riment. Our canoe was only large enough to hold us all when sitting, so that we had no chance of lying down. Had we been able to muster up thirty thousand cowries at Rabba, we might have purchased one which would have carried us all very comfortably. A canoe of this sort would have served us for living in entirely, we should have had no occasion to land, excepting to obtain our provisions; and having performed our day's journey, might have anchored fearlessly at night. Finding we could not induce our people to land, we agreed to continue on all night. The eastern horizon became very dark, and the lightning more and more vivid; indeed, I never recollect having seen such strong forked lightning before in my life. All this denoted the approach of a storm. At eleven P. M. it blew somewhat stronger than a gale, and at midnight the storm was at its height. The wind was so strong, that it washed over the sides of the canoe several times, so that she was in danger of filling. Driven about by the wind, our frail little bark became unmanageable; but at length we got near a bank, which, in some measure, protected us, and we were fortunate enough to lay hold of a thorny tree, against which we were driven, and which was growing nearly in the centre of the stream. Presently we fastened the canoe to its branches, and wrapping our cloaks, round our persons, for we felt overpowered with fatigue, and with our legs projecting half over the sides of the little vessel, which, for want of room, we were compelled to do, we lay down to sleep. There is something, I believe, in the nature of a tempest which is favourable to slumber, at least so thought my brother; for though the thunder continued to roar, and the wind to blow, though the rain beat in our faces, and our canoe lay rocking like a cradle, still he slept soundly.-The wind kept blowing hard from the eastward, till midnight, when it became calm. The rain then descended in torrents, accompanied by thunder and lightning of the most awful description. We lay in our canoe, drenched with water, and our little vessel was filling so fast, that two people were obliged to be constantly baling out the water to keep her afloat. The water elephant, as the natives term the hippopotami, frequently came snorting near us, but fortunately did not touch our canoe. The storm con

tinued until three in the morning of the 17th, when it became clear, and we saw the stars sparkling like gems over our heads. Therefore, we again proceeded on our journey down the river, there being sufficient light for us to see our way, and two hours after, we put into a small insignificant fishing village, called Dacannie, where we landed very gladly. Before we arrived at this island, we had passed a great many native towns and villages, but in consequence of the early hour at which we were travelling, we considered it would be imprudent to stop at any of them, as none of the natives were out of their huts. Had we landed earlier, even near one of these towns, we might have alarmed the inhabitants, and beer. taken for a party of robbers; or, as they are called in the country, jaccalees. They would have taken up arms against us, and we might have lost our lives; so that for our safety we continued down the river, although we had great desire to go on shore, In the course of the day and night, we travelled, according to our estimation a distance little short of a hundred miles. Our course was nearly east. The Niger in many places, and for a considerable way, presented a very magnificent appearance, and, we believe, to be nearly eight miles in width.

CHARES FOX once received a severe lecture from his father about his extravagance, who concluded by saying he wondered he could enjoy a moment's repose, when he considered the immense sums he owed. "Lord, sir," replied he, (6 you should'nt wonder at that; but rather how my creditors can."

ANIMAL LIFE.-Average duration of animal life, by an experienced zoologist.-Quadrupeds: the horse, from 8 to 32 years; ox, 20; bull, 15; cow, 23; ass, 33; mule, 18; sheep, 10; ram, 15;

dog, 14 to 25; swine, 25; goat, 8; cat, 10. Birds: Pigeons, 8 years; turtle dove, 35; goose, 28; parrot, from 30 to 100; raven, 100. Amphibious: turtles and tortoises, 50 to 100.

FILIAL DEVOTION.-This virtue is more practised by the Chinese than by any other people. The following is an instance: A formidable leader of the Ladrones had dispatched the greater part of his force down the river, and proceeded afterwards himself almost unattended. Of this the officers of government were informed; but so great was the dread he had inspired, that they were afraid to attack him. They seized the whole of his family, from the grandfather downwards; on which the robber, finding his family in the power of Government, voluntarily went to the house where they were, saying, "It was unnecessary that so many should die for one;" but, as the soldiers still hesitated to advance, he came from the house, and, placing himself between them and his family, drew the knife which he wore and stabbed himself, telling the officers "they were now welcome to seize him."

meaning that their intelligence was derived from "all quarters of the globe." This must be allowed to be at least an ingenious etymology.

SUBSTITUTE FOR CLOCKS.-In Ceylon the day is divided into thirty parts, and the night also, each of which parts, called a pay, is thus computed: A small copper dish, with a hole in the bottom of it, being put into a tub of water, fills during one of these pays, when it sinks, and is again put into the water to reckon another interval.

ANAGRA M.-Pilate's question to our Saviour, "What is truth?" in the Latin Vulgate stands thus, "Quid est veritas!" These letters transposed, make" Est vir qui adest,"-" It is the man before thee."

GROANING BOARDS —One ofthe most curious and ingenious amusements ever offered to the public, was contrived in the year 1682, when an elm plank was

exhibited to the king, and the credulous of London, which, being touched by a hot iron, invariably emitted a sound resembling deep human groans. This sensitive and very irritable board received numbers of noble visitors; and other boards, sympathising with their afflicted fellow, soon demonstrated how much they might be made to groan by similar means. A "long dresser," at the Queen's Arms Tavern, St. Martin's Lane, recently pulled down in consequence of the new improvements, eclipsed all its competitors in the exercise of this plaintive power, and, an old paper, 66 The Loyal London Mercury," assures us, filled the house perpetually with visitors.

MARCH OF INTELLECT.-A gentleman one day asked a mendicant how much he collected a week on the average. The beggar replied in the following manner:-" Why, as for that, ours is like every other business, it is falling off; there are too many of us; and, to speak the truth, there is so much com petition, that the true beggar is not able to get a respectable livelihood; it is so degenerated, that a set of low vagabonds crawl about the streets, and condescend to take half-pence, so that those who have been brought up to the trade, are obliged to be content with fifteen shillings or a pound a week."

DR. BARROW.-Dr. Barrow had nothing in his person or external appearance that was likely to command any degree of attention and respect. He

was of low stature, and of a meagre, pale aspect, and so singularly negligent with regard to his dress, that it is related of him being engaged to preach for Dr. Wikins, at St. Lawrence Jewry, in London, his slovenly appearance, awkward gait, and meagre aspect, prepossessed the audience so much against him, that when he mounted the pulpit, the congregation withdrew: and he was left almost alone in the church. Mr. Richard Baxter, the Nonconformist divine, however, was one of those few that remained; and his testimony was highly honourable to the preacher, for he declared that he had never heard a better sermon, and that he could with pleasure have listened all day to such preaching; upon which, those persons who complained to Dr. Wilkins of his substitute were ashamed of their conduct in deserting the church, and reduced to the necessity of acknowledging that their prejudice was solely the result of his uncouth appearance.

AUDIENCE EXTRAORDINARY!-When

Mr. M-n commenced learning the key bugle, he felt some scruples as to the annoyance he feared his practising might prove, not merely to the inmates of his own house, but also to those inhabiting the surrounding ones; and turning over in his mind how he could best obviate the disagreeable of becoming a common nuisance, he resolved, as it was the summer season, to play out in the open air; he accord ingly went in quest of a fitting place, and fixing upon a ditch in the fields which have been converted into the "Regent's Park," repaired thither daily to practise. It so chanced, however, one morning, soon after having begun playing, that, during the rest of a bar or so in the piece of music before him, he heard a slight noise, and, on looking up, beheld to his indescribable terror, that he was surrounded by a vast number of horns of all sorts and sizes, appertaining unto the heads and bodies of a grand selection from Mr. Willan's far famed nine hundred and ninety-nine cows; upon which discovery, without further pause, to the great astonishment of his listeners, Mr. M-n performing sundry flourishes with, instead of upon his instrument, scrambled out of the ditch, and, in the utmost fright, made good his escape as fast as he could; fervently ejaculating, as he thus precipitately retreated from his horned admirers, a safe deliverance from the horrors of such a disagreeable audience!

A LONG SLEEP!-A. D. 1545. William Foxley, pot-maker to the Mint, slept in the Tower of London (not being by any means to be waked,) 14 days and 15 nights; and when he waked, it seemed to him but as one night.

W. C.

JAMES THE FIRST.-It is reported of this king "That having given Sir Robert Carr, (one of his favourites,) £20, 000, the Lord Treasurer Salisbury, that he might make the king sensible of his folly, invited him to an entertainment, and so ordered it, that he should pass through a room, wherein he had placed four tables, and on each table £5,000, in silver; when the king came to the room, and saw the money, he started, as amazed at the sight, (having never before seen such a sum,) and asked the Treasurer the meaning of it." The Treasurer told the king, "It was the Boon he had given to Sir Robert. "Swounds Man!" says the king, (which was the oath he usually swore,) but £5,000 shall serve his turn." Bywhich

means, the Lord Treasurer saved the king £15, 000, at once. W. C.

EDWARD THE FOURTH AND THE WIDow, or a GoldeN KISS!-Edward the Fourth to raise money for a war with France, sat himself sundry hours every day to receive contributions from his subjects, who subscribed pretty liberally in consequence of their animosity to the enemy. Among others, a rich, yet niggardly old widow, brought £20, (a large sum in those days,) to him. This so highly pleased the king, "that he not only returned her thanks," but told her, "For her kindness she should kiss a king," which being done, the old woman pulled out another bag, saying "Udsbodikins, if kings sell their kisses so cheap, give me 'tother touch of the lips, and here is another £20 for you!" The king smiled at this, took her at her word, and thought his kisses well sold. W. C.

GENUINE IRISH WIT.-A gentleman, living quite at the upper end of the New Road, much annoyed by beggars, and the itinerant venders of small-wares, daily knocking at his door, either to solicit charity or proffer their goods for sale, happened a few mornings since to be standing at his window, when he saw a man bearing a band-box in his hand, open the gate, and very deliberately proceed up the little gravelwalk, leading to the house, and guessing he had something to sell, determined to stop his further progress, and for this time, at least, prevent his knocker's being assailed, he, therefore, shook his head, frowned, and waved his hand as signals for the man to retire, but all to no purpose, as he obstinately kept advancing. Mr. quite angry at the instruder's perserverance, hastily threw up the window, and in a loud authoritative tone exclaimed, "There, there, go away, go away, we do not want any thing!" "Arrah, now, and so much the better," replied Pat promptly, "for I have nothing to give, I was only just going to enquire civilly, whether one Mrs. Harris lived here ?"

Garieties.

GOLD FISH. - This beautiful little fish, called in this country "Gold and Silver Fish," are originally natives of China and Japan, where they are held in great estimation, and are called Kinyu. From China the English carried some of them to the island of St. Helena; and from thence the captain of one of our East India ships brought some of

them to England in the year 1728. It is said by a learned foreigner (Dr. Baster) that having great quantities of them in his ponds, he used sometimes to regale his friends with them, and had them dressed with various sauces; but that egg-sauce in particular gave them an excellent relish, even superior to carp. It is of course to be understood that frying is the best mode of cookery. The gourmand whom we quote, states that he had them sometimes boiled, but that they were decidedly better by the former mode. These fish are said to grow no larger in China than an anchovy, but they are to be seen in England of the length of ten or twelve inches; so that our climate seems to agree with them better than that of their native country. It is in the second year of their age that they acquire that splendid appearance for which they are so prized; that they undergo but little or no change in the third year; but that there are many of them that continue always black. Linnæus describes them as of the carp species, and distinguishes them by the name of the "Gold Carp."

ANECDOTE OF A great ACTOR. Returning the other evening through the Strand from an unsuccessful tour to the West-end in quest of "incidents" to supply materiel for the Daily Press

and provision for myself for the next day, I dropped despairingly into a house near the Strand, and ordered pen and ink, and a "nip " of Burton ale, in order to concoct a few dreadful accidents," &c. which had never occurred but in the author's brain, when my attention was arrested by a jolly son of Momus seated opposite to me

Who wrapt in delicious repose, Most inharmoniously was playing a tune on his nose.

Knowing who it was, and that he was only taking a refresher," I resolved to bear with the inconvenience, and proceeded in my vocation; when having completed my task, and placing it in my pocket, exclaiming, "there is quantum sufficit," up started my opposite neighbour-who has the knack upon rousing up, of catching the two or three last words which he happens to hear spoken-in a great gage, and applying my unfortunate lapsus linguæ to himself, indignantly demanded of me, "What right I had to apply such observations to him? Upon my life," said he, "I was never so insulted before. I beg to tell you, Sir, that your assertion is not bottomed in truth, for I have not yet taken anything. Here, Tim, bring me a pint of Burton and a Welch rabbit ?" I apologized for my unintentional offence, and departed.

Illustrated Article.

THE AVENGER. A TALE OF ITALY.

FOR THE OLIO.

THE busy city of Naples had sunk to almost silence in the still hour of night, and scarce was there a falling footstep to say that it was the dwelling of life, whilst at intervals the deep loud bells tolled forth the divisions of hours as they swiftly passed onward. It was that time of night when all have left the lovely city's proud streets, save the fond lover, who hastens to pour forth the feelings of his heart in words of song, or the prowling assassin, tracking his unwary victim. At the corner of one of the streets stood a man gazing upwards to the trellised window of a lofty house, whilst supported by a broad ribband thrown across the left shoulder was a guitar, over the cords of which his fingers from time to time swept, as his voice breathed forth a VOL. IX.

soft and gentle melody. A passer by might have observed, as the light from before an image of the Virgin shone on the countenance of the serenader, that he was one who had seen some seven or eight and twenty summers, with a form moulded in the truest proportion of manly beauty, and a face handsome, but overshadowed with a cast of pensive sadness. As the air drew towards conclusion, the trellis work was slowly opened, and a young fair creature leaning forward, entered into earnest conversation, though in a subdued tone, with the man below: the only words uttered above a whisper were

"You will meet, then, near the church of St. Filippo Neri, to-morrow at nightfall."

"I'll not forget," replied the fairer being, and pressing her hand to her lips, softly closed the trellis work.

Farewell, sweet confiding creature, who could wrong thee? Not I, by heaven; and yet, I fear this unsuspecting love of thine will lead to years

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