in July last in THE GREAT
ROUND WORLD about the curious customs of the different races in India;
how they refuse to depart from these customs for fear of losing caste,
which they hold more dear than life itself.

[Illustration: AN INDIAN SOLDIER.]

The great Sepoy Mutiny was partly occasioned by the use of cartridges
which were thought to have lard on them; from these cartridges the
native soldiers had to remove the ends before putting them in the
muskets, and they said that it was intended that they should bite off
this larded end and thus lose caste.

Many of these natives will not drink milk, others will not touch lard,
and none of them must eat food prepared or handled by certain persons.

In order to stop the spread of the plague, certain rules had to be made,
and it is these rules which cause so many outbreaks among the natives.

The population of India is enormous, and a general outbreak would
necessarily be a very serious matter.

* * * * *

The re-election of Paul Krueger as President of the South African
Republic, while fortunate for the citizens of that country, is thought
to be detrimental to British interests in South Africa, for since the
Jameson Raid, about which we told you in No. 20 of THE GREAT ROUND
WORLD, Oom Paul has not held the English in high favor.

President Krueger received three-quarters of the votes in the late
election. His rivals were General Joubert, Vice-President of the
Republic, and Schalk Burger, a member of the Executive Council. The
President's term is five years.

* * * * *

A VERY important event in South Africa is the completion of the railway
between Cape Town and Buluwayo. Look on your map and see what a great
distance this is. It is just about as far as New York is from New
Orleans. The road is to be continued to Lake Tanganyika (Buluwayo lies
about mid-way between Cape Town and the southern extremity of this
Lake). It is reported that this extension will cost $15,000,000. England
controls this railway, and it will probably be the source of great
revenue to her, for the natural treasures of this part of Africa are
almost unlimited.

* * * * *

There is a very interesting article in _McClure's Magazine_ for March
about Andree and his expedition. The finding of the carrier-pigeon is
described. It seems that the captain of the sealer _Aiken_, which was
cruising near Spitzb