The Sun.
London, England, 1827-07-06 00:00:00

THE IKAU DUGONG, OR MERMAID.

There is now exhibiting in Leicester-square the
skeleton of a fish or sea-monster, called the Ikau
Dugong, or, as the descriptive paper of the exhibitor
adds, " The Mermaid of the Eastern Seas." How

far the latter appellation is supported by the shape
and figure of the subject itself, we must leave the
public to judge. According to the common adage
" every eye has its beauty ;" and, unless the walrus:
and the seal can lay claims to fascination, we fear
the Dugong must be content to find personal ad-
mirers among the poor Malays, who have given her
a specific name from their language. This animal is
in fact the Tricheebus Dougong of Linn us; and
though never, as far as we know, personally exhi-
bited here before, a few specimens have reached our
learned societies, and been fully described by the fo-
reign naturalists Diard and Duvaneil, and more lately
by Sir Stamford Raffles and Sir Everard Home.—
The skeleton only (though a very perfect one) is
now exhibiting; but there is a very fine head of one
preserved in Mr. Brookes's valuable anatomical col-
lection ; and, besides a small skeleton, there are two
perfect Dugongs in the museum of Surgeons' Hall,
one of which, if we mistake not, was dissected by
Sir Everard Home; and the other resembles, and per-
haps is, the subject sent from Sincapore to the Royal
Society in the year 1820, for the purpose of anato-
mical examination.

In the Transactions of the Royal Society for
1820, and in the Asiatic Journal for August of the
same year, will be found elaborate accounts of the
Dugong, with a complete description of its habits
and organization. The general form of the animal
resembles that of the other cetacece. The skin is
smooth and thick, with a few scattered hairs; the
head is compared to that of a young elephant, hav-
ing its trunk cut off obliquely from above, a few
inches below the forehead. There are two thick
tusks projecting from the extremity of the upper
jaw. The head is remarkable for the manner in
which the anterior part of the upper jaw bends
downward, the lower jaw being proportionally
truncated. The lips, according to the accounts
given by the French naturalists, are muscular and
[ moveable, and the jaw-bones paved with many
horny plates. It has both ears and lungs. The
vertebrae or spinal bones are 52 in number-7 to
the neck, 18 to the back, and 27 to the tail; ribs,
18 on each side. The sternum, or breast-bone, is
similar in form to that of the human subject, but re-
versed in its position, and articulated to the ribs by
cartilaginous union. The scapula or blade bone,
the upper and lower portions of the arm, together
with the thumb and fingers bear a resemblance to
the human, the whole of which are firmly articulated
to each other, and are complete, even to the last
phalanges, or tips of the thumb and fingers ; there
is only one bone corresponding to the phalanges of
the thumb and little finger, that belonging
to the little finger being the broadest, so
that the hand appears to be reversed, the thumb
occupying the place of the little finger. The dimen-
sions of the skeleton are—total length, 5 feet 6 in-'
ches ; length of the head, 9 inches ; length of the
nose, 5 inches; length of the chin, 4 inches; length
of the arms and hands, 1 foot 10 inches; breadth
across the breast, 1 foot 2 inches : breadth of the
tail, 1 foot 6 inches. But they have been found
20 feet in length.
Sir Stamford Raffles, in a communication to Sir
E. Home, which was read by the latter at the Col-
lege of Surgeons a few years ago, states that " the
food of the _Dugong appears to consist exclusively of
fuci and submarine algss (sea weed), which it finds
at the bottom of the shallow inlets of the sea. The
position and structure of the mouth enables the ani-
mal to browse upon these vegetables, much in the
same manner as a cow in a meadow; and the whole
structure of the masticating and digestive organs
show it to be truly herbivorous. The flesh resembles
young beef, and is very delicate and juicy, The
breasts of the adult females are said to be large.—
The affection of the mother for its young is strongly
marked, and the Malays make frequent allusion to
this animal as an example of maternal affection.—
When they succeed in taking a young one, they feel
themselves certain of the mother, who follows it to
the margin of the sea, and allows herself to be
speared or taken with the greatest ease. The young
have a short, sharp cry, which they frequently re-
peat, and it is said they shed tears." The following
is the description given of the capture of the speci-
men, the skeleton of which is now exhibiting ;
" The mother had been observed for some days at
a distance in the sea, and several boats were manned,
and ordered out in pursuit of her, provided with
harpoons; at length she appeared above the surface
of the water, accompanied by her young one, which
was immediately speared in the breast, and taken,
uttering a piercing, wild, and peculiar cry, until it
died from loss of blood. The mother followed the
boat for nearly four miles, now approaching it, and
then suddenly disappearing, beating the water
violently with her tail, and using every effort which
maternal fondness could suggest to regain possession
of her young, until, rendered desperate by her inef-
fectual struggles, she rose so close to the stern of
the boat, as to be herself harpooned, and, after con-
siderable resistance, she was also secured."
We fear that the possession of this animal, how-
ever rare as a specimen of natural history, and worth
the attention of the curious, will not advance us
much in the knowledp of the Mermaid, and that
we unlit be content still to have these " charmers
of the deep" manufactured for us, as heretofore, by
the Chinese, out of monkies heads and limbs, and
salmon tails. The best of the kind we had in this
country only two years ago, and for which a Japa-
nese knave had prevailed upon the captain of a ship
a Batavia to hypothecato his cargo, for a large own

of money. It wanted only the mirror or comb in
either hand, to resemble exactly what the Heralds
paint for us. If we are to have a mermaid, we must
have a proper lady-like one ; and, by the way, we
are enabled by a book that has just issued from the
press, to have such a description from excellent au-
thority. It is a translation by Lieut. Alexander,
from the Persian manuscript of Mirza Itesa Modeen,
an Oriental, who was much employed by our Go-
vernment in India some 40 or 50 years ago, and
who has left on record an interesting account of his
discoveries and adventures. Speaking of the mer-
maid, Mirza says, " the mermaid is a beautiful
woman from the head to the waist, with two breasts,
a mouth like a flower, black tresses, dark eyes, of a
good stature, with eyebrows like a bow. On
seeing her countenance the hearts of lovers are
wounded, and those who are inexperienced in
affairs of the heart, are confounded in the snare of
her enticements. Beneath her waist, the limbs and
lower parts resemble a fish, with a forked tail. The
effigy of this animal is placed on stems and sterns of
ships. These extraordinary beings are seen by
mariners near dangerous parts of the ocean, and when
they appear it is a bad omen. May God in his
mercy prevent any one froin seeing its countenance,
for it is a kind of genii ! when it sits upright in the
water, to its waist, and shows its face, the sailor:,
viewing its countenance, lose their senses. It then
calls on one of them by name; the individual called
upon, on hearing its voice, becomes greatly agitated,
and prepares to go upon hearing the call repeated.
At the third summons he leaps into the sea, and is
lost to the view of the beholders. They say, that if
that person were to be bound with a chain of iron,
even that could not detain him. In this way seizing
men, the mermaid conveys them to a dry island,
tends them carefully, and feeds them on fruits, &c.,
and cohabits with them. There is a story that in
former days a certain vessel in distress touched at an
unknown island, and found there a man who had been
carried off by a mermaid. They took him on board,
but he being dumb, they could not learn from him
the particulars of his history."
This story of Mirza's about the dumb merman is
probably a version of the extravagant fable related
by Nearchus, who navigated the Persian seas for
Alexander the Great, and described the fear inspired
among his sailors upon visiting an island which had
been the abode of a Persian Circe, who allured ma-
riners on shore, and having seduced them by volup-
tuous pleasures, transformed them finally into fishes,
which were thrown out to swim in the surrounding
sea. The Sun, however, disapproving, as well he
might, of such proceedings, obliged her not only to
leave the island, but to restore these cruelly trans-
formed mortals to their original shape, whence it is
said proceeded the nation of the Ichthyophagi, which
still gives a name to this maritime district, and one
of whom was, doubtless, the dumb gentleman above
alluded to. But to return from fabulous to natural
history,—from the Mermaid to the Ikau Dugong,—
the latter somewhat resembles the upper portion of
the bony fabric of the human skeleton, the head ex-
cepted, while the lower extremity is similar to the
tail of an enormous fish, that tail however being
placed in a horizontal position, to admit of the ani-
mal standing erect. These are the mainly striking
peculiarities in the animal; and from the opportuni-
ties which we have described, they have become of
late years well known to our comparative anatomists,
although we believe this is the first public exhi-
bition of the animal which has taken place in this
country.

We have to record the death of Signor SAPIo,
who was one of the most distinguished masters in the art
of singing in Europe during a period when that art received
perhaps even a more general attention than at the present
time. He was the instructor of Mazur ANTOINETTE, and
had the honour to be preferred to Prcenqx, SACCHINI, and
Crr.ucK, his rivals at the French Court. Such a connec-
tion of course drove him from France at the breaking out
of the revolution ; and so widely had his fame spread, that
immediately on his arrival in this country be was appointed
Singing Master to the Duchess of YORK, then to the
Princess of WALES. His instruction was sought by all
the highest Nobility, and for a long period he continued at
the head of his profession in the fashionable world. The
musical historians and critics of his day ascribe the supe-
riority of his style to its incomparable feeling and expres-
sion, while the facility with which he imparted its peculia •
titles to his pupils appears to have been unique. Signor
SAPIO was the father of Mr. SAPIO, the distinguished tenor
of Covent-garden Theatre, and of Mr. SAPIO, the very
promising young bass singer, attached to the Royal 15ca-
demy. He died on the night of Saturday last, aftra a short
illness, in his 77th year.

DISTRESSING SUlClDE.—Yesterday after-
noon a letter-carrier, of the Oxford-street district, in the
employment of the General Post-office, entered the Green
Man and Still, in Oxford-street, and after drinking some
porter retired backwards, but not returning, the landlord
went to learn the cause, and, breaking open the door, dis-
covered the unfortunate man with his throat cut in a
shocking manner. A surgeon was immediately sent for,
but he died shortly afterwards. He had fastened the door,
by hanging his letter-bag on the inside. He bore a most
excellent character at the Post-office, and was in very
good circumstances. What led to the committal of the
rash act is not known. He has left a wife and large family
to deplore his loss.

THUNDER STORm.—Since our last, a num-
ber of heavy showers have fallen, and the weather has been
chill and unfavourable for vegetation. Yesterday at noon,
this city and neighbourhood were visited by a severe thun-
der storm. it began in the west, and a number of the
flashes of lightning were very vivid, and were followed by
of thunder. For nearly a quarter of an hour
there
remarkably heavy fall of rain and mingled hail.
flowed in torrents along the streets ; and in the
loud pealswas a
t the west end of the Grassmarket, and in other
low situations, several of the houses and cellars were inun-
cThusevgate water, a
dated. The storm, with partial intermissions, lasted for
warmth and splendour of midsummer. The
rain which accompanied the thunder storm, Loy flooding cel-
lars, low awls,
theful fully threesual hours, and the remainder of the afternoon had
aim houses, occasioned a variety of ludi-
crous incidents. While sundry good dames were following
their culinary avocations in the kitchen of Trinity Hospi-
tal, the waters suddenly rushed into their domicile, and
c i
forced them to make a quick retreat to a more elevated
apartment. A blacksmith in St. Tdary's Wynd had got
a cart of Mail coals for his forge laid down, and had just
commenced taking them in, when the rain forced him to
desist. In a few minutes afttrwards, the street was inun-
dated with such torrents, as swept them entirely away—.
His surprise and mortification were obvious in his rueful
countenance, when be found that his whole cart of coals
were on their way to the ocean.—Scotsman.
MR. PEEL.—At a Chamber Meeting of the
Mayor and Corporation of this city, on Friday,
the I.°llolving Resolution was, on the motion of
HENRY CLIFTON, Esq. unanimously agreed
to That the freedom of this ancient and
loyal city be presented to the Right Honourable
ROBERT PEEL, late Secretary of State for the
liDepartment, in testimony of the high
sensee the Body Corporate entertain of his
consummate abilities and inflexible integrity as a
Statesman, and his invariable fidelity and attach-
ment to the Constitution in Church and State."
—Worcester Journal.

WORCESTER ANT BIRMINGHAM CANAL.
—At the General Assembly held in this City
the Report of the Committee was gra-
tifying to the proprietors. It appears that the
during the last half year, has been
ore than the amount of the correspond-
ing 4n yesterday,noa
year in 1826. Shares are selling at
about 501.
l We are glad to understand that the
project of forming a canal from this city to Glou-
cester is not abandoned. There is also some ex-
pectation that a proposition will be made for
forming a boat-canal from the lower part of the
Gloucester and Berkeley Canal to Bristol.—
Were these projects carried into effect, the water
communication in this part of the Kingdom
would be immensely improved. Those who are
acquainted with the difficulties attendant upon
the Severn navigation, are well aware that those
difficulties are only partially overcome iny the
opening of the Gloucester and 4ertkeley Canal.
--Worcester Journal.

FASHIONABLE AND MISCELLANEOUS

A Cabinet Council (the third this week) was
held yesterday afternoon, at the residence of Mr. CANNING,
in Downing-street, which was attended by the LORD
CHANCELLOR, the Marquis of LANspowN, the Marquis of
ANGLESEA, Mr. CANNING, the Earl of HARROWEY, the
Earl of CARLISLE, Mr. Secretary BOURNE, Viscount
DUDLEY, Viscount GODERICH, Viscount PALMERSTON,
Mr. WYNN, Mr. HusiussoN, and Mr. TIERNEY.

The Ministers met at four o'clock, and con
tinned sitting till half-past five o'clock.

The Duke of GLOUCESTER left his residence,
Gloucester-house, Park-lane, about eleven o'clock yesterday
morning, for Cheltenham.

Sir JOHN MALcoLm left town yesterday
morning for Portsmouth, at which place it is expected Sir
Joinz will embark for the East Indies.

The Duke of GRAFTON entertained a dis-
tinguished party to dinner yesterday, at his house in
Clarges-street.

The Marquis of LANSDOWN entertained a
select party to dinner yesterday, at Lansdown-house, Ber.
keley-square.

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE had a grand
dinner party yesterday, at his house in St. James's-square.
The Earl and Countess of HAREWOOD and
family have left town for the seat of Mr. PORTMAN, Bry-
anston-hall, Dorsetshire.

The Right Hon. CHARLES WYNN enter-
tained a large party to dinner yesterday, at his house,
Whitehall.

Lord FARNBOROUGH had a grand dituier
party yesterday, at his house in Privy-gardens.

Lady RAVENSWORTH gave a grand ball and
supper yesterday evening, at her house in Portman-square,
which was attended by nearly 800 of the haut ton.

Mrs. NISBET entertained a select party of
fashionables yesterday evening, at her house in Portman-

square.

The Earl of LIVERPOOL, we are happy to
learn, is considered by Doctor DREVER, as having already
derived benefit from the air of Coombe Wood. His Lord-
ship's general state of health is, upon the whole, much
amended.

His Grace the Archbishop of YORK has been
pleased to collate the Rev. JOHN Runn, A.M. Vicar of
Blyth, Nottinghamshire, to the Halloughton Prebend in
the Collegiate Church of Southwell, vacated by the cession
of the Rev. FRED. ANsoN.

DINNER AT DEVONSHIRE HOUSE.—On
Wednesday last, his GRACE gave a sumptuous banquet in
the great hall, or saloon, to—The Duke and Duchess of
Gloucester, the Duke of Grafton and the Ladies Fitzroy,
Marquis and Marchioness Palmella, Earl and Countess
Grosvenor, Viscount Strangford, Lord and Lady William
Bentinck, Mr. and Lady Catherine Cavendish, Viscount
Morpeth, Lady Isabella Thynne, Countess of Carlisle,
Viscount Templeton, Mr. and Mrs. Williams Wynn, Earl
of Darlington, Hon. Mrs. Townshend, the Misses Upton,
Mr. Robert Grosvenor, the Misses Wynn, Miss Stewart,
Col.. Higgins, Mr. Lambton, Mr. Currey, Mr. Brougham,
and the Attorney-General.
MRS. ROTHSCHILD'S MUSIC PARTY--
On Tuesday this Lady had a numerous and elegant assem-
blage at her house in Piccadilly. A grand musical treat
was provided on the occasion, which afforded the utmost
delight. Miss FOSTER (a. lady of the first-rate talents)
played with MoscHELEs a duet on the pianoforte in a styli
of the utmost brilliancy, and the effect was striking almost
beyond example. All the other performances, as well
plendi-
seription, and afforded no less gratification to the splendidvocal as instrumental, were also of the most excelle-ai de
audience.

Mr. GULLY.—This cel:Airated sporting cha-
racter is said to have netted
'between 5,0001. and 6,0001.
by his bets at the Che/".enham Races. Before his depar-
ture he left with~,"Ir.NEYLER, of the Plough Hotel Si.
to be distributed amongst the following Charities :—Th(
Dispenst!,ry, the Coburg Society, the Orphan Asylum, thr
P:lkant School, and the National School —Cheltenhan.
Chronicle.

THE LATE DUKE OF YORK'S MAPS.— AI
the sale of the Duke of YORE'S maps and charts yesterda)
morning, by Mr. Sonmy, lot 238, the magnificent col-
lection of 5,500 maps, in 88 folio double cases, which we
mentioned a few days ago, excited extraordinary conten-
tion. The principal parties were, a Gentleman deputed
by the Duke of CammtlDGE, and a Mr. ThORP (as w(
understood, for some public Society). After some very
sharp bidding, the lot was finally knocked down for th,
Duke of CAMBRIDGE at 4001. Considerable interest wa'
manifested in the room during the time.
A Chevalier d'lndustrie, at Paris, went to a
house where there was to be a large assembly. At the tim,
when the company began to arrive, be told the porter that
he should wait for some ladies, who were to introduce him,
and when he heard a party announced, he came forward and
said, that his cousin, the lady of the house, had deputed
him to receive, and particularly attend to, these ladies, a,.
she was afraid they might be inconvenienced by the crowd
in the reception rooms ; and, accordingly, he accompanier
them every where, behaving with great politeness. When
he saw his hostess disengaged, he told her that he feared
his cousins, those ladies, had not presented him properly,
and received her polite assurances that such a relationship
was quite, a sufficient recommendation. It seems, that
French belles have a little manoeuvre for display, which it
to take off a valuable necklace, and throw it carelessly on
the mantlepiece, as if its weight incommoded them, but,
really, in order that all their guests may see and admit.,
it. The lady of the house performed this feat, and them,
left the room for a few minutes. When she was gone, he,
unknown guest said, " I should like to punish my cousin',
vanity by biding her necklace. I will really carry it off."
The joke was encouraged, and he accordingly left the room
with it. When the owner of the necklace returned, she
could not help looking and inquiring for it. " Your cousir.
has Carried it off," said her friends. "My cousin !.-..your
cousin, you mean," replied she—upon which a full and
mortifying explanation ensued.
WHIPPING A YOUNG LADY.—A Surveyor,
whose wife had quarrelled with Mademoiselle Sonia, r.
governess, resolved, to gratify his wife's revenge upon the
latter, to treat her in a manner formerly employed toward
children, but now properly banished from our schools.—
He soaked a rod in vinegar for several days, and went t(
•
Mademoiselle SOPHIE'S house whilst she was talking with:,
lady of her acquaintance; the latter he knocked aside with
his fist, and then whipped the young lady. She was it
consequence taken ill with a nervous fever and delirium,
which lasted several days. M. F—..-- has fled, and ha,
been indicted for the trespass and assault, and has been
summoned to appear before the Tribunal of Justice on the
11th July.-Journal des Debats.
So great was the interest taken in balloon
ascents twenty-five years since, that on this day of the
month, in 1802, when GARNERIN ascended at Lord',
Cricket Ground, he was voluntarily favoured, at starting.
with the following certificate, at the instance of hi,
MIJESTY, then Panics of WALES, who, with the !at(
Duchess of DEVONSHIRE, and many of the Nobility, wit-
nessed the sight We, the undersigned, who have men
present at the ascension of M. GARNERIN with hi;, balloon
this afternoon, and witnessed the entire satisfaction of the
public, beg leave to recommend him to the attention of an)
gentleman in whose neighbourhood he may
happen t‘,
descend.- " GEORGE E.
" Q. Dzvosszun2. c_LTHCART.
EKSBOIVrjau. R. FORD."
i)11 this occasion, was accompanied by Mr.
LOCKYIR: ha alighted at Chingford-green, Essex, havinv
travelled nine miles, in a direct line, in a Tl4rter Qf rif;
hour.