dence, that the fire began in a warehouse filled with hides, newly tanned, which was under his apartment; and to which the origin of that accident was generally attributed.. By this calamity Cimarosa was deprived of all thie fruits of his well known economy; and was even in danger of losing his life.

The foregoing is a short sketch of the debut of Dominico Cimarosa. I wish that some amateur, who had the happiness of accompanying him in his musical tour from Naples to St. Petersburgh, would favour the public with the later circumstances of his life and labours: and a list of his numerous works, with which he has enriched the various states of Europe; and which are so justly celebrated for their merit and originality.

marosa to be admitted to him, the next time he came to fetch the bread; which direction his little protectress did not fail to see duly executed. After Aprilo had inquired respecting his family, his means of subsistence, and his fondness for music and singing, he wished to make a trial of his voice. Cimarosa, who, by means of a relative had often visited the theatre of Florentino, where operas are performed in the dialect which is commonly spoken at Naples, and where this relation of our juvenile Apollo wrought as machini t, began one of the airs which the celebrated Cavacsiello used to sing, in such an original manner, and imitated his tone of voice so correctly, and with so much additional humour, that it entirely overcame the gravity of the theatrical critic. Aprilo burst into a loud laugh, and was enraptured The son of Cimarosa is also a composer of at this specimen of the young man's talents. merit. The following particulars were pubThe bent of his genius appeared so evidentlished some time ago in the Neapolitan newsto Aprilo that he lost no time in sending for Cimarosa's father, whose consent was necessary for his son's admission into the Conservatorium de la Pièta. Here he studied the first principles of his new profession; but, afterwards becoming desirous of improving his talents, he left that institution, at the expiration of the stipulated time, and placed himself under the direction of Nicolo Piccini, the most celebrated Neapolitan composer of the time.

|

papers.

A piece of music was lately performed at the church de la Pita, composed by the son of the immortal Cimarosa, a young man nineteen years of age. It was highly ap plauded, as well on account of its force of expression, as in consequence of the new and original ideas it contained. The celebrated Paisiello, who was present, pressed the young composer in his arms; and congratulated him in the following words: Follow "the glorious footsteps of your father, and, "if possible, surpass him in excellence."

66

OF THE SKELETON OF THE

MAMMOTH, EXHIBITED IN LONDON,
ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO.

To the Editor of the Literary Panorama.

*

Shortly after his leaving the Conservatorium he married. My readers expect, without doubt, that his choice fell on his former protectress, the little Teresina; the same person, who, by inducing Aprilo to notice his PARTICULARS juvenile exertions, had been the cause of his subsequent rise. Ah, reader! I sincerely participate in your wishes; for my narrative would then acquire a much greater degree of interest; such an incident would have given SIR-You lately gave an account of the it a romantic air, and thereby would have discovery of a Mammoth in the Frozen Sea, qualified it for being presented on the and the long process of rendering that discostage, in the shape of an opera vaudeville, very available to the interests of science. It or rather, of a comic opera, composed from is earnestly to be hoped, that we shall receive our hero's own music, of which we have further particulars of that creature's construcsuch a considerable quantity in store. But, tion and form, with engravings, by which this was not the case. Whether, at the time we may be enabled to compare it correctly of his marriage, Teresina was dead, whe-with the structure of other animals its rivals ther she had bestowed her hand on another, in bulk; as it is well known that several or whether she had adopted a different mode varieties of these massy creatures are enumeof life, is a circumstance unknown to me-- rated by naturalists. In the meanwhile but the fact is, that Cimarosa married simply I send you some particulars of that skeleton the daughter of a mechanic. His wife hav-which was exhibited some time ago in Loning died some time after, he obtained permission of the Pope to marry his sister-in-law, of whom he had became enamoured, while his former wife was yet living.

I was not at Rome, at the time when the fire happened which not only destroyed his apartment, but the whole of the premises where he resided; but I have been told by a person, in whom I can place implicit conf

:

don and which I saw and examined with considerable attention. There is no reason to believe that it was of the same species as the Siberiau mammoth but the sight of one of equal dimensions is an argument in favour of the existence of the other, though that be not within the reach of our inspection.

Comp. Panorama, Vol, IV. p. 1181.

The name of Mammoth bones was first given by the Russian peasants to some large Bones found in Siberia, and the term, although fabulous, was universally adopted; it was afterwards used in describing those large bones, &c. (although different from those extant in Siberia) which were discovered on the banks of the Ohio; several of which are in the British Museum.

This skeleton was dug up from a morass in the county of Orange, State of NewYork, (North America) about 60 miles N. N. W. from the city of New-York, where it was accidentaly discovered by farmers who were digging shell marie for the purpose of manure. All the bones were found within a small space of each other, most of the large ones properly articulating, but some of the smaller ones detached. Bones of the same kind found on the Ohio, are generally petrified.

The teeth of this animal are formed like those of all carnivorous animals, which are always covered with a crust of enamel, and fit into each other so as to prevent any grinding motion; instead of the enamel running in veins through the tooth, like those of the elephant, horse, ox, &c. which are calculated for grinding vegetable substances. The tusks are different in form and substance from those of the elephant; the spinal processes, over the shoulders, are inimensely large, so that the back must have been sharp like that of the hog; the ribs are short, narrow, and placed edgewise, unlike those of other animals, (those of the elephant are broad and flat); the thigh bones, instead of being round, are broad and flat, a mark of great strength and proportionate activity; the tail appears to have been long, broad, and flat; the scapula is very peculiar; and the bones of the fore-legs in particular remarkably large and heavy.

This skeleton is 11 feet high, 174 long, and 5 feet 8 inches wide, the under jaw alone weighs 634 lbs. and the whole skeleton about 1000 lbs. Many bones and teeth have been occasionally found of a much larger proportion. This therefore, is evidently, one of ordinary size, although much larger than a common-sized elephant.

Another thigh bone, of a different subject, 3 feet 9 inches long, and 18 inches in circumference, found near the Ohio, was exhibited with the skeleton-Also, a single tooth of a Mainmoth, 18 inches in circumference, 4lbs. 10 ounces in weight, with a part of the jaw-bone out of which it was taken. Dr. Wistar, Professor of Anatomy at Philadelphia, has a tooth of this kind weighing 7 lbs.

By a plaster cast from a bone row in the possession of the Philosophical Society at Phiİadelphia, which was found near the Ohio,

[336

and is certainly part of the head of an animal
of the ox kind, it must have belonged to a
creature as large as the elephant; of this cast
the pith of the horn is 21 inches in circum
ference.

inches high, and 12 feet 8 inches long, found
The Megatherium, a large skeleton 6 feet 6
in South America, and now in the King's
Museum at Madrid, by a drawing of it
belonged to a different species."
which has been exhibited, appears to have

I am not ignorant that Cuvier has attempt-
ed to distinguish and identify many species of
large animals which he supposes to be now
extinct, but I find some difficulty in granting
to be a sufficient portion of the earth's surface
the extinction of so many, as there appears
yet unexplored by us, in which some of them
be supposed that these large creatures were
may hereafter be found to reside. If it could
instance, this would increase the chance of
inhabitants of the ocean, as at the poles, for
finding them yet existing. Late discoveries,
and visitations of almost all parts of the globe
by the dauntless prows of British navigators,
nor is the question of any consequence to an
I must own, are unfavourable to this idea
enlightened mind, theological or philosophi
cal; certainly of none, in the opinion of
yours, &c.
A NATURALIST.

Oct. 1808.

THE GATHERER.

I am but a Gatherer and Disposer of other Men's
Stuff-WOTTON..
No. VI.

The Benevolence of Jesus. From the Per-
siun of Nizami. Translated by A. Y.

When Jesus the Messiah, was travelling his steps by the entrance of a small market over the world to gain knowledge, he bent. place.

and

fallen doen in a pathway before him;
At the time of his passing a wolf-dog had
its life had just escaped, from the prison of
its body.

This circumstance drew together an imeating vultures, came to look at the dead mense crowd of gazers, who, like carrionbody.

the by-standers said :
After having gazed for some time, one of
"The disgustfulness of
wind on a lamp.”
this carcase brings offence to our brain, like

altogether just it is blindness to the eye,
Another said: "That observation is not
and torment to the heart.”

by-standers had something to say; but alk After the same manner, every one of the they uttered was fraught with malevolence, against the head of the departed beast.

At length it became Jesus's turn to speak, and he, laying all blaine aside, spake the

words of soberness and truth.

He said: "From the rich imagery with which the palace of that head is stored, even pearls themselves are greatly inferior to the whiteness of his teeth."

The consequence was, that those persons, who had spoken before, made their own teeth white from the burned carcase of the beast, through fear of rebuke, and the hope of forgiveness.

Look not on the faults of other people, neither gaze on thine own merits; rather let thine eye be directed to the crimes within thyself.

It is worth while to observe the character of benevolence attributed in this, and in other Oriental compositions, to our blessed Saviour. It is a homage to truth, even from enemies. Those who have the honour to bear the nanie of this great philanthropist, yet indulge rancour and malignity under whatever pretence, may learn a lesson from the conduct of his adversaries.

on the thunders of the Vatican, there are persons who hold them in dread.

Every year, in the service of Holy Thursday, the Pope still excommunicates and curses all heretics, and particularly Lutherans, in these terms: "We therefore, following this ancient and solemn custom, excommunicate and anathematize on the part of Omnipotent God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as well as on our own part, all heretics, who follow the damnable, impious, and abominable he resies of Martin Luther, and all those who foster and receive them, as well as the readers and general defenders of the works of the said Martin, or of any other of them, &c."

The joke is, that this communication is understood to take place instantly in all parts of the world: wherever is any heretic, on this day, at least, he is subject to cramps, aches, and stitches, without knowing what is, the matter with him; and to many other evils, which the Pope distributes from his exalted station in the gallery of the front of St. Peter's. Query, while he is under Gallic confinement, and reduced to be inerely the Bishop of Rome, have his curses equal effect as before?

But, that the Pope can curse, and to pur pose, too, when he sets about it in right earnest, let the following composition of

curses bear witness.

Clement VI. in the bull which he issued

A nominally respectable Jury. The following curious incident happened to judge Dodderidge, when on the Circuit, and is recorded in the Harleian miscellany. This upright judge had, it seems, at Huntingdon against the Emperor Louis of Bavaria, exassizes, in 1619, reproved the sheriff for hav-presses himself thus: " May God strike him with imbecility and madness! may Heaven ing returned persons on the jury, who were not of sufficient respectability. The sheriff, overwhelm him with its thunders! may the however, took care against the next assizes, anger of God, with that of St. Peter and to present the following singular list; which St. Paul, fall upon him in this world and in he read with peculiar emphasis, import and the next! may the whole universe revolt pause; at this the judge smiled, and at the against him! may the earth swallow him up alive! may his name perish from the ear same time applauded his ingenious industry. liest generation! and may his memory disappear! May all the elements be adverse to him! may his children, delivered into the hands of his enemies, be crushed before the eyes of their father, &c."

Maximilian

of Tortand

of Goodmanchester
of Somersham

of Bythorpe
of St. Neots

Henry

George

King,
Prince,
Duke,

William

Marquis,

of Stukeley

Edward

Earl,

of Hartford

of Worsley

of Easton

of Spaldock

of Barham

of Weston

of Kimbolton
of Bugden

of Graff ham
of Catsworth.

Funeral Rites of Hafez.

Hafez, the Persian poet, was author of ma ny poems in which the devout discover, under the allegories of love and wine, the most sublime raptures of the soul; while the prophane perceive nothing beyond the commendation of sensual gratifications. This subjected him to suspicions and imputations during his life: nor did they terminate with that; for, after his death, some of the religious were disposed to deny his body the right of sepulture, a leging in objection, the licentiousness of his poetry; after a long dispute, they left the decision to a divination in use among them, by opening his book at random, and taking the first couplet which occurred: it happened to be this:

N

Turn not away from Hafez' bier,
Nor scornful check the pitying tear;
For tho' immers'd in sin he lies,

His soul forgiv'n to Heaven shall rise.
This passage was deemed a divine decision
the religious withdrew their objections, and
he was buried in Mosella, a place rendered
famous by his own verses.

Without affecting an inflexible stiffness of morals, the mind, desirous of maintaining its integrity, will not withhold blame from an ambiguity so little honourable to the divine powers of poesy, or an application of talent so little creditable to the harmonious strains of the poet.

Description of a Burning Well, near Chatigun, in the East-Indies.

but an inflammable vapour rises through it; yet this vapour is not ignited till it is about to be discharged: nor would it take fire, but that a dome of brick work keeps it perpétually heated. This vapour kindles at the approach of a flame, it discolours silver, and itself receives a dark tinge from tea. So a British heart is cold, till a political party vapour rises flammable, does not actually take fire, till through it: yet even this vapour, though inabout to burst into speechification; the perdour: the approach of another, an opposition petual heats of a certain dome prolong its arflamme, kindles it: it discolours the financial Reports of those in office; but is itself discoloured by commercial considerations.be

ORIGIN OF THE GALLINAS WAR.

The following account of the origin of the war in the Gallinas, mentioned in our Vol. IV. p. 1201, has been communicated to us for insertion by a respected correspondent.

Carribil, son of a former King of the

"The burning well is situated about twentytwo miles from Chatigan, at the termination of a valley surrounded by hills. I visited it in 1778, and, from recollection, am enabled to give the following account of it-the shape of the well, or rather reservoir, is oblong, about six feet by four, and the depth does not exceed twelve feet. The water, which is al-country near the mouth of the Gallinas, was ways cold, is supplied by a spring, and there is a conduit for carrying off the superfluity; a part of the surface of the well (about a fourth) is covered with brick work, which is nearly ignited by the flames, which flash

who had been subordinate to his father, takvery young when his father died. The Chiefs, ing advantage of the weakness of the son during his youth, endeavoured to make themthemselves the advantages of a direct interselves independent, and secure exclusively to without intermission, from the surface of the water. It would appear that an inflammable the price of slaves, and in the receipt of the course with the European traders, both in vapour escapes through the water, which takes duties paid by vessels. Of these Chiefs, the fire on contact with the external air; the per-principal were Siaca (Isaac) and Fanasourré. petuity of the flame is occasioned by the ig nited brick-work, as, without this, much of the vapour would escape without conflagra tion. This was proved by taking away the covering of brick-work after the extinction of the heat, by throwing upon it the water of the well. The flames still continued to burst forth from the surface, but with momentary intermissions, and the vapour was always immediately kindled by holding a candle at a small disrance from the surface of the water. A piece of silver placed in the conduit for carrying off the superfluous water, was discoloured in a few minutes, and an infusion of tea gave a dark tinge to the water.

"On the side of a hill distant about three miles from the burning well, there is a spot of ground, of a few feet only in d dimensions, from which, flashes of fire burst on stamping strongly with the foot. The appearance of this spot resembled that of earth, on which a fire had been kindled. I do not recollect whether it was hot to the touch."

Lord Teignmouth. Might not a poetical faney find some resemblance between this burning well and the spirit of party in Britain? The water is cold,

Carribil, having with increased years obtained strength to assert his rights, complained first to the Old Men of the country, to whom great deference is always paid, and hinted his determination to crush those, who, “ having been no better than his father's slaves, had Men are accused of being too much in the now assumed the supreme power." The Old interest of Siaca's party: but it was proposed bly. The European traders having taken a to call a palaver, and settle the matter amicatheir advances of goods: one gave to Fanastrong interest in the dispute, were liberal in sourré 40 slaves' money, besides ten puncheons thus prepared for war, the Chiefs called of rum; another the same to Siaca.. Being the principal of the Old Men to send for Car ribil that he might talk the palaver: and presented a slave, two puncheons of rum, and 80 bars of tobacco, for the use of the judges, Carribil perceived instantly that he was no match in an African court of law for men who had an hundred slaves money at their disposal, and were able to exhibit so much liberality at the commencement of the palaver. On pretence of consulting his relations, he also went to a trader, Mr. W, who

upon

*

supplied him with money. His intentions probably were suspected the Chiefs thought it useless to go any farther through the forms of a palaver but determined to seize Carribil, when he should return, and kill him at once. Some of the Manna people, friends of the young prince, discovered the plot, and divulged the secret to him. Without delay, he removed to secretand secure places his property, his relatives, and his people (except the strong and active men), and, above all, the -bones of his father...

seen at Gillifrey; but Albreda, which is about half a mile lower down the river, has a good appearance.

From the landing at Gillifrey, James Fort bears about S. E. distant two miles.

but H. tells me it is not so; on the contrary it would be taken ill by them if you did not partake with them.

Their houses are built of mud, in a circular form; walls very neat, about a foot through; they are small and low. The circumference of the thatch is so much larger than that of the wall, as to form a very decent piazza, and some of the houses have a second wall built outside of the piazza. They have not too many windows.

Ammada, Capt. H's. linguister, conducted us to the town, and the old Alcade was glad to see us. This old fellow (Tumani by name) treated us with a bottle of porter, but would not take a part with us, though he loves it, for it seems it is their fashion to take none of what they give. I expected they must be When the messengers, who came to sum-treated in a similar manner on board the brig; mon him again to the palaver, perceived what was done, they gave information immediate. ly, and a party was dispatched to kill his cattle, and destroy whatever property might yet be left. A skirmish ensued between this party and the men whom Carribil had left. War being thus rendered unavoidable, the people of • Manna and Tebeo, whose sentiments had not yet been distinctly known, addressed the Confederate Chiefs at the Gallinas to the following effect: "You have stopped us," said they, "from coming ourselves to the factories of the white men ; you tell them not to give us the same price for our slaves as is given to you; you are to have 140 bars for a prime slave, we can get but 30 or 90; for children, we are to have 10, 20, or at most 40 bars; you are to receive from 40 to 60: large sums After coming on board about dusk, Ma-of money are lent to you; but, through your mado Sambo, Chief of Seeko, rattled on boa: d persuasions, we are thought unworthy to be and cut not a few capers. He had his band trusted. In fact, by combination between of music along with him, the leader of which -you and the white people, the whole trade of is only six feet and eight inches high : I mea the country is driven into your hands. You sured him, and he was by no means upright, tell the white people to pay no duties to the not by one inch and a half. Mamado insistKing's son; and they listen to you, thonghed on H's giving him a salute of six guns as they know that Carribil is heir to the late he went over the side. King, and no King has been made in his place. No we will join with Carribil, and drive all the white people away, for it is they who make you so proud, and they, at bottom, excite all the trouble in the country." Ac cording to their word, they went and joined Carribil.

The houses are surrounded with fences, formed of a kind of bamboo or reed; and some indeed of long stout grsss. This I was told was to keep off the wolves, which are apt to come about the houses in the night and pick up their young ones.

August 5. Went on shore in the afternoon, and shot half a dozen of monkies, of which I got two hauled aboard.

The place certainly abounds with game. Plenty of beautiful birds, of wasps and musquitoes. In the course of the afternoon, I got only two stings of wasps, and about 10,000 bites of musquitoes.

Coming back I had to climb a tree for an

-FURTHER PARTICULARS OF THE AFRICAN observation, having fairly lost myself; but a

TRADE AT SIERRA LEONE..

In p. 109, of the present volume, we inserted some remarks on the trade of the -Floop country by Mr. G. Ross. The following extract from his journal, while resident in the river Gambia, contains interesting information, respecting the nature of the country and the manners of the people:

August 4, 1801. The landing at Gillifrey, dis on a long shoal beach, where the jolly-boat grounds about 100 yards out.

From the river there is not the smallest appearance of a town, or even a house to be

sight of James Fort brought me up, and I took a fresh departure.

Three convenient articles. I ought to have had with me this afternoon, though I am, thank God, come safe back without them: viz. a pocket compass, because I was in danger of losing myself; a pair of pocket time that I should be assaulted by the mo pistols, because I certainly expected at one kies; and another kind of pocket pistol, well loaded and primed with grog.What a good thing would a little drop of grog have been to-night, or even of good Sierra Leone water; but oh! Gambia, thy waters are an abomination.