down the box and cashed the chips. “Of course I didn’t have the heart to call bis last turn, though I knew it from the time the cards were boxed.” What a Lesson Between These Lines. From the Lancaster Examiner. As a rule, man is bored by the Mttle things which make women happy. If he makes a 60- cial call upon a friend of his sex he talks a few minutes and is anxious to get away. A small kindness rarely leaves a lingering impression upon him, and he holds a compliment in light esteem, unless it comes from a lady for whom he has a deep regard, or it appeals to his vanity and conceit. Almost every boy is taught at school and home to be aspiring. He grows up with the fecling firmly fastened upon him that nothing in the medium waiks of life is good enough. He must become distinguished. or his life is a failure. He goes out into life with the chances several thousand to one against his A Cincinnati Miracle, WHY MR. CHARLES B. NOBLE IS BEING CONGRATULATED. Newspaper men as a rule place little ere dence in patent medicine stories and seldom bother to even read them. This is not to be wondered at when it is taken into consider- ation how often they are called upon by wm- scrupulous persons to fabricate and publish Stories of remarkable cures and perhaps print a picture of the mythical man or woman supposed to have been cured. That all medicine advertisements are not mere “fakes,” and that all newspaper men are not equally prejudiced is proven by a story published in the Cincinnati Times-Star of a well-known newspaper man whose life was saved by reading an advertisement. So remarkable and interesting is the story that it is here reproduced as published in the Times-Star, Mr. Charles B. Noble, the well-known litterateur, who has been suffering for nearly three years with paralysis, was upon the street to-day, cheerful and active and the rec! ipient of congratulations from is many friends. ‘There is bond of unity, between all new: men, so that Mr. Noble'sease appenle te every pave hong of the craft as well as to every one afflicted as he was. Mr, Noble has spent the last three ‘in trav- eling from city to city ing physicians, to whom he has vain for relief. Knowing this, a expressed surprise at the sf reporter but Mr. Noble, after executing a that he was as sound as he looks reporter into the secret of his * It was @ hard time I fof ee last medicine e one that cures, and Jast. I was paralyzed while in the employ of Pablishing Company of their traveling represen: nati. I found the tra financial toshow let the iE i £ F i i F 2s id 8 # LB Hi u age BE was incapaci money making. Luckily my auctions had ? Hi consulted the best medical talent in Chica: . Upto January 17, 1893, I had spent $500 “or doctors ici was about to give up in ir when I of Dr. Williams Pink Bille for Pale rough reading the « Ivertisements. “From the first week of using the I made a steady improvement, and on 12, J mg up my cane after using it months. T certainly bedieve this medicine all the it will ad al they aay it will. Tate ure in recommending it to all afflicted. Like many who hav= tried gine in vain I was doubtful of its value at first, and on! it when grew ate,” Now I'can not praise it too sed T hdl gral emoeea ing 4 fa ingly. Dr. taker prowsanced it a bepelins cane of and medicine and ik Pill having the ability toachieve the great end of | and hie ambition. Her and there one starts out with sufficient ability to accomplish his aim, but lacks the stamina to plod and wait for re- sults, so he falls into dissipation. Of all the young men who aspire to great things not one in many thousands reaches his goal. The great majority of those who fail are tortured with the feeling that life is a failure. It is little wonder that so many men commit suicide from this cause. Prosperous business men sometimes commit suicide because they had aspired to what they considered much greater than a busi- ness life. ee Profitable Hoeing. From the Woodland Democrat. The other morning as J. M. Cook, formerly of Woodland, but who is now farming on the ranch of W. M. Griff. about one mile below Knights’ Landing, was enguged in hoeing po- tatoes, he unearthed a haif doliar, and after short while he uncovered another coin of like denomination. Believing that there might be more in the vicinity he abandoned all thonght of Re toes and turned his attention toasearch for more coin. By digging to a depth of about two feet he was rewarded by his hoe striking some metalic , and upon secking the cause he found a veritable gold mine, for in an almost body there lay before him €20 gold one 810 piece and $4.50 in silver, making the’ total amount of his find $95.50.’ Mr. Cook imme- diately declared the remainder of the day a holiday and came city, feeling quite elated over his fortunate ‘nes le fac! in- formed a reporter that the entire ground on which the money was found was less than six feet in extent and that none of the coins were of later date than 1870. He also announced his intention of resuming the search upon his arrival’at ome. The mystery is, how came the coins there? ——+e-+—_ Soft Crab and Fish Supper At Bay Ridge every day. Reasons Trains leave B. & O. station week a.m., 1:30 and 4:28 p.m.; Sunda: 1 1:80’and 3:15 p.m. Hound trip, $1.00.—Advt. |. LUTZ & BRO Bed oom a bureau nothinu like it eimewhere at our ‘Tf yqu need « Carpet for the we Brussels at 50 cents per ORE MARE. AND LAY ALL oc COsT—NU CHARGE POR Wa\ FIGURES. No. else does as much. wecneigeaaes Sha Rae eae tress, © are prises or eS a We are off ‘Nest, os and from task on an Neh as ee Sn eaae ate hae Bee cee ci field, &o. T GROGAN’S MAMMOTH CREDIT NOUSE, 610, 621 AND 823 7TH ST. ¥.W., BET. H AND 1878. @ct the Best. | THE CONCORD HARWMESS. wet 497 Penn. ave. adjoining National Hotel ‘Trunks and Satchels: low pcscen