Kitabı oku: «The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 47, September 30, 1897», sayfa 5

When the slip of paper tied to its leg was unwound it was found to contain these words: "We are all well and in good spirits, but tell every one you know not to come up here this winter."

It was written on the summit of Chilkoot Pass, and dated August 25th. The pigeon had flown a distance of 1,071 miles to bear this message, and was completely worn out when it reached its home, refusing food, and declining to enter the dovecote for some hours.

The scarcity of food is already being felt. Some of the old miners are frightened, and are coming out of the district before it is shut in with snow.

Hundreds of men are, however, pouring in from all directions, and shameful stories are reaching us of the wild and lawless deeds that are being done.

A returning messenger brought word that a party of men who had for some reason been separated from their comrades blockaded a mountain pass, and having barred it up with trees and rocks, guarded it with firearms, refusing to allow any one to pass until their friends came up with them.

So lawless did they become that they threatened to shoot the first man who ventured to approach the barrier.

Party after party arrived at the pass, until finally there was a crowd of two thousand people waiting in the narrow gorge to be allowed to pass the barrier.

This state of affairs continued for several days, until a party of men, more resolute than the rest, pushed their way to the front, made a rush for the barrier, and overcame the resistance.

The waiting crowds promptly pushed aside the barricade, and began to file through the narrow pass; but so eager was each man to be first into the land of gold that the travellers pushed each other aside, knocked their fellows down, and trampled them under foot till the pass looked like a battlefield.

It is strange how men lose all sense of humanity when they are thirsting for gold. The stories of jealousy, hatred, robbery, and murder which have followed the rush for riches into the Klondike are a repetition of the lawless doings of '49 in California.

The question of providing food for these eager hordes has been considered by the President and his Cabinet during the past week.

It has been decided to send two detachments of troops to Alaska, to preserve order and carry supplies to those who are in need of them.

As it will be necessary to send the supplies before Congress can meet and make an appropriation for it, General Alger, the Secretary of War, has agreed to purchase the provisions at his own expense, and trust to Congress to pay him back.

A report is current in London that a great honor has been conferred on Sir Julian Pauncefote, the English Ambassador at Washington.

The term for which he was appointed ends next year, in 1898, but it is said that in consideration of the good service he has done, Lord Salisbury has obtained permission of the Queen to keep Sir Julian in office for another year.

The rumor that a new arbitration treaty is to be prepared is again being circulated.

We told you some time ago that it was likely that another treaty would be arranged for, and it is now said that Sir Julian Pauncefote is to be kept in office that he may have ample time to arrange the details of a new agreement which shall be favorably received by both countries.

It is said that when he returns to Washington this winter he will bring with him full instructions to guide him in this difficult matter.

The next mail from Hawaii is being most anxiously waited for. It is expected that it will bring word what action the Hawaiian Congress has taken in regard to the annexation treaty.

The Legislature of the islands was called to assemble on September 8th, and the first matter to be brought before the law-makers was to be that of annexation.

While the United States have been invited by the Hawaiian Government to annex the islands, the voice of the people has not yet been heard. The decision of the Congress of the Sandwich Islands will therefore be eagerly looked for.

Some members of our Senate are of the opinion that the people of the islands are not really desirous of being annexed to the United States but if the representatives of the people vote for the measure, it will remove all such doubts from their minds, and greatly help the matter in its journey through our Legislature.

Mr. Thurston, the Hawaiian Minister to the United States, asserts positively that the Congress will decide for annexation.

He says that just before the Legislature in Honolulu adjourned, a joint resolution was offered, declaring that the interests of Hawaii demanded that she should be joined to the United States.

This resolution was adopted unanimously, and as there have been no changes in the Hawaiian Senate since the adjournment, he thinks it absolutely sure that the members voted in favor of annexation.

One of the inhabitants of Milledgeville, Kentucky, has a very interesting relic of the early days of our country.

It is an old flint-lock rifle which once belonged to Daniel Boone, the famous pioneer, who opened up Kentucky for us.

It is asserted that this rifle belonged to Boone when he went to Kentucky in May, 1769, and the history of the rifle can be so clearly traced back to its first owner that there seems to be little doubt of the truth of the story.

The barrel of the gun measures four feet one inch, and the entire gun six feet two inches.

The story goes that it was with this gun that Boone helped to kill the 2,300 deer whose skins were hidden in the mountains of Kentucky, while the pioneers went back to Virginia for more ammunition and supplies.

When the men returned a few months later, they found that the Indians had stolen and destroyed the entire lot of skins.

The present owner of the gun has had it for fifty years.

A new bullet-proof cloth has been invented by a priest of Chicago, Father Casimir Zeglen.

Father Casimir is a man of peace, who takes but little interest in implements of warfare, and this great discovery was made by chance. The discovery once made, he determined to bring his invention to the highest state of perfection, hoping that through it he might lessen the horrors of war, and save many innocent lives that are now sacrificed for the honor of a country.