its original fairness. Then understood I, that this worn piece represented a true believer, in whom, through much conformity to the world, the life of God had lost some of its lustre, but which should be restored by salutary trials and afflictions.

Then I looked, and behold a field; and in the field were many props stuck in the ground, of different shapes and heights. And as I looked, à great multitude were in the field carrying planks in their hands; and they seemed weary and willing to rest themselves. And I saw that every man took his plank, and endeavoured to rest it on the props that were in the field, that he might sit thereon. And some set their plank upon one prop, and some upon two, and some upon more. But lo, when each man went to sit down upon the seat which he had thus made, the props on which he had placed his plank, broke, and he fell to the ground. And I looked, and saw that the props were utterly rotten and worm eaten. Then I waited to see what they, who had thus fallen, would do. And no sooner had they risen, but they took up each man his plank; and began to place them again, some upon the props which had already given way under them, and some upon others which they sought out for themselves: and again they sat down, and again they fell to the ground. And thus they did continually.

And one man I especially noted, who, having oft fallen, was bruised and sore weary. And while he was looking to see if there might be any resting place for him, behold a winged one came unto him, and took him to a part of the field where was one sound prop, and, behold, it was very broad and strong. And he bid the man place his plank thereon, and rest himself securely. Then I saw that the man, having examined the prop, and perceived that it was sound, looked out for another also; and resting the two ends of his plank upon the two props, he sat upon the seat which he had made. Now the prop which he had looked out for himself was, like all the rest, very rotten; and it broke, and because the plank rested with one end upon it, it gave way, and the man fell again to the ground. Now, when he rose again, he examined the broken prop,

prop

and put together the broken pieces thereof, and fastened them with nails and bands: and again he placed his plank upon the two props, and sat down, and fell as before. And this he did several times; and he became more weary and vexed than before. Then I saw that the winged one came again to the man, and chode with him, for that he had sought out another prop, besides that sound and strong and broad one; and left not the man till he had placed his plank firmly upon that one prop. Then the man sat down, and fell not; and he rested himself, and was comforted.

Then said I, What meaneth this?

And the interpreter answered, The field that thou seest is the world, and the men therein are the men of the world, seeking rest and happiness in it. The props are those things whereon they lean for happiness, as money, or worldly pleasure, or sensual enjoyment, or carnal learning, or human greatness, or the applause of men, or domestic comfort. And whereas thou seest that whoso resteth his plank on these props, and sitteth thereon, presently falleth to the ground; thus shall it be with every one who seeketh his happiness from this world; that whereon he leaneth shall soon fail from under him, and he shall fall, and weary and bruise himself.

Then I would know the meaning of the man who had bound up the broken prop so often, and had endeavoured to sit securely thereon.

Then said the interpreter, The sound prop which thou sawest, is, the merits of Jesus Christ: blessed is he who resteth thereon; it is the only dependence that shall never fail the sinner. But the man, whom thou sawest, was not willing for a while to rest on it alone: but would fain lean on the rotten prop of human righteousness. And whereas thou sawest that he endeavoured to piece the broken prop, and to fasten the broken splinters thereof with nails and bands; so is it with the sinner who would rest on his own righteousness for acceptance with God, and peace in his own conscience. When he hath mended his life, and cleansed his heart by his own endeavours, his dependence is as vain as it was at first. Blessed is the man who is taught this, and who "maketh the Lord his trust;"

for "whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe," Psa. xl. 4; Prov. xxix. 25; Isa. xlv. 24, 25.-Rev. C. Neale.

THE ELECTRIC EEL.-No. I.

Gymnotus Electricus.

THE possession of a natural electrical or galvanic apparatus, and the power of inflicting shocks, such as those given by a common electrifying machine, or charged Leyden jar, may be accounted among the most wonderful of the organic endowments which it has pleased the Creator to bestow upon living beings. It must not, however, be supposed that all animals are thus gifted; the number is indeed very limited, and, what is remarkable, restricted, as far as we know, to certain fishes, of which one is a native of our seas. That this power is intended as a defence against enemies, which are either stunned or killed by the shock received, cannot be doubted; but why a few species only, out of the thousands with which we are acquainted, should possess these means of self-protection, like many other facts in the history of animated nature, is a problem beyond our solution.

The fishes provided with an electrical apparatus, are, First, the torpedo, (Raja torpedo ; torpedo narke. Riss,) found in the European seas, and a few allied species of the warmer latitudes, one of which, closely resembling the common torpedo, and supposed by Humboldt to be identical with it, occurs on the coast of Cumana, South America. Secondly, the Trichurus Indicus. Thirdly, the Tetrodon electricus. Fourthly, the Silurus electricus (Malapterurus, Lacép. and Cuvier,) of Senegal. Fifthly, the Gymnotus electricus. And, sixthly, the Rhinobatus electricus of the coasts of Brazil, a species of Ray, respecting which some doubt exists as to its really possessing the power in question. Of these, two only are the inhabitants of fresh waters, namely, the Silurus electricus, which is found in the Nile and the river Senegal, being very abundant in the latter; and the Gymnotus electricus, or electric eel, a native of the fresh waters of certain districts of South America, and surpassing all the rest in size, no less than in the power of its electrical appaIt is to this animal that we shall here devote a few remarks.

ratus.

From the equator to the northern shores of South America, extend vast plains, or savannahs, termed llanos, intersected by rivers, and diversified with large pools, or natural reservoirs of water, and in these the electric eel exists in the greatest numbers; it is, in fact, one of the most abundant of the fresh water fishes of the great region divided into Spanish, Dutch, French, and Portuguese Guiana. South of the line, it is found in the river Amazon and its tributaries. Whereever it is known, it is dreaded not only by the natives, but by the colonists; and hence the scientific traveller experiences some difficulty in obtaining living specimens. "These electric fishes,' says baron Humboldt, "are extremely common in the small rivers and pools over the immense and generally arid plains which separate the northern bank of the Orinoco from the Cordillera of the coast of Venezuela. The shallower these pools or meers are, the more easy is the capture of these animals; for in the large rivers of America, in the Meta, the Apure, and the Orinoco, the force of the current, and the volume and depth of the water prevent the Indians from catching them. The inhabitants of Guiana are well aware of the danger they encounter in swimming over the places where the gymnotus is abundant; but they do not see them so often as they experience their pernicious effects. While traversing the extensive llanos of the province of Caraccas, in order to embark at San Fernando de Apure, for the purpose of commencing our expedition on the Orinoco, we stayed for five days at a little town called Calabozo, for the sake of making observations on the gymnotus, of which immense numbers are found in the neighbourhood; for example, in the Rio Guarico, in the Canos del Rastro, du Berito, and de la Paloma, and also in about fifty small lakes scattered between Calabozo and the two missions of Ariba and of Aboxo, and the farm districts of Morichal and of Caiman. We were here assured that a road, near Uritucu, formerly much traversed, had been utterly abandoned in consequence of these electric eels; for the road led to a ford in a river, which it was necessary to cross, and in which many mules were annually drowned, stunned by the shocks received from these fishes."

Here, by rewards and every kind of encouragement, Humboldt endeavoured to persuade the Indians to procure for him living specimens; but all in vain, dead ones in abundance were brought, but the puerile fears of the natives were not to be overcome, though they themselves pretended that while holding tobacco in the mouth, they were unaffected by the creature's electric shock. But it was evident, that while affirming this, they knew it to be a falsity; and Humboldt, by way of comment, observes, that the love of the marvellous is so great among the indigenes, that they often maintain and spread abroad as facts what they themselves do not in the least believe. "Thus does vain man think to add to the wonders of nature, as if nature were not sufficiently mysterious, sufficiently vast, sufficiently overwhelming to our intellects."

Foiled in his endeavours to obtain living electric eels, Humboldt determined to repair himself to the places where they abounded, and to make his experiments on the spot. Accordingly, he was conducted by the Indians to a basin or large pool of muddy stagnant water, called Cano de Beza, which was encircled by an enchanting belt of vegetation, and flowers of the richest colours and most fragrant scents. The water teemed with the eels; but the difficulty was, not to kill them, but to take them alive; and great was his surprise, when he was told that the Indians were going for that purpose, to collect thirty of the half wild horses, from the adjacent savannah. The idea of fishing by means of horses struck him as being almost ridiculous; but it was soon explained. The mode of fishing with horses and mules is termed embarbascar con caballos, to make drunk by means of horses. The word barbasco signifies the root of the plants of the jacquinia and of the piscidia, and other poisonous vegetables, which when thrown into water diffuse their property to a considerable distance, stupifying all the fishes within its influence, and causing them to float in a dying or intoxicated condition. Now, as the horses, driven up and down in a pool, produce the same effect on the terrified fishes, the natives confounding the cause and the effect, give to both these modes of procuring fish, the same denomination. Here follows, in Humboldt's account, so graphic a sketch of the scene

which ensued, that we do not hesitate to give it entire.

"While our host was explaining this strange mode of fishing in this part of the country, the troop of horses and mules arrived. The Indians had made a sort of battue in collecting them, and surrounding them on all sides forced them to enter the pool. Imperfectly can I point the interesting spectacle which the battle of the eels and the horses presented. The Indians furnished with long canes and harpoons placed themselves round the pool"; some mounted the trees, the branches of which stretched over the surface of the water; and all by their long canes, and by uttering loud cries prevented the horses from gaining the bank. The eels, terrified by the noise of the horses, defended themselves by the reiterated discharge of their electric batteries, and for a long time had every appearance of gaining a complete victory. In every direction were seen horses or mules, which stunned by the force and repetition of the electric shocks disappeared beneath the water, some of the horses floundered up, and in spite of the vigilance and activity of the Indians gained the bank; and then, exhausted with fatigue, and with their limbs benumbed through the violence of the shocks, they stretched themselves at full length on the ground.

"I could have wished that a skilful painter had been present to depict this scene when at the highest point of the exciting commotion; there, groups of Indians surrounding the pool; there, the horses, with bristling manes, and eyes gleaming with terror and pain, struggling to escape the storm which had overtaken them; there, yellow and livid eels, swimming like great aquatic serpents on the surface of the water, and pursuing their enemies: all these objects combined, would no doubt compose a most picturesque assemblage.* I remember a fine painting representing a horse entering a cave, and starting back in affright at the sight of a lion: such was the expression of terror which we saw in these horses, during this unequal combat.

"In less than five minutes, two horses were already drowned. The eel, which is more than five feet long, glides under the belly of the horse or mule, and there makes a discharge of electricity from the whole of the apparatus; thus

benumbing at the same time, the heart, the viscera, and the great plexus of gastric nerves. It is not surprising, then, that the effect which the fish produces on a large quadruped surpasses that which a man touching it only with his limbs experiences: but it is not clear that the horse is immediately killed; it is most probably only stunned by the shocks, and falls powerless or lethargic. Thus, in a state of insensibility, the animal disappears beneath the water, other horses and mules pass over its body, and in a few minutes it perishes.

"After this début, I feared the chase would have a tragic close, and doubted not to see the greater number of the mules one by one sink and die; but the Indians assured us that the fishing would soon terminate, and that it was only the first assault of the eels that was formidable. In fact, whether the electro-galvanic principle accumulates by repose, or whether the electric organ ceases to perform its function, when exhausted by too long an action, it is certain, that after some time the eels may be compared to discharged electric batteries; their muscular movements are indeed still vigorous, but they are incapable of inflicting strong electric shocks.

"When the combat had lasted a quarter of an hour, the mules and the horses appeared to be less terrified; they no longer bristled up their manes, and the eye expressed less pain and affright. They were no longer seen to fall; and the eels, swimming half out of the water, and avoiding the horses, instead of attacking them, made for the bank. The Indians assured us, that when for two successive days horses are forced into a pool full of these eels, no horse is killed on the second day. These fishes require repose and plenty of food, in order to the production or accumulation of a great quantity of the electro-galvanic fluid.

"When the eels came towards the bank, they were very easily taken; little harpoons attached to long cords were thrown at them, and two were sometimes caught at once, and that without a shock being felt, the cord being very dry, and of considerable length.

"In a few minutes, five large eels were landed, and twenty more might have been taken if we had needed them for our experiments. Most were only wounded slightly in the tail.

"When one has seen that these eels are capable of overthrowing a horse, and of depriving it of all sensibility, it may well alarm a person to touch the creature, when it is first drawn out of the water. So great indeed is this fear among the natives, that none of them would venture to disengage those which we captured from the cord of the harpoon, or carry them into little pits filled with fresh water, which we had made on the bank to receive them. We were therefore ourselves obliged to receive the first shocks, which were by no means slight; the strongest far exceeded in intensity the most severe electric strokes which I have accidentally received from a large Leyden jar completely charged; and we easily believed from that circumstance, that the statement of the Indians is not exaggerated, when they assert, that persons if struck while swimming, either on the arms or legs, by one of these eels, are drowned; for so violent a shock may well deprive a man for many minutes of the use of his limbs. But if the gymnotus were to glide over the chest and bowels, death would instantaneously result from the electric shock itself; for the heart, the visceral system, and the great coeliac plexus of nerves, and its ramifications, would be at once paralyzed."

M.

DAILY EXERCISES FOR THE CHRISTIAN.

SWARTZ, the devoted missionary, thus wrote to a friend, in words well deserving remembrance.

One day, that greatest and most solemn of all days, will bring us all together. How shall we then rejoice, when we find that our course and warfare are come to a blessed end! In the mean time, let us fight the good fight of faith, laying hold (in hope) on eternal life.

May we be daily girt with the girdle of truth, of the whole truth, as it has been revealed to us by God, and particularly that cheering truth, that in Jesus Christ, and in a close union with him, consists eternal life.

Let us daily put on the breastplate of righteousness. For the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, his meritorious sufferings, his death and blood, whereby he has delivered us from the wrath of God, having taken upon him the sentence of death, which we had deserved. That his righteousness will cover our breast,

so that no accusation can be brought against us.

Daily let our feet be shod with a readiness to confess the gospel of peace; for we have the greatest reason to glory in Christ.

Daily let us take up the shield of faith, which God has shown us. By faith we lay hold on the promises of God. He has promised to uphold, strengthen, comfort, and deliver us in all circumstances. These precious promises are our shield, by which we quench all the fiery darts of the devil.

Daily let us put on our head the helmet of salvation; that is, the hope of a blessed eternity. This hope will support us under all gloomy and terrifying circumstances. Daily let us use the word of God, not only as a seed, or milk, or food, but as a sword likewise, by which we may cut asunder all knots which the enemy ties.

Being armed with these Divine weapons, let us rejoice; but let us never be proud, but pray daily to Him from whom comes all our health and comfort. May God strengthen us all to live, to suffer, to die like real Christians.

SKETCHES OF THE LINNEAN SYSTEM

OF BOTANY.-No. VIII.

CLASS FIFTEEN. TETRADYNAMIA.

As the summer months roll round, the Christian botanist still holds his festival of rejoicing, his unbroken jubilee of pleasure. While he gazes with delight and thankfulness on the flowery gifts of creation, profusely bestowed and enjoyed without expense, well may he value lightly earthly splendour, and exclaim,

"Seek he who will in grandeur to be blest, Place in proud halls, and splendid courts his joy;

For pleasure or for gold his arts employ, While all his hours unnumbered cares molest: A little field in native flowerets drest,

A rivulet in soft murmurs gliding by,
A bird whose plaintive note salutes the sky,
With sweeter magic lulls my cares to rest.'

As he walks the garden, dahlias and stately hollyhocks mingle with unnumbered beauties. As he roams the fields, the toad flax, chiccory, and the spotted foxglove, attract his admiring eye; the golden harvest is waving to and fro in the sun, and the copses are laden with nut-brown clusters; while beetles, ladybirds, and grasshoppers animate the meads, wasps, bees, and moths wing through the air; and carp, minnow, and trout, seek the sun in the shallow waters.

One of the most common and troublesome weeds in gardens and cornfields, is the shepherd's purse, (Capsella bursa pastoris, or Thlaspi bursa pastoris,) which is also to be found by waysides and in waste places. It assumes very different appearances, according as it grows in barren or in rich soil, varying in height from two inches to nearly two feet high, and blowing nearly the whole year, from February till the setting in of the winter frosts. The blossom is small and white; the seed pods are somewhat triangular and heart shaped, with two cells and numerous seeds, which accounts for the commonness of the plant.

Horseradish (Cochlearia armoracia) is another well-known plant of this order, growing wild in many places, and very commonly cultivated for domestic or

medicinal purposes. It grows about three feet high, blowing in May and June, but rarely ripening seeds. The blossom is white, and grows in clusters; the calyx has egg oblong concave spreading leaves; the corolla has four petals, twice the length of the calyx; the seed pods are in form of an ellipsis; the leaves are oblong, notched, and those on the stem are spear shaped, dentated, and cut. The root is large and fleshy, and possesses the peculiarity, that almost every part of it that is not denuded of its bark, will grow when planted. It is this which renders it so great a nuisance as a weed, when it gets in gardens; for if the least bit be broken off and left in the ground, it will spring up and multiply the plant.

'Tis thus with sin; leave but a part,
Though small, within the human heart,
And fostered by the genial ground,
It finds new life, and spreads around.
Oh root it out in earnest prayer,

And let it never flourish there.

In cultivation, it is considered best to plant the crowns cut off from the roots, in trenches, about two feet deep, as they will readily rise from that depth to the surface; but in no case will they strike