the people belonging to the ships they left, had sufficient employment in providing for their own safety.'

Without entangling ourselves and our readers in the doubtful details of the early history of the northern whale-fishery, it may suffice to state, that the Merchants of Hull, who have at all times been remarkable for spirit and energy in the conduct of their mercantile speculations, engaged in it as early as the close of the sixteenth century. A strenuous rivalry soon took place between the English, the Dutch, and the Spaniards, which, after much wrangling and some fighting, terminated in an amicable adjustment. In the earlier periods of the fishery, the whales were found in great abundance in the bays and creeks of Spitzbergen and Jan Mayen; but the immense, and probably wanton, slaugh ter that was made among them, had the effect not only of diminishing their numbers, but of driving them from their original haunts and dispersing them over the open sea. Their first successes, however, and the ease with which the business of the fishery was then conducted, induced the Dutch company to erect, at a considerable and injurious expense, melting houses and other buildings on Spitzbergen, which were rendered altogether useless by the expulsion of the fish. The extravagance of their expenditure, with other instances of mismanagement, proved fatal to the prosperity of the chartered companies, and on the termination of their grant, the trade was thrown open. The result of this liberal policy affords an impressive illustration of the withering effect of monopoly, since, in a few years, the shipping employed in this advantageous commerce had encreased from thirty to nearly three hundred sail; and between the years 1660 and 1670, four or five hundred vessels of Holland and Hamburgh annually rendezvoused near Spitzbergen. The English were deplorably remiss in their exertions; and sometimes not a single ship on the station bore the British flag. But our government at length became aware of the importance of this branch of trade; and in consequence of the various encouragements offered at different times, a jointstock company was formed, which contrived, as usual, to expend without return the whole of their capital before the expiration of their charter. At length the bounty system was resorted to, and the navigation being thrown open, the merchants and seamen of England engaged with spirit and prudence in the fishery, and by degrees obtained that superiority which they still retain.

The various processes made use of in taking the whale, and in preparing the oil and whalebone, occupy a considerable number of Mr. S.'s pages, but would make a very insignificant figure in ours without the use of the magnificent nomenclature which dignifies and adorns every distinct portion of the system. Finks,' fritters,'' kreng,' flensers,' specksioneer,' kent,'

'skeeman,' 'let lob,' nip the lull,' are some of the expressive and harmonious terins and phrases which in that case we should have to explain for the edification of our readers at the sacrifice of more space and patience than we feel inclined to make. In referring, then, to the volumes themselves for information on all practical points connected with the fishery, we have only to add, that the reader will find abundant gratification in the interesting anecdotes with which this section of the work is enlivened.—The whale, though a timid animal, is formidable, sometimes from the effects of his dying agonies, and occasionally from the strenuous resistance which he makes to the aggressions of his assailants. His tail is his only weapon; but with this he strikes so fiercely as to crush any boat which lies within its sweep; and instances have been known in which the fish has turned upon his pursuers, attacked every boat that approached him, and dashed in pieces such as came within his reach. In 1807,

a whale was harpooned by an officer belonging to the Resolution. It descended a considerable depth; and on its reappearance, evinced an uncommon degree of irritation. It made such a display of its fins and tail, that few of the crew were hardy enough to approach it. The captain, (my father,) observing their timidity, called a boat, and himself struck a second harpoon. Another boat immediately followed, and unfortunately advanced too far. The tail was again reared into the air, in a terrific attitude,-the impending blow was evident,-the harpooner who was directly underneath, leaped overboard,—and the next moment the threatened stroke was impressed on the centre of the boat, which buried it in the water. Happily no one was injured. The harpooner who leaped overboard, escaped certain death by the act, the tail having struck the very spot on which he stood. The effects of the blow were astonishing. The keel was broken,-the gunwales, and every plank, excepting two, were cut through,-and it was evident that the boat would have been completely divided, had not the tail struck directly upon a coil of lines.'

The velocity with which the whale, when struck, rushes through the water, requires the utmost care in the management of the lines. Instances have occurred in which the most dreadful accidents have resulted from entanglement with the slight but strong cord attached to the harpoon, though every precaution is taken by adjusting the lengths in separate compartments. One man, by slipping through a coil in the act of running out, had his foot torn off at the ancle. Another was nearly cut asunder by a line which caught him by a turn round his body:' he had only time to utter a brief and bitter cry for help, when he was drawn overboard, and never afterwards seen. In addition to these hazards of the fishery itself, the boats are exposed to innumerable dangers from the ice: they have been whelmed beneath the falling iceberg, crushed between encountering masses, stove

6

by their impulse in a stormy swell, and prevented from rejoining their ship by the accumulation of the ice around them. When we add to these the perils arising from the climate,-the dense fogs, the sudden tempests, and the long exposure to piercing and sleety blasts which the boatmen are compelled to encounter, we shall have given a faint and distant conception of the risks and terrors of the Arctic fishery.

The affectionate instinct of the whale towards its progeny, exposes the female to capture whenever it is found with its cub. The young ones are insensible to danger, and are easily harpooned; though, as they are of little value, this is rarely done but for the purpose of securing the mother, who never attempts to make her escape, but, exhibiting every sign of rage and agony, dashes through the midst of her enemies, seizes her young under her fin, endeavours to bear it away, and strives to the utmost to aid its escape, until she has paid with her life the forfeit of her maternal attachment.

Some extraordinary instances occur of the sagacity of bears; of their intelligence in evading snares, and of their dexterity in extricating themselves from circumstances of danger, and in securing their prey when apparently beyond their power. Affecting examples of the fearless self-exposure of the female in defence of her cubs, have been frequently narrated in books of science or amusement; and Mr. Scoresby records an additional proof of their shrewdness in this respect. The

bear, with two cubs under its protection, was pursued across a field of ice, by a party of armed sailors. At first she seemed to urge the young ones to an increase of speed, by running before them, turning round, and manifesting, by a peculiar action and voice, her anxiety for their progress; but finding her pursuers gaining upon them, she carried, or pushed, or pitched them alternately forward, until she effected their escape. In throwing them before her, the little creatures are said to have placed themselves across her path, to receive the impulse; and when projected some yards in advance, they ran onwards until she overtook them, when they alternately adjusted themselves for a second throw.'

Mr. Scoresby writes, if not with the finish of a professed author, with the simplicity and precision of an intelligent man who is master of his subject, and more anxious to communicate important information in a distinct and impressive manner, than to give himself the airs of a fine writer. We have read his volumes with great pleasure, and as far as our recommendation may avail, we cordially give it. To each volume is annexed a series of valuable appendices; some useful charts are added, and søveral illustrative plates assist the narrative,

Art. III. 1. Mission from Cape Coast Castle to Ashantee, with a statistical Account of that Kingdom, and geographical Notices of other Parts of the Interior of Africa. By T. Edward Bowdich, Esq. Conductor. 4to. London. 1819.

2. The African Committee. By T. E. Bowdich, Esq. 8vo. pp. 81. London. 1819.

THE first of these two publications has remained unnoticed

by us for a length of time which we admit to be undue, but which we are not disposed to regret, since the delay has furnished us with some interesting particulars relating to the character and circumstances of the Author. Mr. Bowdich bas, with more spirit and talent than discretion, placed himself in a state of variance with the possessors of official power and influence. Although the effects have hitherto been, and we fear will continue to be, disastrous to him, he still stands upon his independence and his claims, and, however unequal the contest, manifests no disposition to recede. We shall presently advert to the leading features of these transactions; but, in the mean time, it will be necessary to supply an illustrative sketch of the previous and connecting circumstances.

Ashantee has long been known as one of the most powerful kingdoms of Western Africa. It has been mentioned cursorily by different writers from Bosman to Murray, but very little seems to have been accurately known respecting it until the Fantees, by a wanton interference in some of the interior wars, drew ypon themselves the destructive visitation of an Ashantee army in 1807. After a fierce but brief struggle, in which the inferiority of the coast negroes, both in courage and discipline, was very conspicuous, the invaders came under the walls of the English fort of Annamaboe, and manifested a determination to carry it by storm. Though the garrison did not exceed thirty individuals, no apprehension whatever was felt, under the impression that, like other natives, the Ashantees would recoil from a steady and sustained fire of musquetry, and that even if this should fail to intimidate them, the effects of artillery would scatter them in utter dismay. To the astonishment of the Europeans, the invading troops exhibited none of the anticipated symptoms of weakness. After driving the Fantees before them, they assaulted the fort, braving the fire of grape; and, by the accuracy of their aim taking off every man who appeared at an embrasure, they three times endeavoured to force the gate. Reduced to the number of eight efficient bands, the little garrison maintained the conflict with unabated spirit against the swarms of assailants that hovered round. Two gentlemen stationed at the most exposed gate, fired not less than three hundred rounds of ball cartridge, until at length the natives drew

off, and reinforcements from Cape Coast landed without resistance. By negotiation and concession, affairs were, for that time, prevented from being carried to further extremities; but two subsequent and destructive invasions in 1811 and 1816, inflicted such miseries on the Fantee nation, and proved so harassing to our settlements, that it was determined to try the effect of a conciliatory mission to the capital of Ashantee, in averting the repetition of such unwelcome visits. For this embassy, Mr. James, governor of Accra, and Messrs. Bowdich, Hutchison, and Tedlie, were selected; the former to conduct the diplomatic business, and the latter to direct such scientific operations as might be found practicable under the very unfavourable circumstances of the party. The instructions under which the envoys were to act, seem to have been judiciously adapted to their situation and to the opportunities of inquiry which might be expected to occur. On the 22d of April, 1817, the mission set out from Cape Coast Castle. After encountering the usual hinderances and annoyances of travelling in an oppressive and unwholesome climate, aggravated by the wild and rugged condition of the half-cleared path, and the fearful desolations which marked the track of the soldiery of Ashantee, they crossed the frontiers of that kingdom about the 5th of May, and on the 19th, reached Coomassie, the capital. The scene which awaited them on their entrance, affords Mr. Bowdich an opportunity for a long and excellent description of a very fine display of savage magnificence, They were met by an immense body of warriors, who performed their war-dance with tremendous energy to the terrific sound of an immense collection of horns, drums, rattles, and gongs. Flags of all countries' waved and flourished in all di'reations, the bearers plunging and springing from side to side,' while the captains followed them with equal animation, discharging their blunderbusses, and emerging from the smoke with all the gesture and distortion of maniacs. The dress of these leaders was the very perfection of military dandyism : an immense plume of eagle's feathers towered above the gilt frontlet; a scarlet vest, covered with charms and fetishes of all colours, fitted close to the body; the trowsers were loose, and covered half way up the thigh, by immense boots of dull red leather,' fastened to the belt by small chains. From the back, arms, body, waist, and ancles, hung an incredible farrago of horse and leopard tails, strings of amulets, shreds of leather, horns, bells, shells, and knives; and even from the mouth, held firmly between the teeth, dangled a long iron chain with a Moorish saphie, or written charm, fluttering at its extremity. After some delay, the Europeans were permitted to proceed, surrounded by the warriors, through crowds thronging every avenue, to the royal residence, and after a further procession, halted at a spot