j^ ON THE FASCINATING FACULTY 



Defcriptlon of a The nature of the contrivance cannot fail to be fufficiently 

 jib on a new underflood by an infpeflion of the figures; the one of which 

 conftrudlion. ^eprefents a jib attached to the wall of a warehoufe, the other 

 a campfhut or landing crane fixed on the edge of the wharf. 

 Each of thefe jibs turns on a perforated axis or pillar. The 

 rope proceeds from the goods which are hoifted, through a 

 puUy fixed as ufual at the extremity of the jib; it tlien palTes 

 over another puliy fixed at the oppofite extremity of the jib, 

 and is, by this pully conduced through the perforated axis 

 or pillar to a third pulley; whence it is immediately directed 

 to the crane by which the weight is elevated. 



It is almoft unnecelTary to ftate that the lower axis is ufually 

 fixed in an oil box, and that fridion rollers are applied to the 

 axis wherever the circumftances may render it neceflary. 



The importance of this improvement, in an article of fuch 

 extenfive ufe, mufl be evident even to thofe who are the leaft 

 acquainted with the fubjed. Mechanics who are aware that 

 fimplicity of conflrudion and certainty of effe6l are among 

 the moft valuable characters to be fought in engines, will 

 moll probably obferve this crane with pleafure ; and the ad- 

 vantages to the community at large mufl be meafured by the 

 convenience and faving of labour it is calculated to afford. 



XIV. 



A Memoir concerning the Fafcinating Faculty xchich has been af- 

 cribed to the Rattle-Snake, and other Jmerican Serpents. By 

 Bknjamin Smith Barton, M. D. From the American 

 Tranfaaions, Vol. IV. 



(Concluded from Pope 62.) 



Other fnakes i3ECONDLY. It is a fa6t well known in this country, that 



(particularly the the rattlc-fnake is not the only kind of ferpent that is faid to 



whkh hnlt ^*^ endued with the faculty of fafcinating birds, fquirrels, and 



poifonous) are other animals. As far as my inquiries have extended, it does 



aidtochiim. ^^^ appear to me that, in general, the rattle- fnake is thought 



to have fo large a portion of this faculty as fome other fpecies 



of ferpenls. Of this, at leaft, I am certain, that perfons re- 



fiding in our country-fituations tell us many wonderful tales of 



the bewitching eyes of the black-fnake, the coluber conftridor 



of 



