362 



TABLE-TALK AND VARIETIES. 



It began with a similar burst of 

 white vapour, and similar projec- 

 tions of stones and dust; but im- 

 mediately after the latter followed 

 a copious mass of black, lurid 

 smoke, which, overpowering the 

 white vapour, covered in its turn 

 the whole island. The effect of 

 this was less beautiful than the 

 former, but more awful. At this 

 time we were sufficiently near for 

 the deck of the vessel to be covered 

 with the black dust, which was 

 thrown up in great quantities, and 

 of which, as well as of some cinders, 

 I have a specimen. It is harsh to 

 the touch, and in colour resembles 

 gunpowder. The latter were ga- 

 thered in a curious way. The hides 

 of some bullocks which had been 

 killed in the morning for the con- 

 sumption of the ship, had been as 

 usual fastened to the stern, to be 

 purified by dragging through the 

 water, and in them the cinders were 

 entangled and brought up into the 

 ship. The splash made by the 

 tones, which, during some of the 

 eruptions fell into the sea at the 

 estimated distance of about seventy 

 feet from the island, was greater 

 than that of a shot fired from an 

 eighteen-pounder, and showed they 

 must have been of considerable 

 magnitude. 



"The wind was light, and the 

 Melville made but little way. At 

 one P.M., however, we passed the 

 east corner of the island ; when the 

 immediate source of these eruptions 

 was visible. Here was the mouth 

 of the crater. On this side, the 

 island, which in form resembled a 

 horse-shoe, with the sides some- 

 what beaten out, did not rise above 

 the level of the sea, but formed a 

 bay ; and from this ebbed a boil- 

 ing bubbling stream, leaving its 

 own tract in the sea for about three- 

 quarters of a mile. Here it seemed 

 as if a continual conflict was wagec 

 between the two elements of fire 

 and water. The sea, rushing into 



;he mouth of the crater, was op- 

 Dosed by the fire within, and, partly 

 repelled, formed a whirling steamy 

 harybdis." (Recollections of a 

 Rifleman's Wife, by Mrs. Fitz Mau- 

 rice.) 



SHIHT TREE. 



The numerous and well-known 

 voyages to the South Sea Islands, 

 &c., have made us well acquainted 

 with what is called the bread tree, 

 as well as another kind, known 

 under the name of the butter tree. 

 But it remained for the indefati- 

 gable Huniboldt to discover, in the 

 wilds of South America, a tree 

 which produces ready-made shirts. 



We saw, on the slope of the Cerra 

 Duida," says M. Humboldt, "skirt 

 trees fifty feet high. The Indians 

 cut off cylindrical pieces two feet 

 in diameter, from which they peel 

 the red and fibrous bark, without 

 making any longitudinal incision. 

 This bark affords them a sort of 

 garment, which resembles sacks of 

 a very coarse texture, and without 

 a seam. The upper opening serves 

 for the head, and two lateral holes 

 are cut to admit the arms. The 

 natives wear these shirts of marima 

 in the rainy season ; they have the 

 form of the ponchos and ruanos of 

 cotton, which are so common in 

 New Grenada, at Quito, and in 

 Peru, As in these climates the 

 riches and beneficence of nature are 

 regarded as the primary cause of 

 the indolence of the inhabitants, 

 the missionaries do not fail to say, 

 in showing the shirts of marima, 

 ' In the forests of the Oroonoko, 

 garments are found ready-made on 

 the trees.' We may add to this 

 tale of the shirts, the pointed caps, 

 which the spathes of certain palm- 

 trees furnish, and which resemble 

 coarse net-work." 



PSALMODY. 



I was much pleased with your 

 pamphlet oa psalmody, and I can- 



