Letni sad, or summer garden. The principal alley of this garden is filled with young marriageable girls, who expect the arrival of young men, to select wives. Marriage contracts are made, and the marriages are celebrated a few days afterward. In this manner the labourers and small dealers in St. Petersburgh are married. termed kehochnike, is rather picturesque; it is made of pasteboard, covered with a band of velvet, or with blue or amaranthine-coloured silk, richly embroidered with gold or silver, and sometimes ornamented with pearls or precious stones. ture, we have the costume of a milkmaid, or married In the second picpeasant; and in the third, that of a married woman. The illustration at the close of the article represents a Russian priest in his characteristick dress. These costumes ought now to be seen at St. Petersburgh; as the emperour has published an kase, intimating to the ladies not to appear at court imperial ceremonies except in their national costumes. Mag. Pittoresque. NATURAL HISTORY. HORNBILLS. LIKE the ravens and vultures, these birds perform the part of scavengers in the countries which they inhabit. They abound in South America and Southern Africa, and feed chiefly upon offal and carrion. Le Vaillant saw the coronated species in Caffraria, congregating in flocks of five hundred, along with crows and vultures, over the remains of slaughtered elephants. In the absence of their favourite food, they prey upon frogs, lizards, and insects, and, when hard pressed, pursue small birds and quadrupeds; and have been even known to follow the sportsman, for the purpose of catching the disabled victim of his pleasure. They are generally of a heavy form, with limited powers of flight. The feature by which they are principally distinguished, and after which they are [A Russian Priest.] named, is an enormous toothed bill, surmounted by a singular protuberance, called the casque, or helmet. species might almost stand for a distinct genus. In These organs are so curiously diversified, that each some, the casque bears the form of a simple horn; in others it is double. Several have it turned up at the end, and convoluted in a spiral manner. have it flat and broad; others narrow, convex, and Some ribbed; and in the one we have engraved, it is convex and smooth. The use of these strange appendages is not known; many have conjectured them to be weapons either of offence or defence, but this is not borne out by their internal structure, which is that of a series of light cellular chambers, adhering irregularly together, and covered on the outside with of the bird, which are shy, sluggish, and cowardly a hard bony shell; nor is it supported by the habits The most probable surmise is, that they subserve the sense of smell in some way with which we are nos acquainted, and which a number of careful dissec- | to the ravens, and their feet to the bee-eaters and tions, aided by close observations of the living bird, king-fishers. can alone demonstrate. The forms of the bill are still further varied according to the age of the bird: a circumstance which has made the identification of the species a work of great labour... The bills in all the species are long, curved gradually downward from the base, and more or less jagged on the edges. The nostrils are placed behind the base of the bill, and covered by a membrane. The legs, robust and short; the feet, in all the species, covered with scales; the three toes directed forward, almost of equal length, and so nearly united together at the base as almost to form a sole: the hind toe is large and flat, and gives a powerful support to the bird, which, nevertheless, does not move by walking, but by leaping with the feet together. The first three quill-feathers of the wings are graduated, the fourth or fifth being the longest. The species we have figured is a native of the Himalaya mountains. Its body is about the size of a small goose; the wings short, and its whole structure loose, but powerful. The bill and casque are of a bright yellow, tinged in some places with red; cheeks, back of the head, and neck, white; back, belly, and wings, black; wing-coverts and tips of quills, white; thighs white and tail white, with a black band across the middle. Mr. Griffiths remarks, that the forms of the bill connect the birds by a close analogy with the toucans, while their port and habits approximate them Hornbills associate in large flocks on the tops of high trees, and are particularly fond of dead branches, on which they repose with an air of ludicrous gravity. Naturalists enumerate about twenty-five species. For a full account of the whole family, with splendid figures of the birds, consult Griffith's Appendix to Cuvier's Animal Kingdom, "Aves;" Le Vaillant's Histoire Naturelle d'une partie d'Oiseaux nouveaux et rares de l'Amerique et des Indes; and Temminck's Planches Coloriées. [From the National Intelligencer.] THE LAND WE LIVE IN. On! 'tis a noble heritage-this goodly land of ours But far into the closing clouds its purple mountains climb And streams-the sinews of its strength-that feed it as they glide; Its rich primeval pasture-grounds, fenced by the stooping sky, Magnificent materials! how hath the hand of man And mines of treasure, yet undelved, that 'neath its surface lie. [For the Family Magazine.] AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES. THE article on the ruins of Palenque, published in our last number, naturally attracted much observation; and, for the gratification of many of our readers, we present them, on the opposite page, with an engraving of a civil edifice at Palenque. provide, in some measure, against such assailants the Spaniards built their towns at such a distance from the coast as would enable them to have more notice of the approach of an enemy, from whose mercy experience had taught them to expect nothing but torture so cruel, that merely to read the accounts given of it by the miscreants themselves is almost more than humanity can bear. by gratitude, told him that he knew where two fish were to be found, one large and the other small; the latter he showed him immediately, and it turned out to be a recess in a Guaca of the Grand Chimu, containing gold to the amount of one million and a half of dollars. Death, accident, or some other cause, prevented him from showing the larger fish. In a late English paper, we notice the following: "At a late meeting of the London Geographical Truxillo is situated about nine miles from the Society, Mr. Waldeck offered a few observations on coast, the intermediate country being a desert of the remains of early American civilization, which sand, in which stand the ruins of the Grand Chimu, his drawings on the table represented. Beyond all its breadth occupying one third of the whole space question, they were of very high antiquity: on the between the port and city of Truxillo, (six miles,) top of one, he had himself cut down a tree, the con- and its length, parallel with the coast, nine miles. centrick circles in a section of which indicated a It has been almost entirely buried in sand; but a growth of 973 years, and the building must have great deal of this has been from time to time rebeen a ruin when it first took root. The sculpture moved, for the sake of the treasure frequently found on these buildings was still extraordinarily perfect; in the burial-places, called "Guaca." There is a and he believed that he had found a key to the hiero-tradition in general credit there, and I believe wellglyphicks introduced in it, which proved them to have authenticated, that a Spaniard had rendered an imphonetick power. He was not prepared at the moment portant service to an Indian, and the latter, moved to go into the subject at length, but he had materials with him for several publications on it, which he considered of great interest; and having devoted thirteen years and above eight thousand pounds to the collection of these materials, he was prepared to make still further sacrifices, in order to bring them advantageously before the public. He meant very shortly to publish a prospectus of his intended work, and to solicit subscriptions to it. He would engrave the drawings himself, in order to keep down the expense. Colonel Galindo, of the Central American service, offered some remarks on the high antiquity of American civilization. He was disposed to consider even the ruins described by Mr. Waldeck as comparatively of modern date; and he thought that the decay of the native American tribes indicated senility, to a degree which might almost warrant the belief that America was the first rather than the last-peopled quarter of the globe. He admitted that these opinions appeared visionary, when thus stated, without the grounds on which they otherwise rested; yet they were the result of much study and reflection on his own part, and he was strongly convinced of their substantial accuracy." A valued correspondent remarks: "The article on the American city was altogether new to me, and most interesting. The clew to the great mystery is now at length, I doubt not, found, and it becomes us to follow it out. This, however, must be done on the spot. The savage ignorance of the aborigines north of Mexico can furnish nothing in the shape even of tradition worthy of notice. In Mexico and the more southern countries, there was a comparative degree of civilization, that offers fair room for hope that, with the start we now have, much may be done. From Valparaiso to Cape Blanco, the coast of South America is a desert, save where the rivers, few and small, produce a limited patch of verdure, and throughout the whole extent of this district, (bounded on the west by the sea and on the east by the mountains,) more or less of the ruins of towns may be seen, of which the Grand Chimu may be taken for example. You are aware, no doubt, how much the Spanish possessions in America were exposed to the depredations of the English, who, since the days of the Scandinavians, have, of all nations, carried piracy to the greatest extent. To The royal share of the treasure trove was ten per cent.; and, it is said, that in one year, from the Grand Chimu alone, it amounted to five millions of dollars. About this, however, I am not so certain; for the other parts of this account I will be responsible. Through the city runs a channel, which bears every mark of having been the bed of a river, as abraded pebbles, &c. It is between forty-five and sixty feet wide, and ten or twelve feet deep. The houses are spacious, and built of sun-dried bricks, there being no stone in the neighbourhood fit for building. Truxillo itself is built almost entirely of reeds. The soil, either from an abundance of saltpetre, or some other cause, preserves the bodies of those buried in it from putrefaction: the liquid portions passing off, the solids remain hard and black. The sculls of the Grand Chimuans are said to be particularly deficient in foreheads, and no two bodies can be found occupying exactly similar postures: some of them are standing, some sitting, some squatting, &c.; and of these last, for instance, the position of the heads, arms, feet, or hands of each, always differs from the others. In the Guacas are found vessels of black earthenware, curiously fashioned, with grotesque figures upon them, and containing a sort of beer, still used by the Indians, made of meal. These vessels sometimes contain toys, as whistles, in the shape of animals; but made with so uncertain a hand, that the one seen by my friend was determined to have been intended either for a dog or seal; which, he knew not; but, upon being blown into, emitted a sound not unlike the barking of a dog.” The above remarks are extremely interesting; and, as our correspondent observes, it would seem as if the clew to the mystery attending the early settlement of America, and its original inhabitants, if not exactly found, is at least in a fair way to be traced out. Under the head of Miscellany, will be found an account of the discovery of a brazen arrow, &c., which we commend to the notice of our readers. [For the Family Magazine. A HUNT AT GAZYPOOR-FROM THE FRENCH. WHEN I had made my purchases of otto of rose, (atta goul,) the merchant, (Agoub,) a young and finelooking Mohammedan, made me a low salam, and invited me to go to his house, and partake of a collation. I did so. "I beg pardon," said he-hurrying his light repast-"I beg pardon, but I have made an engagement for a hunt, and I am afraid that my friends will wait for me." "A hunt!" said I, my eyes glistening with delight at the prospect of being of the party. He had already risen; his hand rested on his sabre; an Indian slave was about to saddle his horse. "Will you go with us ?" said he; "my companions will be happy to see you.-Ghaed, saddle another horse. You are anxious to see the fields of roses," he resumed, "and it is in these that we are going to chase an antelope. To horse, and away!" We departed. We soon left Gazypoor in the distance, and I found myself in the fields of roses. present an agreeable prospect. When the season for gathering has come, there are no bands of young maidens, with garlands in their hair, to pluck the sweet-smelling flowers, but they are pulled by poor labourers, who merely look for their daily stipend. In manufacturing the otto, the first operation is to distil the roses (goulaa biepaan); the essence obtained is deposited in large vases, which are exposed to the air during the night. Occasionally these jars are skimmed, and the essential oil, which floats on their surface is removed; this oil is that concentrated essence so much prized by amateurs, and which is termed otto (atta) of roses. The rosewater, which is deprived of its essential oil, is much inferiour, and much less costly than that which has preserved it; but it is said that the difference between the two is barely perceptible. Rosewater is used universally by the East Indians in their domestick economy. It is employed for ablutions, for a medicine, and in their cookery. It is poured on the hands at the commencement of a repast, and is taken internally for every disorder. i The precious essence of roses, so celebrated in all parts of the civilized world as one of the principal While I was passing over the plains of Gazypoor productions of the Indies, is made from flowers which with my companions, our huntsmen suddenly shoutgrow abundantly in the fields around Gazypoor. ed, "An antelope! an antelope!" and, on looking, I Their cultivation, however, presents nothing roman-saw one of these animals rapidly descending from a tick; it is merely a matter of business. Although the mountain. We immediately gave chase, and truly rose of India differs in size from our roses, yet its animated was the scene: our fiery horses, with their perfume is equally sweet. The Indian cultivators, necks extended, their mouths foaming, and rivalling however, content themselves with nature's produc- the antelope in swiftness, added not a little to the tions as they find them. They never avail them- picture. Soon, however, the animal grew fatigued; selves of the resources of art. They regard the rose his pace slackened, his legs trembled, and he seemed as a merchandise too costly to be cultivated for orna- ready to drop down; when a tame lynx, which had ment, and for their purposes the natural rose is amply been educated for the business, jumped from behind sufficient. a huntsman, threw itself on the head of the antelope, and soon destroyed it, amid the shouts of my companions. The roses of Gazy poor are planted in regular lines, in fields of several hundred acres extent, all around the city. Their purple flowers, which open to the rays of the morning sun, and enamel the green plains, After this, we returned to Gazypoor, and took dinner in a large oriental saloon. |