The New York Herald Newspaper, March 22, 1872, Page 4

4 ~ AGISSIN'S EXPRBITION. The Professor’s Survey of the Coast and Soundings of the Deep. THE WONDERS OF THE OCEAN. Our Ancestors, the Marine Animals—Their Metamorphoses, Affinities and Chronolog- ical Succession in Geological Times, A JOURNEY THROUGH BRAZIL. UNITED STATES COASTSURVEY STEAMER HASSLER, R10 JANEIRO, Feb, 14, 1872, } On the evening of Jannary 16 we left the harbor of Pernambuco, having lain there for twenty-four hours 10 a voluntary quarantine, on account of the Pprevaienc: of yellow fever in the town, The Guthorities did not seem to consider that there wus ny special necessity for precaution, one individual remarking that there bad peen only sixty 1tatal cases, thus far, that month. ‘To our minds the fact Ol @ mortality, from one disease alone, of thirty deaths @ week, In @ population of not more than 12,000, brought the conviction that 1t was desirable to have the least possible communication between the sup and the shore, This was strengthened by the xnowiedge, derived irom another source, that the disease was rapidly spreading, and was making frightful havoc among the shipping lying in the harbor. On this account we saw no more of Pernambuco than could be observed from the deck of the Hass- ler, and remained there no longer than was neces- Sary for taking im a moderate supply of coal. ‘The harbor there is formed by a wonderful reef trom two io five rods broad, and exténding for five miles in a direct line. At high tide it is almost en- tirely concealed by the surf which dashes over it, bat at low water it is left dry, exposing a auriace so straight and even that it could easily be mistaken for a work of art, and forming a natural promenade rising vut of the sea, lt is composed of a yellow Sandstone, obscurely stratified, and covered with a calcareous organic deposit which probably serves 0 protect it from the action of the waves. There a break in it opposite the northern end of the city, through which most vessels can safely enter, but the close proximity oi the breakers on either aide makes it an apparently dangerous passage. On vhe end of the reef are a fort and a ligntnouse, built by the Dutch some two hundred years ago, in ® most durable manner. The foundations were formed by blocks of stone imported {rom Europe and fastened to the reef with iron bauds, Pernam- buco was formerly called Cidude da Recife—the City of the Reef—and that name is still occasionally employed. About two miles to the northward the old city of Olinda, formerly the capital of tne pro- Vince, is situated, on the extremity of a semi-cir- Dular range of hills, waich surrounds the low, swampy ground occupted by the present capital. There is @ tradition that 11s name was derived from the words of an old voyageur—Quarte Voelho—who arrived on the coast in 1680, and who, struck by tae beauty of this emtvence, exclaimed, ‘*O linda situa- edo para se sunda uma villia/’—O0, beautiful site on which to found a city !” The accuracy of this narrative 1s not Incontestably proved, but the city of the present day certainly looks much more Inviting and much less like a “Dutch oven for cook- Ang fever in” than did its successor in provincial honors, ONE FEATURE OF THE HARBOR which attracted our attention was the large numver of little trading smacks, or barquezas, which passed Us Continually, laden down to the water's edge, Carrying in proportion to their size a great spread of cauvas and navigated by one or two semi-nude negroes, lolliug in the stern or sleeping congestively On the cargo, We went outside the reef under tne charge of a pilot, who then leftus, At eteven P.M. the light on the reef was avout four- teen miles distant, bearing north, and we took our departure trom it, standing off from the shore on a south by west course, On the next day a few sound- ings were taken, and on the foliowing dag dredging was commenced and continued at intervals for twenty-four hours in sight of the coast of Brazil and in latituae about twelve degrees south, Many valua- ble specimens were secured, vut one especially was of particular interest. Betore we started Professor Agassiz wrote a let- ter to Projessor Benjamin Peirce, Superintendent of the United States Coast Survey, which was after. wards published, and in which be ventured to Iore- tell the general character of many animals that, he said, we would probably find at different deptns, He vased this prediction upon the following line of argument:—Ii there 1s @ plan, according to which | the affinities among animals and their curonological | Successivn were predetermined and their mode of | growth aud geographical distribution arranged, it | becomes possible to use the knowledge we possess of weil known forms under familiar conditions, in predicting what new forms should exts: under cer- tain other conaitions, Moreover, there being “a correlation between the gradation of animals in the complication of their structure, their order of suc- cession in geological times, their mode of develop- ment from the egg and their geographical distribu- Uon upon the surface of the globe,” it ts also Possibie that, as these conditions approach more or less nearly those supposed to have prevailed | during certain geological epochs, the animais sub- | ject to them should resemble more or less closely | those which existed during those epochs. Inother | words, there being a law which has operated through the ages and to which all animal life conforms and has conformed, the Protessor asserted that our knowledge of that law is at present sufficient to ena- ble science to “anticipate the discovery of facts,’ He said thatas we dredged at different depths we would find the physical conditions approximating those of geographical times, the greater depths re- sembling the earlier periods, and that, consequently, we might expect to fnd animals having more re- semblance to extunct types than to those now ex- isting. He gave many examples, embracing ali the classes Of animals which can live at great deptbs, but one of these will be suiMcient to illustrate the Bulject, The class of crustaceans, including the crabs, shrimps and lobsters of the present day, was repre- sented in geological time more prominently vy ani- mais called trilobites than by any others, They were divided, as their name impiles, into three lJobes—a central larger one and two external ones, equal to each other. They constituted what nas been called by Professor Agassiz a synthetic type, or one emivracing, along with the characteristics of the group to which it beiongs, olners of another independent group. We have now # famlly—<serolis—belonging to the | order of isopods, or those having the appendages | to the Various segments of the Loy equal and alike, ‘This family and one other, the stimulus, belonging to the entomostraca, the lowest division of crus- taceans, approach more uearly to the trilobites than | any otuer living spectes. Professor Agasalz ex. | pected, and put on record his expectation that we Would find something intermediate veiween THE LIVING AND Fossil FAMILIES, but partaking more of tne trilobitic peculiarities | than of those of the exisung animals. ‘inis ex. | pectation was fuifilied, and such @ specimen | ‘was obtained in one of our hauls, Several other acquisitions bave been made, confirming tne Pro- Jessor's assertions and Jasti’y in| the belief that a large majority of thew will nave been found correct before the conclusion of the voyage. On saturday, the 20th, numerous hauls were made on tne Abrolnos, a series of islands or flats, the larger portion submerged, a few miles from the mainiand and extending through several degrees of jatituae, Some of our dredging here was very rich 10 tts results, some almost valueless, and the change from one character to the other would ve muade in going one or two miles, or less; #0 that & dredge filed with corals, anneiids, crinoids, ama- tulw, star fishes and crustaceans wouid be followed by ove containing only @ few iileless suells, or, per- baps, not even those, In addition to the members of the animal i dom many varievies of seaweeds have been brought | gation of buzzards surrounding NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 1872.—TRIPLE SHEET. had. We steaming along a few irom the shore, the Water per- Jectly smooth, the air of the early mora- ing cool and reireaning, and the scenery magnificent beyond deseription, Huge Rogpouecs gaimvoled clumsily around us; great sharks followed or preceded us, their sharp dorsal fing making jong ripples on the smooth surface of the sea; tiny lani birds flew over our heads or perched on the shrouds, and nearer and bigher grew the naked cilffs, the loity peaks, the majestic domes of the wonderful mountain Masses encircling the harbor of Kio. We entered through tne between the a8 we rounded the islands of Pat and Mai, and, latter and headed directly up the bay, its iull beauty Was manitest to us lor the firat time, The piacid expanse of water, dotted witn islets, the belt of «reco verdure descending to the water's edge, and the dark, distant background of tue Chain of moun- tains, form @ picture which is well worthy the numerous eulogiums which nave been bestowed upon tt. at about eleven A. M. and sent yet nitles We anchored ashore for our mail, but, with a few fortunate ex- ceptions, 1t Waa enilrely missing, and such is the coniusion and MISMANAGEMENT OF POSTAL AFFAIRS here that we have not been able to satisly ourselves up to the present tume as to whether our levers have been her: id have been sent forward by mis- take or have never reached here at all, or are stil 10 some forgo‘ten nook of tue Post Office, where ‘ney will remain untii the next general cleaning day. Prominent mercaants have assured us that 80 far irom ours being an extraurdiuary case it 1s quite usual for them not to receive their letters for tive or six weeks after their arrival at the port. We have seen many things to admire im the Brazilian government since we vave been here, but this is a Sad drawback and offers a lamentable contrast to Our prompt and reliable postal system. One other deprecatory observation shoald be made in refer- ence to (he action ol the government in giving to ohne Man a ihe-loug monopoly ot the business of supplying vessels with water, \hus putting it 1m nis power vo detain @ ship until it 1s his pleasure to send off the required amount Of that necessary arti- cle, It is & mos? unjust, unwise and unreagonadie act, and they would be inade to feel that it is so were the people possessed of more Northera energy and spirit, Siuce we have been here a number of trips mto the surrounding country have been made, combining pleasure and protit. Soon after we came a party of seven ascended the mountain of Tijuca, just back of the city, Whose peak, having an altitude of about three thousand feet, 13 the bighest of the range of mountains ou that side of the harbor, Taking the cars at the depot of the Rio Janeire Street Rail- way Company, we were conveyed rapidly by suc- cessive relays of fine muies through the suburbs of Rio and the adjoining fields to che little village of Anderany, situated at the foot of the mountain and avout ap hour's ride from the city. There we took places in the diligence, which ascends at stated hours to & hotel abuut half way up the mountain, In this vehicle we were urawn up the road by four mules, aud, considering tne steepness of the as- cent, ac @ very fair pace. At the hegnt ot 1,200 feet we reached the village of ‘Tijuca, having had on our way some lovely views ol Rio, of the Orgau Mountains and of tie iautastic peaks of Gavia and Corcovado. At umes for han dreds of feet of our ascent che mountain wall rose grim, bare and barren, almost hanging over or again tt would retreat witu a gentie slope, en With luxurtanttoliage, purple with the meiastomie, eilow with iegumiuosie—a periect tropical garuen. ‘rom the village a slight descent led us vo the hotel, at which we remained during our two days’ stay on the mountain, That establishment 1s well Worthy Of special mention. Picturesquely pla coavenientiy built, comfortably arrauged, and, above all, well biadaged, tt is not sirange that rooms are constanuy in demand, nor that tae long dy j tabie 1p the cneeriui dining room should be crowded With guests during the summer moutus, One of THR PRINCIPAL ATTRACTIONS OF THE PLACE isabath attached to the establishment and re- served exclasively for the use of gentiemen vistlors, A basin, twenty ieet square aud five leet deep, is Jed by &@ mountain brook, which tumbles noisily in at oue side and oul at the other, formiag two min- lature cascades; stone steps lead into the pool within and under the cascade without; two latticed arbors on the edges of thg envlogure serve as airy dressing rooms. Thick cl@mps of pampoos, coffer hedges, filed with iruit and flowers, und a steep nill, covered with luxuriant shrubvery, shield two sides o1 tue pond, while trom the others a wild and rugged prospect adds to the charm of this unique bath, such a combination of natural advantages, succeeding the diminutive rubber tuos with whica most of us had been obliged to be content tor several weeks, Was @ great luxury ana was duly appreciated ay such, from three to five daily visits being made to that spot during our stay on tae mountain. An attempt to reach the peak was made on the day following our arrival, but was unsuccessiul, owing to the directions given by an old man to whom we applied for guidance, and who with tne utmost politeness and volubility seat us several intles out of our course, Whea the mis- take was «iscovered It was too late to rectify it; but a delightiul day was spent in wandering over the mountain, following up the courae of brooks, collecting Jerny and lichens or resting where outy tray gleams of sunlight plerced the arch ot foliage pove us, and the ruar of a cascade or tne ripple of @ streamiet seemed to cool the air After dinner at the hotel we went to see some immense masses of graniie, which since the Proies- Sor’s Visit, eight years ago, have gone by the name of Agassiz’s boulders. “y are supported at a litde distance trom the ground by smailer pieces of rock, the theory being that they have been deposited in thet present position by the disintegration of thelr lower portious aud the cousequent settling of the mass. ‘The me.surement of one, aud that not the largest, of these bou.ders showed It Lo be eighty ieet long, sixty-eight feet broad and filty-four feet in, On the sneceeding day we were more successful, and alter six hours’ hard cumbing reached tue sum mit. It was about thirty feet in diameter and was covered With @ scanty vegetation. The view was Iaguificeat, embracing the city, the eutire bay ana the neighvoring range Of mountains, with the inter- vening fields, but the heat was so interse that we did not remain there fur a long time, but commenced the desceat, Which was comparatively easy and occupied only about three hours. A bath, dinner and an exiilarating ride to the city behind four mules at full speed, concluded tuis very pleasant excursion, Numerous over trips were made, Vor- covado was asceuded and the Botanical and Pubilc Gardens were visited, and one more extensive journey was taken waich showed us more of the physical and political condition of the country than any other. On the moraing of February 8 a large purty left the ship about five o’clock. A snort pull across the quiet harbor—the Water just catching the gieam of Gaylight, but sul paospnoresvent in the shadow—brougnt us to a wharf where carriages were already awaillng us, We were driven through the narcow streets, just awakening vo the dust and heat, ine noise and coniusion oO: anotier aay, its avant courrfers being a8 at home—the oakers with their moraimg rolls, the shop boys yawning as they Look down shutters, and vagabonds siinking away from ihe dvorsteps or alleyways where tney had passed the night. ONE OF THE MORNING SIGHTS Nere 1s, however, more characterisuc, and is one which New York mught profitably imitate. The miikmen go their rounds, not with cans of a blue, Uuusavocy Dondescript, OUL With Lhe cows thomsel ves, and milk them direcdy ito the jug or pail o1 the purchaser, thus almost doing away with tne possi- buity of fraud. Tue water carts, too, were gomg trum door to door furnishing the daily. supply, as nearly ail the water used in Rio 1s obta ined in tais inconvenient manner. A short drive brought us to the station of the Dom Pedro Il. Ratiroad, where, tbrough the Kindness of the chief engmeer of the Toad, a Special car was provided for us on the ex- press train, Which started at six o'clock. We were not ions in passing from the suburbs into the open country, one of the most remarkable sigits about tne oulskires of the ciLy being the Lmmeuse congre- the slaughter ses and performing their duty as scavengers with much more fidelity than the employes of the ieaith omicials in our iarge cities, Alter we had leit the city behind us the scenery becaine highly picturesque and lacreased in beauty as we ascended, The road on which we were tray- eciling 18 @ Very remarkable one, traversing a sec- Uon of the country which presented formidable ol stacies, and only Overcome at last by au unusi combination of skill, energy and perseverance in few individuals. In goimg eleven miles we passed through thirteen tunnels—one of them a mile and @ hall long, having cost $1,500,000, and piercing the Sena do Mar, an extensive range of mountains, Entering on one side, in four or five miautes you emerge ou the other, sometimes having been whisked 10 that short time irom sunny skies and Pleasant weather into clouds and storms. The whole road cost about fifteen millions of dollars and is owned entirely by the government. When the branch roads DoW in process of construction are Unished there will be from 500 to 60) miles of rail- road leading to and from Rio and the neiguboring wowns. The hillsides on the track of the road were covered wit disused and negiected coifee planta- tous. In preparing land for the growth of coffee they cut down all the wood growing on it, leave it to dry on the ground and bura it. They then set out seedling coffee trees and for three or four years raise Indian coro between the rows, When the coffee begins to bear, Hf it is hoed well and the dead leaves are gauered about the roote of the trees, it wil do well Tor al least torly or fi.ty years, In tuls councry SLAVE LABOR, \ropical indolence and abundant fresh land have luduced great neglect, The custom of deseriing Ground rendered unprofitable by use for new locail- Ues Is nOW exhausting tuls valley, as it did the Valicys of the Ni he Tigris and the Euphrates, Giving use to the too appropriate comparison of Mankind toa swarm of locusts Laying ‘a paradise belore them, @ desert behind them.’ A little betore noon we i the town of Entre Rios, situated he pear wh rivers bana, empty — themselves ybu, & stream along whose banks we pad been journeying nearly ail the morning. Here we left the cars ana entered, or ratuer mounted, & stage coach furnisied us by the Superintendent of the roads of the Union Industrial Company, Over this road we travelled for the remainder of the da: and in 1x hours reached Juiz de Fora, after a ride which but @ few years since Would have required two or three day8 and involve mucu dimeuity or Pacaya and Parahy- into the Para- to the surface, aud each one, from we minute pro- tophyles tora irom their rocky beds to the broad Masses of laminaria yards in length and covered with colonies of bryozoans, has veen carefuily pie- served, This collection has already become of mach value and promises to continue increasing in ipterest and unportance. On the 2ist and 22d aredging was conducted, and Quring 4 portion of the time we were just off Cape Frio, where the hauls were quite valuavie, On the morning,of the 23 every one was on deck ft sunrise, no’ to lose any of the beauues of the mountain scenery of the coast. This proved to be ug of the moss deueuttul experiences we have even danger, Tue improvement ts due altogether to the exer- tions of the gentlemen Who constitute the Union Industrial Company, The narrow, crooked, peril- ous mule paths which for a long time were the only highways of the country have been transtormea into roads, macadamized, gravelled, rolled and pro- vided with gutters, stone and iron bridges and way- side chaiets for obtaining relay: They are everywhere graded with great skill, and pass through one or two of the richest provinces in Brazil. For some time after their constraction It seemed as though they would be unovrofitavle, but now it is & pleasure to atate that their founders and pulldarg are | being fully remunerated, Some tdea of the useful- hess of these rcads fay be formed irom tue fact | that before they were opened it cost the pixnters in the province of Minas Geraes about tour dollars \ tnd nundred pounds to have coffee conveyed to | Rio, while now it canbe done for lesy than one deliar and a vall—thus not only adding to the oros- perily of many individuals, but also enriching the government by greatly increasing the expsrtilioa ; Olcotfec, At Juiz de Fora, the present northern terminus of the road, we saw @ team of fourteen builocks about sta) for the gold mines, ana drawing only a ton and a hall of salt, which article had been conveyed to that point in quantities of four or tive tons, drawn by only five mules, As there is an immense traffic in article, ay such reduction in the cost of conveying it iuland 18 of great importance, One method by which tne gov- ; ernment has rewarded the projeccors ot these roads | 18 by allowing them to carry their coffee over the raliroad at twenty-live per cent less ireight yi than the usual rate until t amounts to 000 per annum, The roads cost about six millions of dollars, part of which was furnished by the government, During the ascent from Emre Kios we followed the course of the Parahybuna, & rapid, narrow, howling little stream, full of rocks, Tipples, cascades and islets, and, altnough appar- ently Lasignificant as we saw It, capable of becum- ing a lurious torrent after a heavy rainfali. As we got into newer land THB COFFEE PLANTATIONS preseptod a much more flourishing appearance; oc- casional little German settlements, composed of the Workmen of the company, dotted the !andscape with patches of neat cottages, and all along the route we saw gangs of workmen, now on one side of us, now on the other, gradinga d levelling a road for the extension of the Dom Pedro II. Ratiroad, which follows the same general course as the turnpike, The wild flowers by the wayside were of the greatest beauty and grew in wonderiul profusion. Many of them were entirely new {0 us, but we recognized four or five kinds of morning glories, a8 many splderworts, several honeysuckles, maguolias, locusts, mimosas, orchids, melastomas aod others, Now and then we would get a breath of alr absolutely laden with sweet odors, as if the wind which broughtit had swept over hundreds of miles of tropical forests steaming with tragrance; sometimes on either side of us there would bea wall of foliage, through which we could not see for three yarda’ distance, or again the road wound around @ hillside, trom which we could see miles of green valleys spread out below us. On reaching Juiz de Fora, a little town settled bj the employés of the company, we went tu a hotel pult and owned by the company, where we had very comfortable rooms and were well treated dur- ing our stay, On the following morning we waiked through the grounds of Senhor Mariano Porcopio Ferrera Lage, a native of the province of Minas Geraes, in which we then were, and President of the Union Industrial Com- pany. He 1 & member ot the preseut government and ts justly celebrated for his liverat and advanced views. His gardens are arranged with great taste, and we wandered for an hour or two ainong orange orenards, figs, nectarines and grapes; on pains burdered by hedgea of Chinese tea and ieading by lakes fringed with gracetul, wullowy bainboos, or groves of trees overhung with lianos or epipnstic orchids. Later in the day we made an excursion into the surrounding Country, visiting several places o! in- terest, among them tne School ol Agriculture, e3- taplishea by the company for the benellt of the neighboring tarmers and their children. It has not ev been aa successful as could be desirea, owing to he diMculty of obtaiming teachers who combine a proper knowledge of the subject and an acquaint- ance with tae national language and customs. During this trip we left the “coach and tour,” which had, as usual, been placed at our disposal, and turned from the main road into @ small footpath. A tew hundred yards, Walk disclosed to us a little inn, and directly facing it, On tho other side of the path, not ten yards (is- tant, @ diminutive chapel, those being the only two dwelitngs in sight, On the door of the latter was a cross; over that vi the former, au Inscription, which, transiated trom German doggerel into correspond- ing English, ran thus:— Father Noah planted wine, For which our hearts give praise; Gambrinus toaminy beer bath brewed, ‘That every thirst allays, So walk within and choose between ‘The sparkle and the foam ; Your host will see, 1n case of neod, ‘That you drink not alone, They covfronted each other, not with an alr of hos- ulity, not as if representing vice aud virtue, or even sin and absolution, but conveying, to us at least, the idea of a comoination of physical and spiritual usefulness which was very pleasant. We were well received by the proprietor, a septuagenarian, who was an ex-lieutenant im the Austrian army, and who stowed us a medal given him by the Kaiser, Franz Josep, in 1848, for honorable con- duct, It 18 needless to remark that he gave ns no reason to doubt the trutnfuiness of his motto, ana that we parted with the best wishes on both sides, The next morning we retraced our mountain road to £ntre Rios, aad, continuing in anotner di- rection through the valley of Ptabanha, we reached PETROPOLIS about dusk. It {8 @ little city, sisuated at an eleva- tion of 2,500 feet, in the midst of the Organ Moun- tains, so called from the resemblance of thetr slender peaks to the pipes of an organ. It was originally settled by the natives and a few Germans, but owing to the difficulty of access and the extreme steepness of all the sur- rounding cultivable iaud it did not prosper. Somo years ago an imperial palace was erected there, and @ fine roud connecting with a railroad was built. ‘Ihe royal family visit there during the summer mouths, and are, of course, accompanied or followed by ali the wealthy and Jashionable Brazilians, and the town has become very flourishing. We remained there one day, visiting the points of interest and collecting specimens, and then proceeded by cuach, railway and steam to Kio, concluding a most mem- orable excursion, for much of the pleasure of which we are indebted to Mr. Eillson, the Chier Englueer of the Dom Pedro LI. Ratlroad, aud to Mr, Morritt, the Superintendent of the Union Industrial Company, both of whom accompanied us throughout the trip and were indefatigable in their arrangements for our comfort and enjoyment. During our stoppage here considerable scientific work has been accom- plished, although it 18 not @ specially favorabie Place. The fish market is the leust profitable to us of any we have have seen—tishes being very scarce and enormously expensive, The entomology and botany of tne locality have been well worked up, and there are few, if any, [0s- sililerous rocks. Collections have been made, how- ever, whenever opportunity permitted. In one direction we think We cau safely say that much ad- vance has been made and some valuable work has been accomplished. The business of securing pho- tographs of living animals under water has been considered of Very importance, but was found to present many dificulties, ‘The motion oi the vessel, the ripples on the suriace of the water, the move- ment from side to side of the whole body of water in its receptacie, the ‘aying of our in- suruments in the wind, ithe actions of the animals themsvlves, each and all gave great trouble, When to these ure added the unaccustomed climate, with Is great heat and tue extreme variability in the actinic force of the sun’s rays, 1. becomes evident that the Obstacles in the way of the successful performance of this daty were neither few nor slight, Itis gratifying to be able to state that many of them have been over- come, and that, altuough this work has hardly commenced, we have obtained some accurate rep- resentations of the soit parts of marine animals, whicn could not be preserved in alconol or ia any otler Known way. After ieaving here our next stoppage will be at Montevideo, where we will probably remain but for & short time, then proceeding to the Falkiand Islands, and theuce to the Straits, Professor Agnesiz’s Mortification, KIo JANEIRO, Brazil, Feb. 23, 1872, The Hassler has departed for the River Plate and Magellan Straits, but will probably not delay at Montevideo, as it seems that, owing to the Argen- tine authorities’ order to put vessels trom Monte. video in fifteen days’ quarantine, unless those from clean ports in Brazil be submitted to eight aays’ quarantine in Montevideo, the Montevidean author- ittes have been forced to impose eight days’ quar- antine on vessels touching at any port of Brazil, though the port may be entirely free from yellow fever, a8 Rio is. The Scientific Commission was busy throughoat {ts stay in muking collections and examinations, Professor Agassiz himself made, among other trips, one to the Southern Parahyoa River, in its upper part, and, to his great glee, obtained a considerable number of unde- scribed species, many entirely new to science, which were safely placed in @ copper barrel con- taining alcohol to preserve them in conaition for examination and study at leisure. On the return to Rio the party stopped for the nignt at the residence of Dr, Gunning, Of Palmeiras, situated on @ bold Spur of the mountain range facing the seaboard, and the prectous barrel was deposited, for better preservation, in the basement of the house. In the morning, as the host passed the kitchen, on his way to the bathroom, he heard and smelied fish frying briskly, and, rejolcing at veing able to afford his guests the in that piace rare luxury of fisn, he stopped to ask where the cook had been lucky enough to purchase them. He learned then, to his inexpressibie dismay, that the zealous black COOK had drawn the fish from the alcohol, and that at that moment the sast of Professor Agassiz’s treasure was frying in the pan. The disappointment and grief of tne great ichthyologist were pro‘oand, for he had been greatly elated by the success of his excursion and the scientific value of the collection, and his host, as 800n as possible, started to tne Parahyba and set to work ail the fishermen he could get to try and repair the mischief done. A similar thing happened to the Professor on his previous visit to Brazil. WHISKEY ESTABLISHMENT DESTROYED. LovisVILLE, March 21, 1872, George H. Dearen's large distillery, together with the bonded warehouse adjoining, near Campbella- Ville, Taylor couniy, Ky., was destroyed by fire on Monday morniug. Between four and five hundred barrels of sour mash whiskey, belouging to Thomp- son & Uo., of this city, in the warehouse, were also Gesiroyed. The joss 18 estimated at between forty and forty-five thousand doliars, The insurance 1s Blobernn ti on ed among fe, following compas i Heen and Royal, of Liverpool; t derwriters’ and Westone Yorks th ry Howe. of ColMmbus, gad the Vommproa of albany. of New York; the Ia COUNT BEUST. The Austrian Ex-Premier Interviewed by a Herald Correspondent. THE ALABAMA CLAIMS. Mistrust of the Institution of Inter- national Tribunal. BELI:VES PEACE WILL BE MAINTAINED. The Security and the Dangers of the Austrian Empire. BLACK AND RED INTERNATIONALS. MUNICH, Feb. 28, 1872, Count Beust, with his Countess, arrived at the Bayerische tof on Sunday evening, the 18th instant, on his way irom Italy to London, via Dresden, and has already spent two days in renew- ing the acquaintances which he made here during an earlier residence. The Count looked careworn, perhaps an effect of the day’s journey, but it ap- Peared to me as if the twelve months since I saw hum frequently in the Ministerium at Vienna, and at Ofen eighteen months ago, when he stood at the zenith of his power, had added at least ven years to his age. Something of bitterness appeared to have clung to the corners of his mouth, thougn his amtabilicy 1s the same as ever. RROEIVED BY THE COUNT. This afternoon, in answer to my request fora short interview with His Exceliency, with the in- tention of transmitting tne result of the same to you, I was informed by the Count’s courier that His Excellency desired to speak with me, at his room, No, 6, and he added, “You are to please to walk in without waiting to be announced.” As this intima- tion signified that 1 need not don the oficial dress coat I immediately descended to the Count’s rooms, where J fouud him awaiting me, With his biandest smile and a cordial ministerial welcome, he invited me to take a seat upon the sofa, and alter some introductory remarks began an interesting, though brief, conversation, which he permitted me tonote down as he spoke. His Exceilency’s words have, doubt:ess, importance as ofMictal utterances of the Austrian government, since 1t is a generally ace cepted fact here that the Count’s recent visits to Versailles and Rome, and now to Munich and Dres- den, though we are always informed that the Yount is renewing his old oficial acquaintance, have an entirely official character, What His Excellency’s mission ts we know not, THR ALABAMA CLAIMS. The Count began at once upon the all-engrossing question of the day—the Alabama question. His re- marks were spontaneous. I did not feel at liberty, in view of the post Count Beust now filis in London, to put any questions, or my booty might have been somewhat richer. He said:—‘That there will be peace I think is undoubted. True, it is not the province of Austria to meddle with the question at all, but it is the greatest wish of both government and people that England and America shuuld come to an understanding; the more so as our Austrian Policy inclines very much to a good understanding with England, and by maintaining peace there it is the best way to prevent any new confilct in Europe. And I think that all the Powers of Europe approve of such @ policy, INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNALS, Of the much-praised institution of international tribunals Count Beust spoke unfavorably, saying, “I hope and trust that in the Alabama question England and America will come to a good under- standing, but, truly, 1 always had a great mistrust of such international tribunals. You have a very amlable minister in Vienna, Mr. Jay; te 1s very foud of good dinner speeches every year at the anniver- sary of Washington's Birthday, and at the last tes- tival he made a long speech about the merits and the results to be gained from the new system ot ar- bitratren inaugurated by the Treaty ot Washington; but I replied:—*‘Certainly, 1 was quite of the same opinion, and entertainea the best hopes, but 1 could not refrain from making the observation that before the Treaty of Paris, in 1866, after the Cri- mean war, when this new principle of mediation And arbitration was established, and it was ex- pected that 1¢ would interfere for the purpose of preventing @ breaking out of hostilitles—that before this treaty Europe enjoyed a perfect peace of about forty years; but after these principles had been pro- claimed we had three wars within fourteen years, These three wars were the Italian, the German-Aus- trian and the French war. And 801 could not re- frain from making this observation; but I shall he very happy if the arbitration succeed. In Europe, however, the system can never be successiul unless all the great Powers agree to adopt it.”” A LITTLE INTERRUPTION, Ihave transcribed the Count’s remarks on the Alacama qnestion out of the order in which he spoke. He reverted to thecondition of Austria re- peatedivy. I should have allowed myself several important questions nad not the Countess entered the room and invited the Count to favor some lady visitors with bis presence. Tie Countess is a stately dame, remarkably well preserved, and other. Wise Lshould have been Induced to describe her more fully had she not thus threatened me with the speedy loss of His Excellency. But I gained still some minutes of grace until the impatient clos- ing of the door leading into the Jadies’ department called the Count and—well, your correspondent— to mind that the interview must sbruptly close, THE CONDITION OF AUSTRIA. “Exceliency,” said 1, in the meantime, “I would have been glad to hear something about the inter- nal condition of Austria, about your many nation- alities, the future of the Czechs, Poles, Croats, then the Internationals, Old ant New Catholtes, Panslay- ism and the rest."” The Count smiled, adding that he had been away from Vienna so long that he had almost gotten out of home poiltics altogether, but addea, “When J left the most difMicuit thing on hand. was the rela- tion between Austria and Prussia, There is now the best understanding between them, and it will bé maintained henceforth most sincerely.” INTERNAL QUBSTIONS. “on the other hand, in the internal questions, there are always the old difficalties, thougn the parliamentary business 1s going on pretty well. ‘The budget will be voted, and the Ministry is sup- ported by the majority, and this is a progtess,'’ THR CRVATS AND THE CZECHS, “What about the Croats and Czechs, lency ¥”" “ With the Croatians it isa very diMcult thing, because the Croatian question is connected with the Servian question. But in Austria such ques- tions will remain open for a long tfme, and no great danger result from them. Such a question is not one of great danger for the monarchy and the empire in our days. Though, for instance, in the United States you have always the Germans, the Irish, the French, still that 1s another thing alto- gether. in America it isa great advantage that you have no neighbors exercising an attractive in- fluence. For instance, we have Germany, we have Italy, and we have Russia, which ts considered by our Sclaves a8 the protecting Sclavic power. Sucn things you have not, Otherwise, during your great civil war it would have been very injurious to you.” Excel- AUSTRIA’S DANGER, Tread between the lines thus:—As long as Aus trla Is at peace her existence ts not threatened; but should she have war witn any of her neighbors she has to contend not only with the hostile army, but the tendency of the nationalities to give their sym- pathies to related peoples—the Germans, for in- stance, to the new German empire, the Czechs and other Sclaves to Russia, the Uroatians to Servia. “Shall we be likely to hear much more from the Czechs, Excellency 1" “rhey are now much calmer than thoy were. here are always great diMguities coguected with this question, {once tried to settle tt, and if T had been a little better supported by the German party, which was too much opposed to me and showed a luttle too mucn pedantry, I think » solution of the question would have been ound four years ago. Bul afterwards the parties were too much opposed.” FEDERALISM AND DUALISM. “Do you imagme, Bxcellevey, that the Austrian empire will remain witn the dualistic principle; or will not federalism have to be adopted, in order to salisty the different nationalities?” “Federalism,” he answered, “ig a very danger- Ous system with us. Dualism was quite necessary and unavoidable, and was made on the best terms Possible. But dualism 18 sumictent, But between Bohemia and Hungary there ts a great difference. ‘The Hungarians are always uuaaimous for main- taining the ancient constitution; but in Bohemia you have 3,000,000 of Ozechs and 2,000,000 of Ger- mans, and the 2,000,000 Germans reject this ancient Constitution; the other difference 1s, the Hunga- rians have always maintained the imperial consutu- tion, and have always remained faithful to it, and have suffered much on account of their fidelity, I wish 1¢ were poasibie to come to an understanding with the Czechs. What makes them so stroag is the alllance between the nobility and the Bohemian national party—an alliance which tn many respects 4s very curious and difficult to understand, because the nobility are thorougaly Cachoiic and the Ozechs are, for the great part, Hussites; so that there is a certain compromise. But, a3 I stated before, the Situation in Austria is not at all dangerous, and bet. ter than before,”” INTERNATIONALS—BLACK AND RED. It is known that ismarck and Beust have taken steps in common against the “Internationals,” and alter the Count’s remarks about America, given above, Isaid:—“But, Excellency, you have the In- ternationals, like we have.” The Count answered, ‘Yes, we have the Iaterna- Uonals, like you have.” Then he switched off the track and began with the Qzechs again, evidently Not intending to reveal anything on this point, “And you nave,” I added, “also the Black Inter- nationals tn Austria?” “Yes,” he answered. ‘But I believe I did a good thing. I consider the abrogation of the concordat in Austria as my principal work, though 1t was not an easy task (or me, as I was a Protestant. Now all the struggle, as it appears in Northern German and in Bavaria, has produced in these countries much more excitement than in Austria, because I had removed the very thinga that are now causing trouble here.” ROME. “Aad Excellency, in regard to Rome, may we take Count Andrassy’s words to the Qatholic depu- tation, wherein he gives us to understand that Austria will not interfere in favor of the Pope, in reinstating him in his temporal power, as indicat- ing Austrian policy?” “Count Andrassy,’’ said the Quant, ‘has adopted my own principles—those of non-interference 10 re- gard to Romo, and this policy will be very strictly maintained,” THE CONCLUSION. The Count’s presence with the ladtes appearing not capabie of further postponement the conversa. tion here ended, to my regret, since there are so many Important questions at present unsettled, ana upon which the words of a statesman so universally esteemed as Count Beust would be of the greatest interest, It is very possible, however, that the Count will be induced to make a few banquet Speeches in London, when he may give you a more thorough exposé of Austrian and European affairs. The Count leaves by the six o'clock (\o-morrow morning) train for Dresden. DISEASE IN BROOKLYN. The Typ%oid Fever at the House of the Good Shepherd ~The Authorities to Blame. Much has been written about the appearance of the typhoid fever in the House of the Good Shepherd, that most laudable of chariues in Brooklyn, which extends the helping Christian hand to the outcast and fallen and li{ts them from the slum when the door of the world is closed against the unfortunate. In thickly settied communities alone caa the real excellence of this haven be ap- preciated, and yet there are but few persons, com- paratively speaking, in our midst, who realize the meritorious nature of the work of the self-sacriicing Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy who manage this institution. About @ week ago the typhoid fever made its appearance at the House of the Good Shepherd, in Henry street, near Atlantic, Brooklyn, and several of the inmares sickened. The worthy Sisters night anu day labored at the bedside of the afiiicted inmates with unremitting attention and that motherly solicitude for which the order of which they are members ts 80 universally known. The fear engendered in the minds of those who were in healtn led many of them to seek their couch, and tney, too, became In- valids, until forty-two of the inmates were num- bered on the sick list The only victim claimed by deain was one of the faith. ful Sisters in attendance, who died on Mon- day last, The situation becoming alarming, the surgeon in attendance upon tne house, Dr. Simms, reported the fact to the health autnorities, and the latter visited the premises and made ar- Trangements for the removal of several of the pa. tients to the County Hospital, Flatbasn, Accord. ingly twenty-oue of the sick were removed on Wednesday and yosterday. Tue remaining patients, among whom are wree of the Sisters, are pro- gressing nicely under the treatment and care ad- m inistered. Dr. Simms states that want of proper venulation was the primary cause of the appear- ance of typhoid fever, and also that the drainaze system is imperfect, He also states that there were really but twenty well marked cases of typnoid fever, and that the ~remaining were mild in form, Tne Sister Supenor ana Sister Mary Magdalen stated to a representative o! tne HERALD who visited the mstivution yesterday that unjust stigma had been cast upon the house by the local press, who had designated it as “a pest house,” a ‘fever nest,” &c, They felt aggrieved because of the fact that the authorities had been repe ateJly applied to for relief, for more suitable house accommodations, but they nad turned a dear ear to tae appeal. ‘They had never retused admis+ sion to any ovject of charity that had been pre- sented for sheiter and care. In instances where children haa been turned out of doors late at night and had sought tue snelter of the House of the Good Shepherd, without which succor their fate would be sau indeed, tue practical work of this institution was illustrated. Thus it is vhat while unthinking per- sons may raise thelr voices against the mismanaye- ment of tnis, that or the other struggling effort in {he rare cause of such charity they will not nelp to correct the matter of which they complain by pro- viding the proper means. In the present instance it remaius but to be said that tois nobie institution, established in Brovklyn within the past few years, 1s indispensapile; yet the means ior its maintenance are altogether madequi to the requirements of the object in view. ‘The house (iormerly used @ dwelling) is by far too smail to meet tne ever-growing demands upon its resources. Tols act is now forcibly brought velure tae Christian public in the preva- lence of @ disease over Walch the management has no control. The gooa Sisters, cut of as they are from communication with the outer world, can but labor in the narrow confines of the home ior the outcasts of society, and if need be lay down their lives for fallen humanity. A noble Christan work, witn @ heavenly reward surely; bat will not the community go to the rescue and provide a more suitable and are building to Which tue outcust may Ond sheiter SPOTTED FEVER. Fifteen cases of cerevro-spimal meningitis, or spotted fever, have been reported at the Brooklya jeaith UMce within the past week, vnree of wich Were Within tue past twenty-four hours. ‘This ctr cumstance has atiracted no small degree of atien- tion on the part of tue medical faculiy, tne disease being rare in this vicinity and of a fataltype. Dr. phepherd, Clty Physician, made a post-mortein ex- amination on the body of a boy named Reev, aged eleven years, who (lied suddenly on ‘uesday even- ing at 965 Myrtle avenue oi the disease in question. The Doctor does not believe this iever to ve conta- gious—that 1s, from contact with ve patient, “un- less the system is in & Condition to receive it.” Tt is developed by @ peculiar condition of the sys- tem, combined with atmospherical effect. There are cases of recovery, but more from natural than medicinal caases or medical treatment, and such cases are very rare, li it should become epidemic 1t would be far more fatal than the smail~ pox (which holds i's owa), It bas been epidemic in atown in Massachusetts, where it carried of one- third of the population in afew months. it gener ally gains more headway in inland towns than in seaports, owing to the great «iference in the atmosphere, ‘There might be, in the opinion of Dr, Shepherd, premonitory symptoms of cerebro-spinal meningitis becoming epidemic in Brooklyo, judging from the number ol cases thus far reported to the Sanitary Board. It 1s generally fatal inside of forty- eight hours, ‘The symptoms are pains at the back ot the neck, in the upper portion of tne spinal column, vomittyg, delitiag. unconaciondness and, deating CATACAZY'S ACCOUNT OF HINSEL The Caar Receives Him Coldly aud Gortschakoft Will Not See Him Without Witnesses. Diplomatically Dead—Prinoe Gortechakoff Play. ing Old Abe's Role—A Significant Hint— Going to Turn Hus Attention to Journal- ism—What Catacasy Knows About Buffalo Hunting—Departure of Baron Offonberg for America, St. PETERSBURG, Fe, 24, 1872. Catacazy arrived here some days ago, ana was im- Mediately received by the Hmperor, with whom he remained cioseted about an hour andahatr. He gives out that he nag made nis peace with ms impe- nial master, having convinced im that he was not in the least to biame for the extraordinary course pursued towards him by Mr. Fisn. So far a3 1 can learn, however, he was received very coluly vy tue Emperor, and he only succeeded 1n arawing a smile from bim by recounting in @ lively ana witty man- ner some of the adventures of Alexis in America. He is considered @ great failure here, ana, so far as I can learn, & dead man in the diplomatic world. GORTSCHAKOFY’S RECEPTION OF HIM is satd to have been in about this wise: He declinea receiving him in the first place without witnesses to the interview, upon the ground that ne wag afraid Catacazy would musrepresent what passed between them, and several other persons were ad- mitted to an audience at the same time, When it came to Catacazy’s turn Gortschakoff said:—“M. Catacazy, 1 wish to tell you a story. Once upon a time, wnen the birth of a noble princess was being celebrated, ALL OF THE FAIRIES came, each bringing a fairy gift as an offering. ‘Lhere was one wicked old fairy, however, thatcame without belng invited; and, because she was of- fended at the slight which had been put upon her, she brought one gilt whicn destroyed all the gifts of the others. Ithink, Mr. Catacazy, this fairy must have presided at your birth; for, although you nave the gifts of fatelligence, eloquence, skill, learning and nosmall amount of talent, you have been en- dowed with one other thing witch spoils them all, and that is a very loose tongue. PREPARING HIS DEFRNOR, This is, at least, the atory which is told here, Catacazy ia now engaged in preparing his defence, for as yet he has only given a verbal account of the aifair and of the causes which led to the quarrel with Mr. Fish, He expresses himseif as belng per- fectly confident of his ability to clear himself of the charges brought agaiust bim by our government, and 1s as bitter as ever in his talk about the Presi- dent and Secretary ot State. He claims the right of pubishing his defence to the world as 4 set-off to Mr. Fish’s publications, but Gortachakoi gave him the RATHER SIGNIFICANT auswer that as long as he was in the employ of the government he coula not be allowed to do so; thas 1p case, however, he should wish to retire to pri- vate lue the government, having no control over his actions, could not hinder his publishing anything he should choose, I do not know whether Mr. Cata- cazy 100ks upon this in the light of a bint or not. ANOTHER BAD BLOW, Probably the worst thing that hag happened bim yet—a circumstance that will tell against him more than anything else—is the report of mr. Clay, our former Minister hero, having writven @ letter to Gortschakom defending Catacazy and attacking our government, I do not think that Mr. Fish, or even Bancroft Davis, with ail nis malice, would have wished any greater evil to befall their enemy than the irlendship and support of Mr. Olay, and iam sure there is nothing that will hurt him so much in the eyes of Gortschakoff as this recom- mendation from our ex-Minister. It is a weight that a much stronger man than Mr. Uatacazy wouid sink under. CATACAZY'S SAD FATE. Whatever be the result of Baron Offenberg’s mis sion, whether his reports to his government be favorable or otherwise, I think there ts litue doubt of the fate in store for Catacazy. His great fault has been probabiy not so much @ want of tact as negligence of a precept of Talleyrand, which he embodied in a commana to his subordinates when he said, *Srtout pont de zele.” Had Catacazy re- membered this precept, and showed less zeal in serving, a3 he supposed, the interests of his govern- ment, he would have avoided all the scandal ana the consequent little ‘unpleasantness’ at present existing between the two countries. GOING TO TURN JOURNALIST. They say in ministerial circles that bis talents will not, however, be lost to the country, as he is regarded as @ man capable of becoming a great Journalist, and they advise him, I understand, to turn his attention to that profession in the future instead of diplomacy. Perhaps this plan is sug. gested by the fact of his having been formerly manager of tne official journal here, in the admin- istration of which he gave evidence of great literary capacity and administrative ability. He is certainly & very ready and witty man, not without talenz, and were it not fora rash and impetuous nature, and a very loose and venomous tongue, he might Yet have distinguished humseif in the diplomatic world, A RUSSIAN BUFFALO, He sald a very good thing the other day apropos of the Grand Duke’s famous buffalo hunt. He was at Baron Offenverg’s when General Por- nutz came lu, They recognized each other at once and shook hands, the Consul welcoming him back to his native land. A copy of the HERALD was lying on the tavle, which contained an account of the but- falo hunt, and the latter, picking it up, remarked:— “What a pity it is you did not stay long enough to take part iu the sport, which seems to have been very flac.’ “An!” replied Catacazy, laughing, “I saw enough of your American buifaio hunting. Unfortunatety, however, 1 was the bufalo.”” THE N&W MINISTER. Baron Offenberg lett here yesterday, bearing with him the good wishes of everybody. He intends stopping a few days in the Baltic provinces, wnere his estates are; from there he goes to London, where he will stop a€nort time, intending to sail for America about the 1st of April. From the conversations { have had with the Baron latterly I am convinced that the rep- Tesentations of Mr. atacazy have not had the slightest effect upon the favor- avie opinions of America and American states men previously entertained by him—opinions [ often had occasion to remark long before he hag any hopes of Being sent to Washington, | would bespeak for him the heartiest welcome and the kindliest reception; and, indeed, he 18 such a kindly disposed, genial, warm-hearted, old-fashioned gen- tleman that it 1s difficult to conceive how he could be treated otherwise. He was exceedingly liked in Roumania, and the Koumanians said he was the only foreign Minister there that showed himself really and truly a friend. The Russian government, in sending such a man to Washington, has given proof of a desire on ita part to do everything possible in order to effect a conciltation; and, indeed, I am assured that the delay in replacing Catacazy was, in great pars, caused by the wish to send Baron Offenverg, which they could not do upon the instans, the com- plicated state of the Strasburg Railway question not permitting the withdrawal of the Russian Minister at such w critical moment, ‘This fact ought to be borne in mind m our esti- Mation of thegblame to be attached to the two gov- ernments, A suitabie man for such an important Position is not always to be found without making mauy changes, and this cannot be done hastily without much Inconventence. lam sure that ifour government meets the ad. vances of Russia in the spirit of concillation in which they are now made through Baron Offen- berg the task Of reconciliation will be a light one, A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE. FREDeRICTON, N. B,, March 21, 1872. On @ yote in the Legislature to-day of want ot confidence the government was audtained by & mar fority OL Six,