AN AFRICAN

When Richard and John Lander, the two enterprising and successful explorers of Africa, and the discoverers of the mouth of the Niger, give us many painful accounts of the fetish worship of the Pagan Africans. The natives worship various objects, and regard many others with superstitious awe. On arriving at Damuggoo, on their passage down the Niger, they landed; and we find, (Vol. 2, page 155 and onward,) the following description of the town, and of this deformed idol, which they found raised in a public place.

Turing the first part of the day the course of the river was about west-south-west, the breadth varying from two to four miles, according to our estimation. At noon we saw a small branch running off to the south-east. The north-west side of the river was now low, and covered with thick jungle, and the bank in many places was overflowed, so that the jungle appeared to be growing out of the water. The south-east bank was rather higher, and cultivated pieces of ground were seen now and then about three or four miles apart, with villages about them.

At two in the afternoon we came abreast of a village of pretty considerable extent, intending to pass it by on the other side. We had no sooner made our appearance than we were lustily hailed by a little squinting fellow, dressed in an English soldier's jacket, who kept crying out as loud as his lungs would permit him, "Holloa, you Englishmen! you come here." The name of this village, we now find, is Damuggoo. The first person we observed at the landing-place was our little friend in the red jacket, who we found out afterward was a messenger

FETISH DEITY.

from the chief of Bonny. His business here was to buy slaves for his master.

My brother and I were instantly conducted over a bog to a large fetish tree, at the root of which we were made to sit down, and were shaded by its branches from an intoler ably hot sun. Here we waited till the arrival of the chief, who made his appearance in a few minutes, bringing with him a goat, with a quantity of yams and other provisions, as a present.

The chief put a great many questions to us respecting ourselves and our country, the places we had come from, their distance up the river, and also concerning the river itself, and was astonished at our answers.

The news of our arrival having spread through the village, the people flocked in hundreds to see us. They so completely blocked up every place through which we might receive air, that we were nearly suffocated; nor could we succeed in driving them away.

In the morning a bullock, wild in the bush, was offered us, with a proviso that one of our party could shoot him. Pascoe, therefore, went out with his gun, and discovered the animal ruminating among the trees; and levelling his piece, he shot him dead the first fire.

At the back of our hut stands a fetish god, in a small thatched hut, supported by four wooden pillars, which is watched continually by two boys and a woman. We were desired to roast our bullock under him, that he might enjoy the savoury smell of the smoking meat, some of which he might also be able to eat if he desired. We were particularly enjoined to roast no yams under him, as they were considered by the natives too poor a diet to offer to their deity. The natives are all pagans, and worship the same kind of figures as those of Yarriba.

Man heavy long sought for satisfactory information respecting this very peculiar sheet of water, and perused all accessible books which make mention of it, yet felt his curiosity rather stimulated anew than satiated. But it is difficult to go through with the minute and interesting details given us by Professor Robinson in his masterly "Biblical Researches," without feeling that all, or at least nearly all the questions that could be asked are there answered, without the investigation of the mysterious waters by diving bells.

Perhaps the feelings of other readers may differ from our own: but we confess, that to us every step taken by the traveller on the banks of that solemn lake gave us some deep impression; and his descriptions have left on our mind images of a most distinct, and, we doubt not, correct character. Drawing from the Scriptures our interest in that lake, and having for years contemplated it with extreme curiosity, we cannot describe the satisfaction we received from the pages which Prof. Robinson has devoted to the subject. We would that our limited space might allow us to make large extracts, for such of our readers as have not read his work; but we shall give, partly in a condensed form, some of the passages most likely to please them. We must premise, however, with a few remarks on the history of the Dead Sea.

Have all our readers duly reflected on the circumstances which invest this lonely and gloomy region with such solemn attractions?

Though of such small size, and distinguished in all ages by desolation and barrenness, it has been the scene of several of the most important events in the history of man. Its low level, now that it has been ascertained, may properly be regarded as a phenomenon : for, although but at a short distance from the Mediterranean Sea, its level is several hundred feet lower. Even the River Jordan, its only considerable tributary, has been ascertained, by a French scientific survey, to be so also at Jericho. This accounts for the hot climate which scorches the shores of both the stream and the lake, and the tropical aspect of the vegetation, which contrasts with that of Jerusalem and other places adjacent.

Is it not a very striking fact, and one quite unparallelled, that the Bible first describes this region as a dry and fertile plain, with four cities, and narrates the story of the first battle on record in any book, laying the scene of it here? It afterwards gives us the account of Lot's choosing it as his residence, and of the awful destruction of the population, and the inundation of the land, by a stroke of divine vengeance. Among some of the events of Abraham's life are interwoven scenes which took place on the country long covered by the gloomy waters of this lake. How changed since his nephew, Lot, with short-sighted admiration, "lifted up his eyes and saw the plain of Jordan, as the garden of God," chose it as his portion, and pitched his tent towards Sodom, and gave a

practical text for many a powerful sermon against the wisdom of this world! How solemn is the account of the battle there fought by "four kings against five," and the brief picture presented of the calamities of war, when we consider how many thousands of similar events have succeeded it along the bloody line of successive ages, and how often after, as here at first, the unrighteous, arrogant and cruel intruder has triumphed over the peaceful and feebler inhabitants! But, on the other hand, by taking the view of God's dealings with nations as we are here taught, by regarding them as scourges of each other in his hands, for their criminality, what an introduction do we receive to the correct and proper study of history-so often over. looked, even by Christian readers! (Gen. 14.) Dr. Robinson gives us an abundant amount of information respecting the Dead Sea, in the second volume of his "Biblical Researches," to which we urgently refer our readers. As usual with him, throughout that most learned, interesting and instructive work, he adds to his own minute and accurate observations and discoveries, a comprehensive sketch of the dates, discoveries and opinions of other travellers, and important historical notices from the earliest periods.

With regard to its size, he informs us that, "from calculations founded on the base and angles measured by us at Ain Jidy," it was nearly 8 geographical miles at the Wady el Mojib, but that he estimated it at from 10 to 12 English miles. He adds, that “the general breadth is very uniform," except near the extremities. The length he believes to be quite or about 50 English miles; and this "varies not less than two or three miles .n different years or seasons of the year, according as as the water extends up more or less on the flats at the south. From the same point," he tells us, (that is from near the middle of the western shore,) "we estimated the height of the western cliffs at 1500 feet;" and "the highest sides of the eastern mountains lying back from the shore, at from 2000 to 2500 feet above the water. So far as we could perceive, the eastern mountains run in nearly a straight course along the whole length of the sea."

"The phenomena around the Dead Sea are nearly such as might naturally be expected from the character of its waters and of the region round about—a naked, solitary

sun.

desert. It lies in a deep caldron, surrounded by lofty cliffs of naked limestone rock, and exposed for seven or eight months in each year to the unclouded beams of a burning Nothing therefore but sterility and burning solitude can be looked for upon its shores; and nothing else is actually found, except in those parts where there are fountains or streams of fresh water. Such is the case at Ain Jidy, (in Scripture, En-ghedi,) in the ghor (or valley) near the southeast corner of the sea, and on the isthmus of the peninsula, to say nothing of Jordan, and the fountains around Jericho on the north. In all these places there is a fertile soil and abundant vegetation; nor have I ever seen a more lu uriant soil than at Ain Jidy," whose "fountain appears to be the main source of sweet water upon the western coast; but further towards the north are the brackish fountains of Ain Terabeh, El-Aguweir and El-Feshkhah, (the last very copious.) in the midst of marshy ground along the shore, covered with canes and reeds, and furnishing a retreat to an abundance of frogs. The coasts of the sea have also been inhabited from time immemorial, and are yet so in a degree: Jericho, Ain Jidy and the southern ghor are still the abodes of men. I have adduced all these particulars in order to show, that the stories so long current of the pestiferous nature of the Dead Sea and its waters, are a mere fable." In a note the author quotes Brocardus and Quaresmus to prove that some early writers "had good sense enough to deny all this on the testimony of their senses."

Dr. R. describes his first view of this remarkable piece of water in these words :"Turning aside a few steps to what seemed a small knoll on our right, we found ourselves on the smmit of a perpendicular cliff overhanging Ain Jidy and the Sea, at least 1500 feet above its waters. The Dead Sea lay before us in its vast deep chasm, shut in on both sides by ranges of precipitous mountains; their bases sometimes jutting out into the water, and again retreating so as to leave a narrow strip of shore below. The view included the whole southern half of the Sea, quite to its extremity, and also, as we afterwards found, the greater portion of the northern half, although the El-Mersed prevented our seeing the sea in that direction. (To be continued.)

MISCELLANEOUS.

Railroads.-The directors of the London and Brighton railroads have issued the following regulations, impressing on their officers and servants the necessity of increased vigilance in guarding against accidents: 1st. Every one in the service of the company will be examined from time to time, to see that he has carefully read the regulations relating to his department, and that he understands and remembers them. 2d. Any neglect of the company's regulations will be rigidly punished, even though it should not lead to an accident. 3d. A donation of 254. will be presented to the provident fund for every quarter during which no accident occurs on the line. 4th. With a view to enabling you to profit by the experience of others, you will receive from time to time a short statement of any railway accident, wherever it may occur, pointing out the cause of the acci dent and the best means of prevention.". Eng. paper.

Capua and Ceprano.-It is reported that the King of Naples has granted the concession for construction of a railway from Capua to the Papal frontiers at Ceprano. Some of the parties at Rome interested in railways have called the attention of the Papal government to this scheme, hoping that it would take some steps in the matter. They have as yet received no answer, but it is reported that in the council held on the subject, it was decided that the Neapolitans might build what railways they pleased, but no permission would be given for their construction in the Papal states.—Ib.

Effects of Bullying.-The N. Y. Journal of Commerce says the preparation of the national heart for war is already causing no little mischief. It has stopped the auction sales of real estate, and knocked down the price of stocks, though in the latter case other influences co-operated. Shipments to China have been suspended, and other long voyages deferred. European merchants and bankers of the most cautious class had, before the last steamer came away, withdrawn their facilities from Ame. rican operations. One highly respectable house here received a notice withdrawing a former liberty to draw against shipments; the house on the other side remarking that in the present attitude of the relations between England and the United States, they did not deem it expedient to advance on pro

The Deep.-Professor Lyell, the Geologist, says that during the late wars between England and France, thirty-two English ships-of-the-line went to the bottom in twenty years, besides seven fifty gun ships, eightysix frigates, and a multitude of smaller vessels. The natives of other European powers met with still greater losses. In every one of these ships were not only cannon of iron and brass, but coins of copper, silver, and often many of gold, capable of serving as historical monuments; in each were an indefinite variety of instruments of the arts of war and peace; such as glasses and earthen ware, capable of lasting for indefinite ages, when once removed from the mechanical action of the waves, and buried under a mass of matter which may exclude the corroding action of the sea water. From an inspection of Lloyd's List it was found that during the years 1829, 1830, and 1831, no less than 1953 vessels were lost in those three years, their average tonnage being about 150 tons, or in all, nearly 300,000 tons annually of the merchant vessels of one nation only.

SINGULAR COINCIDENCE.-A cotemporary states as a singular coincidence in regard to the several Presidents of the United States, that Jefferson was born just eight years after his predecessor, Adams; Madison eight years after his predecessor, Jefferson; Monroe eight years after Madison, and John Quincy Adams. Another curious fact is, that Adams was just sixtysix years old when he retired; Jefferson was sixty six; Madison was sixty-six ; and John Quincy Adams, had he been elected to a second term, would have been sixty-six. Adams, Jefferson and Monroe, all died on the 4th of July.

RECEIPT TO JOIN GLASS TOGETHER.Mslt a little singlass in spirits of wine, adding thereto about a fifth part of water and using a gentle heat. When perfectly melted and nixed, it will form a transparent glue, which will unite glass so that the fracture will hardly be perceived.