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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 16, 19 January 1871, Page 4

A CURIOUS story comes irom down West, which, if true, is calculated to upset some of the favorite theories of the geologists. It says that on the great Yuma desert, forty miles north of San Barnardiuo, aud thirty miles west of Los Paimos, was formetly a shallow salt lake, ■which has recently disappeared, revealing the wreck of a large vessel embedded in the sand. There can be no mistake. about it. Nearly one-third of tbe forward part of the ship or bark is plainly visible. The stump of the bowsprit remains, and portions of the timbers are perfect. No inscription, log-book, valine, or other article has been found, by which the strange craft can be identified, and the question is — How came she there ? It is forty miles from the nearest road, and, so far as known, nobody but Indians have ever passed that way. They could never have built a ship, aud if they had, they could never have floated it on that shallow lake. It is hardly rational to suppose anybody would attempt the passage of the plaius in such a vehicle, and the more ths editor thinks about it, the more he don't know. In the light of geology, we see but one possible solution of the question. It is the scow of some reckless Canadian who started to hunt for gold in California, and was shipwrecked on the way. It probably happened about the time the Rocky Mountains first came above water, and interfered witb overland navigation. Mr.CLAitKSON's celebrated bicycle, '•' The Wandering Star," seems to have astonished the old people in the Western district, Victoria. When crossing tbe Stony Rises, near Colac, an old shepherd rushed breathlees into the nearest hut, and declared that he had seen an apparition rushing at a terrific pace over the Rises, nnd that it was neither a horse nor a kangaroo, but before the people had arrived at the door the rushijpg monster had disappeared. The circumstance, from which the bicycle derives its name occurred at Mortlake, where Mr. Clarke was exercising one night, and of course had his lamp lighted. Next morning an old lady went to a local editor, and informed him that she had seen an extraordinary phenomenon in the shape of a star, red at tyvo sides, .with a white centre, runniug rapidly along the ground, and suddenly disappearing down "a cuttin" — hence its name, " The Wandering Star." Severe Logic. — A gentleman who has lived in a mosquito neighborhood for several years and has had a good opportunity to study the effect of having been bitten,gives his adviceas follows :--"A good remedy is to let the biting operation be continued until fioished. If when the :;insect;has alighted inserted his. beak : and injected the poison, the hand of the victim comes down and finishes' the' insect's earthly . career, the, poison remains in the wound, and pain is experienced., If however, the operation is not interrupted, and "the voracious monster has leave to drink his fill, he.iiilirucally draWs.back into his own obdorfneniaj cavitities the rankliug poison, in company with the sufferer's blood. The sufferer will then feel no. inconvenience from the bite. ,, -~ American Paper.

Parisian Beef and Rabbit. — The "Besieged Resident," who scuds letters from Paris to tlie London Daihj News says iv a recent communication, " I dine habitually at a bouillon ; there horseflesh is eaten in the place of beef, aud cat is called rabbit. Both, however, are excellent, aud tbe former is a little sweeter than beef, but in other respects much like it. ; the latter something between rafflSt and squirrel, with a flavor all its own. Tt is delicious. I recommend those who have cats withphilo-progeuitive proclivities, in- j stead of drowning the kittens to eat them; either smothered in onions or in a ragout, they aro capital eating. When I return to London I shail frepuently treat myself to cue of these domestic animals, and ever feel grateful to Bismarck for having taught me that cat served up for dinner is the right animal in the right place. A South-western Pai*eii thus epitomises Lynch law : — ,£ Four Kentuckians, in gaol for murdering a neighbor, had a surprise party from a hundred or two citizens the other night. They hadu't any last words ready, and wouldn't have had time to say them if they had. All leave families." A destructive lire has taken place at Sydney by which Mrs. James Pemell and Co.'s Brisbane Flour Mills, Paramattastreet, were destroyed. The loss is estimated at about, £10,000, of which £6000 is covered by insuruuee. Burned to Death. — A single man named Dennis M'Manus, a gum digger, was burned to death in his whare near Riverhead, Auckland. He went to sleep, it is supposed, leaving a lighted candle burning, and the next morning his charred remains were found. English '('pinion on War. — The actively political portion of <h-5 working class, on the other baud — a very small portion, by the way —is generous to rashness in the exuberance of its sympathy with the young republic. Led by Professor Beesly and Dr. Cousreve, n certain number of London working-men have declared that the duty of England is active intervention, if Germany-persists in her demands. . At a meeting held on Thursday night, at the Sussex Hotel, Bouverie-s freer, a resolution embodying this declaration was carried, after a very warm discussion, by "a large majority." It was carried, too, after speeches iv which it was contended that it would be a rather trifling matter than otherwise for England to embark in this war against tbe hugest of European Powers ! Twenty thousand men, landed in Normandy, might probably be enough! Professor Beesly and the other instructors of the working-classes in politics have as perfect a right to advocate a war policy as any other they think right, but hardly to recommend "Shat policy by the most sanguine illusions. There is an old saying, for which Professor Beesly has evidently no great regard, but which all politicians are obliged to respect, and even working-men, if they would be true politicians — " What king going to make war agaiust another king sitteth not down first and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand,?" How much more, if it should be whether he be able with 20,000 to meet him that cometh against him with -200,000 ?— Spectator.