288 
his excavation, removes the upper beam and hacks out the earth 
behind it; which done, he takes away the second beam, and re¬ 
moves the second tier of earth, then the third, &c. If sufficient 
earth, about a foot wide, has been dug away from behind the first 
box, then the two boxes adjoining, begin the same operation. 
During this time the masons are not idle; for they continue work¬ 
ing in the same proportion at the vault which has to support the 
earth above the tunnel. When, however, all the earth before the 
whole scaffold has been taken away, it is moved forward by means 
of steel screws. Both above and below the scaffold there are 
iron plates, with sharp edges, to facilitate the moving of it. On 
this plan the work proceeds at the rate of two feet in twenty-four 
hours; it is hoped that it would be completed in two years time; 
they have been over a year already working at it. I regret very 
much my not having met with Mr. Brunei, who is likewise the 
inventor of the block-machine at Portsmouth, and other very use¬ 
ful engines. 
In Leicester square there were two fine panoramas; one re- 
presenting the city of Edinburgh, and the other that of Mexico 
the former panoramic view was taken from Caltonhill, and I re¬ 
cognized every place, owing to my having been there three years 
previous. In beholding the second, I regretted anew that my 
affairs during the last winter did not permit me to undertake a 
journey to Mexico. The beautiful blue sky reminded me of the 
happy days I passed in New Orleans, and I recognized the lofty 
Andes from the description, which I have so often read of them. 
Mexico deserves, if I am to judge from the panorama, to be call¬ 
ed the city of. palaces, as it is generally styled. In order to give 
an idea of the manners of the people, the artist gives a represen¬ 
tation of the circus on the great square during the time of a bull¬ 
fight, and not far from it a procession. 
At Regent’s place a diorama was to be seen. You are conducted 
into a pretty dark round saloon, and you perceive there, through 
a square hole, a painting that is lighted in a manner which can¬ 
not be discovered. The painting represents a church in Scotland 
called Rosslyn chapel. You seem to be at the entrance of the 
church, and you see that the sun darts his beams from the side 
and causes multifarious shades, on account of the bushes and trees 
in front of the windows of the church. In the rear of the church 
you see a small door, leading to a yard, planted with underwood, 
and in the back ground, a Gothic building. By and by the sun 
disappears, and you perceive by the effect of light, that a storm 
is approaching; then you see the effect of rain, and after this dis¬ 
appears, you enjoy the finest sunshine. The illusion is so per- 
o 
* [Now exhibiting in New York.]— Trans. 
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Vol. IL 
