change for the unreal reversion of blessings to come, in the precarious contingencies of life. The farther, too, that we are removed from the time and the place of our earliest and sweetest associations, the more they are endeared to us, and the oftener recollected. The very sadness which accompanies the remembrance of "departed joys," makes them a thousand times more exquisite. Man is so little of a hermit by nature, that he runs out of the desolate island of himself to seek social existence in the hearts of his fellows; and though his happiness must ever hegin and end in his own bosom, there is ample room within range of his affections to embrace the whole species. Next, however, to his kindred and friends, his neighbours, and then his countrymen, claim the warmest share of his spontaneous-nay, rather his involuntary, esteem; for it bursts out so naturally, suddenly, justinctively, that he can hardly say he has any choice, or will, or power, in the matter. With these, according to circumstances, especially in countries where both are aliens, he cannot help forming new, and often intimate, connexions. It is wonderful, as well as amusing, to observe how unexpectedly meeting even in a neighbouring country, attracts stragglers, who are unknown, or indifferent to each other, at home. Two persons from the same village or town, who never speak when they pass in the street, coming together at the other end of the kingdom, exchange salutations almost before they are aware, and each is right glad to ask or answer, that all friends at are well. Two Englishmen, though the one be from Berwick-on-Tweed, and the other from Penzance, suddenly encountering on the banks of the river of the Amazons, would exult in the desert as if a brother had found a brother. Two Europeans, though one were a German, and the other a Welshman, would shake hands like "auld ac quaintance," and vent their joy in gutturals which neither could understand, were they to start out of a forest, face to face, in the heart of Japan. Two inhabitants of this earth, though one were a Chinese and the other a Parisian, lighting at once on the terra firma of the planet Jupiter, would see all the world in each other's countenances, and inquire as eagerly for tidings from any quarter of it, as if there were not a speck on its surface which was not comprised in the country, aye, in the home, of each.

THE SITKA ISLANders.

THE Sitka islanders, who are called Kalushes, as well as their neighbours on the continent, are large and strongly built, but have their limbs so ill-proportioned, that they all appear deformed. Their black straight hair hangs dishevelled over their broad faces, their cheek-bones stand out, their noses are wide and flat, their mouths large, their lips thick, their eyes small, black, and fiery, and their teeth strikingly white. Their natural colour is not very dark; but they appear much more so than is natural to them, from the custom of smearing themselves daily over the face and body with ochre and a sort of black earth. Immediately after the birth, the head of the child is compressed, to give it what they consider a fine form, in which the eyebrows are drawn up, and the nostrils stretched asunder. În common with many other nations, they tear the beard out by the roots as soon as it appears. This is the business of the women. Their usual clothing consists of a little apron; but the rich wear blankets, purchased from the Russians, or from the American ships, and tied by two corners round the neck, so that they hang down and cover the back. Some of them wear bear-skins in a similar manner. The most opulent possess some Europeau garments, which they wear on great occasions, and which would have an absurd effect, were they not so disgusting as to extinguish all inclination to laugh. They never cover the head but in heavy rain, and then protect it by round caps of grass, so ingeniously and closely plaited as to exclude every drop of water. Whatever the degree of heat or cold, they never vary their costume; and

believe there is not a people in the world so hardened against the weather. In the winter, during a cold of 10 deg. of Reaumer, the Kalushes walk about naked, and jump into the water as the best method of warming themselves. At night they lie without any covering under the open sky, near a great fire-so near, indeed, as to be sometimes covered by the hot ashes. The women whom I have seen were either dressed in linen shifts reaching to their feet, or in plaited mats. The customi, common to both sexes, of painting their

faces in broad, black, white, and red stripes, crossed in all directions, gives them a peculiarly wild and savage appearance. Although this painting is quite arbitrary, and subject to no exact rules, the different races distinguish each other by it. To give the face a yet more insane cast, their long, hanging, tangled hair is mixed with the feathers of the white eagle. When powdered and painted in this way, the repulsiveness of the Kalush women, by nature excessively ugly, may be imagined; but they have a method of still farther disfiguring themselves. As soon as they are nearly marriageable, an incision is made in the under-lip, and a bone passed through it, which is exchanged from time to time for a thicker one, that the opening may be continually widened. At length a sort of double button, of an oval form, called a kaluga, which, among the people of rank, is often four inches long, and three broad, is forced in so as to make the under-lip stand forward thus much in a horizontal direction, and leave the lower teeth quite bare. The outer rim of the lip surrounding the wooden button becomes, by the violent stretching, as thin as a packthread, and of a dark blue colour. In running, the lip flaps up and down, so as to knock sometimes against the nose. Upon the continent the kaluga is worn still larger; and the female who can cover her whole face with her under-lip passes for the most perfect beauty. Men and women pierce the gristle of the nose, and stick quills, iron rings, and all kinds of ornaments, through it. In their ears, which are also pierced in many places, they wear strings of bones, muscle-shells, and beads. It would be difficult to convey an adequate idea of the hideousness of these people when their costume is thus complete; but the lips of the women, held out like a trough, and always filled with saliva stained with tobacco-juice, of which they are immoderately fond, is the most abominably revolting spectacle. The Kalushes have no fixed residence, but hover round the coast in their large canoes, which they call the women's, carrying all their property with them. When they fix upon any spot for their temporary establishment, they build a hut with great celerity, having all the materials at hand. They drive a number of stakes into the ground in a quadrangular form, fill the interstices with thin planks, and roof in the whole with the bark of trees. With such a building they are satisfied: in the seyerest winter the family sit in a circle, carrying on their several employments round a fire in the centre. The interior displays as much filthiness as if the inha bitants belonged to the dirtiest class of

the brute creation. The smoke-the stench of bad fish and blubber-the repulsive figures of the women, disgustingly occupied in seeking for vermin on the heads or skins of the men, and actually eating them when found; the great utensil for the service of the whole family, which is also the only vessel capable of containing water to wash with; all this soon drives the most inquisitive European out of so detestable a den. Their food, sufficiently disgusting in itself, is rendered still more so by their manuer of eating. It consists almost exclusively of fish of which the whale is the chief favourite, and its blubber an especial dainty. This is sometimes cooked upon red-hot stones, but more commonly eaten raw. The skins of the sea-otters form their principal wealth, and are a substitute for money; these they barter with the ships which trade with them, to the prejudice of the Russian Company, for muskets, powder, and lead. No Kalush is without one musket at least, of which he perfectly understands the use. The richer a Kalush is, the more powerful he becomes; he has a multitude of wives, who bring him a numerous family; and he purchases male and female slaves, who must labour and fish for him, and strengthen his force when engaged in warfare. These slaves are prisoners of war, and their descendants; the master's power over them is unlimited, and he even puts them to death without scruple. When the master dies, two of his slaves are murdered on his grave, that he may not want attendance in the other world: these are chosen long before the event occurs, but meet the destiny that awaits them very philosophically. The continual wars which the different races carry on against each other, with a ferocious cruelty uncommon even among savages, may account for the scanty population of this district; the fire-arms with which, to their own misfortune, they have been furnished by the American ships, have contributed to ren der their combats more bloody, and consequently to cause renewed aud increased irritation. Bows and arrows were for merly their only weapons; now, besides their muskets, they have daggers, and knives half a yard long. They never attack their enemies openly, but fail suddenly upon them in moments of the utmost fancied security. The hope of booty, or of taking a prisoner, is a sufficient motive for one of these treacherous attacks, in which they practise the greatest barbarities; hence the Kalushes, even in time of peace, are always on their guard. They establish their temporary abodes on spots in some measure fortified by nature, and

commanding an extensive view on all sides. During the night the watch is confided to wonen, who, assembled round a fire outside the hut, amuse themselves by recounting the warlike deeds of their husbands and sons. Domestic occupations, even the most laborious, are also left to females; the men employing themselves only in hunting, and building their canoes. The slaves are required to assist the women, who often treat them in a most merciless manner, The females take an active part in the wars; they not only stimulate the valour of the men, but even support them in the battle. Besides the desire of booty, the most frequent occasion of warfare is revenge. One murder can only be atoned by another; but it is in different whether the murderer or one of his relations fall-the custom merely requires a man for a man; should the murdered person be a female, a female is required in return. A case which would appear inconceivable has actually occurred that one of these most disgusting creatures has occasioned a struggle similar to that for the fair Helen, and an advantageous peace has been obtained by the cession of one of these monsters. The Kalush, who would probably look coldly on our most lovely females, finds his filthy countrywomen, with their lip-troughs, so charming, that they often awaken in him the most vehement passion. In proof of this, I remember an occurrence which took place, during our residence in Sitka, among a horde of Kalushes, who had encamped in the vicinity of the fortress. A girl had four lovers, whose jealousy produced the most violent quarrels: after fighting a long time without any result, they determined to end the strife by murdering the object of their love, and the resolution was immediately executed with their lances. The whole horde assembled round the funeral pile, and chanted a song, a part of which was interpreted by one of our countrymen, who had been long resident here: "Thou wast too beautiful-thou couldst not live-men looked on thee, and madness fired their hearts!" The dead of this people are burned, and their ashes preserved in small wooden boxes, in buildings appropriated to that purpose. They have a confused notion of immortality, and this is the only trace of religion which appears among them. They have neither priests, idols, nor any description of worship, but they place great faith in witchcraft; and the sorcerers, who are also their physicians, are held in high estimation, though more feared than loved. These sorcerers profess to heal the sick by conjurations of the wicked spirit; they are, however, ac

quainted with the medicinal properties of many herbs, but carefully conceal their knowledge as a profitable mystery.

AUDACITY OF THE BEARS-AN INTE

RESTING PAIR OF SWALLOWS

The following anecdote evinces, the hardihood of the Kamtschatka bears. Fish, which form their chief nourishment, and which they procure for themselves from the rivers, was last year excessively scarce. A great famine consequently existed among them, and instead of retiring to their dens, they wandered about the whole winter through, even in the streets of St. Peter and St. Paul. One of them finding the outer gate of a house open, entered, and the gate accidentally closed after him. The woman of the house had just placed a large tea-machine, full of boiling water, in the court: the bear smelt to it and burned his nose; provoked at the pain, he vented all his fury upon the kettle, folded his fore-paws round it, pressed it with his whole strength against his breast to crush it, and burnt himself, of course, still more and more. The horrible growl which rage and pain forced from him brought all the inhabitants of the house and neighbourhood to the spot, and poor bruin was soon dispatched by shots from the windows. He has, however immortalised his memory, and become a proverb amongst the town's people; for when any one injures himself by his own violence," they call him the bear with the tea-kettle,"

In the harbour of St. Peter and St. Paul there is sufficient depth of water close to the shore to admit of landing by means of a plank only. This proximity led a pair of swallows to mistake our frigate for a building upon terra firma, and to the infinite delight of the sailors, who regarded it as a lucky omen, they delibe rately built themselves a nest close to my cabin. Undisturbed by the noise in the ship, the loving pair hatched their brood in safety, fed their young ones with the tenderest care, and cheered them with joyous songs. But when on a sudden they saw their peaceful dwelling removing from the land, they seemed astonished, and hovered anxiously about the ship, yet still fetched food for their young from the shore, till the distance became too great, The struggle between the instincts of selfpreservation and parental love then became perceptible. They flew round the vessel, then vanished for awhile, then suddenly returned to their hungry family, and stretching their open beaks towards them, seemed to lament that no food was to be found. This alternate disappearing

and returning continued some time, and terminated in the parents returning no more; the sailors then took on themselves the care of the deserted orphans. They removed them from the nest where the parent's warmth was necessary, to another lined with cotton. and fixed in a warm place, and fed them with flies, which seemed to please their palates very well. The system at first appeared to have perfectly succeeded, and we were in hopes of carrying them safely to America; when, in spite of the most careful attention, they fell sick, and on the eighth day, to the general sorrow, not one of our nurslings remained alive. They, however, afforded an additional proof how kindly the common people of Russia are interested in all that is helpless,

THE BELLE OF THE BALL-ROOM.

AN EVERY-DAY CHARACTER.

By the Author of "Lillian."

YEARS years ago-ere yet my dreams
Had been of being wise or witty;
Ere I had done with writing themes,
Or yawn'd o'er this infernal Chitty;
Years-years ago while all my joy

Was in my fowling-piece aud filly ;In short, while I was yet a boy,

I fell in love with Laura Lily..

I saw her at the county ball

Tuere, when the sounds of flute and fiddle Gave signal sweet, in that old hall,

Of hands across and down the middle,

Hers was the subtlest spell by far

Of all that set young hearts romancing, She was our queen, our rose, our star;

And then she danced-ob, heaven! her dancing!

Dark was her hair; her hand was white;
Her voice was exquisitely tender;

Her eyes were, full of liquid ligat;
I never saw a waist so siender;

Her every look, her every smile,

Shot night and left a score of arrows;

I thought 'twas Venus from her isle,

And wonder'd where she'd left her sparrows.

She talk'd of politics or prayers;

Of Southey's prose, or Wordsworth's sonnets;

Of danglers, or of dancing bears;

Of battles, or the last new bonnets,

By candlelight, at twelve o'clock,
To me it matter'd not a tittle;

If those bright tips had quoted Locke,

I might have thought they murmur'd Little,

Through sunny May, through sultry June I loved her with a love eternal;

I spoke her praises to the moon,

I wrote them to the Suuday journal; My mother laugh'd: I soon found out That ancient ladies have no teeling; My father frown'd: but how should gout Find any happiness in kneeling!

ABOVE half a century ago-for to such a date does my little story refer-Red Lion Square was accounted a genteel if not fashionable place of residence, and numbered amongst its inhabitants, some of the principal London attoruies-solicitors was not the phrase in those daysto whom its vicinity to the inns of court rendered that neighbonihood particularly convenient. Amongst the most respectable of these respectable persons, was Mr. Mordant, a widower with five children, whose mingled strength and kindliness of character rendered him the very man to educate and bring out his motherless family; just as the union of acuteness and integrity, for which he was distinguished in his profession of life, had placed him deservedly at the bead of one of the most flourishing firms in the metropolis. He was not rich, for he had began the world with nothing but industry and talent, had married a lady in the same predicament with himself, and bad preferred giving his children the inalienable possession of an excellent education, to the accumulation of money for their immediate portions; but in the prime of life with an excellent income, and still brighter prospects, he lived as became a man of liberal habits and elegant tastes; and generous, both from temper and principle, refused no indulgences to his family, except such as appeared to him inconsistent with their station, or with that wise and liberal economy which is as essential, perhaps even more so to the affinent, as to the poor.

The young people were all of high promise. The eldest, Charles, a youth of extraordinary ability, bringing up to the law, was on the point of leaving Oxford, where he had distinguished himself greatly and had recently been entered at the Temple. George the second son was in his father's office; and of the three daughters, Catherine, the elder, a girl of eighteen, was eminently pretty; Sarah, two years younger and less handsome, had something of her brother Charles's talent; and little Barbara, the pet and plaything of the whole house was that charming creature-a lively and good-humoured spoilt child. One evening in July this amiable family were assembled in the drawing-room. Mr. Mordaunt was writing a letter at one table; his eldest daughter working, or to use her brothers phrase, flourishing an apron at another, the young men were

From the Amulet for 1831.

lounging at the windows; and Bab (for the dignity of that aristocratic name, so often seen in the peerage, and so seldom elsewhere, was in this young lady's case sadly pretermitted-the very housemaid who dressed her called her Miss Bab) was playing with her doll on the floor.

Sarah's employment was different from the rest. She was standing at the harpsichord, busied in arranging, in China vases, a quantity of flowers with which it was strewed, and which had just arrived from a small country house, which Mr. Mordaunt called his farm, on Enfield Chase. With intuitive taste Sarah had put the honeysuckles, so pretty by themselves and which mix so ill with gayer flowers, in a large jar on the centre of the mantlepiece, flanking it with a smaller pot filled with white Provence roses—so elegant and delicate among their own green leaves—on one side, and some of the roses called the maiden's blush on the other; while the rest of the old fashioned bean-pot, pinks, lilies, larkspurs, sweetwilliams, and sweet peas, she gathered together in a large China bowl, and deposited on the harpsichord between a pile of music-books and a guitar-Case.

"How I wish these flowers had arrived before poor Mrs. Sullivan went away!" exclaimed Sarah." She seemed so ont of spirits-poor woman! -and some of these beautiful flowers would have comforted her and done her good; at least,” added she, seeing her elder brother smile and shake his head, “I am sure they would always have cheered me, let me be as melancholy as I might; and she is as fond of them as I am, and was always used to them in her father's fine garden."

“Kindness must always do good under any form my dear Sarah," observed her father looking up from his letter," but I fear poor Mrs. Sullivan's depression is too deeply-seated to be touched by your pretty remedy, and that any thing which reminds her of her father's house is more likely to increase than remove her dejection.”

"Mr. Darrell, then continues implacable?" inquired Charles with much interest-" Yes," replied Mr. Mordaunt, " and I fear will remain so. I am writing to him now in his daughter's behalf, but Ï have no hope from the result. He sent for my partner yesterday to make his will, evidently to avoid my importunity in favour of these unfortunate Sullivans. Her elopement was a most foolish acta wrong, a foolish act; but ten years of penitence and suffering might have softened my old friend towards his only child, and one who, spoilt by indulgence, and her own position in society-a beauty and an heiress-can so ill support the