230

Passage of the Red Sea.

is distinguished above the other, for attention to the duties of religion, and that the number of attentive worshippers at the altar, among || them, is far greater.

VOL. II.

filled the soul, and imagination with all her magic powers could not paint so fair a scene. But they, the weary tribes, were wrapped in slumbers, accompanied with sweet dreams of We have alluded to this subject, as one wandering in their promised Canaan, by the which, above all others, promotes the happi- cooling fountains where the palm tree lent ness of this life, verifying the saying of inspi- its shade, and the vines wet their drooping ration, that Godliness has the promise of the boughs, loaded with the rich purple clusters, life that now is, as well as of that which is half concealed behind their dark green foto come. It is true that the pleasures of mirth liage. But there were those whose sterner and of merriment will be lessened, because sinews required not repose. From their it is seen that their foundation is slender; hearts the fount of love and joy was gushing, that the passions must be in some measure as the solemn voiceless prayer went from their subdued, because, when their barriers are bro- quivering lips up to the throne of God. The ken down, they will let in a flood of evil-but air which before had been as still as that which the happiness of the heart is increased, and wakes the holy Sabbath morn, was suddenly the heart must be the fountain from which all broken by a fearful, thrilling sound; 'twas such solid enjoyment is derived. In concluding as had never before reached the ears of the this subject, we cannot refrain from introduc- Israelites! Hark! 'tis not the clash of meeting those beautiful lines of the poet, naturallying pines upon the mountain top! the rage connected with the remarks we have just made:

"Never man was truly blest,

But it composed, and gave him such a cast,
As folly might mistake for want of joy;
A cast unlike the triumphs of the proud;
A modest aspect and a smile at heart.

Written by Miss Mary Jane Millard, aged fifteen years, and presented as a specimen of her composition while at school, in the Female Seminary at Rochester,

N. Y.

PASSAGE OF THE RED SEA.

Day with all its glories had expired as gently as it dawned. In the west, the sun went proudly down, tinging his sapphire throne with rich painted blushes of golden light; and thence reflected, with unsurpassing splendor, through the gay mist that rose above the billows. All the mighty towers of Migdol, with the giant head of Pihahiroth were glowing as with a crown of gold. But soon the gorgeous scene vanished, and all its glories with it, leaving nothing but the gray hues of approaching night.

of warring winds-nor the loud rush of maddening waters upon the rocky shore! "Wake, Israel! though thy sleep be the sweetest now! Awake! the foe comes with his host to battle! Behold them descending yonder hill, innumerable as the leaves of the forest; with chariots and horses, and fearful looking spearmen, all armed in the panoply of war! Arise and meet thine enemy!"

Now the murmurs of Israel mingle with the sound, because the precipitous mountain crags above them raise their eternal barriers, and will not let them pass. Before them, in their very path, the white waves of the maddening sea rush into wild disorder, while in their rear the oppressor is advancing with the quickness of a falchion's glance, armed with deadly weapons. Night has assailed them, and spread her dark gray mantle over the face of nature. The pale stars are in the silent watch towers, and the moon half stripped of her former splendor, is looking down in sadness through a thickening cloud, as if in sorrow for Israel's fate. Then spake the prophet-"Israel, cease thy mourning, and despair not because thine eyes behold not the way of salvation-for the mountain, if God so please, may become plain ground, and the sea as dry land! Nay, yonder gushing cloud might bear us safely through the heavens, rather than the host of us should perish!"

At the base of a lofty mountain, the weary tribes of Israel reposed. The pale full moon was rising gradually over them, diffusing a mild pearly light throughout the vault of heaven, brightening the light fleecy clouds After the faithful patriarch had uttered the with dashes of snowy splendor, and moving comforting words to his sorrowing people, he among the attendant stars like a queen before went from amidst of them and stood upon a rock her train. The mild, balmy breeze, which that overlooked the sea, with brow unblanched, had prevailed with freshness through the day, and calm as summer's twilight. While the went down with the sun, and the tranquil sea, fearful sound of the advancing foe still louder as smooth as a mirror, moved on its unceasing pealed-as the aspirations of his heart in love roll, unheeding all his glories. There was to God mounted to heaven on the wings of an enchantment in the scene that would smile faith-he stretched his rod upon the heaving at all description. So calm, so sublimely || sea, and delegated with the power and mabeautiful, looked the earth, the sea and hea- jesty of a God, issued his mandate to the obevens; blent thought too deep for utterance dient waves. Now the murmurs of Israel

No. 10.

Ascent of the Great Pyramid.

cease every eye is turned with amazement on the heaving deep. The mighty water is

THE TRAVELER.

231

BY A LADY.

cleft asunder to its rocky bed-the vast liquid ASCENT OF THE GREAT PYRAMID, sheets curl over and over on either side, like scrolls of parchment, and stands as firm and immoveable as adamantine walls. Between it and the heavens God reared a fiery battlement to beam in radiant smiles on Israel, and frown in blackest darkness on the coming foe. The long glittering hall is ready waiting for the favored ones to pass. Deep awe had sealed in silence every lip, and filled each heart with love and reverence, as Moses leads them to the sea. With slow and solemn pace they enter the chambers of the mighty deep, lighted by God's eternal watch-fire, and impress their feet mid gems and rosy shells, on the sanded pavement of the sea. Onward they move in a line long and straight.

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On my arrival I saw some persons nearly at the top, and some just commencing the ascent. They were all at the very edge; and certainly their apparently perilous situation justified me in the conviction that I could never be able to mount. However, determining to make the attempt, I commenced outside from where the entrance had been formed, and walked along the whole length of one side of the square, about forty feet from the ground to the opposite corner; the ledge being narrow, and in one place quite broken off, requiring a long step to gain the next stone. As the pyramid itself formed a wall to the right hand, and consequently an appaOn a distant mountain, the sober gray of rent defence, I felt no want of courage till I morn was hanging like a veil on his rugged reached the corner where the ascent is in forehead. Then came a sound loud as ten many places absolutely on the angle, leaving thousand thunders! 'Twas the revengeful no protection on either side. About this time Egyptians pursuing, rending the air with their|| I began to be heartily frightened, and when I tremendous shouts. But the Israelites had heard one gentleman from above call to me no more to fear, for they were safe on the op-to desist, and another tell me not to think of posite shore, and beheld them swarm like in-proceeding, right glad was I to return, and to sects that darkened all her borders. Lo! the attribute my want of success to their advice frown of God is on the heavens! The dark rather than to my own deficiency of spirit.fleecy clouds float their sable banners to en- Each of the gentlemen as they descended told list all the elements to battle. The pale stars me the difficulty and fatigue were great, and and the wan moon have covered their fearful they evidently were heated and tired; but, at faces in darkness and in sorrow; while the length, in answer to my question a hundred rolling thunder peals through the upper hea- times repeated, of, "do you think I could go?" vens with a knell of desolation, and the mad- they proposed to try at least, and kindly ofdening sea in acclamation utters back the fered to accompany me. Away I went, and sound! Mourn for thy crimes, guilty Egypt,|| by the assistance a footstool in some places, though now too late! Sinite thy breast, and the aid of the guides, and the gentlemen haughty and impious king! No more shall to encourage me, I succeeded in arriving half thine eves in pride behold thy palace towers, way, all the time exclaiming I should never glittering with the gems of captive nations! get down again; and indeed my head was so And you, ye warriors, bow your heads in sor- giddy, that it was some minutes after I was row, who thirst for blood like tigers! no more seated at the resting stone half way before I shall ye behold the inmates of your once could recover myself. Being a little rehappy homes! The day of doom is dawning! freshed, I resumed the ascent; but the guides Ere the sun again mounts his meridian throne, were so clamorous that I turned back, finding shall the pride of armies perish, and the shades their noise, and pushing and crowding, as of death despoil the gleam of swords and dangerous as the height. The gentlemen, at spears, and all the costly ornaments that grace length, brought them to some degree of order, oppressive Egypt's front. With the diadem partly by remonstrance, and partly by carryupon that kingly head, all shall remain on the ing the majority to the top, and leaving only floor of ocean to rise no more! two with me. This quiet in some degree restored my head, and the footing as I advanced became more easy, I reached the summit amid the huzzas of the whole party. It was a considerable time, however, before I gained confidence to look around, notwithstanding I was on a surface thirty feet square. The prospect, though from so great an elevation, disappointed me. I saw, indeed, an immense extent of cultivated country, divided into fields of yellow flax and green wheat, like so many

The storm now peals in wild fury, while along the vault of heaven the deep thunder rolls, and the fiery lightning of God's red wrath is streaming down upon them. They grasp the giant billows that were strongly locked-they rise still higher, arching the way of death, till they meet each other, and fall like silver tissue from the clouds; and every soul is swallowed in one tremendous ruin! MARY JANE.

232

Descent of the Andes-Good Actions.

VOL. II.

squares in a chess-board, with the Nile and performing till brought to the trial. I stood its various canals which cause their luxuri- and gazed with wonder, scarcely believing ance, and a vast tract of desert on the other they would attempt it. However, the loads side; I must, however, acknowledge that this were taken off, and away they flew, tumbling scenery I enjoyed on recollection-for I was and sliding down like lightning. Our beds too anxious how I was to get down, to think went into the river, and were soon swept out much of the picturesque. A railing even of of sight. Then the peons prepared, and laystraws might give some idea of security, but ing themselves flat on their backs, with their here there was absolutely nothing; and I had arms and legs extended, to my utter amazeto cross and recross the angle, as the broken ment, they flew down one after another with ledges rendered it necessary-for it is a mis- the swiftness of an arrow, guiding themselves take to suppose there are steps; the passage clear of the river, although going down with is performed over blocks of stone and granite; such velocity; one turned once or twice head some broken off, others crumbling away, and over heels, then round and round like a ball, others, which, having dropped out altogether, till he reached the bottom without the slighthave left an angle in the masonry; but all est injury. Now I thought this would never these are very irregular. Occasionally the do for me, so I wanted to see how my companwidth and height of the stones are equal; but ion would manage. He approached the brink, generally the height greatly exceeds the width; and making a hole first to rest his heel in, in many parts the blocks are four feet high. thrust his stick half way in the snow, so that Once the stone was so high, that as I slipped it might support him to lower himself down a off I feared that my feet would shoot beyond little, and then dug another hole. In this the ledge on which they were next to rest, manner he went down the very steepest part, and which was certainly but a few inches and then let go, and slid the rest in a sitting wide. Another time I was in great peril; I posture. Now came my turn; I commenced had stretched one foot down with much exer- with the plan of my companion, but finding tion as far as it could reach, and as the other it so very steep, and not liking the handing followed, the heel of the shoe caught in a posture by one arın, I acted more securely, crevice of the rock, and I had nearly lost my but was much longer about it; first working balance in the effort to extricate myself. In a hole with my stick and putting my heel in a few places, the width of the ledges enabled it, then working another hole and putting the me to use the footstool, which considerably other heel in, thus seeing my way clearly bediminished the fatigue; but the greater num-fore me, and having a footing of both feet at ber were far too narrow for its three feet to rest upon, and I thought it too insecure to allow an Arab to support it with his hands while 1 stepped upon it. After all this, it may be supposed I was glad when I had accomplished the undertaking: for, to tell the truth, the greatest pleasure I felt in ascending the pyramid was to be enabled to say, at some future time, that I had been at its summit.Mrs. C. Lushington's Journey from Calcutta to Europe.

DESCENT OF THE ANDES.

a time in a sitting posture, while I worked myself steps with my stick, till I passed the steepest part; then I let go, laying flat on my back, and went down with amazing velocity, a distance of five hundred feet. Coming down this place occupied me nearly two hours; but I would not have let go on the steepest part for all the gold and silver in the mines of Peru.-Lieutenant Brand's Journey, Voyage to Peru, &c.

GOOD ACTIONS.

There is no calculating the good which a single benevolent action will do. A penny properly bestowed often brings gladness to a drooping heart. We should ever cultivate a habit of doing good, and of speaking kindly and encouragingly to the poor. This will cost us but little-but there is no telling the amount of happiness that it may confer.

At length we came to the Chesta de Concual. This was a dreadful descent, leading down to an awful depth below, with the river running at the bottom, a very short distance to the right. It was really terrific to look down, and I am speaking within the opinion of many whom I have consulted on this subject, when I say, that it was at least eleven or twelve hundred feet in a direct descent, in all parts so steep, that there was no possibility of standing; many parts were also hard and slippery, and how to get down this was now our task, which I should never have thought in the power of human beings to accomplish, wants. had I not witnessed it and done it myself; so

If all in their sphere would do the good in their power, two thirds of the present misery in the world would disappear. Doing good does not necessarily imply giving alms. It is to encourage, direct, and advise the poor and afflicted, as well as to minister to their bodily

little are we aware what we are capable of". Equanimity of temper is good at all times.

No. 10.

Beauties of Salathiel.

233

BEAUTIES OF SALATHIEL. I was ignorant of his purpose, and lingered

BY THE REV. GEORGE CROLY.
No. XIV.

was taking up its quarters for the night. The peasantry could make no resistance, and attempted none. I had only time to call to my adopted daughter to rise, when our hut was occupied and we were made prisoners.

long for his return. But I saw him no more. Disturbed and pained by his loss, I had scarcely thrown myself on the cottage floor, From Jubal, Salathiel learned all the de- my only bed, when I was roused by the cries tails of the siege. The Romans finding the of the village. A detachment of Roman cav. possession of Massada, essential to the con-alry marching for Jerusalem had entered, and quest of Judea, resolved to make themselves masters of it at all hazards. The Romans, commanded by Cestius, being baffled in every assault by the generalship of Eleazar and the intrepidity of the garrison, turned the siege into a blockade. Famine and disease were This was an unexpected blow: yet it was more formidable than the sword. Then one to which, on second thoughts, I was rethey fought the battles of despair. But cour-conciled. In the disturbed state of the counage, a courage sustained by higher thoughts try traveling was totally insecure, and even than those of the soldiery-the fortitude of to obtain a conveyance of any kind was a piety and prayer, would not avail, and the for- matter of extreme difficulty." The roving tress and its few defenders fell before the plunderers that hovered in the train of the overwhelming number of the assailants. camp were, of all plunderers, the most merciless. By falling into the hands of the legionaries we were at least sure of an escort; I might obtain some useful information of their affairs; and, once in sight of the city, might escape from the Roman lines with more ease as a prisoner, than I could pass them as an enemy.

"By dawn," said I, "we must set out for Jerusalem."-Jubal replied:

"It has been closely invested for the last three months; and famine and faction are doing their worst within the walls. Titus is without, at the head of a hundred thousand of the legionaries and allies. To enter will be next to impossible; and when once entered, what will be before you but the madness of civil discord, and finally, death by the hands of an enemy utterly infuriated against our nation ?"

"To Jerusalem, at all risks; my fate is mingled with that of the last stronghold of our fallen people. What matters it to one whose roots of happiness are cut up like mine, in what spot he struggles with man and fortune! As a son of Judea, my powers are due to her cause, and every drop of my blood shed for any other would be treason to the memory of my fathers. The dawn finds me on my way to Jerusalem."

The cavalry moved at day-break; and before night we saw in the horizon the hills that surround Jerusalem. But we had full evidence of our approach to the centre of struggle, by the devastation that follows the track of the best disciplined army; groves and or|| chards cut down; corn-fields trampled; cottages burnt; gardens and homesteads ravaged. Farther on, we traversed the encampments of the auxiliaries, barbarians of every color and language within the limits of the mightiest of empires.

We passed through some miles of boisterous and bustling scene, in which even a Roman escort was scarcely a sufficient security. The barbarians thronged round us, brandished their spears over our heads, rode their horses full gallop against us, and exhausted the whole language of scorn, ridicule, and wrath, upon our helpless condition.

"It is spoken like a prince of Naphtali; but I must not follow you. The course of glory is cut off for me; unless something may still be done by collecting the fugitives of the tribes, and harrassing the Roman communications. But Jerusalem, though every stone. But the clamor gradually died away, and of her walls is precious to my soul, must not we entered upon another region, totally dereceive my guilty steps. I have horrid recol-nuded of life and of the means of life; a zone lections of things seen and done there. My mind is still too full of the impulses that drove it to frenzy. Onias, that wily hypocrite, will be there to fill me with visions of terror.There too are others." He was silent; but suddenly resuming his firmness, "I have no hostility to Constantius; I even honor and esteem him; but my spirit is still too feverish to bear his presence. I must live and die far from all that I have ever known.”

of silence and solitude interposed between the dangerous riot of barbarism and the severe regularity of the legions. Far within this circle we reached the Roman camp; the world of disciplined war.

The setting sun threw his flame on the long vistas of shield and helmet drawn out, according to custom, for the hour of exercise before nightfall. The tribunes were on horseback in front of the cohorts, putting them through He hid his face in his mantle; but the agi- that boundless variety of admirable movetation of his form showed more than clamor-ments, in which no soldiery were so dexterious ous grief. He walked forth into the darkness. as those of Rome. But all was done with

But where was the daughter of Ananus? I had placed her in a tent with some captive females of our nation. The tent was struck, and its inmates were gone. On the spot where it stood, a flock of sheep were already grazing, with a Roman soldier leaning drowsily on his spear for their shepherd. To what alarms might not this fair girl be exposed? Dubious and distressed, I followed the guard in the hope of discovering the fate of an innocent and lovely child, who seemed, like my-struck the old tower in which I was confined, self, marked for misfortune.

and I found myself riding upon a pile of ruins. Escape, in the midst of a Roman camp, At the close of a weary day we reached seemed as remote as ever. But the storm our final station, upon the hill Scopas, seven which shook solid walls, made its way at will furlongs from Jerusalem. Bitter memory was among tents, and the whole encampment was busy with me there. From the spot on which broken up. A column of infantry passed I flung myself in heaviness of heart, huddled where I was extricating myself from the ruamong a crowd of miserable captives, and wish-ins. They were going to reinforce the troops ing only that the evening gathering over me might be my last, I had once looked upon the army of the oppressors marching into my toils, and exulted in the secure glories of myself and my country.