ever knew where they were, till the snow dissolved, when they were all found dead. Many hundreds were driven into waters, burns, and lakes, by the violence of the storm, where they were buried or frozen up; and these the flood carried away, so that they were never seen nor found by the owners at all. The following anecdote somewhat illustrates the confusion and devastation that it bred in the country: the greater part of the rivers, on which the storm was most deadly, run into the Solway-Frith, on which there is a place called the Beds of Esk, where the tide throws out and leaves whatsoever is thrown into it by the rivers. When the flood after the storm subsided, there were found in that place, and the shores adjacent, 1840 sheep, nine black cattle, three horses, two men, one woman, forty-five dogs, one hundred and eighty hares, besides a number of meaner animals. A STORM IN PORTUGAL. ON leaving Oporto, I rode on through a valley abounding in corn and wild grapes, and there beheld a natural exhibition of the most awful kind. The extreme and longcontinued heat that prevailed in Portugal during the summer of 1827, was, I believe, almost unparalleled: the vines were everywhere injured, in some places destroyed, and the agriculture had universally suffered; but during the last two days an evident change had taken place, the weather was becoming more temperate, and clouds of a leaden hue were gradually collecting from all parts of the horizon. They must have concentrated their strength during the night of the 26th (of October), for on the following morning the sky resembled a great sea of ink; deep black masses overhung our heads, gradually sinking lower and lower, and a faint moaning wind alone interrupted the heavy repose that had settled upon the face of the earth. At length the storm burst; not ushered in by any light showers, not even by any warning drops, but descending at once, and vertically, in sheets of water. I had never seen so fierce a conflict of the elements. Those hills, a few minutes before so destitute of water that I should have hailed with pleasure the most trifling rill, now resounded with the roar of a thousand torrents rushing impetuously into the valley; and my path which led along a natural channel between two rocks, at once became the main artery that received these tributary streams. As the water was rising fast, and every moment assumed more the character of a raging torrent, I endeavoured to escape from its vortex by turning my mule and retracing my steps; but the strength of the current, and the terror of the animal, when required to stem it, rendered this manœuvre impracticable, and I was therefore obliged to continue my amphibious journey till I found an outlet. Having extricated myself from this master stream, I became involved with the lesser streams that, dashing around me, tumbling from crag to crag, and crossing each other in all directions, presented a magnificent scene of uproar and confusion. I called to the muleteer and Antonio, who had lingered in the rear, to warn them from the main channel, which might have been dangerous to them, and would probably have been fatal to the loaded mules, but my shouts were drowned in the voice of many waters. Some of our baggage was carried off, and had the inundation continued, we must have lost the whole; but fortunately the sky relented, in mercy to a country which had so long withered under its burning eye, and was now visited by a still more tremendous infliction.-Portugal and Gallicia, by an English Nobleman. RUNNING WATER. It has been proved by experiment, that the rapidity at the bottom of a stream is every where less than in any part above it, and is greatest at the surface. Also that in the middle of the stream the particles at the top move swifter than those at the sides. This slowness of the lowest and side currents is produced by friction, and when the rapidity is sufficiently great, the soil composing the sides and bottom gives way. If the water flows at the rate of three inches per second, it will tear up fine clay; six inches per second, fine sand; twelve inches per second, fine gravel; and three feet per second, stones of the size of an egg.-LYELL'S Geology. RED SNOW. SINCE its discovery by Captain Ross, this singular production has been found in Scotland and on the Alps. Its real nature and origin has been the cause of many strange suggestions; its sudden appearance after snow or rain, caused many to believe that it fell from the clouds, but these storms of red snow, which are said to have deposited it, have always taken place during the night, so that no one ever has seen it fall; and the most probable conjecture is that the germs of the plants already existed in the places where they were afterwards found, and that the moisture of the snow was the cause of their sudden growth. "It seems," says Mr. Greville, "that snow is not the natural situation of Protococcus nivalis, but that being tenacious of life, it preserves its vitality when cast upon so chilling a surface, and under favourable circumstances, even propagates its species. If this be granted, it will be easy to see how wide a surface may soon be covered with a vegetation of this kind, by the flowing of the melted snow as it gradually dissolves, especially when we also consider with what inconceivable rapidity minute bodies of this kind increase. Having become once established in the snow, it is possible that, by the intense cold of winter, the vegetating power may be suspended beneath the frozen surface, when, in other situations it would have perished; and thus, on the annual dissolution of the superincumbent snow, our Protococcus, numerous as the grains of sand on the sea shore, may start at once into renewed life, and seem, indeed, to have descended unseen from the clouds." BAROMETRICAL INDICATIONS OF CHANGES IN THE WEATHER. 1. AFTER a continuance of dry weather, if the barometer begin to fall slowly and steadily, rain will certainly ensue; but if the fine weather has been of long duration, the mercury may fall for two or three days before any perceptible change takes place, and the longer time elapses before the rain comes, the longer the wet weather is likely to last. 2. Conversely, if after a great deal of wet weather, with the barometer below its mean height, the mercury begins to rise steadily and slowly, fine weather will come, though two or three wet days may first elapse; and the fine weather will be the more permanent, in proportion to the length of time that passes before the perceptible change takes place. 3. On either of the two foregoing suppositions, if the change immediately ensues on the motion of the mercury, the change will not be permanent. 4. The mercury will often rise or fall as has been just mentioned, for some time before the fair or wet weather which it prognosticates, begins; and it will then fall or rise during the continuance of this: that is, the mercury will often appear at variance with the existing state of the atmosphere. Under such circumstances, the principle before alluded to must be borne in mind; that the barometer only indicates the occurrence of some unknown change in the air, that has taken place, but the effect of which may, or may not, promptly follow its cause, owing to some modifying power that we know nothing of. Nevertheless, the instrument is a sure guide, when its fluctuations are not very rapid and very sudden, to those who choose to interpret it rationally and consistently. If the barometer rise slowly and steadily for two days together, or more, fine weather will come, though for those two days it may rain incessantly, and the reverse; but if the barometer rise for two days or more during rain, and then on the appearance of fine weather it begins to fall again, that fine weather will be very transient; and the same observation applies conversely to wet weather. 5. A sudden fall of the barometer in the Spring or Autumn, indicates wind; in the Summer, during very hot weather, a thunder-storm may be expected; in Winter, a sudden fall after frost of some continuance, indicates a change of wind, with a thaw and rain. But in a continued frost, a rise of the mercury indicates approaching snow. 6. When a violent gale has followed a sudden fall of the mercury, this frequently, and indeed, most commonly, begins to rise again very rapidly, especially about the seasons of the equinoxes; in this case the gale will not last long, but the ascent of the mercury is not to be taken as indicative of fine weather; on the contrary, a great deal of rain may ensue, and the barometer will quickly begin to sink again. 7. No rapid fluctuations of the barometer are to be interpreted as indicating either dry or wet weather of any continuance, it is only the slow, steady, and continued rise or fall that is to be attended to in this respect. 8. A rise of mercury late in the Autumn, after a long continuance of wet and windy weather, generally indicates a change of wind to the northern quarters, and the approach of frost. CONSTELLATION OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS. Or all the antarctic constellations, the celebrated Southern Cross is by far the most remarkable; and must in every age continue to arrest the attention of all voyagers and travellers who are fortunate enough to see it. I think it would strike the imagination even of a person who had never heard of the Christian Religion; but of this it is difficult to judge, seeing how inextricably our own ideas are mingled up with associations linking this sacred symbol with almost every thought, word, and deed of our lives. The three great stars, which form the Cross, one at the top, one at the left arm, and one, which is the chief star, called Alpha, at the foot, are so placed as to suggest the idea of a crucifix even without the help of a small star, which completes the horizontal beam. the meridian, it stands nearly upright; and as it sets, we observe it lean over to the westward. I am not sure whether, upon the whole, this is not more striking than its When on gradually becoming more and more erect, as it rises from the east. In every position, however, it is beautiful to look at, and well calculated, with a little prompting from the fancy, to stir up our thoughts to solemn purposes. smell out to sea; and assure the watchful pilot, that he is approaching to a desirable and fruitful coast, when as yet he cannot discern it with his eyes. And, to take up once more the comparison of life to a voyage, in like manner it fares with those, who have steadily and religiously pursued the course which Heaven pointed out to them. We shall sometimes find by their con days, that they are filled with peace, and hope, and joy: which, like those refreshing gales and reviving odours to the seamen, are breathed forth from Paradise upon their souls; and give them to understand with certainty, that God is bringing them unto their desired haven.-TOWN SON. And of pure, now purer air Meets his approach: and to the heart inspires Vernal delight and joy: I know not how others are affected by such things, but for myself I can say with truth, that during the many nights I have watched the Southern Cross, I re-versation towards the end of their membered no two occasions, when the spectacle interested me exactly in the same way, nor any one upon which I did not discover the result to be somewhat different, and always more impressive than what I had looked for. This Constellation, being about thirty degrees from the south pole, is seen in its whole revolution, and accordingly, when off the Cape of Good Hope, I have observed it in every stage; from its triumphant erect position, between sixty and seventy degrees above the horizon, to that of complete inversion, with the top beneath, and almost touching the water. This position, by the way, always reminded me of the death of St. Peter, who is said to have deemed it too great an honour to be crucified with his head upwards. In short, I defy the stupidest mortal that ever lived, to watch these changes in the aspect of this splendid constellation and not to be in some degree struck by them.— Capt. BASIL HALL's Fragments of Voyages. SWEET GALES AT SEA. WE read, that, in certain climates of the world, the gales that spring from the land, carry a refreshing Now gentle gales, Those balmy spoils. As when to them who sail Cheer'd with the grateful smell old Ocean So entertain'd those odorous sweets. MILTON, Par. Lost. Another passage, scarcely less poet- The merchant, who towards spicy regions Smells their perfume far off, in adverse gales; Fresh odorous breathings of God's goodness AN EXPLANATORY INDEX OF NAMES, BOOKS, AND OTHER MATTERS, MENTIONED NOTE. Besides offering to the reader the usual facilities of reference to any A GOLDEN example, 21. Abbas the First, surnamed the Great, A hunting adventure of, 58. Abduction, a carrying away, either by Abusheher, or Aboushehr, commonly Abyssinia, a country of Africa, upon the Acids. A class of substances, usually Adanson, Michael, (printed Adamson On the ostrich, 98. |