Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

red and black, in moist not swampy ground, | knowing it to be the common misfortune best in small vallies, between the rocks. Strawberries very fine, and raspberries best where the soil has been burnt. Blueberries on bushes which grow to eighteen inches or two feet, but generally much lower; a fine plum bloom. Hips in such quantities as to make the spots where they grow look quite red at a distance."-Ibid.

attendant on old age; so that they may be said to wait patiently for the melancholy hour when, being no longer capable of walking, they are to be left alone, to starve and perish for want. This, however shocking and unnatural it may appear, is so common that among those people one-half at least of the aged persons of both sexes absolutely die in this miserable condition."-Ibid.

Birds.

"THE brown fishing eagle. Snowy owl, a bird that follows the hunter all day long, and seizes the fowls he shoots. Ravens of richest black, tinged with purple and violet hues. The ruffed grouse. Delicate brown, varied prettily with black and white, hawk-like tail, of orange, barred with black, brown, and white, and often spread like a fan. A ruff of glossy black feathers, tinged with rich purple round the neck, which they can erect. In winter they are usually found perched on the pine branches, and easily taken. Their nests generally at the root of a tree, twelve or fourteen eggs. It is remarkable, and perhaps peculiar to these birds, that they clap their wings with such force, that at half a mile distance it resembles thunder. The sharp-tailed grouse dive through the snow. Red-breasted thrush,

of sweet song. Larks. Sand martins. Bitterns. Pelicans. Swans."-Ibid.

[Old Age the North-Indian's Misfortune.]

"OLD age is the greatest calamity that can befall a North Indian; for when he is past labour he is neglected and treated with great disrespect, even by his own children. They not only serve him last at meals, but generally give him the coarsest and worst of the victuals; and such of the skins as they do not choose to wear, are made up in the clumsiest manner into clothing for their aged parents; who, as they had, in all probability, treated their fathers and mothers with the same neglect, in their turns submitted patiently to their lot, even without a murmur,

[ocr errors]

[North and South-Indians' Name for the Aurora Borealis.]

"THE North Indians call the Aurora Bo

realis Ed-thin, that is, deer; and when that meteor is very bright, they say that deer is plentiful in that part of the atmosphere ; but they have never yet extended their ideas so far as to entertain hopes of tasting those celestial animals. Their ideas in this respect are founded on a principle one would not imagine. Experience has shown them that when a hairy deer-skin is briskly stroked with the hand in a dark night, it will emit many sparks of electrical fire, as the back

of a cat will. The idea which the Southern Indians have of this meteor is equally romantic, though more pleasing, as they befriends dancing in the clouds; and when lieve it to be the spirits of their departed the Aurora Borealis is remarkably bright, at which time they vary most in colour, form, and situation, they say their deceased friends are very merry."

99

[Fairies called Nant-e-na.]

"THEY are very superstitious with respect to the existence of several kinds of fairies, called by them Nant-e-na, whom they frequently say they see, and who are supposed by them to inhabit the different elements of earth, sea, and air, according to their several qualities. To one or other of these fairies they usually attribute any change in their circumstances, either for the better or worse."-Ibid.

Animals.

affrighted, and then put in, he came out in a few hours all amazed, and told strange

MOOSE. Ermine. Varying hare. Por- stories of his going under ground, &c. To cupine. Beaver. Squirrel.-Ibid.

[blocks in formation]

St. Patrick's Purgatory. "ABOUT the latter end of king James, the truth of the matter was discovered by the Earl of Cork and the Lord Chancellor, who, desirous to know the truth, sent some persons of quality to inquire exactly into it: who found that this miraculous cave descending down to the bottom of hell, was no other but

a little cell digged out of the rocky ground, without any windows or holes, so as the door being shut, it was utterly dark, being of so little depth that a tall man could not stand upright in it; and of no greater capacity than to hold six or seven persons. Now when any desire to go this pilgrimage, he was kept fasting and watching by the fryers, and told wonderful stories, so that being thoroughly |

prevent this delusion for the future, the lords justices caused the fryers to depart, and laid the hole open and exposed to the air."Admirable Curiosities, Rarities, and Wonders in England, &c.

[The Irontones of Tucuman.]

"THE people of Tucuman, whom the Spaniards call Irontones, fix the bodies of the enemies they kill, in rows to the trunks of trees, for a terror, that the borderers may not dare to go over to hunt in their liberties."-F. NICHOLAS DEL Techo.

Hy Brasail, or, the Enchanted Island. "ARRAN-MORE, the largest of the south isles of Arran, on the coast of Galway. Here several of the ancient Irish saints were buried, whence the island obtained the name of Arrannanoim. The inhabitants are still persuaded that in a clear day they can see from this coast Hy Brasail, or the inchanted island, the paradise of the Pagan Irish, and concerning which they relate a number of romantic stories."-Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis. BEAUFORD'S Ancient Topography of Ireland.

"THE old Irish say great part of Ireland was swallowed by the sea, and that the sunken part often rises, and is to be seen on the horizon frequently from the northern coast. On the north west of the island, this

part so appearing is called Tir-Hudi, or the city of Hud; that it contains a city which once possessed all the riches of the world, the key of which lies buried under some druidical monument."- Collectanea, No. 14. Int. p. 52. VALLANCEY.

WHEN Mr. Burton went in search of the Ogham monument on Callan mountain, 1785,

"the common people could not be convinced | de le mener aprés ledit de Talbot son maisthat the search was made after an inscription, but after an enchanted key that lies with the interred hero Conane (the monument is called Conane's tomb), which when found will restore an enchanted city sunken on the neighbouring shore of the Atlantic sea, to its former splendour, and convert the hideous moory heights of Callan mountain into rich fruitful plains. Their imaginations are heated in this gloomy aweful wild, expecting also great riches whenever this city is discovered."-Coll. No. 14. Notes, p. 529.

THIS resurging part of the island is called O Breasal, or O Brazil. The royal island. Colonel Vallancey says it is evidently the lost city of Arabian story, visited by their fabulous prophet, Houd. He combines it with the remarks of Whitehurst upon the Giant's Causeway, and suspects it alludes to the lost Atlantis, which Whitehurst thinks perhaps existed there.

Is that very extraordinary phenomenon, seen from Sicily, ever seen on the Irish coast-the palace of Morjaine le Fay? If so, an actual apparition explains the tale.1

[Le Capitaine Bourg-de-Bar.] "LES Anglois détenoient prisonnier en leur bastille un Capitaine François nommé le Bourg-de-Bar, lequel estoit enferré par les pieds d'un gros et pesant fer, tellement qu'il ne pouvoit aller, et estoit souvent visité par un Augustin Anglois Confesseur de Talbot, maistre dudit prisonnier. Le dit Augustin avoit accoustumé de luy donner à manger, et ledit de Talbot se fioit en luy de le bien garder comme son prisonnier, esperant d'en avoir une grosse finance, ou delivrance d'autres prisonniers. Donc quand cet Augustin vid les Anglois se retirer ainsi hastivement, il demeura avec ledit prisonnier en intention

SOUTHEY'S conjecture is quite correct. See notes on Madoc in Wales, xi. p. 342, where most of this is given.-J. W. W.

tre, et le mena par dessous le bras, bien demy traict d'arc de distance, mais ils n'eussent jamais peu atteindre les Anglois. Lors iceluy Bourg voyant les Anglois s'en aller en grand desordre, reconnut bien qu'ils avoient du pire, si prit l'Augustin a bons poings, et luy dit qu'il n'iroit plus avant, et que s'il ne le portoit jusques a Orleans, il luy feroit où feroit faire desplaisir. Et combien qu'il y eut tousjours des Anglois y Francois qui escarmouchoient encore, toutesfois cet Augustin par force et contrainte le porta sur ses espaules jusques a Orleans." Quære? P. DANIEL.' 130.

[The Maid and the Voice.]

SAID the maid, "En nom Dieu je sçay bien ce que vous pensez, et voulez dire de la voix que j'ay ouye touchant vostre Sacre, et je le vous diray. Je me suis mise en oraison, en ma maniere accoustumée, je me complaignois, pour ce qu'on ne me vouloit pas croire de ce que je disois; et lors la voix me dit, 'Fille va, va, je seray a ton ayde, va!' Et quand cette voix me vient, je suis tant resjouye que merveilles. Et en disant lesdites paroles, elle levoit les yeux au ciel, en monstrant signe d'une grande exultation."-Ibid. 133.

[Richemont's Humanity.]

RICHEMONT, when he took Saint Severe, "Fit nourrir plus de cent enfans que les meres avoient laissez, les unes prises, et les autres enfuyes, et fit amener des chevres pour les allaiter."-Ibid. 372.

Dagobert's Soul fought for. "ANSOALDE, revenant de son Ambassade de Sicile, aborde a une petite Ile, et en

See note on "Joan of Arc," p. 24, where it is said that "Richemont has left an honourable name, though he tied a prime minister up in a sack, and threw him into the river." P. DANIEL is the authority.-J. W. W.

tre en conversation avec un vieux Anachorete nomme Jean, et parlant des Gaules et du Roi Dagobert, Jean lui dit, qu'aiant été averti de prier Dieu pour l'Ame de ce Prince, il avoit vu, sur la mer, des Diables qui tenoient le Roi Dagobert lie sur un Esquif, et le menoient, en le battant, aux manoirs de Vulcain. Que Dagobert crioit, appellant a son secours S. Denis, S. Maurice, et S. Martin, les priant de le delivrer et de le conduire dans le sein d'Abraham. Ces Saints coururent apres les diables, leur arrachérent cette Ame, et l'emmenérent au Ciel, en chantant des versets des Pseaumes." This legend is sculptured on the monument of Dagobert I. Thresor des Antiquitez de la Couronne de France. 1745.T. 1, pl. 14.

Unction of Charles V. of France.

AT the unction of Charles V. the twelve peers are represented each stretching out his right hand towards the king.

ww

Thick Heads in Brazil.

"BLOCKHEADS and loggerheads are in request in Brasil, and helmets are of little use, every one having an artificialized naturall morion of his head; for the Brasilians' heads, some of them are as hard as the wood that growes in their country, for they cannot be broken, and they have them so hard that ours in comparison of theirs are like a pompion; and when they will injure any white man, they call him soft head, so that hard-head and block-head, termes of reproach with us, attributed to them would be taken for terms of honour and gentleman-like qualifications. This property they purchased by art, with going bare-headed, which is a certain way to attain unto the quality of a Brasilian chevalier, and to harden the tender head of any Priscian, beyond the fear of breaking, or needing the impertinent plaister of pedantic mountebanks.

"The Indians of Hispaniola, the skuls of their heads are so hard and thick, that the Spaniards agreed that the head of an In

White Horse of Royalty, &c., French head- dian, although bare, was not to be struck,

dress.

"THE white horse was the mark of sovereignty. Margaret, daughter of James, king of Scotland, is represented on one when she entered Tours as the future Dauphiness. Her head-dress, and that of her female attendants, is the coëffure pointue, which was fashionable almost during two centuries. It is thus shaped. From the top falls a long white robe, hanging strait to the elbow, and there thrown over the arm. No hair is visible, nor any thing between the face and hat. Their waists are short, exactly as they should be to render the form most graceful, long sleeves, and the dresses long. A white handkerchief, or rather sash, crosses the shoulders, and meets upon the breast, under which the gown comes up, straight bordered above. The neck quite bare, and unornamented. 1436. These figures please me much."-T. 2. Planche, 156. See Tran. of Commines. p. 6, note upon the Excess of Luxury.

for fear of breaking their swords."-BULWER'S Man Transformd, or The Artificiall Changeling. 1654.

Dirty-headed Irish.

"To what use or purpose should that superfluous crop of hair serve? or what emolument it can bring, none can see, unlesse it be to breed lice and dandro,' after the manner of your Irish; who, as they are a nation estranged from any human excellency, scarce acknowledge any other use of their haire than to wipe their hands from the fat and dirt of their meales, and any other filth, for which cause they nourish long fealt locks, hanging down to their shoulders, which they are wont to use instead of napkins, to wipe their greasie fingers."-BUL

WER.

This is evidently the old form of "dandriff," i. e. scurf; from the Anglo-Saxon "Tun,” a tetter, and Drop, filth.-J. W. W.

Welsh Raggedness.

"SCHYR MAWRICE, alsua the Berclay Fra the gret bataill held hys way, With a gret rout of Walis men,

nations they subjugated, with great success as long as sun-worship held good. But at length they came to a people who, situated on a rocky coast in a sultry climate, could not in conscience submit to adore a being

Quhareuir thai yeid men mycht thaim ken. almost insupportable, and consequently odi

For thai wele ner all nakyt war,

Or lynnyn clathys had but mar."
The Bruce, book xiii. p. 417.

Pinkerton says, "this anecdote of the Welch in the fourteenth century is curious. They appeared naked even to Scotish peasants."

ous to them; and durst propose to their conquerors to quit their irrational idolatry, and to worship with themselves their mother and goddess the sea, the inexhausted giver of good things."-Letter from North America, in a Pocket of Prose and Verse, being a Selection from the Literary Productions of ALEXANDER Kellet.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Men Ornamented, not Women.

"A YOUNG man among the Indians is dressed with visible attention; a warrior is a furious beau, and a woman, the Asiatic, the European, the African Doll, is with them a neglected squat animal, whose hair is stroked over those glistening eyes it dares not uplift, and who seldom uses its aspen tongue, and when it does, is scarcely loud enough to be heard. When we reproach the Indians on this account, they point to their animated woods, and tell us that they see not whence we have picked up a contrary practice; but that they themselves

6

"After answering many of the lady's ques tions, he looked into the yard through the window very earnestly, where an aspen tree grew. The lady asked him, 'What he was looking at so earnestly?" He asked her, What tree she called that in the yard?" She said, ' It was a quaking asp.' He replied in broken English, Indian no call him quake asp.' What then?' asked the inquisitive hostess. 'Woman tongue, Woman tongue,' answered the sagacious warrior, never still, never still, always go."HUNTER'S Memoirs of his Captivity among the North American Indians, p. 376.

[ocr errors]

I mentioned this soon after the publication of Hunter's book to a Welsh friend, who told me that the aspen poplar bore the same name among the Cymry, Tafod y Merchen," or Woman's Tongue. This was on the Conway, and I noted it down at the time; but I do not find it in Richard's Welsh Dictionary."-J. W. W.

« AnteriorContinuar »