letters, but also large and small capitals, single letters, Fount, double letters, points, commas, lines, and numeral cha. Fountain.

racters.

Founts are large or small, according to the demand of the printer, who orders them by the hundred weight, or by sheets. When the printer orders a fount of 500, he means that the fount should weigh 500lb. When he demands a fount of 10 sheets, it is understood, that with that fount he shall be able to compose 10 sheets, or 20 forms, without being obliged to distribute. The founder takes his measures accordingly; he reckons 120 pounds for a sheet, including the quadrates, &c. or 60 pounds for a form, which is half a sheet: not that the sheet always weighs 120 pounds, or the form 60 pounds; on the contrary, it varies according to the size of the form; besides, it is always supposed that there are letters left in the cases.

The letter-founders have a kind of list, or tariff, whereby they regulate their founts: the occasion there of is, that some letters being in much more use, and oftener repeated than others, their cells or cases should be better filled and stored than those of the letters which do not return so frequently. Thus the o and i, for instance, are always in greater quantity than the k

or 3.

Foundery, of the types are next turned upwards, and polished in Fount the same manner. It is whilst the types thus lie in the dressing-stick that the operation of bearding or barbing is performed, which is effected by running a plane, faced with steel, along the shoulder of the body next to the face, which takes more or less off the corner, as occasion may require. Whilst in the dressing stick, they are also grooved, which is a very material operation. In order to understand this, it must be remembered, that when the types are first broken off from the jets, some superfluous metal always remains, which would make them bear very unequally against the paper whilst under the printing press, and effectually mar the impression. That all these inequalities may, therefore, be taken away, and that the bearings of every type may be regulated by the shoulders imparted to them all alike from the mould, the workman or dres ser proceeds in the following manner: The types being screwed up in the stick, as before mentioned, with the jet end outermost, and projecting beyond the wood about one-eighth of an inch, the stick is put into an open press, so as to present the jet end uppermost, and then every thing is made fast by driving a long wedge, which bears upon a slip of wood, which lies close to the types the whole length: then a plough or plane is applied, which is so constructed as to embrace the projecting part of the types betwixt its long sides, which are made of polished iron. When the plane is thus applied, the steel cutter bearing upon that part between the shoulders of the types, where the inequalities lie, the dresser dexterously glides it along, and by this means strips off every irregular part that comes in the way, and so makes an uniform groove the whole length, and leaves the two shoulders standing; by which means every type becomes precisely like to another, as to the height against paper. The types being now finished, the stick is taken out of the press, and the whole column replaced upon the other stick; and after the whole are so dressed, he proceeds to pick out the bad letters, previous to putting them up into pages and papers. In doing this he takes the stick into his left hand, and turning the faces near to the light, he examines them carefully, and whenever an imperfect or damaged letter oceurs, he nimbly plucks it out with a sharp bodkin, which he holds in the right hand for that purpose. Those letters which, from their form, project over the body of the type, and which cannot on this account be rubbed on the stones, are scraped on the broadsides with a knife or file, and some of the metal next the face pared away with a pen-knife, in order to allow the type to come close to any other. This operation is called kerning.

The excellence of printing types consists not only in the due performance of all the operations above described, but also in the hardness of the metal, form, and fine proportion of the character, and in the exact bearing and ranging of the letters in relation to one another.

FOUNT, or FONT, among printers, &c. a set or quantity of characters or letters of each kind, cast by a letter-founder, and sorted.-We say, a founder has cast a fount of pica, of english, of pearl, &c. meaning that he has cast a set of characters of these kinds.

A complete fount not only includes the running

This difference will be best perceived from a propor tional comparison of those letters with themselves, or some others. Suppose a fount, of 100,000 characters, which is a common fount; here the a should have 5000, the c 3000, the e 11,000, the i 6000, the m 3000, the k only 30, and the r, y and x, not many more. But this is only to be understood of the letters of the lower case; those of the upper having other proportions, which it would be, here, too long to insist

on.

FOUNTAIN, a spring or source of water rising out of the earth. Among the ancients, fountains were generally esteemed as sacred; but some were held to be so in a more particular manner. The good effects received from cold baths gave springs and rivers this high reputation; for their salutary influence was supposed to proceed from some presiding deity. Particular reasons might occasion some to be held in greater veneration than others. It was customary to throw little pieces of money into those springs, lakes, or rivers, which were esteemed sacred, to render the presiding divinities propitious; as the touch of a naked body was supposed to pollute their hallowed waters. For the phenomena, theory, and origin of fountains or springs, see SPRING.

Artificial FOUNTAIN, called also a jet d'eau, is a contrivance by which water is violently spouted upwards. See HYDRODYNAMICS.

Boiling FOUNTAIN. See ICELAND.

FOUNTAIN-Tree, a very extraordinary vegetable grow. ing in one of the Canary islands, and likewise said to exist in some other places, which distils water from its leaves in such plenty as to answer all the purposes of the inhabitants who live near it. Of this tree we have the following account in Glasse's history of the Canary islands." There are only three fountains of water in the whole island of Hierro, wherein the fountaintree grows. One of these fountains is called Acof, which, in the language of the ancient inhabitants, signifies river; a name, however, which does not seem

te

Fountain, to have been given it on account of its yielding much water, for in that respect it hardly deserves the name of a fountain. More to the northward is another called Hapio; and in the middle of the island is a spring, spring, yielding a stream about the thickness of a man's finger. This last was discovered in the year 1565, and is called the fountain of Anton. Hernadex. On account of the scarcity of water, the sheep, goats, and swine, here do not drink in the summer, but are taught to dig up the roots of fern, and chew them to quench their thirst. The great cattle are watered at those fountains, and at a place where water distils from the leaves of a tree. Many writers have made mention of this famous tree, some in such a manner as to make it appear miraculous: others again deny the existence of any such tree among whom is Father Feyjoo, a modern Spanish author, in his Theatro Critico. But he, and those who agree with him in this matter, are as much mistaken as those who would make it appear to be miraculous. This is the only island of all the Canaries which I have not been in; but I have sailed with natives of Hierro, who, when questioned about the existence of this tree, answered in the affirmative.

"The author of the History of the discovery and conquest has given us a particular account of it, which I shall here relate at large.

"The district in which this tree stands is called Tigulahe; near to which, and in the cliff or steep rocky ascent that surrounds the whole island, is a narrow gutter or gully, which commences at the sea, and continues to the summit of the cliff, where it joins or coincides with a valley, which is terminated by the steep front of a rock. On the top of this rock grows a tree, called in the language of the ancient inhabitants Garse, "Sacred or Holy Tree," which for many years has been preserved sound, entire, and fresh. Its leaves constantly distil such a quantity of water as is sufficient to furnish drink to every living creature in Hierro; nature having provided this remedy for the drought of the island. It is situated about a league and a half from the sea. It is not certainly known of what species it is, only that it is called Til. It is distinct from other trees, and stands by itself; the circumference of the trunk is about 12 spans, the diameter four, and in height from the ground to the top of the highest branch, 40 spans the circumference of all the branches together is 120 feet. The branches are thick and extended; the lowest commence about the height of an ell from the ground. Its fruit resembles the acorn, and tastes something like the kernel of a pine apple, but is softer and more aromatic. The leaves of this tree resemble those of the laurel, but are larger, wider, and more curved; they come forth, in a perpetual succession, so that the tree always remains green. Near to it grows a thorn which it fastens on many of its branches, and interweaves with them; and at a small distance from the garse are some beech trees, bresos, and thorns. On the north side of the trunk are two large tanks or cisterns, of rough stone, or rather one cistern divided, each half being 20 feet square, and 16 spans in depth. One of these contains water for the drinking of the inhabitants and the other that which they use for their cattle, washing, and such like purposes. Every morning, near this part of the island, a cloud or mist arises from the sea, which the south and easterly winds force

against the fore-mentioned steep cliff; so that the cloud having no vent but by the gutter, gradually ascends it, and from thence advances slowly to the extremity of the valley, where it is stopped and checked by the front of the rock which terminates the valley, and then rests upon the thick leaves and wide-spreading branches of the tree, from whence it distils in drops during the remainder of the day, until it is at length exhausted, in the same manner that we see water drip from the leaves of trees after a heavy shower of rain. This distillation is not peculiar to the garse or til; for the bresos, which grow near it, likewise drop water; but their leaves being but few and narrow, the quantity is so trifling, that though the natives save some of it, yet they make little or no account of any but what distils from the til, which, together with the water of some fountains, and what is saved in the winter season, is sufficient to serve them and their flocks. This tree yields most water in those years when the Levant or easterly winds have prevailed for a continuance; for, by these winds only the clouds or mists are drawn hither from the sea. A person lives on the spot near which this tree grows, who is appointed by the council to take care of it and its water; and is allowed a house to live in, with a certain salary. He every day distributes to each family of the district seven pots or vessels full of water, besides what he gives to the principal people of the island.”

"Whether the tree which yields water at this present time be the same as that mentioned in the above description, I cannot pretend to determine: but it is probable there has been a succession of them; for Pliny, describing the Fortunate islands, says, "In the mountains of Ombrion are trees resembling the plant ferula, from which water may be procured by pressure. What comes from the black kind is bitter, but that which the white yields is sweet and potable."

Trees yielding water are not peculiar to the island of Hierro; for travellers inform us of one of the same kind in the island of St Thomas, in the bight or gulf of Guinea. In Cockburn's voyages we find the following account of a dropping tree, near the mountains of Vera Paz, in America.

"On the morning of the fourth day, we came out on a large plain, where were great numbers of fine deer, and in the middle stood a tree of unusual size, spreading its branches over a vast compass of ground. Curiosity led us up to it. We had perceived, at some distance off, the ground about it to be wet; at which we began to be somewhat surprised, as well knowing there had no rain fallen for near six months past, according to the certain course of the season in that latitude: that it was impossible to be occasioned by the fall of dew on the tree, we were convinced, by the sun's having power to exhale away all moisture of that nature a few minutes after its rising. At last, to our great amazement as well as joy, we saw water dropping, or as it were distilling, fast from the end of every leaf of this wonderful (nor had it been amiss if I had said miraculous) tree; at least it was so with respect to us, who had been labouring four days through extreme heat, without receiving the least moisture, and were now almost expiring for want of it.

"We could not help looking on this as liquor sent from heaven to comfort us under great extremity. We

catched

Fountain catched what we could of it in our hands, and drank Π very plentifully of it; and liked it so well, that we could Fourness. hardly prevail with ourselves to give over. A matter of this nature could not but incite us to make the strictest observations concerning it; and accordingly we staid under the tree near three hours, and found we could not fathom its body in five times. We observed the soil where it grew to be very strong; and upon the nicest inquiry we could afterwards make, both of the natives of the country and the Spanish inhabitants, we could not learn there was any such tree known throughout New Spain, nor perhaps all America over: but I do not relate this as a prodigy in nature, because I am not a philosopher enough to describe any natural cause for it; the learned may perhaps give substantial reasons in nature for what appeared to us a great and marvellous secret."

FOUQUIERES, JAMES, an eminent painter, was born at Antwerp in 1580, and received his chief instructions from Velvet Breughel. He applied himself to the study of landscapes, and went to Italy to improve himself in colouring. He succeeded so happily, that his works are said to be nearly equal to those of Titian. -He was engaged and much caressed at the court of the elector Palatine, and in France. By some misconduct, however, he sunk into poverty, and died in 1659, in the house of an inconsiderable painter. He had resided for several years at Rome and Venice, where he acquired that excellent style of colouring and design for which his works have been distinguished.

FOURCHEE, or FOURCHY, in Heraldry, an appellation given to a cross forked at the end. See HERALDRY.

FOURCROY, ANTONY FRANCIS DE, a late celebrated French chemist. See SUPPLEMENT.

FOURMONT, STEPHEN, professor of the Arabic and Chinese languages, and one of the most learned men of his time, was born at Herbelai, a village four leagues from Paris, in 1683. He studied in Mazarine college, and afterwards in the Seminary of Thirty-three. He was at length professor of Arabic in the Royal College, and was made a member of the Academy of Inscriptions. In 1738, he was chosen a member of the Royal Society of London, and of that of Berlin in 1741. He was often consulted by the duke of Orleans, first prince of the blood; who had a particular esteem for him, and made him one of his secretaries. He wrote a great number of books; the most considerable of those which have been printed are, 1. The Roots of the Latin Tongue, in verse. 2. Critical Reflections on the Histories of ancient Nations, 2 vols. 4to. 3. Meditationes Sinica, folio. 4. A Chinese Grammar, in Latin, folio. 5. Several dissertations printed in the Memoirs of the Academy of Inscriptions, &c. He died at Paris in 1744.

He ought not to be confounded with Michael Fourmont, his youngest brother; who took orders, was professor of the Syriac language in the Royal College, and a member of the Academy of Inscriptions. He died in 1746.

FOURNESS, in Loynsdale, Lancashire, is a tract, between the Kent, Leven, and Dudden sands, which runs north parallel with the west sides of Cumberland and Westmoreland; and on the south runs out into VOL. IX. Part I.

t

the sea as a promontory. Here, as Mr Camden ex- Fourness. presses it, "the sea, as if enraged at it, lashes it more furiously, and in high tides has even devoured the shore, and made three large bays; viz. Kentsand, into which the river Ken empties itself; Levensand and Duddensand, between which the land projects in such a manner that it has its name hence; Foreness and Foreland, signifying the same with us as promontorium anterius in Latin." Bishop Gibson, however, derives the name of Fourness or Furness, from the numerous furnaces that were there anciently, the rents and services of which (called Bloomsmithy rents) are still paid. This whole tract, except on the coast, rises in high hills and vast piles of rocks called Fourness-Fells; among which the Britons found a secure retreat, trusting to these natural fortresses, though nothing was inaccessible to the victorious Saxons; for we find the Britons settled here 228 years after the arrival of the Saxons : because at that time Egfrid king of Northumberland gave St Cuthbert the land called Carthmell, and all the Britons in it, as is related in his life. In these mountainous parts are found quarries of a fine durable blue slate to cover buildings with, which are made use of in many other parts of the kingdom. Here are several cotton mills lately erected; and if fuel for fire were more plentiful, the trade of this country would much increase but there being no coals nearer than Wigan or Whitehaven, and the coast duties high, firing is rather scarce, the country people using only turf or peat, and that begins to be more scarce than formerly. In the mosses of Fourness much fir is found, but more oak the trunks in general lie with their heads to the east, the high winds having been from the west. High Furness has ever had great quantities of sheep, which browse upon the hollies left in great numbers for them; and produces charcoal for melting iron ore, and `oak bark for tanners use, in great abundance. The forests abound with deer and wild boars, and the legh or scofe, or large stags, whose horns are frequently found under ground here. The low or plain part of Fourness, which is so called to distinguish it from the woody or mountainous part, produces all sorts of grain, but principally oats, whereof the bread eaten in this country is generally made; and there are found here veins of a very rich iron ore, which is not only melted and wrought here, but great quantities are exported to other parts to mix with poorer ores. The three sands above mentioned are very dangerous to travellers, by the tides and the many quicksands. There is a guide on horseback appointed to Kent or Lancaster sands at Iol. per ann. to Leven at 61. per ann. out of the public revenue; but to Dudden, which are most dangerous, none; and it is no uncommon thing for persons to pass over in parties of 100 at a time like caravans, under the direction of the carriers, who go to or fro every day. The sands are less dangerous than formerly, being more used and better known, and travellers never going without the carriers or guides. "Furnis abbey up in the mountains," was begun at Tulket in Amounderness 1124, by Stephen earl of Boulogne, afterwards king of England, for the monks of Savigni in France, and three years after removed to this valley, then called Bekangesgill, or, the vale of nightshade." It was of the Cistertian order, endowed with G above

"

Fowl

Fourness above 8ool. per ann. Out of the monks of this abbey, Mr Camden informs us, the bishops of the Isle of Man, which lies opposite to it, used to be chosen by ancient custom; it being as it were the mother of many monasteries in Man and Ireland. Some ruins, and part of the fosse which surrounded the monastery, are still to be seen at Tulket. The remains at Fourness breathe that plain simplicity of the Cistertian abbeys; the chapter-house was the only piece of elegant Gothic about it, and its roof has lately fallen in. Part of the painted glass from the east window, representing the crucifixion, &c. is preserved at Windermere church in Bowlness, Westmoreland. The church (except the north side of the nave), the chapter-house, refectory, &c. remain, only unroofed.

FOURTH REDUNDANT, in Music. See INTERVAL. FOWEY, or Fox, a town of Cornwall in England, 240 miles from London, with a commodious haven on the Channel. It contained 1319 inhabitants in 1811, and extends above one mile on the east side of a river of its own name; and has a great share in the fishing trade. It rose so much formerly by naval wars and piracies, that in the reign of Edward III. its ships refusing to strike when required as they sailed by Rye and Winchelsea, were attacked by the ships of those ports, but defeated them; whereupon they bore their arms mixed with the arms of those two cinque-ports, which gave rise to the name of the "Gallants of Fowey." And we learn from Camden, that this town quartered a part of the arms of every one of the cinque-ports with their own; intimating, that they had at times triumphed over them all and indeed once they were so powerful, that they took several of the French men of war. In the reign of Edward III. they rescued certain ships of Rye from distress, for which this town was made a member of the cinque-ports. Edward IV. favoured Fowey so much, that when the French threatened to come up the river to burn it, he caused two towers, the ruins of which are yet visible, to be built at the public charge for its security: but he was afterwards so disgusted with the inhabitants for attacking the French after a truce proclaimed with Louis XI. that he took away all their ships and naval stores, together with a chain drawn across the river between the two forts above mentioned, which was carried to Dartmouth. It is said they were so insolent, that they cut off the ears of the king's pursuivants; for which some lives were forfeited as well as estates. The corporation consists of a mayor, recorder, 8 aldermen, a town clerk, and 2 assistants. The market is on Saturday, the fairs May-day and Sept. 10. Here are a fine old church, a free school, and an hospital. The toll of the market and fairs, and keyage of the harbour, were vested in the corporation on the payment of a fee-farm rent of about 40s. It does not appear to have sent members to parliament before the 13th of Queen Elizabeth. Here is a coinage for the tin; of which a great quantity is dug in the country to the north and west of it. The river Foy, or Foath, is very broad and deep here, and was formerly navigable as high as Lestwithiel. W. Long. 5. N. Lat. 50.27.

FOWL, among zoologists, denotes the larger sorts of birds, whether domestic or wild: such as geese, pheasants, partridges, turkeys, ducks, &c.

Tame fowl make a necessary part of the stock of a country farm. See POULTRY.

Fowls are again distinguished into two kinds, viz. land and water fowl, these last being so called from their living much in and about water also into those which are accounted game, and those which are not. See GAME.

FOWLING, the art of catching birds by means of bird-lime, decoys, and other devices, or the killing of them by the gun. See BIRD-Catching, BIRD-Lime, DECOY, SHOOTING, and the names of the different birds in the order of the alphabet.

FOWLING, is also used for the pursuing and taking birds with hawks, more properly called FALCONRY or HAWKING. See these articles.

FOWLING Piece, a light gun for shooting birds. That piece is always reckoned best which has the longest barrel, from 5 to 6 feet, with a moderate bore; though every fowler should have them of different sizes, suitable to the game he designs to kill. The barrel should be well polished and smooth within, and the bore of an equal bigness from one end to the other; which may be proved, by putting in a piece of pasteboard, cut of the exact roundness of the top for if this goes down without stops or slipping, you may conclude the bore good. The bridge-pan must be somewhat above the touch-hole, and ought to have a notch to let down a little powder: this will prevent the piece from recoiling, which it would otherwise be apt to do. As to the locks, choose such as are well filled with true work, whose springs must be neither too strong nor too weak. The hammer ought to be well hardened, and pliable to go down to the pan with a quick motion.

FOX, in Zoology. See CANIS, MAMMALIA Index. The fox is a great nuisance to the husbandman, by taking away and destroying his lambs, geese, poultry, &c. The common way to catch him is by gins; which being baited, and a train made by drawing raw flesh across in his usual paths or haunts to the gin, it proves an inducement to bring him to the place of de

struction.

The fox is also a beast of chase, and is taken with greyhounds, terriers, &c. See HUNTING.

Fox, John, the martyrologist, was born at Boston in Lincolnshire, in the year 1517. At the age of 16 he was entered a student of Brazen-Nose college in Oxford; and in 1543 he proceeded master of arts, and was chosen fellow of Magdalen college. He discovered an early genius for poetry, and wrote several Latin comedies, the subjects taken from Scripture, which his son assures us were written in an elegant style. Forsaking the muses, he now applied himself with uncommon assiduity to the study of divinity, particularly church-history; and, discovering a premature propensity to the doctrine of reformation, he was expelled the college as an heretic. His distress on this occasion was very great; but it was not long before he found an asylum in the house of Sir Thomas Lucy of Warwickshire, who employed him as a tutor to his children. Here he mar ried the daughter of a citizen of Coventry. Sir Thomas's children being now grown up, after residing a short time with his wife's father, he came to London; where finding no immediate means of subsistence, he was reduced to the utmost degree of want; but was at length

Fox,

length (as his son relates) miraculously relieved in the Zox-glove. following manner : As he was one day sitting in St Paul's church, emaciated with hunger, a stranger accosted him familiarly, and, bidding him to be of good cheer, put a sum of money into his hand; telling him, at the same time, that in a few days new hopes were at hand. He was soon after taken into the family of the duchess of Richmond, as tutor to the earl of Surrey's children, who, when their father was sent to the Tower, were committed to her care. In this family he lived at Ryegate in Surrey, during the latter part of the reign of Henry VIII. the entire reign of Edward VI. and part of that of Queen Mary: but at length, persecuted by his implacable enemy Bishop Gardiner, he was obliged to seek refuge abroad. Basil in Switzerland was the place of his retreat, where he subsisted by correcting for the press. On the death of Queen Mary he returned to England; where he was graciously received by his former pupil the duke of Norfolk, who retained him in his family as long as he lived, and bequeathed him a pension at his death. Mr Secretary Cecil also obtained for him the rectory of Shipton near Salisbury; and we are assured that he might have had considerable church preferment, had it not been for his unwillingness to subscribe to the canons. He died in the year 1587, in the 70th year of his age; and was buried in the chancel of St Giles's, Cripplegate. He was a man of great industry, and considerable learning; a zealous, but not a violent reformer; a nonconformist, but not an enemy to the church of England. He left two sons; one of whom was bred a divine, the other a physician. He wrote many pieces; but his principal work is, the Acts and Monuments of the Church, &c. commonly called Fox's Book of Martyrs. His facts are not always to be depended on, and he often loses his temper; which, considering the subject, is not much to be wondered

at.

Fox, George, the founder of the sect of English Quakers, was a shoemaker in Nottingham. The accounts of those times tell us, that as he wrought at his trade, he used to meditate much on the Scriptures; which, with his solitary course of life, improving his natural melancholy, he began at length to fancy himself inspired; and in consequence thereof set up for a preacher. He proposed but few articles of faith, insisting chiefly on moral virtue, mutual charity, the love of God, and a deep attention to the inward motions and secret operations of the Spirit; he required a plain simple worship, and a religion without ceremonies, making it a principal point to wait in profound silence the directions of the Holy Spirit. Fox met with much rough treatment for his zeal, was often imprisoned, and several times in danger of being knocked on the head, But all discouragements notwithstanding, his sect prevailed much, and many considerable men were drawn over to them; among whom were BARCLAY and PENN. He died in 1681. His followers were called Quakers. See QUAKERS.

Fox, Right Honourable Charles James, a late distinguished British statesman and orator. See SUPPLE

MENT.

Fox-Glove. See DIGITALIS, BOTANY and MATERIA MEDICA Index.

Fox Islands, the name of a group of islands, 16 in Fox-islands. number, situated between the eastern coast of Kamtschatka and the western coast of the continent of America. Each island has a particular name; but the general name Fox Islands is given to the whole group, on account of the great number of black, gray, and red foxes with which they abound. The dress of the inhabitants consist of a cap, and a fur coat which reaches down to the knee. Some of them wear common caps of a party-coloured bird skin, upon which they leave part of the wings and tail. On the fore part of their hunting and fishing caps, they place a small board like a skreen, adorned with the jaw bones of sea bears, and ornamented with glass beads, which they receive in barter from the Russians. At their festivals and dancing parties they use a much more showy sort of caps. They feed upon the flesh of all sorts of sea animals, and generally eat it raw. But if at any time they choose to dress their victuals, they make use of a hollow stone; having placed the fish or flesh therein, they cover it with another, and close the interstices with lime or clay. They then lay it horizontally upon two stones, and light a fire under it. The provision intended for keeping is dried without salt in the open air. Their weapons consist of bows, arrows, and darts; and for defence they use wooden shields. The most perfect equality reigns among these islanders. They have neither chiefs nor superiors, neither laws nor punishments. They live together in families, and societies of several families united, which form what they call a race, who, in case of an attack or defence, mutually help and support each other. The inhabitants of the same island always pretend to be of the same race; and every person looks upon his island as a possession, the property of which is common to all the individuals of the same society. Feasts are very common among them, and more particularly when the inhabitants of one island are visited by those of the others. The men of the village meet their guests beating drums, and preceded by the women, who sing and dance. At the conclusion of the dance, the hosts serve up their best provisions, and invite their guests to partake of the feast. They feed their children when very young with the coarsest flesh, and for the most part raw. If an infant cries, the mother immediately carries it to the seaside, and whether it be summer or winter, holds it naked in the water, until it is quiet. This custom is so far from doing the children any harm, that it hardens them against the cold, and they accordingly go barefooted through the winter without the least inconvenience. They seldom heat their dwellings; but when they are desirous of warming themselves, they light a bundle of hay, and stand over it; or else they set fire to train-oil, which they pour into a hollow stone. They have a good share of plain natural sense, but are rather slow of understanding. They seem cold and indifferent in most of their actions; but let an injury, or even a suspicion only, rouse them from this phlegmatic state, and they become inflexible and furious, taking the most violent revenge without any regard to the consequences. The least affliction prompts them to suicide; the apprehension of even an uncertain evil often leads them to despair; and G 2 they