Long years ago the forefathers of the Utes lived near a vast warm lake northeast of the Big River (Colorado). Snakes as long as a hundred lodge poles were plenteous in this lake. The country was full of big trees, big deer, and big oxen with white horns. One day all the big oxen began to roar together, and they raised such a steam from their nostrils that the earth tottered and trembled and the sun was hidden. Then suddenly the warm lake fell and continued falling for the space of three moons, and then became so low that the Indians saw it not again.
The big lake of warm water had been drained away. It had gone out through the mountains by the present cañon of Green River, and of the Big River. The old bed in the Toom-pin-to-weep is where the warm lake waters were drained. Next, all the big deer and the big oxen with white horns wandered eastward and perished from cold or by the arrows of the Ute hunters. Soon after a big flood formed Grand River Cañon. After this came a race of small people who brought seed corn of a small kind, called Chiquito maize. They also brought skin canoes. They had silver and gold in abundance, and iron tools which they had gathered in the mountains to the northeast.
These little people were almost white. They built stone houses in the cliffs, and cultivated corn, beans, and pumpkins. They taught the Utes how to make spears and bows. Soon big red Indians came over from the northeast and drove off the little people, who went south. The big red men also went away. These were the Apaches, Navajos, Kiowas. Down among these tribes were found the big oxen with white horns, and the grande lagarios (alligators). By-and-by the country became dry and cold, and only the Utes were left on the Big River and its branches. Then melted rocks were poured out and the country was left desolate.
Sybel Newell Stone.
Selak, Colo.
Questions and Answers.
Claude G. Smith, William F. Tillson, Hubbard Marsh, Lawrence Fraley, Albert R. Bullman, Frances De Berard, Rolfe McCollom, G. Du Bois, and a score or more others are reminded that the Table has no exchange column, and cannot publish notices of trades, as of stamps, pictures, addresses, printing-presses, and the like. We should be happy to oblige members in this respect, but space does not permit. We do not give the addresses because improper uses are often made of them by unscrupulous persons. The only exceptions we make—and these we do not make often—are in publishing the names of members in far-away countries, since advertisers rarely use such, and cases where requests are purely educational, as in getting seeds to plant and study, gathering mosses for a natural history collection, etc. We repeat that we much regret that we cannot oblige you in these respects. Charles W. Anderson and Charles Cohen apply for Patents and give no addresses.
James D. Waite: The National Guard of the State of New York is not a part of the regular army of the United States. It is under the State control, but may be mustered into the United States service through the action of the President, who calls upon the States, if need be, to furnish troops. If your father does not wish you to join the N. G. S. N. Y., do not do so. Hubbard Marsh, Groton, N. Y., wants to belong to some literary or similar society having corresponding members. Write him. Claude G. Smith: There are, just now, no prize offers open. New ones, when ready, will be announced on this page. The only contest awards in which have not yet been announced is the Illustration. In that about 300 young artists are trying to make a picture for a story, a proof of which has been mailed to them. This contest closes March 21st, but applications for proofs with permission to enter the contest have already closed. D. Blondheim: We fear it is a bit late for descriptions of Christmas entertainments. Better tell us about oysters and the oyster trade. E. M. Wallace, Monmouth, Ill., and Jay F. Hammond, Harford, N. Y., want to receive samples of amateur papers.
Daniel W. May: We should think old skates could well be made use of in constructing an ice-boat. Coils in use in the relay and sounder of telegraph instruments are two in number. The cores are soft iron bars, and around them there is wound, for the relay, very fine wire that is covered with silk thread, to perfectly insulate it. The finer the wire, the more its resistance. The large wire that you see on the poles connects directly with this fine relay wire. When the electric circuit is complete, the soft iron bars are magnets; when it is broken, they are not. Thus is produced a backward and a forward movement of the armature which opens and closes a second or local circuit, in which is placed the sounder, having two similar coils, but wound with comparatively coarse wire. The Century Dictionary describes an induction coil as being essentially in two parts, one wound over the other. The first, of coarse wire, is wound about the soft iron bar, and connected with a key for breaking and closing the circuit. Above it, on the same coil, is wound very fine wire, carefully insulated from the first, which becomes magnetic by induction every time the electric circuit is closed. We advise, for a first attempt, a single coil of fine wire. All wire used in making coils should be insulated.