Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-03-14


in connection with the multitude of similar oh
servations which modern science is causing
to be made, they are valuable as data for lnves
tigatng the laws which regulate climate, an
contlol the action of the Winds OF the law
which govern the mir we know almost nothing
1t is still true, as of old, that "the wind blow
eth where it listeth, and we hear the soun,
thereof, but cannot tell whence it cometh O
whittier it goetli." Our own and other govern
ments have ordered systematic and smuaneou,
observations to be made at many place, widely
distant from each other, for the purpose, if pos
Sible, of calculating this mstery, and bringing
the subject OF storms within the range of calcu-
latlon, and also of determining other questions
connected with atmospheric influence. Hence
the value of such contributions as the one men-
toned These facts are but specimens, the like
of which might be adduced in great numbers to
rnrS7r1rrpI fcT uU uurricruIug Ior rne au-
vancment Of natural history i'll its several depart
ments,
The assistance rendered by missionaries in
advancing geographical knowledge has been Of
great Importance. Hennepin and Charevolx
are classic names in connection with American
geography. Catholic missionaries ever since
have been active promoters Of this SCIENCE
Mr.. Bartlett, in his very interesting essay upon
the progress Of Ethnology, says, "nether Fran
co.'s Xavier, nor Ignatius Loyola, so famous
among the pioneers of eastern missions, ever ex-
hlbited a greater zeal or devotedness than we
now witness among the Catholic missionaries in
Thlbet, China, Corea, the islands of tie East
ern Archipelago, and Cceunica. They have
added much to our stock of knowledge of the
inhabitants, their manner and customs, and their
languages. Their narratives gives US particular
accounts of the productions of the countries in
which they reside, their trade, commerce, and
all that interests u.s." The same paper speaks
of information received fiom Cathiic mission
ary who was sent to the borders of Corea, hop
ing to enter that now inaccessible country, OF
intelligence derived from Catholics in New
Caledonia Isles and elsewhere. Recently four
distinguished Catholics have started on tour
of missionary exploration to Abyssina, whence
they are to enter Soudan. In Cornou they hope
to be joined by others, who will cross the desert
from Tripoi after this their course will be di.
rected by circumstances. These men are deter
mined to succeed of perish in the attempt
Should this expedition be fortunate one its re-
suits will be valuable beyond The possibility of
computation. Mr.. Bartlett also speaks Of Jour-
ney take by Mr. Hue, a Propagandist, into Mon
CELIA. His nar,tive gives interesting particu-
lars in regard to that country, its broad sleeps
and deserts, und the untaIneabe nomadic tribes
which wander over them. The annals of The
Propaganda, and of the Societe pour Ia propa-
CATION dc la Fol, before referred to. would in
Nor have Protestant missionaries been backward
ical knowledge. The results of missionary re-
searches are considered extremely valuable by
those omnivorous discoveries of facts, the Ger
man Literati, and they 30 far towards giving
rulness and completeness to the works of sucl
men as the king of gcographers, Carl Ritter
The Erdkuhde of this great man showed in it
foot notes, and citations Of authorities, how
much he was indebted to materials derived from
these sources, In spsnkng of DR.. Robnson'
great work, which confessedly owes its accura
cy and completeness, in no small degree, to ali
derived directly or indirectly from missionaries
Ritter says that it may be considered as opcnn
new era in geographical knowledge. Th
articles by Mr. Thompson, in the Blblothec
Sacra, show that not a little is still doing to i
lustrate the geography of Syria and the HoI
Land, and to determine the position of place
mentioned in the Scriptures and by procar
writer's. Almost all we know of the interior
China comes to US directly or indirectly throug
men of this class, early Catholic missionarit
who wrote what their owne eyes saw, those wi
have in recent years penetrated more or less in
the country, ol through Chinese books made LEI
ible to us by the IIercuean abors of Moriso
his associates and successors How nut
knowledge of the internal geography of Chi
may be obtained from Chinese books may
inferred from the fact that a statistical geograp
of the empire, prepared under the Ming dynast
extends to 260 volumes, with many charts a
plates.
The Journal of the American Oriental Soc
ty for l647 contains valuable memoir upon
akan, written by the late Mr.. Comstock, a Ba
tst missionary, accompanied by a map Of
country, prepared by Mr.. Stilson, another m
sionary of that denomination. Mr.. Moffat, I
distinguished Scotch missionary, has, within I
last few weeks communicated to the world
telligence of the discovery of large lake far
the interior of Afica, lake which has 10
been supposed to exist, but has never bef
been seen by civilized man.
Missionaries explore regions where no OF
Europeans or Americans have gone. An exa
pie of this is found in the itinerucy of
Thompson, from Sierra Leone to Footah jail
the capital of Tumboo. throwing light upon t
hitherto unknown region. Drs, Krapf and
! enberg are now exploring regions in East
a Africa. The Gaboon missionaries have d
4 and are doing the same in the West. Dr. CT
f and others have penetrated to districts am
8 the Koordish mountains where no Frank
!. ever before troddon.
is In connection with geography may be cited
j. multitudnous details contained in euch WI
s. as Ellis Polynesian Researches, Smith
" Dwights Armenia, Moffat's South Africa, '
to liums' South Sea Islands, the journals and
ic ports of missionaries generally and the n
- connected with them, as published in the pa
in of the various societies. These examples
suffice for a slight exhibition of what missi
a. ries have added, and are adding to geogi apl
- knowledge.