The Sun.
London, England, 1828-04-24 00:00:00

THE -LATE MAJOB, LAING,

- (From the .Athenatum of yesterday. )
AVe. subjoin an extract from the Journal of a recent tra-
veller in the Mediterranean, which contains a hasty sketch
of the late adventurous, but unfortunate, Major Laing,
who has just fallen a victim to assassination in Africa.
It, presents a faithful picture of the feelings and person
of this spirited gentleman at the moment of setting out en
his last and fatal expedition, and will at present be read
with interest. Malta, March 9, 1825.

I accompanied my friend T. this morning to pay a visit
to Major Laing, the intrepid African traveller, who is
now at Malta, on his way to Tripoli, from whence he in-
tends to penetrate to Timbuctoo; and prcceeding thence
due south for some degrees, to direct his course to the
westward, and come out about Biafra, or the Bight of
Benin. He is a firmly-built hardy-looking man, of about
two or three and forty yearn of age, with a pleasing coun-
tenance, and amicable but resolute expression. His accent
is Scottish, 'and his whole manner is affable and obliging.
Should he escape with life, and succeed in completing the
tour he has marked out, he has little doubt of being en-
abled to discover the source of the mysterious Niger ; but,
at the same time, he is far from being sanguine in his ex-
pectations. He says, himself, that the chances are tea
to one against his ever returning ; since, should he escape
the knives of assassins from political motives, or those of
robbers from interested ones, he still ,runs imminent risk
from the fears and prejudices of, the natives. Again, the
climate is unfavourable ; and, above all, he is sure of meet-
ing with a scarcity of water on his march, whilst the
small supply -he can carry with him invariably becomes
rancid and impure in a very short time, dysentery being
certain to ensue from its use. In this case, the only sub-
situte which he could -think of was one of a very nauseous
description. He speaks, however, not like a bravo, but
in the tone of a man who has long weighed his deter-
mination, and come, to a fixed conclusion ; there is no
boasting or display of empty bravery in all he say,. His
supplies for travelling expences consist of Spanish dollars
for the coast, and gold rings and other toys for tbe inte-
rior. His scientific apparatus is compact and 'complete ;
and, altogether, hs is at once admirably adapted by nature,
and well protected by precaution, for lais perilous enter-
prise: felix faustum que sit.

EXHIBITION OF THE MODEL OF THE
SALT MINES AT WIELICZKA, IN GALICIA.

We have been highly amused with Mr. Copelent's in-
genious models of the Salt Mines of Wieliczka, which is
now exhibiting, with great success, at the Argyll Rooms.
The variety and novelty of the objects, and the perfect and
regular arrangement of the whole, even to the, most trifling
occupation, is clearly pointed out. The mode in. which
the salt is obtained, the manner of packing it, and the ex-
tensive machinery by which it is drawn from the frightful
abyss," produce an indescribable sensation. The spectator
appears as if he was looking at a magic world ; and the
palace of the Gnome King comes powerfully to his recol-
lection. The architectural forms of some of the immense
chambers, illuminated by magnificent lustres of chrystal
salt, with Orchestras, Chapel, Altars, Eagles, Statues, and
Monuments, with the immense subterranean seas, all con-
cur to inspire the idea that it belongs to beings of another
world. To those inclined to visit this stupendous work,
the following notice may be interesting :
Wieliczka, where the Mines are situated, stands in East
Galicia, it is a free saline city, about six English miles
from Cracow, on the north side of the Bohemian Circle.
A range of hillocks, about 10 fathoms high, divides it from
the valley of Weichel. The great salt vein on which this
Mine is situated, runs along the Carpathian Mountains to
Okna in Wallachia, and although it has been worked about
SOO years, and has chiefly during that time supplied
Russia, Poland, Silesia, Hungary, and Bohemia, it may
still be considered inexhaustible. The Mine is imme-
diately under the city, but extends far beyond it. The
length is seven thousand five hundred and sixty feet, its
breadth is three thousand, and the depth 792. Twelve
day shafts lead into the work. The nearest shaft bears
the name of the Emperor Francis, and serves for a
convenient descent to the many visitors who frequent the
Mine. It is furnished with a well-contrived spiral stair-
case of 300 steps. Every cubic fathom of salt weighs 280
cwt. Vienna standard. This work produces, Ist, Green
salt, about three quarters of the whole; 2d, shaft or szy-
bicker salt; and 3d, chrystal salt. The first has the most.
earthy parts, the second is very clean and sharp, and the
third, which is clear and transparent, is used as table salt ;
and in the manufactories of Wieliczka, it is formed into ro-
saries, crucifixes, boxes, and other toys. The sock salt is
broken to pieces, and put into large lumps, in the form of
hall (halwanen) of from 560 to 610 cwt. ; or in small
square piece., (formal steiner), weighing .from 801br.
, to. 1001hq. The yearly produce of this mine may be
reckoned, on an average, from 1,000,000 to 1,200,00011i5.
From 500 to 900 people, mostly inhabitants of Wieliczka,
work in the pit. In the year 1812 a factory was erected
for extracting salt from the pit water, which is strongly
impregnated, but, from a scarcity of wood, the operation
was discontinued, and this elegant building remains useless.

The Rock Salt Mine of \Viehake, and that of Bohe-
mia, which is about sixteen English miles distant, is ma-
naged by a superior bailiwick, the office of which is in
Wieliczka. The administration is composed of the High
Baillies and Officers of the Pits, amounting to upwards of
ninety persona, whose pay in 1808 amounted to 58,000
guilders. No person resides in tl,e mines, and the regula-
tions are so strict that no workman is allowed to remain is
it longer than ten hours. Ne less than sixty horses are re-
quired for the forwarding machine; they remain below
until they get ill, when they are immediately drawn up. The
stables are cut in the salt, and are extremely picturesque.
Sulphur is procured in the neighbourhood, and there is a
coal mine adjacent, but it is but little.worked.
Several interesting cosmoramic views, one of which is
the City of Wielicaka, with several pieces of the salt itself,
form part of the Exhibition.