thick plaster. On the 8th of April 1774, having taken away the plaster, he opened the box, and found the cases whole, and two of the toads alive-The one that died was larger than the others, and had been more compressed in its case. A careful examination of this experiment convinced those who had witnessed it, that the animals were so inclosed that they could have no possible communication with the external air, and that they must have existed during this lapse of time without the smallest nourishment. The academy prevailed on Mr. Herissan to repeat the experiment. He inclosed again the two surviving toads, and placed the box in the hands of the secretary, that the society might open it whenever they should think proper. But this celebrated naturalist was too strongly interested in the subject to be satisfied with a single experiment: he made therefore the two following: 1. He placed, 15th April in the same year, two live toads in a bason of plaster, which he covered with a glass case, that he might observe them frequently. On the ninth of the following month, he presented this apparatus to the academy. One of the toads was still living; the other had died the preceding night. 2. The same day, 15th April, he inclosed another toad in a glass bottle, which he buried in sand, that it might have no communication with the external air. This animal, which he presented to the academy at the same time, was perfectly well, and even croaked whenever the bottle was shook in which he was confined. It is to be lamented, that the death of Mr. Herissan put a stop to these experi. ments. - We beg leave to observe upon this subject, that the power which these animals appear to possess of supporting abstinence for so long a time, may result from a very slow digestion, and perhaps from the singular nourishment which they derive from themselves. M. Grignon observes, that this animal sheds its skin several times in the course of a year and that it always swallows it. He has known, he says, a large toad shed its skin six times in one winter. In short, those which, from the facts we have related, may be supposed to have existed for many centuries without nourishment, have been in a total inaction, in a suspension of life, in a temparature that has admitted of no dissolution; so that it was not necessary to repair any loss, the humidity of the surrounding matter preserving that ofthe animal, who wanted only the component parts not to be dried up to preserve it from destruction. But toads are not the only animals which have the privilege of living for a considerable period without nourishment and communication with the external air. The instances of the oysters and dactyles, mentioned in the beginning of this article, may be advanced in proof of it. But there are other examples. Two living worms were found in Spain, in the middle of a block of marble which a sculptor was carving into a lion of the natural colour for the royal family. These worms occupied two small cavities, to which there was no inlet thatcould possibly admit the air. They subsisted probably on the substance of the marble, as they were of the same colour. This fact is verified by captain Ulloa, a famous Spaniard, who ac companied companied the French academicians in their voyage to Peru, to ascertain the figure of the earth. He asserts that he saw these two worms. A beetle, of the species called capricorn, was found in a piece of wood in the hold of a ship at Ply mouth. The wood had no external mark of any aperture. We read in the Affiches de Province, 17th June, 1772, that an adder was found alive in the centre of a block of marble thirty feet in diameter. It was folded nine times round in a spiral line; it was incapable of supporting the air, and died a few minutes after. Upon examining the stone, not the smallest trace was to be found by which it could have glided in, or received air. Misson, in his Travels through Italy, mentions a craw-fish that was found alive in the middle of a marble in the environs of Tivoli, M. Peyssonel, king's physician, atGuadaloupe, having ordered a pit to be dug in the back part of his house, live frogs were found by the workmen in beds of petrifaction. M. Peyssonel suspecting some deceit, descended into the pit, dug the bed of rock and petrifactions, and drew out himself green frogs, which were alive, and perfectly similar to what we see every day. PELEW ISLANDS. Some particulars of the visits made by captain M'Clure to those Islands,in the East-India Company's armed vessels, the Panther and Endeavour, which were fitted out at Bombay, by order of the court of directors, for the purpose of surveying those islands, and to carry such useful animals and other presents as would be serviceable to the inhabitants, and pleasing to king Abba Thulle.* TH the said islands, called Arrakappavery snug harbour, in one of sang, where the king Abba Thulle the live-stock, which he seemed desired capt. M Cluer would land very fond of they being so very gentle and tame, particularly the Bulls and cows. At day-light they were sent on shore, all in good condition, four young cows supposed to be all in calf, two young bulls, ten ewes and a ram, seven she-goats and three rams, five sows with pig, and a boar, one pair of geese, three ducks and a drake, also a tame cock and two hens, to invite the wild ones; and they let fly from aloft four pair of turtle doves and a pair of parrots. At the same time, a rich present of arms and European swords, with sundry other packages, was made to Abba Thulle, who instantly distributed the arms among the principal Rupacks, and recommended them to be kept clean and in order for service when wanted. HE two ships anchored in a Two days after, the remaining presents, consisting of grindstones, ironmongery, saws, shovels, &c. from Europe, were sent on shore, which when opened before the old king and his people, the whole multitude was so struck with amazement, that they could not utter a word to each other, but gave frequent ha's of astonishment as the things were taken out of the boxes, About an hour after the things were opened to view, the old king came to his recollection, and called his Rupacks and principal men around him, and after a long harangue to them ⚫ For an account of the interesting Prince Lee Boo, second sun of Abba Thulle, see Annual Register for 1788, vol. 30, p. 37. them (wherein the word Englees was frequently mentioned) he distributed the different articles with his own hand, proportionably to the rank and ability of the person. The 400 iron Kyseems sent from Bombay, greatly attracted their attention, being exactly the dimensions of the tool used by them; little handhatchets were only given to the favourites and head men; the beads sent from Europe they did not like, as they were not transparent, but some blue and green from Bombay were exactly what they liked; they were fond of the China ware, particularly tureens. The next day the king came on board, with his retinue, to see the vessel when at anchor, which he examined very minutely in every part; and a gun being fired with round and grape shot, surprised him a good deal, when the large shot fell in the water at so great a distance. The working of the pumps he admired greatly. The captain made him a present of a horseman's sword and target, and showed him the use of the latter, by telling one of his men to throw a spear at it with all his might, which, to their great astonishment,snapt short and scarcely left a dent behind; this seemed very acceptable. Mr. Westborough produced a small joiner's tool-chest, which he presented to the king, who admired it greatly, being very complete, with lock and key; he gave him also an embroidered cap of scarlet cloth, which they are remarkably fond of wearing. Mr. Proctor had a small Alexander's figure head, done in Bombay marine-yard, which the old king was much pleased with, and would not part with it out of his hand to let any one see it. The captain made the son of Arra Kooker a present of a Mahratta sword of a great length, and made one of the sepoys flourish it in the Mahratta manner, which much delighted the old king and his people, being something like their own fighting and jumping about with the spear. The presents were then finished with a piece of broad cloth to the king and one or two of the chiefs, the texture of which puzzled their imagination; and for want of the Malay interpreter, who was on shore, it could not be explained to them. On the following day one of the he-goats died by eating some poisonous herbs, but was not altogether lost, for the king ordered him to be skinned and roasted, and when about half-done, he and his nobles made a delicious meal of it; at least they seemed to enjoy it, by frequently licking their chops and fingers during the repast. The next morning the king proposed a visit to Coroora (his principal island), where every gentleman that could be spared from duty accompanied him, and made a very grand appearance. He made a small canoe lead a-head of the Panther's boat, and behind was the king's canoe, and every one according to their rank nearest him to the right and left, keeping an exact line abreast; the smaller canoes following in little order and distinction. On coming near the landing-place of Coroora, they sounded the conch shell to announce his majesty's approach; the first line began a song, and the old men gave out the first stave of every verse alone; when finished, they all answered, accompanied at the same instant by a great flourish of the paddle, which had a pleasing effect. When the boat touched the pier, the English gave three cheers, which was answered by Wheel! From the waterside they they walked up a broad causeway to the village, which was without order or regularity, the houses being placed promiscuously among the trees. The large plais or assembly houses belong to the king, and are very astonishing fabrics, considering the tools and people who constructed them. Since the loss of the Antelope, they have built a new one near sixty feet in length, and by accident they have nearly fallen in with the proportion of ship-building, the breadth of the house being about a third of the length; the floor of this is a perfect level from end to end; many of the planks are from three to four feet in breadth, and fitted so nicely, that a pin cannot go between them; the windows exactly resemble the port-holes in a ship's side, six to eight opposite each other, and one of the same size at each end; the beams are laid about seven feet from the floor, very close and curiously carved; the joinings of the beams upon the supporters are so closely fitted, that it may be taken for the same piece of wood; the roof is very high, and has a great slope; the thatching is very ingeniously done with the cocoa-nut leaf; the inside throughout is curiously carved in various figures and flowers; and the gabel ends have the appearance of the Gentoo temples, decorated with figures of men and women. Every Rupack or chief hasa square piece of stone causeway before his house, and a small detached place like a pigeon-house, where they keep store of yams, &c. for present use. This little place was at first taken for a place of worship, but it was found they have no notion of a Deity, though they have many superstitious prejudices. The party left Coroora and arrived at Arrakappasang at sun-set, and the next morning the two detachments of sepoys, in number about forty, were reviewed on shore, whichhada most extraordinary effect upon the natives; and the old king was enraptured with their appearance: they began with the manual exercise by word, then by tap of the drum, from that to forming, marching quick and slow time, firing by platoons, and street-firing; and although the men were chiefly recruits, they gave the natives a very different idea of them to what they had before. The king ordered them a large tub of sweet drink, and asked if they were Englees! He was told No; that they were people of Bombay, and taught the use of arms by the English; and that his people could do as well as them in a little time, which inspired the old man with such a fighting fit, that he wanted to go directly against the Artingalls; but was dissuaded from it, on being told that he need not give himself the trouble, for that the Artingalls will give any thing to be friends with him, now they find the English are come to be the friends of Abba Thulle. By a signal from the shore, the two vessels between them now fired a royal salute, whereupon the English Union was hoisted upon a point of the island, and the foundation stone laid of Fort Abercrombie, so called in honour of the governor of Bombay; and, by Abba Thulle's permission, possession of it was taken in the name of the English. The Island is about four miles in circumference, and well watered by springs and rivulets. The soil is rich, and fit to produce any thing by cultivation. It was resolved by captain captain McCluer to leave the Endeavour there (while he went in the Panther to Canton), in order to show the natives the use of the tools sent them by the company, and to forward the cultivation of the grounds, which had been sown with rice and garden-seeds by the English; and hopes were entertained, that by the vessel's making some stay among the islands, the natives would become more habituated to the customs and manners of the Europeans, which might hereafter be of service. The master of the Endeavour, who had a ship's company of about fifty men, was directed to secure the provisions and stores left with him by a bamboo stockade work, at Fort Abercrombie, but on no account to join with the natives in their wars, and to do his utmost to reconcile each party, only taking care to be in a state to resent any insult offered to him by the enemies of Abba Thulle. He was also di rected to examine carefully the different channels, through the reefs, with the different soundings and leading marks, for a complete survey of the island. Before the Panther sailed, Abba Thulle went out himself on a fishing party, chiefly for the benefit of the English; he was accompanied by Mr White, who was his favourite, and always attended him in his expeditions about the place, by which means Mr. White, from what he knew formerly of the language, is now very conversant in it. In the evening they returned with a good cargo, having collected a few from every boat that went out with him, and gave two-thirds of it to the English, who immediately put it in salt for sea store. The next morning two chiefs from the island Medeg were introduced to the captain, as friends of Abba Thulle. He took them on board, and showed them the vessel, which they examined with a good deal of curiosity and attention; a large looking-glass in the cabin perfectly astonished them; they did, what monkeys have been seen to do, put their hands to the back of the glass and feel it, which gave those who had been on board before an opportunity of laughing at them. They were presented with some beads and a few knives, which made them so happy, that they instantly came upon deck to show to their companions in the boat what they had got. Those natives belonging to the place who saw the things given, told Abba Thulle of the circumstance, and he told the captain, through the Malay interpreter, the character of the people of Medeg," that while he (Abba Thulle) was alone, and had not the English for his friends, they did not come near him, nor give him any assistance in his wars against the Pelews; but now that the English are come, they come and wish to be friends with him, to get what they can from him." The captain comforted the old man by telling him, that while the English were his friends, he had nobody to fear, and that even his greatest enemies (the Artingalls) would come and beg his friendship; this pleased him so much, that he made for answer, "that these islands no longer belonged to him, but to the English; and if they would assist him to conquer the Artingalls, they should have those islands also." Before the Panther sailed, two canoes from Artingall arrived on an embassy to Abba Thulle, to crave |