Star.
London, England, 1829-08-01 00:00:00

TRAVELLERS' TALES.

Under this title the New Monthly Magazine, for the
present month, has a very amusing article. With cer-
tain conditional qualifications from very sensible persons,
we are assured that nothing but literal facts are herein
gravely recorded, and as gravely maintained
" It remains that we show," saith the veracious Father
Boni, " bow GOD, acting conformably to the mean
vulgar people of Cochin-China, who were used to see
phantoms, visions, and apparitions—the Devil often ap-
pearing to them—was pleased to show some miracles, to
the end that, declining in their opinion of diabolical
prodigies, they might own the only LORD and singular
worker of true wonders." The devils, he asserts, appear
so often in the human form, as not to arouse apprehen-
sion. They are even courted to their society ; and this
feeling is carried so far as to occasion a numerous cortege,
of Incubi and Succubi. " And among great people,
those husbands account themselves happy who know their
wives have such familiars." "It happened in my time,
that a woman of great quality, mother to two sons who
were Christians, envied by her neighbours, not so much
for her beauty, as for her dishonest familiarity with the
devil, positively refusing to become a Christian, came to
di* in labour, and by the assistance of the. devil brought
forth two eggs. Now it being held as certain among
them, that the devil, her Incubus, was god of the rivers,
they did not bury the body in a cave, building a chapel
over it, as is the usual custom ; but carrying it in solemn
procession to a river, cast it into the deep, together with
the two eggs, saying, ' Let her go to the lord of the
river.' "
_ _ _

" But," adds the good father, " they who, by the grace
of GOD, carried away with them any bit of Arms Dei
were never more molested by the devil. Yet with this
difference, that those who were not Christians saw the
Incubus come to the bed's side, but had not power to lay
hold on, or touch the persons ; whereas the Christians
perceived he could not come near their chamber-door,
which occasioned several to be baptized."
Father Dominic Fernandez Navarette, a Spanish Do-
minican friar, who, in 1646, became resident in China,
tells us that the bird of paradise has neither feet nor
wings. Father Dominic viewed them carefully and could
observe neither. They alight only on trees, moving as
the wind wafts them by means of long tails of various
colours, and as fine as can be imagined. If the wind
fails, they fall; and having a long bill, are precipitated
head foremost into the ground, where they stick and are
taken. The intestines are drawn out, dried, and pre-
served for their beauty.
" They look," says Father Dominic, " very glorious,
and are beyond all nosegays." He presented a couple to
a great lady who had done him considerable courtesies.
" I inquired," he continues, " after their nests, and how
they hatched their eggs. They answered me, that the
hen laid her eggs upon the cock's back, and there hatched
them. I made several objections, but they could give me
no more satisfaction. It is certainly so it seems, in-
deed, impossible, but it is easy to him that made all
things."
Another singular bird, called Tabon, lays an egg big-
ger than itself. After it is laid, the bird digs a hole above
a yard in depth, deposits the egg, and fills up the hole.
The sun then takes the rest of the trouble ; hatches the
igg, and leaves the young bird to grope its way up to
daylight. The moment it accomplishes this arduous un-
dertaking, it trots off to the sea to pick up sea-weed.
Father Dominic is certainly surprised at their not being
stifled by the heat and weight of the superincumbent stra-
tum, and at their strength in breaking through it. But,
as he sensibly observes, " these are prodigies of the AL-
MIGHTY'S working." One of these eggs are enough to
satisfy a good stomach, and the staler they are the bet-
ter. If they have chickens in them, nothing can be finer
or more delicious.

" In Congo," says a Capuchin missionary, " are
sparrows which, in rainy weather, turn red ;" and he
adds, on the authority of Father Francesco da Pavia,
that, on the way to Sings, are certain large white birds,
with long beaks, necks, and feet, that -dance as soon as
they hear music. A bird, not unlike a sparrow, which
at a distance appears black, but on approaching turns
blue, at day-break almost distinctly articulates the name
of JEsys CHRIST : other birds then join in concert,
being excited by a cross of stars in the heavens ; by a
cross on the mountains, which got there Heaven knows
how ; by the earth, which bears a fruit called Nicefo,'
marked also with a natural cross. Another bird, sup-
ported by the testimony of Father Capravi, sings in right
Etruscan, Va dritto,' go right ; and a third warbles in
the language of the country, Vuichi, vuichi,' honey,
honey. There is likewise a dark yellow bird, bigger
than an eagle, that cries like a child." This might be a
fitting ornament for the nursery.
In Java, the cannery will swallow iron and burning
coals, and keep them endigested in the stomach a full
twelvemonth in its bowels. In Brazil the bats are as
large as crows, and in the island of Catihan they are
big as eagles, very good eating, and taste much like a
hen. George Spilbergen, 1614, captured two birds
with heads like sheep, and combed like a cock, two ells
in height, and three ells from the tip of one extended
wing to the other. Along the Nile are little birds about
the size of thrushes, that haunt the jaws of crocodiles.
The cause appears to be this: crocodiles devour beasts
and fishes, and hence remnants of flesh and fish stick to
their teeth, become putrified, and procreate worms. The
crocodile leaves open his mouth, the bird enters, and eats
his fill. But at last, finding his teeth fairly picked, the
monster, ungrateful to his benefactor, endeavours to de-
vour him. The bird, however, is armed with a little sti-
letto growing from its head ; and this it instantly thrusts
into the traitor's throat, forces open the jaws, and frees
itself from durance. Antonio Galvano, a Portuguese,
tells us, that in New Spain there are certain small birds
named Vicmalim. " They are greatly esteemed to work
gold with. They die or sleep every year in the month of
October, sitting upon a little bough in a warm and close
place. They revive or wake again in the month of April,
after the flowers be sprung, and therefore they call them
the reviving birds.'" The celebrated Ferdinando
Mendes Pinto reports, that the kingdom of Chintalcubos,
which is eight days' journey across, was dispeopled by
the infinite multitude of birds that covered it.

Of alligators, Father Dominic F. Navarette relates,
that he saw one seven fathoms long, and three fathoms
thick ; in whose cormorant bowels were found three
men's heads, a number of daggers and bracelets, and
other things in use among the Moors. " I wbo have
• seen many," says he, " believe this to be a terrible one
to behold." . Ha was informed of an herb, by means of
which a man might play with the alligator, and get upon
hit back without peril. This fact is confirmed by Gemelli
Caren', who terms it Bonza, or Nang has vagan ; but
he describes it as a fruit growing on a cane. It prevents
the approach of the monster, as, he assures us, was
proved upon a dog. This fruit or herb it must have •been,
which enabled Charles Waterton, Eq. of. Walton-hall,
Yorkshire, to bestride a crocodile, and use the fore-legs
for a bridle. Mr. Waterton asserts, that it was hunting

with Lord Darlington's hounds ; but we entreat his per-
mission to think otherwise. Nothwithstanding this herb,
Father Dominic, on being invited to be present at such a
performance, thankfully declined the favour, under the
presumption that it contained some superstitious =
tice. Now here we humbly propose a query.
Mr. Waterton (himself, we take it for granted, a good
Catholic), have recourse to preservatives rejected by a
Jesuit missionary ? This is a very important question,
and ought to be speedily resolved.