KAMSCHATCHDALE HOSPITALITY.

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for our honour: nor ought that to be reputed ours, which existed long before we had a being for what advantage can it be to a blind man, that his parents had good eyes? does he see the better?

KAMSCHATCHDALE HOSPITALITY.

The manner in which the people of Kamschatka show their hospitality, and form leagues of friendship, is remarkable enough. When a Kamschatdale wants to make an intimacy with any of his neighbours, he invites them to eat with him; and previously warms his hut and prepares enough victuals (1) to satisfy ten persons. The guest (2) comes punctually to the repast and undresses himself, in which his host imitates him.

Whilst the stranger is eating, his entertainer throws water on burning stones, in order to augment the heat. The guest eats and perspires, until he is obliged to demand a truce (5) from his host, who on his side doet not partake of any thing, and may if he pleases go out of his hut. It is as much to the credit of the latter to be lavish of his fire and provisions, as it is of the other to support the excessive heat and good cheer; and he will rather vomit ten times than desist; but is generally however in the end obliged to own his defeat, and compounds (4) with his host, who obliges him to purchase a

(1) Victuals, mets; prononcez vittels.

(2) Guest, hôte, convive.

(3) A truce, une trêve, grâce.

(4) To compound, faire un accommodement.

truce, by a present either of clothes or dogs; threatening in case he does not comply with his demand, to make him eat till he bursts (1). He necessarily complies (2), and receives in return some old rags, or lame dogs with which he departs: but he has a right to revenge himself; and in feasting his neighbour to the same extremity as practised on himself, he contrives to gain an equivalent for his loss.

INDIAN POLICY.

There is a custom in India which might have excellent effects, if these savages knew how to take advantage of it (3): it is that of transporting the king's eldest son, as soon as he is born, to the frontiers of the kingdom. Those who have the care of him know who he is, but are forbidden (4) on pain of death to discover to him his birth, in order that he may not become arrogant or proud in consequence of his superior station.

ATTACHMENT TO NAPOLEON.

Napoleon during his voyage to St.-Helena related the following striking instance of devotion manifested towards himself by two of his guards during the memorable

(1) To burst, crever.

(2) To comply, consentir.

(3) To take advantage of, profiter de. (4) To forbid, défendre.

siege of Acre. Being at the trenches, Napoleon sunk into (1) a hole, made by a shell which fell between his legs. Two of his guards, named, I think, Daumesnil and Charbonet, ran up, grasped him, one before, the other behind, and remained in that position until the shell exploded, several fragments of which fell at his feet; without however hurting him or the brave fellows who had behaved so heroically.

BENEFICENCE.

Reckon upon benefits well placed, as a treasure that is laid up (2), and account thyself the richer (5) for that which thou givest a worthy person.

HOLYROOD (4) HOUSE.

This ancient palace having lately become celebrated as the retreat of some members of the royal family of France, a short account of it cannot fail to be interesting.

The Scottish legends tell us that King David the First, its founder, being on a hunting party, in the forest of Drumslech near Edinburgh, and being separated from his attendants, was attacked by an enormous stag, and

(1) To sink into, tomber dans, s'enfoncer.

(2) Laid up, mis de côté; to lay up, thésauriser. (3) The richer, d'autant plus riche.

(4) Holy rood, sainte croix.

after defending himself for some time was on the point of falling a victim to the rage of the animal, when raising his hands and eyes to heaven in a supplicating manner, a cross suddenly appeared between him and the stag, which so alarmed the latter (1) that he immediately fled. The king returned to Edinburgh castle, his usual residence, and offered up thanks for his wonderful preservation. The same night he dreamed that a messenger from heaven presented himself before him, and told him to build a religious house and to dedicate it to the Holy Rood (holy cross). He followed the injunction and built a monastery which has ever since borne the name of Holyrood, and has served as a palace to many of the Scottish kings.

NAPOLEON A MUSSULMAN.

At

After Bonaparte's victory at Salleis, he proposed to the Turks to issue a Fetham, which should be read in all the mosques in Egypt, and in which the great Cheicks should order all the people to take an oath of obedience to him (Napoleon), whom they called sultan Kiber. the proposal they turned pale, and were greatly embarrassed. After some hesitation, the Cheick Sap Kao, a respectable old man, said to Napoleon: "Why do you not become a Mussulman and make all your army do the same? Then one hundred thousand men would rush to your standards, and disciplined in your manner, you

(1) The latter, celui-ci.

NAPOLEON A MUSSULMAN.

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would soon re-establish the Arabian Kingdom and subdue the East. " To this Napoleon objected their ceremonies, to which he could not submit his army, and particularly to the prohibition contained in the Koran, to drink wine, alleging that being people from the North, such beverage (1) was indispensably necessary to the French soldiers. After several discussions upon the subject, it was decided, that the great Cheicks of Semil-Azar should unite, and endeavour to find means to do away with (2) the above mentioned obstacles. When the Ulemas had agreed in opinion, four Muphtis brought the Fetham by which it was declared that Mussulmans might drink wine and still be Mussulmans; but that in this last case there was no hope of Paradise in the next world. One half of the great difficulty was thus removed, but it was not so easy to persuade the Muphtis that the latter part of their decision was unreasonable: to accomplish this was the object of the discussions of six weeks more; finally however they issued a Fetham (3) declaring that it was possible to be a Mussulman and drink wine, provided that, for every bottle of wine so drunk, some good action were performed. It was then agreed, that some time was requisite to prepare every thing necessary for this great event; accordingly the plan of a mosque, larger than that of Semil-Azar, was sketched, which Napoleon declared should be built, in order to serve as a monument to

(1) Beverage, boisson.

(2) To do away with, se passer de, éviter, franchir. (3) Fetham, proclamation, ordonnance.