66

The bark of the trunk is smooth and glossy, and of a deep brown colour, spotted with white.

The common alder is found in the Northern, Middle, and Western states, and abounds in places which are covered with stagnant water. It does not equal in height the black alder, being not more than eight or ten feet high: its leaves are of a rich green and their shape is similar to those of the black alder.

her husband; and that when she came to that part, he would not let her read any farther. And I tell you,' continued he, 'I was never tied to a stake in my life to be burned. They had me painted black when I saw Girty, but not tied to a stake."" We are inclined to think, notwithstanding this, that the statement in the Sketches," of his being three times tied to the stake, is correct;. for the author of that interesting work had before him a manuscript account of the pioneer's life, which had The alder is much more valuable as underwood been dictated by Mr. Kenton, to a gentleman of than when grown for timber, being, like the willow, Kentucky, a number of years before, when he had more vigorous for being cut down, that is the roots no motive to exaggerate, and his memory was com- are more active in yielding supplies of young shoots paratively unimpaired.-But he is now beyond the than the old stems. Alder poles are much used by reach of earthly toil, or trouble, or suffering. His turners for small articles: the charcoal made from old age was as exemplary, as his youth and man-it is useful in preparing gunpowder and when butts hood had been active and useful. And though his of a good size can be procured, the timber is highly last years were clouded by poverty, and his eyes valuable to lie constantly under water. The bark closed in a miserable cabin to the light of life, yet shall he occupy a bright page in our border history, and his name soon open to the light of fame.

in some countries is used for tanning, and some quality used in dying is extracted from the young twigs. With sulphate of iron the bark also forms a black die, and hence it is much used by hatters, in the place of galls, for colouring wool.

Two varieties of the alder are found in the United States, one of which is termed the black (alnus glauca) and the other the common alder (a. serrulata). Of these the former is unknown in the Southern states; in the Middle states it is by no means common, and occurs principally in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The black alder sometimes grows to the height of fifteen or twenty feet, and has a diameter of three inches. It occurs in moist cool places and on the margins of the rivulets.

GREAT ERUPTION OF THE VOLCANO OF COSIGUEINA.

IN America, between the 10th and 15th degrees of north latitude, there are at least twenty-one active volcanoes. All these are situate in the provinces of Guatimala and Nicaragua, which lie between Mexico and the isthmus of Panama. The following account of the last great eruption of the volcano of Cosigüeina is translated from the official reports published by the government of Guatimala :

On the twentieth of January, 1835, at half past six o'clock in the morning, the volcano of Cosigüeina broke out, and the vapour which arose was beautiful. At eleven o'clock it covered the whole of the territory around Nacaome, and at noon the obscurity was so intense as to exceed all description. We had then a night of eighteen hours' duration, while tremulous movements of the earth, noises, tempests of thunder and lightning, caused by the combustible matter which filled the atmosphere, and an impetuous wind impelling a heavy shower of ashes, rendered that night a period of distress and horrour. The morning of the twenty-first was melancholy, though the light penetrated through the dense vapours, and the sun sometimes showed a pale and saffron-coloured countenance. The twenty-second resembled the preceding day, and the night was passed rather quietly until twelve o'clock. There then commenced a hollow growling sound, vehement and alarming, which continued without interruption or diminution for at least thirteen minutes. This noise was instantly followed by some terrifick detonations, as loud as reports from artillery of the largest caliber. At a quarter past twelve, a violent tremulous movement indicated a fresh eruption, which was soon confirmed by the ascent of a volume of smoke. At half past two, there was a sort of twilight, which served to interrupt a night of thirty-six hours, and the noises continued, being louder on the twentieth. A reflection of red light occasionally broke the obscurity of the atmosphere; but so constant and terrible were the explosions, and the thunder and lightning, that it appeared to threaten the annihilation of the world

itself. The twenty-fourth commenced much in the same manner as the twenty-first.

minds of the superstitious inhabitants, that it proceeded from the divine anger; and whilst the people ran in crowds to the temples to implore the mercy of heaven, the garrison of the town diverted their consternation by discharges of cannon and musketry. This was done by order of the government, who, by the advice of some intelligent chymists, directed discharges of artillery to be fired, rockets to be let off, fires to be lighted, and the bells of all the churches to be rung, in order to dissipate the dense vapours with which the atmosphere was impregnated.

That a volcano should renew its eruptions, vomit forth lava and ashes, and occasion damage, might be expected to occur. But that the eruption of a hill, not one eighth so high as Pacaya, should have darkened for several days the half of central America, and covered a space exceeding perhaps 15,000 square leagues with lava and ashes, to the height or thickness, in some places, óf half a yard, in others a quarter, and nowhere less than two inches; that men should fly to the mountains, and wild beasts to the towns, as has happened at Nacaome, in Pesperi, The quickness was astonishing with which, on the Corpus, Ila del Tigre, Conchagua, el Puerto, &c.; twenty-third, all the atmosphere was filled with volthat the fishes should have perished in the rivers, canick matter, from Nicaragua, as far as the departthe birds be suffocated by dust, the reptiles and quad-ment of that name, towards the southeast. The rupeds by slime; and that man should remain unhurt murky clouds then gradually moved towards Nanamidst this convulsion of the elements-is a thing dayme, where, about three o'clock in the afternoon, truly astonishing, and scarcely to be credited. Cos- the darkness reigned over the city, and extended to igüeina continued, like Isalco, to vomit exhalations the town of Rivas. The same thing occurred in until the fifth of February. The atmosphere cleared the department of Granada, the towns in which sufup slightly about six o'clock in the evening, and fered nearly to the same extent as in Leon, whilst eight in the morning; but when the wind began to those of Matagalpa in Segovia experienced a night blow, clouds of dust enveloped Nacaome on all of thirty-six hours' duration. sides. Hitherto no bad effects had resulted except inflammation about the head, eyes, mouth, and throat, which caused very severe coughing. It is extraordinary that the inhabitants of Nacaome were able to endure the showers of dust without being suffocated, especially as it has been found to be loaded with sulphur, iron, and antimony, and to be very inflammable, Cattle and flocks perished, and an unusual mortality was expected from the deficiency of pasture, and from the deterioration of the water.

Fortunately not a single life was lost, though in the immediate neighbourhood of the mountain where the eruption occurred some cattle were destroyed. It does not appear that the damage will be so great as was conceived at the time of the catastrophe, because the sand or ashes that have been scattered over the plains will wonderfully fertilize them—a fact which has been ascertained in some places watered a few days afterward by the rain, where the plants showed a most luxuriant appearance, the At San Marcos, from the twenty-third to the twen-pasture was rapidly rising, and every thing seemed ty-ninth of January, the atmosphere of the city was to promise a forward spring. observed to be impregnated with smoke and ashes; The agitation of the air, when winds prevail, and on the twenty-fourth particularly, so great a usually affects people with disagreeable sensations, shower of ashes fell, that the roofs of all the houses and does great injury to cattle, on account of the were whitened with it. Until nine o'clock in the dust which fills the atmosphere, to such a degree morning, repeated explosions were heard, by which that is impossible to see even for the distance of a great alarm was created through the various towns, league. under the impression that they proceeded from the On the ninth of March, a commission went to volcano of Quezaltenango; and the city was pre-observe the volcano, and they could not recognise sently deserted by many of the merchants, who removed themselves to a distance, for the better security of their families.

the coast with perfect distinctness, or throughout its entire extent, in consequence of the cloud of smoke which covered the plains. A forest, which appeared On the twentieth of January, in the morning, the to have survived many changes of the earth's surinhabitants of the town of Masaya, heard towards face, had disappeared. Two islands have been the northeast some faint volcanick sounds, whilst formed in the sea-one being eight hundred yards, those of the town of Viejo observed a sheet of fire and the other two hundred, in its greatest extent. rising perpendicularly to a considerable elevation, Their composition consists of pumice-stone and and afterward declining towards the north. This scoriæ, with a number of pyrites of a golden colour, was the same appearance which was observed in the and having a strong metallick odour. Some shoals department of Segovia, where at the same time in the sea, from five hundred to six hundred yards some reports were heard, and some slight shocks long, were formed. In one of them a large tree were experienced. was fixed with its branches downward, and its roots In Leon, the capital, and in the department of raised up. The river Chiquito, which ran towards Granada, the catastrophe had not been perceptibly the northwest, was completely choked up, and another felt, until the dawn of the twenty-fifth, when the ex-river, six yards broad, had sprung up in the opposite plosion developed itself to such a degree, that from direction.

one o'clock the sky was darkened with an opacity A party proceeded from the town of El Viejo to which continued to deepen till eleven in the morning, make another observation, by which it was ascerwhen the inhabitants of the capital were enveloped in a most frightful darkness, whilst terrifick reports were heard, and showers of ashes were precipitated over all the face of the country.

This natural event, produced an impression in the

tained that the farms of Sapasmapa and Cosigüeina, situate in the immediate neighbourhood of the volcano, had disappeared. From the first, not a single head of cattle had escaped. In the latter, three hundred quadrupeds were found remaining, but in a

vomiting fire and smoke, and causing at intervals a trembling of the earth.

Until further information arrives, it is impossible

weak and wretched condition, and they were not expected to survive. The remains of immense numbers of quadrupeds and birds were found lying in the immediate neighbourhood of the volcano. A to calculate precisely the distance to which the yessel, which on the twentieth of last month was showers of cinders extended, and the noises were near the coast, having a crew of seven men, was heard. The detonations were so loud as to be heard supposed to have been destroyed, since no informa- at Ciudad Real de Chiapas, which is three hundred tion respecting it was received. and twenty-five leagues from the mountain in one direction, and at El Peten, which is three hundred and twenty-two leagues in another; and, as it is probable they could have been heard farther, we may estimate that the eruption affected the district, extending around the mountain three hundred and fifty leagues in every direction. Even at Dolores, in the district of Peten, showers of ashes, volcanick reports, and earthquake-shocks, were experienced. In the time of the Roman emperour Titus, in consequence of an eruption of Vesuvius, the ashes are stated to have been thrown into Africa, a story which has been considered incredible by some modern writers. This eruption of Cosigüeina shows the statement of the ancients to be by no means im

In the city of Leon the ravages done have been less, for the darkness there was not very great, and the same may be said of the showers of dust. The noise travelled to Costa Rica, where the cause was considered to be very near. The Colombian galley Boladora, which left Acapulco on the twentieth ult. for the Realejo, experienced the darkness at twenty leagues from the shore, as well as such a copious shower of dust, that the crew, were apprehensive of being suffocated; and they were occupied for fortyeight hours in clearing the vessel with spades. Not being able to make for the Realejo on account of the darkness, they directed their course to Punta Arenas, with the full conviction that the whole state of Nicaragua had disappeared. The volcano continued probable.

in America may be found two cities of far greater extent than either of these mentioned above, and covered not by the cinders or lava of a volcano, but by the rapid vegetation of past ages.

Palenque, the city of the désert, and Mitla, the

(For the Family Magazine.] AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES. EVERY one has heard of the ancient cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii, and many Americans have crossed the Atlantick, have submitted to the vexations of French and Italian police and custom-city of the dead, which are situated in Yucatan, house officers, to the miserable accommodations of Italian inns, and to the extortions of the vetturini, for the purpose of visiting these ruins; ignorant that

present the ruins of immense edifices, dispersed over a large extent of surface, Palenque having been traced for twenty-four miles. In these cities tem

ples, palaces, large tombs ornamented with all the luxury of sculpture, the evidences of the power of a people whose annals are lost, and which present the marks of a highly-civilized and great nation.

Thirty years after these cities were discovered, the Spanish government prepared to explore them, the colossal ruins of, which seemed in their nature to partake of the fabulous. The governour of Guatimala, ordered Calderon and Del Rio to visit them, The first thing to be done, was to remove the trees which grew over them; this was accomplished, and after three weeks of intense labour fifteen edifices were in a state to be examined and described. The results of this expedition, however, were very imperfect; but in 1805, Charles IV. of Spain, sent a new expedition under the care of Captain Dupaix, who was accompanied by a capable artist, Senor Castenada. The results of their researches were very important; sacred and civil edifices, immense constructions of a military character to defend cities, and protect important passes, bridges, dikes, waterworks, extensive excavations, and subterranean passages, all combined to fill the minds of Dupaix, and his companions with admiration and wonder.

The summits and walls of these monuments were covered with sculpture and bas reliefs, which open to the scientifick a wide field for conjecture. One of the most interesting of the bas reliefs is that figured at the head of this article, and it is curious to observe the formation of the head in the person ages represented, in whom the facial angle is so acute that there is apparently no forehead. This is seen too in all the persons figured at Palenque and consequently it is fair to presume that it is a national type. This bas relief, judging from the difference in the height and costume of the two individuals, is intended to represent a male and female, offering their child to a divinity whose emblem is a bird, and whose altar has the form of a cross. It would be out of place here to mention all the conjectures to which the presence of a cross in these monuments gives rise. We will only remark that the name Palenque was not known till the end of the last century; that it is not mentioned in any narrative previous to that time, and that these ruins are three hundred and thirty leagues distant from the capital of Montezuma, and consequently from the principal residence of his Christian conquerors, and it is difficult to admit that a city, the ruins of which extend twenty-four miles would not have been mentioned as a brilliant conquest, if it had been seen by the Spaniards, and at a time too when it was sufficiently prosperous to enable them to execute these monu

ments.

These bas reliefs, of which the one given above is a specimen, also give us some idea of the national costume of the Mexicans: the numerous flowers, and different figures in their garments, show that the manufacture of stuffs was carried to great perfection by this industrious people, and also we discover the custom of plaiting the hair in tresses and of ornamenting the arms and legs with rich and complex bracelets.

The temperate man, like fish in crystal streams, untainted with disease, smoothly glides through the soft eurrent of life.-Feltham

NATURAL HISTORY.

[For the Family Magazine.]

THE ORANG OUTANG.

THE annexed engraving is copied from an excel lent portrait in oil, of the female Orang Outang, Nan cy, imported in the ship Liberty, Captain Davis, by Thomas Richards, Esq., and remarkable as being the largest living specimen of this most manlike species, the simia satyrus, or true wild man of the woods-which has as yet ever reached either America or Europe. She arrived at Philadelphia in the latter part of May, 1835. After a few days, having passed into the hands of new owners, she was sent to New York. She was unfortunately much exposed to the influence of cold and damp weather during her transportation, and the evening of her arrival, was first observed to be unwell; on the succeeding morning, her disease had assumed the character of an irregular intermittent fever and medical advice was resorted to. After lingering for some weeks, alternately better and worse, during which time, recourse was had to every expedient which art or ingenuity could devise for her comfort and recovery, much to the regret of the few who saw her, she died at the village of Harlem, near New York, on the nineteenth of July following. The deathbed scene as represented by those who were present, must have been singularly affecting. The account of it as given by her keeper is as follows. Early in the evening her extremities began to grow cold and at ten oclock P. M., pulsation at the wrists had ceased. She appeared conscious of her approaching end and dreaded it. She shivered and groaned very much, and appeared to supplicate those around for assistance, often extending her arms to them and embracing them around the neck. She would awake from a dose in great trepidation and cling to the neck of her keeper, where she would hang until sleep or exhaustion caused her to loosen her hold. This was frequently repeated as long as her strength remained. After violent struggles and much groaning, at three o'clock A. M., she had ceased to breathe. A careful anatomical examination of the body was made by several medical gentlemen, by whom copious notes were taken and the several dimensions accurately noted. After the skin was removed, a cast of the head and chest was taken in plaster of Paris: over which the skin was afterward stretched, and the whole is now mounted according to its measurements during life, in good preservation and is probably the most natural and accurate stuffed specimen extant. The skeleton and such portions of the body as were of particular interest were also preserved.

The errour and misrepresentation which has for ages existed as to the real nature and habits of the Orang Outang, and to which we are probably indebted for all our fabulous accounts of satyrs, fauns, and wild men of the woods, still to a certain extent prevails. The very name Orang Outang which is a Malay phrase signifying a wild reasonable being, would seem to show that the inhabitants of the island, where they are found, and to which this species appears to be confined, have, from their ignorance of its habits, contributed in no small degree to originate and continue the errour of their very close ap

[Orang Outang.] proximation to the intellectual, as well as to the very young, and their manners, perhaps, as a consephysical man. Even in more modern times, when quence, mild and playful, for a very great difference the progress of maritime discovery ought to have between the characters of the young and adult may been the means of affording us a more accurate be inferred from the extraordinary difference which knowledge of the animals and productions of the exists in the forms and shapes of the bones of the countries visited, the stories of wonder, told of head, as well as in the external appearances and inthese larger kinds of monkeys, were as ridiculous dications of countenance, as observed in the skeleand false as those of the ancients, and much more tons and stuffed skins preserved in the Leyden mulikely to mislead our judgement, for they were based seum. That portion of scull containing the brain is professedly upon an intimate knowledge of the cir- but very little more capacious in the old than in the cumstances related, and on a personal observation young subject. The muscles too which move the of the individuals described; and until within a few years, many statements, exhibiting their great mental or intellectual superiority over most of the animal creation, and which have since been ascertained, and are now generally acknowledged as facts, were so misrepresented and exaggerated, as to prove the source of much disappointment to the most of those who have had an opportunity of seeing and examining the few Orangs, which have outlived their voyage.

All the living specimens of this species which have ever reached America or Europe, have been VOL I.-54

jaws are in the adult amazingly powerful, and a strongly marked ridge is formed on the head for their insertion, and farther the jaws become lengthened by age, in a most extraordinary manner. These changes together with a beard and a curious protuberance of thickened skin and fat on the cheek give to the adult male, quite a hideous and ferocious aspect. In fact it is only in young subjects that the resemblance to man in the appearance of the face is strongly marked. In the adult the similarity is not greater than in the dog-faced baboon.

Although much has of late years been added to