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Otago Daily Times, Issue 263, 23 October 1862, Page 4

* Artificial Hoofs for Horses.—lt is impossible to calculate the various useful purposes to which gutta perchri may be applied. One of tie most ingenious applications recently made of this valuable substance is that of making artifici.il hoofs for horses feet. Many ingenious devices have been resovtqd to, to attain this result, but the adoption of gutta percha will, doubtless, supersede all others, as soon as its efficacy becomes recognised. "What is required by the veterinary surgeon is a substance possessing the consistence of horn, to retain the nails of the shoe; that will readily soften by heat, so as to. mould itself to therequired form ; that it will be indissoluble in water seeing that the horse's hoof is generally in contact with moistiive; and, lastly, that it be capable of. uniting perfectly with the hoof. No known substance possesses all these qualities except gutta percha. For the purpose under consideration, it is prepared by being cut into fragments the size of a nut, andsoftened in hot water; the pieces are then mixed with ,half their weight of powdered sal-amraonhc, and melted together in a tinned saucepan ov-r a gentle fire, keepingthemasswell stivred; th«* mixture should assume a chocolate color. When required for use it should be melted ia a glue pot; the surface of the hoof must be scraped clean, and the gutta percha applied as required. The application may be facilitated by the use of a glazier's knift* warmed, by whic'i also the sarface of• the artificial hoof may be smoothed and polished. In this manner many a valuable horse may be rendered useful, which, otherwise, would only remain fit for slaughter. On the score of humanity, also, this application of gutta psrcha is to be welcomed.— San Francisco Union, i ' ''

Indian Attack in Humbout.—We have reforred in ths Union to an attack by Indians on some whites in Ilnrnboklt county, in whicli one Hiram Lyon was killed, and William T. Olmstead was b;idiy woundeM. The Times of July 19th give; the following particulars of the affiiir:—" A party of our citizens, consisting of the two gentlemen named above, with Stephen Adams and Ground, were en route to Trinity county with a drove of cattle, and, on Thursday evening, tha 10th ins*-.., stopped for the night at tiie usual campina place, some three hundred yards from the river. Soon afrer coming into campall being busy with preparations for tlie night—a dog, owned by one of the party, gave warning, and nislead cast his eyes around, when, on a ridge back of the camp, they fell upon a band of some forty armed-savages; he involuntarily exclaimed, "My God. boys, ees the Indians I" The Indians were ■within easy rifle shot, and at this moment a number of thorn fired. Lyon sprang up and fell dead without saying- a word, having received five or six bullet wounds, any one of which would have proved fatal. . Olnistead was hit several - times, though but two shots took serious effect. Instinctively the survivors sought a less exposed spot. Adams remained, however, a short time to search for his revolver, which was covered up with blankets ; he waited as long as he thought it was "any good tiiiug," the balls in the meantime playing a live'y tune about his ears, but left without finding it. and joined Ohnstead, who said,." Adams, let's fight 'em." Adam? replied, " It's no use to try that; t"ey wouldn't give me time to find my pistol, so I've nothing to fight the d—d hounds with." Fighting being out of the ca«e, it was now each to save him° self if possible. Adams struck out by a circuitous route for the settlements, arriving at Large's ranch, back on the trail, at daylight. Ground secreted, himself several hours, and found he was near the place of attack next morning. He arrived at Large's in the course of the day. Finding; he could not escape by flight, Olmstead directed his course to a drift pile in the river, the Indiana in pursuit. One of the savages getting too near, Olmstead drew his pistol ba?k and shot the redskin dead. He then plunged into the river and swam under the driftwood where he was out of sight, standing to his armpits in water. The Indians howled and raged around him for several hours like .so many incarnate fiends, but did hot succeed iv hitting him, or making him break cover. At about midnight the Indians left, and i Olmstead crawled out on the bank, where, being unable to travel, he remained until the next evening, quietly ruminating upon the pleasures of frontier life in geueral, while with particular force his mind would dwell upon his slim chance of . escape, in case the enemy should return before the arrival of friends. As quickly as possible after his arrival at Large's, Adams raised a few settlers who returned with him to the camp. They found the body of Lyon horribly mutilated—the throat cut, apparently with a dull-edged knife, from ear to ear, the body ripped open and the heart taken out; the body had been dragged near th c fire so that one arm had fallen in and consumed. Their horses were found killed and the saddles and camp equipage destroyed,] but strange to say, none of the cattle were killed ; afew of them were near by grazing, the balance havingreturned to the settlements. ; Olmstead was taken to ' Large's ranch, and'Dr Feli summoned from Hydes- I ville, who promptly responded. The news of the I attack was not broken to Mrs Olnvtead until the result was known, upon hearing which she immediately rejoined her husband. ; A gentleman familiar with'] thelocality infqrms us that the place where the attack j was made, is distant from Fort Baker about four | miles. This explains, probably, why the savage* did j not longer. remain iv the vicinity.— Sacramento \ Union. -..V, ■ . ' I

Atthe meetingof the Ballarat Turf Olub on Tuesday evening it was resolved to increase the amount of money already voted for the ensuing races "from LI,151) to L 1.270, in order to enable the stewards to lay as liberal a programme as possible before the sport ing public. , ■ " ' '