SPECTABILIA.
FEW works have received the honours or translation with greater distinction than Gessner's " Death of Abel " It is known in England by the transla- tion of Mrs. Collyer ; in France by that of Huber, which was partly executed by the celebrated Turgot ; in It ly by that of Perini ; in Spain by that of Le Jeune; in Sweden by that of Eskholm ; in Denmark by that of Miss Biehl ; in Hungary, by that of Kuzetiski; in Russia, by that of Zacharon. —W. Taylor's German Poetry. Haller, the physician, after transmitting a scientific analysis of his own case to Goettingen, died feeling his own pulse. The greatest delicacy in Cochin China is rotten eggs. When a party is invited, the hens are immediately set to hatch: at the end of twelve days the egg is advanced sufficiently far with chicken as to be fit for the table of the first grandees ALLIGATORS ON THE Ouixoco.—The Indians told me that, previously to their going in search of prey, they always swallow a stone, that, by the ad- ditional weight of it, they may be enabled to dive with the greater celerity, and drag whatever they may seize under the water with them with ease. They have frequently been known on this river, where they are frequently large and rapacious. to draw men and horses in an instant nut of sight. Not giving implicit credit to this statement of the Indians. I determined to ascer- tain if it were true, and mentioned my intention to his Excellency, who as- sured me that the Indians were correct : and for the sake of amusement. consented to shoot some to convince me. The only parts where they are vulnerable to musket-shot, are on the dirty white part of the skin along the chest and abdomen, and in a space of about three inches in breadth behind each ear. The former can seldom be aimed at, and we therefore tried at the latter. Bolivar, whose aim was certain, shot and killed several with a rifle ; in all of which, when opened, were found stones, varying in weight accord- ing to the size of the animal. The largest killed was about seventeen feet in length, and had within him a stone weighing about sixty or severity pounds. The Indians, whose occupation obliged them to be always on- the river, or close to its banks, said, that they have frequently observed the young ones in the mornings swallowing small stones at the side, under the shelter of the wood, before they searched for their victims, and depositing them at night in a place of safety.—Reco&dions ofan Officer of the Colom- bian Navy ORIENTAL REPARTEE.—A great part of Siam consists of forest land unin- habited save by beasts. A Mahommedan prince of India, the King of Gol- conda, as he is called by the French writers, sent an ambassador to Siam. and in his route necessarily crossed the immense wilderness which lies between Mergui and Ayuthia. One of the Siamese Ministers rallied him on the small extent of his master's dominions in comparison to those of the great king. The Indian Ambassador replied, that it was true that his master's dominions were small, hut they were inhabited by human beings, whereas the terri- tories of his Siamese Majesty were for the most part peopled with monkeys. OUT OF THE FETING-PAN INTO THE FIRE —Salmon, where there are no dams to stop them, as in the Tweed, and most of the rivers in Scotland and Ireland. will change the salt for the fresh water several times in the summer, when they taste afresh, as the fishermen call it, that is to say, when a great flood and a spring tide reach a good way into the sea. And as these migra- tions or changes are necessary for their health, so there are some reasons that in a manner force them to it. For when they have been too long in the sea, and have lain among the rocks and sea-weed, the saa-lice get on to them. stick so do:e, and make them so uneasy, that they will rub the very skin off, where the lice bite them ; and nothing, cures them of these tormentors so soon as the fresh water : and then again, when they haste been about a month in the river, and lie under banks, roots, or stones, the fresh-water lice creep on to them, and force them to get to sea again, to be freed from them, which the salt water does effectually. And here I must observe, how this migration of these creatures answers the sante end of Providence with that of wood- cocks, Trails, &c and several kinds of fish that go ronnd our island at their proper seasons, and furnish all the neighbouring inhabitants with delicious food But the sea-lice are more tronblesome to the salmon, when they grow big-bellied, at the end of August and beginning of Septsmber, for then they are heavier, and lazier, mid lie more among the rocks, and get the more lice upon them ; and this forces them into the fresh rivers upon) a double account, to be eased of the vermin and their natural burden too.—North Country Angler.
FRFEZING MIXTURE—A cheap and powerful freezing mixture may be made by pulverizing Glanber's salts finely, and placing it level at the bottom of a glass vessel. Equal parts of sal ammoniac and nitre are then to be finely powdered, and mixed together. and subsequently ad:led to the Glauber's salts, stirring the powders well together ; after which adding water sufficient to dissolme the salts, a degree of cold will be produced, frequently below zero of Fahrenheit. But Mr. Walker states, tha nitrate of ammonia. phosphate of soda:, and diluted nitric acid, will on the instant produce a reduction of tem- perature amounting to 80 degrees. It is desirable to reduce the temperature of the substances previously, if convenient, by placing the vessels in water, with nitre powder thrown in occasionally. EARTHQUAKES IN SOUTH AMERICA.—The earthquake which happened at Bogota, in South America, on the 16th November last, has been lately ascer- tained to have been math more extensive in the interior, t iwards the Cordil- leras, than was first apprehended. The damage done to the city of Bogota is estimated at near a million of dollars. Nearly all the public buildings. and most of the larger private houses, which were not totally demolished, have been found to be so much sh Merest as to render them untenable. For two or three successive days a repetition of earthquakes extended across the plain of Bogota, to Popayan and Purificacion, from two to three hundred miles, leading to the chain of the Cordilleras at Tolima, where, it is con- cluded, some very extensive volcanic eruptions have taken place.
SitnAciTY OF A DOG, AND EFFECTS OF COLD IN TEIE ANDES.—After two hours, I attained the height of my aerial trip. but so wearied that I could not resist the temptation of sitting down a few minutes, Here I remarked that the dozing sensation first came upon my carmine compagnon de voyage, but either he had more self-command than his master. or it did not assail him so heavily. He seemed to have an instinctive dread of its effects, for the instant he felt his eyelids drooping he jumped up. and shook himself violently, and then sat down, placing his nose between his paws to shelter it from the wind. On one occasion the sagacity of this faithful animal certainly pre- served me. I had sunk into the deadly slumber so far as to lose all recol- lection, when I was startled by his loud bark, accompanied by a rough scratching on my breast. Alarmed at the narrow escape I had, I arose directly, and the affectionate creature expressed the greatest joy when I did so, dancing round me, and licking my hands with amazing fondness as I gratefully patted him. It Was now at least ten hours since I had breakfasted, and I partook sparingly of my stock of beef, having little appetite after, such excessive exertion; I also gave sonic to my four-footed friend to amuse himself with while I looked around me.—Recollections of an Officer of the
Colombian Navy.
SIR HUMPHREY DAVY ON WEATHER WISDOM. " A rainbow in the morning is the shepherd's warning: A rainbow at night is the shepherd's delight.
Can you explain this omen ?—Phys. A rainbow can only occur when the clouds containing or depositing the rain are opposite the sun,—and in the evening the rainbow is in the east, and in the morning in the west ; and as our heavy rains in this climate are usually brought by the westerly wind, a rainbow in the west indicates that the bad weather is on the road, by the wind to us ; whereas, the rainbow in the east proves that the rain in these clouds is passing from us.—Poiet. I have often observed, that when the swallows fly high, fine weather is to be expected or continued ; but when they fly low, and close to the ground, rain is almost surely approaching. Can you account for this ?— Ka Swallows follow the flies and gnats, and flies and gnats usually delight in warm strata of air ; and as warm air is lighter, and usually moister than cold air, when the warm strata of air are high, diesels less chance of moisture being thrown down from them by the inixt,Ire with cold air ; but when the warm and moist air is close to the surface, it is almost certain that as the cold air flows &ma into it, a deposition of water will take place.—Sahnonia." The proportion of deaths to the population is nearly one-third less in England than in France. Comparing the two eapital t, the average mortality of London is about one-fifth less than that of Paris What may appear sin- gular, the proportion of deaths in London, a vast and luxurious metropalis, differs only by a small fraction from that of the whole of France, and is considerably less than the average of those Mediterranean shores which are especially frequented by invalids for the sake of health. In lady the pro- portion of deaths is a full third greater than in England ; and even in Swit- zerland and Sweden, though the difference be less, it is still in favour of our
own country.
FIRST VIEW OF Manniaa.—F. very step was instructive, every plant be- tween the stones of the pavement a new discovery. The lighthearted children of the neighbourhood collected and accompanied the industrious botanist, leaping with joyous agility amongst the rocks. They brought flowers to him from every quarter ; they gathered together in close groups, waited silently and attentively to learn if the flowers would excite his at- tention. As soon as they were deposited in the boxes, a general shout of joy arose, and the group bounded back, with a thausand leaps, to cull new flowers among the rocks. From the opposite declivity, the abodes of hos- pitality glittered through the close foliage of the encircling vines; the wasing bananas formed the roof of the porch; a foaming stream rushed among the banana-roots, and lost itself among the large leaves of colocasia, that adorned the declivity with their lively verdure. A young woman with her (list if' in her hand sat upon a bank among the bananas ; her husband stood before her with his guitar, to anticipate her wishes with tunes and songs. after the labour of the day; and the neighbours were collected to encourage the song and the sport with their applause.—Van Buck's Visit to Madeira, in
Jameson's Phil. Aura.
The Siamese show their joy at meeting with a friend, by smelling at him. The tenderest embrace is sianified by a mutual s.nellin,g; much, we sup- pose. after the manner of the canine race. The superstition of etiquette is common over the East to au extent which demanis a philosophical inquiry ; a breach of it is considered in the light of a political crime rather than a want of ceremony. A Siamese seldom stands or walks erect ; an inferior neater does so in the presence of a superior. The universal attitude is a
crouch.—See Cranford, p. 349.
CONCIsE CHARACTER OF THE SIAMESE.—They are servile, rapacious, slothful, disingenuous. pusillanitnous, and extravagantly vain.—Craufwal.
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