MISCELLANEOUS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 2, 22 February 1868, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS.

The water of a lake about sixty miles from Houston, Texas, is so sour that it cannot be drunk. Analysis shows that it contains iro>> alum, magnesia, and sulphuric acid. / A Connecticut farmer has elea/d his house of rats by catching one and di>s n g l" m in red paint. He then let hWioose, and other rats, not liking his looj*> left immei diately. / To the rearers of poutt-/ & 0 rapidity with which fowls fatten wh/Wfc ™ the dark is well known ; and dip™ experiment on other animals, whether/V keeping them in the dark or by the/™ 6 ! practice of sowing up their eyelids, fa adopted in India, have led to similar rajf"* 9'9 ' Kbpobt» aTe reached Calcutta that the captain'" 1 * a boat's crew of the Bhip Assam Valhy> having landed on North Andaman jß]Ja,j B ]Ja, were attacked and overpowered by the n4ves, who are cannibals. It is feared that 41 were massacred. Government despatched steamers to rescue the survivors, Bhould any remain. The English Parliament enacted in 1770 that "Whoever shall impose upon and betray into matrimony any of His Majesty's male subjects by scents, paints, cosmetic washes, artificial teeth, false hair, Spanish wool, iron stays, hoops, high-healed shoes, or bolstered hips, should be prosecuted for witchcraft, and that the marriage should be null and void." In Maine, a conductor — too busy, we suggest, saying "Go ahead ! " to be particular ! about wedding formalities — invited his be- ! trothed and a minister into a car, and while the train was in motion was married ; leaving that station a bachelor, at this station he was a married man! "It is but one of a thousand examples of life as it goes in this fast country. —"New York Nation." Onb Kind Tubn, &c— ln 1859, a St. Louis business man, prosperous and happy, caught a thief in his room, who, on pleading for mercy, and promising to lead an honest life, was let off. The merchant failed and became poor and needy. Lately his old acquaintance met him, and on finding out his unfortunate condition, gave him 10,000 dok, as an acknowledgement which he had ':n% intend d to make. — " New York Herr'J.' 1 ; DE eTac Ta zi -ifrz S2-.\— C'rptaiji_ Sir John Rois m&'lo some enormous soundings at sea, one of which, 900 miles west ef St. Helena, extended to the depth of 5000 fathoms, or 3000 feet, or nearly 5J miles j the weight employed amounted to forty-five pounds. Another, made 300 miles west of the Cape of Good Hope, occupied 49£ minutes, in which time 2226 fathoms were sounded. Captain Denham sounded in the South Atlantic 7706 fathoms, or nearly 7.7 geographical miles. If the existing watere were increased by onefourth, they would drown the earth, with the exception of some high mountains. Tabbed axd Feathered. — An unfortunate, named JNeddo, uuCtemout this foarful ordeal in Chatham. Neddo has made himself conspicuous by insulting women. He has, it appears, frequently offended in this way, and the women.being unwilling to bring the matter to court, the men thought they would rueto out justice ; aud, Mr. Neddo having repeated the offence, was nabbed in the street by an indignant relative, kicked and cuffed liberally, and then stripped to the shoulders, and tar poured over his head, face, aud neck. On top of this a coating of featherß being arranged, the miserable man was placed astride a rail. Subsequently ho was loosed by his tormentors, whereupon the boys of the town chased and egged him dowu the street a considerable distance. The- story goes that he has been chased out of Dresden and other places for a similar offence. — " Toronto Globe." ScotrriKa. — " The Jessia Scouts were a body of men dressed in Confederate uniforms, organised by General Fremont ; and thus disguised the Federals managed to obtain any information they wished regarding the numbers or movements of their opponents. The Jessies recognised each other by having a white handkerchief tied round their neck, leaving a long end hanging down over the shoulder." One of his adventures with these men the author relates as follows : — " Whilst returning from Winchester by a short route, • I came suddenly on one of the Jessies in a ; narrow lane leading out to Griffith's Factory. .' I had got on the handkerchief. The fellow rode up cautiously f his pistol drawn, but I , pretended to be tery unconcerned, showing no disposition to draw mine. He rode a I vodib <N t^U||^^jr£^andBtopped when our /horses' h^^^HHßl 'Where are v going p > •jO'cl^^^Bl lnto to wn » fctt^*sS7Sfc i» just mj ctffc