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Page 6
This last has no political work to do, but is going in the interest of
science and commerce. The Prince intends to explore the country, and find
out what its chief products are, and what part of its commerce will be of
value to his country.
He is writing most interesting accounts of his journey, which are being
published in the papers, and we shall probably hear much that is new and
interesting of this country.
In one of his letters he gave an amusing account of the astonishment of
the natives over a graphophone (a present for King Menelik).
He at first put in a cylinder on which was recorded a song, sung by a
great singer.
Strange to say, the natives received this with neither interest nor
astonishment; the single voice did not seem anything out of the way to
them. When, however, a cylinder with orchestral music, bugle calls, and a
stirring march was put in place, their delight and surprise knew no
bounds.
* * * * *
The mention of this brings another wonderful invention to mind, the
animatograph, the machine which throws pictures on a sheet; the figures in
them move as though they are alive.
During the Queen's Jubilee, which will be celebrated in London this
spring, it has been arranged to have a number of animatograph pictures
taken of the procession and all the finest part of the ceremonies. These,
it is said, are to be kept in the library of the British Museum, to show
future generations what kind of people lived in the nineteenth century.
This should be a very interesting collection, and probably, if the idea is
successfully carried out, we shall have a set of these same pictures
brought to this country, and be able to see just how our English cousins
celebrated their great festival.
* * * * *
The news of the floods continues to be very serious.
At New Orleans the Mississippi River has reached the danger level, and the
severe rain-storms which have visited the country during the past week
have made the people in the city very anxious.
Certain of the streets are already swamps, and the river has risen within
a foot and a half of the top of the levees.
The convicts have been sent out from the prisons to help pile the sacks of
earth on the levees, and companies of engineers are stationed at all the
weak spots along them, to guard against the banks giving way.
All along the river people are sending petitions to the various mayors
and governors, begging them to forbid the river steamers travelling during
the night, and to have them move as slowly as possible during the day. The
wash from the paddle-wheels after they pass has done a great deal of
damage, and in many places has helped to break the levees.
[Illustration: _The Mississippi flood. A Typical scene._]
In several of the river towns all business has been forbidden, and all the
men ordered to go to the levees and help to shore them up.
The slightest extra ripple of the waters at New Orleans brings them over
the banks and floods the streets, but the banks are still safe.
* * * * *
England has just presented a very valuable manuscript to us, that has long
been kept in the Bishop of London's palace at Fulham.
This book is called the log of the _Mayflower_, and is an account of the
first voyage of the Pilgrim Fathers, and a history of the Plymouth
Plantation.
Several previous attempts have been made to get this manuscript from
England, but it has remained for Ambassador Bayard to secure the gift for
us.
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