beyond the fortress, has a very beautiful appearance, from the number of domes and minarets peering out from the dark cypresses by which they are surrounded. It was near Belgrade that, for the first time since our traveler had embarked on the Danube, any sails met his eye. These were the lateen sails of boats, navigated by Turks. The Hungarian never uses the sail; here they can be seen in parties of thirty and forty, dragging their barges by ropes, on the Hungarian side, against the powerful current of the Danube.

A new feature in the landscape soon caught their eyes. All along the Hungarian bank, at certain distances, perhaps half a mile apart, were small buildings, sometimes made of wood, and along the morasses of the Danube and Save, raised on posts, or on other situations, mud huts, before each of which, stood a sentry on duty. They were the stations of the Hungarian military frontier-guard.

The villages on the Servian side of the river, were extremely miserable, the huts appearing unworthy of any better inhabitants than quadrupeds; indeed, most of the Servians are mere swineherds. The country, however, was fertile, and most beautifully variegated with noble trees, blooming cornfields, pastures, and vineyards. The Hungarian side of the Danube now presented one vast plain, covered with immense flocks of sheep, herds of cattle, horses, etc., attended by most patriarchal-looking shepherds. A few hours' pleasant sailing along these beautiful frontiers, brought them opposite the fortress of Semendria, another monument of Turkey's former greatness, and Turkey's present weakness. It stands on a flat piece of ground at the junction of a small stream with the Danube, and consists of a triangular wall of great height, strengthened at intervals by thirteen towers of various forms.

George Dosa, a man afterward celebrated in Hungarian history, first distinguished himself at the siege of Semendria, in 1513. He later headed an immense force of Hungarian peasants, in a war against the nobles, by whom they had been oppressed. For months he successfully maintained the field against them, during which 400 of their number fell a sacrifice to popular vengeance, until at last he was attacked while besieging Temesvar, taken prisoner and his army completely destroyed. If the peasants had been guilty of cruel excesses, the death of Dosa most amply atoned for them. Not content with the slaughter of 70,000 peasants, many of them women and children, it was determined to execute their leader in a manner that should strike terror to all future generations of peasants, and the inventive cruelty of a cruel age was taxed for its worst tortures. Dosa was seated on a throne of red hot iron, a red hot crown was placed upon his head, and in his hand a red hot scepter. Forty of his followers had been confined a fortnight without food, nine of whom had survived the starvation. These were brought before their tortured leader, and commanded to feed on him, yet living. Those who hesitated were cut down, while the rest tore his flesh from his bones, and devoured it greedily. "To it hounds, ye are of my own training" was the only remark that escaped the lips of the suffering Dosa.

A short distance below, the Danube contracts from a breadth of two miles,, to a few hundred feet, and becoming hemmed on both sides by lofty moun

tains, is converted from a majestic stream into a tempestuous torrent. The impetuosity of the river continued to increase in violence, until they came to the famous rock called Babakälly, rising out of the center of the river. Here, the roaring of the waters as they lashed its flinty sides, the romantic ruins perched on the summits of the rocks, and the savage character of the country, combined to make it a scene so wild and awfully grand that compared to it all other river scenery on the continent is tame.

During the wars between the Austrians and the Turks, this was the most formidable pass in the river. Here the latter erected the fortress of Golumbatz. Elevated on the summit of a stupendous rock; it is now only remarkable as a picturesque ruin, and for the singularity of its architecture, with its nine towers, some square, others round or triangular.

Advancing through this beautiful scenery of the Danube, the mountains increased in altitude, and the curves in the river formed a succession of the most charming lakes, until they came to the whirlpool called Tachtalia, an object of great terror to navigators, in consequence of the many vessels which have sunk here to rise no more. They passed through numerous other whirlpools, and for many miles through scenery of the character just described, until they came to the cavern Piscabora, celebrated in the history of the Turkish wars. The importance of this cave, as a military position, seems to have been discovered by the Romans, for there are the remains of a Latin inscription to that effect in the vicinity. Indeed, the traveler is everywhere reminded in the countries near this part of the Danube, of the dominion of the Roman empire. On the Servian side, are the remains of the road cut by the Emperor Trajan, along the sides of the rock now used by the peasants as a footpath; together with the tablet erected to immortalize the conquest of Dacia, by the same emperor. It is in the solid rock, a fine hard mountain limestone, and is executed with much elegance. A winged genius on each side, supports an oblong tablet, protected by the overhanging rock, which has been carved into a rich cornice, surmounted by a Roman eagle. At either end is a dolphin. The inscription, which is in Latin, runs thus:

IMP. CÆSAR. DIVI. NERVAE. F.

NERVA. TRAIANUS. AUG. GERM.

PONTIF. MAXIMUS. TRIB. P. 0. XXX.

A few miles farther down, is Orsova, the last town on the Danube in Hungary, where they stopped to obtain the signatures of the Austrian authorities to their passports, before passing into Turkey. A mile below in the Danube lies the pretty island of New Orsova, a Turkish fortress, now alas! somewhat dilapidated, like everything else Turkish. It is said to have been at this point that the great crusade of 1396, under the Connetable d'Eu, and Sigismund of Hungary, after descending the Danube from Buda to Orsova, passed over to the island, and so across to the Turkish side. One hundred thousand horsemen, among whom were the flower of the French chivalry, seemed to give an assurance of easy victory. As Sigismund marked their close and well ordered ranks, he instantly exclaimed, " With

such an army I can brave the world! their spears would uphold the canopy of heaven itself, should it threaten to fall upon us!" The impious boast was bitterly atoned for. In a very few days the plain of Nicopolis witnessed the complete dispersion of this host, and the noblest or bravest of them died in the hands of Bajazet.

Upon approaching the Turkish fortress on the island of New Orsova, an officer belonging to the garrison hailed the steamer, and stated that unless its people were provided with a firman, they could not pass. The intelligence was anything but agreeable, for neither the captain nor any of the passengers possessed the desired document. The matter was long debated between the captain of the steamer, and several Austrian officers, passengers; and it was at length agreed that they should return to Orsova, until the firman could be procured. The captain, however, a very spirited man, was inclined to go forward, on the ground that permission had already been accorded, for the free navigation of the Danube; Mr. Spencer therefore proposed to the Austrian major, that they should proceed together to the fortress, and learn from the Pacha himself, the cause of the detention. After long debating the matter pro and con, like a true German, he at length consented; and accordingly attended by an officer of the sanatory guard, they set off to the fortress, a miserable half ruined building.

They were immediately introduced to the Pacha, a fair complexioned, fine looking man, of about forty years of age, with a most patriarchal-looking beard. He was dressed in the Turkish uniform, a dark blue frock coat, light blue pantaloons, and a red cloth cap with a very large blue silk tassel. The Austrian officer, who spoke the Turkish language fluently, introduced Mr. Spencer to the Pacha. On learning that he was an Englishman, the Pacha received him with the most marked courtesy ; and when they had taken their coffee and smoked their chibouques, they related the object of their mission, to which he listened with marked attention. After deliberating a few minutes with his officers, he replied that he had received instructions from his government, not to permit any foreign vessel to pass down the Danube without a firman; " but," continued he, smiling, "my orders do not include a mandate to fire, in case you choose to proceed on your own responsibility. In that event, however, I should send an express to my superior officer, the German Pacha of Widdin." They made their congé and departed.

Upon detailing the particulars of their interview to the remainder of the passengers, they, with one consent, announced their intention of quitting the boat. "What!" said the well trained Austrians, "journey in open defiance of established authority? Impossible. Suppose the Pacha should take it into his head, that sending a few bullets at ours, was a duty incumbent upon him, are we to sacrifice our lives for a foolish firman? No! Proceed, captain, if you will; but we must, though very reluctantly, bid you adieu," and they instantly quitted the vessel, says Mr. Spencer, "leaving me the honor of being the first traveler who had journeyed down the lower Danube in a steamboat from Vienna to the Black Sea."

INTRODUCTORY observations-Departure-Polar Current-Madeira-Cape De Verd IslandsRio Janeiro-Cruise in the Southern Polar Region-Loss of the Sea Gull-ValparaisoCallao-the Paumotu Group-Origin of the Coral Islands-Society Islands-Navigator's Group-Council with the Natives Curious Customs-Humanity to the FemalesSidney-Second Cruise in the Artarctic Seas-Discovery of the Antarctic ContinentPerils Return to Sidney-Navigators in the South Polar Seas-Briscoe and Balleny-Discoveries of D'Urville and Sir James Ross-Facts respecting the Antarctic Continent.

To enlarge the boundaries of geographical knowledge, thus opening new avenues for commercial enterprise, and for the introduction of the arts and refinements of civilization among uncultivated and barbarous tribes, and so increasing the amount of human happiness, is among the most noble objects

which can demand the attention of a great nation. Since the discovery of the mariner's compass, the principal commercial nations of the world, actuated by various motives, have sent forth innumerable expeditions upon the broad expanse of waters that encircle the globe, to advance the cause of science, or to discover new lands, thus making the acquaintance of strangerraces, and bringing to light and to use, the many previously unknown, and peculiar productions of far distant climes, which minister to the welfare, or to the luxury of man.

Our own country-but the creation of yesterday-until recently, was too much absorbed in laying the foundations of her youthful institutions on a sound basis, for coming generations, to turn her gaze outward, to objects not intimately connected with this grand end. But the time had come, when the rank to which she had grown among commercial nations, required that she should take her place in the wide field of maritime discovery.

Accordingly, her first and pioneer expedition was organized in the year 1838, under the command of Lieut. Chas. Wilkes, of the U. S. Navy. On the 18th of August, of that year, the vessels composing the squadron, sailed from Hampton Roads, Virginia. They were three in number, and consisted of the sloops of war Vincennes, and Peacock, and the store-ship Relief; to these were subsequently added two tenders-the Sea Gull, and the FlyingFish.

At that period, England, France, Spain, and Portugal, fitted out expeditions for the same destination,-the island world of the Pacific. This vast ocean-stretching its blue waters, nearly one quarter the distance round the globe, on the one extreme laving the shores of the New World, and on the other, dashing its surf upon the older continent of Asia-is studded with myriads of islands, in places, as thickly as the canopy of Heaven is studded with stars. Many of these are of exquisite beauty, rising in living green from out the blue of ocean. The most gorgeous luxuriance of vegetation is always present; flowering trees and shrubs, of every color, are ever in bloom; luscious fruits the whole year round, hang tempting, in bounteous profusion, requiring no other care than the putting forth of the hand that stretches to pluck them; animals of graceful forms, bound through the forests; birds of rare plumage, and of melodious notes, flit from bough to bough; sweet landscapes, where hill and valley, land and water, softly melt and blend, delight the eye; and finally, an atmosphere, so delicious, and so bland, that every breath is a luxury, seems to render their fascinations complete. Unhappily, as in other of the most favored parts of our world, these blessings are bestowed upon unworthy objects. Many of these islands swarm with the lowest and the vilest of our race, with treacherous savages, sunk to the most degraded forms of idolatry-with ravenous cannibals, ever eager to murder the weak and defenseless, that they may glut their ghoul-like appetites.

The islands of the Pacific, until very recently, were but imperfectly known. The increasing demands of commerce required that some of the more prominent should be examined, their position and forms accurately determined, and the best harbors discovered and surveyed. Treaties of amity with the natives were necessary for the protection of the mercantile marine. Aside