604 LANGSDORFF-CARVER. mal kingdom, like the dudu, the mammoth, the carnivorous elephant of the Ohio, and others."-LANGSDORFF, vol. 2, p. 23. [Immense Flight of Birds.] "WHEN we were at the distance of about a sea-mile and a half, a cannon was fired to attract the observation of the inhabitants, and invite them to the vessel. At the same moment, while the echo of the fire resounded along the steep cliffs, an innumerable flight of birds of various kinds rose terrified all along the coast. Without any exaggeration, or seeking to exhibit an overcharged picture, I can assert, that literally a thick living cloud spread itself around, and that the sea as far as our horizon reached, was absolutely blackened by the animal."-Ibid. vol. 2, p. 27. Anas Glacialis. "THIS is a species not common in Norfolk Sound, but abounding much at Kodiak: it breeds chiefly on that island, and on the peninsula of Alaksa. The harmonious trumpet-like noise of this bird distinguishes it from every other species of duck. It dives very deep under the water, and lives principally upon shell-fish: it draws in a large provision of air in diving, a small part of which it exhales from time to time, so that in calm weather, by the little bubbles which ascend from this emission of air, its course under the water may be easily tracked: it swims very fast, making very long strokes."-Ibid. vol. 2, p. 104. 1 In the German translation of Saner's Travels, it is asserted that the last animal of this species was killed at Behring's island in the year 1768, and that since that time it has not been seen in these parts. [Sea Snake formed from Mollusca.] "WE perceived in the water, near the ship, off Cape Mendocino, a sort of ribandlike object, perfectly clear and transparent, which had the direct form and figure of a snake it was probably composed of a number of salpen or mollusca of a particular species, mentioned by Forskal as hanging to each other in so extraordinary a manner.” -Ibid. vol. 2, p. 147. [Foxes of N. California.] "BESIDES these herds, we met a great number of foxes, who appeared to live upon the most friendly terms with the young calves, and followed the cows about as if they had been equally their children.”— Ibid. vol. 2, p. 192. [Indian Bark as Food.] "IN the spring of the year the Naudowssies eat the inside bark of a shrub, that they gather in some part of their country; but I could neither learn the name of it, nor discover from whence they got it. It was | of a brittle nature, and easily masticated. The taste of it was very agreeable, and they said it was extremely nourishing. In flavour it was not unlike the turnip, and when received into the mouth, resembled that root both in its pulpous and frangible nature."-CARVER, p. 264. [The Charming of the Rattle-Snake.] "IT has been observed, and I can confirm the observation, that the Rattle-snake is charmed with any harmonious sounds, whether vocal or instrumental. I have many times seen them, even when they have been enraged, place themselves in a listening posture, and continue immoveably attentive and susceptible of delight all the time the music has lasted."-Ibid. p. 483. CARVER-TIMBERLAKE-DU PRATZ. [Slow Lizard.] 605 [Indian Manner of taking Fish.] "BUILDING two walls obliquely down the river from either shore, just as they are near joining, a passage is left to a deep well or reservoir; the Indians then scaring the fish down the river, close the mouth of the reservoir with a large bush or bundle made "THE slow Lizard is of the same shape as the swift, but its colour is brown; it is moreover, of an opposite disposition, being altogether as slow in its movement, as the other is swift. It is remarkable that these lizards are extremely brittle, and will break off near the tail as easily as an icicle."-on purpose, and it is no difficult matter to Ibid. p. 489. [N. American Fire Fly.] CARVER (p. 491) remarks of the North American Fire-fly, or Lightning Bug, that "in dark nights, when there is much lightning without rain, they seem as if they wished either to imitate or assist the flashes, for during the intervals they are uncommonly agile, and endeavour to throw out every ray they can collect." [The Buzo, or, White Wood.] "THE Buzo, or White Wood, is a tree of a middling size, and the whitest and softest wood that grows; when quite dry it swims on the water like a cork: in the settlements the turners make of it bowls, trenchers, and dishes, which wear smooth, and will last a long time; but when applied to any other purpose it is far from being durable."-Ibid. p. 499. Shin Wood. take them with baskets, when inclosed within so small a compass."-TIMBERLAKE. [Psophia Crepitans.] PSOPHIA crepitans,-the Aganis or Goldbreasted Trumpeter, S. America; they may be trained like dogs, and become as fond and as faithful. It is said that they may be trained to tend sheep.-BUFFON referred to, vol. 4, p. 390, English Translation. Was Forbes's bird of this family? [American Eagle.] "THE American Eagle is smaller than the Eagle of the Alps, but much more beautiful, being entirely white, except the tips of his wings, which are black. As he is also very rare, this is another reason for heightening his value to the natives, who purchase at a great price the large feathers of his wings, with which they ornament the Calumet."-DU PRAtz, vol. 2, p. 75. "THIS extraordinary shrub grows in the forests, and, rising like a vine, runs near the ground for six or eight feet, and then takes root again; in the same manner taking root, and springing up successively, one stalk covers a large space; this proves very troublesome to the hasty traveller, by strik-take root.-Vol. 2, p. 30. ing against his shins, and entangling his legs; from which it has acquired its name." -Ibid. p. 506. [Vivaciousness of the Acacia Tree.] DU PRATZ says that posts made of acacia must be entirely stript of their bark: for if the least bark be left upon them they will CURIOUS FACTS, QUITE MISCELLANEOUS. [Superstition in the Philippines.] and their bodies painted, and that their coming is known by the smell. "They also adored some particular gods, for the fishery, and another belonging to the house, to take care of the children. Among these Anitos, were placed their grandfathers, and great grandfathers, whom they called upon in all their troubles; keeping little ugly statues of stone, wood, gold, and ivory, in memory of them, which they called Liche, or Laravan. They also accounted among their gods, all those that died by the sword, or were killed by lightning, or eaten by crocodiles, believing their souls ascended to heaven, by way of an arch they called Balangao. For this reason, the eldest among them choose to be buried in some remarkable place on the mountains, and particularly on the promontories that run into the sea, that they might be adored by sailors.”—GEMELLI CARERI. N the Philippine Islands it appears left them by their ancestors, and called by they had one principal god, called the Bisayans, Davata, by the Tagalians, by the Tagalians, Barhalamay- Anito. One of these was believed to keep capal; that is, the god-maker. in the mountains and fields, to assist traThey adored birds and beasts, vellers; another to make the seed sprout like the Egyptians; and the sun and moon, up, and they left him things in certain places like the Assyrians. There was not a rock, to gain favour. There was also a sea Anito stone, promontory or river but what they sacrificed to; nor any old tree to which they did not pay divine honours, and it was looked upon as a sacrilege to cut it down on any account whatsoever. This superstition continues among them still; so that no force could prevail with the Indians to make them cut down a certain great old tree, called Bolette, whose leaves are like those of a chesnut tree, and its bark good for some wounds, nor some ancient tall canes, vainly believing the souls of their ancestors dwell in them, and that the cutting of those trees or canes would put them into a fever; and that therefore an old man they call Nuno would appear to complain of their cruelty. This is to be understood of such as are not Christians, or not well instructed. This vain belief continues among them, because sometimes they fancy they see several apparitions, called Tibalong, on the tops of the trees; and they are fully persuaded that the same appear to children in the shape of their mothers, and carry them to the mountains without doing them any harm. They say they see them vastly tall, with long hair, little feet, long wings, [Attestation of the Lieutenant of the Bai liff of Mantes and Meulont, of the ex penses incurred in the execution of a Sow that had devoured a Child.] "To all those to whom these letters shall come, Simeon de Baudemont, Lieutenant, at BEAUDEMONT-LEIBNITZ-PENNANT-HOBHOUSE. Meulont, of the noble Monsieur Jhean, 607 Lord of Maintenon, knight, chamberlain of [Belief of the Modern Athenians that the our lord the king, and his bailiff of Mantes and Meulont, greeting: Be it known, that in order to execute justice on a sow that devoured a child, it has been found necessary to incur the expenses herein aftermentioned that is to say, for expenses within the gaol, 6 sols. Item, to the executioner, who came from Paris to Meulont to put the sentence in execution, by the command of our said lord the bailiff, and of the king's attorney, 54 sols. Item, for the carriage that conveyed her to execution, 6 sols. Item, for ropes to tie and haul her up, 2 sols 8 deniers. Item, for gloves, 12 deniers amounting in the whole to 69 sols 8 deniers; and the above we certify to be true, by these presents, sealed with our seal, and in confirmation and approbation of the above, sealed also with the seal of the Castellany of Meulont, this 15th day of March, in the year 1403." SIMON DE BEAUDEMONT.-Journal de Troye et de la Champagne Meridionale. [Leibnitz's Opinion.] "MEA opinio est, omnia ut sic dicam plena esse animarum, vel analogarum naturarum, et ne brutorum quidem animas interire."-LEIBNITZ, p. 189. [Lord Holland and Esculapius.] "ON an ancient altar, once devoted to Esculapius, the first Lord Holland thought fit to renew the like devotion to the God of Health in this form: Ob salutem in Italiâ Olim D. Esculapio sacram, ancient Statues are real Bodies.] "THE Common Athenians believe that the ancient statues are real bodies, mutilated and enchanted into their present state of petrifaction by magicians, who will have power over them as long as the Turks are masters of Greece. The spirit within them is called an Arabian, and is not unfrequently heard to moan and bewail its condition. Some Greeks in our time, conveying a chest from Athens to Piræus, containing part of the Elgin marbles, threw it down, and could not for some time be prevailed upon to touch it again, affirming they heard the Arabian crying out, and groaning for his fellow spirits detained in bondage in the Acropolis. It is to be added that the Athenians consider the condition of these enchanted marbles will be bettered by a removal from the country of the tyrant Turks." -HOBHOUSE's Travels, p. 348. [The Old Camel.] MACGILL mentions an old camel whom he saw near a hut passing the evening of her days in plenty and tranquillity; "for it is a humane principle of the Turks," he adds, "that an old servant ought never to be deserted when age or sickness has disabled him from being any further useful. Here she lay basking in the sun's rays beside a fountain, or browsing in the shade, while the children of the village playing around her were taught by their parents to be grateful for past services, and to respect and venerate old age.”—Vol. 1, p. 144. [The Broadside and the Bantam Cock.] "In the famous victory of the 12th April, a little Bantam Cock perched himself upon the poop of Rodney's ship, and at every broadside that was poured into the Ville de Paris, clapt his wings and crew. Rod 608 PIETRO DELLA VALLE-TEMPLE-BOLLAND. ney gave special orders that this cock should be taken care of as long as he lived.”—Life of Rodney, vol. 2, p. 375. [Tobacco introduced into Italy from A CERTAIN Don Virginio Ursino is said by PIETRO DELLA VALLE to have been the first person who introduced tobacco from England into Italy; "now some years ago," says he, writing in 1614. [Evil from Failure of the Wheat Crop.] "THE great magnitude of our consumption, as compared with former periods, must render the pressure of any deficiency more severe, and the means of providing against it more difficult and more costly. A harvest which should be one third below an average in wheat, would bring upon this country a very different degree of suffering, and would require a very different degree of exertion and sacrifice to supply the deficiency, from what would have been required under a similar failure fifty years ago."-Report of the Agricultural Com mittee. [Inflammatory Causes.] "THOUGH the beginnings of great fires are often discovered," says SIR WM. TEMPLE, "and thereby others easily prevented with care, yet some may be thrown in from engines far off and out of sight; others may fall from Heaven: and 'tis hard to determine whether some constellations of celestial bodies, or inflammations of air from meteors or comets, may not have a powerful effect upon the minds as well as bodies of men, upon the distempers and diseases of both, and thereby upon heats and humours of vulgar minds, and the commotions and seditions of a people who happen to be most subjected to their influence. In such cases, when the flame breaks out, all that can be done is to remove as fast as can be all materials that are like to increase it, to employ all ways and methods of quenching it, to repair the breaches and losses it has occasioned, and to bear with patience what could not be avoided, or cannot be remedied." [Derivation of Medoc.] In his prolegomena concerning S. Aidanus, sive Ædanus, Edanus, Aidus, Edus, Eda; alio nomine Maidoc, Maedoc, Moedoc, Modoc, Modog, Moeg (to which aliases BOLLAND tells us, upon the authority of Madoc and Madog may certes be added) Colgan, the Irish antiquarian and Hagiologist, that all these names have the same meaning, being in fact one: Nam diminutivorum nominum, (quod huc facit) duplex apud veteres Scotos est nota, an et oc. Si ergo nomini Aid sive Ed (quod ferè Gallorum aut Germanorum Eudo, Udo, Otto respondet) an addideris, Aidan, sive Edan efficies. Si vero oc, præfixâ litterâ à (quæ sic propriis nominibus addita, meum sonat, atque amorem reverentiamque indicat, quod et in Gallicis ac Teutonicis vocabulis propriis, et sæpius appellativis observare licet) erit Maidoc sive Modoc, aut Medoc.". Acta Sanctorum, Jan. t. 2, p. 1111. [Death from the Effects of Joy.] "AFTER our arrivall at Santa Helena I Edmund Barker went on shore with foure or five Peguins, or men of Pegu, which we had taken, and our Surgion, where in an house by the Chappell I found an Englishman, one John Segor of Burie in Suffolke, who was left there eighteene monthes before by Abraham Kendall, who put in there with the Roiall Marchant, and left him there to refresh him on the Land, being otherwise like to have perished on shipboard: and at our coming we found him as fresh in colour and in as good plight of body, to our seem |