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out some pieces of venison and put them in the kettle, and we had plenty.

July 8. This morning passed the place where Shikellmy formerly lived, next the Shawanese town and creek, and at noon reached Shamokin. Bro. Spangenberg and Zeisberger immediately crossed over to the island to visit Andrew Sáttalihu's family, to deliver a message to his wife. On returning, we found an Indian trader, from whom we purchased some flour. Continued on our journey, and at night reached

"Marienborn."

July 9. Rested part of the day at "Marienborn," as the horses were much fatigued. Later in the day, when in "Joseph's Valley," we were overtaken by a fearful hail-storm. Hurried on, and when on the mountain the sun broke forth, and a beautiful rainbow spanned the valley back of us. Passed "Cool Bank," on the Susquehanna, and encamped on the Mechana Creek.

July 10. During the morning passed "Jacob's Heights," and came to the "Double Eagle." Here we found encamped a family of Indians, who on learning from whence we had come, said we must be tired; and the man said to his wife, "give them some spits full of venison." In return Bro. Spangenberg gave them knives and thimbles. Nooned at "Benigna's Creek," and at nightfall came to the "Thürnstein." As we were leading our horses down, Bro. Spangenberg, who was in advance, heard the rattle of a rattlesnake, and called to us to come kill it, but it could not be found. Encamped at the base of the "Thürnstein," on the Swatara.

July 11. Our course was S. E. We early entered "Anton's Wilderness," thence over the Kittatiny Mountain, and nooned on the Little Swatara. From thence we proceeded to Christopher Weiser's.

1 Bethel Township, Berks County.

COMPUTATION OF TIME, AND CHANGES OF STYLE IN THE CALENDAR.

ADDRESSED TO STUDENTS OF HISTORY AND GENEALOGY.

BY SPENCER BONSALL.

(Concluded from Vol. II. page 394.)

In the preparation of this article it was necessary to consult a number of works of reference for the purpose of comparing the statements of the best authorities on the subject. Information of great importance, to the student of history, in fixing and verifying dates, was found scattered in the volumes consulted, and, for convenience of reference, the notes taken are now given in a more condensed form.

The "New Style," or Gregorian calendar, was adopted generally, in Roman Catholic countries, immediately after its promulgation, A. D. 1582. Most Protestant countries, however, continued for a longer or shorter period to use the "Old Style," or Julian calendar. It is necessary, therefore, in dealing critically with dates after 1582, to ascertain what "Style" was in use, at the time and place in question. The following table, compiled principally from "L'Art de vérifier les Dates," by M. de Saint-Allais, Paris, 1818, "The Chronology of History," by Sir Harris Nicolas, K.C.M.G., London, 1852, and "Handy-Book of Rules and Tables for Verifying Dates with the Christian Era," etc., by John J. Bond, Assistant Keeper of the Public Records, London, 1869, will serve to show when the chief States of Europe adopted the "New Style." As Mr. Bond had peculiar facilities for procuring correct information regarding the changes in many of the countries, and as his book is the latest authority to which I have had access, I have, when any doubt existed, preferred his dates to those of others.

VOL. III.-5

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1 Spain, etc. Bull of Pope Gregory XIII., 24th Feb. 1582.

France. Pursuant to edict of Henry III., dated 3d Nov. 1582.

Lorraine. Orders of those who had the spiritual authority in the name

of the Bishop, Charles de Lorraine, Nov. 24th, 1582. See L'Art de vérifier les Dates.

' Germany.

Handy-Book.

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1582.

Switzerland.

Savoy. Authority not given. See Bond's

Roman Catholic Netherlands. Proclamation of the Court 22d December,

Protestant Netherlands. By edict or Plakaet of 10 Dec. 1582 (entered in

YEARS, MONTHS, AND WEEKS.

YEAR (Moso-Gothic, jer; Anglo-Saxon, gear; Dutch, jarr; Friesic, jer; German, jahr; Danish, aar; Swedish, ar; Ice

the Great Plakaet boek, I. 395, in the Record Office of the Hague), the introduction of the New Style was fixed for the 15th of December, 1582; but afterwards settled, by a resolution of the States of Holland, to begin on the 1st of January, 1583.

9

The other provinces only adopted the measure about the year 1700. Prussia. "State Papers.-Prussian, 1586."

10 Poland. "State Papers, Cracow, 3 January, 1586, Stylo novo."

"Hungary. The Diet of Presburg, held in the presence of the Archduke Ernest, 1587.

"Strasbourg. Through the exertions of M. de la Grange, intendant of Alsace, Feb. 5th, 1682. L'Art de vérifier les Dates.

Denmark. "State Papers, Copenhagen, 2d May, 1702, S. N." (Stylo

novo.)

"Protestant States of Germany. On the 15th Nov. 1699, the old Calendar was universally abandoned within the empire; and a new one, framed by a celebrated mathematician named Weigel, was adopted, which differed only from the Gregorian as to the mode of fixing Easter and the Movable Feasts, so that it sometimes happened that the Protestants and Catholics celebrated that feast on a different day.

"Overyssel (date of introduction not fixed). By resolution, dated 4 April,

1700.

16 Gelderland. In accordance with a resolution of the States, dated 26 May, 1700. (Geld. Plakaet boek, III. 27.)

" Utrecht. By the resolution dated 24 July, 1700. (Utrecht Plakaet boek, I. 457.)

Friesland. By resolution dated 11 and 12 October, 1700.

19 Groningen. In consequence of a resolution of the States General, of 6 February, 1700.

90 Protestant parts of Switzerland refused the New Style until 1700, when Weigel's Calendar was received by those of the cantons of Zurich, Berne, Basle, and Schaffhausen, who commenced the year 1701 on the 12th Jan. N. S.

21 Tuscany. By the Emperor of Germany, as grand-duke of Tuscany. (Gentleman's Magazine, vol. xxi. p. 93.)

29 Great Britain, &c. Pursuant to Statute 24 Geo. II. c. 23, 1751.

93

By edict of the King 24th Feb. 1752. L'Art de vérifier les Dates. Bond states, that "The Gregorian, or New Style, was adopted gradually after 1696. The King of Sweden, fearing that striking off ten days at once, might prove prejudicial to commercial transactions, adopted the New Style gradually, by making no Leap-year after 1696 until 1744, by which plan 11 days were dropped. The eleven intermediate fourth years' having thus only 365 days each, made the year 1744 the same as other countries where the New Style had been adopted." According to this arrangement, New Style would have commenced on Tuesday, 1 March, 1740.

landic, ar; Sanscrit, jahran, a course, or circle, to move in a circle).

Year, in the full extent of the word, is a system, or cycle of several months, usually twelve. Some writers define it as a period or space of time, measured by the revolution of some celestial body in its orbit. Thus the time in which the fixed stars make a revolution is called the great year; and the times in which Jupiter, Saturn, the Sun, Moon, etc. complete their courses, and return to the same point of the zodiac, are respectively called the years of Jupiter, and Saturn, and the Solar and Lunar years, etc.1

We

It is stated in Hutton's "Philosophical and Mathematical Dictionary," that a year, originally, denoted a revolution, and was not limited to that of the sun. Accordingly, we find by the oldest accounts, that people have, at different times, expressed other revolutions by it, particularly that of the moon; and consequently, that the years of some accounts are to be reckoned only months, and sometimes periods of two, or three, or four months. This will assist us greatly in understanding the traditions that certain nations give of their own antiquity, and perhaps also of the great age of men. read expressly in several of the old Greek writers, that the Egyptian year, at one period, was only a month; and we are also told that at other periods it was three months, or four months; and it is probable that the children of Israel followed the Egyptian mode of computing their years. The Egyptians boasted, nearly two thousand years ago, that they had historical records of events, happening forty-eight thousand years before that period. This statement was evidently intended to deceive the Greeks, with the design of making them believe that they, the Egyptians, were the most ancient nation, an ambition which the Chinese attempt, at present, to imitate, striving to impress us with the idea that they are the oldest people on the earth. Both the present and the early imposters have pretended to ancient observations of the heavenly bodies, and recounted eclipses, in particular, to vouch for the truth of their statements.

1 Ephraim Chambers's Cyclopædia, 1741.

Since the

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