196 Scientific hiielUgence. — Geography. 



Veer, who was deputed on that mission, has just returned to 

 Europe, and it is stated that several persons are on their way to 

 the Netherlands from Guatemala, who are authorized to carry 

 into effect the arrangements connected with the undertaking. 

 Some exclusive advantages, as an inducement to engage in the 

 project, have been offered to the Dutch government ; and it is 

 said that the king himself has entered into it with so much ear- 

 nestness, that he has composed a long memoir, to point out its 

 probability of success, and the benefits with which it will be at- 

 tended. A vessel has been ordered to be in readiness to carry 

 out to Guatemala the engineers and persons appointed to sur- 

 vey the ground through which the proposed canal is to pass. 



25. Island of LiTigga^ residence of the primitive Malays. — In 

 the last volume of the Transactions of the Batavian Society of 

 Arts and Sciences, is an interesting paper by M. Van Angel- 

 beck, on the Island of Lingga. It is divided into three parts. 

 In the first, he considers the island in a geological point of view ; 

 the second he devotes to the history and moral condition of the 

 Malays ; and in the third he describes their government, trade, 

 and occupations. The island of Lingga is the actual residence 

 of the primitive Malays. Its capital, called Kwala Dai, is the 

 ordinary place of abode of the Sultan. Its climate is healthy ; 

 and there are but few diseases, the principal of which are cuta- 

 neous. This island is very mountainous, and is covered with 

 wood. In its forests grows the fine tree called Chalcas panicu- 

 lata, and the soil indicates the presence of rich tin mines. It is 

 also said that there is some gold. M. Van Angelbeck observes 

 that the country is magnificent ; that nature shews herself there 

 in all her force ; but that it is vexatious to see that the natives 

 benefit only partially from its fertility. They devote themselves 

 but little to agriculture, which is held in disesteem. Fishing is 

 almost their sole occupation, and the fish are abundant and ex- 

 cellent. — Asiatic Journal, December 1827. 



GEOLOGY. 



26. On the Phenomena of Volcanoes ; by Sir H. Davy, Bart. 

 F. R. S, * — In a paper on the Decomposition of the Earths, 



• The above is a notice of a Memoir lately read before the Royal Society of 

 London. 



