54^ STUDIES OF NATURE. 



** of this vidim, of this child of death. Oh, Nior- 

 ^'der! Oh, Rijlindi ! Oh, Svidrer ! Oh, Hela t 

 •* Oh, Hela r 



Whilft they pronounced thefe awful words,, their 

 eyes rolled about in their heads, and their mouths 

 foamed. At length thofe fanatics, overwhelmed 

 with fatigue, fell afleep, except one of them, wha 

 was called Omji. This name, in the Celtic tongue, 

 iignifies beneficent. Omji, moved with compaf- 

 fion, approached me: " Unfortunate young man,'* 

 faid he, *' a cruel war has broken out between the 

 ** Nations of Great-Britain and thofe of Gaul. 

 *' The Britons pretend to be the maflers of the Sea 

 *' which feparates their ifland from us. We have al- 

 ** ready been defeated in two naval engagements 

 " with them. The College of the Druids of Chartres 

 *' has determined, that human vidims are necef- 

 ** fary, to render Mars favourable, whofe temple 

 *' is jnft by this place. The Chief of the Druids, 

 ** who has fpies over all the Gauls, has difcovered 

 ** that the lempefts had caft you upon our coafts : 

 *' he went himfelf to find you out. He is old and 

 " pitilefs. He bears the name of two of our moft 

 *' formidable Deities. He is called Tor-Tir (iS). 

 ^' Repofe thy confidence, then, in the Gods of 

 1' thy own Country, for thofe of Gaul demand thy. 

 V blood!" 



I was 



