University of South Carolina Libraries
i. &. 4 BY W. A. LEE AND HUGH WILSON. ABBEVILLE LIFE AT THE POLE. Tho bears, wandering continually through the night, must ncodH have a 1 1 .1 t_ 1 A i: T v il. . uuru sirugtjio tw iivo. j/unng mc summer, tbo sculp, which furnish their only subsistence, crawl upon the ice and aro easily caught; but in tbo winter they only resort to the cracks 10 ureatne, ana in uoing bo, uareiy put thoir noses above tho water, ho that thoy are taken with difficult}*. Driven to desperation by hunger, tbe bears often will invade the haunts ?.r it,.. i. vi iui?uj tti ouaibu wi iuu iwvvt their quick some has dotcelcd. I had an adventure,about this lime, which shows that the Polar bear is not ho ferocious as is generally sup posed; indeed, they huvo never been known to attack man cxcept when hotly pursued and driven to close quarters. Strolling, ono d:iy, along ^ 1 -I t _ - * - ? iiiu huuro, j. w:iM ouHurvuig, wiui mucu interest, tho effect of the reccnt spring tides upon the ice loot-, when rounding a point of land, 1 suddenly found myself confronted iu tho Jaint inounliirht by an onormo s In-ar. Jle had just sprung down from the land ioo, nnd was meeting mo at a full trot. We caught sight of each oilier at the same instant. Being without, a rifle or other means of def < bo, 1 wheeled euddouly to the ship, with, I fancy, much the same reflections about discretion and valor as those which crossed the mind of old Jack FnlsiufV vrhen the Douglass Bet upon him ; but finding, after a fow lengthy strid cfl, that I was not gobbled up, 1 looked back over my shoulder, when, as tnuch to my surprise as gratification, i hiw iuo uear tearing away to Kurd ?tho open water with a eeloril3* Mhich Jell uo douhl as to tlie elate of liis 1 suppose it would bo <1 Hiculi to determine which wjs tiio Jir?Kt brightened?the hear or I. TIlO trOODS of fuxus alinnl in wi>rt> ? __ ' at first quite tamo; but I hey b:.u brcn cured of their familiarity by the lis?ons lcarucd from tho hunters, ni.d ,hud to be approached with a-iivmneis. (Of both tho blue and while varieties ,1 had living spcciiuenH in my cabin. These two varieties of the fox. not xWitbslauding their many points of .resemblance, are evidcutally distinct species. I bavc known thorn to mix, the coat of each preserving its distinctive hue, that of tho bliio fox varying merely iu distinctive bhudc, while <tho white changes only from the pure white to a slightly yellowish tinge. Thftir Kk'iim nv? mucli ur.iw.lit l.?r * e>"*" "J fa the trappers of South Greenland, avhcro tho animal is rare, for tho fur command# a fabuluuB prieo in the Copenhagen market. Tho touffli. nearlv hfiirlosn <->f the Great Sea Lions, which aro about 41 u inch thick, had a bingularly iron? ?>l^tod look about thorn, particularly euggcstivo ol dufensoj while their liug? ,busks, which they brandished within ajjpoaranoo of strength that their awkwardness did not diminish, looked like very formidable weapons .of offense if applied to a boat' splanking or to tlio human ribrf, if one should happen to find himself floundering in tho Boa among tko thick ekinned brutes. To complete tho ^jidoousncss of a facial expression which the tusks render formidable enough in appearance, nature had An/)AiitA<l 4 1?/*??? ?* !?!- I- - - -1/* jeiiuvneu inoui ?? ILIJ Ul'UtlU llill HOSC8, vJbieh a*e covered all over wilh stiff whiskers, looking very much liko porcupine quills, and extending up to tfco edge of a pair of gaping ivostrils. The use oi these whiskers is as ob. eonro as that oi tho tusks ; though -it is probable thatlho latter may bo as iweli weapons of oflfanso and deffenso ab for the most use." il purpose of grapping up from tlio bottom of tboBca tbo mollusks which constitute , their principal food. Thero were two old bulls io tbo hord, who appeared to bo dividing their time botween sleeping and jamming ti^eir tuaks in eaoh other's faces, although they appeared ,to treat tho matter mth.perfeot indifference, as tbey did not appear to cnuke any impression An aonk nfKait'a 41*It:A v_.vayu K?UW? o VUIVK U1UCB. AH WO approached, thcso old follows?neither of which could havo been loss than ixteen foot long, nor smaller in girlh * than a hogsheud?raised up their heads, and, after taking a loisaroly arvoy of us, seemed to think us un j worthy of furthor noticc; and then punching each oilier again in the face, fell onco moro to sloop. As wo jog on toward spring, cacl* hour of tho nix months' darkness grows a little longer, and soaks a lit 11o 1 _ ? / il . 1.1 1 ? i uiuru cuiur nuiu iiiu uiuuu, uuu laiCOB ulitllo moro (foin tho elasticity of the step, and ds a littlo moro to the lengthened lace, and checks, littlo by little, tho cheerful laugh and merry jest that came from tho hold and cab! in; and, without boing willing to con| fess it openly, yet wo aro all forced to j acknowledge) to ouraolvoa that tl?o j enemy doea now ami then got the I hotter ot us, and that we have often ' to renew the resolution. The Jmoon . light comos and goes again, and the j nightglistens clear and cold over the j wbito landscape; and memory returns unbidden, to other days that arc lied and gone; wo miss, in the sparkling air and the Ktill hour of the winter night, the jingling bells, and tho sleigh which will always hold one : more, and the wayside inn, and the | smoking supper that "mino host" | serves up, and the crackling blazo of vt'uimy ; wm men, wiicii wo iur' got llio moon and tho Know, and tho frost, and recal the suminor and tho .sunshine, wo remember that "tho seat in the shade of tho hawthorn hush" is I far away.?Dr. Hayes* Open J'olar j Sea. HOW OLD WE ABE 1 The Ihoor}', or discovery, as tbo claim now stands, is being vigorously 1 pushed that man is a veritable "antique." llo lived not only thousands, | but hundrcd.s of thousands tf years ' ago, and 6o of course, tbo Bible nar 1 ?alive crumbles in utter ruin*; in fact, everything built upon a Scriptural i underpinning toilers and lulls. A j Kt'l stale of tilings truly. To be uurc } we might Mipposo tliut the ^rc:it geolo?ril!;il Otmclis. kiu-Ii ;i>s tl.n <rhi?.iol O "I* J ' perioJ, the timed when sundry uncouth aniin: Is of iiiconvcniont wizo might lmvo rendered human lifo rather problematical, when vcgotalion was a little too raiik for easy or i healthful digestion, when mud and : water were too deep even for long lopped bools, (and Goodyear did not live at that early date), when heat put matters generally into a molting mood, when all things mundano were cooking in a i?rologicnl porridge, that i tin.-jo would sadly ii.toileio with liui ....... i;r-? -i .i.~ i...* - I ?.iw VII 1(1 o i;|*'UU ? UUb UUl lill ? I . ... ! lliiisiiislic anliquuries hkip Kuoh lili tlo items as of no consequoneo. Tim fumnilQ Su'iuu lnl?n_il have furnished excellent cnpilal for thoso theorists. Tho dwellings ore i truly remarkable, and from their poj silion, character, and surrouudingB, it is doubtless corrcet to ascribe to j them great antiquity, but tliu groat : question is, do they belong to what ' ??.?<* til u vuuvu V'liinbWIIU tlKUUO ^ UWUW ! their existenco prove conclusively j that man lived long holbre tho coinI in only received record? Very plaim: ible arguments were early brought ' forward in support of this theory, i and for a tinio tho advocates had it ; all their own way. But the tido of I ovidoneo is turning, and tno latost j and most accurato investigation tend in othor directions. The London Quarterly, in a recent ' number, sums up tho main issues pre ; Henfed bjf tho facts contained in the ; most rocent and rcliablo works on this interesting subjcct. Tho conclusions reached aro briefly these. Who* evor these Jako-dwollers were, they continued to occupy their settlements j in times which aro strlckly historical, I and Uiobo settlomonts wore permaj rnont. ' Thoy aro not all of tho same I flrfl. AAfl fJiA orhl ifn n ? /! ? I theory of a Btono, a bronzo and an iron ago, following oach other in the construction of thoso buildings, and in the knowledge and attainments of the inhabitants, is clearly refutod. But the most important conclusion reucfiod is that therp is no scientific compulsion which insists upon a very enormous antiquity lor the lake>4wollings. Man and mammals. may have co-oxisted, but if tbey did. thore is another explanation of the phenomenon tban that which carries man back into the dim past a hundred thousand years. A more scientific solution is that the mammals are of raoro recont [ dato than has been supposed, that ] their day and generation must be I brought lower down, and not that tiio human poriod inunt bo pushed further back. Tro3*on pays in hia work, -jjuu ii no wen unuoih'.ocki, mon, iliat tho stone ago, tho relics of which aro discovered in tho lakes and in tho graven is recognizcd in this work an huusuquuiiL 10 mo :uosaic uciugo." It is gratifying to find tho indcpencnt rcHcarclics of eciontificmcn reachI ingsuch conclusions, and \vc can well ' .'lfVnfd In \i-nil fiif cr>ii>iili(!n !>.? </> l.U... , ?. W .T ?. V .W. .IVIVO VIWV * 'fS lV W'VVV i away. Wo liavo no sympathy with j ihosu who fear that modern tricnco ! will overthrow tho teachings of the j liible. The iiiblc can Bland tho tc.st i una win not lull. lid investigation ; bo pressed in every conccivable direcj tion, tho nioro tbo better; truth will j ultimately triumph, "The eternal years of (?o<l nrc here | seicnce will be found to harmonize i with (jod'K written word, and hken ! lies and fal.su theorists will ho ullcily ! confounded in tho result of their own ; studies, for they will find that after | all, they have been unconsciously and | unintentionally working for his glory i f.>r the establishment of his truth, ' the progress of his cause. It is eon j Htn.iitly hnpprning that wo arc a.stoni ibheii by j-omc discovery, some theory i by which tlic Bible and man's rclai lion* to his Creator arc to ho set : aside as absurdities, but thus far thoy j have all omc to nought, and God's I word still stands. NVo welcome, j therefore, every investigation into the ! IiiihllMI tllillf'M ?f illlwiii.rh ??-n I rr> ? "v | fi-cl thut ibcre in u limit, to buman i study and curiosity, und thai ollen- . i tivnes il will be found tbat "Ilia ways j are past titiding out."?Cony and Jicc. _ | AfANAUKMKNV Of Cr.AI'K VlNES.? I Wc would here remind thoso who are ! ! growinj.' grapes, llmt this is the proper i ; season u? lay down long branches fjr ! : producing future plants, as has been ! ; ho often u-commcndcd in this paper. J i I taUud a number of tfwoso hist season, t 1 and was surprised al the vig^r of the plants thus grown, and the closo mat i of fibrous loots. Without any desire I to spoil the trade, 1 must say that 3*011 j seldom get such plants out of a nurI scry as you can raise yourself. Pin a ' 1 - 1 1- -1 | ivMig Uium.il uuwil 1DIO U HUUilOW | i trench, und when till the buds have I 1 in ado a growth of several inches, j ; gradually Jill the trench up wilh earili, | ! checking, by pinching, any disposition | of some shoots to outgrow the others. ; 1 agree with B. F. J. in thinking : that we imitate European practice too j closely in cultivating the grape. Ea? I pecially do we plant too near, and thin i and prune altogether too much. Wo j don't make allowance enough lor the difference in tlic climate. liere we ; tjiubl have shade and a plenty oi loli| ago to maintain a heaithy equilibrium I with the root ; there it. may not be of i ho much importance. 1 always leave three times as much wood as the books direct, and ii' the crop of fruit tflll 'llMPU il /lilt 'I1"" ? - j j t.uii? if wu w. X U111J yoars ngo wo could easily grow grapes by plan ling at the foot <>1" large trecH, and allowing the vines to ran all over them. A friend grow greatquanthier of Catawba and Isabellas in this way and yearly got two barrels to tho \int of what 1 then thought was tho finca! anu cuojcest, iruit I evor miw. TIicho vines are long since dead, winter-killod. Now wo are obliged to cover our plants every winter with earth, ovon ua tar fcoutb us St.- Louis, and are luclcy if wo get seven or eight poundB of fruit whoro wo onco got fully ono hundred pouDds with much greater i cnso. .J?von with tboso drawbacks, growing the. grapo is the most profitable branch of Agriculture that wo tywo, and lor more than a hundred miles on tho Mississippi rivor bunks. * * -f it is tho most certain crop that is raised.?li. T.f Country Gent. In the midst of a stormy disensBion a gentleman rose to settlo tbo matter in dispute. Waving his hand majestically over tho excited disputants, ho began : "Gentleman, all I want is common eenso." "Exactly," Jorrold interrupted, that is precisely what yon waotl" Tho discussion' was lost in tho burst of laughter.