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HALF-WAY ISLAND,

IN THE INDIAN SEA.

HALF-WAY Island rises out of the ocean, a pretty green spot on yellow sand. Here we arrived early in the evening; a safe place was selected, and we anchored for the night after which, to our great delight, the captain declared his intention to remain the next day.

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The natives of this island watched our approach, and no sooner perceived that we were fairly at rest, than they betook themselves to a large heavy-looking vessel, something like a Chinese junk, and went out to sea, keeping just within sight of the ship. The captain sent a boat's crew on shore, to see if they were really all gone, and not a creature appeared, though there were marks of feet of all sizes in the sand, so that it was concluded that they had all taken refuge in their boat. Late in the evening, however, they returned, lighted their fires, and seemed busily employed in preparing their supper. The next morning, by dawn of day, they again went on board, remaining, as on the preceding evening, just within sight of the ship. A boat's crew was again sent to examine the shore, and finding no one there, the captain wished us to have the enjoyment of being a few hours on land; an unexpected pleasure in the midst of the ocean. Our dogs, Captain and Carlo, seemed to understand, and like the plan, as well as ourselves, and, after a little necessary arrangement, we were safely landed, and began our ramble. I shall relate all we saw, as I do not think any detailed account of the Half-Way Island in the Torres' Straits, has before been given to the public.

The native huts are placed close under the protection of the trees, and consist of staves forced into the ground, and nicely interwoven with branches of trees. These huts are only high enough for persons in a sitting position. Close to them, is their cookingplace, formed by four sticks, stuck upright in the ground, and forked at the top, across which were laid other sticks, of hard, heavy, black wood, forming a kind of gridiron; in and about this place, lay oyster and other shells, as articles of cookery, and drinkingcups.

In each hut, there were small mats, made by the natives, in different stages of progress; one was a beautiful specimen, very fine, and quite finished. It was rolled up with all the working apparatus in it, which consisted of the leaf of the brab-tree, prepared for plaiting, and a long bone, apparently human, nicely notched and marked in lengths, as if for counting the number and difference of the plait or stitch. There were also string and twine beautifully made from the fibre of the cocoa-nut: numbers of these nuts lay about, but they were merely a mass of fibrous substance, without either fruit or moisture.

Towards the centre of the island, was a place, marked out with sticks, stones, and shells, which was supposed to be either for the burial of the dead, or some kind of religious ceremony., It contained a small, black wooden figure, with the head of a fish, and ornamented with feathers.

As we could not perceive any appearance of a spring or well, the sailors separated to find out what means they had of procuring fresh water, and the following ingenious and remarkable contrivance seemed to indicate that it was a luxury which cost the inhabitants some pains to procure.

At the foot of most of the high trees, were placed very large shells of the scollop kind, into which descended a narrow strip of the brab-tree leaf: we traced this upwards, and it was found to be

narrow

suspended from the top of the tree, and, thus hanging into the shell below, formed a channel, or leafy water-course. All the shells were in like manner supplied with these strips, and on the ground round them, were quantities of the same material, nicely rolled up, as if ready for suspending when the others failed.

The dew and rain there, we may suppose, are the only means by which the natives can procure fresh water; the dew, rising from the ground, and adhering to the leaves and branches of the trees, falls in scanty, but daily portions, whilst the occasional shower from heaven fills their shell to overflowing.

Only one tree, that we saw, bore any appearance of having fruit, and that was too high to judge if good for food: fish, therefore, is probably their greatest, if not only support, and may account for the little idol, if such it were, having a fish's head.

There were rude marks of a cross, and a circle, on some stones on the shore, but whether cut by themselves, or sailors touching there, could only be a matter of conjecture.

We picked up a great many stones, with the brown, circular mark in the centre, commonly called · the eye-stone. We brought away with us some of their large shells, some of the leafy rolls prepared for the water-course, and some of their matting, twine, and cocoa-nuts; leaving in their stead, potatoes, and glass beads, of which savage nations are always fond. Whether they liked the exchange, or considered us cheats, I know not, for they continued at sea in their ark of safety, and were, it is more than likely, wishing our departure from their island home.

[Two Years at Sea, by JANE ROBERTS.]

WHENCE is this delicate scent in the rose and violet? It is not from the root,-that smells of nothing; not from the stalk, that is as scentless as the root; not from the earth whence it grows, which contributes no more to these flowers than to the grass that grows by them; not from the leaf, not from the bud, before it be disclosed, which yields no more fragrance than the leaf, or stalk, or root; yet here I now find it; neither is there any miraculous way, but in an ordinary course of nature; for all violets and roses of this kind yield the same redolence; it cannot be, but that it was potentially in that root and stem from which the flowers proceed, and there placed, and thence drawn by that Almighty Power which hath given these admirable virtues to several plants, and induces them in his due seasons to these excellent perfections.-BISHOP HALL.

GIVE not thy tongue too great a liberty, lest it take thee prisoner. A word unspoken, is, like the sword in the If thou desire to be held wise, be so wise as to hold thy scabbard, thine: if vented, thy sword is in another's hand. tongue.QUArles.

THERE is so much infelicity in the world, that scarce any man has leisure from his own distresses, to estimate the comparative happiness of others. Knowledge is certainly one of the means of pleasure, as is confessed by the natural desire which every mind feels of increasing its ideas Ignorance is mere privation, by which nothing can be produced: it is a vacuity in which the soul sits motionless and torpid for want of attraction; and, without knowing why, we always rejoice when we learn, and grieve when we forget. I am therefore inclined to conclude, that if nothing counteracts the natural consequence of learning, we grow more happy as our minds take a wider range.

-JOHNSON.

THE world cannot show us a more exalted character, than all things to the glory of God; who, in the objects of his that of a truly religious philosopher, who delights to turn sight, derives improvement to his mind; and in the glass of things temporal, sees the image of things spiritual.JONES of Nayland.

THE WILD ASS.

THERE will be but few of our readers, we shoula imagine, who have not been struck with the beautiful and graphic description of this rare animal, which occurs in the book of Job:

Who hath sent out the wild ass free? Or who hath

loosed the bonds of the wild ass?

Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings.

He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver.

The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.

As it is one of the objects of the Saturday Magazine to furnish notices of any remarkable or interesting specimen of natural history, we have thought it desirable to draw up the subjoined sketch of the history and habits of an animal, which has never yet been brought beneath the control of man, and of which, the species will, in all probability, cease to exist at no great distance of time; for experience tells us, that as civilization advances, the haunts of wild animals are gradually but effectually invaded, until their scanty remnants are either applied to useful purposes, or the race has become utterly

extinct.

The Ass is mentioned at a very early period in the sacred records, and has, from time immemorial, been held in Eastern countries, in as high estimation for ordinary purposes as the horse is with us †. Of the Wild Ass, we are not aware that any mention is made, of an earlier date than that in the Book of Job above quoted. It is also alluded to by the prophet Jeremiah, and in other passages of Scripture; and the singular correctness of these passages, as descriptive of the peculiar characteristics of this animal, will be speedily recognised, when compared with the more recent accounts furnished by modern travellers, amongst which, one of the most full and interesting is that furnished by the gentleman from whose work we have borrowed the illustration of this article; viz., Sir Robert Ker Porter, now His Majesty's Consul at Caraccas.

Sir Robert, on his route from Isfahan to Shiráz, had just entered the province of Fars, when his greyhound suddenly started off in pursuit of an animal, which was stated by the Persians in company, from the glimpse they had of it, to be an antelope. The party immediately put spurs to their horses, and after an unrelaxed gallop of full three miles, they came up with the dog which was then within a short stretch of the creature he pursued, and to Sir Robert's surprise and vexation, he saw it to be an ass. "But," to use his own words, on a moment's reflection, judging, from its fleetness, it must be a wild one, a species little known in Europe, but which the Persians prize above all others as an object of chase, I determined to approach as near to it as the very swift Arab horse on which I was mounted, would carry me. But the single instance of checking my horse to consider, had given our game such a head of us, that notwithstanding all our speed, we could not recover our ground on him, I, however, happened to be considerably before my companions, when, at a certain distance, the animal in its turn It is remarkable that this is rendered salt places in the margin, and the wild ass is still found in the saline marshes of Cutch, as will be noticed hereafter.

One of the peculiarities of Bagdad is its race of white asses, which, as at Cairo, are saddled and bridled for the convenience of passengers from one part of the town to another; wheeled carriages of any description being unknown. These are equally as large and spirited as the Egyptian ass, and have as easy and speedy a pace. They are frequently spotted over with colours, and otherwise fantastically marked with red stains of the Henna plant.-BUCKINGHAM'S Travels

made a pause, and allowed me to approach within pistol-shot of him. He then darted off again with the quickness of thought, capering, kicking, and sporting in his flight, as if he were not blown in the least, and the chase were his pastime.

hands high, the skin smooth like a deer's, and of a "He appeared to me to be about ten or twelve reddish colour, the belly and hinder parts partaking of a silvery gray; his neck was finer than that of a common ass, being longer, and bending like a stag's, and his legs beautifully slender; the head and ears seemed large, in proportion to the gracefulness of these forms, and by them I first recognised that the object of my chase was of the ass-tribe. The mane was short and black, as was also a tuft which terminated his tail. No line whatever ran along his back, or crossed his shoulders, as are seen on the tame species with us. When my followers of the country came up, they regretted I had not shot the creature when he was so within my aim, telling me his flesh is one of the greatest delicacies in Persia; but it would not have been to eat him that I should have been glad to have had him in my possession, The prodigious swiftness and peculiar manner with which he fled across the plain exactly coincided with the description that XENOPHON gives of the same animal in Arabia.

"I was informed by the Mehmandár §, who had been in the desert when making a visit to the shrine of ALI, that the wild ass of Irak Arabi differs in nothing from the one I had just seen. He had observed them often, for a short time, in the possession of the Arabs, who told him the creature was perfectly untameable.'

The Honourable Mountstuart Elphinstone, in his account of his embassy to Cábul, states that this animal is an inhabitant of the desert between India and Affghánistán, where it is sometimes met with alone, but more frequently in herds. It resembles a mule rather than an ass, but is of the colour of the latter. It is remarkable for its shyness, and still more for its speed, as at a kind of shuffling trot it leaves the swiftest horse behind. We may suppose, from this account, that the animal noticed by Mr. Elphinstone differs in colour from those seen by Sir Robert Porter, and this would also seem to be the case in other respects with those found in Cutch, judging from the description of them furnished by a correspondent of the Asiatic Journal, (vol. i., p. 156,) who states that the singular marshy tract in that province termed the Runn, is resorted to by them. On one occasion, he discovered several herds, and wishing to have a better view, he galloped towards them, but was unable to get nearer than twenty yards, though they did not appear to be at full speed. He says distinctly, that the ears and shoulder-stripe were like those of the common kind, while the head

appeared longer, and the limbs more strongly and roughly formed. They breed on the banks and saltislands of the Runn, and live longer than the tame species.

In BUFFON'S System of Natural History, they are said to be found in the Archipelago, and in the deserts of Northern Africa; they go in troops, are very swift, and of a gray colour, but not of so elegant a figure as the zebra.

Vide Anabasis, b. 1.

An officer especially appointed to attend strangers visiting Persia. Meshed Ali, the burial-place of ALI, (nephew to Mohammed, and by the Persians considered his legitimate successor,) is a small town situated in the desert near the Euphrates, several hours' journey from Hillah, the site of the ancient Babylon. It is, singularly enough, chiefly inhabited by Sunnis, or those who hold that Oma was the rightful heir to the Khalifat; their opponents, the followers of Ali are termed Shiahs.

'In KLEIN's Système Naturel du Règne Animal, they are named as follows:-ANE SAUVAGE, Asinus Sylvestris, Asini ferus, or Onager; which last term is derived from the Greek, and is sometimes spelt Angra.

The slight discrepancies which occur in these various descriptions, may very easily be accounted for, by supposing that they relate to different varieties of the same species, or to the influence of local cir

cumstances.

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An account of a similar species of animal, found by the late Mr. MOORCROFT * in Ladakh, is given by that gentleman, in the Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society. In the eastern part of this principality," he says, "there is a nondescript wild variety of horse, which I shall call Equus Kiáng, perhaps more nearly allied to the ass than the horse, in some particulars, but differing from the Gurkhar of Sinde, of which I obtained a female of great beauty. It is an animal, which, excepting its ears, resembles more an antelope, in the beauty of its eye, and the vivacity of its movements, than the sluggish animal with which it is classed, though unquestionably of the same family with the ass.' Mr. M. proceeds to state, that he set out on an expedition, estimated to last two months, with the view of shooting some Kiángs. He had just reached the country in which they were to be found, after eighteen days' march, during which his party suffered considerably from the severity of the weather, when he was recalled on urgent business. He, however, directed a native to lie in wait, and offered him a suitable remuneration for the skin, head, and organs of voice, for dissection. The

The premature death of this enterprising traveller, has unfortunately, prevented the execution of many plans which he had formed, for the introduction of new animals and other natural products into Great Britain; and even the manuscripts which he left behind him have been hitherto lost to the world: but we are happy to learn, on the authority of Lieutenant Burnes, that steps have recently been taken to obtain possession of them, from the parties who now hold them.

| animal appeared to Mr. Moorcroft to be about fourteen hands high, of a round muscular form, and with remarkably clean limbs.

The Wild Ass is termed in Persia Kúr or Gúr, and in Sinde and Cábul, as before mentioned, Gurkhar. The chase of this animal seems to have been at all times a favourite amusement with the people of the East, for Josephus mentions that Herod the Great killed forty of them on one occasion; and to the national passion of the Persians for hunting so wild an object, that country owed the loss of one of its most estimable sovereigns, Baharam the Fifth, surnamed Gúr, from his fondness for this sport, and his general success in the pursuit of an animal, almost as fleet as the wind. With the account of this catastrophe, which, although it occurred fourteen hundred years ago, yet forms the subject of a romantic tale related to the passing traveller by the natives of the spot, we conclude this article.

"The ruling passion of Baharam was the love of the chase. His favourite game was the gour, or wild ass, which is both strong and fleet; and it was in pursuit of one of these that he lost his life, having suddenly come upon a deep pool, into which his horse plunged, and neither the animal nor his royal rider was seen again. This accident happened in a fine valley between Shiráz and Isfahán, which to this day is called the Vale of Heroes, from being (on account of its fine pasture and abundance of game,) the favourite resort, from the earliest ages, of the kings and nobles of Persia. The whole of this valley abounds in springs, some of which are very large, and of great depth; their sources under ground are supposed to communicate. It is not surprising, therefore, that the body of Baharam was never found, although every search was made for it by his inconsolable mother f."

Sar JOHN MALCOLM's History of Persia.

[graphic]

THE WILD ASS OF THE DESERT.

LONDON: Published by JOHN WILLIAM PARKER, WEST STRAND; and sold by all Booksellers.

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UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE COMMITTEE OF GENERAL LITERATURE AND EDUCATION, APPOINTED BY THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE.

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THE TALAPAT PALM.

*

We have already described a singular specimen of the rich and varied natural productions of Ceylon, namely, the "Forbidden Fruit," or "Eve's Appletree," of that island. We now present an engraving from the original drawing by the late Mr. S. Daniell, of another interesting object, belonging to the same class. The properties of the former plant, so far as they have yet been discovered, are of a noxious quality, but the noble Palm which we now describe, is not

only worthy of admiration for its appearance, but almost every part of it is capable of being applied to purposes of practical utility.

The Talapát Palm, called also Codda Pana, Taliha, &c., is the Corypha umbraculifera of Willdenow: and is named in Dr. Davy's work Licuala spinosa. It is a native of Ceylon, where it grows among the mountains in the interior, but is not confined to that island, being also found in the Burman empire, and in some parts of the southern peninsula of India. The largest dimensions which are generally assigned to it, are one hundred and fifty or sixty feet in height, and nine or ten feet in circumference round the trunk. Perhaps the average height may be taken at about 140 feet, and the duration of the tree at about eighty years. The brief and quaint, but accurate description of it by Knox is as follows. "This tree is as big and tall as a ship's mast, and very straight, bearing only leaves, which are of great use and benefit to the inhabitants of Ceylon: one single leaf being so broad and large, that it will cover fifteen or twenty men, and keep them dry when it rains. The leaf, being dried, is very strong and limber, and most wonderfully made for men's convenience to carry along with them, for though it be thus broad when open, yet it folds close like a lady's fan, and then is no bigger than a man's arm, and extremely light."

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we

Our

In the first volume of the Oriental Annual, edited by the Rev. Hobart Caunter, is a description of the scene represented in our engraving. "On the banks of the Calany-river," says Mr. Caunter, had the gratifying opportunity of seeing a Talipat Palm in full blossom, which is by no means a thing of common occurrence. The scene in which we witnessed this remarkable effort of nature was very novel and imposing; it opened on a confined valley, through which the river wound its irregular way; and upon whose transparent bosom were several boats pursuing their quiet course, to the rough, but not discordant, song of the Ceylonese mariner. attention was also particularly arrested by several rafts on this river, over each of which a complete canopy was thrown, formed of a single leaf of the Talipát, that entirely covered both freight and crew. "This extraordinary tree, certainly among the most singular productions of the vegetable kingdom, grows sometimes to the height of 200 feet. blossoms only once during its existence, then dies, and in dying, like the fabled phoenix, sheds the seeds of a future generation around it: the flower, which bursts forth with a loud explosion, is occasionally thirty feet in length. The tree which we saw was not above 100 feet high, and measured nearly seven feet round; but they are sometimes much larger: the fruit is about the size of a twenty-four pound cannon-shot, and contains a thick pulp, with seeds like the Palmyra, (Borassus flabelliformis.)"

It

Mr. Caunter adds, that a leaf of ordinary dimensions, which he saw, covered fourteen men; one

See Saturday Magazine, Vol. V., p. 90.

The Palm in the annexed illustration is copied by permission, from a drawing in the collection formed by the Right Hon. Sir Alexander Johnston, to which we have before been indebted

brought home by Mr. J. W. Bennett, and now to be seen in the Museum of King's College, London, measures thirty-six feet in circumference.

The pith resembles that of the Sago-palm, (Caryota urens), and is used as food in times of scarcity. This is also the case in Malabar, where, according to Dr. Buchanan Hamilton, one tree yields ten puddies, or rather more than two pecks and a quarter, of a powder fit for this purpose. The period when it is most employed in Malabar, is from the middle of July to the middle of August; the people in general being so improvident, that by this time their stock of grain is nearly exhausted, and sells for almost double the price that is demanded immediately after harvest. Many of these palms are raised from the seed, in the gardens of the middle divisions of Malabar. The leaves serve for thatch, umbrellas, and as a substitute for paper; but for the former purpose they are not considered so eligible as those of the Coco-palm, (Cocos nucifera,) the latter being twice as durable as those of the Talapát. Ten leaves are produced annually by this palm: it flowers, if permitted to live so long, at the age of twenty years, and dies soon after having ripened its fruit; but it is generally cut down when about fifteen years old. Dr. Davy, who also saw one of the Talapáts in blossom, states that it is never found wild.

The leaves when dried are of a coriaceous texture, and may be folded up like a fan, the ribs or joints being hard and firm, like canes. The thin connecting portions, or folds, are prepared for writing upon, by being steeped in milk: they will then readily take an impression from the point of an iron stylus, such as was anciently used by the Romans for writing with on tablets of wax; these leaves are commonly termed olas, and books made of them are remarkably durable, for many which have been in existence upwards of five centuries, are in excellent preservation. Some very fine palms will yield folds five inches in width, and these are very valuable; but when these cannot be met with, the natives ingeniously contrive surface of varnish and gilding: this is particularly to fasten two together, and give them a polished the case with the splendid manuscripts containing the sacred writings of the Budd'hists, many of which material used as ink in these books is the gum were brought from Ava, during the late war: the obtained from a peculiar kind of tree, named by the obtained from a peculiar kind of tree, named by the Burmese, P'heet-tsee, or wood-oil tree.

All books relating to their religion, and other works of importance are written on these leaves; but in Malabar, accounts, and matters of inferior moment, are kept on the leaves of the palmyra. The Royal Asiatic Society possesses a fine collection of all the various kinds of

palm-leaf manuscripts, and among them, a complete and perfect copy of the most important of the Buddhist records, called the Pansiyapanasjatakaya, which comprises 1172 leaves or 2344 pages, each leaf being inscribed on both sides. A native, it is estimated, will write on an average, about four of these pages each day; consequently, the copying of this book must have occupied about 586 days. The title of this extraordinary work, is derived from pan, five; siya, hundred; panas, fifty; jatakaya, incarnations: signifying the history of the five hundred and fifty transmigrations, through every state of existence, from reptile to Deity, which Budd'ha underwent during his probation for that brightest and most sacred character: it was originally written in Páli, and was translated subsequently, into Singhalese. It is very difficult to meet with an entire copy, and the one in question was copied for SIR ALEXANDER See Saturday Magazine, Vol. V., p. 51

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