Motor Matt's Mystery; or, Foiling a Secret Plot
Play Sample
SWANS CARRIED OVER NIAGARA FALLS.
All naturalists and many sportsmen will recall the great destruction of swans which took place in March, 1908, at Niagara Falls. A great flock of these large and beautiful birds was carried down the river and over the falls, and an authoritative account of the occurrence recently appeared in a paper by James Savage, of Buffalo, N. Y. , printed in the bulletin of the Buffalo Society of Natural History, says Forest and Stream
While the whistling swan occurs regularly along the Niagara River, it is always a rare migrant, and would scarcely ever be captured were it not for the fact that it often floats down the river to injury or death at the great cataract.Observers declare that scarcely a year passes without one or more swans going over the falls.About twenty made the fatal plunge in March, 1906, and five in the same month, 1907, but no such destruction of swans has been known as took place on March 15, 1908, when more than 100 were destroyed.
During the greater part of the day a severe rain-storm prevailed.About eleven o'clock in the morning, between showers, William Leblond, of Niagara Falls, Ontario, was engaged in removing from the ice bridge a temporary structure that had been used during the winter season as a souvenir and refreshment-stand, when he was startled by a loud cry. Turning around, his attention was first attracted to a swan struggling in the water at the upper end of the ice bridge; but, on looking toward the falls, he saw a great company of swans in distress coming toward the bridge. The scene was a sad one for any bird-lover to contemplate.
These splendid birds, helpless after their terrible plunge over the cataract, were dashed against the ice bridge by the swift current, amid cakes of loose ice which were constantly coming down from the upper river.Some had been killed outright by the falls.Others, unable to fly because of injury to their wings, attempted to stem the rushing waters, but here their wonderful swimming powers were of no avail.They were soon imprisoned in the ice, where their pitiful cries were heartrending.
The game-laws of Ontario will permit the taking of geese and swan in the spring until April 30, and it was not long before men and boys, armed with guns and sticks, availed themselves of the privilege and became the chief factors in the closing scene of nature's great tragedy—the sacrifice of the swans.
As soon as he learned of the occurrence, Mr. Savage visited Niagara Falls, and from his investigation concluded that the number of swans taken March 15 was 102.On the morning of March 18 two more were taken at the ice bridge, and a third was picked up alive on the shore.It was secured by Mr. Savage and photographed.Placed in the zoological collection in Delaware Park, Buffalo, it recovered.Eleven more swans were taken later, and some others were seen which, though apparently carried over the falls, were still able to take wing and fly away.
But swans are not the only water-fowl that are in danger from Niagara.On March 18, 1908, Mr. Savage saw a handsome male canvasback come down against the ice bridge.It appeared to be unable to fly.On the same day he saw a golden-eye duck struggle out of the foaming water below the Horseshoe Falls and reach the shore.It made no attempt to escape when picked up, and seemed unable to walk or fly.Later, however, it recovered and did fly off.
Of the swans which went over the falls, many afterward appeared on the table.A number were preserved by the taxidermists of Niagara Falls and Toronto.A group of five appears in the museum of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences.Mr. Savage saw not less than fifty of these dead birds and looked them over carefully, thinking that perhaps there might be among them a trumpeter swan, but none was found.Mr. Savage believes that fully one-third of the 116 swans taken would have survived if given proper care, but the impulse to kill was stronger than the spirit to save, and not even a pair of these unfortunate birds was rescued from nature's doom and restored to nature's freedom.
PARA RUBBER AND ITS GATHERING.
Rubber is collected by the natives in Brazil, who gather the thick, creamlike sap which oozes from the hatchet-cut in the bark of the rubber-trees.It is received in tiny cups of clay or tin, several of which are emptied daily into pots and carried where the sap is coagulated and "cured."The flow of sap from each tapping lasts but a few hours, and the tree must be bled in fresh places daily.
The total yield from the most vigorous tree does not exceed three or four pints in a season, and a considerable percentage of this is lost by evaporation.
In the camps the Para rubber sap is coagulated over a fire of Uricuri palm-nuts, built under an earthen pot, something like a slender-necked jug without a bottom.A paddle is dipped into the thick sap, and then, holding it in thick smoke, it is deftly turned in the operator's hands until a thin layer of rubber is formed.An hour's work at this would produce a lump, the foundation of a biscuit weighing five or six pounds.When the biscuit has reached a weight of twenty-five pounds or more, it is slit open, the paddle removed, and the rubber hung up to dry.Rubber thus gathered and cured is the finest known.
From the forest the rubber is sent down the stream on crude boats, later being placed on the steamers which ply the Amazon.When Manaos, the second largest city in the Amazon country, is reached, the rubber is boxed, though this is often left until its arrival at Para, at the mouth of the Amazon River.Manaos is 1,200 miles from the sea, so that considerable time is consumed in bringing the rubber to its shipping-point to foreign lands.At Para it is placed in the ocean liners destined for New York or some of the European countries.
QUEER CALIFORNIAN TRADERS.
The queerest "traders" in all vast California are the odd little animals known as "trade rats."
They never steal, but give miscellaneous articles in exchange for what they take.
A paste-pot left overnight in an assay office was found in the morning filled with the oddest collection of rubbish.
This was the work of trade rats.They had stolen the paste, and left in exchange a piece of stick, a length of rope, some odds and ends of wire, and an unbroken glass funnel.
A trade rat's nest, found in an unoccupied house, was composed of iron spikes laid in perfect symmetry, with the points outward.Interlaced with the spikes were two dozen forks and spoons and three large butcher-knives.
There were also a quantity of small carpenters' tools, and a watch, of which the outside casing, the glass, and the works were all distributed separately—to make a good show!
We are unable to state what this particular trade rat left in exchange for all this "loot."
BURROWING FISHES.
In Brazil are to be found fishes, eellike in form, which burrow in the mud during seasons of drought.In wet weather this curious class of fish stores up in its system a reserve of fat, and then, when the dry season arrives and the rivers dry up, it constructs a deep tubular burrow, in which it doubles up, with head and tail together.The mouth of the burrow is closed with a most ingeniously constructed mud flap, through which are several small perforations, which permit the animal to breathe air directly, as it is also one of the few species gifted with both lungs and gills.While enclosed in its nest, the fish is frequently dug out by the natives, who highly prize its flesh.In the period of incubation it lives upon the reserve of fat accumulated during the rainy season.When the early rains soften the soil, the fish emerges from its burrow and resumes its aquatic existence.
TURN RIVER TO MINE ITS BED.
The tunnel to turn the Trinity River from its channel so that the river-bed may be mined for gold is now in 1,150 feet.The total length will be 1,400 feet.The tunnel cuts across a bend two miles above Lewiston.The Trinity River Mining Company has a crew of eight men at work.The tunnel is being dug 8 × 10 feet in size.When it is cut through the hill at that size it will be enlarged to 10 × 12 feet, making it big enough to carry the whole river at ordinary stages.The water will be used at the tunnel outlet to run low-pressure turbines, furnishing power for mining purposes.The river-bed is known to be rich in gold.Over a mile of the bed can be mined when the river is turned through the tunnel less than one-third of a mile in length.
ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT!!
MOTOR STORIES
A New Idea in the Way of Five-Cent Weeklies.
Boys everywhere will be delighted to hear that Street & Smith are now issuing this new five-cent weekly which will be known by the name of MOTOR STORIES.
This weekly is entirely different from anything now being published.It details the astonishing adventures of a young mechanic who owned a motor cycle.Is there a boy who has not longed to possess one of these swift little machines that scud about the roads everywhere throughout the United States?Is there a boy, therefore, who will not be intensely interested in the adventures of "Motor Matt," as he is familiarly called by his comrades?
Boys, you have never read anything half so exciting, half so humorous and entertaining as the first story listed for publication in this line, called "Motor Matt; or, The King of the Wheel." Its fame is bound to spread like wildfire, causing the biggest demand for the other numbers in this line, that was ever heard of in the history of this class of literature.
Here are the titles to be issued during the next few weeks.Do not fail to place an order for them with your newsdealer.
No. 1. Motor Matt; or, The King of the Wheel.
No. 2. Motor Matt's Daring; or, True to His Friends.
No. 3. Motor Matt's "Century" Run; or, The Governor's Courier.
No. 4. Motor Matt's Race; or, The Last Flight of the Comet
| 32 LARGE SIZE PAGES | SPLENDID COLORED COVERS |
PRICE, FIVE CENTS PER COPY
AT ALL NEWSDEALERS, OR SENT POSTPAID BY THE PUBLISHERS UPON RECEIPT OF THE PRICE.
STREET & SMITH, Publishers, NEW YORK
THE BEST OF THEM ALL!!
MOTOR STORIES
IT IS NEW AND INTENSELY INTERESTING
We knew before we published this line that it would have a tremendous sale and our expectations were more than realized.It is going with a rush, and the boys who want to read these, the most interesting and fascinating tales ever written, must speak to their newsdealers about reserving copies for them.
MOTOR MATT sprang into instant favor with American boy readers and is bound to occupy a place in their hearts second only to that now held by Frank Merriwell.
The reason for this popularity is apparent in every line of these stories.They are written by an author who has made a life study of the requirements of the up-to-date American boy as far as literature is concerned, so it is not surprising that this line has proven a huge success from the very start.
Here are the titles now ready and also those to be published.You will never have a better opportunity to get a generous quantity of reading of the highest quality, so place your orders now.
No.1.—Motor Matt; or, The King of the Wheel.
No.2.—Motor Matt's Daring; or, True to His Friends.
No.3.—Motor Matt's Century Run; or, The Governor's Courier.
No.4.—Motor Matt's Race; or, The Last Flight of the "Comet."
TO BE PUBLISHED ON MARCH 22nd
No.5.—Motor Matt's Mystery; or, Foiling a Secret Plot.
TO BE PUBLISHED ON MARCH 29th
No.6.—Motor Matt's Red Flier; or, On the High Gear.
TO BE PUBLISHED ON APRIL 5th
No.7.—Motor Matt's Clue; or, The Phantom Auto.
TO BE PUBLISHED ON APRIL 12th
No.8.—Motor Matt's Triumph; or, Three Speeds Forward.
Price, Five Cents To be had from newsdealers everywhere, or sent, postpaid, upon receipt of the price by the publishers
STREET & SMITH, Publishers, NEW YORK
Transcriber's Notes:
Added table of contents.
Cover image may be clicked to view larger version.
Some inconsistent spellings within dialect have been retained.
Some inconsistent hyphenation (e.g.cottonwood vs. cotton-wood) has been retained from the original.
Page 1, changed "Tomilson" to "Tomlinson" and "Ling" to "Sing" in cast of characters.
Page 6, changed "under der drompone" to "und der drompone," "un der sleigh-pells" to "und der sleigh-pells" and "No noddng" to "No nodding."
Page 10, added missing quote after "der Tenver bapers."
Page 12, changed ?to , after "Watching your car."
Page 17, changed "away then went" to "away they went."
Page 21, changed "had he pearls" to "had the pearls."
Page 22, added missing quote before "Does this road run."
Page 23, removed extra quote before "Spangler, for a moment."
Page 28, changed "west rode" to "west road" and added missing quote before "Well, unexpectedlike."
Page 29, changed "hundred of feet" to "hundreds of feet."