Hindoos who tried to establish the Churruck Pooja or Swinging Festival, but were prevented by the Government; 25,000 Even granting the truth in what the Catholics mean by the virtue of "detachment," - granting, that is, that we ought to live a life that is not all absorbed and were negroes; 20,000 Portuguese of Mawrapped up in earthly duties, that can bear to contemplate a complete transformation or so Chinese, who have either no religion of those duties, - even granting this, Englishmen are likely to attain it, so far as they ever can, rather by exhausting the full meaning of them, and finding out that they are not enough for the whole life within us, than by any sudden rupture of them. We, as a nation, if we ever do attain "detachment," shall do so by exhausting the power of "attachment," not by being shaken free from earthly ties. We suspect an era of earthquake would demoralize us even more than it would demoralize most other races of our globe. From The Spectator. THE INDIANS OF GUIANA. deira, nominally Catholic, and some, 50,000 at all or adopt that of the ruling race. The tongues spoken are endless, the varieties of civilization as numerous, but still above them all calmly sits the Englishman, insisting on order, and in the main securing it, except when circumstances bring to light the inexplicable antipathy entertained by the Chinaman for the negro, an antipathy apparently deeper seated than that of the AngloSaxon. Among them all, the least known and the most interesting are the Aborigines, whom the Government for many reasons, the principal, perhaps, being that we, and not they, are the intruders, - have very much let alone. They have, however, an attraction for the Missionaries, and the author of this volume has resided years among them, and appears to have visited some of their most sequestered retreats. He is a keen MR. BRETT has had good materials to observer, a fair draughtsman, and the work work with, but he has not used them well. We make no objection, except on the score of taste, to the odd little tags or sentences of artificial and unctuous piety with which he studs his writing, for he is evidently a sincere man yielding to a professional habit; but his book is discursive to weariness, and his information disjointed. He has adopted the chronological form of narrative, and facts about the same tribe have often to be sought at wide intervals. Most Englishmen will, however, gain something from his book; for few Englishmen, we suspect, are aware of the remarkable experiment working itself out in Guiana, of the amazing precipitate of man which has gradually there deposited itself under British protection. Imagine a tropical Delta, or a series of three Deltas, 200 miles in breadth, and of an almost un known depth into the interior, pierced by many rivers, and inhabited, so far as it is inhabited at all - that is, on the coast - by almost every dusky race under the sun, native "Americans," savage as the Red Indians, but more amenable to authority; negroes, Portuguese from Madeira, Hindoos from Bengal and the Nerbudda Valley, Mohammedans from all parts of India, Pagans from the Nagpore jungles, and Chinese from the Southern provinces. Of the 100,000 immigrants imported within 30 years of the Emancipation, 50,000 were from India, some of them Mussulmans who still observe the Mohurrum; and more The Indian Tribes of Guiana. By Rev. W. H. Brett. London: Bell and Daldy. leaves a strong impression of his personal truthfulness, - not an invariable quality of explorers. The general type of the natives of Guiana is quite uniform. "Their skin is of a copper tint, a little darker than that of the natives of Southern Europe. Their hair is straight and coarse, and continues jet black till an advanced period of life. Their eyes are also black and keen, and their sight and hearing very acute." The men wear nothing of their own accord but a strip of cotton about the loins, and on festivals coronals of feathers; and the women small aprons of beads, and necklaces either of beads or teeth taken from wild animals; but the Missionaries teach them some rules of dress as essential to godly, or at all events to decorous, life. They dwell in thatched huts with sloping roofs, which usually contain two apartments, one for the man and his goods, the other for the women and children. Most of them allow polygamy, throw the drudgery of life on their women, and are expert both with the bow and arrow and the blow-pipe, a weapon almost peculiar to themselves. Thus far they differ little from other savages, and especially from the Aborigines of India, but they have a few customs peculiar to themselves. The most remarkable of these is their mode of avenging murder. When any one is put to death the sorcerer of the tribe indicates the murderer, and the nearest relative then goes through certain ceremonies, which end in his becoming a "Kanaima," that is, a man possessed with take in hand, whether it be for evil or for the deity of that name. He devotes him- good. So at least we found it with this self to the slaughter of the murderer, or clan, then separate from all their brethren. some one of his family, lives by rule, and Having believed and embraced Christianity, appears to work himself up to a state of madness, in which he is as dangerous as a wild beast. When his victim is found he first renders him dumb by pressing poison into his mouth, then kills him; and then if the relatives remove the body visits his they were evidently trying to live up to it. Of those who first came to us, there remained, in a few years, not one unbaptised, nor a couple unmarried." It appears that even in the wild state their women are chaste, and they are probably the only sav grave to run a stake through his heart, in ages in the world who habitually speak low, order that he may taste it. If he can fulfil - a mark of a character given to selfall these ceremonies he goes home com- restraint. Even the Acawoios, however, posed, if not, he wanders on till overtaken by madness or starvation. This custom is dying out on the coast, but is still preserved in the interior, and, perhaps, accounts for the dislike of many tribes to quarrelling The uniformity of the native clans is only apparent, as the word "native" includes several tribes, notably the Arawaks, Acawoios, Waraus, and Caribs. The Arawaks, or Lokono, are a gentle yield both in courage and cruelty, to the Caribs, the warrior tribe which once ruled the whole of this region, was declared by the Dutch to eat its enemies, and was unquestionably fierce and courageous beyond any other in America. The Caribs are now comparatively civilized, though still liable to ferocious bursts of passion, and in Guiana, as everywhere, they are rapidly dying out. On the Corentyn, the eastern tribe, much favoured by the Dutch, who boundary of the colony, rude carvings are take readily to Christianity and civilization, constantly seen in places whence the huseldom quarrel, and would, but for a ten- man race has died out, the Caribs having dency to get drunk on chewed cassava, very much resemble the less civilized inhabitants of Bengal. They are willing to learn, are interested in maps and pictures, and exhibit, as we gather from several anecdotes, a livelier conscience than most among a few scattered families which still apparently worn themselves out with war, slave-hunting, and the orgies to which the latter habit gave rise. They had probably adopted, moreover, some habit of infanticide, for in 1866 the average of children remained was only one per couple. In one place where they had been numerous, only 29 Caribs remained, still honoured by the Indians of other tribes as the descendants semi-civilized people. The Waraus seem to be precisely like the Sonthals, cling to the coast, are indolent, but capable of hard labour, and, unlike most American savages, are of a jovial disposition. The Acawoios of a once irresistible race. The same de are a fiercer tribe, who combine the avocation of traders and pirates. They undertake immense journeys, which they make in armed parties, to Venezuela or Brazil, usually massacring the people of any village en route not strong enough to resist them. They are brave to audacity, and are dreaded by their neighbours, and exhibit the phenomenon, rare, though not unknown among savages, of discontent with their own creed. In 1845 an impostor, supposed to have been a white man, summoned them to encamp in a sort of paradise, as he described it, and they marched in in hundreds from all parts of their territory, received orders from a concealed voice, and cline is visible in all provinces, and this not only within our rule, but in districts which no white man has ever visited-a strange fact, as it disposes of one plausible theory, that the presence of Europeans impresses the native imagination till, hopeless of rivalling or enduring the invaders, they perish of melancholy. At all events, unlike the aborigines of India and the negroes, they are perishing, and officials expect speedily to record their extinction. The creed of all these races seems to be of the same kind, a general belief in a Supreme being, and a special belief in evil spirits, spirits, furies or demons whom he allows to torment mankind - an idea almost univer remained encamped, waiting apparently for sal among races who have found nature a new revelation, till after twelve months' hostile. They hold that man was created delay they came to the conclusion that they by God, or His son Sigu, and tell wild and had been duped by the Devil. Once civi- poetic legends to account for the natural lized, they become excellent Christians. facts around them. They believe in the "Quiet resolution and strength of purpose seem to be characteristic of this more than of any other aboriginal tribe; and they enter thoroughly into whatever business they future life, and bury their dead upright to show that they are not beasts, and have a tradition of a deluge, and like other American Indians repeat stories of great men called the Merrimac, and that she would soon leave Richmond, prepared to destroy our fleet and burn our towns, without meeting with any power that could probably resist her. The whole country was alarmed, as well as the Government. Under these circumstances a special agent was directed by telegraph to wait upon Commodore Vanderbilt at 11 o'clock at night and ask him for what sum of money he could agree to blockade this iron-clad and keep her from getting out of port. Commodore Vanderbilt instantly said to who taught them improvements and then "went upwards." The Waraus are said to hold a belief about the fall of man not widely differing from that of the author of Genesis, indeed, so like it, that we are inclined to suspect Mr. Brett of a too credulous attention to a native who had heard the Christian account. There is, however, little evidence that any tribe in Guiana had ever reached a civilized stage, and some that they were once wilder than they are, Mr. Brett having discovered great mounds of shells filled with the skeletons of men who had evidently been eaten, the bones the agent: having been carefully cracked to extract the marrow. The modern Indians speak with horror of cannibalism, and Mr. Brett, who knows them so thoroughly, apparently said to him: "I have come on about this regrets the extinction which seems to be business. Who is there to be consulted? their doom. They will be replaced, it If any one, call him, as I have no time to seems clear, either by a composite race, talk it over twice." Mr. Stanton replied, "Telegraph to Mr. Stanton that I will see him at once," and went immediately to Washington, called upon Mr. Stanton, and "The President, Mr. Lincoln, must be consulted." "Then," said the Commodore, "let us go to his house at once," which with negro blood predominating in its To the Editors of the Evening Post: No private citizen has probably ever shown more patriotism than Cornelius Vanderbilt. His liberality to the Government during the darkest period of the rebellion Mr. Lincoln said: "Can you stop this The Commodore replied: "Yes, at least there are nine chances out of ten I can. I will take my ship, the C. Vanderbilt, cover her machinery, &c., with 500 bales of cotton, raise the steam, and rush her with overwhelming force on the ironclad, and sink her before she can escape, or cripple us." Mr. Lincoln then said: "How much money will you demand for such a service?" Commodore Vanderbilt replied that the Government had not money enough to hire him; that he had not come to speculate upon the trials of his country, but to try and help her in this her hour of need; that he would give them his ship without charge; that he would instantly order her by telegraph to be equipped and on her way toward Richmond in thirty-six hours, which was done, she sailing under the order of one of his own captains, and the Commodore in person on board. Having reached Hampton Roads, Hampton our blockading squadron, the Commander of the fleet went on board the ship. After some consultation, Commodore Vanderbilt asked him if the iron-clad would probably come out. The Commander replied: "She will." "Then," said Commodore Vanderbilt, "I have one favor to ask of you, and should be recorded in the heart of every that is, if she should come, you will keep true American, and his example handed your fleet out of the way, that I may have down to animate remotest ages. All this room to sink her." The iron-clad, as is was proved in this way. Mr. Stanton, well known, did come out, and was disabled while Secretary of War, had, from his scouts and put back by the Monitor, sent from within the rebel lines, ascertained that the New York. The object being accomplished, rebels had about completed their iron-clad | Commodore Vanderbilt left his ship and came home, and has never asked or received | charge himself with the duty of handing one cent for his ship, ever since held as them down to posterity; the school-books Government property, and which at the moment they took her was worth fully $1, 500,000. Instead of giving them this sum he could have made almost any terms for himself. This interview with the President and Secretary at once enabled them to see that they had in their presence an extraordinary man. Mr. Lincoln said: "Can you not turn one of your other ships into an ironclad?" "Yes," was the reply, "I think I can, and have her ready in six weeks; but must first consult my engineers and headbuilders; my price for this smaller ship will be $500,000." Mr. Lincoln turned to Mr. Stanton and said: "We accept these terms it is a bargain." Commodore Vanderbilt at once gave orders to equip this smaller ship, and see if she was capable for what she was intended. After some time, during which she had been nearly cased in bar iron, the Commodore found, to his regret, that he could not make her what was needed, and he at once released the Government from their contract, and thus relieved his noble gift from all suspicion of receiving with it any pecuniary advantage. These great transactions should be commemorated on canvas. The historian will will contain the account, and the eyes of children yet unborn will glisten as they read and reflect upon such true and lofty patriotism; which is an invaluable inheritance to our country, and should be placed on the same shelf in the archives where are deposited the famous deeds of our most distinguished men. Noble, generous, and self-sacrificing as all this is, its brilliancy is obscured by the absence of all ostentation in the quiet, retiring and unpretending manner in which the great work was done. In 1813, the Austrian Government being distressed for money, they went to the Rothschilds, who granted a loan, probably as a mere business transaction. So great was the gratitude of the Emperor that he created all the brothers of the eminent house barons, which titles they have since enjoyed, and to which all Europe considers them entitled. No distinguished citizen has ever expressed less desire for notoriety than Commodore Vanderbilt. 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