66 BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER 



wide; and outside, millions of the little negroes, 

 us they are called, may be seen bustling along 

 heavily laden. But now for the vinegar : a bot- 

 tle half full of water is plunged to the neck in one 

 of these hills; the ants speedily creep in, and 

 are, of course, drowned ; the contents are then 

 boiled, and a strong acid is produced, which is 

 vised for vinegar by all the inhabitants of Nor- 

 landen. 



January 1, Sunday. My uncle read to us 

 the "Song of Moses," after the escape of the 

 Israelites from Pharaoh and his host, He then 

 said; as nearly as I can recollect, " This beautiful 

 composition is not only a thanksgiving for their 

 memorable deliverance, but it contains also pre- 

 cise prophecies of the downfal of the nations of 

 Palestine, with the settlement of the Israelites in 

 their room ; and of the establishment of the 

 temple on Mount Zion, with the ultimate de- 

 struction of all idolatry. 



" It is the most ancient poem now extant, and 

 shews the early connexion which subsisted be- 

 tween poetry and religion : it is also a fine 

 example of that species of composition in which 

 the Hebrews excelled ; namely, that of express- 

 ing in hymns of triumph their gratitude to God 

 for his glorious protection. 



" 'The mountain of thine inheritance' alludes 

 to Mount Moriah, or Sion, where Moses knew 



