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Htilli Wt WITH AMAZON. franco Ready at Last to Path Her War With Dahomey. K...II 1 ...in. KIDS; it. ii.iii/m Threatens to live Ikr frrarh late Ike ra < anr er Ike rrrsesii Troshlr .4 >allesi Ikal ...i u i . M ..mm t m. MI- lit llr.i Holdlrra Among all civilized nations the white flag is the emblem of truce or ot defeat. In Da- homey, the BOSI warlike of all African Sutra, it U thn national emblem, symboli- csl of tbe power of the King, a standard to be upheld, or the glory of the land will fade. The white flag of Dahomey is again assailed by a Kuropeau power. France is ready at last to push forward with energy her war against tbe proud and reckless young King. Behanzin, whose violation of pledges anil invasion of French territory are no longer to lie tolerated. Tbe French Chamber voted $000,000 to carry on the war. On June 17 France de- clared the blockade of tue coast to prevent the importation of firearms. Re-enforce- ments from Senegal have arrived at Kotonu, and 4.0<JO French troops have occupied Why- dab, Dahomey's only port. France would have taken the offensive ertrlier if she had been prepared. The regular rainy sea- son of the past four months, however, would have rendered aggression difficult ; and the French have improved the interval to com- plete their preparations. A Scottish shipbuilding firm beat the rec- ord in the celerity with which it turned out a large guuboat for France's use on coast lagoons and tbe Wheme River This iron vessel, the Opal, was completed in twenty- three days after work hail begun. No Frenoh firm would agree to build it in leu than from four to ten mouths. It will carry 400 sol iicrs, and its armament consists of THRU RKVOI.VIHI: <-ANM>!* in looted on the bridge, and four rapid firing guns on the spar deck. If France decides to capture the capital. Abomey. this light- draught gunboat can approach within a few miles of the town. This war has been brought about by viola- tion of pledges on the part of l!ehanzin. At the close of the war of 1S.S9. France made a treaty with the King by which, in considera- tion of an annual pension of 'JO.UOO francs, he recogni/ed France's rights along the coast, and agreed to stop his raids into the Frei.ch protectorate of Porto Novo, long the favorite hunting ground of Dahomeyan rulers for slaves ana victims to sacrifice m their fetich riter Late last fall the King violated his agreement by sending expeditions into Porto Novo, where they surprised several unsus peeling towns aud dragged hundreds of people to Abomey. When the Lieutenant- (>overuor of the French colony protested, the King sent an insolent letter declaring that he recognizeti no treaty, that he hail a right in Porto Novo because his fathers for ages had been the su/erains of that country, aud that he should continue hi* forays if be chose, because all the regtin occupied by the French belonged to him ; and yet, as he knew very welt, his giandfather. King lie- lele, fourteen years ago gave up to France all rights to the port ot Kotonu, and he him- self had recognized France 'scls'ms to Porto Novo. Tbe young man has since sent word to the French that if they touch one of his towns in tbe interior he will at once destroy Porto Novo and all the French pos's. He U carried away with an idea of his power and the prowess of his Amazons, and un- doubtedly believes 'ie can drive the French into the sea. It has been characteristic of all rulers of Dahomey to entertain unduly exalted opinions of their importance. When King Gelele, tor instance, heard that liermaiiy had defeated France, he remarked : " Why did not my brother, the Kmperorof France, ask me for aid ? I could have sent him sol- diers, and then I am sure he would have won." Behanzin is the great grandson of Geee, the most powerful ruler I>ahomey ever had, who reigned between ISIS and 1S58. The present ruler is a most extract dinary mixture uf civilization and barbarity. The dominant note of his character is un- limited vanity. While a boy he spent some time in Paris, where he learned to read French. To this day he receives his copy of the Of' ul, which is brought from the coast to his capital by a special messenger. His vanity was greatly tickled when he heard that * session of the French Parlia- ment, last winter, was devoted to a discus- sion of his august person and kingdom, and he displayed his gratification by dancing around the copy of the ntf.-ul which con- tained tho news. In ordinary times the army of Dahomey is compose I of 2,0110 Amazons and 4, MX) to 5,1)00 men warriors. This is the well-drilled, standing army, which, in peace, is kept at or near the capital, ready to march any- where at a moment'* none- When an important war is on hand the King calls out the reserve, which increases the ilrength of hix at my to 12.000 or 15,000. The most unique features of Dahomey are its large force of women warriors ami its terrible system of religious sacrifices, in which hundreds of III'MIN VICTIMS are butchered at the capital every year. Dahomey is the only country in the world which makes women a part of its military system. In the year IT'.fl the King, hard prnsse.l by enemies, placed a large number of women upon his fortifications to deceive the besieging army with regard u> hie mili- tary strength. These women acted with sucn unexpected gallantry and engaged with such abandon and ferocity in the battles which brought victory to Dahomey that they were organize.) into a permanent regiment, and women have ever since been among the bravest soldiers of the land. The flower of the fair sex ii likely to get into the army as well as nearly all the strong- minded women, the viragos, and the un- faithful wives. Now and then the king takes a consort from his women regiments, but no other man may marry them. Bourn' to perpetual maidenhood, they know that a cruel death will be their punishment if they are found to violate their vows of chastity. There are occasions, however, when violation of these vows is permitted and the moral code is completely relaxed. When tbe Kiug sends his Am&zons through the country to enlist men tor the army the fair recruiting agents are permitted to use any inducement they please to tempt men into the ranks. The womeu are taught that they are not weak, bat strong. F.very womanly sentiment is sup- pressed, and trn-y become unaoxed and nat rally lirocibiu.' But after all, ths system of women soldiers is a sonres of weakness as well as of strength to tho country. Da- homey is rich in soil aud in resources, but iU population is not large and U decreasing. It has leas than 300,000 people. Thecoun- try cannot afford to keep a large number of celibate women in its garrisons. In the natural order of thinn these women would be the mothers of thousands of children ; but not only are the additions thny make I to the population most insignificant, but I also most of the women captured in war be- come merely the camp followers and ser- vants of the Amazon*, and are under the same restrictions as to celibacy. Two Englishmen, Messrs. Skertchly and Burton, made a very careful study of the Amazons. ISurton said they showed the moat desperate courage and recklean daring, and are very formidable enemies. Skertch- ly said that Amazons delight in nothing more than in polishing their gun barrels, which gleam like silver in the sun. The French gained a vivid idea of their FKIUX'ITT IN UATTLK during the late war, when, umler deadly fire from the French fortifications, they made charge after charge up to the works. When at last. put. t > flight and pursued, dying women on the ground caught some of the \ French troops by the legs and tried to throw them down andttab them with their aw irds. All Dahomeyan soldiers, neu and wom- en, have a ration of intoxicating liuuor be- fore they go into u title. The French say that in the war ot 1889-90 the perfect reck- lessness of the Amazons was doubtless in- creased by liberal potations of gin. The I women bad just enough liquor to make them [ devilish without interfering with their pow- ers of locomotion. Cue picture ot it gives a very faithful idea of their military dress. Their sleeveless | tunic* of blue and white native cloth, their 'skirts falling to the knee, and their short | trouter* make it easy to distinguish them | from the nearly naked male warriors. On parade in the capital they wear a head orna- ' ment of horn tips which, however, is not I worn in battle. Neither do they, when ad- vancing toward the enemy, wear the bells seen in the picture and winch are always hung around th;ir necks in times of peace. Ths well-known tinkle of the Amazon bell makes pn-clamation to all the male creation | that it is high time to scurry down the by- ways or get ont of sight somewhere to avoid I meeting the King's soldiers : for the man , who dares to keep the road when an Amaton ! approaches pays for his temerity with his life. On all the 'ughways these women are . more isolated from the other ssx than any ' nun. Skertchly said it made his bloud boil , to be compelled to slink out of view like a \ tbiet whenever be heard that odious bell. Another picture is taken from a sketch by a French officer of a scei.* he witness- ' ed at one of the battles near Kotonu, ' three years ago, when two Amazons) armed with bows and arrows were advancing on a dead run, one of them flourishing aloft the bloody heads of two Senegalese noldiers which she had just severed from their bodies. Their weapons are blundsrbuacs), flint- locks, and bows and arrows. Their plan of , warfare is slways to take ths enemy by [ surprise. They usually march to the at- tack in the gray of the morning and before i the enemy is awake they are upon him with their impetuous war cry and tierce on- slaught. Mr. I'haudouin says he saw 4.UUO i Amazons in 1SH9 gronped around the Kiog, perfectly motionless as they stood in line but ready to bound at a signal from their muter. Old or young, homely or haod- i some, they were a remarkable spectacle. They appeared every whit as muscular as the male warriors and their bearing was military. The crowd of people approached I too near and a half di v.en A ma/on i walked along the line flourishing their guns and crying with imperious gesture " H*.k, back," whereupon the crowd made luisle to retire to a safe distance. After the late war King Behanzin caused a number of Amazons to be beheaded on the ! charge of cowardice. He endeavors in every { way to make them perfectly fearleae and indifferent to pain. Mr. Borghero describes a sham fight that he witnessed at the caui- ' tal a few years ago. Thousands of bundles of thorny cactus bushes made an obstruc- tion 1,. tOO feet long, 'Jo feet broad, and 7 feet high. Beyond this obstruction roae the framework of a house of the same length and sixteen feet broad .tnd high, t he two slopes of iU roof covered with a bed of thorns. The : barefooted women three times nurmountc I ; the heap of thorns, scaled the house, aud ' then appeared before the King, their fet ' and legs covered with blood, and their faces wreathed with smiles of triumph. Three | thousand womeu took part in this astuuud ing spectacle. them obey implicitly all the laws and regu- lations of their king. The are fairly in- dustrious aud have attained a sort of negro semi-civili/.nuon. They represent one of the finest types uf the black race, are above medium stature, have bright intelligent faces, and powerful physique, and it in only in war or in the practice uf their religious customs that they display remarkable feroc- ity and fanaticism. The King is an led in Ina (invorument by a council composed of his principal chiefu ; but in spite of lus minUUrra and his own nearly absolute authority, he is still sub- missive to ths occult power of fetich. The people to-day would rise en masse against their King if he undertook to suppress the fetich doctors and abolish the lime-honored sacrifices. One curious religious law im- posed upon the Kiug by the fetich priest* forbids him to look upon the sea. Tins Isw wu doubtless made to prevent the King from comiug too much under the influence of the whi'e men who might persuade him to forget '.he customs of bis country and overthrow fetich tarn. The sentiment in France seems to be agamst taking possession ot the capital, AUnmey, unless this ttep ia positively ne- cessary to insure the safety of French in- terests. Ii is not improbable, however, that France will be compelled compUtely to sub- jugate Dahomey before an enduring peace is secured. The road from Whyiiah to Abomey is only sixty live miles long, but it is a difficult route, lying through forest andnwamp. lithe French advarce to the capital they will very likely approach it by the route from VVbydah, aud also send an expedition up tha Wheme Kiver on the new gunboat Opal. C'nna, the sacred city >f tho country, is eight miles south of Abomey. A large part of the army is said to be now at L'anna, and 3,000 of the King's troops are at Gndome, only a few miles from the coast. Abomey occupies a rolling plain nearly snr rounded by marsh. Thocity is eight miles in circumference, and is surrounded by clay walls pierced by six gales. The population is 12,000. The French hop to make the campaign short, and it is certain that Dahomey can offer no effective resistance. .i rsaerisl to . Ju.riik lewe. The trustees of Victoria Park, Truro, N. S. , propose, io erect a memorial to Hon. Joseph Howe, oue of Nova Scotia's most famous sons. With ths object of bringing the project before the public, they propose to hold a picnic in the park on the afternoon of tin- 'Hh mat., on which occasion Rev. I'r.ni'ipal tirant, of Queen's University, will deliver an oration on Mr. Howe. It may be mentioned here that one of the most charming features of the park is wlia. is known as the " Truro Falls," w!n.:h are situated about half a mile to the south of tile railway stat:uu. This 1 ively waterfall was first brought to the notice of the public some sixty years ago by the late Mr Ho*e. The falls were then m the nil. 1st of an al- most impenetrable wilderness, but Mr. Howe pushed his way to the spot over rocks and windfalls, aud through thickets of brush, till suddenly th* view of tho falls burst upon him. The impression produced by ths first sight uf the lovely scene was almost an inspiration. He t once made a pen and and ink sketch of the place, which was published in the Nova Scolian news paper of which he was then the proprietor. The <ketch is a masterpiece of composition, and will compare favourably with anything of the kind in Knglish literature. The falls huvebeenaversiuce associated with the name of Mr. Howe. Th trustees are desiruu to make this association still cloeer and mure intimate. They have substituted his name for that of Truro. by which they were formerly known, and they propose to erect 111 the neighbourhood a memorial in his honour. II fX O are a feature of the religious customs. In Abomey, during the annual sacrifices, 500 or more victims are put to death to appease the gods and carry messages to the King's ancestors in the other wcrld. These soci iticej are very elaborate. Ths victims, tied hand and foot, are fastened into the baskets) and carried to the top of a platform twenty test from tlie ground. Here the King, under his i umbrella of state, imparts the messages ho I desires the victim to take to the other world, They are then raised aloft and dashed to ' tin. ground where, a crowd of Amazons and 1 common people ruah with the greatest fury i upon the poor wretches, cut off th*ir heads I and often divide their bodies into many | pieces. Ciov. Bayol. while in Abomey m 1890, was a spectator of this scene. He says that he saw an Amazon about nineteen years old rush upon one of the victims. She was a new recruit, and had not yet killed any- body, and it was desired to put her to the test. With her sharp-edged sabre, held in both hands, she struck the victim three blows on the neck, then chopped off the j last pieces of flesh that still held the head to the trunk, after which she carefully wip- ed her sabre and retired to the ranks. Alli- gators, cats, and other animals are also sac- rificed to carry messages to their kind. If Behanzin makes the French too much trouble during the coming campaign, they may r.os- sibly seud him himself to interview his an- cestors. The victims are invariably criminabi or captives of war collected to make a negro holiday. When Europeans protest to the Kings of Dahomey against these terrible sacrifices, they are told that not only does this slaughUr give great satisfaction to the gods, but also it. ja the only way to make a groat jail delivery. If they aid not kill their criminals, they say, it would take too many soldiers io supprcus evil doers. And yet Dahomey ii not a people of savages. I'mler ordinary circumstances the populace aro gentle aud easy to influence. Most of A > " i :.. 111 i-! Law. The other day a man charged at a London (Eng i polu-econrt .with being drunk and .us- orderly vainly urged in mitigation ol the pun ushrnent that " he was on.y dead drunk," and not " leg drunk,'' a subtle distill, lou which the magitlr it<- WHS unable to recog- nize: liut at the Stafford Assirea a day or two later Mr. Coltius, another Knulish pi*' ice, grappled with the (|ueation of thediltcniiice between "a suber intention " and "a drunk- en impulse," and in doing so laid down the law in a novel manner, calculated to drivi- teiiiperancn and other fair minded iM-upie into a Ireu/.y of indignation. Harry I'ugh, a miner, was charged with the murder of Anna tlili by drowning her. The couple had Iwen drinking heavily together, nnd, .ling to the statement made by I'ugh, they agreed to commit auicido in company :> .t <!ecp pool, but when they got into the wattf liie woman * 'seized him, held him under, and nearly did for him, but he got the better of her and drowned her." Tho case looked very black indeed against I'ngii until the evidence was produced to show that both he and the woman hod been heard to declare their intention to commit suic. dr. Thereupon Justice Collins directed the jury that before there could lie a common pur- pose "the minds of two persons mutt have been in a condition sufficiently clear to en- able them to frame an intention of that kind. Drunkenness, although often sud to bn no d:"iMice to crime, was a material factor when proved. Intention was a necessary ingredient of crime, fora pel ton might be so drunk as to b<j incapable of forming an intention." Tbe Passassa <!. The Panama Canal will undoubtedly some day b* finished. Once completed, even ac- cording to its present modified plans, it would be far more convenient and afford greater facilities Ulan any of the rival schemes, such as the Nicaragua Canal. It is a more direct cut across the Isthmus, is shorter and would give less trouble to navi- gators than the latter route. The groat cost olcutliug the Panama canal is the real obstacle. Already AS much has been spent as it was first calculated the whole we>rk would cost. A very largo and ditlicult portion of the work Itas been done, however, aud it would probably pay to do the real, if the claims of those who have already sunk money in the undertaking, were set aside. That i< to say, a new oonip.iny could, it is calculated, if it obtained the present works and plant free of cost, carry through the work within ten or twelve years with % prospect of a small, a very small, return upon their capital from th... tratlic. Tho Panama canal is like a strong citadel ; it must lie carried, if at all, over the dead bodies of forlorn hopes. The Com- pany which is now acquiring the canal, will probably prove thn second forlorn hope vic- tim. A third or fourth assault will prove victorious. HIM rll iM ;ll . The general improvement in trade throughout many important centres of in- dustry in the United .Stales which hu been lately reported continues to be well main- tained, and in some districts is adv^jicing, though the unusually high temperature that lias lately prevailed lias had a depress- ing effect in many lines of industry, h'ain lias fallen generally in the Western wheat aud corn growing States, with, as a rule, a lienelicial effect, and the promising crop out- look is causing increase*! activity in various important trades. Prospective large crops and consequent favourable railway prospects have caused increased strength and activity on the stock markets, and money in firmer. Throughout Canada the crops are in excel- lent condition, and the business outlook has improved. The other day the Rev. Dr. Rainsford, of New Vork, proposed that the church should start liquor saloons iu the interest of moral- ity and now tho Sioux Fall), S. D., City Council hka reported in favour of inaugurat- ing a municipal saloon scheme, under which there will be six saloons, one in each ward, under tho control of a superintendent. One of the objects the Council is said to have in view is to discourage the use of ardent liquors by increasing the price of whiskey to twenty five cunts a glass, while lieer ran be had for five cents. N > doubt it is most desirable that the drinking of that liver- pulverizer and bile creator beer should be encouraged, but perhaps the Sioux coun- cil might find it advantageous to start card- rooms in order to be sure thai gambling is fairly conducted. Princess Beatrice had a narrow escape from death from ri re in the castle at Heilgen- burg Germany on Saturday morning. Her maid, carrying a candle, approached too near a mrwquito net covering tile bedstead, setting fire to the net. 1'rincess liealrioe, who was in bed, had no tune to uresi, lull ran out of the room and alarmed the house- hold. The hose fixtures n-ar the bedroom would not work and a whole wing ot tbe castle was destroyed before the firemen arrived. Princess lieatrice lost all her jewels and clothes. Her husband, who was sleep- ing in a hunting box in the neighboring woods, hastened to the castle as soon as he . learned of the fire. Two firemen were injured. Princess lieatrice tulegrapiied to the Vueen saying that she is <|inii> well and that personally she in no wise suffered from the alarm. Sir Oliver Mowat's dehorningrommiseiou, it is said, will return an open verdict regarding the practice, that is luey will reuor. in 'avor of allowing cattle-breeders full liberty of opinion as to whether it is or it not beneficial to deprive thn cow of his horn. In effete old Kngland, however, it would appear that there is a lingering Miispi- cionlhal dehorning is cruel and i halt be prac- tice should be pimuliitril. At Ni-w. a-itle- ou-Lyne lohn Scott and Ralph Pickering, drovers, were summoned before the V-w castle bench of magistrates by the Royal Soi-iety for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals f r cutting off the horns of '23 Imlluvks, and Richard Hughes, cattle deal- er of Colerame, Ireland, was summoned for causing the cruelty. Tho veterinary end- . em-e given showed that the operation < aus- ed acute suffering to the animals, and the magistrates inflicted a tine of t'.'i and costs on each defendant. The announcement of the formation of a huge Trust to control the trade in seal-skins and furs was skilfully timed so as not to aroiini popular IsSssBMsissV If ever a mon- opoly in furs would be looked upon with equanimity by the people, it would be ilur- ' inn the extremely heated weather of latter I July and early August. It will be perfectly I safe for the promoter* of the Ti list to make the usual protestations that their aim is not | to increase prices, and to prove their sincer- ity by offering a large reward for sny lady who bought a walakin sack any day last i week, and had to pay more for it than last win'er. Certain mysterious political rela- tions are hinted at in connection with the Trust, and * contemporary innocently iuforins us that " it is expected by the promoters that it will have ronsidenhle control over the Bering Sea arbitration" The reported cipital is $l<>.iNX),iMM). out we should say that uin is hardly large enough to control the tribunal of arbitration. THE ASIATIC CHOLERA. What Cans* Has America to Dread iti Ap- proach- I nrerlunalr KsMla. One affliction follows another in Russia. Within a year the Russians have suffered from the black typhus, and now the Asiatic cholera is among them. For over a year whole provinces have suffered from famine, ami wo learn by recent r"ports that this year's crops will again be short. For years past tho Jewish question has disturbed the country, and now the Government is pre- paring for a gigantic exodus of the Jowish subjects of the Czar. Russia is in dang -r of getting into trouble with Clina, Afghanistan, | ,md Kngland in Asia, while standing on | guard against tho enemies who confront, her in Kurope. Russian finances are in a bad I condition, and the Government is now com- pellril to adopt extraordinary measures of taxation, iin-luding a graded income tax. It is fortunate for Knssia in these times that the Nihilists are keeping quiet, but even the Third section of the police cannot tell what underground schemes they have in band. The afllictions and misfortunes of the Colos- sus of tho North are more numerous and lamentable than those of any other poxi.-r in Christendom. \Ve suggest to his Majesty the Czar that he might find it advisable to grant to his subjects a larger measure of freedom than they now possess, and to grant io his proviwoss those franchises of self- government that Would enable them to ad- minister their local affairs successfully. His Government undertakes too much ; his func- tionaries in St. Petersburg cannot possibly attend to all the duties with whioh they are intrusted. Take, for example, this plague of the cholera which is now terrifying all Russia. The local authorities arti almost helplets in its presence ; they do not possess the power to deal with it ; they are accus tomed to look to St. Petersburg in all emer- gencies. They should be empowered to look after their own affairs, and then be held to their responsibility. Many o'her things also could lie put under their charge with advantage. Duty is a power which rises with us in the morning and goes to res', with us at night. It is coextensive with tho action of intelligence. It is the shauow which cleaves to us, go where wo will, and which only loaves us when wo loav* the light ot life. llilatUtoue Orlcliailn- in India. !< Marreulre .pi ilrunr. oi IbM ruiiiry star* .tdvanrrit ThroMith KUIUIM- und frourd la Our M:..r- - II litu Vaw III ',,!,,! Manila, .u.l i'rrluui, U BazlBu In rnrln-ll Will KsiH-k al HI. <...(.- uf Our fcraiT'irU, iiul Will tlud I Prrpurod lu Ni-ol it. Tlio upidenuc of Asiatic cholera which bus been ravaging the countries south of th< Black and Caspian seas .luring the past wiuloi , spring, and siiminer may prove ,,t greater interest to the people of thin com in ent than has heretofore been supposed. Re puru of cholera, more or less terrible in their details, are expected to comu e- ery year from the sun-beaten lands of the Hast, which are its constant home, out they me usually uocatue for dread. It is fortunately cnly occasionally that the plague leaps its natural boundaries and penetrates Kuruiw. U'lien it does there is just reason tor alarm from tho civilized world, for it rarely a'.ays iu course until it has encircled the globe. The present epidemic is one of these ex- ceptions. Late in May tbe cholera, after !..>....< ,., v n,,., I the ijiti.j. --J -. ~-.i.J - of ludia, Persia, Afghanistan, and the shores of the Kd >ea. leaped the mouutaiiiB aud inland seas, which are its natural northern boundaries and plunged into the very heart of European Ru*;ia. The plague took this course in 1830, and spread over Europe and America with frightful results. .Sev- eral times since, it liiu bunt its bjiiiiilaries, and the and has always Veil the same. The Western Continent bus never escaped. In Kill, in IStiU, and in IHT.'I the scourge of ICuropc became tin scourge of Amerca. There is no reason to suppose that cholera will knock at our doors now. 1 >iir hope lies in the immense gain in etfi cieucy in our quarantine service mum nif last visitation, and in the increased erlv cieucy of our In -.! health authorities. The danger hat Iteeu recognized both in Kngland and the I'nitcd >'.mi. The last numbers uf the great British medical i iiinmU, whose conservatism is universally ren ionized, have sustained considerable dis- cussion: of the subject, and have advised the adoption of prompt and efficient de- fensive measures. The medical journals on this side ol the Atlantic have followed in the same vein. TUB IHIMI: OF IKH.ERA. There is always cholera in India, ft be- gan there before history, and has become a very part of the land and the civilization. Its seed u in the earth, and its breath in in tho air. Its away is undisputed by tho swarming people, who lie down at its coming and die without uffurt or protest against thoir fate. The hot sun and the humid feverish atrr.nephere have much to do with its unchecked presence and occasional vio- lent outbreaks, but the civilization of the land does more. Superstition and uncleuuli- ness pri'\ ul to an almost unbelievable ex- tent. The cities and towns of the Indian lulls are undrained, unwatcred, ami filthy. The people live in a slato of degradation which appeals more strongly to tin- nose even than to the eye. ("ndur such conditions the plague thrives and fattens upon unnum- bered victims. Travelling is done by caravans, which, in themselves, are hotbeds of disease, and ;. pie i.l it far ami wide. The hordes of pil- grims which yearly nook the sacred cine*. marching in s'-ragnling armies of thousands upon iliouiian.l, serve to propagate and spread it. Lastly, the great fairs and festi- vals, wliK-h occur .it trei| lent intervals, at- tru-nng visitoisfrom the uttermost parts of India, aud from Persia, Afghanistan, and iieikthlKiruiff principalities, are a prolific source of contagion. In particular, the great festivals of Juggernaut aud Hurdwar, which occur at intervals' of twelve years, ami are attended by upward of a million people, are active agents in its spread. It is significant fact that each of the greater epidemics which havepenetrated Kuiopeaud encircled the globe have originated in years when one or the other of these great festivals wern lii-ld. In |v_>:{, the year in which the epidemic winch reached us in K'ttJ Iwgau, so violent was the outbreak of cholera at the .luggernaut festival that the famous idol car i-ould not l>e dragged around for lack of abb men. The epidemic which i cached us in ISWi received its impulses from the H-.irdwar festival, and at the same val began the present npidemic notwith- standing the attempts of the authorities, grown wiser after centuries, to check the growth and spread of the pestilence which inevitably accompsni- ' it. ThetnihV betweci R ia, Persia, Cen- tral Asia, and India ..y way of Cabul is largely accomplished by tour tribes of Leb- anese Afghans, known as Proviudahs. There are X.iMN) families, and they own .'Hi, ()Ut) camels and IO.UOO oxen. They move in three enormous caravans, descending into India, down the (iangea to Benares and along the Indus to Kurrnchee, and thence by sea to Bombay. They bring Russian, Persian, and Afghanistan articles into India and return with cotton goods, muslins, shawls, silks, and the like. The course winch these caravans take in entering and leaving India includes the city of Herat, near tho wes'.ern borl-r of Afghanistan. Thro.igh Herat yearly pass (Ml. (AN) pilgrims bound for the holy city of Meshud, in north- eastern Persia. Through it %lso pass the many thousands who flock from Turkestan, Afghanistan, and Persia to and from the great Indian festivals at the foot of the Himalayas. Kor eight months of the yeer the fertile plain in which tbe city stands is covered with tne tenU of thousands a huge undrained and slinking camp of migratory Asiatics, reeking with tilth and dinease. Kut t here are more horrifying features yet. On the outskirts are smaller camps where thousands of mules are tethered. For each mule there is a pair of rough coffins, and in each coffin the body of a dead pilgrim - of- ten dead for months. They aro the bodies of those who drop by the way, and they aie going for burial to the holy city. In this city and its cholera ridden camp the caravans of the Provindahs gather uj> i he plague and carry it westward to the 'aipi.kii. The route of the plague ia always from Herat to Men'i-d, and from there to Astorabad. This year its spread into En- rope was aided by the new Tranecaspiun Railroad, which runs from Khohan in Si- beria west to tho east shore of tho Caspian, as is seen on the map. The cholera got into \iUhabad in Turkestan, acity on this i.m.l, und spread with wonderful rapidity cas aud west.