146 
of a Norman who invented an Infernal 
Machine, which he caufed to be conveyed 
to the Seigneur de Millan d’Allegre. It 
was a box, containing thirty-fix piftol bar- 
rels, each of them loaded with a couple 
of bullets. This box was fo contrived 
that cn opening it each of thefe barrels 
was to difcharge its contents, at the fame 
moment, firing off feventy-two balls. it 
was fent with a forged letter, as from his 
fifter, fignitying that fhe defired ‘his ac- 
ceptance of a curiofity, which the bearer 
would inftruét him how to open. This 
bearer was the inventor’s fervant, who had 
been taught the manner of opening the 
box, but was a ftranger as.to what it con- 
tained. Accordingly, it was opened by 
De Millan’s direétion and in bis prefence, 
when. the piltols were all difcharged, but 
the gentleman and the fervant happened 
to be only flightly wounded. The in- 
ventor was thereupon apprehended and 
defervediy broken upon the whecl for his 
invention. 
COLD AFFUSION USED MEDICINALLY 
BY MAHOMET. 
Gagnier, in his life of Mahomet taken 
from the Arabic writers, gives a de- 
tailed accopnt of the Prophei’s lait illnefs, 
which has ail the appearance of truth, 
being attended by none but natural cir- 
cumftances. He was attacked on the 27th 
Proceedings of Learned Societies. 
[ Sept. 1, 
of the month Safar, with a head-ache and 
flight fever, at the houfe of one of his 
wives. On the 29th, srowing worfe, he 
was taken to the honfe ot his wife Ayetha. 
Ou that day, fays Al Jannabi, his fever 
became fo great, that no one could feel 
his pulfe, or lay a hand on his breafe 
without undergoing an infupportable heat. 
In order to moderate the extreme burning 
which tormented him, he faid to his wives, 
«¢ Pour water upon me, as much as feven 
large leathern botties full, that if poffible 
I may be refrefhed fufficiently to be able 
to {peak to the people, and declare the laft 
words of my teftament.’’ This was done, 
and he found himfelf greatly relieved. 
On the day following, the firft ef Rabi, 
Mahomet rofe, and leaning on the fhotl- 
ders of two perfons, went to the mefque. 
He there made a long difcourfe, and gave 
feveral directions. On the following days 
he continued to pray in public, till the: 
third day before his death, which happen- 
ed on the 12th of Rabi, the 15th from 
his firtt feizure. We are not told whether 
the affufion was repeated, or a:y other 
means were employed; but the effect of 
this operation feems for the time to have 
been very falutary, and it was probably a 
wel]-known remedy in that country. Ma- 
homet, among his other qualities, is faid 
to have poflefled great {kill in phyfic. 
ear: 
PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 
NATIONAL INSTITUTE. 
COPY of a LETTER REaD in the 
CLASS of PHYSICAL aud MATHE- 
MATICAL SCIENCES. 
Alexander Humboldt to Citizen Delambre, 
Perpetual Secretary of the National In- 
fiitute. From Lima, the 25th Novem- 
ber, 1802. 
MY WORTHY FRIEND, 
‘JUST arrive from the interior of the 
I country, where 1 have made experi- 
ments on a wide plain on the hourly vari- 
ations of the magnetic needle, and learn 
with regret that the frigate Altigaragga, 
which was only to have departed in a fort- 
night, is now going to fet fail for Cadiz 
“this very night. For thefe five months it 
is the firt opportunity we have had for 
Europe in the folitary regions on the Pa- 
cific Ocean; and want of time-renders it 
impoffible for me to write as I ought to 
the National Inftitute, from which I have 
jut received the mof affecting proofs of 
the kindnefs with which it honours me. 
A ‘tew days before my departure from 
Quito for Jaen and the Amazone, I re- 
ceived the letter which that Society ad- 
drefied to me by your hands. Tt ts dated 
the 2d Pluviofe, gth year, land has takea 
two years to reach me in the Cordillieras 
of the Andes. It came to hand theday 
after my fecond expedition to the crater of 
the volcano of Pichincha, whither I-had 
gone with an electrometer of Volta, and 
to meafure the diameter, which I find to be 
752 toiles, while that of Vefuvius is only | 
312. This reminds me that on the fum- 
mit of Guaguapichincha, (where I have 
been often, and which I regard asciafiical 
ground,) La Condamine and Bouguer re- 
ceived their firt letter from the ci-devant 
Academy ; and I imagine that Pichincha, 
fi magna licet componere parvis, is a lucky 
{pot for natural philofophers. How thall 
I exprefs to you, Citizen, the fatisfaction 
with which I perufed this Letter of the 
National Inftitute, and the repeated aflur- 
ance 
