On the first day of our landing, we went to one of the principal synagogues. Although there are but few synagogues in our own country, yet most persons are familiar with the prominent objects which their interior presents. Among these are the desk of the reader, near the centre, and surrounded with a railing; the table of the law, containing the first words of each of the ten commandments, with other inscriptions in Hebrew; and on occasion of the greater festivals, numerous and massive wax lights.

The synagogue was much thronged on the evening we were present, and we felt ourselves shocked by the tumultuous appearance of the assembly. The reader, and all the congregation, whether sitting or standing, had their heads constantly covered. Many were coming and going, by whom friendly salutations were interchanged. Those who

re

mained were often engaged in conversation on business and pleasure, as was evident from their countenances, which were repeatedly clothed with smiles. While the reader was engaged in chanting the ritual, most of the audience measured the time of the music by a gentle movement of the body forwards and backwards. By this means, scarcely a child failed of joining in the responses at the proper moment. Indeed no small part of the astounding clamor, which Occasionally saluted our ears, seemed to be owing to the younger part of the congregation exerting their vocal powers. Some few with apparent devotedness confined their attention to their prayerbooks, which had an English translation corresponding to the Hebrew page rehearsed. When also the whole congregation arising, turned their faces towards Jerusalem, and, covering them with their hands, bowed themselves down toward the earth, I could not but think of the captive prophet and his fellow exiles in Babylon. Moreover as I looked around on the silvery beards, the flowing robes, and other patriarchal appearances of the elders, near whom I was seated, I was more strongly inclined to indulge in feelings of pity, than of displeasure, towards those who still rejected the Lord of glory.

Our short stay of only four days at Gibraltar, prevented our having much personal intercourse with the Jews, or learning very definitely their numbers. The latter I heard stated at from 1,200, to 3,000 or 4,000. A great part of them are said to be Barbary Jews, and strongly attached to the Talmud. Much of the wealth and commerce of the town are in their hands, although num

Having completed his remarks upon the Jews in Gibraltar, Mr. Brewer makes the fol

lowing statements respecting the numbers of that people in the neighboring States of Barbary.

According to all accounts, their numbers must be very considerable. A respectable German authority estimates the whole number of Jews in the world at 3,200,000. One sixth of these it assigns to the continent of Africa, and 300,000 to the single empire of Morocco. Mr. Shaler, in his sketches of Algiers, estimates the Jews of the city of Algiers at 5,000, and Mr. Greaves,

those of Tunis at 30,000.

The attention of the reader will now be directed to the remarks of Mr. Gridley.

Gibraltar is an interesting spot. None but a stranger to those emotions which the sublime in nature is calculated to awaken, can gaze upon that vast rock, rising majestically from the ocean, and hiding its craggy cliffs in the clouds, without feelings of the deepest interest.

Statesmen too have looked upon it with interest. Hostile fleets and armies have gathered round it-the cannon's roar has made it tremble-human blood, like water, has laved its shores

and treasures untold have been lavished on its fortifications.

But with still deeper interest, should the Christian contemplate it. It is the point, from which false religions encircling the Mediterranean, may most advantageously be attacked. To preach the Gospel at Madrid, Morocco, Tunis, or Algiers, would subject a man to great privations, and not improbably would cost him his life. But here is a spot, where thousands of Catholics, Jews, and Mahommedans are gathered together, among whom, under the protection of English laws, the missionary might labor with all the security, and with most of the comforts, of the minister at home. And here let the Gospel once triumph,

and European, Asiatic, and Barbary Jews would be seen, as heralds of salvation, winging their way to their respective countries; Moors, Portuguese, and Spaniards would be numbered among the champions of the cross; and soon would many nations hear, in their own dialect, of the wonderful works of God.

But this field for Christian enterprise, so easy of access, and at the same time so important, is still suffered to lie almost entirely unoccupied. Not only are the thousands here born and educated under the influence of false religions, with scarcely an exception permitted to pass through life without once ever hearing of the way of salvation; but a large portion of the multitude, who resort hither from a land of religious privileges, are left, as it regards the means of grace, in a condition much to be deplored.

There is, however, amid this moral desolation, one bright spot-a little band of the followers of Jesus, under the guidance of a faithful, godly pastor, walking together in fellowship and love, and zealously promoting the cause of Christ around them. Their present number is about eighty. Their place of worship is a large upper room, and has inscribed over the door of its entrance, Methodist Chapel. Under the same roof, is the parsonage, and a well furnished Tract and Bible depository. Here, "fast by the oracles of God," resides the pastor of this flock, the Rev. Joseph Pratten. Here he breaks unto them the bread of life, and here he furnishes with religious Tracts and Bibles not a few, who receive them gladly. Associated with him is the Rev. Mr. Barber, who devotes himself chiefly to the Spanish population. He has made himself acquainted with their language, and has succeeded in gathering a little number, who attend steadily on his instructions. Of these, three now give evidence of piety. They often meet by themselves for social prayer.

These gentlemen officiate alternately at the chapel, where every Sabbath they have a morning and an evening service. The afternoon is devoted to their Sunday-school, which has become an interesting branch of their operations. Conference meetings are held every evening in the week.

These gentlemen are English missionaries, sent out by the Wesleyan Society, Mr. Pratten one year, and Mr. Barber two years since. This station has been occupied by that society about fifteen years. Mr. Griffith was their first missionary here. Under his labors, and under the labors of those who

have succeeded him, a very considerable number have been hopefully converted. Most of these have been soldiers of the garrison, many of whom have, from time to time, been transferred to other military posts, or have returned to their native land. In all their efforts hitherto, Jehovah hath helped them.

Voyage from Gibraltar to Smyrna.

Southerly gales driving the vessel from the direct course to Malta, along the northern side of Sicily, it was determined to proceed to Messina; where, however, meeting with unexpected difficulties from the operations of quarantine, they remained but a few days, and then sailed for Malta.

The following descriptive passages are extracted from the letters written during this voyage. And first from Mr. Brewer's:

As we drew near the Lipari isles, we were reminded, by frequent squalls of wind, and almost incessant lightning, of their ancient names of Eolian and Vulcanian.

More moderate winds succeeded the gales with which we were first visited. We had a fine view, on our left, of Ustica, Alicudi, Felicude, Salina, Lipari, Vulcano, Pinaria, Stromboli, and many of the smaller islands of the Lipari group.They presented the usual appearance of volcanic regions-deep ravines and irregular surface. We could discover also, especially in the vallies, a freshness of verdure, which even our vernal months rarely exhibit. Owing to the clouds which hung over Sicily, Mount Etna was not to be seen; Stromboli, however, with its ever-smoking summit, was distinctly visible.

As it was even tide before we reached the Faro-light, at the entrance of the straits of Messina, we were prevented from seeing the rock Scylla, on the Italian side, so celebrated even from the days of Homer. The rapidity of the current, and the roar of the surf on the opposite shore, brought Charybdis to mind, though the precise place of its situation is a matter of some controversy.

The following notices of Messina, the Calabrian coast, Rigo, and the voyage to Malta, are from the correspondence of Mr. Gridley.

We left Messina on the 7th of November, after a stay of three days. The view of the city froin the water is beautiful beyond any thing I ever before witof three story buildings. In the rear nessed. Fronting the water, is a line

the whiteness of its summit is owing to light-colored rocks, or to snows, we could not determine.

Several of these churches are fine specimens of architecture. They have many bells, which, during the Sabbath, are kept almost constantly ringing. Some of them have high spires. The mother church is a huge pile, covering half an acre, surmounted by a cupola proportionably large. This is supposed to have been built by the Romans, at least seven hundred years ago, and is the only building in the city which survived, uninjured, the earthquake of 1783. The tower, in which Richard Cœur de Lion resided several months, while on his way to the Holy Land, is among the most prominent objects of the place, and on this I can assure you I gazed with interest.-The buildings are of brick and stone, covered with a dull yellow stucco. The harbor is excellent, and the only one on the strait. The number of priests in Messina, is said to be 6,000 -one sixth of the whole population. There is one Greek convent in the city: there are, also, a few families of

Jews.

I had an opportunity of attending the morning service at the chapel of the Lazaretto. This chapel is a five sided projection from the Lazaretto, about the size of an ordinary pulpit: near it bangs the little chapel bell."

On our way to Malta, we passed several little villages on the Calabrian coast. Each had its pretty painted chapel, surmounted by a single spire. Several beds of rivers were visible, down which torrents sometimes flow from the hills, but now they were entirely dry. The coast was entirely covered with orange groves, in which men, women, and children were seen moving in different directions. Here it is, and not in Sicily, that most of the Sicily oranges are raised. The side hills are decked with vineyards, which now are becoming quite yellow, the vintage being nearly over. The clusters of these parts are very inferior to those which we found at Gibraltar.

Regio, a city of fifteen thousand inhabitants, is much the largest place on the Italian side of the strait. It has at a distance the appearance of elegance. This is the Rhegium, which St. Paul fetched in his compass, after his ship. wreck at Melita. We had also a dis

After leaving Sicily, we for two days made no progress towards Malta. An east wind then sprang up, which in a few hours brought us very near it. At eight in the evening, the shipmen deeming that they drew near some country, sounded and found it forty fathoms; and, it being very dark, thought it best to lie off and on for the night. This was probably near the place where the shipmen sounded, with whom the great Apostle sailed eighteen hundred years ago. We were also reminded, by the present rain and the cold, of the no little kindness of that barbarous people, in kindling a fire for that same Apostle and his shipwrecked company.

The voyage from Malta to Smyrna occupied ten days, and is thus briefly described by Mr. Brewer.

No part of our passage from America, has been more pleasant, than the first seven days of this voyage. We sailed between Cerigo and Cerigotta, a little to the south of the former, belatter on our right; to the west likewise tween Anti-Milo and Milo, leaving the Zea, and through the straits, between of Serpho and Thermia; to the east of Negropont and Andero. Passing to the north of Ipsara, and near to the unfortunate Scio, we were then obliged to beat up the gulf of Smyrna with considerable rough weather. On the 27th of December, however, we reached the town, which is near the head of the gulf; a great city, with perhaps double the population of Boston.

Languages used in the Levant.

The following remarks upon the languages used in the Levant, together with the statements respecting the Jews in Smyrna, the voyage to Constantinople, and the Jews in that city,-are from the pen of Mr. Brewer.

The French language is, as elsewhere, found in the politer circles. Italian is the language of business, and, with the Greek, is spoken by domestics. The English is very little used. In Smyrna, the children of several families, one of whose parents is English, are unable to speak this_language, though they have grown up from their infancy to the knowledge of several others. A little child will often accost Turks, Armenians, Greeks, &c. of a stranger in several different tongues.

I ought, however, to make the exception of the people of Asia Minor. On the eastern and southern shores, commerce has secured, to some little extent, the prevalence of Italian and Greek. In every other part of it, Turkish is the sole language that is used. The Armenians and Greeks, however, write it in their respective characters. Hence the necessity of preparing the Scriptures and Tracts in their several forms.

The Jews of the Levant, in addition to the languages of business, and a little Hebrew in use among the Rabbies, speak in common the Jewish Spanish. I suppose this dialect to be principally Spanish, written in characters altered from the ancient Hebrew. I am not, however, very well advised of its nature, nor can I learn that it has any elementary books.

Jews in Smyrna.

Since the late excitements among the Jews in Constantinople, their brethren in Smyrna are more than usually jealous of intercourse with Christians. When I first visited their synagogues, apparently little notice was taken of my presence. I am assured also, that strangers are usually treated by them with much politeness. On the last occasion, however, when I called at the usual hour on Saturday morning, an alarm was made some time before I reached the door. A crowd immediately gathered around us so close, as almost to prevent our going forward. When I came to the entrance, the tumult became so great that the principal Rabbi, whom I had visited at his own house, was obliged to stop in the midst of his exercises, and come out, with several of the elders, to restore order, and secure me a seat near one of the

presidents I remained a short time, while the congregation came one after another to pay their respects to him in the oriental style, by touching their lips and forehead to his hand. But finding that my presence continued to be a source of uneasiness to a considerable number without, I thought it proper to withdraw.

Some may be inclined to view this suspicious reception, and the violent conduct which has been exhibited at Constantinople, as grounds of discouragement. I regard them, however, as well founded apprehensions that the yoke of ceremonial bondage is about to be broken, and Jesus of Nazareth to

Mr. Brewer's Voyage to Constantinople.

I sailed from Smyrna on the 22d of January in the English schooner Ann and Mary, capt. March, of Bristol. We were a whole day in passing the castle, only a few miles below the city. After this a fine breeze springing up, bore us on our way in the contrary direction of the Apostle Paul's last voyage to Jerusalem. From "over against Chios, we came to Mitylene," sailing between the latter island and the main. During the night we passed near the ancient "Assos," on the north of Mitylene, but it was too dark to discover its situation. The sun however rose upon us, as we coasted along the district of "Troas," and gave us a fine opportunity of viewing shores so full of interest to the classical scholar.

We had scarcely passed the old castle of the Dardanelles, when the south it is impossible to make head against a wind entirely failed us. Without this, current, which sets toward the Archipelago, at the rate of several miles an hour. We were obliged, therefore, to come to an anchor, near the ruins of Abydos, on the Asiatic side.

As soon as our vessel was safely moored, we landed, and walked to the point, (a little above the ancient city,) from which Xerxes constructed the bridge of boats for the passage of his numerous army across the Heilespont.

We had no difficulty in satisfying ourselves where it must be, nor in finding the hill from which he surveyed his marshalled millions. This we ascended, and looked abroad on the one hand, upon a plain several miles in extent, and on the other, upon the smooth waters in a bay of the Hellespont, where his sea-forces were displayed. As we stood near the spot where we conjectured his throne was erected, we

called to mind that most beautiful de

scription of the historian;-"And when he saw all the Hellespont covered with his vessels, and all the shores and plains of Abydos full of men, he blessed himseif; but after that he wept-wept at the thought, that in an hundred years, not one of all his countless host would be alive."-Happy would it have been, if, with these views of the vanity of human life, he had adopted the prayer of an inspired moralist, ""So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

The next day being rainy, we continued on ship-board; but on the day