twisted in this manner that the Dog-ribbed Indians make their fishing nets.

Five or six inches of an iron hoop made into a knife, and the shank of an arrow-head of iron, which served her as an awl, were all the metals this poor woman had with her when she eloped; and with these implements she had made herself complete snowshoes, and several other useful articles.

"Her method of making a fire was equally singular and curious, having no other materials for that purpose than two hard sulphurous stones. These, by long friction and hard knocking produced a few sparks, which at length communicated to some touchwood; but as this method was attended with great trouble, and not always with success, she did not suffer her fire to go out all the winter.

"When the Athapuscow Indians took this woman prisoner, they, according to the universal custom of those savages, surprised her and her party in the night, and killed every soul in the tent except herself and three other young women. Among those whom they killed were her father, mother, and husband; her young child, four or five months old, she concealed in a bundle of clothing, and took with her undiscovered in the night; but when she arrived at the place where the Athapuscow Indians had left their wives, which was not far distant, they began to examine her bundle, and finding the child, one of the women took it from her, and killed it on the spot.

"This last piece of barbarity gave her such a disgust to those Indians, that notwithstanding the man who took care of her treated her in every respect as his wife, and was, she said, remarkably kind to and even fond of her; so far was she from being able to reconcile herself to any of the tribe that she rather chose to expose herself to misery and want than live in ease and affluence among persons who had so cruelly murdered her infant. The poor woman's relation of this shocking story, which she delivered in a very affecting manner, only excited laughter among the savages of my party.

"The singularity of the circumstance, the comeliness of her person and her approved accomplishments, occasioned a strong contest between several of the Indians of my party who should have her for a wife; and the poor girl was actually won and lost at wrestling by near half a score different men the same evening. My guide, Matonabbee, who at that time had no less than seven wives, all women grown, besides a young girl of eleven or twelve years old, would have put in for the prize also, had not one of his wives made him ashamed of it, by telling him that he had already more wives than he could properly attend. This piece of satire, however true, proved fatal to the poor girl who dared to make so open a declaration; for the great man, Matonabbee, who would willingly have been thought equal to eight or ten men in every respect, took it as such an affront that he fell on her with both hands and feet, and bruised her to such a degree, that, after lingering some time she died."— HEARNE's Journey to the Northern Ocean.

Trees, &c.

"THE trees are pine, larch, juniper, poplar, birch, and bush-willow, growing very high, and alder.

"Gooseberries spread along the ground like vines, the fruit most plentiful and best on the under branches, owing to the reflected heat from below, and the shelter. They thrive in stony and rocky ground, exposed to the sun. Cranberries. Heathberries grow close to the ground, a favourite food of many birds that migrate there in summer, particularly the grey goose.

"Dewater-berries best in swampy ground covered with moss. The plant is not very unlike the strawberry, but the leaves larger. Out of the centre of the plant shoots a single stalk, sometimes seven or eight inches high, and each plant only produces one berry, which at some distance resembles a strawberry; but not so conical. Some have three or four lobes, some nearly twenty. Currans

attendant on old age; so that they may be said to wait patiently for the melancholy hour when, being no longer capable of walking, they are to be left alone, to starve and perish for want. This, however shocking and unnatural it may appear, is so common that among those people one-half at least of the aged persons of both sexes absolutely die in this miserable condition."-Ibid.

Birds.

"THE brown fishing eagle. Snowy owl, a bird that follows the hunter all day long, and seizes the fowls he shoots. Ravens of richest black, tinged with purple and violet hues. The ruffed grouse. Delicate brown, varied prettily with black and white, hawk-like tail, of orange, barred with black, brown, and white, and often spread like a fan. A ruff of glossy black feathers, tinged with rich purple round the neck, which they can erect. In winter they are usually found perched on the pine branches, and easily taken. Their nests generally at the root of a tree, twelve or fourteen eggs. It is remarkable, and perhaps peculiar to these birds, that they clap their wings with such force, that at half a mile distance it re

sembles thunder. The sharp-tailed grouse dive through the snow. Red-breasted thrush, of sweet song. Larks. Sand martins. Bitterns. Pelicans. Swans."-Ibid.

[Old Age the North-Indian's Misfortune.] "OLD age is the greatest calamity that can befall a North Indian; for when he is past labour he is neglected and treated with great disrespect, even by his own children. They not only serve him last at meals, but generally give him the coarsest and worst of the victuals; and such of the skins as they do not choose to wear, are made up in the clumsiest manner into clothing for their aged parents; who, as they had, in all probability, treated their fathers and mothers with the same neglect, in their turns submitted patiently to their lot, even without a murmur,

[North and South-Indians' Name for the Aurora Borealis.]

"THE North Indians call the Aurora Borealis Ed-thin, that is, deer; and when that meteor is very bright, they say that deer is plentiful in that part of the atmosphere; but they have never yet extended their ideas celestial animals. Their ideas in this respect so far as to entertain hopes of tasting those are founded on a principle one would not imagine. Experience has shown them that when a hairy deer-skin is briskly stroked with the hand in a dark night, it will emit many sparks of electrical fire, as the back of a cat will. The idea which the Southern Indians have of this meteor is equally romantic, though more pleasing, as they believe it to be the spirits of their departed friends dancing in the clouds; and when the Aurora Borealis is remarkably bright, at which time they vary most in colour, form, and situation, they say their deceased friends are very merry."

[Fairies called Nant-e-na.]

"THEY are very superstitious with respect to the existence of several kinds of fairies, called by them Nant-e-na, whom they frequently say they see, and who are supposed by them to inhabit the different elements of earth, sea, and air, according to their several qualities. To one or other of these fairies they usually attribute any change in their circumstances, either for the better or worse."-Ibid.

tre en conversation avec un vieux Anachorete nomme Jean, et parlant des Gaules et du Roi Dagobert, Jean lui dit, qu'aiant été averti de prier Dieu pour l'Ame de ce Prince, il avoit vu, sur la mer, des Diables qui tenoient le Roi Dagobert lie sur un Esquif, et le menoient, en le battant, aux manoirs de Vulcain. Que Dagobert crioit, appellant a son secours S. Denis, S. Maurice, et S. Martin, les priant de le delivrer et de le conduire dans le sein d'Abraham. Ces Saints coururent apres les diables, leur arrachérent cette Ame, et l'emmenérent au Ciel, en chantant des versets des Pseaumes."

This legend is sculptured on the monument of Dagobert I. Thresor des Antiquitez de la Couronne de France. 1745.T. 1, pl. 14.

Unction of Charles V. of France. Ar the unction of Charles V. the twelve peers are represented each stretching out his right hand towards the king.

Thick Heads in Brazil.

"BLOCKHEADS and loggerheads are in request in Brasil, and helmets are of little use, every one having an artificialized naturall morion of his head; for the Brasilians' heads, some of them are as hard as the wood that growes in their country, for they cannot be broken, and they have them so hard that ours in comparison of theirs are like a pompion; and when they will injure any white man, they call him soft head, so that hard-head and block-head, termes of reproach with us, attributed to them would be taken for terms of honour and gentleman-like qualifications. This property they purchased by art, with going bare-headed, which is a certain way to attain unto the quality of a Brasilian chevalier, and to harden the tender head of any Priscian, beyond the fear of breaking, or needing the impertinent plaister of pedantic mountebanks.

"The Indians of Hispaniola, the skuls of their heads are so hard and thick, that the Spaniards agreed that the head of an In

dress.

"THE white horse was the mark of so

vereignty. Margaret, daughter of James, king of Scotland, is represented on one when she entered Tours as the future Dauphiness. Her head-dress, and that of her female attendants, is the coëffure pointue, which was fashionable almost during two centuries. It is thus shaped. From the top falls a long white robe, hanging strait to the elbow, and there thrown over the arm. No hair is visible, nor any thing between the face and hat. Their waists are short, exactly as they should be to render the form most graceful, long sleeves, and the dresses long. A white handkerchief, or rather sash, crosses the shoulders, and meets upon the breast, under which the gown comes up, straight bordered above. The neck quite bare, and unornamented. 1436. These figures please me much."-T. 2. Planche, 156. See Tran. of Commines. p. 6, note upon the Excess of Luxury.

for fear of breaking their swords."-BULWER'S Man Transformd, or The Artificiall Changeling. 1654.

Dirty-headed Irish.

"To what use or purpose should that superfluous crop of hair serve? or what emolument it can bring, none can see, unlesse it be to breed lice and dandro,' after the manner of your Irish; who, as they are a nation estranged from any human excellency, scarce acknowledge any other use of their haire than to wipe their hands from the fat and dirt of their meales, and any other filth, for which cause they nourish long fealt locks, hanging down to their shoulders, which they are wont to use instead of napkins, to wipe their greasie fingers."-BUL

WER.

This is evidently the old form of "dandriff," i. e. scurf; from the Anglo-Saxon "Tan,” a tetter, and Drop, filth.-J. W. W.