OCCASIONAL NOTES.
BORAX.
We learn from a contemporary a good deal that is interesting about the history and preparation for the market of the borax of commerce. In 1874 Mr A. Robottom, prospecting for commercial purposes some of the vast tracts of unoccupied land in Southern California, came across a long deep valley, about fifteen by eight miles, which was apparently the basin, or series of basins, of once active volcanoes. This valley was covered with crude borates, combined with earthy impurities. The heat was oppressive, one hundred and nineteen degrees in the shade; and the atmosphere so dry, that even breathing was difficult. At this time, the explorer’s attention was drawn to a dark object lying upon the ground, upon which he seated himself, and found it was a dead horse. He was naturally surprised that no smell emanated from the carcase, and taking out his knife, he cut to the bones, only to find that the flesh was quite sweet. The explanation of this was that the boron from the boracic land had saturated it thoroughly. He learned afterwards that the carcase of this horse had lain there for seven months, having been left by a party of emigrants. The remarkable antiseptic powers of boron in its crude state having thus been proved to him, he took over this Boron Valley for the State of California, and arranged with a Company in England to make it available for commercial purposes.
As it reaches this country, Californian borax, after being freed from its earthy elements at the Borax Lake, is put up in small bags, and consists of pure white crystals, which are crushed into a fine, white, almost inpalpable powder in the factories. After undergoing various processes, it comes out eventually to the outside world as borax extract of soap, borax dry soap, washing-powders, &c. In one factory, over thirty-seven million of packets are turned out annually. This prepared Californian borax is used in the laundry, for washing cattle, for helping to heal wounds, and many other household purposes. Its virtues in preventing decomposition in hams and salted meats are also well known. Water containing one per cent. of borax will keep pure and sweet for years, and remain safe for drinking.
The soap prepared with borax, however, has been thought by some to have a more corrosive influence on fibres than common soap. In Belgium, powdered borax is used for washing purposes, with a view to economise soap; while in Sweden, meat and milk are largely preserved by means of boracic acid, its use in no way rendering these viands less wholesome. It is also valuable for hard soldering, and is in use for pottery glazes and enamels.
In addition to the natural supply of crude borax already mentioned, this substance is largely made from boracic or boric acid, found among the matters ejected around the craters of volcanoes. Works for utilising and preparing it exist in the Maremma of Tuscany, where the acid is condensed from the boiling springs and heated gases issuing from fissures in the rocks. It is also found in Central Asia, Canada, Peru, and in Nevada, United States.
AMERICANISMS.
The Globe, in an article by an ‘American Journalist,’ says: ‘The opportunity may here be taken to gently suggest that the word Yankee is very often misapplied on this side of the Atlantic. It is a genuine American word, but it only applies to the inhabitants of a certain part of the big Republic. A stranger in the States describing an inhabitant of Cincinnati, or St Louis, or Richmond, Virginia, as a Yankee, would stand a good chance of a broken head, or even worse. As a matter of fact, the Yankees are the people who inhabit the New England States, and the title is considered a term of reproach, not to say insult, by all others. This, however, is all by the way. There are three terms very often quoted as American “slang,” which possess certain peculiarities of locality. These are “guess,” “calculate,” and “reckon.” One may travel through what are known as the Southern States for five years and never once hear either of the first two words, unless spoken by a Northerner or a man from the West. The Southerners “reckon” everything, except, perhaps, consequences, and they are left to take care of themselves. “Guess” is more or less universal in the States, and “calculate” is common only to the North and extreme East. “Straanger” is frequently erroneously used by English writers and speakers as an ordinary colloquialism of all Americans. It is the property of the South and South-west only, and even there is rapidly becoming obsolete. But to these expressions it is hardly fair to append the stigma of “slang.” Now there are plenty of slang words and phrases in vogue in America which probably are meaningless to English minds. A lady has purchased an article for considerably more than its value; she shows it to her husband, proclaiming its beauty and cheapness. He, seeing that she has been overcharged, endeavours to persuade her that such is the case, vainly, for she is quite satisfied with her bargain. “All right,” says he; “it’s not my funeral.” This is slang, pure and simple, but it has a derivation. It is an unintentional protest against the elaborate obsequial ceremonies indulged in by all classes in the United States, and it is a grim reference to one of those not unfrequent “shindies” that take place in Western bar-rooms, from which the men who escape with whole skins have reason to thank their stars that “it is not their funeral.” Many are the political and party expressions which may well come under the head of slang terms, such as “log-rolling,” “the bloody shirt”—a reference to the late civil war—“mugwumps”—a name given in ridicule to independent voters—“the ticket,” meaning the list of candidates recommended for election by either party, and so on. The speculative nature of nearly all Americans has originated the expression “you bet,” which is the basis of many phrases, as, “you bet your life,” “bet your sweet life,” “bet your bottom dollar,” “bet your boots,” “stake your pile,” “go the lot on that.” Favourite games of cards have caused such expressions as “euchred!” to signify that one is exposed or thwarted; “I pass,” meaning that one declines further conjecture or speculation; “let’s make a Jack-pot,” a proceeding in the game of poker similar to making a pool; “pooling the issues,” denoting an intention or proposal to put all the results of some action together and “divvy up” or divide equally among the partners. To “catch on” means to understand or comprehend quickly, and has its parallel on this side of the Atlantic in “do you catch my meaning?” It is usual in the States to call railways “railroads,” railway lines “tracks,” carriages “cars,” and stations “depots.” Tramway carriages are referred to as “street” or “horse” cars, in contradistinction to “steam-cars” or railway trains. A railway engine is known as a “locomotive,” in opposition to a stationary engine. The guards are all “conductors;” and there is no luggage, but all “baggage,” and hence porters are called opprobriously “baggage-smashers,” from their anything but gentle handling of the baggage. The speed of the trains has given rise to the phrase “to railroad a thing through,” meaning to get a thing done quickly; and the huge lamp which flashes along the line from the front of the engine has given its name to a special lamp-oil called “headlight oil.” Very nearly every State has its special provincialisms, and they are as numerous as the words peculiar to the counties of England. Climate has had a great deal to do with many of these peculiarities, the languid heat of the Southern States having induced a soft drawling accent and a habit of slurring over certain letters, syllables, and sounds.’
A NATURAL SALMON-TRAP.
The salmon, the cousin of the trout, is famous for its method of going up-stream; it darts at falls ten or twelve feet high, leaps into the air, and rushes up the falling water in a marvellous manner. So determined are the salmon to attain the high and safe waters, that in some localities nets are placed beneath the falls, into which the fish tumble in their repeated attempts to clear the hill of water. Other than human hunters, moreover, profit by these scrambles up-hill. Travellers report that on the banks of the Upper St John River, in Canada, there was once a rock in which a large circular well, or pot-hole, had been worn by the action of the water. At the salmon-season, this rock proved a favourite resort for bears; and for a good reason. Having an especial taste for salmon, the bears would watch at the pot-hole, and as the salmon, dashing up the fall, were thrown by its force into the rocky basin, the bears would quickly scrape them out of the pot-hole, and the poor salmon would be eaten before they had time to wonder at this unlooked-for reception. The Dominion government finally authorised a party of hunters to destroy the pot-hole, and thus break up the bears’ fishing-ground.