The native American., 1838-07-21
From the knickerbocher.
SCIENCE by THE SMALL
BY THE LATE R. c. SANDS.

Having had. from my earliest youth, an insa-
table desire of travelling and seeing foreign parts
an impetus which has acquired proporhonabie VI
gor with the elongation and diauon OF my body,
gave vent some days ago TO my inclination,
and in company with friend, packed up my
wardrobe, consisting of a few sundries, and de-
parled with him. We descended To the waters
edge. and prepared 10 take solar observation,
when we found that we had no quadrant, and
that the luminary was invisible, account of the
clouds which covered all the face of the sky.
Bui have since discovered that the latitude and
longitude are laid down on the map, which su-
persedes the necessity Of mentioning them.
We embarked in an aquatic conveyance. called
by the people of these parts horse-bom. But
am inclined to think that this novelty is a mere
sham, a trick upon travellers. There are dozen
sorry nags in this contrivance, which 90 round in
a circular walk, with halters round their necks,
and beams at the other extremity. How this or
bicnlar movement can promote the rectilinear adj
vancement of this mammoth boat, is to me mys-
terry. And as we were six hours in crossing the
river, suspect that they 90 and come with the
tide; and that the horses are mere catchpenny,
TO bring their masters the trgesin.o-secundal part
of dollar more on every head than the customa-
ry ferriage levied on passengers. However, the
unhappy quadrupeds appeared to strain very Sc
verely, and in their hinder quarters very partic-
uarly; indeed every sinew Of the latter part seem
ed to be over-exerted, while the head, neck, and
fore legs moved glibly enough, which is certainly
natural curiosity. | account for it in this way:
as the horses are all in a string, and the hinder
parts of each one Immediately subjected to the in
spection of his follower, these noble animals draw
up their anteriors from pride, and contract their
posteriors from dccency. But do not lay this
down as an hypothesis which is defensible, until
hear from the Antiquarian Institute at Cork, to
whom | have transmitted an account of this phe-
nomenon, with my conjectures thereon.
The ships company consisted of nine Dutch
men, three of whom had their proUs and sundry
of their progeny with them; also one leg OF nut
ton, two breasts of veal, one cheese, and pound
of tea. One of the females, though apparently
of a slender constitution seemed to have pretty
good appetite, for she consumed seventeen apples,
two loaves of bread, and the cheese and would
probably have proceeded to attack the spare-ribs
and leg of mutton, if her husband, anticipating
such result. had not squatted himself down upon
them; and being man Of some circumference, il
would have been as difficult task to have effect
ed their liberation, as to get Enceladus out OF
Etna.
Most Of the company were smoking; and dis
covered the cause OF the phegmatic nature Of the
Dutch. They use such short pipes, that the
smoke goes up their noses, and, as had reason
to believe, makes the whole tour Of their bodies
They have some shrewdness, however. We OBJ
served that the cover of the cabin leaked, and
they said it was owing to the cracks.
1t was raining very fast when we went on board,
but the blue horizon soon afterward appeared and
we expected to very fine rainbow; but we
were disappointed, we have since found that in
these latitudes there no rainbows observable
at noonday--a curious fact, which l have also
transmitted to the Cork Institute
We landed at Hoboken al halfpast two p. M,
but did not tarry to make observations on that
place. Its commerce, however, appears to be in
declining condition, as there were but three xe-
bees, caques, galots, lying in the port, two Of
which were in ruins, and the third by no means
seaworthy. Many causes might be assigned for
this; but we dropped tear over this famous city
and wound our course round into the country
The road lay through tall hills, covered with
ground grass, .juniperi .forentes Of Lnn;eus, and
the granito-rosso, and granito-grigio or bgo
rocks, vertical strata Of which inter sected these
mountains in every direction, and had 4 very pic
mresque effect The road appeared to consist
of gravel poundato. Specimens Of all these
have sent to Ireland.
We journeyed at an easy pace, rejecting on
the decline and fall Of the Roman empire, a sub
Ject which the scenery naturally introduced. Our
attention, however, was soon arrested by the sin
gular conduct of dog. He came up to us as if
in despair, and we afraid at first that he was
afflicted with the hydromany; but we were soon
convinced of our error in that respect His path
curvilnear zgzag; now retrograde, and now
forward. We then conjectured that he was be-
wtched; and gave credence TO the supcrstitons
of the inhabitants Of these parts, who firmly be-
leve in the doctrine, and nail horse-shoes over
their barn doors, TO prevent the foul fiend from
exerting his potential malice upon their cattle
One Of these charms examined, and sent fac
simile to the society aforesaid. The dog looked
in our faces very particularly, whincd, hung his
ears, and carried his tail between his legs, in to-
ken of submission. This is the first proncr of
service which the canine species make: when
they do fealty an acknowledgment of being
willing to become your dog, they curl the tail, and
lay their front legs horizontally, bending the head
and body gracefully back, which is as much as to
say: 'Je deuiens uotre chen The dog kept us
company ever AFTER running before, and looking
back to let us know that he considered himself an
avaunt courier, or else keeping by us.
Nothing particular occurred farther, until we