60 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



fiderable portions of that metal to the northern 

 countries. 



We read, I think, in the Book of Job, the Ara- 

 bian, this remarkable expreflion ; " Gold cometh 

 " from the North." * Certain it is, that the firft 

 commerce of India with Europe was carried on 

 by the North, as has been clearly demonftrated by 

 the Baron de Straknberg, a Swedifli exile, after the 

 battle of Pultowa, in Siberia, of which he has 

 given a very intelligent and accurate defcription. 

 He fays, that it is ftill poflible to purfue, by evi- 

 dent traces, the track of the ancient Indians along 

 the river of Petzora, which empties itfelf into 

 the White Sea. On it's banks, in various places, 

 are found many of their tombs, which contain, 

 fome of them, manufcripts on filk {luffs, in the 

 language of Thibet -, and there are perceptible, on 

 the rocks along it's (hores, characters which they 



* This is not entirely of a piece with our Author's ufual ac T 

 curacy. It is written, indeed, in the Book of Job, chap, xxxvii. 

 ver. 9. " Cold cometh out of the North ;" and ver. 22. «' Fair 

 " 'weather cometh out of the North :" but no where in Scrip*- 

 tore, fo far as I know, is this affirmed of Gold. St. Pierre feems 

 to have quoted from general and indiftinct recollection ; happy, 

 no doubt, to have, as he thought, a text from the Bible to fup- 

 port his conjecture. But, notwithfhnding this defect, his rea- 

 foning is plauGble, and the human teftimony which he adduces 

 refpectable. H. H. 



have 



