Volume 31 (1875) (428 pages)

September rr, 1875.] 169 The “ Devil Fish.” Those of our readers whose school daye date back fifty or eixty yearaago, when school etlasce showed many an ‘‘upexplored region,’’ and when natnral history was made up largely of the statements and wouderfnl talee of travelere and eea captaina, will donbtlesa recall the ancient lookiag pictures in the echool books of thoes days, ench ae a ship being engulfed in the Norwsy Maelstrom, aud of the atill more dreadful accounts of the hnge kraken, which wae portrayed with its long arms spread acroee the deoks and twined around the masteof an old time Dntch ehip that was juet being drawn beneath the eea hy tho power of tbis hideous moneter of the ocean. Ag time wore on, and the wonderful tales of unlearned travelers began to be qaestioned in the light of oloser and more intelligent obeorvere, the pnhlic came to placo bnt little credence in the etorica of esa captaineand eailors with regard to the existence of this kraken. In time, however, pnhlic curiosity wae onoe more aroneed by the pnblioation, in Viotor Hugo’e “‘Toilere of the Sea,’’ wherein he placed hie hero in a dismel pool on a rocky ieland, where he wae eiezed by a monster eimilar to the kraken, hut oalled hy our author a ‘‘devil fish,”’ and from whose elimy embhreces and cepacious atomach he wae eaved only as by a miracle. Notwithstanding thie revival of an old story in a new and more reasonable dress, it ie prohahle that at the time the French novelist gave hie book to the world, not one ina thousand of his reeders regarded hie devil fish in any other light than creatnre of the aathor’s fency. But as time wore on, and the sea hecame more aad more a common highway, s0 many well eub. stantiated facteaeto the verity of Hugo's cea monster were brought to public notice, that a belief in its existence eoon became aa mnch a common place matter ee a recognition of any of the most ordinary facts in natural history. The devil fieh ia classed by naturalieta as an octopod, from the nnmber of ite legs, or, more properly, tentacles, with which it reaches out and eiezee its prey. It eeema to he a habitat of nearly all portious of the ocean, aud occnrs iu eize from a weight of a few pounds to several thonsand. Small specimena are very often taken by San Fraacisco fishermen, near the Golden Gate, and bronght to the city aa enriosities, There have heen two on exhibition at the fish market, corner of Leideedorff and Clay etreets, in thia city, daring the paat week. They each meaenred about twelve feet from end to end of their arma—that ia, each arm was abont six feet in length. The epecimene taken in thia vicinity, althongh they made a great epread, are of emall -weight, and probably of little etrength. Age, no donht, increaeee tbe compaee of the boay and tentaclea, aa well ae the etrength of the same, more rapidly than it doee the epread or length of the arme. With three or fonr only of the long slimy arme of veu the small epecimens eo often exhibited in thia city, twined around one’a hody or limba, the etrungest ewimmer would he likely to give np in despair, Small apecimens of the octopus have lately heea shown alive at the Brighton aqnariam, near London, England, where their hahits bave heen carefnlly watched and studied. A live devil fiah would form qaite an attractive featnre at Woodward's, and we wonder our fishermcn here never had the good Inck or thoughtfulneaa to secure one alive for such exhihilion. Mr. Woodward would, no douht, pay amply for such a@ prize. ; The engraving given herewith ie a very fair representation ot this curioue fish, with its arme epread out open as it appeara upon the sand at the bottom of the water in an aquarium. Ite aubstance is very soft and pliuhle, like the jelly-like snhetsnce which is so often picked up aloug the aea shore, almoet anywhere, and eepecially on tbe beach juat helow the Onff Houee, near this city. That theese monetere eometimee reach huge proportions, there oan be little doubt in the light of recent and accumulated evidence. It is but lately that a well authentioated etory came from Japan, that a company of native fishermen had killed an octopue, while the monster wae attempting to overtura their boat. In eeveral recent numbera of the American Naturalist, we fnd detailed descriptions of octopi, which, ae given on anch high authority, cannot be regarded as otherwise than truthful. One wae lately found on the beach of one of the Bahama ielanda, which weighed some 250 ponnde, and yet its tentacles were not much longer than thoso upon the specimena ao often seen in thie city, weighing hut fifteen or twenty pounde. Captain Campbell, a Glonceeter fisherman, reporta that on the 20th of October, 1871, he diecovered a mass of jelly, which proved to he the dead caicuss of an ootopua floating upon the sea, near hia veesel; a hoat was lowered aud provided with hooka by which the mass was towod alongside hia schooner, and an attempt wae made to haul it on board with hlock aud tackle, but it was too fsr gone in decomposition to admit of being removed from the water. Carefnl meacurements found the hody to be four feet eight inchee in circumference, and the MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS. were nearly two foet aronnd at their junction to the hody. The entire weight of the monster was estimated at 2,000 ponuds, with bnik snfficient to fill eight or ten barrola. During the past week or two, onr English exchanges have been alluding to a singalar and terrifio enoonnter with one of these monsters hy divers, while eugaged in their work in the depths of thesea, It seems that in Merch last the French packet, Le Normandie, wsa wrecked npon a line of rocks knowu as the Roucas, fringing the eontheru shore of the island of St. Honorat, on the French coast. For two months past, divers hava heen et work bringing np the maohinory,and part of the hall of the vessel. A short time since, two men went down aa nsual to carry on theic work, when one of them immediately felt hia legs oaaght as if ina vice, and perceived hefore him the hody of an enormons octopne. Wadenvoriny to free himself, he laid on vigorously with a crowbar, hut the iron slipped off tho ekiu of the moneter withont marking sony impression; his comrade now came to his aseieranco, but wae immedietely seized hy the spare limbs of the octopus, and found a leg aud one arm firmly enlaced. Fortunately, hie other arm wae free, and on his ringing the alarm bell the divere descondod in force, but could only deliver their comradee by cutting off the tentaclee one by one. The pictoriala, of course, could not let auch an opportunity pass, and have accordingly ehown up thie eubterranean combat in euch a manaer ae might he nsturally be expeoted from the fertile imagination of the engraver’a art, Combined Mop. Rubard C. May, of Sacramento, ie the inventor of a combined mop and eorubbing brush, whioh iaexbibited at the Mechanice’ Fair, the device. Itconsists of a ecrubbing bruah and Mop, arranged on a single handle in an adjnst able manner, so that either can be nsed ae desired. With it the user can stsnd up and do her own sernbhing, moppiag aad wringing, withont atopping to pick up a brueh, and there ia a cloth on the hsndle to dry the floor with. The floor can be scrubbed cleaner, ae hoth hands can be used on the handle, giving more weight on the brush. Tho operator also has more oontrol over the mop and it can be placed under the hrash to dry the floor thoroughly. The cloth can he wrnng out easily without wetting the handa or having the water rnn down the arms. And if one is called away from her ecrubbing she can go with dry hands. Fig. I, shows the procese employed for wringiag out the mop, and Fig. 2 ehowa the manner of drying with the cloth. Tax New York Hercid epeaks in glowing terma of the recuperative energy of our people, aa evidenced in the proposed re-eetablishment of the Bank of California. Cars are running over the Brooklyn and arma, whioh were about nine feet in length, Fruit Vale railroad. Resources of Yesso, Japan. A few monthe sinca we promieod onr readers eome extracts from the very valashle Reports of General Horace Capron of hie Commiasiou nuder the Government of Japau, for the agrienltaral improvoment of the Island of Yeeso. We herehy give our first iustallment, beginning with the opening chapter, whioh oontaine an abstract of the plin and object of tho aiiseion, with a geueral view of the resources and present condition of the island of Yoeeo, which is prohably destined to become to Japan what California ie to the United Stetee: Ina preliminary letter to General Capron, dated at Salt Lake City. Uteh, U.S. A., Augnst 151h, 1871, Professor Blake gives a general account of the natnre and extent of hie explorations in Yesso, and of the reeulte thereof. Together with Mr. Pumpelly, be was eugaged . by the Japanese governmout, through ite Com. mercis] Agent at San Francisco, 0. W. Brooks, Esq., to aot as mining engineer and geologist, THE DEVIL FISH. Tbis propoeition emanated from the Cabinet of Tycoon, the island of Yesso being designated as the field of operatione. Professor Blake aud Mr. Pumpelly arrived in Yokohama afier a passage of ninety daya on the eailing ship Carrington. Owing to unoertainty ae to the nature aud acope of their proposed work, tbe Japanese govcrnment having formed no definite place for their future operations, they remained in Yokohama three montba hefore proceeding to Yeseo. At leagth it was definitely settled thst the aim of their investigatione ehonld he the development of the mineral resourcee of Yesso, esp: cially of those portions helonging to the centra] government, as diatinguiehed from * MAY’S COMBINED MOP. The engraving ehowe plainly tho character of the domain of independent prince's. Hakodate waa made their base of operations, and they were given full discretioa ae to the method and extent of their work. Several Japanese atudents accompsnied them in their explorations, and in winter they gsve instruction in mining engineering and geology to olatses of native endents at Hakodate. It wae discovered that the government had made aome attempts at working mines in Yesao, and was even then conducting lead mining and a eulphur industry npon a considerable sc2le, efforts having also been msde to mine and manntacture iron. It was impossible, however, Profeseor Blake discovered, to ohtain sny satisfactory information ae to the mineral weslth of the island; and he determined that only actual inveatigation wonld enable him to ascertein with what minerala he had to deal, and how Japanese labor could he beet utilized for thoir development according to the most approved modern methode. ‘The summer monthe wero spent in explorations of the mining localitiea witbin 125 to 150 miles of Hakodate, extending over the groster psrt of the country lying to the north and weet of Volcano Bay. Professor Blake made eeveral expeditione of thie oharacter, returning each time to Hakodate and reporting progress to the gavernor. The party travelled npon horeeback, and were kindly and hoepitahly treated at tho varions Japaneee inns where they stopped. They enhsisted in great part npon Japanese food, beiug able to ohtain good fish in almost every looelity. Salmoa and other fine varieties abound in the rivere, and are canght in large nomhers by the Ainoe. Trout aleo are pleutiful, eepecially in the npper parts of the river and in their hranches; great quantities are canght and dried, forming an important article of export. Among the many mariue prodacts ntilized by the inbahitents and mado artiolee of commerce, are the ooareer varieties of -eaweed. The hotter kinde are fonnd on the western coast, ae also a great many other see products, ench as héobe-de-mer, echini, haliotie and cuttle fish. Game aboundeiu the interior, deer horns heiug an importent article of export. The population of Yesso is over estimated, Hakodate and Matemai are the princips] cities. There are a number of Japanese trading and fishing villages along the coest each way from Hakodate, bat ae one goes farther north the numher of Aiuos, or ‘‘hairy men’’ inoreasee. They penetrate the furthest receeses of the mountains in the iuterior, hanting and fishing, and from them is gaiued the beet knowledge of the interior. They pay tribute in many waye to the Japanese, aad are, apparently, very dooile and gentle. Physically they are well formed, mnscular and active. Uuder proper guidance they wonld, nndouhtedly, he of great use as lahorers. Their hahitation extends even to Sagalin and the Knril islande, and all namee of rivers, mountains, etc., north of Volcano bey are Aino. The interior of Yesso ie mountaiaons and rugged, hut covered with a fine growth of decidnone treee, the oak and ohestnnt, particnlarly, ahonnding. A considerable quautity of hard timber is exported, and a remunerative hnsinese could, undoubtedly, he estahliched by the erection of caw mills. Some of the monntain slopes, especially those of volcanic origin, are covered with a thick growth of small hamhoo, ‘‘take,”” almost inpanetrable, and a great obstacle to travel ae well ae to oultivation. Nearly all the varieties of the whole range of geological formstion are represented in the eoil and rocke of the island. ‘There are a greet many imposing volcanic peaks and groups of extinot voleanoe, The nearest to Hakodate, Comangadake, ie especially interesting from the fact that it hos been in violent eruption aince Commodore Perry's visit. The traces of that ernption were freah and distinct in 1862. A village hed been awept away, and an extensive area of foreet had been deetroyed hy an overflow of hot water accompanied by great volumee of sniphnrone eteam. ‘The treee, etripped of their limha and hark, were atill atandiag in many plaoee, thongh half huried by a deposit of scoris and ashes, chiefly small fragmente of pumice, The orater of this volcano ie an extensive denreseion with almost vertical walle. It can be descended, however, and traveraed to the inner crater where fire waa (in 1862) still vieible, accompanied by jets of steam and vapors of anlphur. Another voloanio cone, Esan, risee ae a Jandmark at the end of the land anontheast of Volcano hay. Thie is aleo eolfateric, and hse very valuable depoeite of ealphnr. There ie & remarkahle group of eimilar cones to the north ward of the bay, which yield large qnantities of aulphur of good quslity. Perhaps the most important alope, agriculturally, of Sonthern Yesso, ia that extending southward from the mountaine toward the peninen'a of Hekodate. It faces the etraits, hes a southern exposnre, a rich, deep aoil, and a climate which nearly corresponda to thst of Philadelphia and Baltimore. It ie, in general, free from forest growth and is wel] adapted to thocultivation of corn, potatora and the cereale. The hroad bottom lands of the Toshibeta will also afford a superior soil and wide, level terraces, adapted to cultivation npon a large scale snd with modern lahor-saving appliances. Thia great valley, however, is comparatively unknown, even to the Japanese themselves, Indeed the whole of Yesso ie practicelly a terra incognita to tbe inhahitaate of Nippon. The conditione of life aad labor in the former are very differeat from those in the latter, Tbe people of the southern island are inclined to regard their neighbore of the north as a rude, illiterate and inferior race. AcuicuLtugan ImpLeMenT Manoracrure.— It ie a matter of no little surpriee to every re_ flecting person that Califoruia ahonld be dependent on the Eaat to auch a great extent for her agrioultural machinery. So far as we can learn, every attempt which haa been made to manufacture such machinery here hae met with reasonshle anccesa. Tbe field for such industry is large and promising, as will beseen hy the following enumeration of tbe several shipments to this port for a single year, which has been carefully compiled hy the Saoramento Bee: There are annually shipped to this coaat some 6,000 wagons, 2,000 buggies, 2,000 mowing machines, 500 headera, 200 threshing machinea, 2,000 erain sowing machines, 3000 horse rakes, 2.000 harrowa, 1,000 gang plows, 3,000 single plows, aad 2,000 portable steam enpiues, at an aggregate coat of $3,100,000, whioh could sa welt, aud should’ by rights, he manvfactared in thia State. There ure also eaoagh of the smaller implementa to nearly double this sum. Tue Lotta Fountatn waa nnveiled and turned over to the city authorities of San Francieco, Thureday afternoon, with appropriate ceremonies.

September rr, 1875.] 169 The “ Devil Fish.” Those of our readers whose school daye date back fifty or eixty yearaago, when school etlasce showed many an ‘‘upexplored region,’’ and when natnral history was made up largely of the statements and wouderfnl talee of travelere and eea captaina, will donbtlesa recall the ancient lookiag pictures in the echool books of thoes days, ench ae a ship being engulfed in the Norwsy Maelstrom, aud of the atill more dreadful accounts of the hnge kraken, which wae portrayed with its long arms spread acroee the deoks and twined around the masteof an old time Dntch ehip that was juet being drawn beneath the eea hy tho power of tbis hideous moneter of the ocean. Ag time wore on, and the wonderful tales of unlearned travelers began to be qaestioned in the light of oloser and more intelligent obeorvere, the pnhlic came to placo bnt little credence in the etorica of esa captaineand eailors with regard to the existence of this kraken. In time, however, pnhlic curiosity wae onoe more aroneed by the pnblioation, in Viotor Hugo’e “‘Toilere of the Sea,’’ wherein he placed hie hero in a dismel pool on a rocky ieland, where he wae eiezed by a monster eimilar to the kraken, hut oalled hy our author a ‘‘devil fish,”’ and from whose elimy embhreces and cepacious atomach he wae eaved only as by a miracle. Notwithstanding thie revival of an old story in a new and more reasonable dress, it ie prohahle that at the time the French novelist gave hie book to the world, not one ina thousand of his reeders regarded hie devil fish in any other light than creatnre of the aathor’s fency. But as time wore on, and the sea hecame more aad more a common highway, s0 many well eub. stantiated facteaeto the verity of Hugo's cea monster were brought to public notice, that a belief in its existence eoon became aa mnch a common place matter ee a recognition of any of the most ordinary facts in natural history. The devil fieh ia classed by naturalieta as an octopod, from the nnmber of ite legs, or, more properly, tentacles, with which it reaches out and eiezee its prey. It eeema to he a habitat of nearly all portious of the ocean, aud occnrs iu eize from a weight of a few pounds to several thonsand. Small specimena are very often taken by San Fraacisco fishermen, near the Golden Gate, and bronght to the city aa enriosities, There have heen two on exhibition at the fish market, corner of Leideedorff and Clay etreets, in thia city, daring the paat week. They each meaenred about twelve feet from end to end of their arma—that ia, each arm was abont six feet in length. The epecimene taken in thia vicinity, althongh they made a great epread, are of emall -weight, and probably of little etrength. Age, no donht, increaeee tbe compaee of the boay and tentaclea, aa well ae the etrength of the same, more rapidly than it doee the epread or length of the arme. With three or fonr only of the long slimy arme of veu the small epecimens eo often exhibited in thia city, twined around one’a hody or limba, the etrungest ewimmer would he likely to give np in despair, Small apecimens of the octopus have lately heea shown alive at the Brighton aqnariam, near London, England, where their hahits bave heen carefnlly watched and studied. A live devil fiah would form qaite an attractive featnre at Woodward's, and we wonder our fishermcn here never had the good Inck or thoughtfulneaa to secure one alive for such exhihilion. Mr. Woodward would, no douht, pay amply for such a@ prize. ; The engraving given herewith ie a very fair representation ot this curioue fish, with its arme epread out open as it appeara upon the sand at the bottom of the water in an aquarium. Ite aubstance is very soft and pliuhle, like the jelly-like snhetsnce which is so often picked up aloug the aea shore, almoet anywhere, and eepecially on tbe beach juat helow the Onff Houee, near this city. That theese monetere eometimee reach huge proportions, there oan be little doubt in the light of recent and accumulated evidence. It is but lately that a well authentioated etory came from Japan, that a company of native fishermen had killed an octopue, while the monster wae attempting to overtura their boat. In eeveral recent numbera of the American Naturalist, we fnd detailed descriptions of octopi, which, ae given on anch high authority, cannot be regarded as otherwise than truthful. One wae lately found on the beach of one of the Bahama ielanda, which weighed some 250 ponnde, and yet its tentacles were not much longer than thoso upon the specimena ao often seen in thie city, weighing hut fifteen or twenty pounde. Captain Campbell, a Glonceeter fisherman, reporta that on the 20th of October, 1871, he diecovered a mass of jelly, which proved to he the dead caicuss of an ootopua floating upon the sea, near hia veesel; a hoat was lowered aud provided with hooka by which the mass was towod alongside hia schooner, and an attempt wae made to haul it on board with hlock aud tackle, but it was too fsr gone in decomposition to admit of being removed from the water. Carefnl meacurements found the hody to be four feet eight inchee in circumference, and the MINING AND SCIENTIFIC PRESS. were nearly two foet aronnd at their junction to the hody. The entire weight of the monster was estimated at 2,000 ponuds, with bnik snfficient to fill eight or ten barrola. During the past week or two, onr English exchanges have been alluding to a singalar and terrifio enoonnter with one of these monsters hy divers, while eugaged in their work in the depths of thesea, It seems that in Merch last the French packet, Le Normandie, wsa wrecked npon a line of rocks knowu as the Roucas, fringing the eontheru shore of the island of St. Honorat, on the French coast. For two months past, divers hava heen et work bringing np the maohinory,and part of the hall of the vessel. A short time since, two men went down aa nsual to carry on theic work, when one of them immediately felt hia legs oaaght as if ina vice, and perceived hefore him the hody of an enormons octopne. Wadenvoriny to free himself, he laid on vigorously with a crowbar, hut the iron slipped off tho ekiu of the moneter withont marking sony impression; his comrade now came to his aseieranco, but wae immedietely seized hy the spare limbs of the octopus, and found a leg aud one arm firmly enlaced. Fortunately, hie other arm wae free, and on his ringing the alarm bell the divere descondod in force, but could only deliver their comradee by cutting off the tentaclee one by one. The pictoriala, of course, could not let auch an opportunity pass, and have accordingly ehown up thie eubterranean combat in euch a manaer ae might he nsturally be expeoted from the fertile imagination of the engraver’a art, Combined Mop. Rubard C. May, of Sacramento, ie the inventor of a combined mop and eorubbing brush, whioh iaexbibited at the Mechanice’ Fair, the device. Itconsists of a ecrubbing bruah and Mop, arranged on a single handle in an adjnst able manner, so that either can be nsed ae desired. With it the user can stsnd up and do her own sernbhing, moppiag aad wringing, withont atopping to pick up a brueh, and there ia a cloth on the hsndle to dry the floor with. The floor can be scrubbed cleaner, ae hoth hands can be used on the handle, giving more weight on the brush. Tho operator also has more oontrol over the mop and it can be placed under the hrash to dry the floor thoroughly. The cloth can he wrnng out easily without wetting the handa or having the water rnn down the arms. And if one is called away from her ecrubbing she can go with dry hands. Fig. I, shows the procese employed for wringiag out the mop, and Fig. 2 ehowa the manner of drying with the cloth. Tax New York Hercid epeaks in glowing terma of the recuperative energy of our people, aa evidenced in the proposed re-eetablishment of the Bank of California. Cars are running over the Brooklyn and

arma, whioh were about nine feet in length, Fruit Vale railroad. Resources of Yesso, Japan. A few monthe sinca we promieod onr readers eome extracts from the very valashle Reports of General Horace Capron of hie Commiasiou nuder the Government of Japau, for the agrienltaral improvoment of the Island of Yeeso. We herehy give our first iustallment, beginning with the opening chapter, whioh oontaine an abstract of the plin and object of tho aiiseion, with a geueral view of the resources and present condition of the island of Yoeeo, which is prohably destined to become to Japan what California ie to the United Stetee: Ina preliminary letter to General Capron, dated at Salt Lake City. Uteh, U.S. A., Augnst 151h, 1871, Professor Blake gives a general account of the natnre and extent of hie explorations in Yesso, and of the reeulte thereof. Together with Mr. Pumpelly, be was eugaged . by the Japanese governmout, through ite Com. mercis] Agent at San Francisco, 0. W. Brooks, Esq., to aot as mining engineer and geologist, THE DEVIL FISH. Tbis propoeition emanated from the Cabinet of Tycoon, the island of Yesso being designated as the field of operatione. Professor Blake aud Mr. Pumpelly arrived in Yokohama afier a passage of ninety daya on the eailing ship Carrington. Owing to unoertainty ae to the nature aud acope of their proposed work, tbe Japanese govcrnment having formed no definite place for their future operations, they remained in Yokohama three montba hefore proceeding to Yeseo. At leagth it was definitely settled thst the aim of their investigatione ehonld he the development of the mineral resourcee of Yesso, esp: cially of those portions helonging to the centra] government, as diatinguiehed from * MAY’S COMBINED MOP. The engraving ehowe plainly tho character of the domain of independent prince's. Hakodate waa made their base of operations, and they were given full discretioa ae to the method and extent of their work. Several Japanese atudents accompsnied them in their explorations, and in winter they gsve instruction in mining engineering and geology to olatses of native endents at Hakodate. It wae discovered that the government had made aome attempts at working mines in Yesao, and was even then conducting lead mining and a eulphur industry npon a considerable sc2le, efforts having also been msde to mine and manntacture iron. It was impossible, however, Profeseor Blake discovered, to ohtain sny satisfactory information ae to the mineral weslth of the island; and he determined that only actual inveatigation wonld enable him to ascertein with what minerala he had to deal, and how Japanese labor could he beet utilized for thoir development according to the most approved modern methode. ‘The summer monthe wero spent in explorations of the mining localitiea witbin 125 to 150 miles of Hakodate, extending over the groster psrt of the country lying to the north and weet of Volcano Bay. Professor Blake made eeveral expeditione of thie oharacter, returning each time to Hakodate and reporting progress to the gavernor. The party travelled npon horeeback, and were kindly and hoepitahly treated at tho varions Japaneee inns where they stopped. They enhsisted in great part npon Japanese food, beiug able to ohtain good fish in almost every looelity. Salmoa and other fine varieties abound in the rivere, and are canght in large nomhers by the Ainoe. Trout aleo are pleutiful, eepecially in the npper parts of the river and in their hranches; great quantities are canght and dried, forming an important article of export. Among the many mariue prodacts ntilized by the inbahitents and mado artiolee of commerce, are the ooareer varieties of -eaweed. The hotter kinde are fonnd on the western coast, ae also a great many other see products, ench as héobe-de-mer, echini, haliotie and cuttle fish. Game aboundeiu the interior, deer horns heiug an importent article of export. The population of Yesso is over estimated, Hakodate and Matemai are the princips] cities. There are a number of Japanese trading and fishing villages along the coest each way from Hakodate, bat ae one goes farther north the numher of Aiuos, or ‘‘hairy men’’ inoreasee. They penetrate the furthest receeses of the mountains in the iuterior, hanting and fishing, and from them is gaiued the beet knowledge of the interior. They pay tribute in many waye to the Japanese, aad are, apparently, very dooile and gentle. Physically they are well formed, mnscular and active. Uuder proper guidance they wonld, nndouhtedly, he of great use as lahorers. Their hahitation extends even to Sagalin and the Knril islande, and all namee of rivers, mountains, etc., north of Volcano bey are Aino. The interior of Yesso ie mountaiaons and rugged, hut covered with a fine growth of decidnone treee, the oak and ohestnnt, particnlarly, ahonnding. A considerable quautity of hard timber is exported, and a remunerative hnsinese could, undoubtedly, he estahliched by the erection of caw mills. Some of the monntain slopes, especially those of volcanic origin, are covered with a thick growth of small hamhoo, ‘‘take,”” almost inpanetrable, and a great obstacle to travel ae well ae to oultivation. Nearly all the varieties of the whole range of geological formstion are represented in the eoil and rocke of the island. ‘There are a greet many imposing volcanic peaks and groups of extinot voleanoe, The nearest to Hakodate, Comangadake, ie especially interesting from the fact that it hos been in violent eruption aince Commodore Perry's visit. The traces of that ernption were freah and distinct in 1862. A village hed been awept away, and an extensive area of foreet had been deetroyed hy an overflow of hot water accompanied by great volumee of sniphnrone eteam. ‘The treee, etripped of their limha and hark, were atill atandiag in many plaoee, thongh half huried by a deposit of scoris and ashes, chiefly small fragmente of pumice, The orater of this volcano ie an extensive denreseion with almost vertical walle. It can be descended, however, and traveraed to the inner crater where fire waa (in 1862) still vieible, accompanied by jets of steam and vapors of anlphur. Another voloanio cone, Esan, risee ae a Jandmark at the end of the land anontheast of Volcano hay. Thie is aleo eolfateric, and hse very valuable depoeite of ealphnr. There ie & remarkahle group of eimilar cones to the north ward of the bay, which yield large qnantities of aulphur of good quslity. Perhaps the most important alope, agriculturally, of Sonthern Yesso, ia that extending southward from the mountaine toward the peninen'a of Hekodate. It faces the etraits, hes a southern exposnre, a rich, deep aoil, and a climate which nearly corresponda to thst of Philadelphia and Baltimore. It ie, in general, free from forest growth and is wel] adapted to thocultivation of corn, potatora and the cereale. The hroad bottom lands of the Toshibeta will also afford a superior soil and wide, level terraces, adapted to cultivation npon a large scale snd with modern lahor-saving appliances. Thia great valley, however, is comparatively unknown, even to the Japanese themselves, Indeed the whole of Yesso ie practicelly a terra incognita to tbe inhahitaate of Nippon. The conditione of life aad labor in the former are very differeat from those in the latter, Tbe people of the southern island are inclined to regard their neighbore of the north as a rude, illiterate and inferior race. AcuicuLtugan ImpLeMenT Manoracrure.— It ie a matter of no little surpriee to every re_ flecting person that Califoruia ahonld be dependent on the Eaat to auch a great extent for her agrioultural machinery. So far as we can learn, every attempt which haa been made to manufacture such machinery here hae met with reasonshle anccesa. Tbe field for such industry is large and promising, as will beseen hy the following enumeration of tbe several shipments to this port for a single year, which has been carefully compiled hy the Saoramento Bee: There are annually shipped to this coaat some 6,000 wagons, 2,000 buggies, 2,000 mowing machines, 500 headera, 200 threshing machinea, 2,000 erain sowing machines, 3000 horse rakes, 2.000 harrowa, 1,000 gang plows, 3,000 single plows, aad 2,000 portable steam enpiues, at an aggregate coat of $3,100,000, whioh could sa welt, aud should’ by rights, he manvfactared in thia State. There ure also eaoagh of the smaller implementa to nearly double this sum. Tue Lotta Fountatn waa nnveiled and turned over to the city authorities of San Francieco, Thureday afternoon, with appropriate ceremonies.