Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

Inat view.

гог the ine certanny nows out a, dividing it down the middle, and as I conudging the unknown from the known-rises same distance from its mouth as the Ister. er river has its source in the country of the car the city Pyrené, and runs through the of Europe, dividing it into two portions. Is live beyond the Pillars of Hercules, and n the Cynesians, who dwell at the extreme Europe. Thus the latter flows through the Europe before it finally empties itself into ine at Istria, one of the colonies of the . Now as this river flows through regions nhabited, its course is perfectly well known; me sources of the Nile no one can give any since Libya, the country through which it desert and without inhabitants. As far as ssible to get information by inquiry, I have escription of the stream. It enters Egypt parts beyond. Egypt lies almost exactly he mountainous region of Cilicia, whence a uipped traveler may reach Sinopé on the five days by the direct route. Sinopé lies he place where the Ister falls into the sea. n, therefore, is that the Nile as it traverses of Libya, is of equal length with the Ister. I take my leave of this subject.

BOUT

THE CROCODILE

llowing are the peculiarities of the crocoDuring the four winter months they eat They are four-footed, and live indifferently in the water. The female lays and hatches shore, passing the greater portion of the ✓ land, but at night retiring to the river,

then the night-oir and

[ocr errors]

gg of the crocodile is but little bigger than that e goose, and the young crocodile is in proportion he egg; yet when it is full-grown the animal ures frequently seventeen cubits, and even more, s the eyes of a pig, teeth large and tusk-like, of e proportioned to its frame. Unlike any other al, it is without a tongue. It cannot move its r jaw, and in this respect it is singular, being >nly animal in the world which moves its upper and not the under. It has strong claws and a skin, impenetrable upon the back. In the r it is blind, but on the land it is very keen of . As it lives chiefly in the river, it has the e of its mouth constantly covered with leeches; e it happens that while all the other birds and ts avoid it, with the trochilus it lives at peace, it owes much to that bird; for the crocodile, 1 he leaves the water and comes upon the land, the habit of lying with his mouth wide open, ng the western breeze; at such times the trochilus into his mouth and devours the leeches. This fits the crocodile, who is pleased, and takes care to hurt the trochilus. . .

e modes of catching the crocodile are many and ous. I shall only describe the one which seems e most worthy of mention. They bait a hook a chine of pork, and let the meat be carried into the middle of the stream, while the hunter the bank holds a living pig, which he belabors. crocodile hears its cries, and making for the d, encounters the pork, which he instantly swaldown. The men on the shore haul, and when have got him to land, the first thing the hunter is to plaster his eyes with mud. This once acolished, the animal is despatched with ease; wise he gives much trouble.

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

have also another sacred bird called the enix, which I myself have never seen expictures. Indeed it is a great rarity even - only coming there (according to accounts eople of Heliopolis) once in five hundred en the old phoenix dies. Its size and ap-if it is like the pictures-is as follows: The s partly red, partly golden, while the genand size are almost exactly that of the ney tell a story of what this bird does, s not seem to me to be credible: that he the way from Arabia, and brings the d, all plastered with myrrh, to the temple , and there buries the body. In order to they say, he first forms a ball of myrrh e finds that he can carry; then he hollows 1, and puts his parent inside; after which ver the opening with fresh myrrh, and the of exactly the same weight as at first; s it to Egypt, plastered over as I have eposits it in the temple of the sun. Such they tell of the doings of this bird.

LIVER WENDELL HOLMES

(Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Publishers)

LIVER WENDELL HOLMES, poet, novelist, and yist, born at Cambridge, Mass., in 1809; died 1. He was educated at Harvard University, hing while there three medals for dissertations. started the study of law, but soon gave it up that of medicine. From 1847 to 1882 he was a fessor in the Harvard Medical School. He wrote he Autocrat of the Breakfast Table" for the tlantic Monthly," and they were later published book form. Of his novels, "Elsie Venner," and he Guardian Angel," are the best. He also wrote rge number of essays and medical works. Subtle nor, sparkling wit, and the most tender pathos e in turn from the pen of this writer, and ough it all was the sunshine of his own char

r.

THE VOICELESS

E count the broken lyres that rest

VE

Where the sweet wailing singers slumber,

- o'er their silent sister's breast

he wild-flowers who will stoop to number? Few can touch the magic string,

nd noisy Fame is proud to win them:s for those that never sing,

ut die with all their music in them!

7, grieve not for the dead alone

Whose song has told their hearts' sad story,-ep for the voiceless, who have known

he cross without the crown of glory!

here the glistening night-dews weep nameless sorrow's churchyard pillow.

-ts that break and give no sign whitening lip and fading tresses, eath pours out his cordial wine

-dropp'd from Misery's crushing presses,— ing breath or echoing chord very hidden pang were given, ndless melodies were pour'd, d as earth, as sweet as heaven!

HE CHAMBERED NAUTILUS

is the ship of pearl, which, poets feign, Sails the unshadow'd main,

venturous bark that flings

sweet summer wind its purpled wings enchanter, where the Siren sings,

coral reefs lie bare,

he cold sea-maids rise to sun their streaming hair.

of living gauze no more unfurl;

k'd is the ship of pearl!

every chamber'd cell,

s dim dreaming life was wont to dwell, il tenant shaped his growing shell,

e thee lies reveal'd,

ceiling rent, its sunless crypt unseal'd!

· year beheld the silent toil spread his lustrous coil;

is the spiral grew,

e past year's dwelling for the new,

« ПредишнаНапред »