feet from the ground, three feet long, and 1wo wide, with a small image placed on the left side of the door, which does not exceed one foot in height. A seat is placed in frout, on which the Chief's Lady sits, when she eats; her provisions being deposited in this little building. TABOO NON TABOOED. The following little incident proves the necessity of distributing information with no sparing hand to those who, for the first time, are to reap the benefit of it. The simplicity which could think to taboo the roof of a hut from a cock, seems to us remarkable; and equally remarkable the urgent curiosity that looked every day for chickens. Alas! reader, in some other thing Mutato nomine, de te fabula narratur. We were joined by another canoe, which had in it a cock and a hen. I was surprised to see these fowls; and, inquiring where they came from, was informed that they belonged to the head Chief, Terra, who had sent them into the country for the following reason. Terra had built a new but for some sacred purpose, which he had tabooed. He had forbidden the cock from getting upon its roof, but in vain: no means that he could devise would prevent him; and therefore he had sent them both away, for polluting this consecrated building! These fowls had been given to Terra, when the Active was first at New Zealand. While we lay at Cowa-cowa, Terra and his wife had mentioned this cock and hen, and informed me that the hen had a number of eggs, on which she sat some time; at length, she and the cock broke the shells, and destroyed them all. They told me they went every day to view the eggs, while the hen was sitting; and desired to know the reason why the fowls destroyed them. I told them that the hen had tabooed the eggs, and was exceedingly angry with them for touching them; and, on that account, she and the cock, in their rage, destroyed the whole. They were much astonished at hearing this, and had a long conversation on the subject; and made uumerous iuquiries relative to the rearing of fowls. I told them, they were on no account, in future, to touch the eggs: if they did, the hen would again destroy them. This reminds us of the impatience of their neighbours of the Society islands; in whose grounds Capt. Cooke having planted a vine, the people were daily tasting the grapes, as soon as they appeared-finding them always sour, they plucked up the vine! MUSTY WHEAT. particular attention; the scientific author, The following letter at this time deserves Mr. Hatchett, is well known to be one of the most eminent chymists in Europe. TO THE RIGHT HON. SIR JOSEPH BANKS. Read before the Royal Society, Dec. 5, 1816. "MY DEAR SIR,-The very great loss which this country formerly experienced by a considerable part of imported graiu having become contaminated by must, induced me several years past to direct my attention towards discovering some simple and economical method by which this taint could be removed, and you well know that my endeavours were successful; but as circumstances at that time, and since did not appear to require that great publicity should be given to this process, I contented myself with describing it to you and a few of my other friends. Now, however, when I reflect on the large quantities of corn which, during the last harvest, have been housed in a damp state, and on the great importatious which are expected, with the extreme probability that a considerable part may have contracted must, and that thus the object of importation may be partially frustrated by the destruction of a large portion of grain, and the consequent increase in the price of the remainder, I think it incumbent on me, by addressing this letter to you, to lose no time in publishing a process, by which corn, however musty, may be com pletely purified, with scarcely any loss of quantity, with very little expense, and without requiring previous chymical knowledge or chymical apparatus. 66 The experiments which I made were confined to wheat, as being of the greatest importance; but there can be no doubt that oats and other grain may be restored to sweetness with equal success: and I have also additional satisfaction from being enabled to state, that the efficacy of the process may be ascertained by any person, in any place, and upon any quantity of grain, however small. "From my experiments I am inclined to believe, that must is a taint produced by damp upon the amylaceous part of the grain or starch; that the portion of starch nearest to the husk is that which is first tainted; and that the greater or less degree of must is in proportion to the taint having penetrated more or less into the substance of the grain. In most cases, however, the taint is only superficial; but, nevertheless, if not removed, it is sufficient to contaminate the odour and flavour of the whole, especially when converted into flour. "After various experiments, I found the following method to be attended with success: "The wheat must be put into any convenient vessel capable of containing at least three times the quantity, and the vessel must be subsequently filled with boiling water; the grain should then be occasionally stirred, and the hollow and decayed grains (which will float) may be removed; when the water has become cold, or, in general, when about half an hour has elapsed, it is to be drawn off. It will be proper then to rince the corn with cold water, in order to remove any portion of the water which had taken up the must: after which, the corn being completely drained, is, without loss of time, to be thinly spread on the floor of a kiln, and thoroughly dried, care being taken to stir and to turn it frequently during this part of the process. "This is all that is required; and I have constantly found that even the most musty corn (on which ordinary kiln-drying had been tried without effect) thus became completely purified, whilst the diminution of weight caused by the solution or the tainted part was very inconsiderable. "I have the honour to remain, "Your most faithful and obedient Servant, THE CONGO EXPEDITION. The detailed accounts of the expedition to explore the river Congo, or Zaire, have reached the Admiralty. Melancholy as the result has been, from the great mortality of the officers and men, owing to excessive fatigue, rather than the effects of climate, the journals of Capt. Tuckey and the gentlemen in the scientific departments are, it is said, highly interesting and satisfactory, as far as they go; and we believe they extend considerably beyond the first rapids or cataract. It would seem, indeed, from the extract of a letter from the Surgeon of the Congo, inserted below, that the mortality was entirely owing to the land journey beyond these rapids, and that Capt. Tuckey died of complete exhaustion, after leaving the river, and not from fever. The climate, we understand, was remarkably fine; scarcely a shower of rain, or any humidity in the atmosphere, and the sun seldom shining out but for a few bours in the middle of the day; Fahrenheit's thermometer seldom exceeding 76 degrees by day, and never descending below 60 degrees at night-such a climate, in fact, as one would wish to live in: but an anxious zeal and over-eagerness to accomplish the objects of the expedition, and to acquire all the information that could possibly be obtained, seem to have actuated every one, from the lamented Commander to the common seaman and private marine, and led them to attempt more than the human constitution was able to bear. The total number of deaths amount to 18, of which 14 were on the land expedition. They consist of Captain Tuckey, Commander of the expedition; Lieutenant Hawkey, Lieutenant of the Congo; Mr. Professor Smith, Botanist; Mr. Tudor, Comparative Anatomist; Mr. Cranch, Collector of objects of Natural History; Mr. Galwey, a friend of Captain Tuckey, who volunteered from pure love of science; Mr. Eyre, the pur ser. The names of the remainder have not been returned. The Dorothy transport that accompanied the Congo into the river, lost but one man, and he fell overboard and was drowned, Extract of a Letter from Mr. Mackerrow, Surgeon of the Congo. "Of the eighteen who died in the river, fourteen had been on shore, marching for sometime, and were far advanced before reaching the ship. "Professor Smith, who saw many of them when taken ill, gave to some a dose of calomel, but to others nothing had been administered. "The fever appeared in some degree contagious, as all the attendants upon the sick were attacked, and before we left the river it pervaded nearly the whole crew, aiso some of the transports, but as for my self, although constantly among them, I did not feel the slightest indisposition until we left the coast, when I was attacked ; however, I considered mental anxiety and disturbed rest as the sole causes. Captain Tuckey had been afflicted many years with chronic hepatitis, and on returning from travelling five weeks on shore, he was so excessively reduced, that all attempts to restore the energy of his system proved ineffectual. "Mr. Tudor was in the last stage of fever before I saw him, as were Messrs Cranch and Galwey. 66 Professor Smith died in two days after he came under my care, during which time he refused every thing, whether as nutriment or medicine. "Lieut. Hawkey was taken ill after leaving the river, and died on the 4th day; his case was rather singular; symptoms were irritability of stomach, with extreme Jangour and debility, but he had neither pain nor fever. "Mr. Eyre had a violent fever, and on the third day breathed his last; before death a yellow suffusion had taken place, withvomiting of matter like coffee ground." SOME PARTICULARS CONNECTED WITH THE [From Mr. Tillock's Philosophical Magazine.] SIR,-In addition to the facts already published in your valuable Magazine, respecting the late earthquake, I send you the following observations, which as every thing connected with such a phænomeuon is important, may prove interesting to many of your readers. I am, &c. GAVIN INGLIS. arrested by some appearance in the stream. at least." Seeing his consternation, and the manhim think so? Did he, who had lived so ner in which he spoke, I asked, what made long on the banks of the Leven, recollect having ever seen a similar appearance before? "Never," said he, "but once; and that was when an earthquake happened at Comrie and be assured there has an earthquake happened somewhere, be where it may." any such thing reached this place at the time of this conversation. Struck with the The evening of Tuesday the 18th of Au"gust was distinguished by no particular Nothing of an earthquake had been felt appearance in this part of Scotland (Fife-here, nor had the slightest knowledge of shire); but before six o'clock on Wednesday morning, when my work-people were coming to their labour, they all expressed a considerable degree of astonishment at the extraordinary number of every species of swallow, that are common in this quarter. The number was far beyond any thing ever seen before, except when they assemble before their departure for the season. The swallows continued to fly about the field for some days, and then dispersed. They had abandoned their young to perish. In many nests in the neighbourhood and about the field, the whole young were found dead; also a considerable number of the old ones, six of which I opened, and not the smallest vestige of flies or any other thing was found within them. They had died of want, the number of flies had been so much diminished from the excessive rains preceding that date. old man's remarks, and his manner of making them, I went up the river to the juncdam clear as a fountain; but the river untion of Arnott mill dam, and found the der Auchmoor bridge dirty and foul beyond description, and as far up the Leven as the eye could reach. From the top of the bridge the appearance of the water indicated the same state of filth. Curiosity prompted a further survey. The stream was followed to the lake, where the whole mass of waters was found dirtier, if possible, than the stream that flowed from it. From pretty accurate experiments, the time necessary for the water just emptying itself from the lake, to reach Auchmoor bridge, has been ascertained; and upon that data we calculated, by the time the mud reached the field, at what time the shock must have been felt in the lake, and But to the earthquake.-It had been dis-marked it to have taken place some time betinctly felt in Kirkaldy and Leslie, but notween eleven and twelve on Tuesday where nearer, nor round Loch Leven, that night. I can learn. But on Thursday morning about nine o'clock an old man named George Braid, who has lived in this neighbourhood, and been working as bleacher, waulker, &c. upon the banks of Leven, all his life, had just come to the field to waulk some plaidings, and had gone to let down the bye sluice. His attention seemed quite Judge then our surprise, when the old man's remarks were so fully confirmed by accounts from the north in so short a period after. The agitation in the lake must have been dreadful, had it been day-light to render it visible. The quantity of mud and sand thrown up from the depth of $0 to 100 feet must have been very extraordinary, when it continued so long dirty, though it had the lake itself and the slow windings of a number of miles through a flat couutry to subside in. The water continued to run dirty for two days; so much so, that we could neither work nor put our yarns through any operation during that period. 66 dently derived much satisfaction and comfort from its new element. The other li zard, notwithstanding its repeated endeavours, was unable to open its mouth. It died in the course of the night, probably from being debarred the use of its proper element. The remaining lizard continued alive in the water for several weeks, during which it appeared to increase in size. It disliked confinement; and after many attempts, at length, to my great mortifi cation, effected its escape, nor could I ever after find it." found to resume the habits of its former life-to continue living-to increase in size, and to perform its ordinary actions, during several weeks. LIZARDS FOUND ALIVE IN A CHALK ROCK. Dr. Wilkinson lately presented to the Bath Philosophical Society a letter he had received from a clergyman in Suffolk, relative to two lizards being discovered by This is one of the most extraordinary the Rev. Gentleman in a chalk rock, with discoveries that has come under our some interesting circumstances tending to notice. That animals which sleep in winexplain why all the animals which have ter have been occasionally surprised in been discovered in rocks, marbles, &c. die their torpid state, and imbedded in matter on their exposure to the atmosphere. From subsiding into a solid form, is unquestionobservations made, there appeared to be able; and that some of these, when the bed some obstruction in their respiratory or- of matter has been opened, have appeared gans. One being placed in water disen- to shed living blood, on being lacerated, as gaged itself from this obstruction; while they usually are, by the pick axe, or spade, the other died, from not being enabled to or saw, is supported by powerful testimoliberate itself from the viscous matter lin- uics. But, we recollect no instance in ing the throat. The clergy man in his letter which the subject was known to be living: says: A pit having been opened in the or in which it gave signs of life and motion summer of 1814, at Elden, Suffolk, for the after having been released from its fossil purpose of raising chalk, I deemed it a fa-imprisonment :-still less in which it was vourable opportunity for procuring fossils; accordingly commissioned the men employed to search for and reserve whatever appeared curious. In this search I sometimes assisted, and bad the good fortune to The fact, if established, would lead to be present at the discovery of two lizards new and uncommon views of the powers of imbedded in the solid chalk, fifty feet be- life,- of the natural length of life, of this low the surface. The following is the re- species of animals, of the effect of absolute sult of my observations:-So completely exclusion from air, on amphibious animals; devoid of life did the lizards appear on with the date of the origin of such beds of their first exposure to the air, that I ac-chalk, &c. in which these fossils have been tually considered them in a fossil state: found. judge then of my surprize when, on my at tempting to take them up, I perceived them move. I immediately placed them in the sun, the heat of which soon restored them to animation. In this state I carried them home, and immersed one in water, keeping the other in a dry place. You may perhaps consider it worthy your observation, that the mouths of the lizards were closed up with a glutinous substance. This obstruction seemed to cause them great in-years-startles the imagination; not as to convenience, which was evident from the the duration of the chalk-nor of fossil aniagitation perceptible in their throats, and mals, but of animals yet retaining life ;from the frequent distention of the jaws, or and retaining it, under circumstances pro rather around the jaws and the head; in- per to ensure death, rather than life. If deed they seemed in a state little short of this part of the bed of chalk had not been suffocation. The newt which had been im- disturbed, these lizards might have promersed in water, after many violent strug-longed their profound sleep, while another gles, was at length able to open its mouth: thousand of years passed over them ; they this afforded it instant relief, and it evi- still living!! These lizards being found fifty feet below the surface, imbedded in solid chalk, at what period was this chalk in a fluid state, and gradually becoming solid, by the loss of its water? If we are not mistaken, in the situation of the place, this chalk has been hard and dry during many ages. It will follow, that these lizards have retained the principle of life, during at least an equal space of time. A thousand The attention of naturalists, of geolo-, life, when in great danger; and if the litgists, whether Neptunists, or Vulcanists, tle while which such spouges would retain will naturally be directed to so striking a their properties be objected, it may be an fact. Whence came this chalk?—in what swered, that a phial of lavender water, or form?-at what time?-where did it alight|| Hungary water, is no great burden-may on these lizards?-are they natives, or fo- refresh a sponge, repeatedly, and that the reigners? A thousand curious questions object is to save life, where proper assistrise-who shall answer them? ance cannot be had. EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURE IN THE MUMMY PITS, IN EGYPT. "From the Gates of the Kings, at Thebes, we returned by the valley, through which the road formerly led from Thebes to the tombs, and where still stands the Temple of Karnac. Among the many strange stories, current among dealers in the marvellons, who The whole of this mountain has been visited Egypt a century ago, concerning excavated; at each step an opening prethe danger of examining the mummy pits, sents itself; and there is every appearance there never were wanting discoveries of that here has been the general cemetery bodies in a recent state, after death, and of Thebes. Many of these caverns are of preparations made by the Arabs for mur- now converted into habitations by the dering the relating traveller, with all his present cultivators of the plain, from company. The miraculous escape of the whence they have been driven by the enparty, with his courage, valour, and con- croachments of the Nile, whose waters duct, was supposed to furnish materials for during the inundation (in consequence of "good reading;" and was wrought up there being no canals to carry them off) sometimes popularly, sometimes patheti- cover the whole of the flat country around. cally. The better informed reader, who Our curiosity induced us, during our knew the precautions always adopted, ex-stay here, to descend into one of the mumpressed his wonder by a smile, and so the matter ended. But a late traveller has revived the subject with all its horrors; and has proved by his own experience, and informed us by his testimony, that the mummy pits have real dangers, and that the notion of a company perishing in them, is far from being mere delusion. my pits that abound in this neighbourhood, but it would be difficult to convey an adequate idea of the disgusting scene of borror we had to encouuter. The entrance was through a very narrow hole, nearly filled up with rubbish, by which we made our way into a small room about fifteen feet long and six wide: beyond we reached a chamber somewhat larger, and conA lately published volume of Travels by taining two rows of columns. The walls Thomas Legh, Esq. M. P. traces the were covered with paintings, and at the progress of the author and his company into farther end stood two full length statues, Upper Egypt, in 1818, above the first camale and female, dressed in very gay ap taracts,-on their return, they visited the parel, and having on the one side the fimummy pits at Thebes, &c. and what befellgures of two boys, aud on the other those our travellers here, may serve as no mean justification of the stories formerly current. It is certain, that respect for the European character, is increaesd among these barbarians in an infinite ratio from what it was a hundred, or even fifty, years ago. Since the French Expedition into Egypt, the Arabs are much more tractable; but, they must be kept honest by good looking after. A party of English sailors where they can be had, is the best possible security for the lives of those who entrust themselves to Arabs. We are somewhat surprized that our countrymen about to proceed on such dangerous expeditions as that of Moufalouth do not take with them sponges properly moistened with fair water, or with some of those simple essences which may be inhaled to advantage. It is well known that breathing through a moistened sponge has saved of two girls. The whole of this chamber was strewed with pieces of cloth, legs, arms, and heads of mummies, left in this condition by the Arabs who visit these places for the purpose of rifling the bodies and carrying off the bituminous substances with which they have been embalmed. From the chamber above described, two passages lead into the interior and lower part of the mountain, and we penetrated about the distance of a hundred yards into that which appeared the longest. Slipping and crawling amongst the various fragments of these mutilated bodies, we were only able to save ourselves from falling by catching hold of the leg, arm, or skull of a mummy, some of which were lying on the ground, but many still standing in the niches where they had been originally placed." |