On this page

• Text (2)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    Untitled Article

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Untitled Article

    aa a just representation of them . Leaving this fluid altogether out of consideration , the brain presents itself as a Large nervous mass , extremely rich in blood , but possessing no obvious outlet for the residue of its wide range of vital processes ; or superfluous agents which are invariably the consequence of vital action . We need not many sentences to point out the initial error of this hypothesis . The brain has an outlet for the residue of its vital processes , and that outlet is the same as the muscles possess , they also being the seat of chemical changes without producing any " palpable secretion : " the outlet is the v venous absorbtion of the waste matter which is subsequently expelled through , the various excretory passages . If Dr . Holland ' s hypothesis has been framed in defiance of anatomy , it has also been framed in defiance of ordinary observation ; for , if hair is the product of nervous activity , which has no other outlet , then ought the most active intellect to manifest itself in the hairiest gentlemen , and the bald philosopher should be regarded as a monstrosity . In accounting for the local distribution of Hair , Dr . Holland follows this rule : — The head possesses a greater affluence of hair than any other part of the body . What are the organic conditions by - which it is distinguished ? The brain , exquisite in structure , and one of the most active organs of the animal system , fills the capacious cavity of the cranium . Its faculties are maintained in vigorous exercise at the expense of blood and nervous power ; and according to the energy with which they actj in relation to constitutional endotoments , is the amount of useless elements to be thrown off . The quantity , necessitating an issue , is greater here than in any other ocality , and as a consequence the growth of hair is proportionately more abundant . But how is it that the hairy bear , and hirsute buffalo are so inferior to man in nervous activity ? The hypothesis is every way inadmissible . It rests upon an anatomical oversight , it misconceives the physiological process of growth , and it is in defiance of ordinary observation . When Dr . Holland 6 ays — . ' ¦ ' '¦ ; ¦ : '¦ . : ¦ ¦¦ . ' . ' -.-. : : ¦ . . ' •¦

    If we closely examine the subject , we shall find that , on whatever part of the body these particular growths appear , it is iu association with a copiousness of nervous matter , energetic in its functions , which has no outlet for the residue of its vital processes , excejpl in the creation of external appendages . In answer to the question , what relation , as cause and effect , exists between the activity of cerebral functions , and the hair of the head , we reply that the materials which enter into the structure of the latter , are elements which the brain ejects as useless ; , consequently their escape , to this extent , is a relief tov € be nervous mass the seat of the mental faculties . The kidneys , the lungs , and the skin , perform a similar office in reference to the body generallyheis misled by a mistaken notion of the brain as a secreting organ , which it is not , although it is usually styled a ' gland . ' In the attempt to explain Hair as an index of physical constitution , it is said :- — ' ' ¦ \ ' . ¦ ' ¦ . ' . ;¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ' .

    The state of the hair on the head tends to elucidate the character of the constitution . If strong and thick , it implies considerable tone or energy of the vital powers . If , on the other hand , it is thin , soft , or silky , —prone to grow in length rather than in strength , the animal system is almost invariably weak , and the disposition of the individual is Hot unfrequently mild , easy , and destitute of enterprise , rarely displaying qualities which indicate force of intellect . We may , further , remark , as the result of careful observation , that the curliness of the hair , not merely in infancy , but in after-life , is evidence of unusual constitutional vigour , though not necessarily conjoined with , a well-developed muscular frame . The vital properties which , throw - out the external appendage ttick and abundant , in harmony -with the requirements of the system , are the cause , from the affluence and activity by which , they are characterised , of this being not only strong , but curly . " We have no hesitation in the expression of this opinion ; nor will its accuracy be q uestioned by those who have given attention to the mutter .

    One is tempted to ask whether the curly hair of the Negro implies a greater constitutional vigour than the lank hair of his master ; and if so , whether this vigour is greater in the nervous direction ? Dr . Holland opposes tlic universal opinion that the hair is inorganic , and in doing so ho exhibits a strange oversight for a physiologist of his merit : — On what ground the shaft is regarded as inorganic , it is difficult to imagine . In our opinion , it is beautifully and exquisitely organized . Can anything which draws its life and being from the body , and maintains a living connexion with it , bo philosophically viewed in that light ? Because we do not perceive those obvious endowments and phenomena which ordinarily indicate vitality , and under circumstances ¦ which exhibit the utility of structures , we unjustly look upon the hair as inorganic , and as subservient to no particular end in the animal economy . No part of the body is , in fact , more wonderfully organized than the hair . ' ¦

    There is no difficulty at all in imagining why the hair is called inorganic : it is demarcated from nil organic substances by the initial fact of its not being the seal of changes . Hair remains unaltered for . thousands of years , like a Hint . INo organic substance remains unaltered for a day , unless artificially prepared . After this we need not proceed to enumerate the other diilerences . Although we have been forced to combat the hypothesis -which links together the various facts in this volume , we must conclude by again saying that the facts are interesting and well presented . On many details we dissent—notably on the analogy of hair and fat—but the book is so suggestive that we recommend it to our readers .

    Untitled Article

    romance—tie romance of reality—comes upon us with especial freshness at the present moment . We like to hear over again the events of that stirring period , and we are ready to listen to and talk with an eye-witness who has anything to say upon , the subject . Mr . Borthwick was one of those persons whose love of adventure—at least we presume so , as no other reason is assigned for his taking the long and perilous journey—induced him to visit this -ultima tkule of the American Union . We take no notice of his casual digging enterprises or portrait-taking amongst the miners , as they both seem to have been the accident of an amateur taste , and he does not himself dwell upon them . It was evident that he was not " prospecting" a " ¦ claim ; " that he understood " rich dirt" and " poor dirt" only theoretically , and was not much experienced in " stripping off" " top dirt" or washing " pay-dirt" in a " long torn . " Still he has -written an amusing , and , we "believe , by no means an exaggerated picture of the state of things existing during his rambles over the znininir districts .

    San Francisco lay in a state of transition when Mr . Borthwick arrived there . Few vestiges of the original village remained , whilst most of the modern houses presented a make-shift and temporary appearance , being , in fact , only mere tents with perhaps a wooden front strong enough to support the sign of the occupant , or a wooden framework lined with sheets of zinc , together with a few corrugated iron houses imported whole , and here and there a Chinese cottage . Towards the sea , however , another class of building sprang up . The abruptness of the hills and their proximity to the water not allowing extension inland , houses had already been built on . piles for a considerable distance beyond the high water mark , which were subsequently banked round with the earth dug out of the hills , so that at the present day the whole of the business part of the city stands on solid ground where a f < ew years ago large ships rode at anchor . But the most

    extraordinary thing , and that which shows most completely the ingenuity of the Yankees , occurred in 3 , when , to give a uniform , level to the streets , whole houses were raised to the desired height . The mode of operation , according to Mr . Borthwick , was as follows ;— " Excavations were made , and under the foundation walls of the houses were inserted a number of cylinders about two feet' in height , so that the building rested entirely on the heads of the pistons . The cylinders were all connected by pipes , with a force-pump worked by a couple of men , who in this way could pump up a five-story brick building three or four inches in the course of the day . Aa the house grew up , props were inserted in case of accidents ; and when it had been raised as far as the length of the pistons would allow , the whole apparatus was readjusted , and the operation was repeated till the required height was obtained . I went to witness the process when it was being applied to a large corner brick building , five stories high , with about sixty feet frontage each way . The flagged side-walk was being raised along with

    it ; but there was no interruption of the business going on in the premises , or anything whatever to indicate to the passer-by that the ground was f rowing under his feet . On going down under the house , one saw that the uilding was detached from the surrounding ground , and rested on a number of cylinders ; but the only appearance of work being done was by two men quietly working a pump amid a ramification of small iron pipes . The apparatus had , of course , to be of an immense strength to withstand the pressure to which ifc was subjected , and the utmost nicety was required in its adjustment to avoid straining and cracking the walls ; but numbers of large buildings were raised most successfully in this way without receiving the slightest injury . " Other ingenious mechanical contrivances are described by Mr . Borthwick , all of which were applied to rearing , enlarging , and improving this titanic city . These , however , we cannot notice , nor can we conduct the . reader into the exciting scenes of the gambling-rooms , the theatres , the masquerades , the balls , the bars , and the thousand other brilliant accessories that belong to the vivid tableau of life in San Francisco .

    Having steamed up the river to Sacramento city , Mr . Borthwick turned off for the mines . From the posting-house at Sacramento , four-and-twenty four-horse coaches—glorious reminiscences of old English staging—started together for the plains . When , however , outside the town , they all branched oft' in different directions , some to Caloma , some to Nevada , and some , amongst which number was the author , to the less euphoniously named village of Hangtown . This last-mentioned place is an outpost of the northern mines , and derives its suggestive title from the number of executions whicli took place there during the first period of u digging , " in pursuance of the orders of Judge Lynch . We should , however , observe that in the statutory books of the government , this town is known as Flaccrvillc . It would be impossible for us to give an account of the impressions and experiences of Mr . Borthwick sit the " diggings . " Suffice it to say , that he visited the principal towns , such as Caloma , Nevada city , Downievillc , mounted the Y / uba river , penetrated tlie mountains far up bethe minesoccasionall

    LIFK 1 IN CALIFORNIA . T / iree Years in California . By J . D . Borthwick . Edinburgh : Blackwood and Sons . Much at one time -was written and published about California . The fabulous fortunes made at the "diggings" created a feverish enthusiasm in its favour and sent the world searching after information about its golden ^ mountains . LVom every quarter of the world , and from every class of society , rushed thousands of adventurous Argonauts to reap the harvest of those auriferous regions . Modornly , however—for iu California events anterior to ' 50 belong to the far past—there has been a lull in the public interest with regard to that distant Slate . Australia and its gold-fields have absorbed the general attention—at least of Englishmen ; and California and its magnificent mines huvo lain liulo noticed . A work , therefore , reviving the story of the labours and the clnngerfi , the successes and the disappoint ments , of the first gold-seekers—describing their frank and picturesque life , alive with , excitement and rapid change , rich too with the colouring of

    yond , y joined a company in purchasing a " claim , " sometimes turned his hand to sketching and portrait-taking , now travelled with a caravan of Mexican mules , now lost his way in following anlndian trail , now put up with coarse fare and rude accomodation at some wayside " ranch , " now watched the reckless play at si monte or faro table in a gorgeous saloon , which would have been splendid at Paris , and whose magnificent mirrors contrasted . strangely -with the wild aspects of those who frequented the room , with the rough ill-fashioned huts that surrounded it , and especially with the grand and savage character of the hills which looked down upon it . After a year spent in exploring this district , Mr . Borthwick returned to Sacramento , and diverged towards the southern district , and visited Jacksonville , Moquelumne Hill , San Andres , Stanislaus liiver , smd Souora . These latter mines arc worked by a very different class of people . The northern mines are nearly exclusively occupied by Americans , and members of the Teutonic family ; the southern district by Frenchmen , Mexicans , Chilians , Chinamen , &c . Mr . Borlhwiclc concludes his work with some

    appropriate observations on the probable consequences to the rest of the world of gold la California . We note , by way of conclusion , the following for the benefit of the travellers of all nations . It will be seen how even it California , may becomu a ' polite educator . " Remarking on the humanizing effects of life at the " diggings" Mr . Borthwick observes : —

    Untitled Article

    Mabch 21 , 1857 . ] THE LEADER , 281

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), March 21, 1857, page 281, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2185/page/17/