yachtsmen, as they have the seagoing qualities, are 
staunch, strong, and easily handled. Supposing the 
owner to be capable of taking his trick at the wheel, 
one man and a cook is quite as large a crew as is required, 
the cook taking a hand to get up anchor and sails. They 
seldom nave a crew of more than one besides the captain, and 
are out m all sorts of weather, Of course if the yacht 
owner is a noodle and don’t know the bow from the stern, as 
many do not, he will get a sailing master who will tell him 
he can’t get along with less than six men before the mast, 
and then will want the craft lengthened to get room to stow 
them away. It seems strange tliat as popular as yachting is 
getting to be that people owning yachtsshould not endeavor 
to learn something about sailing their own boats—and espe- 
cially try to get posted as to what percentage of the expenses 
of a yacht is made up in commissions to the sailing master 
on every job of repairs, every coil of rope, every bite of gro- 
eeries. About one-half,and alarger proportion than that even 
of yacht owners, are mere babies in swaddling clothes in their 
innocence of the actus] necessities and unavoidable expenses 
of a yacht, and are consequently easy victims, They can 
run the seltzer and champagne department below deck ad- 
mirably, but on deck the sailing master is an autocrat, whose 
word is law, the owner isa proportionately small potato, and 
believes all he is told about both coming heavy weather and the 
safety of runuing into the port under the lee, either New Lon- 
don, Newport or New Bedford, where the sailing master, like 
rie sailors, has a sweetheart, and where he can sport his but- 
ons. 
It must be a curious condition of things to own «a yacht 
and mot know scarcely which end goes first, as many do not. 
What a heap of enjoymentit must be to make believe they like 
it, especially on two occasions—when it is rough, and when 
it comes to paying the bills. In either caseit is ‘‘shell out.” 
It wouldn't be a bad idea to have one large yacht fitted up 
for a training school and take out yacht owners in_ classes, 
and then be subject to an-examination and be found compe- 
tent before being allowed to sail, But bless me, how many 
fellows could stand the racket? Iam sadly afraid I shall 
not be able to regulate all these things, and won't waste my 
energies in the effort. 
Tt occurs to me that some other fellow may take a fancy 
to take a shore cruise or a cruise alongshore, like myself, and 
would like to know all about expenses. That is just what 
every scribbler omits, and is often the principal item of 
interest. [Tam keeping an account of this trip just for my 
own satisfaction, to verify my assertion to a friend that a 
person studying economy can travel about and have a good 
time for the same amount of money it will cost him to stay 
in New York wishing he could afford to go, premising the 
assertion on the supposition that he lives the life of a vaga- 
bond, 2, ¢., in a furnished room at say $10 a week, and takes 
his meals on the fly. Well, for expenses. I am on the 
economical Jay, remember, and trying to see just what a 
fellow can do and live decently. But as this chapter is as 
long as Forrest AND STREAM can afford space for this week, 
we will deter the expense account till later. 
I have just made a contract with a small boy, with a small 
horse and a small wagon, to drive me across the island for a 
small price to see the windward shore and get a view of the 
broad Atlantic. See you later. 
Newport, Aug. 4.—Having exhausted Block Island, 
took boat for Newport, It was quite rough and rained. 
There were a number of passengers; some ladies with the 
usual Saratoga trunks that would make summer cottages, 
They had left Block Island because it was cold and rainy, as 
if the island was responsible for bad weather, They were 
nearly all seasick, which was a judgment upon them pre- 
sumably. There were also several young gentlemen with 
very slim legs, illustrating the accepted idea of ‘‘dudes.”’ 
The wonder was that they held so much when they started, 
and where they ctowed it, but they were mere empty cylin- 
ders before reaching smooth water. The usual drunken 
Irishman was aboard, the fellow that is maudlin, and insists 
on your taking a drink with him or accepting a huge black 
disgusting-looking cigar, the kind they sell eight for a quar- 
ter. And by tlie way, Block Island must be a free port and 
exempt from Internal Revenue ‘‘chouls,” for I saw in a 
show case ‘Victoria Reinas, five for a quarter;” think of 
that, you fellows that pay fifteen cents apiece for them in 
Broadway; go to Block Island for your cigars, blockheads. 
My drunken Irish friend imparted to me confidentially 
that he was on his way from Boston to New York and had 
lost his trunk. He moreover gaye me his opinion privately, 
that these far-tamed Boston boats were not so splendid as 
stated, and he knew boats that were much larger and finer. 
Lasked him what boat he supposed he was on, and found he 
believed it to be the Pilgrim or Bristol, and thought I was 
guying him when liold him he was en voute from Block 
Island ta Newport. It did not seem to be a matter of any 
coucern to him where he was, or where he was going to. It 
is 4 strange condition of a man’s intellect, though, when he 
don’t know who he is, where he is, where he came from, or 
where he is going to, and yet it would rather puzzle the best 
of us to settle those same little points satisfactorily, even 
when our minds are not clouded with Block Island whisky. 
Life isa goud deal of a muddle anyhow, especially if you 
go ashore at Block Island. 
tn the mist and rain Janded at Newport, installed myself 
in snug quitters and came to anchor for a brief period, re- 
solved to make due prepuration for whatever might come, 
be if a ride, a sail or a walk. But first the inner man needed 
attention, which Leing duly and properly given, a smoke 
was in order. None of your Block Island Victorias, but a 
genuine meerschaum and genuine “Durham.” There’s com- 
fort and a peaceful condition of the mind under such circum- 
stances that only comes toa smoker, It was more agreeable 
to ‘‘lay off” in a Bostonrocker with pipe and a pile of New 
York papers than to go out into the mist and rain. The pipe 
and papers win. No outside work to-day. 
Newport, Aug. 5.—Vhe weather is exasperating beyond 
the forbearance of even such a Christian-like disposition as 
yours truly. Saturday was deyoted to fishing, that is the 
afternoon, the morning was sultry, nob a breath of air. stir- 
ring; but a fair breeze came up at 2 o’clock, and we tried 
Keitle Bottom Rock with good success: a nice Jot of tautog 
and about half an acre of flounders, and such flounders—half 
as large asa Broadway building lot. But I abominaie big 
fish stories; besides, there are people that don’t believe them; 
and who wants to give statistics for skeptics to criticise? So 
we'll say nothing about the size of the fish caught that can 
be gainsaid. Will simply say that one of them just covered 
the bottom of the boat ag nicely as if made to order; but 
then our boat was a medium-sized one, not over fifteen feet 
long and five wide, so you see this was after all no great 
shakes of a flounder, and nobody can whew! at this state- 
ment, 
_ it has rained and ‘‘misted” about all the time since I ar 
rived in Newport, but yesterday it beat its record for fog.. 
The fleet was to sail from New London early Monday morn- 
ing, but could not have done so, as they did not arrive until 
nearly dark, when one by one in quick succession they glided 
into the inner harbor like phantoms, and found anchorage. 
Really a wonder that there were no collisions, as the fog 
was thick enough to chew. As each came to anchor she 
fired a gun, and it was like a fusilade for an hour, 
All night it poured, and to-day, by way of variety, it rains 
pitchforks; and there the splendid fleet of the most magnifi- 
cent yachts in the world lay at anchor, with awnings stream- 
ing in cataracts and a few ghostly old tars in oilskins creeping 
about decks. As to owners, none are visible. They were all 
expected at the Casino last evening, but, like sensible men, 
most of them preferred the comfort of luxurious cabins to a 
splatter through the rain and fog up the hill to the Casino to 
hear an orchestra play a piece about once in half an hour; 
it being considered the proper thing to be deliberate and be- 
tray nO impatience, time being of no consequence. I 
thought so as I listened to one piece, when every ‘‘blower” 
kept his own. The dancing is carried on by very young 
“fry,” a lot of self-possessed girls of tender years and callow 
youths with legs innocent of undulations or projections, 
sadly in need of being dipped over again. 
The arrival of the Namouna on Sunday morning and her 
departure a few hours later for New London, was certainly 
very creditable to her condition. It is not every steam 
yacht that would be found resdy to resume her voyage after 
one across thé Atlantic without any overhauling. She re- 
turned with the fleet last evening, and Commodore Bennett 
came ashore in his steam launch, looking none the worse for 
his voyage, quite a large crowd gathering in the rain to see 
him land, one pickled old salt remarking: ‘‘Naow we shall 
have suthin’ done; he’ll stir "em up, you bet, and there won't 
be any more of this dead-and-alive business, you see.” 
The Newport boatman only sees things through a single 
eye, to his personal advantage; in fact, that is characteristic of 
all Newport. They look upon a coach-and-four as so much 
money to them. ‘The man that keeps the feed store makes a 
mental calculation as it goes past just how many bushels of 
oats and how many pounds of hay will be wanted. The 
butcher looks at the man with a glass in his eye that tools 
the coach and the fat, rosy girls on top and the envious 
flunkies behind and calculates to an ounce the steaks and 
chops required to sustain life in that cottage. 
On the higher ground eyerything is lovely and beautiful, 
but take the principal business street of Newport (Thames), 
and especially the alleys running from it to the water, there 
is not 4 town in the North so disgracefully nasty or with 
such a combination of stinks in the same space. It seems 
as if the number of coal carts, fish carts, ice wagons, butcher 
carts and vegetable wagons equaled the carriages, and 
especially do they prevail on Belleyue avenue, the fashion- 
able drive. A carriage with champing horses and rattling 
silver-plated harness and flunkies in top boots on the rumble 
comes sweeping along. Close behind it is Smith & Co.’s 
meat wagon, with Smith in the bows in his soiled frock. 
Next comes a coach and four with a flunky with a long tin 
horn which he toots constantly, and Johnson’s fish wagon 
follows closely, getting the advantage of the horn, which 
time out of mind serves to announce ‘‘fish.” Next comes a 
dashing turnout, driven by a young lady who is ambitious 
to win the reputation of being ‘‘a stunniny young girl” from 
the loungers on the hotel piazza, but if she should only look 
behind she would find close in her wake Brown & Co.’s 
vegetable wagon, with young Brown with his sleeves rolled 
up and naked arms, making the wilted vegetables bounce as 
he encourages the sprained old mare to greater speed by 
hi-hi-ing and squaring his elbows. In passing the Casino to 
day just at the most fashionable hour, I saw a coal cart, 
meat cart, vegetable cart, ice wagon and fish cart all backed 
up in front, discharging across the sidewalk under the noses 
of the beauty and the fashion, and how the aforesaid noses 
can ever stand the combination of smells is wonderful, but 
they pay their money and take the smells, If ‘‘society” can 
stand it, 1 can. 
Aug. 6.—Another exasperating day. More fog, more 
calms, More swearing, moreeverything but what is wanted— 
good weather. When the yachtsmen turned out early this 
morning in the hope of finding clear weather and a breeze, 
their heads emerged above the companionway into a fog so 
dense that chunks might haye been cut out with the couk’s 
carver. The exclamation was, ‘‘No race to-day.” About 9 
o'clock the fog lifted a little and a fair breeze sprung up from 
the nortliwest. 
A gun from the flagship signalled ‘‘Get under way,” which 
the yachts proceeded to do, the regatta’s tugboat leading the 
way. Anda beautiful sight it was to see them filling away 
and standing out of the harbor, Numerous parties of guests 
had previously gone aboard the larger yachts, anticipating a 
delightful sail, ladies predominating. The fleet had scarcely 
reached the Dumplings when the fog shut down again 
thicker than ever. The leading boats, some of which had 
got down as far as Beaver Tail Light, turned back, and came 
eliding past the committec’s tug, phantom like, as their tall 
sails loomed above the fog, which was low, and most of the 
time it was clear aloft. . ; 
For two hours the yachts tacked and tacked, appearing 
and disappearing like ghosts, but they were all handled with 
great skill and no collisions occurred; and it was rather a 
wonder, too, that in gettmg under way there should not 
have been accidents, for they lay densely packed in the inner 
harbor where there is none too much room. Several of the 
large yachts, viz., the Dauntless, Madeleine, Tidal Wave, 
lay outside Goat Island, where there was more room to get 
under way. The steam yachts, with large parties of guests, 
glided noiselessly through the fleet, appearing and disappear- 
ing. Occasionally the fog would lift and the sun come out 
for afew brief moments, but the fog horn on Beayertail con- 
tinued its Jong drawn out doleful moans, indicating no im- 
provement seaward. After waiting until 12 o'clock, the 
committee on the tug gave if up, and a long whistle an- 
nounced to the impatient yachtsmen that there would be no 
race. The tug ran alongside the Electra, on which the com- 
modore had hoisted his flag, for orders, which were to an- 
nounce a postponement until to-morrow. One by one the 
graceful prows of the yachts were turned harborward, and 
returned to anchorage with disgusted crews and owlers. It 
was a fizzle, the elements were in league with the Newport 
tradesmen, who smiled as they reckoned on the renewed 
orders for more ice, more beefsteaks, more vegetables, more 
groceries. It was an ill fog that brought no fish to their 
nets, and now all hopes hang on the morrow. What man- 
ner of weather shall we have? If a continuance of this sort, 
the yacht fieet will out-Herod the army in Flanders. 
PopGErs. 
Hatuyal History. 
SUPPOSED ANTIDOTE FOR SNAKE BITE. 
IN Oe ee A DUNG the abundance of venomous 
snakes in this country, and the comparative frequency 
with which men and domestic animals are bitten, but little 
is known about the antidotes to this virus. The remedies 
commonly prescribed are ardent spirits and ammonia. The 
former is to be drunk until the patient becomes intoxicated, 
when the effects of the poison usually pass off, and recovery 
follows, Ammonia is advised to be taken dilute, internally, 
and also to be applied to the wound. In all eases ligatures 
should, if possible, be placed abuut the part, and the ciren- 
lation between that and the central organs should be, for the 
time being, diminished as much as possible. 
There are certain herbs which are recommended as speci- 
fies for wounds of this character, but it is perhaps doubtful 
if any of these, as usually applied, are invariably efficacious. 
We have heard skull cap (Scutillaria) and snake weed (Ser- 
pentaria) recommended, but neither of these seem to be reli- 
able. The Pawnee Indians have a ‘‘medicine,” which we 
have seen them employ with unfailing success on horses, 
and they state that it is an equally certain cure in the case of 
human beings. ‘he Indians, however, guard the knowledge 
of this ‘‘medicine” very jealously, and will not reveal its 
constitution to any white min, e have seen them take a 
bitten horse, whose leg was rapidly swelling, behind a hill 
near at hand, and in less than an hour return with him mani- 
festly better, the swelling much reduced. Ina day or two 
the animal would be in a condition to be used. It is to be 
noticed, however, that animals thus treated by the Indians, 
although they recover, are never as good after being bitten 
as they were before they were atlacked. They are found to 
have lost their spirit and to be dull and Jazy, much like ani- 
mals that haye eaten loco, Itis probable that this Indian 
“medicine” is an herb of some kind, 
It is now some years since Dr, Lacerda, of Brazil, experi 
mented with marked success on snake-bitten patients with a 
very simple remedy. But the announcement of his discovery 
does not seem io have made much impression on the medical 
world, nor were his experiments followed up by others, so 
that the efficacy of the remedy has never been clearly 
established. Indeed, by many, the announcement of his 
supposed discovery was ridiculed. 
Dr. Nestor Freire de Carbalho, at the hospital of San Joas 
Baptista do Nictheroy, has recently employed Dr. Lacerda’s 
remedy on a patient bitten by the South American cobra, or 
jararaca. The case is by no means so fully reported as we 
could wish, but such as it is we give it. 
The patient was a colored man, an African, seventy-five 
years of age, unmarried, of bilious temperament, a laborer 
residing in Nictheroy. He applied for hospital treatment in 
the afternoon of April 25, 1883. He was a person of low 
intelligence and limited understanding, and was with diffi- 
culty able to give an account of his case, merely stating that 
he had been bitten by a cobra, and needed immediate treat- 
ment. The place of the wound is not mentioned, but it was- 
apparently in the right hand or arm. The symptoms were 
as follows: Gidema strongly pronounced, extending to the 
ring finger of the right hand and to the scapulo-humeral 
articulation, and from there involving the entire thoracic 
region. A. marked hemorrhagic tendency was observed. 
The patient suffered great pain from the distention of the 
tissues from infiltration of serum, compression of the nerves 
throughout the affected region. The wounded arm had a 
temperature slightly above the normal, aud the patient had 
great difficulty in bending it. Thermometer applied in the 
oxilla showed high temperature. The circulation moyed 
slowly and the radial pulse was thready. The patient 
suffered anguishing painsin the region of the cerebrum, man- 
ifested a tendency te hyperesthesia, an intolerable anxiety, 
expressed by uneasy movements, and exhibited marked 
aversion to light arising perhaps for the direct influence of 
the venom upon the retina or optic centers. 
The simple treatment was as follows: Permanganate 
of potash in hypodermic injections at the seat of the wound, 
with small closes of hydrate of chloral to combat the neryous 
phenomena. On the afternoon of his admission, from hypo- 
dermic injections of a solution of one grain of permanganate 
of potash to 100 grains of distilled water were applied, and, 
under the influence of the injection, the graver symptoms by 
degrees abated, and the condition of the patient sreatly im- 
proved. On the 26th of April three more injections were 
given, and in the two days following two more, when but a 
slight circumscribed cedema remained in the ring finger, 
Senor de Carvalho considers permanganate of potash an in- 
fallible antidote in cases of serpent poisoning, and by his ob- 
servations confirms those of Dr. Lacerda. 
It is to be hoped that a possibie remedy, so simple, so 
harmless and so easily applied, may have a fair trial by med- 
ical men wherever venomous serpents are found. If it will 
accomplish what is claimed for it, the importance of the 
discovery can hardly be overestimated, 
“OUR BIRDS IN THEIR HAUNTS.” 
NDER this title the Rey. J. Hibbert Langille has giyen 
us a pleasantly-written book about birds. It is em- 
phatically a popular and not a scientific work, the author’s 
object being ‘‘to render as popular and attractive as possible, 
as well as to bring within a small compass the sum total of 
the bird life of Eastern North America.” Not professing to 
be in any sense scientific, the book is not to be looked at 
with a critical eye, and should be reyiewed on its literary 
merits. 
It contains brief descriptions and accounts, more or less 
full of the habits of most of the birds commonly found east 
of the Mississippi River. The descriptions, while they are suf- 
ficiently accurate to enable one to identify most species from> 
them, would be useless in the casé of such as are very simi- 
lar in appearance. The life histories, as the author some- 
what pretentiously styles them, are in many cases very brief, 
but usually give the essential points of range, date of breed- 
ing and rough descriptions of the nest and eggs. 
he species follow one another without any regard to their 
zoological sequence. The first bird described in the book is 
the horned lark, the last the ring plover. Opening the book 
at random we find the species following each other in this 
order: ring billed gull, spotted sandpiper, barn swallow, 
kingfisher, marsh hawk, Carolina rail, woodcock and pigeon — 
havi, ete, 
The plan of the book appears to be to vary the subjects as_ 
much as possible, so that the interest shall be kept upslways. — 
To carry out this purpose the author describes certain locali-— 
ee 
