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Teatro Espanol (El.) No. XI.

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No. 121.

REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS.

A Tour through Sicily, in the year 1815.
By George Russell, of His Majesty's
Office of Works. London, 1819.
pp. 289.

SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1819.

heard much conversation respecting the
existence of a volcano, which emitted earth
and water, or, in the language of the coun-
try, a species of fango, situated about six
miles inland, upon the summit of a moun-
tain named Macaluba: we accordingly
visited this singular phenomenon, of which
neither Brydone nor Swinburne make men-

tion.

PRICE 8d..

It is generally believed, that in all volcanic eruptions fire acts as the principal agent: in this of Macaluba, however, the result is very different; for after minute examination, not only on the summit, but round the sides and base, we could perceive no trace of any such element having been concerned either in the formation or working of this surprising production of nature: This volcano of air, if we may so express neither could we discover the least particle ourselves, whose effects resemble those of any matter that had undergone the action which have fire as their principal agent, has of fire. We next immersed our thermoits moments of calmness as well as those of meter in several of the craters, naturally great fermentation and labour; it produces, expecting to find the temperature much too, like other volcanos, earthquakes, sub-higher than in the open air; but here also terraneous thunder, and violent eruptions; we found ourselves greatly deceived, the rewhich last have, at times, thrown the mat- verse being the result of the experiment. ter so emitted more than one hundred feet The thermometer so immersed, about nine o'clock in the morning, stood at 64° according to Farenheit; but on being exposed to the atmosphere, it immediately rose to 720 after this experiment, we no longer sought the igneous element.

above the summit of the craters.

:

The name Macaluba, by which this mountain is known, is of Arabian extraction, the word in that language signifying overthrowing.

After describing Castro-giovanni, the Lake of Proserpine, and other curious places, we have the following account of Ispica and Noto.

This Tour covers interesting ground, and though not written by the pen of a practised scholar, contains much that is entertaining and agreeable. Indeed the matter is far superior to the manner, notwithstanding that the former is rather more indebted to retrospects among the ancient historians and poets than we should have deemed necessary. The selections are, however, always judicious and to the purpose, so that if they convey a twice-told tale to the classic, they The base of Macaluba is nearly circular, will make some amends by their novelty and its height is about two hundred and to the general reader. The observations fifty feet, taken from a valley which surrounds it: this valley is, however, consideraupon the remains of early architecture bly elevated above the level of the sea. Its are more worthy of praise; and if we summit is about half a mile in circumference, premise that the style is faulty, and and terminated by a plain presenting rather sometimes ungrammatical to a degree a convex surface; it is besides extremely which an intelligent printer ought to steril. On this summit are a considerable have remedied, we are able with a number of little conic heights, the largest clearer conscience to bestow our appro- of which may be about nine feet in diamebation upon other qualities belonging to ter; and on the highest part of these cones, this work. The maps and plans are well which are in general under five feet, are craters, whose depth we were unable to On quitting Modica we proceeded towards executed, and a number of aquatint ascertain, being unprovided with a plumb- the valley of Ispica, through a country views, finished in a very beautiful way, line, or any other contrivance by which wholly covered with stones; and some afford distinct impressions of the re- such a purpose could be effected. The soil small rain, or rather a species of heavy dew, markable scenes depicted by the Author. appeared externally to be composed of clay, having fallen during the night, our journey It does not seem requisite for us mi- rather dry and cracked, and the hollow seover such unfrequented mountain tracks nutely to trace the route of our traveller pulchral noise caused by the action of walk-was, of course, rendered extremely diffi(with three German companions, who ing excited our most serious attention, and cult. Our mules, although the best animals for this kind of travelling, having frequently joined him at Rome) from Palermo to reminded us that in all probability we were Segeste, Vetrano, Siacca, Girgenti, Cas-then immediately over an immense gulf of stumbled, it was deemed more prudent to Cas-liquid mud, separated only by a thin co- alight and walk; we however had not gone tronovanni, Ragusa, Noto, Syracuse, vering of clay. more than fifty paces before we ourselves Catania, and Messina: we will rather The interior of the craters is moist, and fell, which circumstance induced us to submit a few extracts, relative to places out of which there constantly issues a spe- remount, being then perfectly convinced the least known, as specimens of his cies of brown diluted clay, which, after that the feet of those animals were much After having passed performance, and leave our readers to reaching the height of the lips or highest safer than our own. draw their own conclusions from these part, forms itself into little demi-globules; over some miles of this stony and deserted premises. We may, however, generally a few moments after this formation has country, we approached the brink of a deep remark, that Mr. Russell speaks enthu- taken place, these globules break, and the and narrow valley, whose appearance was siastically of the beauty, symmetry and confined air which they retained dispels as fruitful and luxuriant as the country itself; the diluted clay then runs down the through which we had passed was wild and grace of the Sicilian fair; that he con- flanks of these heights, and extends itself uncultivated, siders the Island altogether a century more or less on every side. Upon introbehind "the other nations of Europe" inducing a pole about twelve feet long into civilization; that he reckons the num- several of the craters, we found it produced bers devoted to the church at one-six- a kind of noise not unlike that of distant teenth of the whole population; and thunder: we observed upwards of one hunthat he noticed the entire prevalence of dred and fifty of these craters in full action, British manufactures in the marts of the besides many which had ceased to throw up the argillaceous matter, and our cicerone country. We now proceed to our ex-informed us that their number was continuamples: the first relates to an extraor-ally varying, some, as he said, " dying nary natural phenomenon. away, and others as constantly breaking

During our residence at Girgenti, we | forth."
VOL. III.

After descending into this romantic vailey by means of an extremely steep path, we were highly gratified with that grand and magnificent, nay, almost alpine scenery, which presented itself on every side. We next entered the numerous chambers excavated in the rocks forming the sides of this interesting and natural recess, and which were in many places from eight to ten stories in height: these subterraneous retreats were about twenty feet in length, eight in width, and seven in height. Öpposite the

door in most of them we observed a kind | the approach of travellers: in fact, the of niche, in which was a ring chiseled out children could not have expressed more of the natural stone, in all probability for anxiety, or have been more alarmed, if the purpose of attaching a goat, or some wild beasts had entered their peaceful and other domestic animal; and near the. en-retired abode, than they were in seeing trance was a basin likewise formed in the strangers enter the chambers and examine stone. Immediately above the entrance was this most extraordinary valley. a bevilled opening through the external face or wall, apparently made for the introduction of light and air when these gloomy caves were closed; and in almost all the chambers we discovered a recess in one of the sides, about six feet long and four wide, which evidently served the ancient inhabitants of these gloomy grottos as their place of rest.

From Ispica they went to Noto, the capital of one of the three divisions of Sicily, respecting which little is said. We, however, select what follows.

Our principal object in remaining here was for the purpose of viewing the celebrated museum of Don Antonio Astuto, Baron of Fargione. This museum conIn several of these chambers were various tains a most superb series of Greco Siculo rings in the walls, which appeared to have medallions, esteemed the most considerable been made for the purpose of suspending and most complete existing at the present different utensils; while in others were wide day; of Grecian coins and medals; of those grooves worked in the stone to serve in of Rome previously to the establishment of Tieu of shelves. We passed through up-consuls; of all the consular families; and wards of three miles of this extraordinary a valuable collection of the Roman emvalley, always finding the same excavations perors. There are besides numerous Sarain the same order, and under the same cenic coins, a splendid set of the kings and form: some, however, had a second chamber queens of Sicily from the expulsion of the excavated behind the first, while in others Saracens to the present period; and also we observed a round opening, by which a an extensive series of the medals of the communication was preserved with the floor popes, from the time of Martin the fifth. immediately above. In this opening were The various medallions and coins in this holes apparently made for the insertion of magnificent collection exceed six thousand, steps, in order more easily to ascend and and are in an excellent state of preservadescend from one to the other.

tion.

We also discovered many tombs excaThis museum likewise contains several vated out of the natural stone, and in the antique busts, among which are two exinterior of them were fragments of bones tremely fine, of Plato and Socrates, as well almost in a state of petrefaction, as well as various pieces of vases composed of a red-highly entertained also in looking over the as many statues and tripods. We were

coloured earth.

superb collection illustrating the natural history of Sicily, including the diversified lava of Etna, and the Lipari isles. The Baron was extremely civil and polite, and devoted the whole day in explaining the medallions, coins, and antiquities, within his justly celebrated museum.

There is a long description of Syracuse, but we only copy the passage relating to the wines of that famous city.

The immense number of chambers existing in this valley, induce most persons to suppose that it had originally been inhabited by a numerous colony. History, indeed, informs us, that the Lestrigons and Sicanians were the first inhabitants of - Sicily: the Lestrigons have been described as men of gigantic stature, whose origin was utterly unknown; and the Sicanians as a colony originally from the southern coast of Spain. We likewise learn from the same The different wines of Syracusa are, gesource, that they were unceasingly disput-nerally speaking, extremely fine, and some ing the possession of the fertile and abund- of them truly delicious, especially the Calaant plains of Lentini, and the country in the immediate vicinity of Etna: at length from Calabria, of a bright red colour, and brese, a wine made from a grape originally the Sicanians were obliged to yield, and possessing a very agreeable flavour: the the Lestrigons chased them away towards Moscatello is likewise a very superior wine, the south. Ispica is situated precisely in of a delicate flavour, and rich amber colour, this direction, when considered topographi- and which is generally introduced with the cally with respect to Etnu, and it was there- dessert. During one of our interviews with fore in all probability to this valley that the Signor Landolina Nava, he presented us with a bottle of wine that was very palatable, which he stated his late father, the Cavaliere, had made from the directions laid down by Hesiod and Homer. It is generally supposed that the ancients made, from these same directions, the wine used in the celebration of the sacred festivals of their gods.

they retired.

The circumstance of finding many Sicilian peasants still inhabiting these rude excavations astonished us greatly: their appearance seemed as wild and savage as ever their ancestors could have been; they lived apparently in the same manner, upon milk, fruit and vegetables, the natural productions of this fruitful spot. They kept their goats in the same situation, and attached to the same rings; they rested in the same places, and seemed frightened at

Of Etna, we ought to say the account is good, because the Author (being prevented from accurate observation, by illness) has done us the honour to copy |

it from Doctor Kephalides' (one of his companions) journal, which appeared in our publications of the 17th, 24th, and 31st of January 1818; but as that might be deemed a little outré or egotistical, we conclude with one quotation more, which embraces several interesting subjects.

During our residence at Catania, we passed some evenings in conversazione with the Baron Recupero, who has devoted more than half a century in making observations upon Etna. This nobleman has been for several years engaged in writing a history of this mountain, which is to form two quarto volumes; the first is published, and the other is expected speedily to follow. The Baron, as well as his brother, the professor of natural history in the university of this city, not only received us very courteously, but communicated much useful and interesting information respecting this terrific volcano; and also permitted us to see his valuable collection of coins and precious stones, which although small, contains several excellent medallions of Philistides, evidently representing her at different periods of life: he also possesses an extremely fine intaglio of the rape of Proserpine upon a sardonyx, the form of which is oval, with a conjugate diameter of three inches: Pluto and Proserpine are here represented in a car drawn by two horses, and Cyane, one of her favourite nymphs, is sitting appareatly in a very dejected state at the forcibly This nobleman likewise possesses two vases carrying away of her beloved companion. of some celebrity on account of their respective paintings: one of them representing a man who had incautiously entered a sacred wood, in the act of being devoured by dogs; and the other depicting the memorable combat between Hector and Pa

troclus.

the public that this is a pleasing production, but that its own pages will be consulted for a fact which we are desirous

We trust these extracts will not satisfy

of stating, in spite of our critical acumen having been offended by the blemishes we have felt bound to point out.

THE ROYAL MINSTREL; an Epic Poem.

(Concluded.)

We return with pleasure to Mr. Pennie's Epic Poem, The Royal Minstrel, (See No. 116,) for the purpose of making some further extracts; the first of which we shall take from the close of the third book, descriptive of a Storm, compared with the previous rage of battle :—

Muffled in pall of deepest Stygian woof;
So oft the midnight tempest walks abroad,
Wild devastation marks the path it treads,
While tumbling turrets, rocks, and mountain
pines,
Before it bow their heads, and fall to earth.
The rumbling thunders gender in its womb,
And send their bright forerunners round the skies

To singe the raven locks of frighted Night,
And lift the cloke of darkness up, to show,
By fitful glimpses, to the trembling world
The wreckful terrors of the howling storm,
That madly mingles ocean with the clouds,
And scares the savage wand'rers of the gloom
Back to the shelter of their delved caves:
But soon looks rosy forth the smiling morn,
And with her radiant finger calms the roar,
And lays the piping winds and waves asleep.
Then Nature, sooth'd, assumes her wonted
charms,

And, like an infant still'd, laughs through her

tears,

That glittering hang on every bloomy spray.
The birds their woodland minstrelsy renew
In chorus universal, while the sun
Gilds with refulgence sweet the azure vault,
And paints the landscape with a thousand flow'rs.
We do not pretend to follow the poem
through all its books, nor to give any
thing like a regular history of it. Our
quotations are at random, and are in-
tended only as specimens of the poetry.
The marriage of David and the Princess
takes place in the fifth book, and the
nuptial scene is heightened by the pre-
sence of the arch-angel Michael, the
tutelar prince of the Hebrews; the poe.
tical imagery introduced here is grand
and impressive, and his description of the
bridegroom, bride, and attendants, is
very interesting. The former is thus
noticed:-

Loose o'er the shoulders of the bridegroom
flow'd

A purple mantle set with precious stones;
The bow of Jonathan, renown'd in song,
Hung careless by his side; there too the sword
So oft encrimson'd with Philistine blood,
The terror of the foe, gleam'd fiercely bright.
His high-wrought mail of steel, in battle won,
Cast forth redundant rays; yet did his eyes,
Pleasure-illum'd, outshine the richest gems
That on his gorgeous war-apparel beam'd,
As at the princess he so fondly gaz'd,

The following passage, which introduces the scene of carnage, must close our

extracts:

So on the strand the anxious merchant stands | Saul, and David's splendid coronation.
To view his vessel, lab'ring o'er the surge,
With all his treasure freighted, and her sails
Wind-bulg'd, and trimly tow'ring to the clouds.
Bound for a distant clime, before the breeze
She rides majestic on the foamy back
Of the up-lifting billows; he, well-pleas'd,
Still on her gazes, till, where ocean blends
With the blue ether, she becomes a speck,
And, gently gliding downwards, disappears.

Now begins.

The conflict's bellowing roar! The banners wave, The swordmen close, ten thousand falchions gleam,

And clash harsh thunder.-'Tis the voice of death!.

A thousand wounds spout blood, and o'er the

plain

tones

The general brevity of our remarks
compels us to pass over the seventh and
eighth books, with merely observing,
that they present several examples of
the author's skill in depicting the agency
of dæmons, and the horrid rites per-
formed by them at their unhallowed
meetings. The ninth book opens with a
morning scene, in which the form of A host of chariots rush; their horrid clang
Nabal is thus naturally described:-

Deep in a beauteous glen of Carmel fam'd,
Amid luxuriant groves where ever flow
Sleep-soothing streams, chiding the listless breeze;
Where hum of lab'ring bees along the banks
of primroses and fragrant-blowing thyme,
Join'd with the distant bleating of the flocks,
And all the varied music of the woods,
Lull with tranquillity the pilgrim's ear;
Stands the palmetto-shaded domicile
Of Nabal the morose. 'Tis blushing morn,
That down the valley peeps, in mantle grey,
The night-blown flow'rs to tend, and sprinkle

dews

On ev'ry op'ning bud and balmy herb.
Now to the enamell'd lawns stern Nabal's flocks
Are by his shepherds driv'n; in wattled cotes
They bleating stand, while num'rous shearers

stoop

With clipping clang, and rob them of their robes
Of fleecy wool, white as the southern clouds:
Rocks, caverns, mountains, groves, and winding

vales,

Re-echo with their sweetly-plaintive wail.

The army of Philistia marching to attack the Hebrews, begins the eleventh book; and as a fair specimen of the While from their orbs love's radiant lightnings poetry employed in that part of the

shot,

Flinging a magic beauty o'er his face,
That seem'd to those around cherubical.
Fast by his side a silver lyre was slung,
Which breath'd immortal numbers; on his
brow,

Half hid by bright Hyperion's golden curls,
Was plac'd a crown of diamonds and of flow'rs,
Inwoven by the curious hand of art,
And such as Israel's princely bridegrooms wore.
The friendship of David and Jonathan
is finely pourtrayed. They meet after
Saul's ineffectual attempt to slay his
rival; and having breathed mutual pro-
testations of the sincerest attachment,

these true friends take an affectionate
and affecting farewell of each other; and
the sixth book concludes with the fol-
lowing lines-

Still to the spot where David disappear'd
The blue-orb'd vision of his heav'n-like eye
Did Jonathan long point, with fixed gaze,
Like the astronomer when through his tube
He marks the progress of some new-found star,
Till tears bedimm'd his sight; then turning
sought,

Tristful, the palace of his tyrant sire.

work, we quote the simile at its com

mencement:

So pours the hive

Its millions on the wing-emburden'd air,
Warm with the solar rays, when her wax'd cell
Their sov'reign quits, a foreign home to seek.
The heralds sound to arms; the cymbals clash;
The flute, the trumpet, and the martial pipe
The squadrons summon, sheath'd in brazen
mail;
While hill and vale the warlike call repeat!
Each lordly chief his deep'ning files leads on,

Battalion on battalion, square on square,

Legion on legion, till the army all
Move in full march 'thwart Aphek's cover'd

plains,

Daring to deeds of warfare Israel's host!
So to the Biscaian shore, when tempests rise
And cloud-compelling winds their prison burst,
The foam-spread surges in succession roll,
And liquid mountains push each other on
O'er the resounding strand, o'er cliff and rock,
Till land with ocean mingles, lost and sunk
Beneath the roaring deluge.

The last book contains a description
of the battle on Mount Gilboah; and
the poem concludes with the funeral of

A crimson deluge flows; innum'rous groans
Swell on the passing winds, and, mingling deep
With the dread sound of arms, o'erpow'r the
Symphonious of the battle's minstrelsy.
The fatal arrows o'er each army fly,
And darken all the air. On burning wheels,
That mingle dust and gore, and bleeding limbs,

The soul-inspiring trumpet's music drowns.
As when across an alpine forest sweeps
The wild tornado's lightning-plumed wing,
The sturdy pines before th' impetuous gust
Bow low, then back their branches toss in air,

And with tremendous roar heav'n's concave fill,
While o'er their rocks abrupt the neighb'ring
floods,

Dash'd by the howling storm, augment the din;
Such and so loud the noise of battle-cars
And foaming steeds breaking the long-stretch'd

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Commingled with the corses of the slain,

Undaunted meets his fate, and as he dies
Mixes the blood of heroes with his own!

Although the passages we have quoted
will enable the reader to form a tole-
rable opinion of the author's talents, they
will not convey even an outline of the
incidents in the poem. But enough has
been given to prove that he has
achieved much in the arduous compo-
sition of an extensive epic poem, while
many of the passages must remind even
the careless reader, of that richness of ver-
sification and aptitude of simile distin-
guishable only in the works of a genuine
poet. We presume that the poem will
have many ardent admirers among that
multitudinous class, who delight in the
beauties of Sacred History, when inter-
woven with the flowers of fiction, and
ornamented by the breathings of the
Muse: nor is it likely to meet with op-
position from any who are pleased with a
connected story, and propriety of ar-
rangement. For our own part, should
our observations be in any way instru-
mental in fostering the efforts of genius,
we shall feel a satisfaction in thus re-
"The Royal Minstrel" to
commending
the patronage of the public,

308

THE LITERARY GAZETTE, AND

BOWDICH'S MISSION TO ASHANTEE

(Continued from No. 117.)

The history of the nation with which the author has made us acquainted, is that of a barbarous people, unable to compute time: the annals of Ashantee are hardly worth investigating. Their language is from the same root with the languages of Fantee, Warsaw, Akim, Assin, and Aquapim; and whether derived from the interior or the coast seems

of little consequence. Of late they have subjugated many neighbouring states, which are immediately placed under Ashantee viceroys, or have their kings made tributary. One of the latter (the king of Akim) in 1741,

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(The last who had the ing without consulting the pynins or elders) desiring to go to war with his neighbours, was obliged to obtain permission from the Ashantee government, which he did by the promise of sending them half the spoil;

swear on his fetish, to kill and bury him, laid: the son fulfilled the oath, and reand never to discover where the bodies were turned to Apollonia, but I am not certain what became of him. After Suikee had seated himself firmly on the stool, he by were concealed; he caused them to be dug some means discovered where the bodies up, and taken to Apollonia town; he then ranged them in a sitting posture, in a row along the beach, with stakes to extend their spectacle was exhibited until even their arms, and support their heads: this horrid bones had perished. One of Suikee's first death, or a heavy fine, for any one to swear acts after his accession, was to consecrate his hiding place in the bush, making it by Suikee's bush, and not to keep the oath.

months on a visit at Dwabin, deaf to the re-
1798. Saï Quamina had remained twelve
monstrances of various deputations urging
his return, and infatuated beyond recovery
by the arts of his mistress, Gyawa, the
daughter of the King; when it was formally

river) by fixing his feet on the ground,
bending his body backwards with a prop in
ral large teeth of ivory from a noose around
the small of his back, and suspending seve-
his neck, which, hanging from the prop,
strangled him.

to humanity.
Their barbarities in war are shocking

cut out by the fetish men who follow the Several of the hearts of the enemy are mixed (with much ceremony and incantaarmy, and the blood and small pieces being tion) with various consecrated herbs, all those who have never killed an enemy before eat a portion, for it is believed that if they secretly wasted by the haunting spirit of did not, their vigour and courage would be the deceased. It was said that the King and all the dignitaries partook of the heart

of

whispered; that they wore the smaller any celebrated enemy; this was only joints, bones, and the teeth, of the slain monarchs, was evident as well as boasted. One man was pointed out to me, as always eating the heart of the enemy he killed

but, gaining little or nothing, he did not do announced to him, that if he was not pre- with his own hand. The number of an army

so. He soon afterwards heard of Aquissi's intention, to demand his head; and knowing that King's word was irrevocable, he summoned his ministers, and desired to sacrifice his life for the quiet of his people: his ministers insisted on sharing his fate; and a barrel of powder being brought for each to sit on, they drank a large quantity

sent at the approaching Yam custom, he would be deprived of the stool. It is said, is ascertained or preserved in cowries or that this woman refused to accompany him coin by Apokoo. When a successful geneto Coomassie, either dreading the resentment of his mother, a woman of violent short distance from the capital, to receive ral returns, he waits about two days a', a passions, and great ambition, or, which is the King's compliments, and to collect all more probable, influenced by her father to the splendour possible for his entrée, to enof rum, and blew themselves up with the ments, to accelerate the ruin of Saï Quamina, by the addition of warlike names, more termingle this repugnance with her blandish-courage the army and infatuate the people. The most famous generals are distinguished

fire from their pipes.

Other curious anecdotes of forty and fifty years later date will serve to illustrate the dreadful customs of these

savages.

which he was not without hopes might lead the dethronement is interesting. Appia to his own aggrandisement. The form of Danqua, whose power seems to have been equal to that of mayor of the palace, repaired to the King's mother with the chief captains, her son, commanded her to remonstrate and deliberately recounting the offences of with him, as the daughter of their old king, and the parent to whom he owed his elevation.

koo was called Aboawassa, because he was rific than glorious, as they designate their manner of destroying their prisoners. Apoin the habit of cutting off their arms. Appia, Sheäboo, as he beats their heads in pieces with a stone. Amanqua, Abiniowa, as he cuts off their legs.

part of a campaign, from all food but meal, The army is prohibited during the active which each man carries in a small bag at water he comes to; this, they allege, is to prevent cooking fires from betraying their his side, and mixes in his hands with the first position, or anticipating a surprise. In the intervals, (for this meal is seldom eaten boossee or gooroo nut. This meal is very nourishing, and soon satisfies; we tried ít more than once a day) they chew the on our march down. Ashantee spies have Castle, with no other supply than this meal the high trees overlooking Cape Coast and a little water, before the army has been stationed three and four days in shewn itself. There is always a distinct body of recruits with the army, to dispatch those with their knives whom the musket

The government finding a pretext to invade Banda, the King Odrasee vigorously opposed the Ashantee army; but at length, seeing he must inevitably fall into their hands, to prevent his head being found, assisted in the private council, affecting to The mother, who no doubt had which circumstance he knew would sorely bewail her own misfortune and her son's disquiet the enemy, and solace his own disgrace, confessed, with secming relucpeople, ordered, just before he killed him-tance, that her remonstrances had already self, a woman to be sacrificed, and the ab- been despised, that the king had even atdomen being ripped, his head to be sewn tempted her life, and begged them to raise up within it, and her body afterwards to be their second son, Sai Apokoo, to the stool buried in the heap of the slain. It was dis- the elder had forfeited. This was complied covered by bribes, and is now on one of the with, and they sent Saï Quamina a few of King's great drums. On the death of the late King of Amana-into the bush and build himself a croom, his women and slaves, desiring him to retire hea, two competitors for the stool appeared, and on his death, which happened soon after, one called Suikee or Suiquah; the other's as it was said, from the poignancy of his name I am ignorant of. Both collected feelings, they made the greatest custom for their slaves and adherents, and fought. him which had ever been known. The Suikee was obliged to fly, and hide himself sable Cleopatra died soon after him. It was n the bush; but the people being dissatis-whispered, that those he had formerly in- has only wounded, and they are all expected fied with the conqueror, Suikce re-appeared jured incessantly insulting him in his reagainst the town. When his rival was re-tirement, even to abusing his wives hefore enemy, or they are not esteemed of produced beyond all hope, he threw all his his face, he had a private interview with mise, and dismissed to some servile occuto return well armed from despoiling the gold, which filled several jars, into the lake; the present King, communicated several pation. I could not find that they had any and then collecting his wives and the diffe- schemes of conquests, invoked him to dis-idea of fortifications, though undoubtedly t branches of his family, went with them trust, and, if possible, to punish those who re... mote part of the bush, and cut all had forsaken him, and implored death; into a r with the exception of one which was inflicted (as the blood of the royal common to the large cities on the Niger. ed to assist him in family could not be shed, and as he could burying the bodies. He then made his son not be privately drowned in the sacred

their throats,

son, whom he rese..

ticulars in this volume, that we must
say
There are yet so many curious par-
(To be continued.)

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