totally deftitute of iron utenfils to fhape their stones, as well as mortar to cement them, when they had made them fit for ufe, a structure of fuch heighth and magnitude must have been a work of infinite labour and fatigue. "In the centre of the fummit was the reprefentation of a bird, carved in wood; clofe to this was the figure of a fith; which was in ftone. This pyramid made part of one fide of a wide court or fquare, the fides of which were nearly equal; the whole was walled in, and paved with flat ftones. Within this place grew (notwithstanding it was in this manner paved) feveral plantains, and trees which the natives call Etoa. At a little distance to the weft of this edifice was another paved fquare, which contained feveral fmall ftages, called by the natives Ewattas, which appeared to be altars; upon them they place provifions, as facrifices to their gods: Mr. Banks afterwards obferved whole hogs placed upon thefe ewa tas, or altars. "The inhabitants of the island of Otaheite feem in nothing fo defirous of excelling each other as in the grandeur and magnificence of their fepulchres; and the rank and authority of Oberca was forcibly evinced upon this occafion. The gentlemen of the Endeavour, it has been obferved, did not find Oberea poffeffed of the fame power, as when the Dolphin was at this place, and they were now informed of the caufe. The way from her house to the Morai, was by the feafide, and they obferved, in all places as they pafied along, a great number of human bones. Inquiry being made into the caufe of this extraordinary fight, they were informed, that about four or five months before Captain Cook's arrival, the inabitants of Tiarraboo, the peninfula to the fouth-eaft, made a defcent here, and flew many of the people, whofe bones were thofe that were feen upon the coaft: that hereupon Oberea and Oamo, who then held the government for his fon, had fled and taken refuge in the mountains; and that the victors deftroyed all the houses, and pillaged the country. Mr. Banks was alfo informed, that the turkey and goofe which he had seen in the district of Mathiabo, were among the booty; this afforded a reafon for their being found where the Dolphin had little or no correfpondence; and the jaw-bones being mentioned, which had been feen hanging in a houfe, he was informed, that they had likewife been carried off as trophies. The jaw-bones of their enemies being confidered by the natives of this ifland, as great a mark of triumph, as fcalps are by the Indians of North-America." The voyage of Monf. Bougainville, of which the Compiler has made an abstract and added to the English voyages, is one of the best pieces of compofition of the kind, and abounds with ju dicious remarks and authentic obfervations. The journal of a voyage to difcover the North Eaft paffage, added in the appendix, is a new and original performance, evidently the work of a capable and authentic hand. To this journal is likewife prefixed a concife account of the feveral attempts, that have been before made to effect the difcovery Northward; which at prefent fo much engroffes the attention of the the curious. This is introduced by the following fenfible reflections; with which we fhall conclude the prefent article. "It is fortunate for commerce, and the intercourfe of nations, that there is implanted in man's nature a defire of novelty, which no prefent gratification can fatisfy; that when he has vifited one region of the earth, he is fill, like Alexander, fighing for another to explore; and that, after having efcaped one danger in his progrefs, he is no lefs eager to encounter others, that may chance to obftruct him in the courfe of his purfuits. "If the hiftory of former hardships could have deterred men from engaging in new adventures, the voyage, the particulars of which we are now about to relate, would probably never have been undertaken. The dreary regions that furround the poles are fo little accustomed to feel the kindly influences of the enlivening fun, and are fo deftitute of the ordinary productions of the earth in happier climates, that little lefs than one whole quarter of the globe is, by its flerility, rencered uninhabitable by human beings, and but thinly occupied by a very inconfiderable number of the race of quadrupedes. and almost infuperable difficulties that muft therefore be expected in traverfing thefe forlorn defarts, where no relief is to be expected, but from the favourable interpofition of that power, whofe merciful providence extends to the remoteft corners of the earth, are, upon reflection, enough to cool the ardour of the most enterprifing, and to stagger the refolution of the most intrepid. The many "In the contention between powers, equally formed by nature to meet an oppofition, it may be glorious to overcome; but to encounter raging feas, tremendous rocks, and bulwarks of folid ice, and defperately to perfift in attempts to prevail against such formidable enemies; as the conflict is hopeless, fo the event is certain. The hardieft and moft skilful navigator, after expofing himfelf and his companions to the moft perilous dangers, and fuffering in proportion to his hardiness the moft complicated diftreffes, muft at laft fubmit to return home without fuccefs, or perish by his perfeverance." To the honour of our English navigators, however, it is to be hoped, that their fortitude and perfeverance may at length be crowned with fuccefs: their motto, as well on this, as on other occafions of furmounting natural difficulties, under the aufpicies of their prefent patronage, appearing to be happily chosen in that of nil defperandum! ART. XII. A Relation of a Journey to the Glaciers in the Dutchy of Savoy. Tranflated from the French of M. T. Bourrit, Precenter of the Cathedral Church at Geneva, by C. and F. Davy. 8vo. 6s. Norwich, Beatniffe.-London, Nicoll. To perfons, taking pleasure in the defcription of ftriking fcenes of Nature, heightened by a fertile and fanciful imagination, the perufal of this relation will afford confiderable entertainment. The Glaciers are mountains and vallies of ice, fituated fituated about twenty leagues, North Eaft of Geneva, among the Alps that extend from Mount Benis to St. Bernard. They have before been visited and imperfectly defcribed by fome of our own countrymen. We recollect alfo that a fmall tract, in quarto, was published on the subject, about thirty years ago by Mr. Martel, an engineer of Geneva, then refiding in England. The most particular and pleasing account of them, we have ever feen, is contained in the volume before us: of which, as it will not bear an abstract, we shall give an extract; that may serve at the fame time as a specimen of the wonderful appearances defcribed, the talents of the defcriber, and the ftile of the Tranflators. The following is the defcription of Mount Breven: "This mountain, of which the foot is covered with a few fir trees, and fome brushy underwood, is entirely bare at the top. We were five hours and a half in climbing it, by a difficult paffage amongst the ruins, which fall from time to time down its fides; fome of these fragments are huge mif-fhapen blocks of ftone, and others flat, with fharp edges; no path is traced to its heights: to arrive at one of its fummits, there are three embrafures cut into the rock, which are fo nearly perpendicular, we could hardly believe this was the paffage, but our guide affuring us that it was the place at which Mr. De Sauffure had climbed the mountain before us, we then took courage: as the furface was covered with small pebbles, which flipped from under us, it was neceffary to understand how to take advantage of the clefts and fiffures of the rock, in fecuring our hold, and placing our feet; it was infinite labour; the fweat ran down our faces; the inftant fometimes we thought ourfelves perfectly fafe, in having grafped the folid rock, the edge would deceive us, and break off in our hands; or the ftone upon which we fet our foot would escape us, and we were carried down with the rubbish; but thefe accidents, which might have been attended with bad consequences, (as we came off unhurt) rather animated than difcouraged us, and became at last a matter of amufement; more efpecially when we thought our conductor was upon the watch two hundred feet below, and ready to receive us fhould we flide down fo far: this indeed never happened, and we got fafe to the creft of the rock +. Thefe difficulties over, we were recompenfed for all our trouble; with what beauties were we furrounded! The air upon this mountain was ferene and bright, whilst the valley below had a very dif ferent appearance; it was covered with thick clouds, gilded by the fun, and moving with rapidity on each fide of it; and as his power became ftronger, we could fee them feparate, and forming themfelves into different fleeces, make their efcape by the feveral openings be tween the mountains. "If the plain afforded fo agreeable and fingular a fight, the height in its turn gave us fome perceptions altogether new, We had the Profeffor of Geneva, who had lately taken the fame route. magnificent magnificent profpect of a chain of mountains, equally inacceffible, and covered with ice; and above the reft that of Mount Blanc, whose top feemed to reach, and even pierce through the highest region of the clouds. The chain, upon which this mountain looks down like a giant, is compofed of maffes of rocks, which terminate in pikes, or fpires, called the Needles, and which are ranged like tents in a camp; their fides appear lighter, and more airy, from the ornament of feveral hollow breaks and furrows in the rock itself, as well as from the different streaks and panes of ice and fnow, which without changing the general character of their form, or the majesty of their appearance, give them a picturefque agreeable variety. Lower down, the eye furveys with ravishment, the gills of ice, and the several Glaciers extending almoft into the plain, whilft this appears like an artificial garden, embellished with the mixture of a variety of colours. In fhort, we have a picture † oppofite to this chain, which is formed by innumerable mountains at the diftance of near fifty leagues, between whofe tops we have a glimpse of those several plains which they en viron. "It was upon this mountain we enjoyed that fine fight, which two months before afforded Mr. De Sauflure an experimental proof, in one of the most remarkable phenomena of nature. As the kies began to blacken and threaten a tempeft, whilft he was upon its top, he was curious to fee the effect of it, and for this he did not wait long; he foon found himself naturally electrified; but apprehenfive of danger, at feeing the lightning form itfelf too near him, he was obliged to haften quickly under fhelter. "With refpect to ourselves, without any fear at prefent of the confequences of this terrible phenomenon, we heard a long continued rumbling noife, like that of thunder, which the filence of the place where we stood rendered ftill more awful. The avalanches of fnow, which feparated from the tops of the mountains, and rolled down, bounding, to the bottom; confiderable fragments of the rocks which followed them, overturning others in their fall; maffy blocks of ice, confolidated by returning winters, which precipitated from the highest fummits; torrents, ftreams of driven fnow reduced to duft, pushed on by the force of the winds, and hurled aloft into the air; thefe together were the principal caufes of the noises which we heard; though we beheld at the fame time the effects of a thunder stroke upon our own fummit, which penetrated its surface, and fhivered even the pebbles of it. "According to the most general estimation, we were in this fitua tion raised near twelve hundred toifes, above the level of the lake of Geneva, which is more than twice the height of Saleve. This *We counted five. The first fituated at the foot of Mount Blanc, which they call the Glacier des Boiffons, or Boffons; the fecond the Glacier des Pelerins, or du plein de i Eguille; the third the Glacier des Bois: or de Montanvert; the fourth that of Argentiere; and the fifth the Glacier du Tour, or in the country language du Tord; the last of which is diftant from the first about five leagues and a half. + What could it be then, could we afcend the fummit of Mount Blanc ? The highest point of Saleve, a mountain diftant about a league from Geneva, is five hundred and twelve foifes above the level of the lake, exceffive exceffive height, and doubtlefs the neighbourhood of the ice which furrounded us, except on one fide *, made us feel the most piercing cold. It was now two of the clock in the afternoon, and our thermometer was only a quarter of a degree above o; we were neverthelefs entirely at our eafe, and took our repaft, which the fatigue we had gone through, and the purity of the air we breathed, rendered delicious. "It was not without regret we faw the moment arrive, when we muft quit this feene: we gave one parting glance at thofe magnificent objects; which we never could be tired with furveying. We looked at one another, without uttering a word; our eyes alone could fpeak what we had feen, and told what paffed in our hearts; they were affected and foftened. "We had now infinitely more anxiety in defcending than we had in getting up; perplexed, fhaking and trembling at every step, our danger painted itself in all its terrors. We nevertheless came off with fome flips; but it was four hours before we arrived at the bottom, though we ran part of the way. It was night when we reached Prieuré, where we found the good people of the place had been fome time uneafy †, looking out with an anxious expectation, and were then juft quitting their houfes to come to our affittance, apprehensive that we might have met with fome unfortunate accident." Of the avalanches of fnow above fpoken of, the relater gives the following particulars : "Thefe avalanches are formed of fnow, driven by the winds against the rocks, where the quantity is accumulated, and fupported by their ledges and projections, till fucceffively increased, both in extent and depth, to a prodigious fize, at laft they overcharge the bafe which kept them up, break off by their own weight, and falling with a dreadful crash, thunder down into the valley, carrying every thing with them in their way. There is fomething very grand and at the fame time frightful, only in the fight of thofe prodigious falling maffes, which the wind, occafioned by the velocity of their motion, renders ftill more horrid: It is a torrent that nothing can refift, raifing clouds as it were of fmoke, and whirling it in vortexes to the skies, which it darkens and even hides; hopeless the poor inhabitants, whofe dwellings are too near: they are certain either to be carried down, or crufhed with the mafs, or perhaps buried alive with their families and cattle. Several of thefe avalanches ftill preferve fome nemorial of the catastrophe they occafioned, as they re I fay, except on one fide, because we had fummits of ice like that of Buet, behind us, of which an account will be given hereafter. They were the more uneafy, as fome days before one of their townfmen had been taken up dead: This poor man having learned that Mr. Profeffor De Sauffure was expected at Chamouni, formed a defign of climbing the mountain, with a view of chafing a chamois, to prefent him at his arrival; but he had the ill fate to fali from -the top of a rock. Mr. De Sauffure, touched with his misfortune, and the didreffed fituation of his family, confoled them by his generofity, making very confiderable prefents to the widow and children. I had this account from the inhabitants themfelves, who take every opportunity of exalting his generofity and affability of behaviour to them upon all occations; and fuch is the refpect they bear him, that they never speak of him without taking off their hats. |