Picture Writing—Wild Ass. _ 229 
utility, therefore, of this invention may be seen at a glance; it 
enables firemen to brave the flames with impunity, whereas, in 
most instances of excessive heat, they are driven off, and the 
flames are permitted to spread. The shield is used = another 
and equally beneficial way. By varying the form, it is carried 
up stairs to the third story of houses not on fire, but the roof of 
which requires water, and by a simple machinery carried in hand, 
it is projected from a window like a painter's platform ; the 
leader is then carried through the house, up stairs, and so out of 
the window, and is directed by the fireman behind the shield to 
that part of the adjoining houses which it may be necessary to 
protect. It is extremely useful in churches, and from steeples, 
and may be applied in a variety of ways. Firemen have been 
frequently injured in health and person, by approaching too near 
the flames, and giving full scope to that intrepidity of character 
and humanity for which they are distinguished. By this fire 
shield they will be effectually protected, and it will be found in 
narrow streets to be peculiarly useful.” 
PICTURE WRITING. 
Among the additions recently made to Dr. Mitchill of America’s 
museum of curiosities is a letter from the Chippewa tribe of In- 
dians to the Sioux, with the answer of the Sioux to the Chippe- 
was, done during the summer of 1820. Both are executed with the 
point ofa knife, or some other hard body, upon the bark of the 
birch tree. They are examples of picture writing, bordering upon 
the symbolic or ‘hieroglyphic, aud show the manner in which the 
aborigines of North America communicate their ideas at the pre- 
sent day. After having served the purpose for which they were in- 
tended, they were procured by Captain Douglas from the banks of 
the Mississippi, where they had been placed by their authors, and 
brought home by that gentleman as specimens of the way pur- 
sued by those people to transact their public business, 
THE WILD ASS. 
[From Sir R. Ker Porter’s Travels in Persia.] 
** The sun was just rising over the summits of the eastern 
mountains, when my grevhound, Cooley, suddenly darted off in 
pursuit of an animal which my Persians said, from the glimpse 
they had of it, was an antelope. I justantly put spurs to my- 
horse, and, followed by Sedak Beg and Mehmander, follovesal the 
chase. After an enrelaxed gallop of full three miles, we came 
up with the dog, who was then within a short stretch of the crea- 
ture he pursued; and to my surprise, and at first vexation, I saw 
itto be an ass, But, on a moment's reflection, judging from its 
fleetness it must be a wild one, a species little kuown in Europe, 
but 
