LATEST OF KIMBERLEY BY A WEST COASTER.

Kumara Times, Issue 3102, 12 October 1886, Page 2

LATEST OF KIMBERLEY BY A WEST COASTER.

Mr W. R. Rath burn writes to the Westport Evening Star, from Wyndham, Oambridga Gulf, on the 9th August, as follows : You will doubtless he surprised at getting this from me at such a short time, utter the last; but things here are at sixes and sevens. The rush so far is a complete failure. Men are coming down every day and selling everything they have got to get money enough to get away. During the last three weeks fully 400 have left bete by steamer and sailing craft, mostly going to Port Darwin, distant about 250 miles, where a railway is about to be started. All the tradespeople here are looking very glum as tlieie is absolutely nothing doing. Fine horses, as good as you would see in a day's travel, are selling from .£6 to £25, with all fittings complete; new collars, 12s 6d each, drays and spring carts, £lO to .214 10s. Nothing but pack horses can at present get to the field. About 70 miles from here a splendidly equipped dray, with ten horses, lies completely smashed up, and for over 150 miles you can get enough firewood to last for a year from the drays that are smashed along the road. Every one is returning with the same cry « Don't go up ! There is no seam or defined load; it is only a patch here and there." I have myself soz. from the held. Prospectors are oat in all directions, from 40 to 100 miles from the field, but up to tho present without success. There is only about four tons of food on the gronnd to supply about 800 men, and us yet there are no police there. Those who were supposed to have gone up have not yet made a start. The Government Resident here is only dp voting the time to whisky instead of work. A little schooner from Auckland, called the Griffin, arrived here last night, three mouths out, all

well. Just fancy 1 When the wet season sets in here everything will be flooded, and nobody will be able to get up to the field. Advise everyone who thinks of comiog not to do so until they receive further news, as such a course would be absolute folly at present. Most of the people here are New Zealanders.

A BOY WITH OATS EYES. A strange oaße is now exciting the attention of the oculists of Chicago. Mrs Quinn, of 471 Wells street, recently visited the State Eye and Ear Infirmary, in company with her son, who possesses the peculiar power of seeing in the daak. Dr. Charles F. Sinclair, the specialist at that institution, was so struck with the case that he called in several other oculists to examine the freak. The boy was taken into a dark room and there various tests were made, which prove beyond a doubt that this is a genuine case. The eyeballs glistened like balls of fire, and npon a close examination it was found that the lad's eyes are formed much in the same manner that a cat's are. The larger portion of the iris is missing, only a small portion being visible on the outer side of each eye. When taken into a dark room an immediate expansion takes place, which enables the boy to see perfectly. A strong light blinds him, and from this same peculiarity the boy is able to see objects at a distance with mueh more clearness than those close at hand. All the oculists are agreed that nothiug can be done for the child. DURATION.OF ANIMAL LIFE. Elephant 100 years nnd upwards, rhinoceros 20, camel 100, lion 25 to 70, tigers, leopards, jaguars, and hyenas (in confinement), about 25, beaver 50, deer 20, stag under 50, wolf 20, fox 15, llamas 14, chamois 25, monkeys and baboons 17, hare 8, squirrel 7, rabbit 7, swine 25, horse and ass 30, sheep under 10, cow 20, ox 30. Swans, parrots, and ravens, 200 years, eagles 100, geese 80, hens and pigeons 10 to 16, hawks 30 to 40, cranes 24, pelicans 40 to 50, blackbird 11, thrush 9, wren 3, nightingale and blackcap 15, linnet 14 to 23, goldfinch 20 to 24, redbreast 10 to 12, skylark 10 to 12, titlark 5 to 6, chaffinch 20 to 24, starling 10 to 12, peacock 28. Carp 70 to 150 years, pike 30 to 40, salmon 16, codfish 14 to 17, eel 16. Crocodile 100 years, tortoise 100 to 200, whale (estimated) 1000. Queen bees 100 to 200 years, drones 4 months, worker bees 6 months.