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with a well-defined object, and its reflected image. Other precautions were also used to ensure accuracy. The heights, too, were computed according to the formula given by Mr Colebrooke, in the 12th volume of the Asiatic Researches; making an allowance of 1-18th of the intercepted arc for terrestrial refraction. This was the rate fixed on by Captain Webb, from the result of computations made by him, with different rates, from 1-10th to 1-20th, for the purpose of determining and adopting that as the mean, under which the extreme difference of results should be found to be the least.

The mountains measured by him were, first, a cluster of lofty peaks situated between lat. 30° 40 and 30° 50′, and 10' on either side of long. 70. Six peaks in that group were found to be from 22,058 to 23,164 feet high; and three contiguous ones from 19,106 to 21,611 feet.

The next group is still of loftier elevation, and situated in and near lat. 30° 20′ and between long. 79° 37' and 79° 55'. Four peaks of this group rise from 22,313 to 25,669 feet. Two contiguous ones on the east are 20,686 and 15,733; and a multitude of positions towards the west have been ascertained to be from 10,653 to 12,156 feet. Captain Webb here traced the Gauri to the spot where it emerges from the snow, the elevation of which he determined at 11,543 feet.

In a third group the loftiest point is 22,635 feet high, encompassed by four other towering peaks from 17,994 to 21,439 feet. On the north-west of this group is Lebong ghaut, which was crossed in June 1816, and the crest of which, in lat. 30° 20′ and long. 80° 27', was found, by geometrical measurement, to be 18,871 feet. Between this and another pass into Chinese Tartary situated W.S.W.

from it, a cluster of lofty eminences intervenes. Three of these were measured, and found to be from 19,099 to 21,150 feet; and two others nearest to the pass, the highest of which was 22,441 feet. The pass itself was found to be 17,598 feet high. Being on the frontiers of the British dominions, Captain Webb received a visit from the Chinese governor of the adjacent province; and having carried a series of levels geometrically to the spot fixed on for the reception of the mandarin, found his place of encampment 14,434 feet high. To the south of the encamp. ment is a peak 19,857 feet, succeeded by others of less elevation (one, for example, 18,398 feet,) which lead to a fifth group of lofty peaks measured in the course of the survey, the most elevated of which is 22,727 feet, the others declining from 22,238 to 20,923 feet. The loftiest point of this group was distinctly visible from Philibhit, as is the highest of the third, and the most southerly of the second group. Their elevations, as determined by the mean result of several admeasurements, were respectively 22,277, 22,635, and 22,313 feet. There can be no doubt that one of these is the mountain observed by Colonel R. H. Colebrooke, from two stations, Philibhit and Jethpur; the mean of whose observations, calculated on an allowance of 1-11th of the intercepted arc for terrestrial refraction, gave 22,768 feet.

The loftiest summit measured by Captain Webb (25,669 feet) was, in like manner, observed from several places; viz. from the remote station of Cassipur, nearly 86 geographical miles; from Calinath, 47 geographical miles; and from Gangoli, 43 geographical miles.

It appears then, that the results of Captain Webb's laborious researches correspond with the measurements

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detailed by Mr Colebrooke in the 12th volume of the Asiatic Researches above referred to. The 'elevated peaks exceed 20,000, and the loftiest even 25,000 feet above the level of the sea. Further barometrical measurements of the most elevated accessible peaks are still however wanting

In the Himalaya mountains, the limit of congelation is considerably higher than in the Cordilleras of the Andes in South America, or in the Alps of Europe. In a communication to the Asiatic Society from Captain Hodgson, who visited the remotest accessible fountains of the Ganges and Jumna rivers, it appears, that the glacier and wall of snow from beneath which the Ganges issues, was by him determined at 12,914 feet above the level of the sea. The limit of congelation, then, may be reckoned in round numbers, either at 13,000 feet above the sea, in the parallel of 31°, as inferred from Captain Hodgson's measurement; or at 13,500 feet in that of 30°, as concluded by Captain Webb from his observations. The former of these differs from Professor Leslie's theoretical computation about 1,750, and the latter about 2,000 feet. According to him, the extremes of the permanent curve of congelation are, under the equator, 15,207 feet, and at the poles 0; and, the height in the middle latitude 45°, 7671 feet. The intermediate degrees are likewise computed; hence we have 12,853 feet for the tropics, and 2419 feet for the polar

circles.

But Baron Humboldt found, by observation, that, under the equator,

the region of perpetual snow com. menced, in South America, at the elevation of 4800 metres, or 15,747 feet; and that, in Mexico, and in latitude 19° to 20°, the limit of permanent congelation commenced at 4600 metres, or 15,091 feet. The same intelligent traveller assigns the height of 2550 metres, or 8365 feet, to the line of perpetual snow in the latitude of 45°. Deluc also differs from Professor Leslie. He gives the height of the line of permanent snow under the equator at 2434 French toises, or 15,565 English feet, which was actually observed to be the elevation of the curve at the basaltic summit of Pinchincha, half a degree south of the equator; in the mean latitude, according to inferences drawn from observations in France and Chili, from 1500 to 1600 toises, or about 10,000 English feet; at or near the tropics, as at the Peak of Teneriffe, 2100 toises; and at or near the polar circles, nothing. We need not, however, be astonished at the discrepancies between theory and observation, when we find that no two observers are agreed about almost any one We fact. the same time remark, that the mea surements hitherto made in India are little better than mere approxi coinci mations; and though the dence between the results obtained by Mr Colebrooke and Captain Webb establishes, that certain peaks. Himalaya range ate the most eleva ted points on the earth's surface, we must wait for further observa tions and measurements before we can venture to speak decidedly as to their absolute height.

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It is to be regretted, that so few attempts have hitherto been made to ascertain correct the heights of the most elevated points in the Caucasian chain. The height of Elbur was estimated by Professor Pallas as equal to that of Mont Blanc, and by the Russi Astronomer Wishnefsky at 16,700 French feet, which is 2000 feet higher. This shows ho little reliance can be placed on any thing that has yet been achieved in this interesting department of science.

CHAP. IV.

VIEW OF GEOGRAPHICAL DISCOVERIES, AND OBSERVATIONS OF TRAVELLERS DURING THE YEAR.

Travels in Africa. - Bowdich's Mission to Ashantee.-Travels in Persia.— Sir William Ouseley.-Moritz Von Kotzebue.-Lieutenant-Colonel Fitzclarence's Journey over land from India.-Mr Oxley's second expedition to the interior of New Holland.

CONSIDERABLE contributions have been this year made to the science of Geography; and although we are not aware that any thing very important has been discovered, we have been furnished with more extended, and, in general, more accurate information, on a variety of points hitherto involved in obscurity, and with details of the manners, customs, and conditions of several tribes of whom almost nothing was previously known. On the subject of Africa, always one of prominent in terest, we have only to notice the account given by Mr Bowdich of the Mission to Ashantee, which, crude and ill-digested as it is, nevertheless supplies some curious particulars of this warlike and ferocious tribe, and of the court of his sable Majesty Sai Tooto Quamina.

The origin and objects of this mission were, if possible, to form a treaty of amity with the King of Ashantee, and to prevent those invasions of the country of the Fantees, our allies, which, in 1806, 1811, and 1816, had spread general destruction, and been accompanied with unparalleled atrocity and bloodshed;

while, on all these occasions, the Governor of Cape-Coast Castle had been obliged to purchase the retreat of the invaders by the payment of large sums of money. To prevent the recurrence of such disasters, the Governor had earnestly requested his superiors at home to authorise a mission to the King of Ashantee; and this request being acceded to, some valuable presents, together with a draft of instructions, were forwarded by the Spring ship of 1817; and on the morning of the 22d of April, the mission, consisting of Mr James, its nominal head, Mr Bowdich, a young writer, Mr Hutchison, also a writer, Mr Tedlie, assistant surgeon, with a proper number of bearers, Ashantee guides, and two native soldiers, set out from Cape-Coast Castle. On the last day of April, the party reached the banks of a stream called the Boosempra, of which Mr Bowdich says,

"Nothing could be more beautiful than its scenery: the bank on the south side was steep, and admitted but a narrow path; that on the north sloping; on which a small Fetish house, under the shade of a cachou tree, fixed the eye; whence it wan

dered over a rich variety of tint and foliage, in which light and shade were most happily blended: the small rocks stole through the herbage of the banks, and now and then ruffled the water: the doom trees towering in the shrubbery, waved to the most gentle air a rich foliage of dark green, mocking the finest touch of the pencil; the tamarind and smaller mimosas heightening its effect by their livelier tint, and the more piquant delicacy of their leaf: the cotton trees overtopped the whole, enwreathed in convolvuli, and several elegant little trees, unknown to me, rose in the background, in termixed with palms, and made the coup d'œil enchanting. The bright rays of the sun were sobered by the rich reflections of the water; and there was a mild beauty in the landscape congenial to barbarism, which imposed the expectation of elegance and refinement. I attempted a sketch, but it was far beyond my rude pencil; the expression of the scene could only have been traced in the profile of every tree; and it seemed to defy any touches, but those of a Claude or a Wilson, to depict the life of its beauty."

At last they reached the capital Coomassie, which is estimated at 146 miles, (or about 97 miles of direct distance) from Cape-Coast Castle, and which they entered in great state. And here they were soon doomed to witness a spectacle of the most horrid and revolting description, and which they soon found to be as frequent as it is disgustingly dreadful and inhuman.

"Here our attention was forced from the astonishment of the crowd to a most inhuman spectacle, which was paraded before us for some minutes; it was a man whom they were tormenting previous to sacrifice; his hands were pinioned behind him, a

knife was passed through his checks, to which his lips were noosed like the figure of 8; one ear was cut off and carried before him, the other hung to his head by a small bit of skin; there were several gashes in his back, and a knife was thrust under each shoulder blade; he was led with a cord passed through his nose, by men disfigured with immense caps of shaggy black skins, and drums beat before him; the feeling this horrid barbarity excited must be imagined.”

It is not german to our present purpose to notice the "palavers" held with Sai Tooto Quamina, and his caboceers, in which, by his own shewing, Mr Bowdich acquitted himself to a miracle, and even drew forth a compliment from the sooty monarch, who said, "he liked his palaver very much," (a matter in which we are sorry to differ with so high an authority): But the following passage will give a frightful idea of some of the customs prevalent among the Ashantees, who indeed offer up human sacrifices on almost every occasion. Whether they are also addicted to cannibalism, we are not informed.

"On the death of a King, all the customs which have been made for the subjects who have died during his reign, must be simultaneously repeated by the families, (the human sacrifices as well as the carousals and pageantry) to amplify that for the monarch, which is also solemnised independently, but, at the same time, in every excess of extravagance and bar. barity. The brothers, sons, and nephews of the King, affecting tempo. rary insanity, burst forth with their muskets, and fire promiscuously amongst the crowd; even a man of rank, if they meet him, is their victim, nor is their murder of him or any other, on such an occasion, visited or prevented; the scene can

scarcely be imagined. Few persons of rank dare to stir from their houses for the first two or three days, but religiously drive forth all their vassals and slaves, as the most acceptable composition of their own absence. The King's Ocras are all murdered on his tomb, to the number of a hundred or more, and women in abundance. I was assured by several, that the custom for Saï Quamina, was repeated weekly for three months, and that two hundred slaves were sacrificed, and 25 barrels of powder fired, each time. But the custom for the King's mother, the regent of the kingdom during the invasion of Fantee, is most celebrated. The King of himself devoted 3000 victims, (upwards of 2000 of whom were Fantee prisoners) and 25 barrels of powder. Dwabin, Kokoofoo, Becqua, Soota, and Marmpong, furnished 100 victims, and 20 barrels of powder, each, and most of the smaller towns 10 victims, and two barrels of powder, each. The Kings, and Kings only, are buried in the cemetery at Bantama, and the sacred gold buried with them; their bones are afterwards deposited in a building there, opposite to which is the largest brass pan I ever saw, (for sacrifices,) being about five feet in diameter, with four small lions on the edge. Here human sacrifices are frequent and ordinary, to water the graves of the Kings. The bodies of chiefs are frequently carried about with the army, to keep them for interment at home, and eminent revolters or enemies also, to be exposed in the capital. Boiteäm, (the father of Otee the fourth linguist,)

who accompanied the army of Abiniowa in his political capacity, dying at Akrofroom in Aquapim, during the campaign, his body was kept with the army two months before it arrived at Coomassie. I could not get any information on their treatment of the corpse, beyond their invariable reply, that they smoked it well over a slow fire."

The population of Coomassie was asserted by the Ashantees to exceed 100,000 souls; but, judging from the crowd which he saw collected on gala-days and festivals, Mr Bowdich thinks it not greater than that of Sansanding, which Mr Park estimated at 30,000. How Mr Bowdich could establish a comparison with Sansanding, which he had never visited, he does not think proper to inform us.

The chapter on Geography is singularly obscure and involved. The routes obtained from the Moors may be correct; but Mr Bowdich is mistaken, in supposing them " to trace the Niger to the Nile." It is evident from inspection, that none of them pretend to follow the course of the river, but only the usual routes which lie very considerably to the northward of it. All the information collected from the Moors by Horneman, Burckhardt, Jackson, and others, agrees, however, in one point-and the coincidence is remarkable and deserving of particular attentionthat the Joliba or Niger is the same river with the Bahr el Abiad, or Nile of Egypt. The testimony collected by Mr Hutchison, who was left as resident at Coomassie, and whose Diary, by the way, is the most valu

• Suetonius tells us that Augustus sacrificed 500 of the principal citizens of Perusia, to the manes of his uncle Julius. We read in Prevost, that 64,080 persons were sacrificed, with aggravated barbarity, in the dedication of a temple in Mexico.

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