The Express.
London, England, 1851-08-30 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, AUGUST 30, IRSI.

LITERATURE. !assistants, who arc, the lieutenant-general commanding the
!military schools, the lieutenant-general in charge of the ord-
nance stores, the lieutenant-general superinttndent of menu-
/sm. Fra. of Ottoman History : A Political Essay on the factures for the army, the factories being government pro-
late I:. /aims in Turkey. By Jamas liam at &Lase. petty, and the lieutenant-general commander-in-chief of the
Cherries and Hall. reserve. The civil members arc invested with the financial
This is a pamphlet upon a subject of growing and administrative functions of the antic council, and the
importance in the present state of Europe,—the mili-
m ajeor-goeneralr it
the head of the central
ad staff, at
-s well as the
tary sit ength of Turkey. It traces the changes which Lon attachedm
iCo'cirter.m.iitgcothuendctitifies4te6jusutngietraneral , are
the Ottoman army has undergone, the magnitude of by this body is divided intotwo sections; the first being the
which naturally divides the history into three judgment of appeals and the revision of sentences; and the
eras. The first of these includes the rise of woad consisting in the lisposal of the_trooys, their move-
the empire through those remarkable troops the meat, and the purchases for their use. fie Mes d this supreme
vanlciielu,
teeach armyt-enehas. ittecotanocil of war, which
els insefllrmed
laniswu ICS, and its decline through their dim:or-
ganisation and intrigues. The second period is nant-colonel, a infilitary superintendent,ie or peimoastercuanted
that which intervenes between the destruction of the a secretary (' •" ' hay' the rank of • •and' each
major ,
....

janiarxirl and the establishment of the regular army
of the present day ; and the last commences with
that ist,thlishment. The contrast between the two
periods of conquest and decline is strikingly put in '
the following sketch of the
BAWLS'S OF THE JANISNAII4IIS.
In the first phials of Turkish history, many great battles,
both in Europe and in Asia, proved the valour and efficiency
of. the Otbiluait army, and principally of the janissaries.
The series bezius at Agridshe, which town they stormed is
1268; and atter that come the victories of Kujuuhisear, over
ituaalo, th• commander of the Ilysantine guards, in 1303;
of peleksin,,n, when they defeated the Emperor Andronicas
Junior, in 1330; of the Mariana, in which they routed the
combined Ilun/arian, Servian, and Bosnian forces, under
King 1.40 ii, in 1363; of 'cesium, where they beat the
Caramanians, in 1366 ; of Kussova, where they conquered I
the different Selavonian armies, in 1149 ; of Nicopuli, where I
they totally routed the French and German knights under
King Sigi•mund, 1396; of Tshunurlit when they made
Ilohamilhil sole master of the empire, in 1413; of Varna,
where they destroyed the armies of the liungariau king,
Louis, and of Huoyad, in 1114; of Kumova, when they de
bated Hunyad's Keeled army, in 1442 ; of Ermenak, where
they again routed the Caramardans, in 1463 ; of Larends,
where they overeame them for the third time, in 1166 ; of
Terdshan, when they conquered the Prince Usunhasum, in
1473; or Hosbeuni, where they subdued the Moldaeians,
reader their hospodar, Stephad, is 1476; of &Aber, where
they vanquished the Croatians under Dereneseny, In 1493;
of Tshal,liran when they overthrew Shah Ismail, in 1514 ;
of Merelsh Uabik, where they defeated the Mameluke king,
Kmsu Muni, in 1516; Mohacs, where they beat the '
Hungarians, ender their king, Louis 11., in 1526; of
Hem:us, when they routed the Austrians, in 1.596 ; and
of Neuhuuml, wiliest they defeated the Hungarians, under
pergola, In 1663.
Tim amber of ' defeats which they suffered from
•

(kiatip), having
garrison has also its council, composed of the senior ol9cers
in their respective rank. The councils try military offences,
but they do not pais sentence, as the application of the law
is entrusted to the aulic council alone, and they merely take
evidence, give their opinion on the guilt of the accused, and
report the case to head-quarters, acting thus as a jury rather
than as a tribunal. No one who has been in the habit of
sitting on regimental courts-martial in the British army
can avoid wishing that the Turkish system in this respect
should be adopted as a model, for many • soldier in its
ranks has been condemned by judges who are less adequate
to wield the swordof justice than that of victory, and whose
education has but little prepared them for the appreciation
of evidence, to understand the nature of which a special
study is required. This principle, which deserves admira-
tion in the Turkish army, is applied also to the military
conduct of every commanding officer, however diminutive
I may be Iris command ; and no officer so situated, be it in
the direction of a company, • battalion, a regiment, a bri-
gade, a corps, or an army, can act without the concurrence
of Isis respective council; but when he does act the re-
sponsibility is his own. This is an excellent system in a
newly-organised force, as it precludes the possibility of
abuses of power, and irregularities or even dishonesty in
the mode of provisioning, &c. In this respect the British
army requires no lesson from other military establishments;
but there is a great army of Europe which would do well to
take a leaf out of the Sultan's book in this respect, and that
army belongs to the Sultan's habitual enemy ; for the tel.
then of the Czar suffer more cold, hunger, and sickness,
wherever they arc exposed to hardships than the troops of
other countries, in consequence of the speculating on
clothing, food, and medicines, which is practised by colo-
nels, captains, and surgeons.
We arc not 60 sure as the author that the British
army has nothing to learn from its ally in this
matter of provisioning, at lead if the term may
be allowed to include the dress of a soldier—but let

at signal
the year 12201 to 1863, was only four,* bang Are al I
Angora, where tho Tacks were routed by Timm, la 1402;
of Vamp. where they were wonted by Honyad, in 1442; of
n hi re tht y were beaten by Usunhassan, in 1423; and
of Ville., where they were de Bated by Kinis, in 1492.
S.,ortly after the middle of the seventeenth century, the
period of deeline commenced, and the janissarieA, who were
the primary came of it, were accordingly as remarkable
tluserforward for their want of success as they had pre-
.

that pass. One more extract is necessary to com-
plete the view of the Sultan's army ; it relates to the
MATERIAL COMPORTS OP A TURKISH SOLDIER.
The nicks is almost too well cared for, it such a thing
be possible, with regard to the material comforts bestowed
on those to whom the safety of a country is confided. The
pay of a private varies, according to the branch of the army
in which he serves from 20 to 30 Turkish piastres per
month—that is, from 3s. 6d. to se. Gd. e - which is
.

as rire bones of the face or thole of the skull are more highli '
developed. A greater relative development of the jaws and
cheek-bones, says the author of the " Natural History of i
Man," indicates a more ample extension of the organs sub-
servient to sensation and the animal faculties. Such a con-
figuration is adapted to the wandering tribes ; whereas
the greater relative development of the bones of the skull— ,
indicating as it does • greater expansion of the brain, and
consequently of the intellectual faculties—is especially
adapted to the civilised races or settlers, who depend mainly
on their knowledge of the powers and properties of things
for the necessaries and comforts of life.
Moreover it would appear that not only are all races
divisible into wanderers and settlers, but that each civilised
or settled tribe has generally some wandering horde inter-
mingled with, and in a measure preying upon, it.
According to Dr. Andrew Smith, who has recently made
extensive observations in South Africa, almost every tribe
of people who have submitted themselves to social laws,
recognising the rights of property and reciprocal social
duties, and thus acquiring wealth and forming themselves
into a respectable caste, are surrounded by hordes of vaga-
bonds and outcasts from their own community. Such are
the Bushmen and Sonquas of the Hottentot race—the term
" 'longue" meaning literally pauper. But a similar condi-
tion in society produces similar results in regard to other
rates; and the Kathrs have their Bushmen as well as the
Hottentots—these are called Fintoes—a word signifying
wanderers, beggars, or outcasts. The Lappes seem to have
borne a somewhat similar relation to the k inns ; that is to
say, they appear to have been a wild and predatory tribe
who sought the desert like the Arabian Bedouins, while the
Finns cultivated the soil like the industrious Fellatio.
But a phenomenon still more deserving of notice is the
difference of speech between the Bushmen and the Hotten-
tots. The people of some hordes, Dr. Andrew Smith
assures us, vary their speech designedly, and adopt new
words, with the intent of rendering their ideas unintelligible
to all but the members of their own community. For this
which is called "

last custom a peculiar name esiets, ____— ease-
cat." This is considered as greatly advantageous in assist-
ing concealmtnt of their designs.
Here, then, we have a series of facts of the utmost social
importance. 1. There are two distinct races of men, viz.:—
the wandering and the civilised tribes ; 2. To each of these
tribes a different form of head is peculiar, the wondering
races being remarkable for the development of the bones of
the face, as the jaws, check-bones, ece., and the civilised for
of the head each civilised

Mously been for their victories.
Thus Monteeueuli repulsed them at St. Oothard, in 1661;
hid they w•sre defeated by Sobieski at Chotaim, in 1673; by
the same at Lemberg, is 676;1 by Lothrinuen at Parka y,
M 1681; by the same at Mohan, in 1687 ; at Salankemen in
inpl, at Z, nta in 1607, and at Petarwardein in 1716, by
Prime Eozene; at Arpash.ii, by Nadir Kuli Khan, in 17
ea
the Siva. Kara, bj Itoinanzovr in 1770; at l'acirdjik,
by the Russians, is 1744; at l'inslaa;n, by Laudon, in 17719;
at Martinesti, by SOWTOW, in the same year; at Itutabok,
by Kanuaski, in 1811; at Pete, by Botzaris, in 18'22 ; and
at Karpenis-a, by the mate, in 1823.
Their sit-twin, from the year 1664 to 1826, when the
heisseris. vs, re destroyed, tesseht only in those of Parkin,
where sobitski was defeated by then in 1683 ; of Begs, on
the Times, when the Austrian were beaten by them in
- of Duldsheilik, when the - of Nadir Shah was

sterlinf
exclusive of food, medicines, sad clothing. 'he rations
consist of meat, bread, rice, and vegetables in abundance
ovary day, besides butter or oil to cook with them. No
beverage is allowed but water, according to Mahometan
Me; and the expense to government of each ration is GO
plubss per month, which, with his clothing, for which no
u is made, raises the pay of a Turkish soldier above
trati7 British one. The military hospitals might serve as
•pettern of cleanliness to the first armies of the world, and
ibe medical officers are now perfectly efficient, sense of them
bails studied at European universities, others having be-
lga@ ents in their art at the medical college of Con-
elal a few being foreigners. The health of the
bow b Uy excellent; so much so, that no one
eauslaa, mks 30 men out of 3,450 were in hospital, it ap-
peared so alarming to the staff of the garrison that a general
held - what -- should be

1606; e. —.. army .
English " cuze-car" or " slang'-'—'as it is called—for the c oi-
routed In them ia 1/33; of !Lemke, where the Austrians,
awl, r Wallis, were defeated by them in 1;39 ; and of Rut- coalment of their designs : these are points of coincidence
shuk, when the Russians, under Kutsoff, were driven scrum et, striking that, when placed before the mind, make us
th, Danube by them in 1812. marvel that the analogy should have remained thus long
Tkis period of almost unvarying discomfiture, after • unnoticed.
tarter of equally unparalleled swoon, must have a cause. The resemblance once discovered, however, becomes of
he Selena experienced no difficulty in raising troops ; great service in enabling us to us to use the moral charm-
thee troop. were still remarkable for that personal courage teristics of the nomad,: races of other countries as a means
wl.ieh is a characteristic of their nation ; it therefore could of comprehending the more readily those of the vagabonds
only ari,e from the deterioration of their discipline, which and outcasts of our own. Let us, therefore, before entering
w e noteaous ; and the decline of Turkey, when silted and upon the subject is hand, briefly run over the distinctive,
scaly. d, will be found to have proceeded from the eorrup- moral, and intellectual feature of the wandering tribes in
corral.
Lon of the janiasaries more than from any other source, g
The nomad then is distinguished from the civilised man
Mr. Skerie assigns the honour of commencing the by his repugnance to regular and continuous labour—by his
work of Turkey's regeneration to the Sultan :Shah- want of providence in laying up a store for the future—by
mond. That ruler, however, could only dig the his inability to perceive consequences ever so slightly re-
found:it ion of his country's prosperity, and lay the first moved from immediate apprehension—by his passion for
Stone of the edifice which Sultan Abdul Nletljid hag stupefying herbs and roots, and, when possible, for intoxi-
cating fermented liquors—by his extraordinary powers of
since been enabled to erect: for a species of fatality enduring privation—by his comparative insensibility to pain
seemed to pursue the father, while in all which he —by an immoderate love of gaming, frequently risking his
has undirtuken good fortune has attended the son. own personal liberty upon a single cast—by his love of li-
lt was Abdul Medjid who introduced, on the 3rd of bidinous dances—by the pleasure he experiences in witness-
November, 1629, the all-important Tanzimat, or ing the suffering of sentient creatures—by his delight in
warfare and all perilous sports—by his desire fur vengeance
"siting in order," the attempted application of which —by the looseness of his notions as to property—by the ab-
to lige pt has caused so much outcry. By the prods- sencc of chastity among his women, and his disregard of fe-
mation announcing the Tanzimat, the Sultan de- male honour—and lastly by his vague sense of religion, his
elated that henceforward the iustitutions of his states rude idea of a Creator, and utter absence of all apprecia-
must be founded or reformed on three points. tiou a the mercy of the Divine Spirit.
Strange to my, despite its privations, its dangers, and its
These are:—l. The conditions which insure to the hardship', them who have ouco adopted the savage and
subject the enjoyment of perfect security of life, wandering mode of life, rarely abandon it. There arecount-
honour, and property. 2. A regular mode of este- less examples of white men adopting all the usages of the
blisbing and collecting the taxes. 3. A method Indian hunter, but there is scarcely one example of the In.
equally regular of recruiting soldiers and of fixing than hunter or trapper adopting the steady and regular
habits of civilised life ; indeed, the various missionaries who
their term of service. Mr. S•kene assures us that the have visited nomade races have found their lalsours utterly
nor law thus conceived is virtually applied and unavailing, so long ass wandering life continued, and have
universally respected; and that in consequence of succeeded 112 bestowing the elements of civilisation only on
the new policy net only has the army been or- Landon Labour and London Poor. Vol. I. By Ha sax thesoo compelled by circumstances to adopt a settled habi-
g mised upon a better system, but, through the pros- MATHEW. tat'
n 0.5, THE WANDERING TRIBES Or THIS CoUNTRT.
perity of the empire, population has greatly increased, There can be no doubt as to the importance of The nomadic races of Englund arc of many distinct kinds—
both by the preservation of life resulting from the arriving at a just estimate of the condition, earnings, from the habitual vagrant—hale beggar, half-thief—sleeping
prevention of infanticide, and also by extensive hu- and prospects of the labouring classes of London.' If in barns, tents, and casual wards—to the mechanic on tramp,
migration from neighbouring states. Our author's modern legislation have any feature that separates it udiiitirueiagtohw6nsbedonan4 "Zertofrom•lhwe otirld.e slieetiewt-t.:sminththe
ese
thief business, however, is with the military array of from the legislation of the last century, it is the care two extremes there are several mediate varieties, consisting
lie country, and he gives the following information it professes to take of the working classes. The die of pedlars, showmen, harvest-men, and all that large elms
lligill tresses amid struggles of the working poor have
who live by either selling, showing, or doing something
THE LAND reacts Or TUREST. been so often the through the country. These are, so to speak, the rural
The ll'Vlttl, or regular army, organised by the present theme of modern senatorial nomads—nut coufintng their wanderingstoany one particular
ratan, which is the most prominent and conspicuous fea- eloquence, and this eloquence has been based upon locality, but ranging often from on end of the land to the
tar, of the new system, and which is the most engrossing such scanty knowledge, that the display has other. Insides these there are the urban and suburban
teeter:Rion with respect to Turkey, in the present era of almost ceased to interest, since it has long ago wanderers, or those who follow some itinerant occupation in
•as and rumours of wars, was established in the beginuiug °mod to instruct, The parliamentary knowledge of and round about the large towns. Such are, in the metro-
s: the year 1842, under the special superintendency of the the habits, hardships, and ' •
Is easier, ltiza Pasha, then leading minister. It is divided street-sellera the street performers, the cabmen,
e'.. six s. 'orate armies, called Urdu in Turkish. Each of London is of the most meagre description. Acts of the coachmen, the watermen, the sailors, and such like. In
tee cornet of two services the Active, r Nizarnia, and parliament vitally affecting the weltare of the work- each of these classes—accordingas they partake more or less
ea Ike r, e, or /fedi/ The former contains two corps, mg man have been passed of late by scores; yet has of the purely vagabond, doing nothing whatsoever for their
ant, r tie command of their respective licuteuant-generals the working man, as a social creature, up to this living, but musing from place to place preying upon the
(f , de, ; “tat the latter, also two corps, commanded in time time been unknown to the legislative body. It was earning' of the more industrious portion of the community,
me. so will the attributes of the nomads tribes be found to be
0' I' se, ey a brigadier (Lira) ; the whole Urdu being under
to publish full and accurate descriptions of the more or less marked in them. Whether it be that in the
ti. ~eI, r,. of a tichtmarshal (.11mhir). The general staff of
11. °I rtriny is composed of a commander-in-chief, two lieu- tropolitan working man, that Mr. Henry Mayhew mere act of wandering, there is a greater determination of
Niels, three brigadiers of infantry, one of whom some time bock began his visits to the terrible courts blood to the surface of the body, and consequently a leas
, ..,..n.i• the reserve, two brigadiers of cavalry, and one and alleys, past which citizens usually hurry with quantity sent to t-ie train, the muscles being thus nourished
le; e.. rSi artillery. In each corps there arc three regi- amain, toaye prise at the expense of the mind, I leave physiologists to say. Hat
averted faces. Ho h
v..os.•f infantry, two of cavalry, and one of artillery, with ..,,,,, in
his labours, i the face of difii- certainly, be the physical cause what it may, we must all
teal a la. ii guns. The total strength of these twelve rcgi- "'es' urso 11 allow that in each of the clusses above-meationed* there Is
that might well have a greater development of the anitual than of the intellectual ,
s at. of the active force is 30,000 men. but it is diminished cultic' and disgusts
is! me et peace by furlough to au effective strengths of about excused the abandonment of the task, and now the or moral nature of man, and that they are all more or less,
'2,...,r, eon in three of the six armies, and of 14,000 in the first volume of his publication lies before us, As a distinguished for their high cheek-bones and protruding
v.: r three in consequence of the recruiting system being as marvellous collection of facts and statistics hitherto jaws—for their use of a slang language—ter their lax ideas
- nesuplete in its application allover the Turkish empireroperty—for their general improvidence—their repug-
unknown, it is a work which has an undoubted claim name to continuous labour—their disregard of female ho-
-1 e ehei e ,etablishment of this branch amounts, therefore,
t. I seise nee belonging to the active service, but its epees- upon the attention of all practical statesmen. It nour—their love of cruelty—their pugnacity—and their
te, orenath is at psemeut 123,000. The reserve of four of opens a field of speculation that may lead to many utter want of religion.
1.., ex armies aaaaiwa ID eleven regiments—six of infantry. changes in the dogmas of modern politicians—it pre- Or TIIE LONDON STREET-TOLE.
fee et i milry, sad one of artillery ; composing a force of nuts worki„ men and women to us from a point of Those who obtain their living in the streets of the metro-
eases). effective soldiers, while the other two armies have • •
t" ye their reserve of soldiers who have served five years. view in which w..• have never before beheld them. resorted to in order "to pick up a crust," as the people call
la i.a.• of war, however, the reserve:would form two corps It abounds with stories of heroic endurance, hopeless it, in the public thoroughfares (and such in mauy instances
of 2 .... awes is etch army ; giving a total of 300,000, when struggles, and despairing crime. There are some it literally is), are so multifarious that the mind is long
tea eetaleishnient shall have been completed. The two we• general reflection's, however, to be gathered baffled in its attempts to reduce them to scientific order or
tee. th, refute. as they now stand, form an effective force of from the moral of the volume, which in- classification.
:.•
''.' vs -' men ; and when their full strength shall have been e,,,,„„, a It would appear, however, that the street-people may be I
te: el up, a will amount to 480,000. Besides these six armies •r``', -or-, and should whisper courage to the all arranged under six distinct genera or kinds.
teeli I lee* men The traits o noble brotherhood These are severally :-1. Street-sellers ;2. Street-buyers ;
th, re an four detached corps : one on the island of Crete, loom reionner.
c ....i.t-, at three regiments of infantry and one of cavalry, that redeem even the lowest, abound, and are re- 3. Street-finders; 4. Streeeperfermera, artists, and show-
: another in the pashalik of Tripoli, m corded with a genuine feeling of sympathy. That men ;3. Street-artisans,or working pedlars and, G. Street-
-1 labourers.
*nes, ow/mooed of one regiment of infantry and one of
f„,e .4Y. about .1,000 strong; a third at Tunis, of the same it is the poor who succour the poor, 3lr. Nlayhew
As an example of the heart-rending. struggles
7,11. ah: anal a fourth, which is the central artillery turps, will willingly bear witness. That faults are met
.nu. 3of brigade of sappers and miners, with engineerwithchange; chat elf. • has its full meed of which serve as a background to the glittering wealth
s enng and prosperity of London, we extract an account of
C.N41... the veteran artillery brigade, and permanent sympathy ; that honour to one another marks the
are"l'e7 fearraoris of the fortresses OD the Hellespont. the intercourse of men who wage war upon the public THE CRIPPLED NUTMEG-GRATER SELLER.
. I now give an example of one of the classes driven to the
L'Pherue the Danube, in Serbia, on the Adriatic, the
"'et of A.i./ bleier, in the islands of the Ale I o and nerally, are facts which we are happy to glean streets by utter inability to labour. I have already spoken
on the eathe '
We
''g
.of the sterling independence of some of these men possessing
TL'e f r°
shore
of the Black Sea ; in all S'tli)° mea' And then as to the
ram the hopeful lessons in the volume before us.
'ar eon% raiM the effective strength of the standingen faults and crimes to be recorded the strongest claims to our sympathy and charity, and yet
any, to 100.000 men. Besides this addition, another aug- of the struggling, starving eostermonger and his preferring to sell rather than beg. As I said before, many
ingrained beggars certainly use the street trade as a cloak
au utetiou of 32.000 men will be realised by the submission companions.
Arcand not these, generally, only COILTSe
far alins-seeking, but as certainly many more, with every
',•," . increase of 40,000 men, whom Serbia has engaged to •
• imitations of more respectable trespassers ? The cos-
title to our assistance, use it as a means of redemption from
iennonger, with his bad fish, is but a COHTSC copy of beggary. That the nutmeg-grater seller is a noble example
e.ireeil. may he calculated, 34 well as 18,000 men serving is ,
t !rt. *llO are aeseinea to reinforce the reserve of the fifth ilso respectable grocer with his sanded sugar; and of the fatter class, I have not the least doubt. I have made
, and workmen enrolled a
,kee The marines, sailors, i has the repulsive vagrant, with his abandoned woman, all due inquiries to satisfy. myself as to his worthiness, and
li,ral ea 4of armed •
r4.4:4,.. amuunt to 31,000 men • and the police force, nograllel in classes many removes above him?
F itc,l all over the empire, is nearly 30,000 strong. The I feeconvinced that when the reader looks at the portrait
hereggiven, and observes how utterly helpless the poor fel-
volume is confined to a description of I •
- andllow is, and then reads the following plain unvarnished tale,
i, er hee , . men at the
.disposal ofTurks y be will marvel like mc, not only at the fortitude which
in the the classesepre"Wnhto get their living in the streets ;
~.. ,
be :lama resources being called into play, may
s•
,
''''''re foisted at no less than 661,000 men, withoutinto could sustain him under all his b,ea afflictions but at the
the in c marks on the two races . . . lee ,
• trodu to 7 re
"..,..: r• `verse to occasional levies, which are more easily which Mr. May ew divides the labouring classes of 1 resignation (not to say philosophy) with which ke bears thNn
I atta. ally realised in Turkey team in another • y
and will give the reader an idea of the philoso- , ever/ one. His struggles to earn his own living (notwith-
therel standing his physical incapacity even to put the victua:s to
are some Rood hints to be learned from the pine spirit in which this important task is tip- his mouth after he has earned Oscan), are instance' of a no-
aelllues account the preached : bility of pride that are I believe without a parallel. The
TURKISH COURTS-MARTIAL. Or WANDERING TRIBES IN GENERAL, rot. creature's legs and arms arc completely withered ; in-
The lard forces are ender the orders ofthe eei Of the thousand milieus of human beings that are said to , deed he is scarcely more than head and trunk. His thigh
Sres er,
--, i• the miaiste population of the entire globe, there are— ,is hardly thicker than a child's wrist. His hands are bent
ie. Ir. i. . r-at-war as well as the commander-in- constitute the .
lb, . , ~ is assisted by • supremo or italic council socially, morally, and perhaps even physically. considered— , inward from contraction of the sinews, the fingers being
te " ea)• It is presided oer by a field-marshal, and but two distinct arid broadly marked races, , the wan- I curled up and almost as thin as the claws of a bird's foot.
. a—a Kasioakier, or president of the supreme driers and the settlers—the vagabond and the citizen—the He is unable .
tete et. .even to stand, and cannot move from place to
te, „.„ Justice, who bee the right of veto—is taken nom nomadic and the civilized tribes. Between these two ex- , place but on his knees, winch, are shod with leather caps;
. puc: el, or magistracy. The latter watches over the tresses, however, ethnologists recognise a mediate variety, I like the heels of a clog, strapped round the joint ; the sole
t°,'„". eh'''n of the law in Criminal eases which are tried by parts
of the attributes of both. There is not only the of his boots are on the upper leathers, that being the part
"4+1.,.1 and he is responsible of -hunters and mattufaeturers—those who live by always
turned towards the ground while he is crawliag '
raved b.. . e for the general measures race
lite„ 3lt brag is hermony with the letter and spirit of shooting and fishing, and those who live those roducing—but, aleng. Jima countenance is rather handsome than other-
e...."-a ofuropradence. There are not many armies in say, they, there are also the herdsmen, or wholes by wise•• the intelligence indicated by his ample forehead is
t...•"rale'which would not derive advantage from the imitate ' and feeding, what they consume. full 'borne out b the testimony as to hissagacity in his
y y
-"tilii
special ' ' • ` °du*of lit claws has its 'and distinctive phy- business, and the mild expression of his eye by the state-1
tb. institution The military members of Bach me
'411161 are two tie •
istenantannenls, with four official dal as will as moral " There are in ass- meats as to his feeling for all hers in affliction.

the development of those ; (3) to
tribe there is generally a wandering horde attached ; (4)
such wandering hordes have frequently a different language
from the more civilised portion of the community, and that
adopted with the intent of concealing their designs and ex-
ploits from them.
It is curious that no one has as yet applied the above
facts to the explanation of certain anomalies in the present
state of society among ourselves. That we, like the liattlrs,
bellahs and linos, aro surrounded by wandering hordes
—the " Sonquas" and the " Flagon" of this country
paupers, beggars, and outcasts, possessing nothing but what
they acquire by depredation from the industrious, provident,
and cividned portion of the community ;—that the heads of
these nomades are remarkable for the greater development
of the jaws and cheek-bones rather than those of the head;
and that they have a secret language of their ow^
. . _ „
eo

...onsultation was _ to decide ow wl steps
taken to oppose the progress of the sickness. Ono man in
every seventy is no unusual occurrence in the hospitals of
the British army; and as for the Russians, they thought
little of 12,000 who died at Bucharest in 1829, 10,000 at
Varna, and 6,000 at Adrianople. The Turkish clothing is
excellent; it is strung an warm. The uniform is plain and
neat—dark blue, with red facings, excepting the cavalry and
artillery of the 2nd Ordts, who wear red jackets, and in the
ltd, 4th, sth, and 6th, purple, brown, fawn-coloured, and
Nett blue. The officers have geld epaulettes, and lace on
tl~elr collars and cuffs, according to their rank. Their rations
OM included in their pay, which is as follows :
Piastres per mouth. Per annum.
Field-marshal (.llushir)
Lieutenant - general (Ferik),
while in command of a corps
Ditto while in command of his
sole division
Major-generals (Lire)
Colonels(Miralia
Lieutenant-colonels (k asepses) 2,000 „ 220
Majors (Biabutlis)
Adjutants (Colayers) 7OO ~ 75
Captains (IsszbasAi)
Lieutenants (Mulaziss)
Ensigns (ifulazina Sans)
Serjeants-maiors (Bosh faharsh) 80 besides rations.
Serpents (Taharsh)
Corporals (Onbashi)
By this table it would appear that the superior officers
are overpaid, and the inferior officers underpaid.
The army estimates are 2,000,0001. per annum, and those
of the navy 800,0001.
Mr. Skene's pamphlet is a very instructiae and
timely publication, just as every lover of freedom
sad fair play is hoping that Turkey may be none the
worse for her protection and promised liberation of
the illustrious Kossuth.

kind," says Dr. Pritchard, " three principal varieties in the d " I sell =tenet-graters and funneb," said the cripple to lme and never pay Mt. The never made game of
form of the head and other physical characters. Among me ; " I sell them at Id. and lid. a-piece. I get mine of played me any tricks, and if they saw the boys doing ft
the rudest tribes of men—the hunters and savage inhabit- the man in whose house I live. lie is a unman, and makes they would protect me. They never offered to give me nd
ants of forests, dependent for their supply of food on the fur the street-trade and shops and all. Ipi 7d. a dozen ' victuals; indeed, I should't have liked to have eaten the
accidental produce of the soil and the chase—a form of for them, and I get led. or 18d. per dozen, if I can, when I food they. got. After that I couldn't pay my lodgings, and
head is prevalent which is meetly distinguished by the term sell them, but I mostly get only a penny ~piece—it'se—it's quite the parties where I lodged turned me out, and I had to
"prognathous" indicating a prolongation or extension fur- a chance if I have a customer at 11J. Some lays I sell only crawl about the streets fur four days and nights. This was
ward of the jaws. A second shapeof the head belonrs three—some days not one—though Pin oat (ruin ten o'clock only a month back. I was St to die with pain all that time.
principally to such rues as wander with their herds and till six. Thu most I ever took was 3s. la a day. Soma If I could get a penny I used to go into a coffee-shop for
flocks over vast plains ; these nations have broad lounge- weeks I hardly clear my expanses—and they're between 7s. half-a-pint of coffee, and sit thero till they drove me out,
shaped faces (owing to the great development of the cheek and Bs. a-week • for not being able to drain and mares' my- and then I'd crawl about till it was time for me to go out
bones), and pyramidal skulL. The most civilised races, on self, Pm obligated to pay some one to do it for me—l think selling. Oh ! dreadful, dreadful, it was to be all them hours—
the other hand—those who live by the arts of cultivated I don't clear more than 7s. a-week, take one week with ' day and night—on my knees. I couldn't get along at all, I
life,—have a shape of the head which differs from both of another. When I dont make that much, Igo without— was forced to sit down every minute, and then I used to fall
those above mentioned. The characteristic form of the sometimes friends who arc kind to me give me a trifle, or asleep with my things in my hand, and be woke up by
skull among these nations may be tcrmedoval or elliptical." else I should starve. As near as I can judge, I take about the police to bo pushed about and dray on by them.
These three forms of head, however, clearly admit of 18s. a-week, and out of that I clear about ia. or 7s. I pay It seemed like as if I was walking on the hare bones
being reduced to two broadly-marked varieties, according for my meals as I have them-3d. er 4d. a mead. I pay of my knees. The - ' in them was like the •

everylaight for my lodging as I go in, if I ean, but if not
my landlandly lets it run a night or two. I give her Is. a-
week for my washing and looking after me, and Is. &I. for
my lodging. When Ido very well I have three meals
a-day, bu: it's oftener only two—breakfast and supper—
unless of Sunday. On a wet day, when I can't get out,
I often go without food. I may have a bit of bread
and butter given me, but that's all—then I lie a-bed.
I fell miserable enough when I see the rain come down of a
11 week day' I can tell you. Ah, it is very miserable indeed
lying in bed all day, and in a lonely room, without perhaps
a Peron to come near one—helpless as I am—and hear the
rain boat against the windows, and all that without nothing
to put in your lips. I've done that over and over again
where I lived before ; but where I am now I am more com-
fortable like. My breakfast is mostly breac and butter and
tea ; and my supper, bread and butter end tea with a bit
of fish, or a small bit of meat. What my Landlord and land-
lady has I share with them. I never break my fast from
the time I go out in the morning till I come home—unless
it is a halfpenny orange I buy in the street; I do that when'
I feel faint. I have only been selling in the streets since
this last winter. I was in the workhouse with a fever all
the summer. I was destitute afterwards, and obliged to
begin selling in the streets. The guardians gave me ss. to
get stock. I had always dealt in tin ware, so I knew where to
go to buy my things. It's very hard work indeed is street-
selling fur such as me. I can't walk no distance. I suffer
a great deal of pains in my back and knees. Sometimes I
go in a barrow, when I'm travelling any great way. When
Igo only • short way I crawl along on my knees and
toes. The most I've ever crawled is two miles. When
I get home afterwards, I'm in great pain. My knees
swell dreadfully, and they're all covered with blisters, and
my toes ache awful. I've corns all on top of them.
" Often after I've been walking, my limbs and back ache
so badly that I can get no sleep. Across my lines it feels es
if I'd got some great weight, and my knees are in a heat,
j and throb, and feel as if a knife was -- + into them.

running into
When I go up-stairs I have to crawl upon the back of my
hands and my knees. I can't lift nothing to my mouth.
The sinews of my hands is all contracted. I am obliged to
have things held to my lips for me, to drink, like a child.
I can use a knife and fork by leaning my arm on the table
and then stooping my head to it. I can't wask nor ondress
myself. Sometimes I think of my helplessness a great deal.
The thoughts of it used to throw me into fits at one time—
'. bad. It's the Almighty's will that I am so, and I must
•

very bad. a+
abide by it. People says, cc they passes me in the streets,
Poor fellow, it's n shocking thing; but very seldom they
does any more than pity me ; some lays out a half-penny
or a penny with me, but the most of 'eta goes on
about their business. Persons looks at me a good bit when
I go into a strange place. I do feel it very much that I
haven't the power to get my living or to do a thing for my-
self, but I never begged for nothing. I'd sooner starve
than I'd do that. I never thou.rht that people whom God
bad given the power to help thcirselves ought to help me.
I have thought that I'm as I am—obliged to go on my
hands and knees, from no fault of my awn. Often
I've done that, and I've over and over again laid in
bed and wondered why the Almighty should send me into
the world in such a state ; often I've done that on a wet day,
with nothing to cat and no friend to come a nigh me. Whim
I've r along the street+, too, and been in pain, I've

pain . cram p,
only much worse. At last I could bear it no longer, so I
I went afore Mr. Seeker, the magistrate, at Union-hall, and
told him I was destitute, and that the parties where I had
been living kept my bell and the few things I had for 25.6 d.
rent, that I owed them. He said he couldn't believe that
anybody would force me to crawl about the streets, for
four days and nights, cripple as I was, for such a sum. One
of the officers told him I was a honest and striving man,
and the magistrate sent the officer, with the money, to get
my things, but the landlady wouldn't give them till the
officer compelled her, and then she chucked my bed out
int.) the middle of the street. A neighbour took it in for
me and took care of it till I found out the tinman who had
before let mo sit up in his house. I should have
gone to him at first, but he lived farther than I
could walk. I am stopping with him now, and he
is very kind to me. I have still some relations
living, and they arc well to do, but, being a cripple,
they despise me. My aunt, my mother's sister, is married
to a builder, in Petersham, near Richmond, and they are
rich people—having some houses of their own besides a good
business. I have got a boy to wheel me down on a barrow
to them, and asked assistance of them, but they will have
nothing to do with ma. They won't look at me for my af-
fliction. Six months ago they gave me halta-crown. I had
no lodgings nor victuals then ; and that I shouldn't habe
had from them had I not said I was starving and must go
to the parish. This winter I went to them, and they shut
the door in my face. After leaving my aunt's, I went down
to Ilam Common, where my father-in-law lives, and there
bis daughter's husband sent for • policeman to drive me
away from the place. I told the husband I had no money
nor food ; but lie advised me to go begging, and said I
shouldn't have a penny of them. My father-in-law was ill up
stairs at the time, but I don't think he would have treated
me a bit better—aud all this they do because the Al-
mighty has made me a crpple. I can, indeed, solemnly
say, there is nothing else against me, and that I strive hard
and crawl about till my limbs ache enough to drive me
mad, to 'an honest livelihood. With • couple of pounds

.411 get ...
I could, I think, manage to shift very well for-myself. I'd
get a stock, and go into the country with a barrow, and
buy old metal, and exchange tin ware for old clothes, and,
with that, almost sure I could get a decent living. I'm
accounted a very good dealer."
The photographic portraits scattered throughout
the volume arc valuable for their absolute truth to
nature.

The Paper-Hanger's and Upholsterer's Guide. By JAMES
AIthOWSMITII. Dean and Son. The object of this pub-
lication is expressed in the title. Its immediate cause th
author tells us in the following words The removal
of the duty formerly charged on paper stained, basin
led to a large consumption of that article, and caused it
to be now used in numberless situations which heretofore
had not been contemplated, these circumstances have in-
duced the author of this treatise to tender his informa-
tion, under tho impression that its contents may be
acceptable to the trade of which he is a member."

e gone
thought, as I've seen the people-
papa insight up, with all
the use of their limbs, and some of diem the biggest black-
Ca, musing and swearing, I've thought, Why should I
sfdePrived of the use of mine ? and I've fc:t angry like,
mil perhaps at that moment I couldn't bring my mind to
IMlism the Almighty was so good and merciful as I'd heard
atty ; bat then in a minute or two afterwards I've prayed to
Itlsa to make mo better and happier in the next world.
No always been led to think he's afflicted me as He has
IM some wise purpose or another that 1 can't see. I think
as mine is so hard a life in this world, I shall be better off
in the next. Often when I couldn't afford to pay a boy,
I've not had my boots off for four or five nights and days,
nor my clothes neither Give me the world I couldn't take
them off myself, and then my feet has swollen to that degree
that I've been nearly mad with pain, and I've been shiver-
ing and faint, but still I was obliged to go out with my
things ; if I hadn't I should have starved. Such as lam
can't afford to he ill—it's only rich folks as can lay up, not
we ; far us to take to our beds is to go without food alto-
gether. When I was without never a boy, I used to tie
the wet towel round the back of one of the chairs, and wash
myself by rubbing my face up against it. I've been two
days without a bit of anything passing between my lips. I
couldn't go and beg for victuals—l'd rather go without.
Then I used to feel faint, and my head used to ache dread-
ful. I used then to drink a plenty of water. The women
sex is mostly more kinder to me than the men. Some of the
men fancies, as I goes along, that I can walk. They °Replays
to me, 'Why, the 'picot your boot is as muddy as mine ;land
one on 'em is, because I always rests myselfon that foot—the I
other sole, you see, is as clean as when it wu first made. The
women never seem frightened on me. My trade is to sell
brooms and brushes, and all kinds of cutlery and tin-ware.
I learnt it myself. I never was brought up to nothing, be- I
cause I couldn't use my hands. Mother was a cook in a
nobleman's family when I were born. They say as I was a
love child. I was not brought up by mother, but by one of
her fellow-servants. Mother's intellects was so weak that
she couldn't have me with her. She used to fret a great
deal about me, so leer fellow-servant took me when she got
married. After I were born, mother married a farmer in
middling circumstances. They tell me as my mother was
frightened afore I was bore. I never knew my father. He
went over to Buenos Ayres, and kept an hotel there—
I've heard mother say as much. No mother couldn't
love a child more than mine did me, but her feel-
I lags was such she couldn't bear to see me. I never
went to mother's to live, but was brought up by the fellow-
servant as l've told you of. Mother allowed her 30/. e-
ras. I was with her till two years back. She was always
very kind to me—treated me like one of her own. Mother
used to come and see me about once a-year—sometimes not
Molten: she was very kind to me then. Oh, yes; I used
to like to see her very much. Whatever I wished for she'd
let me have; if I wrote to her, she always sent me
what I wanted. I was very comfortable then. Mother
died four years ago, and when I lost her I fell into a fit—l
was told of it all of a sudden. She and the party as I was
brought up with was the only friends as I had in the world
—the only persons as cared anything about a creature like
me. I was in a fit for hours, and when I came to I thought
what would become of me : I knew I could do nothing for
myself, and the only friend as I had as could keep me was
gone. The person as brought me up was very good,
and said, while she'd got a home I should never want; but,
two year's after mother's death, she was seized with the
cholera, and then I hadn't a friend left in the world. When
she died I felt ready to kill myself; I was all alone then,
and what could I do—cripple as I was ? She thought her
sons and daughters as I'd been brought up with—like
brothers and sisters—would look after me ; but it was not
in their power—they was only hard-working people. My
mother used to allow so much a year for my schooling, and
I can read and write pretty well." (Ile wrote his name in
my presence kneeling at the table; holding the pen almost
as one might fancy a bird would, and placing the paper
sideways instead of straight before him.) " While mother
was alive, I was always foraging about to learn something
unbeknown to her. I wanted to do so, in case mother should
leave me without the means of getting a living. I used to buy
old bedsteads, and take them to a man, and get him to repair
them, and then I'd put the sacking on myself; I can
hold a hammer somehow in my right hand. I used to
polish them on my knees. I made a bench to my height
out of two old chairs. I used to know what I should get
for the bedsteads, and so could tell what I could afford to
give the man to do up the parts as I couldn't manage. It
was so I got to learn something like a business for myself.
When the person died as had brought me up, I could do a
little ; I had then got the means. Before her death I had
opened a kind of shop for things in the general line ; I sold
tinware, and brass-work, and candlesticks, and fire-irons,
and all old furniture, and gown-prints as well. I went into
the tally business, and that ruined me altogether. I couldn't
get my money in ; there is a good deal owing to me now.
Me and a boy used to manage the whole. I used to make
all my account-books and everything. My lodvrs didn't
pay me my rent, so I had to move from the house,
and live on what stock I bad. In m new lodging
I went on as well as I could for a little while ; but about
eighteen months ago I could hold on no longer. Then I
borrowed a little, and went hawking tin-ware and brushes
in the country. I sold baking-dishes, Dutch ovens, roast-
ing-jacks, skewers and gridirons, teapots, and saucepans,
and combs. I used to exchange sometimes for old clothes.
I had a barrow and a boy with me ; I used to keep him,
and give him Is. a week. I managed to get just a living
that way. When the winter came on I gave it up; it was
too cold. After that I was took bad with a fever ;my stock
had been all gone a little while before, and the boy had
left because I could'nt keep him, and I had to do all for
myself. All my friends was dead, and I had no one to help
me, so I was obligated to lay about all night in my things,
for I couldn't get them off alone ; and that and want of food
brought on a fever. Then I was took into the work-
house, and there I stopped all the summer, as I told
you. I can't say they treated me bad, but they certainly
did't use mo well. If I could have worked after I got bet-
ter, I could have bad tea ; but 'cause I couldn't do nothing,
they gave me that beastly gruel morning and night. I had
meat three times a week. The would have kept me there
till now, but I would die in the streets rather than be a
pauper. So I told them, if they would give me the means
of gettinf a stock, I would try and get a living for myself.
Afterrefusing many times to let me have 10s., they agreed
to give me Ss. Then I came oat, but I had no home, and
so I crawled about till I met with the people where I am
now, and they let me sit up there till I got a room of my
own. Then some of my friends collected for me about 1.5 e.
altogether, and I did pretty well for a little while. I went to
live close by the Blackfrian-road, but the people where I
lodged treated me very bad. There was a number of girls of the
town in thesame street, but they was too fond of their selves
and their drink to give nothing. They used to bay things of

TILE ASCENT OF MONT BLANC.

saw the first sitilalui Of morning reddening the cad, Wh;2l
the moon began gradually to pale her ineffectual fire. How
I be, to feel a most oppressive tightness in the head ; It,
however, went quite off before I reached the top. Much
has been said of the rarity of the air, and, of course, there
must be a great deal in it, for ie barometer differs 13
inches at the top of Mont Blanc, so net a common one can-
not be used for an experiment, and I can answer for its be-
ing uncommonly dry. I saw one man much affected by
nausea in consequence, but it is my firm opinion that one
gains more than one loses by the lightness of the atmos-
phere, and I doubt whether in common air the same labour
could be undergone. We still pursued our zig-zag course,
which I again repeat I cannot attempt to describe.
One place I shall never forget. A largo square mass of
snow,—which to say the least considerably enlarged my
ideas, though not sufficiently so to enable me to realise its
massiveness,—about as large as a hundred of the largest
houses I ever saw (as it appeared) leant over our way ; to
give you a little idea of its size, if it had f Men it would have
completely covered the whole of our single file, consisting
of about 3$ people, ono behind the other at some distance,
attached by ropes to each other. As I was regarding it in
utter astonishment, my guide touched me, and pointing to
a crevasse between it and us whispered, 'There three guides
were lost the year before last,' and I heard a guide sav to
my friend behind, Here it was I lost my father.' Vote
may imagine how all this tended to add the intensest solem-
nity to the scene, and, if anything was wanted to increase
it, it was found in the advice of my guides not to speak, fur
fear of bringing down an avalanche, though this I suspect is
humbug.
. .

The sun was now risen, and glad I was to see his light
on the height above. The party now assumed their blue
and green spectacles to protect their eyes, and on we went
till we reached the Route Rouge, where we rested a few
minutes in the sun. Here I became completely myself again,
having really. suffered considerably, though I repeat I was
never better in my life than I am now. My two friends were
also perfectly well. Mr. Albert Smith was perfectly done
up, and had to be dragged the rest of the way. His courage
was such as I have never yet seen. It was curious to look
at each other ; every one was perfectly black in the face ; of
course, I could not see my own, but once when! took army
lined fur gloves my hands were as black as ink, though the
curious effect was unattended with pain, the real difficulty
being to resist sleep, to which if you yielded, you would
never awake. Passing round the Route Rouge, the dome of
Mont Blanc, which is as regular as St. Paula, came in sight,
and I felt as if I could have climbed him were he twice as
far off. The whole of our steps were now cut with a hatchet
in the ice, and the being tied together was of the greatest
use, having saved each of our lives about three times, for if
you slipped you were immediately held up and saved from
going down into some yawning crevice. At nine o'clock in
the morning we stepped on the top, and you must endea-
vour to conceive the thrill of delight—shaking hands all
round, congratulating each other, opening champagne
bottles, lighting :cigars, pulling chickens to pieces, and all
the effects of the wildest transport. Having partly recovered
from this, I proceeded to examine the view, of which I shall
only say it had the appearance of a large sea, of which the
waves were mountaintops, fir, fur below me, each mountain
like a small wave, and yet each mountain one of the highest
in Europe. I shall wait till I can talk to you to give some
of my impressions. I thought of you all at home just sitting
doom to breakfast, and how little you thought where my
mother's son was at that time.

" Without the slightest inconvenience we stopped at the
top about 21 minutes, tilled with interesting thoughts, and
we were told that, the glasses basing discovered that we
were at the top, the cannons pealed away at Chamouni to
announce the fact, though we did not hear them. I was
also told below that Sir It. Peel had watched us all night
(having arriv,d just after we started) with a glass, and
kete all the people of the place drinking our healths all
night. Ile had gone before we reached the bottom. Again
we started to descend, which, as the track was marked
already, was quicker work, especially as we slid, sitting
down whenever it was safe to do so. One of the
guides all but slid into a crevasse, but not the
slightest accident occurred during the whole of our
journey. The sliding down was splendid fun, after
the work of walking. Some places were nearly perpen-
dicular, and I am sure even on a railway I never went so
fast. Some ladies who watched us with the glasses from
Chamouui quite gave us up fur lost, saying that they saw
little dots falling with tremendous velocity down the preci-
pices, which must have been the effect produced, for in.
ascending the glasses could not perceive any progress in our
dots. This will giveyou some idea of our speed. In de-
scending the guides pulled up to look at a very remarkable
sight, through a tremendous wall of ice, which seemed to
end in the sky ; a large mature' arch hod formed itself in
tho bluest crystal, through which you looked down a
seemingly interminable lcpth of rallies till your eye lost
itself in the distance. T sis struck me as much as anything,
particularly as the arch tarough which you caught thu view
was comparatively of very small span, or rather as small as
things are up in those regions, where you lose all idea of
comparison.
"On we went—walking, running, sliding, crouching, ad-
vancing in all possible ways—till we came to the Cascade
des Pelerins, once more in the habitable world, where we
found a large party to congratulate us. I might also mention
that crossing the glacier on our return was the most dan-
gerous proceeding ; we had nearly to run, it being unsafe
to continue in one position long, and jumping over small
crevices ; clearing one of these, the man who held me
behind by the rope in his anxiety, pulled the rope short,
and I was suspended in the little crevice, but directly pulled
up again (the reason of the increased danger was the soften-
ing of the thawed snow, into which we sank to our waists
at each step).
" The news of a party having ascended Mont Blanc
brought hundreds of people to Chamouni, and, molly against
our will, we were forced to enter on mules in triumph (as
Mr. Albert Smith remarked, We are once more on the
Oran& Mulcts'.) You may imagine the enthusiasm, when
I tell you that directly we came in sight cannons were tired
in a manner regardless of expense. If we entered a wood
we were sure to be saluted directly wo came in sight;
again, if we turned a corner, ditto ; and two nice girls,
otherwise shy, rushed frantically and seized both my hands ;
all the streets of Chamouni were crowded, bands of music,
fireworks, cannons, all going off at once, and, having
arrived at the hotel court, we saw a regular little altar pre-
pared with candles, flowers, and champagne, which the
master of the hotel made us drink—to be looked at—when
I was uncommonly glad to escape and get into a bath and
proceed to dinner. Next morning I left Chamouni, and
really almost cried whilst shaking hands all round with the
guides—splendid fellows, with whom I could go anywhere.
" C. U. FLovn."

(Extract of a letter train Geneva.)
"To commence, then. Myself and two of our reading
party (by name Philip and Sackville West) were one day
rowing on the Lake of Geneva, when the glories of Mont
Blanc suddenly appeared to us; from that moment our
fate was decided, and with one accord we agreed to ascend
it on the first favourable opportunity, and as it so hap-
pened, the man with whom I intended to take a little !
trip after our reading was over had put off our engage-1
meat, so that I was at liberty to do what I liked. Hav- I
ing relieved you from all fears about my health, &c., I
will go on, and if I cannot impress you with all the sa-
tisfaction I feel at what I have done, you must set it
down to my bad pen, my bad eyes, and the impossibility
'of doing such a subject the least justice. On arriving at
Chamouni we immediately made the necessary arrange-
ments with the guides and porters who should form uur
caravan, for by no other name can I call our company, and
had nothing to do but to wait for a tine day. It seemed
quite hopeless. However, we commenced a pretty rapid
training, under the direction of the guide, though, as we
' were in excellent health, that was hardly necessary. Having
during three days mounted all the hills about, and being,
as the guide assured us, as up to the work as any ono who
had ever exceeded, we were still doomed to disappointment,
the rain falling in torrents, and (as we never forgot our
reading) we had already agreed that we should not be justi-
fied in staying lodger, and hail actually made arrangements
to return the next morning, when the weather suddenly
cleared up, and our hopes revived. Chamouni was all in a
bustle to see us off. The weather continued fine, and, as a
crowning subject of congratulation, Albert Smith, the au-
thor, joined our party for the ascent ; and to him we owe a
great deal of the vast amount of pleasure that we enjoyed.
Having left our directions to our several homes behind us,
we were at last off. It was half-past 7 o'clock when our
party of four amateurs, 16 guides, and several porters
and volunteers, having " assisted" at a breakfast laid out
in the court of the hotel, started, and really it was a tine
sight, the people of the hotel showing every imaginable
civility—the peasants wishing us bon. voyage —and our
guides (splendid fellows) leading the the way with their long
poles and various equipments. Having passed the village
and its immediate environs we commenced a steep rocky
ascent parallel with the Glacier des Bensons. The guides
now commenced picking up sticks for our fire at the Grands
Mulcts, which, you know, is the rock on which we should
have to sleep. Still pursuing the same course, we came to
the Echelle, so called from a holder always being kept there
to cross the crevices. Here we halted to breakfast, and to
prepare for our more arduous task. Having devoureelseveral
chickens, which we mangled with our lingers, according to
our wants, and ' polished off' some excellent Burgundy, we
started afresh, and went on ascendingpart to the point from SUICIDE OF A LADY AT CIIELTENHAM.—On Weds
which we crossed the laciers ; but this of our j
cannot really be described: The tremendous masses oournef greeny nesday night an inquest was held before J. Barnett, Esq.,
ice—tke awful crevices—the sky, from no darker contrast upon the remains of Mrs. Colonel Crowther, a lady who
than the snow, looking a deep blue—the long file of travel- moved in the first circle of society at Cheltenham, and who
lore, all tied with a ro together—all made it a most im- committed suicide on the same day by throwing herself
premise sight, which Imam glad to say I could perfectly en-
from one of the upper windows of her house, No. 6, St.
;Margaret's-terrace, Cheltenham. The inquest was held in
joy, not feeling in any degree tired. Some of the crevices
the drawing-room of the mansion, which has been the family
we crossed by a ladder being thrown across them, and
walking on the crossbars ; some we crossed on little bridges residence for a number of years past. From the
of frozen snow, and one was a very peculiar one—the evidence of Dr. Arnett, the family physician, the
ladder had to be placed nearly perpendicularly from the nurse, Mrs. Halberts, and the butler, Robert Wilson,
lower part on which we stood, resting on a huge wall of it appeared that the deceased was the widow of the
ice, separated front us by a tremendous crevice, so that, late Col. the 27th Fusiliers. The deceased,
mounting on the ladder, you looked down into an endless Crowther, of
who was a corpulent woman, was turned of sixty years of
depth below you, and, as the ladder was not long enough age, and weighed upwards of 17 stone,. has for a length of
to surmount the wall, steps were cut from its top into a time past been labouring under bronchitis, and has evinced
ice with a hatchet. By walking in this kind of way till 4 evident symptoms of insanity, so much so, that Dr. Arnett
o'clock, we reached the Grands Mulcts, where we had to gave strict orders that she should not be left by herself for
stop the night, or rather a few hours between that time one moment, and that a watch should be placed on all her
and 12 o'clock at night. All the time glasses had been motions. About a month or three weeks ago, Mrs. Colonel
directed towards us from Chamouni, and on placing our Crowther, for the benefit of change of air, as well as to
feet on the rock we were saluted by guns below, which divert her mind, proceeded to London to see the Exhibi-
wore fired to announce our arrival thus far.
and plain ac-" I assure you that iu writing this shorttion, during which period she was in much better health
and spirits, but, unfortunately, having caught cold on her
went I feel so excited that I canhardly'expreas myself; but return house, she has been confined to the house ever since
to return to our muttons, or rather chickens, our arrival was that period, and has been in a low desponding state. On
the signal for unloading' grub' of all descriptions, and well Tuesday the deceased lady became exceedingly restless, and
did we do justice to the fare—all in high spirits—and songs talked wildly about the anniversary of her dear husband's
and stories passed round uncommonly quick, of course chiefly death, when she observed too one of the i
sservans that " she
started by Albert Smith, who, again 1 repeat, is in the ver- would have to lay her out t-morrow, as she ntedd to
secular tongue ' a tremendous brick.' Our wants being celebrate the anniversary of her late husband'sdeatte" About
satisfied, while the guides were bustling about to arrauge
night quarters we were at liberty to look about us; but I three o'clock on Wednesday afternoon, Mrs. Crowther con-
neednot say lam utterly unable to convey to you the faint- trived to elude the vigilance of her nurse, Mrs. Rotten% and
cot idea of tho imposing process of sunset up there. Fancy
proceeded from the drawing-room to her bedroom on the
third story, when she immediately double-locked the door,
yourself on a rock descending nearly perpendicularly ; sit- and got out upon the window-sill, whin she precipitated
ting on a ledge ; snow above and snow below ; the shades herself into the court yard below, a height of 60 feet from
gathering, the light turning fromguld topurple, from purple the ground. Her head came into contact with the wall,
to lilac, from blue to green, lilac, grey—lit fact, to all colours which fractured her skull in the most dreadful manner ;
the sky can assume ; the solemn silence only interrupted by her right arm was also broken, but her face was uninjured;
occasional avalanches booming behind us, the wide prospect and when the jury proceeded to her bed room, where tho
,ot country i—funcy all this, and you can have not even an remains were placed, there was not the slightest percep-
idea not the faintest conceptson, of the really awful tible alteration in the features—indeed she appeared as if
grandeur of the scene, When all was ready to attempt to in a profound sleep. The sister-in-law of the deceased, Mrs.
sleep, the guides lit a fire before us, and I mused myself to Wynford, who was residing with her, immediately missed
sleep by talking, listening to the stories still KW, g on her relative from the drawing-room, and ran up stairs to
her beclroom ; but finding the door locked she besame
around me, watching the flickering flame that lighted up
dreadfully alarmed, and called the butler. Just as the
the splendid figures of our guides, who stood round it sing -
rasing myselfbutler entered the room he saw the legs of his mistress in
ing choruses remarkably well ; occasionally
on my elbow to catch a last glimpse of the remaining lights the air ; he then ran down stairs, and proceeded to the yard
in the west ; and last not least, lookiug at the summit of with the nurse and one of the upper servants. The deceased
that Mont Blanc which had jest caught the moon, changing then breathed twice, and instantly expired in their arms.
all the mountains from a purple to a pure silver. I must The above were the leading facts of the case as elicited
also mention that a couple of guides went on straight with in the evidence before the coroner, who briefly summed
up, when the jury returned a verdict of " temporary ins
lanterns to track out the snow and try it for our departure
sanity."
at twelve o'clock, and their lanterns glimmering in the
snowy distance looked like spirits of the mountain disturbed THE SCREW STEAMER FRANKFORT.—The splendid
by our intrusion. The rest of the party assured me they new screw-steamer Frankfort, lately launched by Messrs.
could not sleep. I was lucky enough to enjoy three John Reid and Co., of Port Glasgow, arrived in the Mersey
hours of the soundest slumber, and awoke only at eleven at a late hour on Monday evening week, and has since then
o'clock to start afresh. I wonder now that I did not think attracted marked attention, and excited much admiration
of the really hard day's work before me ; for from 12 o'clock be her fine proportions and evidently swift-sailing powers.
that night we were to rest only a few minutes till we had The Frankfurt hoe been built for alr. Frederick Chapple,
ascended to the top, and returned all the way to Chamouni of the firm of Messrs. Vienna, Jones, and Co., of Liverpool,
once more. Though the view was finer from the Grands and is intended to ply between that port and the blediter-
Mulcts, and from the summit, I found the walk (by the rancan, under the command of Captain G. Corbett, who has
light of the full moon) which now followed by far the must long traded in that sea. She is fitted with the screw lately
unearthly I ever saw in my life. The crevices along the patented by Mr. John Beattie, and now first practically
edge of which we passed were now still more tremendous. attempted in the Frankfort. This patent consists in placing
Your eye could not fathom the depth, and of course they the screw entirely aft of the rudder, an arrangement which
were far too wide to cross. Above you towered the large has the effect of doing away entirely with the tremulous
masses of snow. Occasionally the moon seemed resting on motion so much complained of by passengers in screw-
the edge of some height, looking awfully cold at us ; but we steamers fitted upon the old priuciple ; whilst, from the
hold taken of the water, a higher degree of speed is
defied the cold, and it would have made you smile to have greater
seen what extraordinary figures we looked. Onward we toiled attained—matters of no small importance, and well descry-
(for it really became toil, and I must honestly confess that ing the attention of our naval engineers. The Frankfort
neither the labour nor the danger of mounting Moot Blanc is NO tons register, and her engines are of 100-horse power.
bas been over-rated) till we came to the Grand Plateau, She is brig-rigged, man-of-war fashion, and is pronounced
the only flat path over which our path lay. (To give you an by competent judges a perfect model of marine architee-
idea of the steepness of the ascent, I will tell you that I ture. Her run from the Clyde occupied eighteen hours
threw a bottle down, which west at such • rate that it but it is stated that on her •
• eel of
cleared two ' crevasses' one after the other, each of which ten knots, and that, too, oarel
was at least 50 or 60 feet across.) At the Grand Plateau we Albion.
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