The National Register. — London, England, 1816-06-30 00:00:00

(66 LITER Ala SCILATIFIG INTELLICiEACE. 'Co the liat of thnat few travellers whose thirst of knowledge, and intrepidity of nand, have induced them to turn their views towards ex ploring the interior regicets of Africa., may be addol Dr. Seetzen, a tlerman of conaiderable talent:, respecting whose untimely fate the following account is given in a Bombay Paper, doted May 25, I hl3. He was a native of Sammy; had passed through a regular coarse of medical studies, and to his professional acquirements added an intimaie knowledge of botany, mineralogy , and natural history in general. Ile saw skilled also in some of the oriental languages, anti in particular had made himself well actpiainted with the Arabic. Being patronised on account of his abilities by the l)ukc of Save Gotha, he was recom mended by that prince to the Emperor of Austria; and antler the joint protection of these distinguished characters, he left Europe in the year latel, on 3 tour through Syria Sad Palestine, chiefly with a view to improve his qualifications for the great work of exploring Africa. Dor lag bit stay in Syria, lie visited Palmyra, ladbee, Lebanon, Jerusalem, and various other places mentioned in sacred or prophetic history. Ile then proceeded to Egypt, and remained some months at Cairo, occu pied in the arrangement of his materials, speeiateas and observations. Vrom Egypt lie appears to hate sent to Vienna all the valuable spy mens which he had been able to collect in the different departments of saence, as well as copious obaervations on the sacred and literary an tiquities of Palestine, and the manners of the licalouin tribes who range ditough the extensive plains of the eastern dtaarta. Having visited tat:mounts lioreb and Sinai, and made atone throuh the northern part of Arabia, he remained a few months at Meets, where he mingled with thsa crowd of pilgrims who annually assemble there trout eobry part of the twit; and by the disguise of a long black beard, an Arab dress, and a fluency in the various dialect.: of the Ara. hie, he aequfroti the title of Iladjee Mouse, after performing the duties of a pilgrim. From Mecca he traversed the southern territories of the Hedjar with a caravan, and reached Sum, the capital of Yemen, through a route never before travelled by any European, and arrived at length at Mocha, brine,ing with him a rich collection of botanical, mineralea,deal and other specimens of natural history, which, however, was seized by the rapacious Dola, and confiscated, under a pretence of their being intended for magic. During Dr. Se-lien's stay at Mocha, he itavariably bore the character of a Musaulman dervish, nor does it appear that he was known to any of the natives there as a Mumpoan ; and his prudence was carried to far that he never visited any of the fac tories. although Captain Iteedland, who was at that time the Bent In dia Company's assent on the Gulph, gave Mtn repeated imitat ions.— Atter some stay at Mucha, spent in ineffectual elKiCavOlitS to obtain a rbstoration of his property, he determined to revisit Saana, and. pro. (staling thence to the eastern extremity of Arabia to cross from Muscat into Portia, ausl return again to Syria, from which he proituaell to enter on his great undertaking. With this view he left Mucha in the month of °talker 1811; haiving with hint a nuntber of camels laden with bag opge, provisionss scientific apparatus, &c.; but three days after his de arture information was received of his sudden death near Tais, and tat: consequent disperaion of his edicts. No daub' scents to be enter tained, even by the Arabs themselves, who were of his party, that he was poisoned, with the connivance, or at the express orders, of the Jimaum, for the sake of the remaking property which he possesmd. Two evenings before he quitted Mocha, passed some minutes with Mr. Atkins, the surgeon of the Company'i establishments there; and at the same time confided to the care of Mr. Benzont, art Italian in their service, the whole of his valuable papers and journals, to be fin warded through Egypt to his distimnaished patron the Duke of Saxe Gotha. Benzoni, a little before his death, which took place moon after, transferred the churgoof these memoranda to the chief of the Banians, who was then commercial broker to the East India Company; but they were afterwards seized by the laola, and it is to be feared are now init• trievably lost to the friends and patrons of science. The public has to regret also another loss of a similar kind. We allude to the manuscripts of Mr. Tweddel, an ingenious traveller, which, by the admission of Luaieri„ a celebrated Italian artist, under the patronage of Lord Elgin, anti of Dr. Hunt, chaplain to the em bassy, came into his Lordship's possession, and are not now to be found. 't o the inquiries matte respecting them, Lord Elgin declares, that they were sent home front Constantinople in compliance with the instruc tion of Mr. l'weddel's fattier. They consisted in live journals, written by Mr. l'weddel's own hand; sixty sheets of notes; four memoran dum books and four volumes of inscriptions, collected during his stay at Athena. and in various parts of Greece ; seven port-folios and paperpackets, paekets. containing 314 original drawings and sketches in 'fur key, and Egyptdrawings in ; five hooks of the East, together with is vases and tettio coins. There were also a great number of drawings and manuscripts, some relating to antiquities in the Critnea, and others to Constantinoyle and the neighbouring district, with notes and papers conta'eling remarks on the atilt:rent countries through which the author travelled. - lame additional orations of Cicero were discovered, tome doe ago, in the Ambrrainn Library at Milan, accompanied by a commentary written by historical allusions sod illustrations, and to contain Latin words not hitherto met with in any other classic writer. Some of these ore dons, we believe, an now printiug in this ouuntry. The Swallow, Capt. Lararoff,belonzing to the Russian East India Company, has arrived at Spithead. She sailed from the same place on the 10th March, 1514, on a voyage of discoveries in the North Pacific Ocean; but more vt ith a view to len» two and commercial establishments ou the %Vest Coast of North America— namely, at the Island of Kodiak, iu 1at.5.1. N. long. len. W. which is the nearest part of the American Con 'talent t.) the Russian establishment at Kaintschatka ; and opostr a neck of land called California. Flom these they sill he en tailed to carry on their fur trade with China with greater ad vantages ; and their homeward-bound voyage, with the produce al China *ill be likewise greatly facilitated. The . Swarrow has been so far as 55. 50. North lat. 190. 50. East long. She touched at Kandschatka. On the 10th of Octobt r !till, she discovered an Island in Int. 13. 10. S. long. 163. 20. W. It is about eight milt s and a hull long, and se ren miles wide. Cocoa nut trees and sea rum Is were found upon it. The roOks aroimil it appear hauled of solid coral. It not being laid doxit in any rhart,Capt. Lazatuti named it after his ship," Swarrow Island." It appears front the great N'aucour er's track, upon his published chart, that ht most hate passed this island in the hiLlit time. 'hue Swarrow lai! , a valuable cargo of furs, *lnch she took on board in Nortotk Sound,vsith many articles the produce of the roast if Vern. !she lay two mouths at Lima. cargo i not asurriated at less Watt Itta,ooM.; and so prove' ons as been the ... t e a or - the voyage, that she has not sustained the loss uf even „v a re A .,.. ) spat sit tiny deseription, , Mce sltesitiled front spithead. She oar. about 14 rare *trills on hoard.- species of the Lama, tr arc intended as a pit scutto the s indstla, and Alpaca. Thy low hest„.. bbe *lll sail tinartiatately tvr at. kt ttts- THE NATIONAL REGISTER. HORRID PAGAN CUSTOMS. FORTY...SEVEN W071111:14 BURNET) MTH THE BODY OF TUE PRINCK OF NIABAVA. The following is a letter from Father Martin, d Jesuit Mis 'lottery in Madura. inserted in the New York Spectator of the 117th of May ; The Prince of Marava dying iu 1770, his wives, to the num ber 01'47, were burned with his corpse, in the following loan. ner :—They digged a deep ditch without the town, and in it ereeted a pile Of wood, on the top Or N% Welt the deceased was laid richly clothed and adorned. 11 hen they had set this ou fire, with a world of ceremonies performed by the Brahmins, that company of unfortunate VIOIIWII appeared, covered with jewels and adorned with flowers liSe so many victims designed for the sacrifice. They walked several times about the pile. the heat of whieli was perecived at a great distance. The chief of them having addressed the suceessor of the late Prince, re signed the dagger of the deree.ed into his hands ; who took it without show me the least siva of grief or compassion. ' Alas I' said slot,' what farther comes of human happiness! I ern sen sible am throwing ntyself headlong to hell"--These words smirk all the spectators with horror. lilac bad a Christian woman in her service, who frequently discoursed with her con cerniog the truths of revealed religion, in order to persuade her to embrace Christianity, but without suems. She having thus spoken boldly, turned her face to the pile, and, calling upon her gods, dung herself into the dames. The second of those women was the sister of Boys, a priace of the blood, who assisted at . that detestable ceremony.-- M hen he received the jewels from his sister with which slie was adorned, he broke out into tears, embracing her mo.t tenderly: she seemed un moved at ii, and with a resolute countenance, looking some times at the p%le, and sometimes at the assistant', cried, with a loud voice, shecya, shecya! which is the name of one of her idols, and threw herself into the dames, as the first had done. The other women followed her soon after; some of them ap peared composed, and others were cast down and bewildered. One of them, frightened above the rest, ran to a Christian sol dier who was present, and begged of him to save her. But he, stunned with surprise, pushed the unfortunate creature from into the glowing pit, and retired immediately; but so ter rified, that he soon fell ill of a fever and frenzy, of which he died the night follow nig. Whatever intrepidity some of those women discovered at first, yet, as soon as they felt the dames, they roared is a st dreadful mauner ; and tumbling user each other, strove to gain the brim of the pit, but in vain ; fur the assistants prevented it, by throwing upon them large pieces of wood. '[he nest day the Brahmins gathered their bones, which they threw into the sea. The pit was leveled, a temple built oil the spot, and the deceased prince and his wives reck oned among the deities. Tits: SLerPINO Solari ER.—There is every rhsen to suppose the soldier is fiat recovering from his feigned or real malady ; lie now sits up every day, eats biscuit, and swallows link a pint of wine; upon being desired, he stews his tongue, but hitherto he has not spoken; he is very weak, but gaining strength ;he will be pot on animal food. Symptoms of amend ment were shewn immediately that preparations were inatie to send him off to Bethlem. Since suspicion has been enter tained of this man's somnolency being feigned, the interest which the detail of it:.s apparent puttering.; first excited has been superseded by curiosity to loam in what way the pheno mena of his case eau he explained. An instance of the power of volition, far exceeding the present, is related by Dr. Clique, in his English Malady, in these words:—" He could die or ex pire when he pleased, and yet, by an effort, or somehow, lie could come to life again. lie insisted so much upon our seeing the trial made, that we AS:..re at last forced to comply. We all three felt his ;lithe first: it was distinct, though smutl tnd thready, and his heart had its usual heating. lie com posed himself on his hack, and lay in a still posture for some time : while I held his right hand, Dr. Barnard laid his hand on his heart, and Mr. Skriue heti] a clear looking-glass to his mouth. I found his pulse sink gradually. till at last I could not feel any by the most nice and exact touch: Dr. Barnard could not feel the least motion in his heart, nor Mr. Skrine perceive the least sort of breath un the bright mirror he held to his mouth. Then each of us by turns examined his arm, heart, and breath; but could not, by the nicest scrutiny, dis cover the least symptom of life in him. We reasoned a long time about the odd appearance, as well as we could; and find ing he continued in that condition, we began to conclude he had carried the experim.-nt too far, and at last we were satis fied lie was actually dead, and were just ready to lease him; this continued about half an hour. By nine o'clock in the morning, in autumn, as we were going away, we observed sense motion about the body, and, upon examination, found his pulse and the motion of his heart gradually returning. He began to breathe gently, and speak softly, we were all astonish ' ed to the last degree at this unexpected change; and, after some further conversation with him, and with ourselves, went away fully satisfied as to the particulars of the fact." A SLELPINU %Vim:tn.—An aecount has been read to the Royal Society of Edinburgh, of the sleeping woman of Danni mild, near Montrose, by the Rev. J. Brewster. I ler first sleeping fit lasted from the nth to the 30th of June, Pit:). Next morning she tell again into a sleep, which lasted seven days—without motion, food, or evacuation. At the end of this time, by moving her hand and pointing to her mouth, it was understood she wanted food, which was given to her; but she remained in her lethargic state till the sth of August, six weeks in all, without appearing to be awake, except on the 30th of June. Her pulse, for the first two weeks, was about 50, the the third 00, and previous to menus cry it was at 70 to 72. Though extremely reduced, she gained strength so rapidly, that before the end of August she worked regularly at the harvest. NEW DUTIES ON Soar.—The Act dated 31st of May, says— " Be it enacted, That after the passing of the Act, there be levied the tolluwing rates and duties of Excise for every pound weight averdupoise of Hard Cake Soap or Ball Soap, iu Great Britain, to be paid by the maker, 3d.; fur Irish, to be paid by the importer, 3d. per lb." A Erow tares.—" For every pound weight made in Great Britain, and consumed in making of any cloths, sea ges, kerseys, bays, stockings, or other manefactures of sheep's or lamb's wool only, or where the greater proportion is wool, or lu the finishing of the said maunfactures, Yitl. For every pound weight used in whitening of new linen in the piece, for sale 2d. For every pound weight used in preparing and fia►shing any manufactures of flux or cotton for sale (except such as shall be used in whitening new linen iii piece, in order to the sale thereof) I ut. The whole ditty to be returned on exportation. —The dealers may add the new duties to the contracts made ureviously to the passing of the Act.—T he duties to be under the managemeut of the Commissioners of the Excise, and to be levied in the sear manner as the former rates: the co.w duties ale to Le carried to the Consolidated End." JTINT 30. LAW INTELLIGENCE. SHERIFFS COURT.—SaTuRDAY. CTUM. CON. LORD OLO. TOM EsFOR D a. LORD RErTIVR. This vras a ►writ of Inquiry to assess the damages sustained by the plaintiff for criminal conversation held with his wife by the defendant. The damages were laid at 30,0001.! Mr. Serjeant Best stated the ease for the plaintiff, who, he said, was the brother of the Marquis of Waterford, and a Major General in the army ; the defendant was the eldest son of the Marquis of Headfort. The plaintiff in the year ItiOn was mar. tied to a Miss Shatz, by whom he had one child, and with whom, until the unhappy discovery of her infidelity, htt had lived upon terms of the most conjugal nature. The plaiwilf bail been eneitgeal with the army in France, and, during the time, had received an account of thu indisposition of his wife• an indisposition bordering on insanity. With this affection she bad been visited soon after her aeronchement. The plaintiff lost no time in coming borne ; and he found his nib. in the Un happy state of mind and health described. There was, fumes ver, a mystery attached to the unfortunate circumstance, whirl) led him to an invesrtgation of her private concerns aotl paper► ; and having obtained the key of her secret drawers, he disru. vexed, to his regret and astonishment a letter from thf•defenalane to his wire, in ‘vhich their mutual gnat and the fact of adultery • were established beyond all doubt. Upon this commuuication the whole of the plaint itri case rested. Dr. Croft, the physician, was called to prove the insanity of Lady lieresford : and -- Uholmondeley and others deposed to the plaintiff and his wife living upon the most happy and for licitons ternto. Mr. Serjeatnt Vaughan haring addressed the Court in aniti gation of damages, the Deputy Sberitfluanined up the ev!droee, anti the jury returned a verdia—Datinages, T.•n Thuusa.la Poentsit. COURT OF KIN('S BENCH, JuNit 27. THE RING r. PARIS. The defendant In this ease came. Up to receive the ,Inigment of the Court, having suffered judgment to go by delanli, on au information tiled against him during the last Term for selling two snuff-boxes, ou which were prints of a eise,t indecent de scription. The information having been read, the affidavit of an Officer mimed Jelin Lemon was put in ; train this it appeared, that he was in the employment eifitic Society formed for the Suppres sion of Vice; that in the early pert of the present year, as he was passing the defendant°. ;Imp in St..laimees-street, where the defendant carried on the business of a tonatnonist, in part. ncrship with a person Milstein, he saw a siintf-box in the window rather of an indecent description—that he went in and asked the price, and was told by the defendant 3s.—that ha asked the defendant whether he had not got some of a more filmry description—that defendant then pi minced ;mother but, in the inside of which was a picture of the most gross ile.erip tion —that ieformanuthen purchased this latter fur six shillings, and the former for three shillings, An affil Lit \Va. , then put in on the part of the Defendant, stating that he had purchased hid ten of the boxes in question. five only of which he had sold before he was aware he wait guilty of an illegal act—that on finding his error, he destroyed the other five—and that the state of his distress was such as to preclude him from paying any severe tine. Thn Atturnry-General, in praying sentence, commented with becoming severity on the enormity of the offence of which the defendant had confessed himself guilty, and of the mischiev ous tendency of the illicit traffic which he was carrying en- -4 traffic which had fur its object the utter ruin of the morals of the rising generation. He trusted the Court would visit this defendant with inch a punishment as would deter others fruin pursuing a similar abominable trade. Mr. Justice Bailey thins proceeded to pass the lodgment of the Court ; which was, that the defendant should be nava 101. and imprisoned ono mouth iu the custody of the Marshal of the Marshalsea. BRIIII:ItY. llt F; XING C. JONA,. The Attorney-nowt-al next moved the judgment of the Court on tin. defendant, who had likewise stiGred judgment to go by default, on an information filed against him, for offer ing a bribe of 31. to a Custom-house Officer who had as ized some shawls, iu which the defendant bad souse interest, at Ru. cluster. The Attorney• General said, that the penalty in this oase was fixed by law at 591. ; and us the defendant had pleaded gnilty to the charge preferred against him, he could only deliver bin over to the hands of the Court, to be dealt with as the law di. rected. The Court sentenced the defendant to pay Aye pmalty of 501. and to be kept in custody till the same WAS paid. SATURDAY, JUNE 29. MANDAMUS. The Attorney General, on a former day, applied to the Court for a Ride to thew (-sine why a Mandamus should let be di rected to the trustees and governors of a borobgh free school, direct* them to restore the master of that school, under the following circumstances. The school, it appeared, was ander the direction of the corporation of the town in question, of which ,the master was a member, having formerly served the olhcc of mayor. lie had for many years been at the bead of the school. and supported a most respect:lWe character. A short time since, as a mark t, approbation, he had been allowed to extend his eqablishment in such a way as to reqaire the assistance of a matron ; and he Kocured this appointment for his niece, a voting woman of unexceptionabfe character up tat the time of her becoming a member of his family. Since that time site had unfortneately become pregnant, and been deli vered .1 an illegitimate child. No blame attached to her uncle's character. One morning, however, in attending a meeting in bis corporate character, he was surprised by being addressed on his entrance with a questiou, •‘ Are you guilty ?" To this interrogatory he declared his i4uorance of what was tilt. His son prise, howevt r, was inerea4ed afterwards by hearing that he had been suspended front his sitnatioa of !master without any notice being given to him, or any opportu nity afforded of *indicating him c.;xacter. The Court, on a former day, granted the kute to e..ctt (-awe, and this was a motion rut the Attorney Wm:rat to make the Rule alsatillitto"'• Rabb absolute.