was fortunately close at hand, and succeeded, at last, in saving those on board, allof whom were injured, and one of them severely, by the breaking of his hip bone.

The intense excitement both of those in the vessel and in the boats t this mom nt may be readily imagined. The accident was seen from the ship. Captain Hudson was satisfied that any immediate attempt to relieve them and his companions must be fruitless; and that the only chance that remained, was to preserve the boats for a fu· ture occasion. He therefore ordered the ensign to be hoisted on the top of the mizzen mast, for a signal for the boats to return to the land; which was obeyed by them, although with the feeling that they were abandoning their commander and those with him to their fate. Those on board, on the other hand, were released from their anxiety for the boats, on which alone they could depend for being relieved if the wreck should remain together for a few hours. Of this, however, the wreck was far from promising, amid the struggle between the waters of the great river (the Columbia) and those of the mighty ocean, when every surge seemed to forebode the utter dissolution of the fabric of the ship.

By 3 o'clock, Lieutenant Emmans with the boats was again approaching the ship; but the sea was still too rough to venture near her; and it was not till 5 o'clock that he succeeded in getting alongside, when the remaining men were distributed among the boats, and embarked in good order-Capt. Hudson being the last to leave the ship.They landed in Baker's Bay-when Capt. Hudson was received by the other officers and men with three hearty cheers the spontaneous affection of their admiration and gratitude for the courage and conduct he had exhibited in his efforts for the preservation of the ship, and in finally preserv ing the lives of all.

The exertions of the officers and men were not yet at an end; for some faint hopes were entertained that a portion of the property might still be saved from the wreck, as a relief in their utter state of destitution; and, in consequence, the boats were despatched the next morning at day break to the bar. But nothing was there to be seen of the Peacock, except the cap of her bowsprit, for her upper deck had been separated and the pieces scattered for many miles along the coast."

MINING OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCHThe French Minister of Public works has

just published the report of the works of the engineers of mines, &c., during the year 1844, and which acquires fresh importance every year as the working of mines becomes more developed. The report, after giving a detailed list of the departments in which the mines of different metals and minerals are found proceeds thus:

"The number of mines now being worked amounts to 446, viz: 261 of coal; 143 of iron; 14 of lead, copper, silver, antimony, and manganese; 16 of bituminous minerals, and twelve of rock salt. These works give employment to upwards of 33,880, workmen, The duties for the year, calculated on the nett produce, amount to 369,903 francs, being 11,553 francs more than in 1843. Several quarries of white statuary marble have been opened in the departments of Ariege, the Aube, Isere, and the Hautes and Basses Pyrenees. The quarry of St. Beat, in the Hautes Pyrenees, has, in particular, furnished an enormous block of white marble, of the first quality, for an equestrian statue. Quarries of black and green marble have been re-opened in the Hautes Alps, the Ariege, the Aube, and the Isere, to supply materials for the crypt of the tomb of Na poleon, in the Church of the Invalides.

Other quarries of brown and green marble have been re-opened in the Basses Pyrenees, which had been worked with great success in the time of Louis XIV., and have furnished, amongst other products of great beauty, twelve columns of four metres in height by fifty-five centimetres in diameter, which were ordered by the King of Prussia for the Museum of Berlin, and have, in the short space of two months, been abstracted, turned, polished, and completed, at the extensive marble works at Bagnares de Bigorre. Iron works have of late acquired great extension, and several important improvements have been introduced in the different proThe information obtained by the superintending engineers, as to the manufacture of steam engines is divided under two heads-first, steam engines and boilers used on land; and, second, those used on board steam-vessels. The locomotives on railways are included in the first category. In the first class we find 6,350 steamboilers (5,613 of which are made in France) in use in 1943; out of this number, 1,698 afforded steam for different purposes, and 4,652 supplied 3,369 steam engines, 633 of which were of high and 2,736 of low

cesses.

pressure, representing together a force of 128,552 horse power, and replacing the labor of 892,790 men. In the second class we find that in 1843 the number of steamboats was 242, being thirteen more than in the previous year, and representing a force of 38,244 horse power. The weight transported by these steamboats, including that of the passengers, is estimated at 1,487,787 tons." (Selected.)

Ignorance concerning the Great Salt Lake. ́ Captain Fremont's description of this remarkable piece of water we published in our last number. The following remarks of his, written in his journal, August 21st, on his approaching it, will make our readers acquainted with the vague ideas before entertained respecting its size and character.

"We were now entering a region which for us possessed a strange and extraordinary interest. We were upon the waters of the famous lake, around which the vague and superstitious accounts of the trappers had thrown a delightful obscurity, which we anticipated pleasure in dispelling, but which, in the mean time, left a crowded field for the exercise of our imagination.

In our occasional conversation with the few old hunters who had visited that region, it had been a subject of frequent speculation; and the wonders which they related were not the less agreeable, because they were highly exaggerated and impossible.

Hitherto this lake had been seen only by trappers who were wandering through the country in search of new beaver streams, caring very little for geography; its islands had never been visited; and none were to be found who had entirely made the circuit of its shores; and no instrumental observations or geographical survey, of any description, had ever been made any where in the neighboring region. It was generally supposed that it had no visible outlet; but among the trappers, including those in my own camp, were many who beleived that somewhere on its surface was a terrible whirlpool, through which its waters found their way to the ocean by some subterranean communication. these things had made a frequent subject of discussion in our desultory conversations around the fire at night; and my own mind had become tolerably well filled with their indefinite pictures and insensibly colored with their romantic descriptions, which, in the pleasure of excitement, I was well disposed to believe, and half expected to realize."

All

Here, too, we meet with the following in teresting passages.

We continued our road down the river, and at night encamped with a family of emigrants, two men, women and several children-who appeared to be bringing up the rear of the

great caravan. I was struck with the fine appearance of their cattle, some six or eight yoke of oxen, which really looked as well as if they had been all the summer at work on some good farm. It was strange to see one small family travelling along through such a country, so remote from civilization. Some nine years since, such security might have been a fatal one; but since their disastrous defeats in the country a little north, the Blackfeet have ceased to visit these waters.

Crossing, in the afternoon, the point of a narrow spur, we descended into a beautiful bottom, formed by a lateral valley, which presented a picture of home beauty that went directly to our hearts. The edge of the wood, for several miles along the river, was dotted with the white covers of emigrant wagons, collected in groups at different camps, where the smokes were rising lazily from the fires, around which the women were occupied in preparing the evening meal, and the children playing on the grass; and herds of cattle, grazing about on the bottom, had an air of quiet, security and civilized comfort that made a rare sight for the traveller in such a remote wilderness.

On the 23d we had approached within something more than a mile of a Shoshonee village, when suddenly a single horseman emerged from it at full speed, followed by another, and another, in rapid succession; and then party after party poured into the plain, until, when the foremost rider reached us, all the whole intervening plain was occupied by a mass of horsemen.

PEACE.-After many fears among the friends of peace in our country, that a war with England might be brought about, on the question of the occupation of Oregon, the prospect of an amicable settlement is much more flattering. Mr. Cass and others made speeches in Congress, corresponding with the warlike tone of the President's message; but Mr. Calhoun's influence is decidedly on the opposite side, which is unquestionably that of the vast majority of the country and of England also. Gratifying evidence is furnished, of the extensive prevalence of the spirit of peace, except among a portion, the selfish, the corrupt and inconsiderate. Those of us who have seen one war will labor and pray that we nor our country may ever see another. The mere symptoms of one which we have had, have already sensibly affected every person in the country; both in exciting fears, and in raising and sinking, by turns, the price of the staff of life. Parents, and teachers, we hope, will use double exertions to inculcate the principles of peace on the young.

Hong Kong is a small Chinese island, from a mile to half a mile from the main land, 102 miles from Canton, and nearer Whampoa, and is now in the possession of Great Britain, having been ceded to her by the late treaty. The English expected great commercial advantages from this and their other acquisitions; but they appear to have been much disappointed with them all, especially with this. According to late accounts, which we have published, Hong Kong, far from being a great emporium, is wholly neglected by the Chinese, who dare not visit it for trade, as is said, on account of the severe punishments threatened for those who may violate the regulations of the place. The English merchants, who had built houses and stores, begun to erect a large town, and stocked the place with goods, have mortification to see the native ships sail by without even touching there.

Hong Kong is situated in the large bay which receives the Canton River through the mouth called Bocca Tigris. Many smaller islands lie scattered around it. The centre of it is in latitude 22° 15′ N., and longitude 114° 18′ E. Its medium length from east to west, is about seven miles, and its length, 4. The place selected for the town is on the

north side. There are several convenient bays on the south-western shore; but they are occasionally exposed to a heavy swell, especially when the typhoons blow from that quarter. This word, typhoon, in such familiar use with our seamen, is said to be a corruption of the Chinese words, ty-fung, meaning merely strong wind. One of these was encountered by General Elliot and Sir Gordon Bremer, while on their passage along this part of the coast, and almost proved fatal to them. An interesting account of the storm was published soon after, which may be recollected by some of our readers.

The Hong Gazette, which is published oy the English at this place, we have several times received, and extracted from it for the Amer. Penny Magazine.

The following extracts from letters of Mrs. Graham, of Philadelphia, one of the episcopal missionary band who sailed for China last winter, we copy from the "Spirit of Missions."

About nine o'clock, P. M., we came to anchor, in perfect safety. Victoria is a city on the island of Hong Kong, and appears to be called by either name. It is built on a long narrow strip of land, between the water and the mountain.

We were surrounded by boats filled with Chinese families. They live on board of their boats. We saw them eating breakfast and using the chop-sticks. It was laughable to see them cramming down their rice, in no very genteel mouthfuls. Our breakfast, I can assure you, this morning, was relished very much; fresh fish and eggs were heartily welcome after so long a voyage, and we did them full justice. I think I never tasted bet ter fish in my life.

Mr. and Mrs. Wood, with Miss Gillett and ourselves, went up to Dr. Bridgman's, where we rested a few minutes. Soon after, Mr. G. and myself came down again to the water, took a Chinese boat and went up about two miles to the Rev. Mr. Stanton's. Here we were very kindly received, and from thence I am now writing to you."

"Victoria, May 26, 1845. Mr. Graham has gone out to-day with Mr. Gutzlaff on one of his missionary tours, among the neighboring Chinese. Mr. Gutzlaff goes out thus every Sunday, (I am told,) and spends the day in passing from village to village, collecting the poor people and preaching to them. His acquaintance with many dialects gives him a great advantage in this respect. Mr. G. thought he might derive some useful ideas from witnessing his manner of dealing with the people. Mr.

Gutzlaff says they are very kind; and from what we have seen of them, they appear to be a most inoffensive people, rather fearing us than being objects of terror to us.

We

The Rev. Mr. Smith, a young English clergyman, who has been sent to this country by The Church Missionary Society,' in England, and who is at present staying with Mr. Stanton, invited us to take a sail under his protection. Mr. and Mrs. Stanton were engaged to visit some of his congregation. sailed up a little way along the shore, and landed near a Chinese temple, Passing through a small village, and through some vegetable lots, on a small hill in a very shady spot, commanding a very pretty view of the harbor, we came to a temple. It was much larger than one I had visited before, and contained three or five idols, I could not tell which for it was twilight, and we had but an imperfect view. It was dedicated to the Queen of Heaven.' The idols were as large as life with most hideous countenances, with great eyes. The centre one was veiled, apparently a female, and I suppose this was the Queen herself. In front of her stood a long table set off with all manner of finery, tinsel, flowers, and cups of tea. Every boat, even of the smallest size, has its shrine. In some of them are idols too, and in all of them a light continually burning, with tinsel and many little cups of tea. They do not appear to think much of their idols, but they consider that to have them gives good luck. The people whom we met were very kind to us, offering us seats. We had not time to stop, but we did not refuse to take a little tea with

them, which pleased them. They 'chin-chined' us with a hearty good will. Tea you must know is the common drink here. It is taken very weak, but they never think of drinking water alone. The tea-pot is always on the coals. Go when you will to a Chinaman's house, at any hour, he will give you hot tea, and he seems very glad to show any one this hospitality. We took tea, on our return, with Mr. Brown, and reached home soon after in another boat. These are like omnibusses in Philadelphia: you may get one at any hour, to convey you any where you wish to go, at a very cheap rate. On these boats, you would be surprised to see the women rowing and managing the sails, or steering, while the ckildren are running about, sometimes with an infant on the back.

May 27th.-After dinner we went on the water. It was Mrs. Stanton's intention, to go as far as Cowlooh, a large Chinese village. The wind not being favorable, and it being rather late, we did not go so great a distance, but crossed over to the main land. Here was a small village, where the people gathered together to look at us. We are as much objects of curiosity here as 'Chi' and 'Sin Say' were to us in Philadelphia. We walked some distance out of the village, and I gathered some very pretty wild flowers. The country on this side is much more fertile than about Hong Kong. We passed many rice (or paddy) fields, and saw plots, planted with different kinds of vegetables; such as Irish and Carolina or sweet potatoes, egg plants, beans and tomatoes.

Passing along, we came to another village where the people again flocked about us. Miss Jones frightened one poor mother very much by going up and caressing her babe. The child cried, and the mother turned very pale and ran away. It was some time before we regained her confidence. At last she came up to me, and timidly took hold of my cardinal and bonnet strings, when she smiled and seemed to feel assured. She then pointed to the ornaments in her own hair, and she was much amused when Miss Jones, taking off her bonnet, showed her some jet ornaments on her hair. The people seem perfectly harmless and disposed. On returning, we met some women. One of them very kindly made us to understand that she wanted us to come into her house and rest. Promising to make them another visit, we left them."

In the afternoon, Mrs. Stanton proposed that we should go up to the Rev. Mr. Brown's in a boat, where the Bishop, Mrs. Boone, Misses Jones and Morse are staying.

Our visit was very pleasant. The scenery by the way is not very interesting, the town being built on a long narrow strip overhung by the mountains. These have a dreary appearance, being covered only with short grass, with very few bushes, and nothing that could be called trees. There are no forests here, nor do they know what a forest means.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Lake Superior Copper-As the existence of copper mines on the shores of Lake Superior was known so long ago, it is a little singular that they did not attract the notice of speculators until within a few years. In looking over the proceedings of the 18th Congress, a few days ago, we noticed that a proposition to appropriate $20,000 to an exploration of these mines, was discussed in that body, but finally lost. In that debate it was said that these mines were seen in 1689 by the monk La Houtan; in 1721, by the Jesuit, Father Charlevoix; in 1766, by Capt. Carver; in 1771, by Henry; and in 1799, by Sir Alexander M Kenzie. Each of these travellers published an account of these mines, and their descriptions have excited the attention of the first mineralogists of Europe. Some years before the commencement of our Revolution, a mass of silver ore was found in the same region, carried to England, and gave rise to a mining company, of which the Duke of Gloucester was the head. They caused a gallery to be opened on a hill on the south side of the lake, but finding nothing but copper, the operations were discontinued ; for it was no object in the then condition of the country and state of transportation, to carry copper from Lake Superior to London.

Governor Eustis, on his embassy to Holland, carried with him specimens of this copper, to have it tested in the Mint of Utretchit. It was so tested, and the Report of the Inspector is to be found in all the European works on mineralogy. It says:

"The examination of the North American copper, in the sample received from his excellency the Minister, by the operation of the coppel, and the test by fire, has proved that it does not contain the smallest particle of sil- . ver, gold, or any other metal. Its color is a clear red. It is peculiarly qualified for rolling and forging, and its excellence is indicated by its resemblance to the copper usually employed by the English for plating.-The dealers in copper call this sort Peruvian copper, to distinguish it from that of Sweden, which is much less malleable. The specimen under consideration is incomparably better than Swedish copper, as well on account of its brilliant color, as for the fineness of its pores, and its ductility."-Ind. State Journal.

Address to Sabbath School Teachers. (From a Committee of a Sabbath School Association. By THEO. DWIGHT, Jr.) Sabbath Schools are generally acknowl edged to be useful in more ways than was at first supposed. Even Robert Raikes, the founder, could not, we may reasonably af firm, have anticipated all the modes in which this system has since operated. The views of the early friends of Sab. Schools were probably as far from embracing the

whole extent of their useful sphere, as now are those entertained by some persons engaged in conducting them-shall I say, perhaps some of our own? The S. S. is not to be a fleeting institution. If any just opinion can be formed of the designs of the Almighty, concerning any of the means at the present time in operation in the world, we may conclude that Sunday Schools are designed to be permanent, greatly extended and improved, and to exert a powerful influence in the promotion of the Reign of Righteousness on earth. Whoever has taken part in the business of Sabbath Schools either as a teacher or as a scholar, has not been astonished to observe the variety of ways in which it cultivates the affections, trains the habits, stores, disciplines and strengthens the mind?

Many steps have been made in the science and practice of education within half a century, by the learned men who have devoted themselves to that important subject; and some of the greatest wonders of modern times are seen in those simple systems by which knowledge is more widely, cheaply and effectually diffused. Books have been written on such subjects, and the ingenuity of man, more than the wis dom and kindness of God, is admired in their application to the good of mankind.First, see the Lancasterian or monitorial system, introduced into so many countries, by which one teacher, with an assistant, instructs and governs several hundred pupils. The monitors are elder children, who at given hours take their places each at the head of a class, and there teach the younger, while they view for their own benefit, what they have just learnt. Next observe the simultaneous system, on which large schools are formed in London and elsewhere. The scholars are assembled in a large circular room, and taught all at once by a teacher who stands in the centre. How vast an improvement does each of these plans appear, when compared with that of hearing a single child at a time, say the letters of the alphabet, or perform some other exercise at school! How can it be, we are inclined to ask, that such great improvements have remained so long unknown? But these principles, are not new. They have been in different forms and in varicus degrees applied in families, by intelligent persons, probably for thousands of years, and no doubt with good success. It is true, that some parents may be so regardless as to persist in teaching their children one at a time but how often has the good mother