FOREST AND STREAM. 



447 



daring and indefatigable enterprise of Oapt. Boyton, who has 

 now, we believe, obtained a? a fit re wan I a large interest in 

 the invention which, he has bo fully tested. Hia experiences 

 abroad read almost like pages clipped from the " Arabian 

 Nights ;" for, closely woven with his deeds of prowess and 

 endurance, are the many receptions, public and private, 

 which he received at the hands of admiring kings, queens, 

 courtiers and such, while the common herd of mayors, gene- 

 rals, old sea doirs, alcaldes, and the what-nots of Europe's 

 ancient civilizations, turned out upon occasions too numerous 

 to mention, to do honor to one of America's brave and self- 

 made men. Whether floating down the sluggish tides of old 

 Father Thames, or shooting rapids and tumbling down falls 

 in the boiling, hissing currents of the Tagus ; whether under 

 sail or paddle, working his tediou8 passage across the Straits 

 of Dover or the Straits of Gibraltar, the tireless energy, the 

 success and modesty of Boytou met with a hearty response 

 from prince and people alike, and while medals, speeches and 

 dinners fell thick upon his shoulders, he has not failed to 

 reap and gather in the solid profits of a thriving bueiness. 

 Thus fame and wealth have waited upon the man who chose 

 to help himself. 



The practical value of Boyton's experiences lie rather in 

 the proof they afford of the reliability of the suit he wears 

 and its adaptability to special services than in its life-saving 

 qualities. It would be idle and a waste of money to fit out 

 steamships with the suit, for not one iu a hundred persons 

 could be expected to acquire the cool head and proficiency 

 its use entails. For ordinary avail on board vessels the rig 

 has little or nothing to commend itself, but as a means of 

 saving life along the coast, when in the hands of stalwart men 

 brought up to efficiency through a systematic course of train- 

 ing and practice, the suit will form a moat valuable adjunct 

 to all life-saving stations. As a safe means of exploring the 

 unknown rivers of the West, shooting canyons and rapids 

 where do boat or canoe could live, as an equipment to men- 

 of-war for special service in time of need and as an indis- 

 pensible accessory to the torpedo service, the suit can have 

 no superior. If it has not yet been appreciated as it should 

 by those in authority with us, it is certain that we cannot 

 afford much longer to remain in ignorance as to the merits of 

 the new method of attack by a brigade of swimmers in the 

 Boyton dress and armed with the means of sending an enemy 

 to the bottom with all on board in a few seconds. Some 

 years ago, when the rubber suit came out, we were the first to 

 suggest and mature a plan of attack by torpedo and the Boy- 

 ton suit, and though we are loth to glory in the loss of human 

 life, it is flattering to one's pride to know that the first iron 

 clad blown up in the Turco-Russian war was accomplished 

 by precisely the methods original with us. 



. — .«, — . 



SKATES AND CROWNS. 



THREE travelers from the Occident, bent upon seeing the 

 wonders of the American world, arrived in this city last 

 Saturday- Sunday afternoon they found their way to Cen- 

 tral Park, and halting on the Balcony Bridge they witnessed 

 a scene for whose equal they may seek the world over in vain. 

 They willfmd neither in America nor in Europe a more impres- 

 sive sight than that vast concourse of fifteen thousand people 

 who were gathered upon the ice, and the thousands more who 

 thronged the elevations all about the shores. Between eight 

 o'clock in the morning of that day and half-past four o'clock 

 in the afternoon, when the ball fell, Superintendent Dawson 

 and other experts estimated the number of skaters to be not 

 less than fifty thousand. There were one-half as many more 

 who visited the Park and did not go upon the ice. Seventy- 

 five thousand pleasure seekers and not a single arrest ! Where 

 in the broad world can that be surpassed ? If the magnitude 

 of the fete be wonderful, surely this universal good spirit is 

 equally impressive. But the policemen— good fellows— had 

 their hands full, very fulL Wherever was there not a small 

 boy bound to see how near the hole with the "Danger " sig- 

 nal he could glide without gliding in? And a "cop "in 

 heavy uniform and clumsy brogans is no match for the fleet 

 small boy. Yes, the policeman and the superintendents must 

 have been rejoiced when the ball finally fell and the merry 

 skaters reluctantly departed. New Yorkers may point with 

 a very large degree of pride to the forethought which has pro- 

 vided their beautiful park with its drives, walks and boating 

 courses in summer, and the grand skating grounds in winter. 

 It is an institution that affords healthful, invigorating recrea- 

 tion to thousands of rich and poor, old and young, men, 

 women, boys and girls, day after day and week after week. 

 Too much praise cannot be given to the Commissioners and 

 their assistants for the very happy way in which they provide 

 this entertainment, and the uniform freedom from accident 

 which makes it unnecessary for us to record any of the fright- 

 ful fatalities which are not unknown elsewhere. Skating is a 

 royal sport ; the Central Park a royal skating ground, 

 and the happy mortal who has ft pair of steels under his feet 

 may turn his back upon the cares and troubles of his life, and 

 for a brief hour at least revel in all the joys of royalty with- 

 out its sorrows. Sweeter the ring of the ice than the plauditB 

 of subjects : better a pair of skates under the feet than the 

 crown of a Czar upon the head. So, at least, reasons the 

 gamin, and so, too, think many who are not gamins. 



Dbasqjb.-- -Tnis is the most recently discovered, and per- 

 haps the most remarkable, of all the coal tar or aniline group 

 of coloring substances, now so extensively used for the adorn- 

 ment of the finest fabrics. Uranine is said, by chemists, to earthly plane. The metaphor leaves a dazed impression upon 

 be the most highly fluorescent body^known to Bcience. Its I the mind, something like the effect of ether atte r a man has 



coloring power is astonishing; a single grain will impart a 

 marked color to nearly five hundred gallons of water. A 

 most interesting experiment, which anybody may try, con- 

 sists in sprinkKng a few atoms of Uranine upon the surface of 

 water in a glass tumbler. Each atom immediately sends 

 down through the water what appears to be a bright green 

 rootlet ; and the tumbler soon looks as if it were crowded full 

 of beautiful plants. The rootlets now begin to enlarge, spread 

 and combine, until wo have a mass of soft green-colored 

 liquid. Viewed by transmitted light, the color changes to a 

 bright golden or amber hue ; while a combination of green 

 and gold will be realized, according to the position in which 

 the glass is held. For day or evening experiment nothing 

 can be prettier than these trials of Uranine, which are especial- 

 ly entertaining for the young folks. 



In our issue of Dec. 13,. we referred to most interesting 

 scientific experiments which are being made iu Europe to de- 

 termine the sources of the Danube and other rivers by the use 

 of fluorescino. Uranine is only another name for this subtle 

 agent, and derives its origin from Uranus, which meaDs 

 Heaven. By the use of fluorescine we suggested how scien- 

 tific research might be promoted in various ways. We are 

 indebted for examples of Uranino to the editors of the Scien- 

 tific American, who are sending out specimens, free of charge, 

 to all their readers. The subscription to the paper is $8.20 

 for a year, or $1,60 half year; and a better investment for 

 the money could hardly be named. 



Thb Mongeel Goose.— We sat down to dinner the other 

 day to discuss the comestible qualities of a goose, whose 

 origin is indefinite and untimely end certain. The lesson of 

 the day is laid down in the following passage from a letter 

 received on Christmas : 



KEESKVILLE.N, Y., Dec. 25, 1S78. 



Mr. Charles Ballock—1 send you to-day a goose for your dinner. 

 " Only a gooBe I" say you ? That's all ; but said goose has a history. 

 A tew miles from Here a gentleman las tame native geese, and, mar- 

 velous to say, one Madame Goose fiora the selfsame flock has been 

 visited yeai'.y for several years by a Mr. Wild Goose, and the result Is 

 one of four children, raised this year, and which I engaged last spring 

 to be sent to you— and here you havo it. I trust it will not only be ac- 

 ceptable in memoriam of yours truly, but also prove good eating. I 

 regret to add that the Madame has just, died, and whether we shal] 

 have any more of the some sort remains io be seen. 



Yours truly, J. R. Romeyn, M. D. 



" Ye that have tears to shed, prepare to shed them now." 

 As a lonne louche our goose was appreciated ; as a piece clt 

 resistance it ennobled the race which saved ancient Borne, not- 

 withstanding its bar sinister; as a present from our time. 

 bonorcd and beneficent friend, the doctor (who may be re- 

 ferred to as the noblest Romeyn of them all), we valued it. 

 But while we partook we mourned the probable untimely ex 

 tinction of a race which might he said to have scarcely begun. 

 We deplored the short-sighted extravagance of her taking off. 

 No basket-full of golden eggs unhatched could compensate 

 for such a pitiable loss. Oh ! countrymen and friends ! that 

 for such a momentary titillation of the palate such great 

 sacrifice should have been made ! We cannot recall the past. 

 What is done is done ; and what has been, is. Now that the 

 " old goose is dead " to all posterity, all that remains to us of 

 rites and duty is to "go and tell Aunt Susan " and enjoin 

 opon her to preserve all the feathers for an old-fashioned bed. 



The scientific world will deplore no less than ourselves the 

 great loss which we feel constrained to lament. One can 

 hardly realize what results might have been realized from the 

 great expectations excited by the successful crossing of the 

 two breeds of birds. But now all hope is dead, and the spirit 

 of the old bird has flown. 



Kimball's Vanity Fair Tobacco. — When the editor of 

 Fobest and Stream first began to smoke "Vanity Fair," in 

 the year 1873, the tobacco had already taken thehighest award 

 for quality at the Vienna Exposition. The verdict of the 

 Austrians was subsequently affirmed by the judges at the U. 

 S. Centennial and again at Paris in the present year. After 

 due trial and test, the editor is now prepared to approve, en- 

 dorse and clinch the decision of the combined commission. 

 He has had every facility afforded him to form his opin- 

 ion. Each year, for five years past, the Messrs. Kimball, 

 of Bochester, have presented him, about Christmas time, 

 with a munificent gift of many packages — so many, indeed, 

 that the gentlemen must have supposed either that the editor 

 was an incessant and exhaustive smoker, or that he had le- 

 gions of friends, or that his term of life was guaranteed be- 

 yond the age of Methusaleh. The second is probably the cor- 

 rect statement. No doubt his friends would multiply as 

 long as the tobacco remained to be distributed. 



All of our employes smoke (except that office-boy, and he 

 is just beginning to learn), and the " Vanity Fair " haa 

 made them happy as Indian bucks. They all bless their 

 benefactors, and it would be difficult indeed to induce them 

 to go back on the decision of the Vienna, Philadelphia and 

 Paris Commissioners. All hold to "Vanity Fair;" their 

 pipes hold the tobacco, and the tobacco holds its own. So 

 there is peace all around, and we trust a fortune for the con- 

 scientious, square-dealing firm who are content to give the 

 public an honest weed which " won't bite the tongue." 



had a tooth pulled. It is proper to state that this description 

 of sunrise is from the New York Star, which deals only in 

 reflected light : 



The sunrise upon the prairie was one of unsurpassed love- 

 liness. Crimson and gold, and amethyst and violet, pale 

 lavender and delicate greens and blues glowed and blended, 

 and mantled over all the east. No object interposed to break 

 the complete circle of the horizon where the pure porcelain of 

 the heavens, like an inverted bowl, shut down upon the brown 

 and neutral tinted earth, as though a priceless cup of purest 

 proportions and matchless workmanship, molded from the- 

 finest porcelain, should be placed upon a coarse and care- 

 lessly constructed platter of common clay. 

 » ■» — . 



Handsome Gifts from Handsome Men.— Dr. Robert 

 Taylor, of this city, received a very substantial Christmas 

 present of a fine Kentucky thoroughbred horse from Mr. 

 Henry Reiche, proprietor of the New York Aquariumf en 

 Wednesday last ; also, a fine carriage from Dr. C. H. M. 

 Say re, son of the well-known Prof. Lewis A. Sayre. 

 Ahandso me set of harness from another friend. May bis 

 friends live forever, is the doctor's wish. 



The Bennett Polar Expedition.— The steamer Jeannetlt: 

 of the Bennett Polar Expedition, arrived at San Francisco. 

 Dec. 27, and hauled alongside at the Mare Island Navy Yard. 

 There she will receive the rest of her outfit before leaving for 

 Behring's Strait. The success of the recent Swedish ex- 

 plorations along the northern coast of Asia, may be taken as a, 

 sign very favorable to the new route chosen by Mr. J. G„. 

 Bennett for his latest attempt to unveil the mysteries of the 

 North Pole, hitherto so securely locked in their impenetrable 

 casing of frozen seas. 



From a Candid Adtektisbb.— Mr. Will H. Cruttenden, 

 of Cazenovia, who manufactures the Card Rotating Glass 

 Ball Trap, sends us the complimentB of the season, with the 

 following pleasant endorsement s 



KDITOF. I OKEBT AUD STKEAM AKD ROD AND GtfN : 



Enclosed And check to pay for another three months. While ws are 

 not among the first of your patrons we are " bisters," well knowlag the 

 advantage of advertising in your valuable paper, and we are going to 

 stay with you as long as we can Bell enough to pay the adv., and longer ; 

 so don't leave out adv. until we send you word to that effect. With our 

 improved machinery and experience we are enabled to make our trap 

 more perfect, and it is fast galniDg ground with the sportsmen at 

 large. Win u. Cruttexdbs. 



[from our own correspondent.] 



THE TROPICAL WANDERINGS OK 



FRED BEVERLY. 



Sunrise on the Prairies. — As a specimen of what may 

 be called bathos, the following cannot justly bo compared with 

 anything written in English. It is seldom we find things so 

 far above us brought down to the dead flat low level of this 



A Farewell — The Mysterious Ocean Current — Domini- 

 ca and Columbus — Roseau and Anthony Trollops 



The Fibst Camp — The Mountains. 



AS I observed twenty-two months ago, in that letter which 

 never reached you, the Doctor and myself safely 

 reached the Island of Martinique ; also the vessel, captain. 

 and all hands. We ran in as close as we dared, and then 

 stood off and on for the harbor master and pilot. It was late 

 when he arrived, and we were much incensed, especially the* 

 mate, who vented his anger in strange oaths and abuse of our 

 negro boy. The harbor master was gentlemanly, but he pos- 

 sessed a limited knowledge of the English language, which 

 fact, of course, reduced him to the level of a barbarian and 

 increased the resentment of the mate. 



" How much chain overhaul, sir," said he, addressing the 

 captain. 



" Seexty faddom," replied the pilot. 

 " Sixty fathom ! Sixty devils 1" roared the astonished of- 

 ficer. "Darn your old Frenchified town anyway; it ain't 

 worth the chain we're sinkin' here." 



It was a case of necessity, however, and ere we were se- 

 curely moored, like the other vessels of a long line before the 

 town, we were obliged to pay out that length of chain. Then, 

 with the anchor ahead in the bay and two strong hawsers 

 astern, our little craft lay quietly after her long buffeting with, 

 wind and wave, and we watched the lights appearing in the 

 busy town and the sailors as they furled the sails and cleared 

 the deck. 



As Martinique was visited by me eighteen months later for 

 a stay of six weeks, I will defer my description of its many- 

 beautiful scenes until I reach it in the course of events. But; 

 the Doctor and myself here enjoyed a few days on shore, pre- 

 vious to my departure for Dominica and his for more northern 

 islands. 



Now, the Doctor was a genius. He had a genius for mak- 

 ing money, and a special tact for taking care of number one. 

 Leaving New York with but sixty dollars and his stock in 

 trade, he landed in the West Indies with his cash greatly aug- 

 mented and with the captain, mate, cook, and, In fact, the 

 whole crew, deeply in his debt. That I escaped with a whole 

 tooth in my head I attribute to some special interposition of 

 Providence, or to the fact that I had but little cash. The 

 Doctor's period of sojourn on shipboard may be divided into 

 two portions— that in which he was pulling or "flxfn' " teeth, 

 and that in which he was sea-sick. He was happy in the ex- 

 erciee of the former and uuhappy in that of the latter. When 

 the Doctor appeared on deck with a particularly happy ex- 

 pression on his countenance, aud polishing somebody's darling 

 molar on the lapel of his coat, beware of him ! The whole 

 crew would then shudder with apprehension. 



The Doctor and I went ou shore. We climbed the paved 

 streets and descended again to the beautiful Jardin dea 

 Plantes. On our way the Doelor indulged in a free flow of 

 that happy humor peculiar to the Western Yankee (for we 



