Religious Intelligence. We have given a representation on the opposite page of the Hippodrome and the superb Mosque of the Sultan Achmed, at Constantinople. The obelisk, which is in the foreground, is one immense block of Egyptian granite, and was placed on its present pedestal by the Emperor Theodosius. A series of bas reliefs upon its base not only exhibits the manner in which it was elevated by ropes and pulleys, but also exhibits another obelisk, which must have stood at the other extremity of the Hippodrome. As the public attention is now turned to scenes and occurrences in Turkey, we have thought that a representation of this place, which preserves nearly the same state in which it was left by the ancient Greeks, would not be unacceptable to our readers. Sir Everard Home, in a paper recently read before the Royal Society, on the anatomy and habits of the seal and walrus, remarks the extraordinary coincidence between the foot of the latter unwieldy animal and that of the insect class of creation, by which they are enabled to adhere to a wall or a ceiling. Sir E. Home, on examining the hind foot of a large walrus, brought home by Captain Sabine from the Arctic Regions, found it provided with a hollow space beneath, by which the animal is enabled at pleasure to produce a vacuum with the muscular action of the toes, so as to adhere with considerable power to a rock or other declivity. On a Singular Scintillation of the Stars. -Baron Zach observed at Genoa a very remarkable scintillation of the stars which astonished all who saw it. The stars seemed to throw out sparks and jets of flame with surprising rapidity and vivacity. The same effects were seen by every person, and also through an achro 563 matic opera glass, so that the phenomephere, and was, we think, owing to a non must have had its origin in the atmossimilar to what takes place in mixing alwant of homogeneity in the aerial medium, another very curious fact which surprised cohol and water. Baron Zach observed him more than the preceding phenomedily upon any star, its scintillations became non. When the observer fixed his eye steamore settled and tranquil; but the stars seen at the corner of the eye, or by indirect vision, became more disorderly and rapid in their scintillations. Baron Zach states that he has sought in vain all our works on optics for an explanation of this effect. The laws of indirect vision upon which this fact depends, have been investigated and explained by Dr. Brewster in a paper on the eye, read before the Royal Society of Edinburgh on the 3d December, 1822. Production of Electrcity in Freezing Water.-M. Grotthus has found, that when water is frozen rapidly in a Leyden jar, the outside coating not being insulated, receives a weak electrical charge, the inside being positive and the outside negative. When the ice is rapidly thawed, the inside is negative and the outside posi tive. It has been discovered that the deceased King of France, Louis, contributed privately, in the course of the last five years, the sum of 240,000 francs, for the largement, without knowing the hand release of poor debtors from jail. One hundred and forty prisoners obtained en which extended relief to them. A Company is forming in the West Indies to establish a steamboat to ply between the islands. Heligious Intelligence. SANDWICH ISLANDS. In May last we began to publish extracts from the journal of Betsey Stockton, which was kept during the voyage of the mission family, of which she formed a part, to the Sandwich Islands; and we promised a continuance of these extracts. The publication of the interesting journal of the Rev. Mr. Stewart immediately afterward, and the occupation of this part of our miscellany by the minutes of the General Assembly since, have of our promise till the present time. occasioned delay in the fulfilment Nor shall we now publish as largely from this journal, as we should have done, if we had not given such copious extracts from that of Mr. Stewart. But a journal of a sea interesting, or out of date: and a voyage, if well written, is never unmissionary voyage must, we think, be perused by the friends of missions with uncommon interest. In our present number we shall give the narrative of the approach to and passage round Cape Horn; and in our next the continuance of the voyage across the Pacifick ocean, till the arrival of the family at the place of their destination, and the settlement of the writer in the island of Lahaina. (Continued from p. 235.) Feb. 5th, 1823.-All well and anxious to get round Cape Horn; a little blow in the afternoon. We are not without our fears; but the Lord reigneth, and we will rejoice. Lat. 49° 40′-lon. 62° 08′. Feb. 6th.-The weather is beginning to be rather cold. I find my woollen clothes to be very comfortable: my health is very good again-a little home sick, but do not wish to return. O! thought I, if I could but spend one Sabbath evening in your study, how my heart would rejoice. But I must look forward to that Sabbath which will never end-there to see, face to face, what we now see dimly through a glass; and to meet you, with my other friends, whom I have left behind. It is a source of consolation to me to be able to think that you, with many others in my native land, pray for me. Were it not for that, I should almost despair. I find my heart more deeply corrupted than I had any idea of. I always knew that the human heart was a sink of Feb. 7.-Still sailing with all speed towards Cape Horn. Just as the sun was setting, we were called to witness one of the most sublime scenes that ever the eyes of mortals beheld-no language could paint it-it was the setting of the sun. The scene kept changing from beautiful to more beautiful, until I could think of nothing but the bright worlds above, to which the saints are hastening. As soon as it was over, and the sun had disappeared, we were assembled on the quarter deck for prayers. Here my soul found free access to the throne of grace, and rose with delight in the contemplation of that God who is the author of all our joys, and of all good. Feb. 8.-1 was roused this morning by Mr. Lane, who came into the cabin to inform the captain that there was land two points off the weather bow. The captain told him to brace and stand for it. I soon dressed myself, and went on deck to see it. Its first appearance was that of a dark cloud; but it became much darker as we approached it; until we came near enough to discover cragged rocks, with a whitish earth running between them. It was about 12 o'clock when we first saw the white streaks, and at 1 we could see the greenish appearance of the mountains. Half an hour afterwards we saw a smoke rising from them, and at 2 a light blaze. It was, however, soon extinguished. What this fire was, no one on board could tell-perhaps a company of sealers had stopped there, and seeing our ship, lighted it up to alarm us. Or it might be the signal of distress for some poor cast-away sailoror possibly a volcanic eruption. Our captain had often passed Staten land before, but had seen nothing of the kind. But our situation was too critical to admit of a moment's delay to make observa. tions; for we were now near enough to see the breakers dashing against this forbidden shore; and either a calm or squall might prove fatal to us. I thought of the language of the poet, as I looked at these craggy cliffs "Alas! these rocks all human skill defy, Who strikes them once, beyond relief, must die." We continued sailing near them until 4 o'clock, when a calm ensued. Our captain said nothing to us, but evidently appeared troubled. I then knew no danger, and talked to him as usual-asked him to send a boat ashore; and jestingly told him, that I would accompany him. I thought he appeared very solemn, and could give no reason for it. The truth was, that a strong current was drawing us towards these fatal rocks; and if wind enough should not rise to render the ship manageable, we must inevitably be wrecked upon them, during the ensuing night. Here you will indulge me with a passing reflection. I have always remarked, that in the most dangerous situations, I have felt the easiest; and it was because I did not know my danger. And can there be any thing more like a sleeping Christian, or an unawakened sinner? both in imminent danger, and both stupid. O that God may save me from the spiritual, as he has in mercy from the natural evil. A fresh breeze sprung up towards evening, and we were soon borne beyond the reach of the current; and in a few hours Staten land receded entirely from our view. But fresh dangers and anxieties awaited us. Feb. 9th.-Here begins our tossing and rolling.-To-day we have had rain and hail in squalls. We cannot write or read with comfort; and if we attempt to eat, sitting on chairs that are not lashed, the chance is ten to one that we are thrown across the cabin, before the meal is over. I have had several pretty hard blows on my head, since we left the river Plate. Our latitude, as far as we can judge from reckoning and observation, is 55° 26′lon. 35°. Twenty-one days ensue after this, in which there was snow, hail, rain, and one continued gale. Sometimes we could scud before the wind; but the most of the time it was too strong to admit of that; we generally lay too under a close reefed top-sail, and mizen-stay-sail. Oh! how cheerless every thing looked around us, in comparison with what it did some time ago. The sailors were all wet, day and night; the forecastle was half of the time under water; and the water that was shipped at the bow, ran as far as the companion-way. All over the ship there was nothing but dirt and wet, so slippery that we could not stand. One night, at twelve o'clock, I went on deck, when the ship was laying too, under nothing but a close reefed top-sail. The wind was so strong, that I could not stand without holding by my hands to something fixed: it seemed as if the ship was going on her beam ends every moment. The sailors were always pleased to see me on deck in a storm, and tried more than once to frighten me; but when they found that they did not succeed, they ended with saying, "well Betsey, you'll know how to pity poor sailors--we have not been dry since we left Staten land." My heart has often bled for these poor fellows. I slept whenever I could, night or day. Studying was out of the question; I found it impossible to put two ideas together, half the time. During this period, we caught several birds; one or two of which I tried to save for Mr. -, but the rain continued so long that they were spoiled. The sailors call them Mother Carey's chickens, and Mock Mollys. The most beautiful that I have seen is the Mock Molly. Of this species we took a number. They are a little larger than a goose. In viewing Cape Horn, I can truly say the half was not told me. It is indeed one of the most dreadful places ever seen; and if I double it again, I shall endeavour to do it by the way of the Cape of Good Hope; this, I know, is a blunder, but it conveys my meaning. In a gale we lost the waste-board of the ship; this left the deck three feet nearer to the water, and consequently we shipped more water than usual. I had always had the good fortune to be below when the deck got washed very badly; and as we were soon to be in the milder waters of the Pacifick, I wished very much to see our vessel ship one heavy sea, as the sailors call it. My wishes were answered in the following manner-One afternoon, when I had been suffering for some time with wet feet, I went to the caboose to warm them; just as I was coming out, I got both my eyes filled with ashes and embers, which put me in a very unfavourable situation for seeing what I had wished to see: but at that moment I heard a sea strike the leeward side of the ship, fore and aft; in an instant I sprang to the shrouds, and heard the water run in a torrent under me. My poor eyes were condemned to darkness: a liquid made of salt water and ashes did not improve them just then. However I felt no inconvenience from it afterwards, except that it afforded fine sport, for some time, to the captain, who often observed that Betsey had shipped a sea in her face. This occurrence however did not intimidate me: I went on deck very often to view the grandeur of the sea; and it is truly one of the most su blime objects in creation. I have spent hours since I left my native land in viewing this object. At times I have seen the waves rise mountains high before us; and it would appear as if we must inevitably be swallowed up; but in a moment our ship would rise upon the wave, and it would be seen receding at the stern. I stayed on deck one evening until 12 o'clock, looking at the waves breaking over the ship: it was one of the most beautiful sights I ever beheld. The water would foam up like mountains of snow around us, and break over the deck; while below it sounded like thunder, or like rivers running over us. I could compare our sailing when going before the wind to nothing but flying. We were scudding with the wind directly aft, under a close reefed top and main-sail; of course the ship rolled and pitched at the same time. Captain Clasby had told us, more than once, that if the wind was fair, we must take care of ourselves, for he did not intend to spare us. He was now literally fulfilling his words; for he neither spared us nor the ship. I felt more afraid that her sides would meet the same fate that the waste-board did, than of any thing else. She laboured very hard, and we shipped so much water, that the pumps were kept at work every four hours. I have thought at times, in the night, that we were on a rock; but on inquiry, the answer would be, nothing but Cape Horn However, we are almost done with it, and I am not sorry: nor am I sorry that I have been called to double it; for I have enjoyed more of the light of my heavenly Father's countenance, during the time we were off the Cape, than I ever did in the Atlantic. The only reason I can assign is, that here we have been called hourly to acknowledge his mercy in sparing our lives; and that while we here view his power upon this stormy ocean, we have felt our helplessness, and been made to adore and tremble. I am not writing to one who is unacquainted with the human heart; you know its dark deceitful nature, and that it is not always kept warm by tender treatment. For me at least it is necessary, in order to keep me in my place, to have some doubts, some temptations, and some sickness to struggle with; and even then my garments are far from being kept white. But hitherto has the Lord helped me, and I can raise upon this much dreaded landmark, a strong and lasting Ebenezer. Long, I hope, shall I remember the mercy of my God here. Here too the Spirit of the Lord has, I trust, been striving with some of the sailors, though many are yet, I fear, in the gall of bitterness; some, however, are rejoicing in the Lord. How would your heart rejoice with us, could you see these hardy sons of the ocean, who would scorn to complain of any earthly hardships, bowing with the spirit of children, at the cross of Christ. This fact we witness; and if I could do it as I wish, it would please me to give you an account of some of their conversations their plain, abrupt, and sailor-like manner of expressing their thoughts and feelings; but I must leave this for an abler pen. (To be concluded in our next.) FRIENDLY ISLANDS. Of these islands Otaheite is the largest. Christianity has been fully established here and in the neighbouring islands of Eimeo and Raiatea, (Ulaitea on the maps,) for several years past. Perhaps there is no population of the same extent in the world, in which vital piety is more visible, or the Christian institutions more sacredly regarded, than among the inhabitants of these islands. The success of missionary labours here, affords a complete practical confutation of the infidel notion, that pagan nations cannot be christianized. It is also known that several islands, much more remote from Otaheite than those we have mentioned, have received the gospel. Lately, the missionaries at Raiatea have turned their attention to several islands considerably distant from them to the south-west. "The Missionary Chronicle of the London Missionary Society, for October," which we have received within the last month, gives an interesting detail of the very encouraging result of the missions to these islands. They say "The group we have visited is a very important one; it consists of eight islands,* some of which are inhabited; four of them very numerously. Three of the islands are not named in any chart or book we had on board, therefore we had to seek them, and providentially we were successful in finding them all. At some of these islands they had never seen a vessel; at others they had not seen a ship since Captain Cook's. "We have settled teachers at four of the islands, and are under engagements to send five or six more by the return of the schooner, on her way to the colony." The date of this communication, is Aug. 11th, 1823. There is another communication of a later date, (Nov. 20th,) in which an account is given of a missionary visit to several other islands.-It appears that a number of native missionaries had been sent to nearly all the islands, to which these communications relate, for some time previous to the visit of the European missionaries, who superintend and direct their operations. The success in some of the islands, particularly in one called Aitutake, has been truly wonderful-as much so as in Otaheite or Raiatea. Their idols are abandoned, and given to the missionaries to destroy, or to send to Britain as curiosities; and real conversions to the faith of the gospel are very numerous. In other islands the success has been, as yet, much less, and in some very little. But in all, the state of things is such south-west of the Society Islands, between *This group of islands lies to the 19 and 22 deg. S. Lat. and 158 and 160 deg. W. Long. |