^06 Scientific, Intelligence. 
sweet-cake. Indeed, this singular taste was carried to such ex- 
cess, that he used sugar and molasses not only upon his bread 
and butter , and lighter food, but upon his meat and vegetables ; 
and this he continues to do at the present time, although nearly 
eight days have elapsed since he inhaled the gas. His health 
and spirits, since that time, have been uniformly good, and he 
attributes the restoration of his strength and mental energy to 
the influence of the nitrous oxide. He is quite regular in his 
mind, and now experiences no uncommon exhilaration, but is 
habitually cheerful, while before he was habitually grave, and 
even to a degree gloomy. 
50. Observations in Greece by Mr Hughes. — Mr Hughes 
found, not far from Pollina (the ancient Apollonia) in Albania, 
a desert place, from the fissures of whose surface an empyreu- 
matic vapour arose, which took fire on the application of a taper, 
and burnt for some time. From the neighbouring ruins, he in- 
ferred that they belonged to that oracle described by Dion Cas- 
sius, xii. 45. Mineral-pitch is found in abundance in the vici- 
nity. In other sacred places in Greece, as at Delphi and Do- 
dona, where mineral vapours were used in their oracular con- 
trivances, these vapours have disappeared. In the height of 
Parnassus, where the remains of the Delphic oracles are found, 
the celebrated foramina (where carbonic acid rose from the fis- 
sures of the limestone) have been filled ; and in place of the 
springs with inflammable gas at Dodona, ( Vid . Plin. Hist. Nat. 
vol. ii. p. 104), we find it at present near Joannina, along with the 
remains of the temple, simply a marsh. The water of the Gre- 
cian Acheron (modern Sali) is no longer bitter, but of an agree- 
able and fresh taste; only in the place where the muddy Cocytus 
(modern Baba) flows into it, there is formed a standing water, 
which spreads around an unhealthy air (malaria), which occa- 
sions the pale and emaciated appearance of the Albanian pea- 
sants in the plains of Phanari. 
51. Copy of the Mahabarat , the great Sanscrit Epic Poem , 
presented to the Museum of the University of Edinburgh, by 
Colonel Walker, Governor of St Helena. — Colonel Walker, of 
Bowland, lately appointed Governor of St Helena, has present- 
ed to the College Museum a complete copy of the Mahabarat , 
the great Sanscrit epic poem, composed, or more probably col- 
