Whale oil is used here in making it, because it fully answers the purpose, and is two-thirds cheaper than vegetable oil-but vegetable oil makes much the best Chenam, becoming after a short time as hard as a stone. It is suggested that the celebrated mortar of the ancients was made of lime and vegetable oil. I understand that some experiments will be made here on roofs and outside of houses, with Chenam, as it is believed it will effectually resist the fogs and frosts of our climate, which the common rough casting does not -New Bedford Gaz. and Courier. Mode of making Sheet Lead in China.The Chinese, in manufacturing the thin sheet lead in which their teas are imported into this country, conduct the operation in an exceedingly simple manner. The lamine are not rolled, as from their extreme thinness might be supposed, nor even hammered, as the appearance of the surface might indicate, but actually cast at once in the state in which we see them. Two men are employed; one of them is seated on the floor, with a large flat stone before him, and with a moveable flat stone standing at his side. His fellow-workman stands beside him with a crucible containing the melted lead, and having poured a sufficient quantity on the slab, the other lifts the moveable stone, and placing it suddenly on the fluid lead, presses it out into a flat and thin plate, which he instantly removes from the stone. A second quantity of lead is poured on in a similar manner, and a similar plate formed, the process being carried on with singular rapidity. The rough edges of the plates are then cut off, and they are afterwards soldered together for use. Mr. Waddell, a Scotchman, who witnessed the operation in China, applied a similar method with great success in the formation of thin plates of zinc for galvanic purposes. -Lardner's Cyclopædia. Heat produced by Friction.-Some Yankee has invented a method of warming factories, mills, and large public establishments, without the use of wood, coal, or fuel of any kind. It is done by friction produced by a machine. This warming machine the Northampton paper describes as consisting of two horizontal circular plates of cast iron, enclosed in a brick oven, about four feet in diameter, and weighing 1600 pounds. They operate upon each other precisely like a pair of mill-stones, except that the upper one is stationary, and the lower one revolves. The ordinary speed is eighty revolutions a minute, and the velocity is sufficient in two hours to raise the thermometer in the oven to 500 degrees. The heat is conveyed from the oven by means of a fun Ch. Adv.-VOL. XII, nel, the same as in the use of ordinary furnaces.-N. Y. Transcript. The late Dark Day in Canada-The following chemical analysis of the substance which coloured the water on the dark day of Friday, the 17th of October, is from a communication in the Mercury by a well known scientific officer of the engineers. It is not at all likely we think that such phenomena take their origin in volcanoes. We already know that the darkness com. menced and terminated at nearly the same moment of time in Quebec and Montreal, and it will no doubt be found to have extended more widely than this even. It is therefore very likely to be owing to an atmospherical change. The combustion of woods and earth which goes on every year so largely in the clearing of lands, or from accidental fires in swamps, &c., particularly on a dry and unusually warm summer, is very great, and it is well known that common smoke contains a va riety of substances in suspension, which rise. The analysis alluded to has shown the existence of carbon and ammonia, the chief constituents of soot and smoke. The only thing requisite to explain the phenomena, is an atmospherical change which would precipitate these substances held in suspension, and a certain state of the electric fluid, or a sudden change of temperature might produce at once those great changes, which are known to extend over the greater part of the continent, in the case of storms, winds, and rains: "Mr. M'Donald, of the deaf and dumb institution, having collected a small portion floating in his water tub, it was first observed to communicate to the water it was in, the blackness of weak ink, although it did not appear to increase its specific gravity, equal measures, to the amount, by weight, of 154 grains, of both pure rain water and of this blackened fluid, weighing the same or nearly so; indeed it was afterwards found that the amount of colouring matter in this weight did not exceed half a grain. "From the above facts it is inferred that the substance is in a highly levigated" state, and of very low specific gravity. Below the blowpipe, on platina foil, it instantly burns away with smoke, but no flame, and little odour, leaving a reddish ash; it was desirable to have treated this ash with a flux of borax, in order to ascertain if any metallic oxide were present, but the smallness of the quantity prevented it. Submitted to heat in contact with nitrate of potass, (saltpetre) it detonates. After drying on its filter of blotting paper, it causes the paper to burn with a sparkling scintillation. It communicates when 3 U moistened a blue colour to test paper previously reddened by an acid. These facts are not critically conclusive, but they render it highly probable that the substance in question is for the most part a highly levigated charcoal or coke, containing a small proportion of ammonia." The rattle snake in East Florida, attains a much greater size than at the north. It is sometimes as large in circumference as a man's thigh, and seven or eight feet in length. The virus is much more fatal during the month of August, than in the early part of the season. Its colour is a lively green, and in very hot weather I have seen it trickle down in copious drops, when I have irritated the animal with a stick. There are times when the whole body seems to be surcharged with the virus, and he may be seen for hours together biting at every object, and enraged at the rustling of every leaf. The rattle snake finds a superior foe in the deer and black snake. Whenever a buck discovers a rattle snake in a situation which invites attack, he loses no time in preparing for battle. He makes up to within ten or twelve feet of the snake, then leaps forward and aims to sever the body of the snake with his sharp bifurcated hoofs. The first onset is most commonly successful; but if otherwise, the buck repeats the trial until he cuts the snake in twain. The rapidity and fatality of his skilful manœuvre, leave but a slight chance for his victim either to escape or to inject its poison into its more alert antagonist. The black snake also is more than an equal competitor against the rattle snake. Such is its celerity of motion not only in running, but in entwining itself round its victim, that the rattle snake has no way of escaping from its fatal embrace. When the black and rattle snakes are about to meet for battle, the former darts forward at the height of his speed, and strikes at the neck of the latter with unerring certainty, leaving a foot or two of the upper part of his own body at liberty. In an instant he encircles him within five or six folds; he then stops and looks the strangled and grasping foe in the face, to ascertain the effect produced upon his corsetted body. If he shows signs of life, the coils are multiplied and the screws tightenedthe operator all the while narrowly watching the countenance of the helpless victim. Thus the two remain thirty or forty minutes-the executioner then slackens one coil, noticing at the same time whether any signs of life appear; if so, the coil is resumed, and retained until the incarcerated wretch is completely dead. The moccasin snake is destroyed in the same way. There are in the United States, 21 Theologica! Seminaries-58 Professors842 Students, and 58,680 volumes in their libraries. 23 Medical Schools-118 Professors, and 207 students. 64 Colleges -537 Instructors-5518 students, and 328,470 volumes in the libraries. Religious Entelligence. DEPARTURE OF MISSIONARIES. On Sabbath evening, Nov. 2d, an interesting meeting was holden at Park street church. There were present, Rev. James Wilson and John Newton and their wives, and Miss Julia Davis, Missionaries of the Western Foreign Missionary Society, for Loodianeh in Northern India; Rev. Alanson C. Hall and wife, missionaries of the A. B. C. F. M. for Ceylon; Rev. John Brooks and wife, missionaries of the General Baptist Missionary Society in England, for Cuttak, in Southern India. The exercises commenced with prayer, by Rev. Dr. Jenks. The occasion of the meeting and order of exercises were stated by Rev. R. Anderson, one of the Secretaries of the American Board. Rev. E. P. Swift, Secretary of the Western Foreign Missionary Society, then addressed the audience, and after singing, Rev. Amos Sutton, of the English General Baptist Mission at Orissa, addressed the missionaries. The exercises were closed by singing a hymn composed by Mr. Sutton, and prayer by Rev. Dr. Sharpe. On Tuesday morning, the missionaries went on board the ship Georgia, Capt. Spalding, for Calcutta, and favoured by a fine breeze and pleasant sky, soon left the harbour. Prayer was offered at embarkation, by Rev. Mr. Swift. Loodianeh is an important station. It is more than one thousand miles from Calcutta, near the borders of Persia, or rather of Afghanistan, and Thibet, and near the southern base of the Himmaleh mountains. The Seik nation, to whom the mission is sent, has a religion of its own, composed of selected parts of Hindooism and Mohammedanism. This religion is but a few centuries old, and has, it is thought, a slighter hold of its votaries, than most other eastern creeds. The Western Foreign Missionary Society has already sent out one detachment, a part of which is supposed to have arrived in Loodianeh. Cuttak is comparatively near Calcutta, and not far from the celebrated temple of Juggernaut. Mr. Sutton gave an account just received, of the conversion of a native of a noble family, residing in that city. It was highly interesting, and we hope will soon be published entire. This harmonious mingling together of different societies and denominations, in one great work, and yet without any sacrifice of principle on the part of either, was truly delightful. Well might Mr. Sutton feel, as he said, more and more as he grew older in missionary life, that to be a Christian missionary, is much more honourable than to be a Presbyterian, or a Congregational, or a Baptist missionary.-Boston Recorder. The three following articles are from the Western Foreign Missionary Society for the present month. EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM THE REV. JOHN C. LOWRIE TO THE CORRESPONDING SECRETARY. Howrah, March 25, 1834. My dear Brother Swift,-It is always with pleasure I sit down to write to you. Many of my fondest recollections of friendship, and of my most hallowed remembrances of religious devotion, are associated with your name, in connexion with duty toward the society of which you are the Corresponding officer, and amply repay the drudgery of letter-writing. I had hoped, when I wrote last, to send by the next a statement, jointly with brother Reed, of some of the details respecting our future proceedings which you will naturally expect to receive. For a reason to be mentioned, it seems necessary to defer that statement a while longer, and perhaps there is no immediate necessity to send it. The field we contemplate appears even more and more important, and our arrival seems to be at the very moment best suited to enter on its cultivation. Had we come one year sooner, the door would not, to human view, have been nearly so widely open, or had we come a year later, undoubtedly it would have been occupied either by other missionaries, or, which is more probable, by some secular system of education which might have materially impeded the progress of any effort to introduce Christian instruction. But it will be more satisfactory to send you some of the facts which led to this opinion. In regard to the importance of that region, I hope you will have been fully persuaded, by our former statements, long before you receive this letter. Mr. Trevelyan (whose name we have several times mentioned, and who continues to be a very warm friend) has made a present of two copies of a map, pretty large and mounted on rollers, of India and the countries of Central Asia, viz. Afghanistan, Persia, part of Africa, Syria, and then the Tartar regions north of all these-one for our Mission Library, and one to be sent for the use of your Executive Committee, in order to show you, as he says, what an extensive field Providence is spreading before you, even all Central Asia." And it is literally true; all Central Asia is perfectly unoccupied. The most eastern mission, as you proceed from west to east, above the parallel of 28° latitude (the latitude say of Delphi) is the new mission of the American Board on the other side, from us, of Persia. To the northward of us the two or three brethren in Siberia are our nearest missionary neighbours. To the eastward, we should have actually to pass over Thibet, China, the islands of the Pacific (so far as my knowledge extends, passing 10 north of the Sandwich group) and the Pacific itself, until we should enter our own beloved continent and cross the Rocky Mountains, before we should reach any missionary station. While the nearest missionary southward, is Mr. Thompson, at Delhi, 200 miles distant. And my full conviction is, that hardly another spot could be selected commanding so extensive a connexion with these central regions, by means of commerce and travelling. If the people would receive them (and that time will come) you might from Loodianeh send tracts and the Sacred Scriptures southward, along the Indus river; westward, to Persia; northward, throughout Tartary; and eastward, into Thibet; and thence into China: while, south and eastward, you have a range of countries unexplored, and of course unoccupied, stretching along the southern base of the Himmalaya range until you reach Birmah, the northern part of which is terra incognita also. And this is all in addition to the importance of the field itself; and the connexion between it and Hindostan. But, not to enlarge on this point, our arrival appears to be most opportune. This point has also been noticed in former letters, and I only refer to it again, to send two or three facts addi tional. You must know, that in those remote stations very much of a missionary's comfort and usefulness would depend on the countenance of the Government Political Agents. They have much more influence than the governors of our territories. A year ago, none of these felt any interest even in the education of the natives; at most, very little; and very indefinite, if any. (I suppose they do not now care about religion.) But, within the last year, government has abolished Persian, and substituted English, as the language of its business. Of course, English is the court-language, and a great desire has been diffused to acquire it. A year ago, we do not know now that there would have been any person to give letters of recommendation. (By the way, always furnish your missionaries to this country with as many letters as practicable. Much depends on it. We are not wanting in this respect.) Within that period, the Lord has converted, we trust, our friend Mr. T. who has himself lived in that country, and is on terms of most intimate friendship with the several Political Agents, and is in such a situation that they of course will wish to oblige him. I love to notice these things. May we not thus trace the hand of the Lord, opening up the way? Possibly the results may not equal our hopes; yet appearances certainly are encouraging. I wish now to send two extracts of letters from Political Agents. The first is from Mr. Clarke, at Ambala; the second from Mr. Kennedy, at Subatoo-both to Mr. T. -Mr. C. wishes to know whether he can receive any government aid, (the government expends $50,000 per year to promote native education,) to assist in preparing Goormookhee school books; (Goormookhee is our future language) and after saying that such assistance is there wanted, he adds, "Any one, who knows the natives, cannot expect them at first to support such establishments. A branch school at Jagadree, Nahung Mujra, and Rudhaur, and Head Quarters at Ambala, and we should make considerable progress in a short time." Mr. K. writes from Subatoo, the chief place in the Protected Hill States, (not the Seik, but resembling them) and where Lady Bryant, an English lady, established a small school, which is prospering. In that region infanticide is still practised, as Mr. Kennedy himself has stated in his official reports to government. We will send you an extract from one of his reports concerning that subject, perhaps by the next ship. And, throughout that region, he states in this letter to Mr. T. there is not a single printed book! He supposes, however, that books would be most acceptable, there being little, if any, prejudice; and then referring to an opinion he had long entertained, that the employment of the Moravians would do good there, he says, "The more I see of the Hill people, especially those in the interior, the more I am confirmed in the opinion of the good that would arise from the employment of a few of these pious labourers." It is true, his notions of missionary operations are not very evangelical; for he goes on to say, "I do not allude to their preaching, or attempts at first to convert to Christianity;" and then refers" to the introduction of a system of education, to manufactures, machinery," &c. How grateful, that there is a common ground to stand on with these persons which yet can be made to sustain, by prudent management, all that the missionary wishes! You will be ready to suppose, of course, these men know of our intention to go there. But no, they do not, though Mr. T. and Lady Bryant both intend to write soon. I have another letter written by a native who has learned English, which I will send perhaps by the next vessel. It is too long to copy, but one paragraph is, "There are several persons, Sirdars and Nawabs (high military and civil officers) both in the Punjab and Afghanistan, as well as at Loodianeh and its vicinity, who are extremely anxious to bestow on their progeny an English education; but, unhappily, they are prevented in the execution of their designs by want of means, viz. there are neither materials nor instructors to teach them;" and then he recommends an English school at Loodianeh! I think we formerly adverted to the connexion between teaching English and our labours; and, at least, it will require to be fully explained in the letter we wish to send.* I suppose, dear brother Swift, when you sent us forth, you of course, kept in mind that we might soon be removed from this scene of existence. Hence, when you receive the news of my dearest Louisa's departure, you will not feel surprised, however you may sympathize with me in sorrow. And should one and another of us, who are yet spared, be called away, while it might increase sorrow, it would neither increase surprise nor induce discouragement. I used to be considered the next on the list; but we have too much reason to apprehend that even I may live to see our little company still less in number. During the last month, brother Reed has had a bad cough and fever, which too much resemble the symptoms of impaired lungs. We do not cer The letter here referred to has been received, and was published in the Missionary Chronicle for October, and in the last last No. of the Christian Advocate. tainly know that it is so; and, during the last four or five days, he has been better in every respect. Yet I have to confess, I fear more than I hope. Probably we shall know pretty certainly by the sailing of the next ship. But, my dear brother, do not -not even for an hour-indulge disheartening fears. I cannot doubt the Lord will yet smile on this mission, in regard to the health of its agents, as he does in reference to every thing else; and this I believe, whatever may become of us. Recollect the early history of the London Missionary Society; of the Serampore Baptists; of the American Board, &c. and then take courage. Though the Lord call us hence, he will call others here. Though he try your faith, will he not also strengthen it? Though he purify you, will he not also increase your graces and your usefulness? Yes, he will. Let us not, therefore, be "faithless, but believing." Mrs. Reed enjoys very good health; and I am, as usual, pretty well. I have less reason to think my liver affected now, than some time since; which is, of course, a favourable symptom. I do not feel much solicitude, however; "for me to live is Christ, but to die is gain." So I think it is, and will be, through infinite grace. MISSION TO THE WESTERN INDIANS.-JOURNAL OF REV. J. KERR. The following are extracts of the Journal of Mr. Kerr, addressed to the Corresponding Secretary. The writer appears to feel an interest in the work in which he is engaged; and it is hoped, that his efforts and those of his companions in labour among the heathen will be blessed of the Lord. Indian Reservation, August 29, 1834. Very dear Brother, I send you again a portion of the Journal which I have kept. The first minute refers to the old chief of whom I have frequently made mention. His age, as nearly as he can ascertain, is ninety. May 27-I called upon the old chief in order to enlist him more efficiently in the school. He said, he would be glad we could teach the young people on paper. After conversing with him some time about the improvement of his people, I informed him I wanted to say some things which concerned himself. He was an old man, and was our friend; and I wished to tell him some good things. He appeared thoughtful, and fixed his eyes on the ground. I gave him, in a few words, an outline of the gospelman's apostacy, and his hopeless condition; the coming of a Saviour for the redemption of sinners, and his commission to his ministers to proclaim the good news to all people. I asked him whether it was not important for him to know these things, and what he thought would be his condition in the world to come. He listened attentively, and his only reply was, "I will come to meeting next Sabbath, and then will tell you what I think." I had taken with me a present, which was given us last fall, for him, by Mr. Joseph Turner, of Alleghenytown. It was a watch-seal, enclosing a little compass. His attention was at once taken with the turning of the needle. I explained its use, and had Mr. Turner's letter to him interpreted. The old man's mind is of a sedate mould; and his admiration of the present was not so enthusiastic as would have been that of some of the younger men. I asked what I should tell Mr. Turner from him. He said, he thanked him for his present, and he would be a friend to the missionaries. Friday, June 6.-We have daily evidence that these Indians are the subjects of silly and criminal superstitions. For the last hour, numbers have passed our house under full speed, on their way to the Peoria Village, for the purpose of attending a funeral dance. They, on such occasions, wear all the trinkets they can collect, and, in passing our dwelling, appeared to give themselves trouble to make a display. The road winds at some distance; but, on this occasion they were careful to pass immediately by the door. The woman, for whose sake the dance is held, has been dead for a number of weeks, and will remain unaffected by all their noise and ceremony. Her immortal spirit has, ere this time, become familiar with other scenes. Dark, impenetrably dark, is the veil which heathenism throws around the tomb. I know not how they conduct the dance. We have merely been told, that they all feast at one time, all weep at another, and fill up the interval with noisy action. July 5.-Yesterday, I presume, many of our friends were enjoying the exercises generally connected with the anniversary of American Independence. Our situation was different. We were nearly all on sick beds. Mr. and Mrs. Bushnell, Mrs. Kerr and myself, and a young man hired, were all confined. Miss Henderson and Mr. Bradley have been mercifully spared, so that they could take care of the sick; and we feel grateful for their kind and unwearied attention. We have sent for a physician; but he has not yet arrived. It is about a week since I was taken; the others, two before, and two since. We are all this morning, in some measure, convalescent, ex |