The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, June 2, 1895, Page 24

24 THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, JUNE 2, 1895. ACROSS THE GLACIERS AND BENEATH THE PALMS TWO INTERESTING SKETCHES OF TRAVEL. DOWN THE FROZEN YUKON./ARE NO LONGER CANNIBALS. A Dog-Sledge Journey of Nearly Four|The Natives of the Fiji Islands as Seen by a Thousand Miles. SEATTLE, May 29.—A dog-sledge trip of 4000 miles down the vast extent of the frozen Yukon is the feat just accomplished by Guy C. Merrian, a United States cus- toms inspector for Alaska. it surpasses the undertaking of Lord Lonsdale a few years ago, and fitly compares with the famous journey of Lieutenant Fred Schwatka in his search for the remains of Sir John Franklin ana his men. Schwatka was absent from ,(1878 to 1880, and made a sledge journey of 3251 statute miles, while Merrian has far passed that mark and broken the midwinter record for travel in the frigid rezion of the pole. In point of hardship and demand for intrepidity his trip parallels the explorations of Living- stone and Stanley in the heart of Africa. Passengers from Sitka to Juneau on the last voyage of the steamer City ot Topeka were insensibly attracted to a tall, athletic, distinguished looking gentleman, who was a fellow passenger to Juneau. From his quiet and unassuming manners one would little have sected him of being the hero of the journey as remarkable for its extent as for the scope of the territory covered, the modes of conveyance used, the season of the year it was accomplished and the fortunate absence of any accidents of con- sequence to either the hardy voyageur or his guides. When Mr. Merrian reached Juneau, he at first modestly declined to be inter- viewed, but finally told his story. At Sitka about a year and a half ago he was appointed Inspector of Customs at Una- laska, and last summer was transferred to the District of the Yukon. He immedi- atelv set out for his territory, traveling by schooner through Bering Sea to St. Michaels, and thence up the river on the P. B. Weare, upon which boat he re- mained the greater part of the season. The account of his travels from Fort Cudahy to Kodiak is best told in his own words: “I received instructions from the Govern- ment to make a report on the various sta- tions, villages and missions located on the Yukon from Fort Cudahy to its mouth; thence following the coast line as close as racticable from St. Michaels around the Kodiak Island. The last boat to ascend the river in_the fall having made its tri and returned to winter quarters, I left Fort Cudahy on October 3, inan open boat with the Indians as guides and interpreters. At Circle City, the outfitting point for the Birch Creek diggings, and 200 miles below Fort Cudahy, the first stop was made. I Temained there several days replenishing our larder and taking some much-needed rest. There are fully 200 miners winterin, at this point, and all have claims on Bire! Creek or its tributaries. “It is remarkable the erroneous idea the great majority of the outside world has of the tremendous extent of the valleys of the Yukon and its tributaries. While traveling up and down the river on the P. B. Weare I have frequently passed hun- dreds of nameless streams flowing into the river. They are not down upon any chart, have never had a place upon a map, and their size and extent neither the captain nor even the natives knew anything about, and upon the gravel of their shores a pick had never been struck. Hundreds of thousands of men could be located in the Yukon country and yet be lost to each other. *‘Setting forth in our canoe at Circle City no other stop was made until the mouth of the Tanana was reached, excepting the Minuka Creek, at which point we spent a day. Nearing the Tanana the weather be- came much colder, and by the time we reached there the river had closed and we had to abandon the canoe. After a few days’ rest I secured two dog teams of six animals each, and with my two guides set out for St. Michaels, 1000 miles distantdown the river. The traveling on the ice near the shore was splendid, the ice being smooth, almost glare, and we sped along at a great rate, making fifty and sixty miles a day several times during the jour- ney. The ice gorged and the river closed up completely October 20. Frequent stops were made while en route down the river, and it wasfnoticed particularly that the na- tives were all in good health and had plenty of food. St. Michaels was reached Novem- eight daysfrom the Tanana. 1f nor my guides suffered from the cold, being warmly clad from head to foot in_fur clothing. “The weather was clear and dry, not a breath of air stir- ring during the entire trip, the thermome- ter averaging about fifteen degrees below zero. “I remained at St. Michaels two months, during which time frequent trips were made to the interior, and at one time I got as far north as the head of Norton Bay. On January the latter half of my jour- ney from St. Michaels to Kodiak was be- gun. The trip down the Yukon was de- void of anything but merely a assing in- terest, and was attended with little or no danger whatever, but the journey overland to Kodiak, a distance of nearly 2000 miles, was quite different, and it was with some apprehension that I made the start. There were 1o trails or streams to follow; native villages were few and far between, and traveling had to be done entirely by com- gass and the general lay of the land. I ad secured at St. Michaels a splendid dog team and also the services of two Indian uides. We followed the shore line of ering Sea from St. Michaels to the mouth of the Yukon, then ascended the river a distance of 500 miles to Kozerfski, at the mouth of Shageluk Creek, where the Holy Cross mission of the Russian church is lo- cated. At this point I secured new guides and_started overland across the divide to the Kuskokwim River. ‘“‘After what seemed an interminable length of time, during which period bitter cold weather, followed by blinding snow- storms, was encountered, our party of three people struggled nto the Moravian 1ission, near the mouth of the Kuskokwim. I found there a setilement which is a mar- vel, and certainly worthy of more than passing note. Ten yearsagoa missionary and his wife, who had been sent out by the Moravian church at Bethlehem, Pa., were ut ashore on the beach at Kuskokwim ay. They had come from San Francisco by a whaling schooner, and when their scanty store of supplies and a little lumber were landed, and the schooner had con- tinued its journey to the far north, they were left as n!lerlg' and absolutely alone in a strange land and among strange people as if they had suddenly ieen transported to another planet. From that day to this they have neither left their adopted home. The man is J. W. Kilbuck, who has since become famous, and whose name is known throughout the breadth of the land. He is a full-blooded Delaware Indian, andisa man of exceptional ability and attain- ments. & “He is a very fine linguist, and after years of study and research has at last made a grammar and dictionary of the Mamalook language as used by the Esqui- maux. His work and what be has accom- plished are simply wonderful, and when one considers his years of labor and self- denial it is but little wonder that the natives hold him in veneration. There is at present connected with the mission be- sides Mr. Kilbuck and his wife a trained nurse by the name of Miss Kingf Miss Mack, a’schoolteacher, and Mr. Heilmack, who is a machinist and engineer and who [ no | like that of pate de foi gras, I assure you, is putting up a sawmill for the mission. It is by far the best, most successful and most liberally managed mission in all Alaska, and is supported entirely by the Moravian church. A week was spent in | enjoying Mr. Kilbuck’s hospitality, and with fresh dogs and Indian guides fur- nished by the mission, a start was made across the country to the head of the Alaska peninsula. S “‘Before leaving the mission I learned that considerable prospecting had been done on the Kuskokwim, with every indi- cation of some 1ich placers being opened upin_that section this season. The Kos- kokwim isquite a large river and there is no reason wny as good diggings should not be found along its banks and upon its tritutarics as on the Yukon. It is practi- cally an unknown country, but with the | advent of the thousands of prospectors flocking to the interior it is safe to | t will not long remain unknown. | eaving the mission, our course lay in | a northeasterly direction. We proceeded | up the river a distance of what I estimated | to be about 150 miles, where we left the stream and turned due east. A vastand almost impenetrable forest of spruce was encountered, through which = traveling | with dog team was not only slow but ex-| tremely difficult. The higher the altitude the slower became our progress, and fre- | quently but a few miles a day could be made on account of windfalls and huge | slides. It being midwinter, the days were very short and we had but five hours of daylight. Passing above the timber line the cold became intense. I had no ther- | mometer with me, but I judge it must | have been 40 or 50 degrees below zero. “Our faces were badly frozen several times, and at nights, having no wood with | which to make fires, we would have to bur- row into a snowbank, and with the dogs at | our feet and lying about us, we would man- | age to keep passably warm. As we neared the summit huge iceficlds were crossed, and canyons nng crevasses were encoun- tered which seemed to have no bottom, and whose sides were absolutely perpen- dicular. By the time the divide was crossed and a chain of lakes on the orpo- site side was reached, my suf;ply of food had become nearly exhausted and neces- sity compelled me to resort to the native food. Did you ever eat frozen, raw seal meat? No? Well, its flavor is not exactly | st but to a famished stomach it 1s much preferable to either whale or seal blubber, or to a steady diet of snowball pudding. “Traveling uppn the smaller chain of lakes, which run into and terminate in Lake Tikchik, was much easier, and thence down the Tikchik River to the Nushagah, | then down the latter river to its mouth, comparatively rapid progress was made. Near the point where the Nushagah River | puts into an arm of Bristol Bay is a can- | nery. It wasdeserted save by a watchman, | who heartily welcomed me. - I was the first | white man he had seen since the close of | the canning and shipping season last fall. Two days were spent here, during which 1 secured new dogs and other guides, who were better acquainted with the route | which lay before me. From the Nushagah we proceeded overland to the Kvichak River, thence up that stream to Lake Tliamna. *‘Here it was learned from some natives that it would be impossible to cross the straits from that point in a bidarka on ac- count of floating ice. At the village of Iliamna, near the head of the lake, another | change of dogs and guides was made. The very heaviest teams procurable were gotten | and a start was made for the settlement | called Katmai on Shelikoff Straits. The | nature of the shore line rendered land t | near the water an absolute impos- , it being studded with mouniain- like glaciers, impassable canyons and streams that fairly stood upon end in their mad race for the sea. These were avoided by following as closely as possible the sum- mit of the range of mountains which lie along the coast. Reaching Katmai a three-hatch bidarka was secured, and with two natives I attempted to cross the straits. Stormy weather set in, and we were com- 1led to turn back. We waited eight days or favorable weather, and during that time skirted the coast as far north as Cape Douglas. “On the ninth day out from Katmai a second attempt was made to cross the straits, this time our efforts being crowned with success and landing our bidarka on Afognak Island. At Afognak I took the schooner Lettie and landed at Kodiak April 6. I had been gone four months on the way, and had traveled,'as closely as I could compute it, about 3800 miles, a great deal of the distance being over a section of country which I am positive had never be- fore been trodden by man. ‘‘At Kodiak I founa great excitement ex- isting over the Cooks Inlet country. Nearly eighty miners are there waiting to be taken to the new discoveries in that section upon the first boat. Most of them will prospect on_Turn-Agamn Arm, about 350 miles from Kodiak. came from the latter place on the mail steamer Dora to Sitka, and thence to Juneau. thank- ful, indeed, once more to be in civilization snd among those friends whom I hold so ear.” Mr. Merrian may well feel proud of having achieved an undertaking the like of which would have appalled some of the bravest of the world’s explorers. Lord Lonsdale’s journey a few years ago was somewhat similar to that of Mr. Merrian, except that it was over a much easier territory and was attended with compara- tively little dun%er and almost no hard- ship. His route lay north from Winnipeg to Hudson Bay, thence to the Mackenzie Riverand on down to the Arctic Ocean. His lordship had asmall army of retainers and bearers and traveled about as com- fortably as he could have done over the ‘Western prairies. The trip from St. Michaels overland to Kodiak in midwinter is hazardous in the extreme. One must necessarily walk every step of the way in order to break trails for the dogs, and with the mercury hovering around 50 and 60 degrees below zero, no fuel with which to build fires, frozen food to eat and nothing to be seen but an illimitable expanse of barren and snowcapped icefields, an indomitable glnck, an iron will and a heart that will inch at nothing are the essential quali- ties of the intrepid traveler who will un- dertake such a journey. A Word in the Colonel’s Ear. The following story is told of the Forty- eighth Georgia Regiment: As the regiment was on the march to Gettysburg some of the soldiers stepped out of the ranks and confiscated a couple of geese, and one of the drummers un- headed his drum and put the captured birds in it. Shortly afterward the colonel came along, and, noticing that the drummer failed to give his usual drum whacks, rode up and said: {‘Why don’t vou beat that drum?” “‘Colonel,” said the startled man, “I want to speak to you.” The colonel drew close to him and said: ““Well, what have you to say ?"’ The drummer whispered : “Colonel, I've got i St ) 8ot a couple of geese in Tag Tl‘)lotnd stmightekned up and said: “Well, if you are sic 't play,” an’I(‘l hthen rfige on. IoU peedaay, at night the colonel had roast goose for supper.—Atlanta Constitution. & | nity certainly offers no attractions. | plantations and scattered Chicagoan. SUVA, Fur Isuanps, April 4.—It de- pends entirely uvon the nature of the per- son whether a lengthy visit to the Fiji Islands would prove agreeable and inter- esting or the reverse. Any one desirous of enjoying the luxuries and comforts of travel and unwilling to put up with the hardships and difficulties should decidedly seek other localities. The European set- tlements of Suva and Levuka offer no in- ducements, either from the standpoint of pleasure or instruction, which would war- rant more than a mere passing glimpse. Native life can only be seen in its worst state, and the white portion of the commu- With the exception of a very few miles of paved streets in the two towns no roads exist in the group fit even for horseback riding. An interisland steamer plies regularly back and forth between the various isl- ands, stopping in at different stations and plantations located along the coast lines for produce and freight. An opportunity is thus afforded to get an exterior view of a portion of the group, but the accommo- dations for passengers are very limited and inferior, A small steam tug thrice weekly leaves Suva fora short trip up the Reua, the largest river in Fiji, but even then one is confined purely to sights of sugar white settle- ments. Cutters can always be chartered for long or short cruises, but the absolute lack of country inns throws the stranger | upon the hospitality of the natives where none of the conveniences of civilization can ever be found. Even in Suva and Levuka the hotels are not good, the cuisine being especially poor. Meats, vegetables and all delicacies are im- rted, no effort being made to procure mme products, either because of the gen- eral apathy which seems to exist univer- sally or indifference. On the other hand, any one willing to rough it in the strictest sense can find in the Fiji Islands a glorious opportunity to make beautiful excursions where the cus- toms of a novel and curious people can be studied to good advantage and scenery of unsurpassed grandeur can be seen. The accomplishment of such results ne- cessitates much privation, actual la- bor and great personal discomfort. Many miles must be traversed on foot across steep and rugged mountain ranges, over footpaths so narrow, rough and slippery that every muscle in the body is taxed to the utmost limit. Voyages lasting from early morning to the dusk of evening must be made in canoes so frail and insecure that a clumsy movement meansimmediate capsizing. The cramped position thus ex- perienced for hours become most fatiguin, to the novice. Rivers, streams an brooks must be crossed continuously either by wading or swimming, frequently strong currents making the passage almost perilous. The road often re- solyes itself into these very watercourses, which must be followed with broken inter- vals for long stretches. A fierce, pitiless sun at all times and a perfect deluge of tropical rain to a sreater or less extent must be endured and accepted as a matter of course. At night sleep has to be secured in grass huts with beds composed of woven straw mats spread on the floor and the native bamboo headrests used for pillows, with a lot of hatf-nakec, brown-skinned sz\vafies for companions. Unless anxious to add a troublesome burden to necessary impedi- ments in the way of tinned meats and hardtack, the traveler must content him- self with yams, dates, fruits and an occa- sional fowl for food. In no other manner can the aboriginal life be viewed,and all attempts in other directions will prove uselessand end in dis- appointment. he Fiji Islands have been associated with cannibalism for so many years that the very words have practically become synonymous. When first cast into the midst of the bushy-headed inhabitants, the fact that Great Britain now rules the group with an iron hand is temporarily for- o]twn, while a sensation almost of awe is elt. Our first view of the archipelago was ob- tained from the steamer. Two tiny coral reefs with typical white sandy beach and heavy clumps of cocoanut palms were assed at sunrise. On one of thesea new lighthouse is now in the course of erection to take the place of the one completely de- molished by the recent hurricane. Dur- ing the day we sailed among the islands— many of large size, all very green and usu- ally mountainous. The same volcanic origin so plainly indicated in Hawaii could be discerned, but the outlines were much less severe in character and the general effect far softer. Navigation through the many channels, owing to the numerous shoals and sub- merged reefs, is very intricate and danger- ous. Viti Levu, the largest of the group, from which the name is derived (Fiji being & mispronounciation of the word{,came into full view in the afternoon. The top- most crags and peaks, although not over 4000 feet in height, were enveloped in a veil of clouds. It was dusk when the reef- encircled basin on which Suva is situated was entered, the voyage from the eastern- most to the westward portions of the isl- ands, a distance of 150 miles, having con- sumed fourteen hours. Just as the sun sank behind the hills our first close view of the famous man- eater was obtained. The picture was one not easily forgotten. On one side ex- tended the dark-zreen mountain slopes, cut with innumerable ravines and preci- pices, gorges with a fringe of tufted palms skirting the water's edge; the sea of most delicate view stretched away on the other side, a long line of white breakers lashing over the coral reef in the distance; over- head the skies formed a canopy tropically soft and beautiful, every bank of clouds Iarminf a distinct and’ individual tint, graduating from the most brilliant scarlet holtéha daintiest purple, pink, yellow and golden. As darkness soon followed the lights of the town began sparkling and glistening like so many fireflies. Suva proved to be a most matter-of fact, unromantic and commonplace little spot. The total population of 3500 seems to be diyided rather equally between imported Hindoos, Europeans, “natives and other Polynesians. The East Indians, as a rule,. are such as having served through their five vears’ indenture, have taken off small omesteads and become the gardeners and farmers of the community, storekeepers on a limited scale, or house servants. The islanders generally confine themselves to labor in and around the docks or as fisher- men. A large portion of the native popu- lation are members of the police and con- stabulary departments, while a still greater number apparently have no occupation whatever. (fizinamen are extremely scarce, even that frugal, thrifty race finding no room for competition with the Hindoo. Practically all business is in the hands of Europeans, who eke out a miserable exist- ence, with most unsatisfactory financial re- sults. Absolutely no aggressive spirit pre- vails. On_ every hand can be seen the marks of lethargy, apathy and lack of en- terprise and energy. The settlers throw the blame of this unfortunate state of affairs upon the Government, which, it is claimed, is trying to build up the colony &5 & man’s country, regarding and treating white people as a necessary nui- sance. The selection of Suva as the site_for the capital was bad. Much of the land is new- made, necessitating the erection of a sea wall as a protection against the tides. The western expanse prevents the benefit of the trade winds being felt, and the humid at- mosphere makes the heat at times almost unbearable. During the wet season the rainfall is incessant and heavy, and as the | soil does not immediately absorb moisture like in Honolulu, dampness much of the year is prevalent. . The majority of the commercial houses line one side of Victoria promenade, which faces the sea and is the principal thorough- fare. The town covers quite an extensive area, dwellings being scattered about in all | directions upon the slight elevations in the | rearand along the water front. Public, busi- ness and private edifices and buildings are of frame construction, with roofs occasion- allv of shingle, but in most instances of | corrugated iron. The water supply, brought from a long distance at much expense, is excellent, but beyond this luxuries cease. In addition to three or four steamship agencies, hatf a dozen firms of commission dealers, and scarcely a score of general or | special mercantile establishments, the me- | tropolis of Fiji boasts of three hotels, a Custom-house, postoffice, Government building, a library and one semi-weekly publication, the Times. Seven steamers call reguiarly at the port each month bound on cruises between the various col- onies. Other steamers occasionally, and trading schooners at frequent intervals, also make short trips. Levuka, which until fonrteen years ago was the capital and most important town, is in every way preferable to its modern rival. The natural surroundings are very attractive, low, undulating hglls arisin, almost directly from the seashore, covere with a mass oiytropicnl verdure. Delight- ful breezes ere always blowing, the climate being dry and salubrious. The Island of Ovalan is small and offers several very pretty excursions. Although the oldest of all European settlements, the same lack of roads found everywhere exists here. The whole population of Levuka is largely made up of Germans, who carry on a modest but thriving trade with other Paci- fic islands. The hurricane of January was felt to a greater extent here than elsewhere. Abun- dant traces of the ferocity of the gale have been left behind. Dismasted ships, run high and dry upon the reef, withered cocoanut palms, ruined piers and frame structures nearly collapsed tell the tale. The ocean waves, driven to a frenzy of rage, swept over the shore lines, washing away much of the road, sev- eral buildings and part of the docks. A dozen little cutters anchored within the reef were blown far out tosea or sunk. Houses rocked like cradles, their inmates expecting with every minute to find the entire edifice sent flying through the air. For hours the storm raged with unmis gated fury, the winds and the moun- tains vying with each other in the creation of deafening noise—the rain continuing to fall in perfect torrents throughout. These annual hurricanes will prove the greatest drawback to Fiji’s success. The elementsform an insuperable obstacle that the hand of man can never overcome. The society of Levuka is much more se- lect and exclusive than in Suva, notwith- standing that the gubernatorial mansion and all the red tape necessarily there con- tained is now located in the latter place. A vast amount of jealousy between the two settlements exists, extending from commercial to social life. . The limited improvement in contempla- tion by the Government is all being cen- tered in the present capital, and nothin but its superior class of inhabitants an former reputation keeps Levuka from fall- ing into ‘“‘Innocuous desuetude.” One day I met Ratu Epeli, son of Cokaban (Thokombau), King of Fiji, who had to come to Suva either for feasure and recreation or to draw his pension. He is a fine-looking, able chap, very large and heavy and quite dark. HRis hair, instead of being worn, as is the custom with the natives, in an immense mop and dyed with brilliant yellow, was cut quite short, and left in its natural black state. A queer- looking King heappeared when promenad- ing through the streets, without a hat and with his short “‘sulu” extending only to his knees, loose-fitling calico jacket, and bare legs. Several court retainers and les- ser chiefs accompanied him, following be- hind at a respectful distance. His home is in the original native capital of Bau, where he cordially invited me to visit as his guest. Our conversation was carried on through an interpreter, as he cannot speak a word of English. These ratus, or chiefs, are powers in the land, and it is through them that the British Government now rules the group. Once every year the rokos, orlieu- tenant-governors, meet in convention with the leading English officials, and then the policy referring to native affairs is dis- cussed and final decisions are made. WILLIAM PRESTON HARRISON. RELIEF FOR PHILATELY A Concerted Move to Kill Off the Flood of Speculative Issues. Stamp Collectors Have Been Sys- tematically Mulcted of Milllons of Dollars. What at one time was hailed with un- qualified delight by all collectorsof stamps is now viewed too often with well-merited suspicion. Every one eagerly sought for new issues as soon as they were known to be out in former years. Now all new- comers require time and investigation to get into philatelic favor. This change is due to the practice of many countries— some rich and powerful—either producing or lending themselves to the production of what are termed ‘“‘speculative” or “made- for-collectors” stamps. It was found that in this way a consider- able revenue could be raised at little or no cost, as the hundreds of thousands inter- ested in stamp-collecting throughout the world could always be depended upon to absorb anywhere from a few thousand dol- lars of stamps to $1,000,000 worth of each new issue. . Some countries took to printing new issues whenever their coffers ran low, others created surcharges, or overprinte existing issues, thus creating new varieties at little expense, and many have resorted to the jubilee or commemorative dodge, incited thereto by the extraordinary popu- larity of the Columbian issue of the United States, of which it is_estimated some million and a half dollars’ worth were bought by collectors. nally an agitation a Wwas begun in the phil ! lectors “were cautioned against _certain issues, and societies were organized havin, for their special object the boycotting of the obiectfonublq stamps. But little head- Way was made toward their suppression, as the dealers continued to b e them, against the practice lgnulic press. Col- and they were generally of such attractive designs that the younger and less informed collector was sure to prefer them to the less showy but more legitimate issues. 8o great were the possibilites of wealth in this direction that one dealer, M. F. Seebeck, more enterprising than his col- leagues, started a stamp factory of his own. His method-of operation was simple and most effective. g{e made contracts with some of the impecunious countries of Central America, whereby he agreed to furnish them a new issue each year with- out cost to them, providing the surplus stamps of each year reverted to him, and he took good care to see that there were ample reversions. At present such con- tracts are in force with Honduras, Nica- ragua, Salvador and Ecuador. When cur- rent the sets of some of these countries are worth as high as $20, but when obsoiete they are retailed for about 40 cents. & . Among the other countries charged with indulging in speculative stamps are_many of the colonies of Great Britain, of France and of Portugal, San Marino, Roumania, Japan, many Chinese treaty ports, Hong- kong, and quite a number of independent and insignificant minor countries, such as the principality of Trinidad, off the coast of Brazil; Brunie, Sarawak, Labuan and North Borneo. Each month for the past year may be said to haye seen a new issue from former stamp-issuing countries or from a govern- ment that had hitherto found no need of the postage stamp, many not even having a postal service. he outcry against the imposition thus practiced on the stamp-collecting fra- Ternity at last became so general and pow- erful that the matter was taken up by the Philatelic Society of London, the most influential of its kind in the worla, and to which many of the members of the royalty of Europe belong. At a recent meeting the following resolution was adopted: That this society is of the opinion that the great increase in the production of speculative stamps for sale to collectors threatens to have a very serious effect on the cdllection of gen- uine postal issues throughout the world, and that a committee be appointed to consider the best means to be adopted to puta stop to the scandal. Another strong move in the same direc- tion was made later by the City of London Philatelic Club, which resolved, “That the time had arrived when collectors and deal- ers should combine to puta stop to tne sale of speculative issues, and that leading dealers should be approached with the view of inducing them in future to refrain from chronl:linF and cataloguing all doubt- ful issues until their bona-fide character had been established.” As the direct result of the steps taken by these societies, Stanley Gibbons (Limited) of London oflened communication with the C. H. Mekeel Stamp and Publishing Company of St. Louis, Mo., looking to se- curing their co-operation in mitigating or eradicating the evil complained of. In Stanley Gibbons’ letter to the Mekeel Com- pany occurs the following: “There is great danger to our trade and to the future of philately, in that, through such issues as these (Chinese locals, prin- cigamy of Trinidad, French colonial, ete.), ridicule will be cast upon collecting, and 1t is ridicule that kills every hobby. If you agree with us, we ask you to join withusin i%norinz such stamps. We are writing to the leading stamp merchants of the world a similar circular letter to this to get at the opinion of the trade. We propose from now on to cease to catalogue these locals and speculative emissions, to omit all notices of them in our journals, to cease to imgon, to sell or to buy them in any way, and, in fact, to ignore them as far'as pos- sible.” In answer the Meekel Stamp and Pub- lishing Company wrote that they would be glad to co-operate with them. The two firms above mentioned are among the largest of the kind in the worla, the London firm carrying a stock valued at $500,000 and the St. Louis firm one valued at%}s0,000. The leading dealers of this city, W. Sellschopp & Co., have also announced their intention of co-operating in the matter. There is, therefore, now reason to believe that the speculative stamp has seen its most prosperous days. JAPANESE ~ DISSATISHIED, They Feel That China Has Been Treated With Too Much Leniency. Plans for a Grand Triumphal Parade Are Dropped to Await Defl- nite News. For some time past a committee of forty of the Japanese residents of this City has been preparing a fitting celebration of the recent victory of the mother country. Now everything is temporarily off, and the time for rejoicing has been indefinitely post- poned. The cause of it all is dissatisfaction with some of the terms of the treaty. «Mr. Ishikawa, a student, who was a prime mover in the matter, explained that they intended to celebrate on May 25. *‘We were going to have a procession,’” said he. “Then we would have had a meet- ing to which we would have invited the city notables. The programme would have in- cluded speeches and music. Our arrange- ments were nearly completed when we re- ceived the news of the treaty. “This was a disappointment to many. ‘We were especially exercised, because it was intimated that Japan would not always keep the peninsula of Liao-Tong, at the extremity of which is Port Arthur, but would treat it more as a security to insure the payment of the indemnity money. “Buch an arrangement was unsatisfac- tory to many. Others, in fact most of the residents, were anxious to celebrate any- how, but they wanted first to know what they were going to celebrate. Of course, we are all proud of the victories of our army and navy, but we want to know just how much territory we have really ac- qujred'before we begin to talk about our ains.’ & Saburo Koya, the Japanese Consul, said that he had been much interested in the proposed celebration. though his official position would not allow him to take an active part in its preparation. Still he had written Chief Crowley asking that neces- sary protection beaccorded the parade that was planned. He was much_surprised to learn of its postFonement and the reason. A meeting of the Hokoku Gikwai, or “Patriotic League,” has been called for June 8. This organization has about 3000 members, who are scattered from Los Angeles to Seattle. It was formed to help the Red Cross ser- vice. Over$20,000 was sent to the front by the members. Now that the Mikado has declared peace the league proposes to for- mally disband. The meeting will be at Union-square Hall. e New Capital for Brazil. It appears that the Brazilians are not satisfied with their present capital, Rio de Janeiro, which is not central, not very healthy and perhaps not roomy enough. They are about to build thémselves a brand-new capital, embodying, as the pro- jectors would say, every modern improve- ment. This news was given, says our Paris correspondent, yesterday afternoon to the French Academy of Sciences by one qQne of its members, M. Faye. This noted astronomer has just received a communi- cation anent the new capital from Senor Cruis, who appends to his name_the sub- stantial title‘'of President of the Brazillian Committee of Preliminary Investigation for the Removal of the ca})ital of Brazil to the Center of the States of the Confedera- tion. Senor Crui¢ states that the new Federal capital will be built on the central plateau of Brazil, in a rectangle of about twenty-five miles long and seven broad— quite a city of mlgnigcent distances, equal to anything in the United States. What is more important, the_site will be a healthy one, and, notwithstanding the Dearness of the new capital to the equator, the climate will be comparatively mild by reason of the slfituda,—linndon ews. ROSECRANS [N BATTLE, How He Held His Own Against a Vastly Superior Force. ONE OF THE INCIDENTS AT IUKA The General’s Tribute to a Brave Soldier Who Risked Death to Save a Regiment. ‘When I wason a visit to General Rose- crans at Murfreesboro, Tenn., early in 1863, he introduced to me a member of his staff, a young man of about 30, bearing a striking facial ‘resemblance to Napoleon. His name was Arthur C. Ducat. He was then inspector-general of Rosecrans’ army, and is now a resident of Chicago. When he had left the room the general saia to me: “That is one of the bravest men I ever knew; I saw him once coolly face al- most certain death to perform a duty. Three had fallen before his eyes, and he had to run the gauntlet of a thousand muskets; but he did it.”’ I cannot repeat the remainder in the general’s own words, but I think I can correctly relate the circumstances. It was at the battle of Tuka, where Rosecrans, with only 2800 men actually engaged, was fighting a Confederate force of 11,000, hold- ing a chosen and very strong position. Ducat, in riding up to the general, had observed a regiment of General Stanley’s division that was about to be enveloped ersonal animosity. Time and again Ma- }’or Bond remonstrated with him for thus exposing himself to imminent danger, but he merely said: “Ican’t io till this is de- cided. If weare beaten to make other dispositions.”” How he escaped is one of those unaccountable things that we are accustomed to term mi- raculous. S When I returned to headquarters I said to Rosecrans: “I have just been over the battlefield with ‘Charley’ Thompson. What were your sensations when so con- stantly under fire all of those two days? His'answer was: “I had no sensations. I was absorbed in planning how to beat them.” g On the following day I rode out with Rosecrans, General Garfield (then hischief of staff), several other officers, and a squad of about a hundred men, to Grantlands, the birlhl‘(\lnce and home of Miss Murfree, the well-known author, but then occupied by General Sheridan &s his headquarters. As we entered the forest inclosing the town, Garfield broke out with Lowell’s poem, “I do believe in freedom’s cause, "’his words being echoed back from the great, spreading trees, and set to the music of a hundred "horses’ heels. He had scarcely ended when the general told how Zekle crep’ up, quite e An’ Deeked T then o "M}';n?l‘;r";' While there sat Huldy all alone, "Ith no one nigh to hinder. “What would you give to_have written :}mt?" he asked,’as he finished the recita- ion. *‘All the castles I ever built in the clouds,” I replied. “So would 1,” he said. “Youknow what Wolfe said before his great victory—that he would rather have written Gray’s ‘Elegy’ than take Quebec. Would you have said that before= Stong River?” He hesitated a moment, then answered : *‘No; for now we need victories more than poems.”” x Soon we saw through an opening in the trees several thousand men under review ina field at the left. “It is Negley’s divi- sion,” said Garfield. ‘‘Shall we ride over there, general ?” A Rosecrans assented, and, turning our General William S. Rosecrans. and overpowered by a much larger force of the enemy. “Ride on and warn Stanley at once,” said Rosecrans. An acre on fire and swept with bullets lay between them and the menaced regiment; Ducat glanced at it, and said: “General, I have a wife and children.” “You knew that when you came here 2" said Rosecrans, coolly. “I'll go, sir,” said Ducat, moving his horse forward after his momentary hesita- tion. ‘“‘Stay a moment. We must make sure of this,” said Rosecrans. He thought a thousand lives of more value than four, 80, hastily writing some dispatches on the pommel of his saddle, he gave oue to each of the three orderlies, and set them off, at intervals of about sixty yards, over the bullet-swept field. Then he looked at Ducat, who had seen every one of them fall lifeless, or desperately wounded. ‘Without a word Ducat plunged into the fire, and, wonderful to tell, he ran the auutlet in sa(etf', and with his clothes orn by Minie balls and his horse reeling from a mortal wound, he got to Stanley, and sayed the regiment. The orderlies found their graves in that acre of fire. Usually victories are gained by large masses of men properly posted and skill- fully handled by some eeneral out of the range of fire and looking on at the conflict in absolute safety. But often great battles are won by some fearless commander, who plunges into the thickest of the fight and, while seeing the whole, is ever at the en- dangered points, inspiring his men by his heroic example. It was so with General Rosecrans himself, all whose victories were won by his personal heroism, and Chicka- manga, his so-called defeat, occurred be- cause he could not be everywhere at once over a hilly and wooded field of battle, more than five miles in extent. It was so at Iuka and again at Co- rinth, where, with less than 20,000 men, he met Price and Van Doren with ,000. There, when Dayvis’ division was broken and the Confederates had well nigh clutched success, he rushed into the thickest of the fight and solely by his per- sonal bravery turned defeat into victory. During the "terrible two days’ fight at Stone River he was everywhere at the crit- ical moment and time and again he saved the day. He rode up to Sheridan when he was holding back Cleburne from an at- tempt to turn his flank and 1000 of his men lay dead or dying around him and said, ‘“You are doing bravel eneral,” pointing to his decimated divi: £ Sheridan answered, ‘ Here are all that are left.” “Well,” replied Rosecrans, ‘‘this point must be held—hold it to the last man.” Riding on again he came to a brigade com- mander, who, with two-thirds of his men lying disabled on the ground, was holding another important osition. He was mounting a horse when Rosecrans ac- costed him with, “How goes it, colonel?” The answer was, “You see, general. Only one-third of my men can stand up- right, and this is the third horse that I am moummg.” “Well,” said Rosecrans, “‘we must all die, and we_might as well die to-day as to- morrow. You must hold your ground, colon;l.” And so it was during the whole of those two terrible days—he wgfls continually pres- ent at all the important contested positions of the great fight. To fully realize the awful nature of a battle wherein 100,000 or 200,000 men are engaged one needs to go over the field while the ground stiil bears traces of the desperate strug le. It was thus that, piloted by one of secrans’ aids, who was constantly with him during the fight, I went over the battlefield of Stone iiver.' The different positions were pointed out to me, and I got some idea of the herculean character “of Rosecrans’ achievement. Amonfiuthers I was shown a point where two Kentucky regiments, each about 1000 strong, ‘and recruited from the same r%gmn, met ip one of the most fear- ful conflicts of the entire two days. It was a small patch of wooded ground, and the desperate struggle there had given it the mfimhenm name of ‘‘Hell's Half Aacre.” The trees, mostly oak and voplar, were tall and slender, branching out high above the ground and standing from five to ten feet apart, There was no undergrowth, so I could ride freely over the spot. I did S0, and, inspecting these trees, I did not dis- cover upon any one of them, in front or Tear, twelve inches of square space that was not marked by a Minie ball or a rifle bullet. Standing on the two sides of that small grove of trees, in one short half hour, more than a thousand men were either killed or wounded, and f | for fully half that time Rosecrans. accom- glnied by his senior aid, Major Frank 8. ond, sat his horse within short bullet Tange of the shower of fire from those des- senu combatants, who fought with a erceness engendered by both political and horses, we galloped off through the forest. The underbrush was cleared away, and a rich sward of blue grass covered the eround, but every here and there a great tree cut down for the fortification ob- structed our way. One of these trunks, eighty feet long and nearly ten through at the stump, lay directly across our path. Garfield and I, who rode on either side of the general, reined our horses around the two ends of the tree, and the remainder of the party divided and followed us. But Rosecrans spurred his horse, Toby, di- rectly at the trunk and cleared it at a bound. “That was well done,”” I shouted, fire straight at the mark.” ““It’s the sure way to hit,”” he answered. ‘It reveals to me what made you win at Stone River.” “Well, what was it?” he asked, amilinfi. “Promptitude, directness and the bound- ing leap of that horse, Toby—three things that would carry a cat through Hades without claws.” Among all the military leaders I have known Rosecrans comes ihe nearest to what I have read of Wellington. Jaxes R. GILMORE. [Copyrighted, 1895, by S. 8. McCLURE, limited.] ——— “You NEW TO-DAY. LADIES — AND— GENTLEMEN These preparations are the result of many years’ study of medicine, chemistry and dermatology. 1 submit the names of a few of our leading chemists and physicians to you, and leave you to form your own opinion as to the merits of my dis~ coveries. ANTOINETTE GRAY HAIR RESTORER For Ladies and Gentlemen, Any one in San PFrancisco using this Restorer for Gray Hair or Dandruff will receive their money in full if they are T ot Satisied with results. . Marchand—DEAR MADAM: At your re- uest I have carefully analyzed your G Halr estorer. In my judgment it Is an effective prep- aration and will not injure the hair or the general health. I can cheerfully recommend it to your patrons._Respectfully submitted, W. T. WENZELL, Analytical Chemist. This is to certify that I am well acquainted with W. T. Wenzell, and that I consider him one of the ablest, chemists in San Francisco and a gentleman integrity. e stiigen, DraeT s, trawTox, M.D., Ex-member of Board of Health. I indorse Dr. Clinton's opinion of Professor Wen- s WILLIAM SEARBY, Chemist. ‘This is to cenuuhlt I ¥Y‘IOW PNdeBEOll; ‘Wensell ki him to be correct in every detail. e W. H. LOGAN, Ph.G., M.D, e, Marchand: I have seen your Antoinette Preparations and have tested them and found them to be excellent for the purpose for which they are L C. F. JONES, Chemist. While Tindorse the analysis of Professor Wen- 21l as one of our best chemists I concur in every Fespect in the opinion of C. . Joues as resards tho inette Preparations. Ane i DR. ERNEST- LICHAU. This Is to certlfy that I know Professor Wenzell and believe his report to be correct.. W. M. MURPHY, M.D. The HAIR and COMPLEXION scien= tifically treated. 1 have no FADS, no OUTFITS, no STEAMING. | have something wonderful for superfluous hair. Samples of Creme given away. SEND FOR BOOKLET. HME. MARGHAND, Hair and Complexion Specialist, 121 POST STREET, ROOMS 32-36, Taber’s Entrance. Telephone 1349, de la Creme ere I shall haw’ b S