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EXPLORER MACKENZIE. The Hundredth Anniversary of His Over- land J ourney- A ’lllalug to be Remembered and Comment- “ratedâ€"Details of the Exploitâ€"Macken- zie and Other Adventurous Explorers â€"It is Suggested That lllstorlcul Paint- ings Should Tell the Story to Future Yearsâ€"The Explorers Received Scun‘ Reward. One hundred years ago, (July 22, 1793), that tireless traveller and intrepid explorer, Alexander Mackenzie (afterwards Sir Alex- ander), completed the first overland journey north of the Gulf of Mexico, made by any European, to the Pacific ocean. Hearne, acting for the Hudson’s Bay Company, had in 1771, traced the Copperinine river to its mouth on the Arctic ocean. Then the North- V‘Vest Fur Company (1783) came into exist- ence, Montreal being its business centre. That historic district had contributed scores of chivalrous explorers before; but none more devoted, more patriotic, more indefa- tigable, than Alexander Mackenzie. In the preface to his “ Journal of 8. Voyage Through the North-West Continent of America. " (published in 1801) Mackenzie says :â€"“ I was led at an early period ofmy life, by commercial views, to the country north-west of Lake Superior, in North America, and being endowed by nature with an inquisitive mind and enterprising spirit, possessing also a. constitution and frame of body equal to the most arduous undertak- ings, and being familiar With toilsome ex- ertions in the prosecution of mercantile pursuits, I not only contemplated the prac- ticability of penetrating across the continent of America, but was confident in the quali- fications, as I was animated by the-desire to undertake the perilous en-‘erprise.” 0n the 9th of May, 1793, Mackenzie, having left Montreal and arrived at Fort Chipewyan the preceding October, proceed- ed on his Western expedition, following the Peace river, and reaching one of its branch- es, the Findlay; ultimately embarking on the Tatouche (now Fraser) river, believing it to be the main body, or a branch of the great Columbia. Advised by various Indian tribes that THE BUSHING \‘VATERS, cataracts, and gorges were not only perilous, but rendered navigation an impossibility,he eventually retraced a portion of his route, and sixteen days afterwards, reached what he termed “ the cheek of Vancouver’s Cas- cade canal ”-â€"-north-west from Be'ntinck Arm. The journey from Fort Chipewyan to the Cascade canal or Cascade Inlet, as it appears on recent charts, was accomplished in about eleven weeks, phenomenal progress considering the terrible hardships endured, and the almost insurmountable difficulties overcome. The chronicler says :â€" We had no sooner landed than we took possession of a rock, where there was not space for more than twice our number, and which admitted of our defending ourselves witlfladvantageJin case we should be attack- ed. The people in the first canoes (referring to Indian visitors) were the most trouble- some, but after doing their utmost to irri- tate us, they went away. I‘hey were, how- ever, no sooner gone than a hat, a handker- chief and several other articles were miss- ing.” Then a. second boat arrived “with seven stout, well looking men.” Their Eng- lish vocabulary was limited to the monosyll- able “ no.” chiefly employed in refusing to dispose of otter and goat skins at anything like a reasonable price. that day took what did not belong to them, also demanded exorbitant prices for their _wares. Can it be possible that eventually they bequeathed to the whites some modi- .cum of their rapacity? Be that as it may, *Mackenzie did not tamely submit to the de- pletion of what, at best, was a primeval, certainly a limited, wardrobe, and despite the fact that the recent arrivals made ad- vance towards something approaching the affectionate, he kept them at arm’s length. They, however, volunteered the information that “ Macubah” (Vancouver) had been there, “ and left his ship behind a point of land in the channel, south-west of them.” Mackenzie grimly chronicles, “ The natives having left us. . . . I directed the peo- ple to keep watch by two, in turn, and laid myself down in my cloak. ” The morning of the 22nd of July, 1793, was bright and beautiful ; then and there. the man who had a. few years before given his name to what is now an historic Northern river, stamped the sign-manual .of British prowess on the shores of the great Pacific ocean. He thus records the event: - “ I now mixed up some vermillion in melted grease, and inscribed in large char- acters, on the south-east face of the rock on which we had slept last night, this brief memorial:â€"â€"“Alexander Mackenzie, from Canada, by land, the twenty-second of July, one thousand seven hundred and ninety- three.” In no degree enamoured of the peculiar denizens of this region, Sir Alexander, with caution not altogether foreign to the Scot- tish nature, decided that proximity to this particular Indian settlement would neither be conducive to health nor yet beneficial, from an economic standpoint; he accord- ingly directed the boats to proceed north- east three miles, landing at a point present- ing a safe scientific frontier, should ANY MARAUDING EXPEDITION take place during the night. The natives, however, appeared quite willing to steal, but not so anxious to die. hence no attack took place, the adventurers proceeding on their return trip. The next day they reached what is known as “ Mackenzie’s Outlet” on the Salmon river. A guide who deserted evidently aimed at leading the ex- plorer into an ambuscade, within a mile of what, by a stretch of imagination, might be termed a village. Suddenly he was surpris- ed by t\vo men running towards him “with daggers in their hands and fury in their aspect.” He naively adds : “from their hostile appearance, I could not doubt of their purpose.” Certainly, this was a reasonable preposition, and' quite in keeping with an intelligent diagnosis of the situation. Mackenzie presented his gun. Then follosved what proved to be more pantomime, but might readily have been solemn tragedy; the Indians dropped their daggers, the white man let his gun fall into his left hand, drawing his hanger, and the opposing forces approach- ing one another. “One of 'them,” says Mackenzie, “contrived to get behind me and grasped me in his arms. I soon dis- engaged myself from him, and why he did not avail himself of the opportunity which he had of plunging his dagger into use, I The Indians of _ cannot conjecture. They certainly might have overpowered me, and though I should probably have killed one or two of them, I must have fallen at last. ” Atthis juncture reinforcements arrived from the exploring boats, and a “ stampede” on the part of the redskins followed. The blood of the irate Scotchman was by this time bubbling and steaming in his veins; so he tells us, “ I therefore told my men‘ to prim their pieces afresh for an active use of them, if the occasion should require it." He then advanced towards the village and “ made signs for someone to come down.” Eventu- ally, a Plenipotentiary Extraordinary, more dirty than diplomatic, explaining that some evil circulated a story to the that the travellers, shortly before, ha murdered four of the tribe whom they met on the bay,Mackenzie (leni- ed this,produced proofâ€"more of the musket order than simple verbal testimonyâ€"and seeing his advantage, threatened to renew , hostilities unless his linen and other pilfer- ’ed articles were restored, together with a reasonable amount of dried fish. Recon- ciliation followed, the purloined articles were returned, some purchases of salmon, and canoe poles made, and the adventurer mildly intimates that he named the place “Rascai‘s Village.” On Saturday, the 24th of August, the expedition reached the fort, on its return voyage. .‘.‘As we round- ed the point,” writes Mackenzie, and came in View of Fort Chipewyan, we threw out our flag,accompanied with a general dis- charge of our firearms, while the men were in such spirits, and made such active use of their paddles that we arrived before the 2men, whom we'left here in the spring could recover their senses to answer us. 'Thus we landed at four in the afternoon, at the place which we left on the 9th of May. . I received the reward of my labors,for they were crowned with success 1” This then, in brief, is the plain story of a great man’s victory over obstacles seem- i-ngly insurmountable, the story too of an event fraught with tremendous consequenc- es to appeared, genius had effect - o 0 THE BRITISH EM PlRE for the Dominion of Canada claims sover- eignty over the greater portion of theAmeri- can Continent, two oceans are connected by iron bands, and Great Britain controls the shortest and safest route to her possessions in the East. One intrepid spirit, inspiring those whom he directed, accomplished mar- vellous work, and to-day is the centenary of his masterful combat with and splendid I victory over the combined forces of nature and the savage elements owning her sover- eignty. To chronicle this historic journey With all its graphic incidents ; to paint the picture of brave men struggling to assert man’s supremacy ; to describe hairbreadth escapes from flood, and hand-to-hand en- counters with suspicious savages. is not the design of his brief record ; suffice to show that perils were successfully encountered, obstacles surmounted, difficulties overcome. Across snow-packed, tree-strewn gorges; widely-gaping crevasses; through swollen streams and cataracts, roaring above rocky beds; through canyons where human life had never before pulsated ; beneath crash- ing boulders and along ledges seemingly sus- pended in midair; forcing a pathway through trackless mazes of dense forests, these cru- saders accomplished for the. greater pro- tion of the American continent that which entitles them to the love, the respect, the admiration of the present genera- tion. Truly, there were giants in the earth in those days ; a marvellous race of men; faithful unto death, to that which duty dictates ; a galaxy of memorable characters, agroup of Titans who feared naught save failure. Not alone Alexander Mackenzie; long ere his time, 'by land, and sea, and river, hardy pioneers had found a labour of love in the wilds of Lakes Huron, Ontario, and Superior. The French pioneers under Champlain had as- cended the Ottawa ; Fathers Raymbault and Joques had (16-10) penetrated the north shore of Lake Superior and reached Sault Ste, Marie; Albanel had (1671 ) accomplished an overland expedition from Quebec to Hudson Bay, and Noyon visited the Lake of the \Voods ; LaVen'lrye (1731-39) had reached the Saskatchewan, and his son, Chevalier LaVendrye, had penetrated with- in the Rocky Mountain zone ; LaSalle had pierced the interior of America to die by THE HANDS 0F ASSASSI‘SS, and the pious Friar Ribourde (1680), bre- viary in hand, had fallen beneath the war clubs of savages, for whose salvation he had surrendered courtly honours and prefer- ments. It was ordained, however, that Alexander Mackenize should become famous in Western annals, rendering services to civilization far in advance of any other in- dividual explorer. He brought a new world into existence, opened a new field, inspired a. school of hardy enthusiasts, and, ere he passed to his long home, realized in a spirit of humility, yet with justifiable pride, that he had accomplished something worthy, something beneficial, something ennobling, something which would entitle him to the love and respect of future generations. One can well imagine the interest awak- ened in the mind of Alexander Mackenize, as Simon Fraser, fift-een years afterwards ' (1808), arrivel at Fort George, and was ad- vised by thc Indians to turn back or perish â€"the very point where Mackenize decided to retrace his steps, and thus reach the coast by another and shorter route. To read Senator Masson’s quotations from Fra- ser’s “Journal” in “ Le Bourgeois de la Compagnic dc Nord-Ouest,” the appalling dangers are immediately realized; narrow \ canyons, steep precipices, contracting the roaring waters, “turbulent, noisy, andawful to behold,” within a span of thirty feet, rapids, cascades, intercepting rocksâ€"then portaging'beavy loads, packs, canoes, cross- ing ravines, passing along the declivity of mountains, all combined to strike terror into the hearts of the bravest. “ Spuvzum” was reached, where now (1893) stands‘the Canadian Pacific railway station a few miles east of Yale. Little did Simon Fraser dream as he gazed at the scene, that there were those living who would witness the opening of a great transcontinental railway through this weird and apparently impassable country ; that against the face of the rocks, 150 feet above the boisterous river, rails would be laid and trestles brought. into requisition, and the roar of the locomotive heard amid the crags and gorges. and peaks of these terribly impressive wilds, Poor Fraser ; he did his work well, and starved for it. ‘ Then, too, David Thompson, after whom another great river is named; he should rot be forgotten, for these men, Mackenzie Fraser, and Thompson, are one in historical importance. Thompson, in 1800, made an unsuccessful attempt to reach the coast, by way of a. pass supposed to that since utiliz- ed by the Canadian Pacific railway. He was, however, not equal to the task of fighting hordes of Indians, so returned. In 1807, however, he went in the southerly direction, entered Howe’s pass, and reached the Columbia and Kootenay lake. Needless to say, TlIE SUFFERINGS or THOMPSON and his men are described as terrible. A long line of explorers followed, Gabrielle Franchere, Ross Cox, Alexander Henry, D. \V. Harman, John McLeod, Sir George Simpson, Alexander Ross, and hosts of others, each contributed something to the stock of information already furnished. Ason of John McLeod, Malcolm, at pres- ent resides in Ottawa ; his father rendered great service to the country, being an in- trepid explorer and a very able man. Mr. Malcolm McLeod was an earnest advocate of the construction of the Canadian Pacific railway, Writing under the nom de plume of ‘ Brittanicus.’ He is universally re- spected, but being reduced in circumstances, is consequently Without friends. Talk about “ Republics ” being ungrateful ! Savage or civilized,monarchical or despotic, govern- ments, like individuals, too frequently forget to reward according to merit. Then came the railway explorations, the visit of Sir Hector Langevin, the expedition of Mr. Sandford Fleming (appointed chief engineer of the railway, 1872,) the expedition of Adjutant-General Ross, the tour 'made by General Sir W. F. Butler, the perilous trip made by Jarvis and Hanuington, engineers, in 1874, and the various journeyings of Lord Dufierin (1876-’77), the Marquis of Lorne and the Princess Louise (1881-1882), the expedition of Mr. Marcus Smith in con- nection with surveys (1877), Mr. W. C. VanHorne (1884), Sir Charles Tupper (1885), and Lord Lansdowue (1885). Since then millions of passengers have “crossed the Rockies,” perhaps without a thought of Alexander Mackenzie ; perhaps without having heard of Simon Fraser, or dreamed that such a splendid character as David Thompson ever existed. it matters little to the dead ; but what a commentary upon the living ! Mackenzie made Montreal famous ; his very name reflected INCRF ASED SPLENDOR upon her commerce, her industries, her business energy ; it did more, for the Dominion of Canada profited by his indifati- gable labour, and to-day points proudly to a great national work, which, without the M ackenzies, the Tliompsons, and the Frasers, would be but an empty dream. Mackenzie was honoured with a knighthood; Fraser was offered one, but declined it be- cause he was starving to death; honours were cheap, bread dear. Thompson, too, was allowed to go to his grave a pauper, and to-day no monument, no historic paint- ing, nor national testimonial commemorates the chivalrous devotion of three great ex- plorers to a country which has become one of the richest and most promising portions of British North America. ' A chronicler sadly says: “ Simon Fraser died at St. Andrews, above Montreal, at the age of S9, and leaving no provision for his family.” And of David Thompson, “He lived to be 87, dying at Longueuil, opposite Montreal, on February 16th, 1857, itis sad to write, in extreme poverty,” Simon Fraser left relatives, and a small, very small P111510“. is now allowed some of them. Some months ago Mr. Sandford Fleming. C. M. G., whose admirable addresses have been listened to, and whose writings perused with pleasure by all interested in historic subjects appertaining to Canada, made a powerful appeal at the Canadian Institute, in Toronto, advocating “ Cana- dian Historical Pictures,” the learned gen- tleman especially referring to Sir Alexander Mackenzie’s explorations, Via Peace River to the Pacific coast. Apparently the ap- peal has been in vain. The last spike in the Pacific railway was driven in 1885 ; fortunes have been made and immense con- tributions given by scores of wealthy men towards various public institutions ; but no sound of that which would make Canadians proud of their country, and anxious to emu- late the deeds of early pioneers; no whis- per that an historical institute is to be es- tablished and endowed ; no announcement that public assistance will be given, and scenes transferred to canvas for preser- vation during generations to come. ___.._____._ A Girl in a Bear's Den- A highly respectable Indian gentleman, a member of the Bombay Anthropological Societyâ€"Mr. Sarat Chandra Mitraâ€"has come forward with an apparently well authenti- cated story of a girl who has been discover- ed in Jalpaiguri in the den of a bear. The young person’s habits were decidedly bear- ish, for she tried to bite and scratch those who came near her, went down “on all fours” for locomotion, and “growled at meals.” The orphanage of the new Dispen- sation Church in Calcutta could make noth- ing of the ferocious foundling, who, has consequently been removed to Bas Aram, a refuge founded and supported by Brahmo gentlemen in that ci y. Nor is this all. A Bhagal Zemindar has captured in the jungle a wild boy, whose only approach to speech is the utterance of chattering sounds like those of a monkey. Col. Sleeman and the Rev. Mr. Lewis, of the Secundra Church Mission, have vouched for similar stories. Mr. Mitra is of opinion that when, as some- times happens, an infant child is abandoned in the bush, there is nothing absurd in the idea that it might be adopted by a. female wild animal that had lost her young. W Playing the Fool- Some years ago there lived in a village near Glasgow an old man» named Ritchie who, in spite of a deficiency in intellect, was remarkable formaking very apt and witty remarks. ' On .one occasion, he was just entering the gates of the drive leading up to the house of the squire of the village, who was giving a dinner party the sa me evening, when he was overtaken by one of the guests. The gentleman immediately greeted the old man with the words : “ Well, Ritchie, I suppose you are going up to the house to play the fool to-night ?” “Nay, Mr. George,” said Ritchie. “I was a-going; but now I may as well turn back, for l reckon master won’t Want two of us.” Why She Took Him. " Charlie (in ruptures) “ So you will marry me ! Tell me do you love me ’3” Clara : “ No, I don’t; but Agnes Murray does, and I hate her.” ., THE NAVY OF CHINA. The Ships She Could Furnish in Case of Complications with France. The possibility that China may side with Siam in the latter country’s dispute with France, has lent much interest to the ques- tion of her present naval capabilities. Nine years ago she Was beaten by France with great ease, and one of her most important squadrons was completely used up by Ad- miral Courbet in the engagement of Min River. The French did not need to put out their full strength, but truimphed by appli- ances which cost them very little loss‘ or exertion. They used their torpedo boats to a large extent for blowing up the Chinese war ships. mowed down their crews with Hotchkiss revolving cannon, and captured many of the batteries along the river, de- stroying the cannon with gun cotton. Some forts they left intact, simply. because they would not expose their own men to 'a. heavy musketry fire. There and at Sheipoo the French caused a terrible slaughter with the most businesslike and economical use of their own forces ; and the utter inferiority of her own navy was most disheartening to the Middle Kingdom. . But during the last nine or ten years China has made a decided advance in her navy. She had, indeed, already begun to establish a strong naval force before the war of 1884. Of course there is no compari- son between her fleet aud the splendid one of France; but FOR DEFENSIVE PURPOSES, at along distance from the base of the latter country, and with the aid afforded by shal- low or easily obstructed rivers, it is worth considering. At all events, it would be an enormous addition to. the weakness of Siam. British dockyards have furnished many war vessels to China. _ Among the earliest were a number of gunboats of 1,350 tons displacement, which were almost the foun- dation of her navy. More important were two Elswick-built, double-bottomed, pro- tected cruisers, the bhih-Yuan and Ching Yuan, of 2,300 tons, which had a speed, very high for their day, of 18; knots, pro- cured by triple expansion engines, and a bunker capacity of 450 tons. The main battery of each consisted .of three Bil-inch Krupps and two 6-inch, protectedby shields, and the secondary battery was of eight 6- pounder rapid-fire'Iâ€"Iotchkiss rifles and six Gatlings. They had each four torpedo tubes, their conning towers had three inches of armor, and they were electrically equipped. Other vessels built at Elswick, still later, are the Yang VVoi and Tchao Yong, of 1,350 tons, 2,400 horse power speed of 16.2 knots, aihd 18.8 knots, and batteries of Armstrong ri es. Stettin has also provided many modern steel war vessels for China. The Vulcan Building Company furnished two cruisers of about fifteen knots, carrying two 8-inch and eight Alfi-inch Armstrong guns. , Much more famous were THE ARMORCLADS Ting Yuen and Chen Ynen, built at the Stettin \Vorks. They were of 7,400 tons displacement, and had a speed of fifteen knots. Besides steel protective decks, they had water-line belts of 14!,- inches of com- pound armor and the main battery of each included four 12-inch Krupp guns, protect- ed by an armoured breastwork, and two smaller Krupps, while each also carried eleven Hotchkiss cannon and tubes for tor- pedoes. Another pair of armored vessels built by the Vulcan Works were the King Yuan and the Lai Yuan. Like those just men- tioned, they are double-bottomed steel vessels, carrying compound armor, having a maximum thickness of 9!; inches. They carry two Si-inch Krupps, mounted en bar- bctte in the bows, surrounded by an arm- ored breastwork, besides 6-inch Krupps, together with good secondary batteries and torpedo tubes. The Tsi Yuen, built at Stettin, is a l5-knot, 3,200-ton cruiser, carrying two Sit-inch and three 6-inch Krupp guns, with Hotchkiss revolving cannon and Whitehead torpedoes. Still an- other order to the Stettin Works for two large coast-defence vessels. Moreover, China has also shipbuilding re- sources of her own. Her yard at Foochow is indeed a. most noticeable proof 'of the advance of the empire in modern naval science. It is situated on the Min River, and was originally established by a French officer in THE SERVICE OF CHINA. Docks, machine shops, and rolling mills have been added, and it is a busy scene of . construction. At this point was built the armored coast-defence vessel Ping Yuen of about 2,600 tons and 2,400 horse power. She is only about as fast as our Mianton- omoh, but has a water-line belt of eight in- ches and a two-inch protective deck. She has a lOiinch Krupp gun at the bows, in a 5-inch breastwork, two 6-inch guns amid- ships, eight small rapid-fire guns, and four torpedo tubes. Later ships there construct- ed are the Kong Hi and Kong Bui, two torpedo gun boats of about 1,000 tons. The Kuang Keug, Kuang Yi, Kuang Ping, and Kuang Ting, completed at the Foocbow Ar- senal, have each ii. length of 230 feet, a beam of 271;, a mean draught of 12, and a displacement of 1,030 tons. They have a 1-inch complete steel dock, a 2-inch conning tower, carry three 4.72-inch Armstrong rapid-fire guns, with 12 lighter pieces, and have horizontal compound engines of 2,400 indicated horse power. One of them made lG-._l knots on trial. Perhaps the similarity of names may have led to some duplication in this record of vessels, but at all events at a recent date China had six armoured vessels and twenty- six unarmoured, built or building, of a (lis- tinctively modern character, without reck- oning miscellaneous craft. She has suffered a great less in the Withdrawal of Admiral Lang, a Captain in the British navy, who had organized and drilled the Chinese navy, and greatly improved it. But, as it is, she could furnish much help to Siam in her fleet,apart from the question of land forces. Her factory also builds steel breech-loading rifles from ingots furnished and rough- turncd in England. «H ' ‘Love and Smoke. She didn’t like smokingâ€"so I quit At her request for a little whileâ€"- But, oh ! I minded it nota bitâ€"â€" I found my reward in her sweet smile I’ve taken it up again once more, I saw no reason for stopping when She laughed at the tender love I swore And kept on flirting with other men. ._ THE WONDERFUL WEST-lat" Mormons Like “ the Army ” and Cinnamon are Indispensable- nrlght :in'd Dark Sides of Life in the Great Western Cities. There is always something new and won- derful in‘the great West. The latest is that the Mormons in Utah have become addict- ed to the Salvation Army ! ' A Montreal gentleman, who has just re- turned from a trip to the Pacific coast made this discovery. “ The Latter Day Saints of Salt Lake City,” he observed, “ have always been at drawn swords with their Gentile neighbors, so it was a great surprise to me to hear that they had given to Staff-Capt. Blanche Cox, so well known in Montreal, the free use of their vast- tabernacle, capable of seating 8,500 people comfortably, fora. series of Sal- vation meetings. These meetings were most success'ul. The Mormons even went furth- er for they paid quite a large sum for the lighting of the building. “ A stranger staying in the hotel section 9f any great western city realizes that thcrr is a. ‘ DARK SIDE OF LIFE of which the ordinary church-goer, residing uptown, knows very little. The forces of evil, drink, gambling, immorality, vile dance halls. and other forms of vice are painfully prominent and as one lboks at the crowds that throng the streets, he feels that in merely preaching to the church-going classes that are already interested in Chris- tianity,the churches have hitherto been only playing at religion. They are waking up to their responsibilities, however, for mis- sion halls, after the style of that founded by Jerry MeCauley in New York, and'other such movements are spreading rapidly ,with the aim of reaching those who will not go to the church services. ' ' ' “.Chinatown, in San Francisco, occupies” a very central locality. It is’only A FEW BLOCKS EACH \VAY, but a great number of people are crowded ' together in that small space.' In spite of the outcry against the Celestials, it is diffi- cult to see how they could do without them in British Columbia. They take the place of thehouse servants, which can hardly be had there at any price. Great care must be taken to train them rightly when they begin, for as they first learn they' continue ever after, itis said. The story is told of a lady who taught a Chinamen how to make a. cake. When breaking the eggs, the third one was found to be bad so she threw it away. The Chinamen learnt the lesson so well that ever afterwards he insisted on throwing away the third egg, in spite of all remonstrances 1 They do nearly all the ditching of British Columbia, and also \VORK AS FARM LABORERS. Near Vancouver it is quite common for them to take a small piece of land, say five acres, and transform it from its natiirallstatc into a first-class market garden. The present immigration tax of $50 per head meets with pretty general approval, for it does not pro~ hibit their entrance, while it prevents the country from being overflowed by them, and at the same time yields the Government a. handsome revenue. THE SALMON CANNERIES on the Fraser River are preparing for a great catch this year. The great ‘ Sockeye’ run is not expected till August, and in the mean- time gangs of Chinamen are working hard preparing the tins. One of the canneries alone is able to handle over 30,000 fish each day. There are bitter feuds on the river between the ‘ whites’, the Italians, the Japs, the Chinese, and the Indians, and there is some fear that there may be bloodshed before the season is over. Nearly all the actual canning is done by Chinese, while the others man the boats. The Indians west of the Rockies are fortunately an industrious, selfâ€"supporting race, allied to the Toltecs anl Aztecs of Mexico, and entirely differ- ent from those in the North- West Territor- ies. ' â€"-â€"â€"â€"â€"â€".â€"â€"-â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€" Whence do Snails Obtain Their. Shells ? According to Professor Huxley, the shell of the snail is built up of successive excre- tions of membranous laminae, in which granules of carbonate of lime are deposited, these granules gradually increasing in size by the addition of fresh calcareous matter, which the snail derives mainly from the plants on which it feeds. Snails are never found on soils which produce no lime. The shell-forming organ of the snail is technical- ly called the mantle,being the delicate mem- branous portion of its body beneath the shell. Where the mantle is united to the tough skin of the foot, it becomes greatly swollen and forms a sort of collar, the edge of which may be .seen curling round the reflected “ lip ” of the shell when the snail is crawling along. The extension of the shell as its tenant grows is entirely effected by this swollen margin of the mantle, which carries the pigment cells, or glands, that secrete the coloring matter forming bands or patterns on the shell. The rest of the mantle is devoid of pigment glands, and merely deposits layers of shelly matter on the interior, thickening and strengthening the habitation. In the same way injuries to the shell are repaired. If only the mouth of the shell be broken, the fractured portion is restored with all its proper col- ours and markings by the collar of the mantle ; but if a portion of the spiral be destroyed, the breach is closed by opaque colorless matter deposited by the other parts of the mantle. It is a singular fact that even the baby snail begins its work of build- ing before it is hatched. Even when in the egg the little creatures are found to have formed a thin shell. Whencs and Renee. Vthnoc come these vague suggestions of it thought, ~ Seeming like memory though never caught? They flash across the soul and then away. Almost recalling what we cannot say. A half-remembered something of the past, That soon behind forgetfulncss is cast. The retrospective ray has hardly shown This spectre of the past ere it is gone. These memories are not of this our sphere. They come from other realms, we know no: where. . Perhaps some star was our prenatal home, From whence on leaving it we hither conic. ' May be our spirits, through their other flig at Arc flasllictd from world to world like rays of lig l v, And by the laws of evolution. borne Onward and upward through the set :13. known. -,.;,-::_':‘;;::i::_,):.:,.-. :="- ' ' .i.‘