TRUMPET-SHELLS. 97 



scription in his hand, with which ancient poets fabled that 

 he convened the river deities around their monarch. It 

 is wreathed, like those called Bihanos, or Sea-horn, common 

 to India, Africa, and the Mediterranean, and still used as 

 trumpets for blowing alarms or giving signals ; a custom 

 thus elegantly noticed in the following lines : — 



" \Vlieii the roused youth impatient flew 

 To the tower wall, where, high in view, 

 A ponderous sea-horn hung, and blew 

 A signal deep and dread, as those 

 The storm-fiend at his rising blows, 

 And there, upon the mouldering tower, 

 Hath hung this sea-horn many an hour, 

 Ready to sound o'er land and sea. 

 The death-dirge of the brave and free." — Moore. 



Shells of the same description are common in Lithuania 

 and Muscovy, where they are also applied to pastoral pur- 

 poses. No sooner is a herdsman risen iii the morning, 

 than he winds his horn, and the horses, mules, oxen, asses, 

 goats, and sheep, immediately leave their respective places 

 of retreat, and assemble round their conductor. He then 

 advances at their head, and leads them into such pasturage 

 as he thinks proper for the day. A second signal conducts 



H 



