May 30, 1872] 



NATURE 



and the remainder of the letter, though translated by Colcnso to 

 throw ridicule on the people's religion, has evidently no bearing 

 on the calamities and porlents of a.d. 458 60, but refers to an 

 earlier event. ) — Episth-s of Siihmiiis Apolliiitifis. Book vii. Ep. I. 

 (From Migne's /'(7//-i'/(i^>/(/, torn. 57, p. 563.) 



"There pervades, indeed, the vital way (or faith) not through 

 the lands of Gaul only, but almost the whole world, the fertilis- 

 ing stream of these Rogation Day observances, and cleanses the 

 earth infected with vices by the wholesome flux of an annual 

 e\i>iation. More special reason, however, have we in this same 

 institution for service and rejoicing, because from hence in a 

 manner it flowed for the benefit of all. From our source at the 

 first it spread ; and perhaps even (we may say) it pertains to 

 some dignity or privilege, the first beginning of such an institu- 

 tion. At any rate, when an ineffable distress (»i(-<'.(,v//<h) tamed 

 do\\'n the proud hearts of our Viennese to this manner of humi- 

 liation, our Church, perceiving the cause of her chastisement 

 (ir:^rituJi>ns), caught to herself not as chiefly before all others, 

 but as alone among all, feeling the need there was for the present 

 observance to be instituted, far more eagerly a remedy than a 

 primacy (or precedence). And, indeed, the causes of the terrors 

 of that time, I know that many of us recollect well {ricohre). 

 For truly the repeated fires, the frequent earthquakes, the mighty 

 noises, threatened to add to such a cremation (iitidam fnncri) of 

 a whole world some equally prodigious entombment \biistitah). 

 For in the populous haunts of men the tame appearance of the 

 beasts of the forests was observed ; God knows whether deluding 

 our eyes or driven there by the portents. ]!ut whichever of these 

 two it might be, it was perceived to be alike monstrous, whether 

 thus in reality the wild natures of the beasts were tamed, or 

 whether so frightfully in the views of the spectators phantoms of 

 false visions could be formed. Amid these things various were 

 the notions of the populace, and divers the opinions of different 

 classes. Some, concealing what they felt, ascribed to chance what 

 they would not allow to (be matter of) weeping. Others, of 

 healthier mind, discovered truly the new iniquities (nboiuifiahilia) 

 a|itly agreeing to the natures and significance of the ills. For 

 who, in the oft-seen fires, would not dread .Sodom.itic showers ? 

 \Vho, in the shaking elements, would not believe either falls of 

 roofs (cnhiiinum) or openings of the earth to be at hand ? Who, 

 when seeing, or certainly thinking he saw, the naturally timid 

 deer advancing through the straits of doorways, even to the sides 

 (colonnades) of the iaxwrn. {ad fori lalcra), would not presage an 

 impending doom of desolation ? " (He then recurs, like Sidonius, 

 lo the frtory of the earlier conflagration of a palace or town hall, 

 arrested by Mamf rtus, which leads to the confusion of these two 

 calamities by all later chroniclers, and loss of memory of the 

 eruptions, and showersof favills; ) — Hoiiiily of Avitiis concerning 

 Ko^aiions. " //i)r.i the Cusloiii of the Rogations arose." (Migne 

 J'alrologin, to:n. 59. /. 2S9. ) 



Some years ago my attention was especially directed to the 

 date of the latest eruptions in Auvergne, as usually supposed to 

 be indicated by the appointment of the Rogation Days, A. D. 469, 

 by Mamertus (rather than Mamercus), Bishop of Vienne. A re- 

 ference to original authorities convinced me that there is no satis- 

 factory evidence of anything beyond long-continued earthquakes 

 of such severity as to drive the wealthier part of the population 

 out of the city, and, as it would seem, the wild beasts into it. 

 Much is said about fire, but the rhetorical and inflated expres- 

 sions of those living nearest to the event may be applied to either 

 volcanic or domestic conflagration ; and there is great reason to 

 believe that the latter only was intended, in the apparent absence 

 of volcanic foci in the neighbourhood. These, according to 

 Scrope's map, all lie at a considerable distance (if I recollect 

 aright, twenty or thirty miles) ; and though it is of course pos- 

 sible that the site of some nearer outburst may have been hitherto 

 unnoticed, the exptessions used hardly warrant the trouble of 

 any laborious search for it. Should any of the residents in the 

 neighbourhood of Vienne be conversant with geology, they would 

 be able to furnish decisive evidence on the subject. The original 

 storj' is a curious one, but it has not lost in the telling. 



Ilardwick Vicarage, May 25 T. W. Webb 



The Approaching Transit of Venus 

 In Nature of the 4th of J.anuary last Mr. J. Carpenter gives 

 an interesting sketch of the arrangements in progress for observing 



the forthcoming Transit of Venus. He states that French and 

 German astronomers have decided on establishing a station of 

 observation at Muscat (Mascate) or at some place between that 

 nasiy little port and Teheran. Now, as a point along this line 

 is considered so favourable by Continental astsonomers, will you 

 alio V me through your (Jages to call Mr. Airy's attention to the 

 peculiar advantages of Jask in this respect. Cape Jask, 

 on the Mekran Coast, is situated, roughly, in lat. 25 .V 

 N. and long. 57!- E. We have here a large and in- 

 telligent English telegraph staff, and work a double line 

 of telegraphs to Europe. We have three large stone-built 

 bungalows (houses) with strong, fla^ cement-covered roofs, 

 which are approached by spacious staircases. The large bunga- 

 low, forming the clerks' quarters, is about 250 feet long, 20 high, 

 and 40 broad. It is divided in the centre by a sort of lower, in 

 which are situated the stairs leading to the roof. The latter 

 would be a most convenient place for erecting the astronomical 

 instruments, &c. There is no telegraphic communication with 

 Muscat, and it is about two d.ays' sail, with a fair wind, from 

 Jask, which is the nearest telegraph station. Should the As- 

 tronomer Ruyal decide on sending out a couple of observers 

 here, I promise them a hospitable reception and every assistance. 

 The fortnightly mail steamers between Bombay and Bussorah, 

 pass within fifteen or twenty miles of this place, and could be 

 eai y induced by Government to call in and land the party. 



Mr. Latimer Clark, who visited this station towards the end of 

 1S69, will, I daresay, if cdled upon, be able to give some further 

 particulars, and can vouch for the accuracy of my statements. 



J. J. Fauie 



Feisian Guif Telegr.iph Dept., Jask Station 



Recent Climatic Changes 



Mr. IIowortii's letter on ''Recent Climatic Changes" in 

 Nature of ihe 9th May, is most instructive and interesting, 

 more especially to those who have visited ihe Arctic .Sea ; but on 

 one point I mast venture to differ from him, that is, when he 

 expresses his belief that the Esquimaux migrated from the north- 

 ward in consequence of the increasing rigour of the climate in 

 high northern latitudes. 



I have seen the Esquimaux at the mouths of the MacKenzie 

 and Coppermine Rives and at Repulse Bay in longitudes 135°, 

 115°, and 87° West, re>pectively. At all these places I found 

 their traditionary belief to be, that they came originally from the 

 west, across a narroAf sea (probably Behring Strait), followed 

 the coast line eastward, then southward along the west side of 

 Hudson's Bay ; some of them making their way to the east coast 

 of that great bay and to Labrador by crossing the comparatively 

 narrow channels separating these places from Southampton, 

 Mansfield, and other islands, at the entrance of Hudson's Hay. 



As Victoria and WoUastun lanJs, and other pLaces still farther 

 north, were probably at that time (as some of them are at pre- 

 sent) well stocked with game, part of these people in thtir east- 

 ward drifting would naturally turn to the northeastnard, until 

 they reached North Lincoln and Ellesmere lands in lat. 77^ or 

 78° North, from which they probably crossed Smith Sound to 

 Greenland, along the west shore of which they would then have 

 gradually spread southward. 



Thus ihe Skrellings who destroyed the Norse colonists of 

 South Greenland, came, as Mr. Howorth says, from the north. 

 Indeed, they could not have come from any other direction, ex- 

 cept by making a long sea voyage, for which their frail craft (if 

 they had anv canoes at that time) were by no means well fitted. 



That the " S.aga " wrilerj knew that Esquimaux were to be 

 found in Labrador before they were seen in Greenland, goesf.ir, 

 I think, to support the view 1 have expressed; because, if coming 

 from the \\-est, they could much more easily and speedily reach 

 Labrador than the southern parts of Greenland ; whereas had 

 they come originally from the north, the facilities for arriving at 

 these places would have been reversed. 



I have been told by one of the greatest authorities, perhaps 

 the very highest, on such subjects, that it is not likely that the 

 Esquimaux originally came from Asia, as the form of their heads 

 differs most materially from that of the heads of those Asiatics 

 whom in other respects they most resemble. 



This seems almost an unanswerable fact or argument against 

 the correctness of the tradition of the Esquimaux, and the theory 

 I have advanced, whiclt very likely may have no novelty in it. 



In oppontion to this very strrmg fact, may I suggest the possi- 



