The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-12-25 00:00:00

IVialisty to drink out of the bottle. I did so accordingly,
and not only I and she, but the two interpreters, and
every one else. :Among the fruits was one called Dorian,
in form and size resembling a middle-sized lemon, which
smells so - strongly of garlic, that you can perceive
its presence forty yards off. The interior consists of
very large white beans lying apart from each other.
I had seen this fruit at Borneo, as well as in the
Moluccas; and the Europeans declare that, if you
can get accustomed to the smell, the taste is very fine,
but that the best way to eat it is when sitting in a boat
on a river, so that you can dip your hands every moment
into the water. I must own, however, that though I made
several attempts, I never could succeed in liking it,— the
perfume was too powerful. The court lady, or attendant,
who waited at table, wore on the thumb of the left hand a
nail-case at least five inches long; and when I expressed
my astonishment at this enormous nail, saying I had never
seen anything like it in China, the land of long nails, she
smiled, and drew off the nail-case, and then I saw that it
was merely an ornament, and that the nail it was intended
to cover was at most of the length of half an inch. The
case was the same with others whom I saw wearing this
curious decoration—with the exception of the Queen's
son, who really boasted a nail two inches long. This
fashion of wearing nail-cases, I never saw anywhere else
than here. When the meal was over, I was obliged so
far to disregard ceremony as to beg permission to retire.
The Queen expressed much regret at not being able to
receive me in her ruin of a palace, but requested I would
follow her son to his, where I should find everything ready
for my reception, and should also be presented to his wife,
and entertained once more with tea and pastry. This honour,
however, I was obliged to decline, and I stepped as quickly
as possible under my clambu, and there enjoyed the rest
Iso much needed. The prince was still a young man, but
his features and complexion betrayed the habitual opium
smoker ; and bis first occupation in the morning was always
to light his pipe. This poison, alas ! is now continually
brought to Celebes. After the breakfast, which was quite
worthy of the preceding evening's supper, I went with the
prince to pay a visit to the Queen, and take my leave. As
I entered, my attention was attracted by three boxes,
which I had not noticed the preceding evening, and I soon
found that two were to serve as seats for her majesty and
myself, and the third to figure as the table. I had to wait
half-an-hour for the Queen, who I was told was making
her toilette,—and such a toilette as it was when it was
made ! She had on a loose white blouse over her sarang,
and her head was, as it had been the day before, wrapped
in a handkerchief. By way of decoration, she wore two
rows of hollow gold balls, of the form and size of eggs,
which were crossed over her breast and shoulders ; and at
each side of the bosom hung a flat piece of gold-plate, set
with precious stones, that might have been taken for an
order, if such a symbol of civilization could have been ex-
pected at Celebes. Her chaussure, however, struck me
most ; it consisted of shoes cut in the European shape,
but not out of silk or stuff, but of gold-plate,—soles and
all,—and adorned in the front with precious stones.
In this, her second journey, Madame Pfeiffer
has not only maintained, but she has added to
her character as an intrepid and indefatigable
traveller, and a curious observer of life and
manners, which she paints with more fidelity
than she exhibits skill in the delineation of.

The Wonders of Scicnce ; or, Young Humphry
Davy. The Life of a Wonderful Boy.
Written for Boys. By Henry Mayhew. Lon-

don : David Bogue.

The learned philosopher and the simple rustic
alike yield practical concurrence in the maxim,
that the " boy is father of the man," and this
being so, whatever tends to enlighten and expand
the boy-mind, confers a lasting boon • upon
society. Viewed in this light, the tale of the
" Philosopher Boy," by Mr. Mayhew, is one of
peculiar interest. In it he contrives, suo more, to
enlist the brisk activity of mind and the eager
curiosity, both so characteristic of youth, in a
well-told and cleverly-arranged exposition of the