sonal appearance that indicated the pride and fierceness of an eastern despot. A guard of soldiers is allowed him, who attend at the gate of his residence.

Feb. 21. From a high hill near James Town, we had an extensive view of the island north-westward. The low land is alluvial, consisting of sand and shells, apparently of recent formation. The mountains, some of the peaks of which rise to 3500 feet, are of coarse, gray granite, containing very little mica, and much resembling that which abounds on the southern coast of China.

Feb. 22. Crossing the Straits of Pinang, where they are about six miles broad, we landed on that part of the peninsula which is called Queda, a section of which, thirty miles long, and three in depth, belongs to the English, having been purchased of the reigning prince in 1786, at the time when Pinang was obtained. Captain Low, who has the command of this settlement, has under him a few Sepoys (native soldiers), and a hundred and twenty convicts, who are employed in making roads. The population, consisting of Chinese, Malays, and Bugis, is estimated at 16,000. This shred of coast is very flat, rising little above the level of the sea, but bounded far inland with mountains of considerable elevation. The whole was one wilderness of straggling trees and rank underwood, the haunt of reptiles and wild beasts, till the settlers cleared a few habitable places, which they are gradually enlarging by carrying fire and sword, as it were—the axe and the flame-through the jungle.

Feb. 24. Eight miles south of George Town grows the setomian, or great tree (as it is worthily styled), which attracts the curiosity of all strangers, and is the pride of the natives. It is, beyond comparison, the most beautiful object of the kind which we have yet seen in all our travels. This paragon stands on a steep declivity, facing the east. Five feet from the ground the bole measures ten yards in circumference, and thence, gracefully tapering, ascends to the height of nearly a hundred and twenty feet, before it sends forth branches. Beyond that point, several large ones diverge in various directions, and form a head to the further height of forty feet, not very broad, but towering, under a diadem of verdure, far above all the rank and file of the forest. The stem is perfectly straight, and as shapely as the shaft of a Corinthian column. From the bark, when punctured, exudes a white gum, which dries to the consistency of Indian rubber.

DRESS AND HABITATIONS OF THE MALAYS.

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On our return, we observed several monkeys leaping about from tree to tree, as though they had the power of flight, without wings, through the air-so free and unfearing they seemed to our unaccustomed eyes. By the way-side, however, were sundry traps, set by man, the common enemy of all his fellow-animals, to tempt these nimble denizens of the woods to risk their harlequin-liberty for a paltry bait of fruit. To guard against monkeys and serpents, in these regions, some birds suspend their nests, like purses, from the extremities of small branches. These, which are exquisitely wrought of grass, have the entrance at the bottom, through a long tube-like, or bottle, neck; on one side of the interior is the depository for the eggs. They may be literally called castles in the air. Those which we took belonged to the tailorbird, and were cunningly hung on a tree, armed at all points with sharp prickles; the politic little builder choosing that in preference to others, as affording her brood the best security from monkeys, who were not very likely to gambol in such a neighborhood. The ava, of the Pacific Islands, was growing here, which we have not before seen in the Indies. The mimosa, or sensitive-plant, runs wild every where in Pinang, shrinking and reviving at the slightest touch, as though it were, indeed," tremblingly alive all o'er." It is now in full flower, bearing a delicate pink-colored blossom-a little globe, three fourths of an inch in diameter.

Feb. 27. The Malays here, and elsewhere, build their houses, or rather hovels, two or three feet above the ground, over brooks, water-courses, or swamps, by preference, for the sake of coolness. These are constructed of bamboos, with open floors and thatched roofs; seldom having windows, and being entered by steps of boards or sticks. Within there is a partition, forming a day and a night room; and on the floor those who can afford such a luxury spread a mat. On this they usually sit cross-legged, though here and there a chair or a bench may be found, as an article extraordinary among their scanty domestic furniture. Living almost entirely upon rice, a pot or a pan, with a fire-frame, are all their cooking requisites. Both sexes wear a length of cottoncloth, doubled, and sewed together at the ends, like a towel on a roller. This they wrap twice round their loins, and, when long enough, throw one end of it over their shoulders. The men occasionally wear short drawers, a jacket, and a handkerchief, folded like a turban, round their heads; but

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PERSONAL HABITS OF MALAYS.

this is "full dress;" necessity with most, and choice with many, causing them to make much less serve. The women, generally, cover the upper part of their persons with a loose frock, and, if they are wealthy enough to purchase a shawl of any kind, they fasten a key, or some small matter, to the lower corner, and carry it over one shoulder. Few of either sex use ornaments, probably because they are too poor to afford such superfluities. The women's hair is worn indifferently, either in a knob at the back of the head, or in elflocks over their shoulders. In general these people are indolent and filthy in their habits, being, as we have repeatedly remarked, the coolies, or doers of all work that nobody else will do who can find more creditable employment.

Though there appears to us little similarity between the Malay language and that of the Pacific Islanders, excepting a few words found in both, we cannot doubt of the community of their origin. Their persons, color, hair, and eyes; their general features, manner of walking (especially the gait of the women), their habits of life, their mode of clothing, &c., plainly indicate that they are of one stock. There is, indeed, one remarkable distinction-the Malays never tatoo their bodies; perhaps, when their ancestors embraced Mahommedanism, this practice was prohibited, as having been connected with idolatry. On the other hand, the tribes of the Pacific never practised the disgusting method of blackening their teeth, and making their mouths and lips artificially red, as the Malays universally do. This is partly effected by chewing the pernicious betel-nut, wrapped in an aromatic leaf, with lime, and a gummy substance called gambier, of which a quid is made, and the whole mass of abominable ingredients is thrust together into the mouth, with the occasional addition of a large piece of tobacco, half of which projects outward, and completes the Malayan physiognomy of filth and ugliness. The teeth soon become jet black, and, as they decay early by the corrosive process, the mouths of these wretched people exhibit charnel-houses of rotten stumps, which, for the purposes of breathing freely, or from idiotic listlessness, they keep continually open. Some of the men shave; others wear long beards. One good custom they have, and with naming it we shall dismiss their personal manners;—all people, of both sexes, bathe at least once every day, by throwing water over their heads, with a kind of bucket made of the broad leaf of a tree

March 2. There is an insect in the mountains here, a species of gryllus (cricket), which makes a loud noise with its wings, at certain seasons, probably to attract its mate. Not content with the simple sound which it can produce by a natural action, it is said to resort to an exceedingly curious acoustic contrivance to increase it; but we shall merely describe its nest, leaving its musical capabilities to better judges. In the sides of a hole which it forms in the earth, large enough to contain its body, it hollows out seven small tunnels, which, diverging from that common centre, and penetrating towards the surface of the ground, at length open above in a circle of a palm's breadth in diameter. These cylindrical apertures, being made quite smooth within, expand towards the top, where each may be half an inch wide, like so many minute speaking trumpets. The insect then taking its stand in the central cavity which communicates with these, and there exercising its fairy minstrelsy, the sound passes through every tube; and, whatever be the use of this peculiar structure, the tiny musician within makes hill-side and thicket to ring with the chiruping din that he emits from it.

On the same mountains is found a species of tarantula, a monstrous spider, which forms a den for itself in the ground, two inches in diameter, exceedingly smooth within, and well shaped; but what most deserves admiration is a trap-door over the entrance, which it perfectly covers. This ingenious appendage, composed of different vegetable materials matted together, like felt, is so hung at the upper part as to allow of being raised up when the animal goes in or out, after which it immediately falls down again into its place. The edges are curiously fringed with a kind of net-work, either for ornament-the whole nest displaying exquisite skill and beauty of contrivance or to conceal the access, and render it less liable to be discovered,

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8

THE RIVER HOOGHLY.

CHAPTER XLIII.

Voyage to Calcutta-Enter the River Hooghly-Approach to the City -The Rev. James Hill-Visiting various Places-Archdeacon Corrie -Female Orphan School-The Black Town-Fort William-Museum of the Asiatic Society-Town Hall-Visit to the Episcopal Clergy-The Palanquin-Ramohun Roy-Intensity of the Heat-Bishop's College-Botanical Garden-Banyan-trees-Visit to Serampore -Dr. Carey and his Colleagues-A Temple of Juggernaut-Mahommedan Mosque-Baptist College--Return to Calcutta-Bridal Pageant-Bullocks--Mr. Trawin, at Kidderpore-Dancing Serpents -Docility and Sagacity of Elephants-Kalee Ghaut-Swinging-machine.

March 11. HAVING, by invitation, visited the governor, who was not at home on our first landing, but who now received us with great kindness, we prepared to sail for Calcutta, by the Danish brig Pearl, captain Bendichson, burthen three hundred tons. This afternoon we embarked accordingly, after taking leave of our esteemed missionary friends, and other respectable residents who have shown us many civilities.

April 15. Our log-book records nothing remarkable since we left Pinang on the 12th ult. We have, indeed, suffered a little from heat and scarcity of water, but on the whole have been graciously brought on our way through squalls, and calms, and favorable gales. We are now entering the river Hooghly, a branch of the Ganges. The channel is about five miles wide, the land on either side very flat, with many stunted trees, of variegated foliage, among which the fan-palm rises with superior grace, though to no considerable height. The population must be very dense; innumerable native dwellings appear on every hand, principally in villagegroups, and under clumps of trees, for the benefit of the shade. Small herds of buffaloes are seen grazing on the banks of the river, and a few land-birds have visited the rigging of our vessel.

April 16. We left behind us the mouths of several fine streams, which flow into the main river from the westward; and safely crossed the dangerous sands called the James and Mary, from the name of a ship formerly cast away there. The Hooghly, now become a narrower, is yet a noble river, about half a mile broad; the level country on its banks as