UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 241 



seemed to escape from it. A small white ball 

 appeared in the centre, but it gradually dimi- 

 nished in size, and the transparency extended 

 through the whole mass. 



He afterwards put some of this substance into 

 oils of different colours the colours it quickly 

 acquired and when it had completely absorbed 

 the oil it became transparent, but when partially 

 it was opaque. When steeped in oil, coloured 

 with alkanet-root, it had quite the tints of the 

 ruby; from a preparation of copper it imbibed 

 the colour of the emerald ; and from some acid 

 exactly that of a Brazilian topaz. He then 

 shewed us that all these brilliant colours could 

 be discharged along with the oil, by exposing the 

 substance to a strong heat. 



Fortunately for us, when Mr. R. called here 

 he was on his way home from London, where he 

 had provided himself with these curiosities, and 

 he was so good-natured as to unpack some of his 

 treasures for our gratification. 



I was much surprised at these cameleon-like 

 changes ; and at last I learned that this sub- 

 stance is the tabasheer, of which I had read 

 something before. It is found in the cavities of 

 the bamboo ; while the plants are young, it is 

 fluid, but as they advance in size it hardens. 

 Mr. R. shewed us three specimens ; the first 

 was almost transparent, and so tender, that in 

 carelessly taking it up, I crushed it. He was so 



Y 



