July 1762. Rouffeau's advice to a daughter concerning marriage. who have reftricted it by many civil laws, have had more regard to the appearance of order, than to the happiness or the morals of the people. You fee, my dear, that the morality we preach to you, is not difficult it tends only to make you your own miftrefs, and to make us refer ourfelves entirely to you for the choice of your husband. After giving you our reafons for leaving you at full liberty to make your own choice, it is proper to mention thofe which ought o induce you to ule it with prudence. Sophy, you have good nature and good ente; much integrity, and piety; and thofe qualifications which a woman ought to have; and you are not disagreeable: but you have no fortune: you have the beft iches; indeed but you want thofe which are most valued by the world. Don't afpire, Therefore, to what you cannot attain to; and regulate your ambition, not by your own judgment, or your mother's and mine, but by the opinion of men. If nothing were to be confidered, but merit equal to your own, I know not where I fhould fet limits to your hopes: but never raife them above your fortune, which you are to remember is very fmail. You never faw our profperity; you were born after we failed in the world: you have made our poverty pleafing to us, and you have fhared in it without pain. Never, child, feek for that wealth which we thank Heaven for taking from us: we never talted happiness till we loft our riches. You are too agreeable, Sophy, not to please fomebody; and you are not fo poor as to render you a burden to an honeft man. You will be courted, and perhaps by perfons who are not worthy of you. If they fhew themselves what they really are, you will form a juft eftimate of them; their outfide will not impose on you long but though you have a good judgment, and can difcern merit, you want experience, and know not how far men can diffemble. An artful cheat may ftudy your taste, in order to feduce you, and counterfeit, before you, the virtues to which he is an abfolute ftranger. Such a one, child, would ruin you before you perceived it, and you would not fee your error till it was paft recovery. The most dangerous of all fnares, and the only one from which reafon cannot reftrain you, is that into which the paffions hurry one: if ever you have the misfortune to fall into it, you will fee nothing but illufions and chinéra's, your eyes will be falcina- 367 ted, your judgment will be confused, your will will be corrupted, you will cherith your very error; and when you come to fee it, you will have no defire to leave it. It is to Sophy's reafon, not to the bias of her heart, that we commit her: while paffion hath no afcendency over you, judge for yourself; but whenever you fall in love, commit the care of yourfelf to your mother. We This agreement which I propose to you, fhews our esteem for you, and reftores the natural order. It is ufual for parents to chufe a hutband for their daughters, and to confult her only for form's fake. fhall do just the contrary: you fhall chufe, and we fhall be confulted. Make ufe of this right, Sophy, freely and wifely. The husband that is fuitable for you ought to be your own choice, and not ours; but it is we who muft judge whether you are not mistaken in his fuitablenefs for you, and whether you are not doing, without knowing it, what you have no mind to. Birth, fortune, rank, or the opinion of the world, will have no weight with us. Take an honest man, whofe perfon you like, and whofe temper is fuitable to you; whatever he be in other refpects, we fhall receive him for our fon-in-law. His income will always be large enough, if he hath hands, and good morals, and loves his family. His rank will always be high, if he ennobles it by virtue. If every body fhould blame us, what doth it fignify? We feek not the approbation of the public: your happiness fuffices to us. From the memoirs of the Dutch fociety for promo ting useful knowledge, at Haerlem. cure of fome diforders of a long standing, by means of a chirurgical operation practifed by the negroes on the coast of Guinea. By M. Gal landat, furgeon at Flushing. TH After which the His new method of removing rheumatisms, confumptions, and hypochondriac diforpatient, and inferting therein two small pipes, or ders, is, by making two holes in both legs of the pieces of a tobacco pipe, as far as the membrana cellulofa, and then blowing as much air as poffible into the body of the patient. holes are clofed, the patient fwells, and the fwelling continues for about three days: after which a few draughts complete the cure. M. Gallan dat produced to the fociety a letter from a fur geon of Middelburg, who fays, "This operation may be of ufe in relieving the human species; but it will require time to bring it into vogue," 3 Ca 368 A catalogue of New Books, with remarks and extracts, continued. [322.] Voyages from Afia to America, for completing the difcoveries of the north-west coast of America. To which is prefixed, a fummary of the voyages made by the Ruffians on the Frozen fea, in fearch of a northeaft paffage. Tranflated from the High Dutch of S. Muller. By Thomas Jefferys, geographer to his Majesty. 40. 6 s. fewed. Jefferys. THE many bold undertakings, the ma ny arduous enterprifes, in which cu riofity or intereft have in all ages engaed mankind, afford amazing inftances of the influence of fuch powerful motives. Nature, however, has fometimes placed obstacles in the way, which not all the powers of industry and ingenuity united, have been able to furmount. This hath hitherto been the cafe with every attempt to effect a more fpeedy navigation from Europe to the East Indies, than by the prefent method of doubling the Cape of Good Hope, Various are the fchemes, as the editor obferves, that have been projected to fa cilitate this voyage, and to fave the time and trouble of coafting round the continent of Africa. That of cutting a canal from the Levant to the Red fea, and the other, of doing the fame across the narrow neck of land at Darien, are well known, and have been long fince exploded. Not that we are of opinion the latter is fo impracticable as many will have it. In fome future age of the world, perhaps, when America comes to be fully peopled, and the fpirit of improvement fhall go forth among its inhabitants, the continents of North and South America may be disjoined, and a friendly communication opened between the Weft Indies and the South feas. Nature herself, the best engineer, may probably affift in the work: nay, the earth, yielding by degrees to the fea, may poffibly effect it altogether; or, yawning amidst thofe dreadful convulfions to which it is fubject, may afford a bed for the defcending waters, while the waves, mixing to form a channel, de1ribe the hoftile bounds of two contending and implacable nations. In the prefent ftate of things, however, all projects for effecting fuch a communication may be justly deemed vifionary; the more fenfible adventurers of later years have therefore directed their aim to the difcovery of a North-East or a NorthWeft paffage. The latter has been fe veral times attempted by our own countrymen, though without any great appearof the Ruffians make entirely against the ance of fuccefs. Indeed the discoveries poflibility of fucceeding that way, while they ferve very clearly to prove, that the fea is continued all round the northern na. parts of Afia, eastward to Japan and ChiBut although this be a nearer way than to go round the Cape of Good Hope, the obftacles which prefent themfelves on account of the ice, will probably render its navigation for ever impracticable. The delay occafioned by this circumftance, has been fo very great, that the Ruffians have been fometimes two or three years in making the voyage from the mouth of the Lena (a river rifing in Siberia, and emptying itself in the Frozen fea) to Kamtíchatki; they not being able, during the fhort fuminer of thofe parts, to pass through the ice before the winter fets in again. There is little probability, therefore, that other nations, lefs inured to the rigour of fuch climates, fhould fucceed where the Ruffians have failed; or, indeed, that they fhould ever attempt fuch a navigation again. So that Mr Muller might have fpared himself the trouble of particularly diffuading them from it, by urging the impediments which he has recited in p. 24. of the fecond part. Some political views may, perhaps, be fufpected to have entered into the mo tives for giving this advice, as the Ruffians have been very folicitous, in all their voyages this way, to extend their dominions, by exacting tribute of the inhabitants of the feveral countries difcovered. The French are famous for making wilful geographical mistakes, and other errors of this kind, with a view to deceive other nations, and difcourage them from intermeddling or examining into their pretended claims. The Ruf fians, however, we fhould imagine, need not in this cafe follow fo difingenuous an example; as, whatever use a North-East paffage might be of to other Europeans trading to China, &c. the climate through which they must país, feems too inhofpitable ever to occafion any great difputes relating to fovereignty and right of poffeffion. The publication of these voy. ages indeed may ferve to gratify the curiofity of the geographer, but we will venture to fay, they will never excite that of the navigator to undertake so pe July 1762. Muller's voyages from Afia to America. rilous a journey as is here delineated. The first part of this work contains an account of the feveral expeditions made to discover the eastern extremity of Afia, and to determine whether the Frozen fea was continued round the northern fhores of Europe, along that of Afia, to Japan. The Ruffians had alfo another view, which was, that of fettling the boundaries of their extenfive empire, and reducing the fcattered nations that inhabit thofe vast tracts of land, under fome kind of fubjection. In the courfe of thefe narrations we meet with feveral extraordinary particulars, relating to the customs and manners of the barbarous inhabitants of thefe regions, as well as to the natural history of the foil. Some of thefe particulars indeed have been mentioned in former works, but frequently mixed with fo much falfehood, as to carry with them rather the air of romance than true history. Thus, when the read er is told, that on the continent oppofite the eastern extremity of Afia, there are a people who have tails [xxi. 456.] like dogs, and another nation that have feet like ravens, covered with the fame kind of skins; it is enough to make him fufpect the veracity of every other part of fuch relations. Would not one doubt of the truth of what is afferted on the fame authority, that there are in these parts a people, who cut holes through their cheeks in order to put large teeth into their mouths, made out of those of the Yea-horfe? And yet, from the repeated accounts of feveral travellers, this fact appears to be true. Nature produces many strange things, but none fo abfurd and prepofterous as art. The truth of the accounts we have had concerning the Speedy vegetation of trees and plants in thefe cold regions, has often been queftioned; we are here nevertheless affured of the following particulars. Speaking of Siberia, we are told, that "though very little corn is fown in this country, yet that which is, whatever grain it be of, thrives apace; but the ftraw never exceeds fix inches in height; for as foon as the corn peeps out of the ground, it immediately fhoots into ears, and ripens in fix weeks time. The reafon of this is, because here the fun is hardly ever below the horizon in fummer, but affords its cherishing warmth, both night and day, to the ground. And what is moft obfervable, is, that during that whole time it does not rain; but the earth, though fat 369 and black, yet never thaws above fix or nine inches deep: infomuch that the roots are plentifully fupplied with moifture from below, whilft the conftant heat of the sun above irradiates what is out of the ground: and this is the cause of so quick a harvest." The received accounts of the Korjaki are alfo here related as true, particularly the ftory of the better fort of them getting drunk with the liquor of ftewed mufrooms, while the poor among them catch the urine, made by the rich on thofe occafions, and get as heartily intoxicated with their favourite spirit thus doubly distilled. The following ftory is told us of the extraordinary kind of dogs which they have at Kamtfchatki. "On the east fide of the country of Kamtschatki, towards the fea, there lives a people who keep no other fort of beafts but dogs; which, though they are but of a common fize, are remarkable, in that they have hair of fix inches long. In 1718, a certain Waiwode travelling in a fledge with twelve dogs, towards the city of Berefowa, got himself wrapped up in warm quilts, and girt fast in the fledge, in order to fecure him from the feverity of the cold, and to prevent his falling out, in cafe the fledge fhould overturn. The Oftiack who was his guide, skaited alongfide of him, (according to custom, in cafe the fledge fhould overturn, to raise it up again), and coming on a large plain, where the ground is generally covered man's depth with fnow, the dogs, (which the Oftiacks alfo ufe for hunting), efpying a fox at a distance, immediately flew in purfuit of their game, and run away with the Waiwode with such swiftness, that it was impoflible for the guide to keep pace with them, and they foon got out of fight. The guide followed the track, but did not come up to his paffenger till the next morning, when he found him in the fledge overturned, ftill well wrapt up, and tightly girt into it. By good luck the stump of a tree, which flood out above the fnow, had flopped the fledge, or else it might probably have coft the Waiwodę his life. Thefe dogs are able to draw great burthens; for in the year 1718 Governor Knees Mifchewki ordered a whole pipe of brandy to be brought from the convent of Ketkoe to the city of Berefowa, which was done by fixteen dogs. People never travel a-nights, but only a-days, with dogs; in the morning, before before they fet out, each dog has two frozen fish, which is his allowance for the whole day. At night, when they come to their journey's end, these poor creatures are fo weary that they cannot eat, but prefently lie down to fleep. Whenever any paffenger comes to a stage where he is to have freth dogs, all the dogs of that village fet up a most terrible howling, knowing that they are, fome of them, to have the fame fate *" ftructions for that purpose in his own hand-writing, and ordered Admiral Apraxin to fee them carried into execution. After his deceafe, the Emprefs Catherine began her reign with an order for the expedition to Kamtfchatka. This was undertaken by Capt. Bering, with the two Lieut Spanberg and Tichirikow, as affiftants. They fet out from Peterburg in the year 1725; and, after combating numberlets difficulties, effected the purpose of their errand; the Captain returning to Petersburg in the year 1730. Of the Tichuktichi, or people to the north-east extremity of Afia, we are told a fimilar custom to what Paulus Venetus The following anecdote may ferve relates of the inhabitants of Camul; and to fhew how far, at this time, the police what is obferved by fome other writers of the Ruffian government was improved, concerning the hofpitality of the other even to the most diftant parts of its dobarbarous nations. "When a ftranger, minions. "While Capt. Bering made it is faid, comes to them, let him be of the last voyage from the river Kamtschattheir own or another nation, they offer ka towards the eaft, a Japannefe veffel him their wives and daughters as bed-fel- was again driven to the coast of Kamlows. If they are not handsome enough, tfchatka, where it stranded, in July 1729, or are too old for the gueft, they bring fouth of the bay of Awatfcha. A chief him some other woman from among their of 50 Coflacks, named Andreas Schtinnineighbours; whereupon the prefents him kow, came hither with fome Kamtfchewith balon of urine fresh made in his dales, when the Japannefe had just prefence, with which he is obliged to brought their goods afhore from the fhip. rince his mouth. If he refuses the offer, Schtinnikow received fome presents from they bold him for their enemy; but, from them: but this did not fatisfy him; for, his accepting of it, they conclude his after spending two days among the Jafincere friendship." pannefe, he left them in the night-time, and concealed himself with his company in the neighbourhood, in order to fee how they would proceed. The Japannefe, afflicted at Schtinnikow's departure, wanted to feek for other inhabitants; for which purpose they took a boat, and fteered along the coaft; upon which Schtinnikow ordered the Kamtfchedales to follow them, and to shoot them all except two; which they did: fo that out of feventeen Japannefe there remained alive only an old man, and a boy of eleven years old. Schtinnikow, having taken poffeffion of all their effects, and caused their fhip to be broken to pieces in order to make ufe of the iron, he took the two Japannefe as prifoners of war, or rather as flaves, to Werchnei Kamtíchatfkoi Oftrog. This barbarity thewn to fhipwrecked strangers could not remain unpunished. Schtinnikow having taken his trial, received the halter for his reward: but the Japannele were fent to Jakutzk in 1731, and from thence to Tobolk: after which, in 72, they were brought to Petersburg. Strange as fuch a cuftom as this may appear to Europeans, as being fo contrary to the notions and practices of civilized nations, yet these very people feem to have a strong sense of liberty, and a high notion of independency; the men, when taken prisoners in war, generally killing themselves rather than fubmit to the indignity of fervitude. The fecond part of this work relates to the voyages and adventures of the mariners and others, who, by order of Peter the Great, and his fucceffors, have been fent by the Ruffian government, to difcover whether Afia and America were connected; and, if not, how wide a diftance there might be between them. This illuftrious prince was fo earnest to know this particular, that he gave in As Mr Muller was himself fome time in Siberia, and had an opportunity of knowing many things relating to thefe favage nations, his repeating thefe ftories feems to authenticate them; if indeed they are inferted in his work; which however we cannot affure the reader, not having the original German at hand, and as they are inferted in the tranflation by way of note. The tranflator, or English editor, however, gives no intimation that they are added by him, 990 In the beginning of the year 1733 a fecond expedition to Kamtfchatka was undertaken by the fame perfons, three gentlemen of the academy of fciences accompanying July 1762. Muller's voyages from Afia to America. companying them, by order of the govern ment, to render their difcoveries more accurate and complete. These were Mr T. Gmelin, profeflor of chymistry and natural hiftory; Mr L. de Lifle de la Creviere, profeffor of aftronomy; and Mr S. Muller, the writer of thefe voyages. The first undertook the obfervation Of what might occur, with regard to animals, plants, minerals, and other objects worth notice in natural hiftory; it was the bufinefs of the second to afcertain, by aftronomical obfervations, the fituation of the countries that might be difcovered; and that of the laft, to give the civil hiftory of Siberia and its antiquities, with a defcription of the manners and cuftoms of the people, as alio to draw up a relation of the occurrences of the voyage. How these academical gentlemen acquitted themfelves in their feveral departments, it is not our bufinefs here particularly to inquire. Let it fuifice to obferve, that want of health, and other accidents, prevented their executing many things they intended. The world, however, is greatly obliged to Prof. Gmelin, and our author, for fome curious particulars relative to the natural and civil history of Siberia. We could wish, in honour to the memory of De la Croy. iere, that he had done any thing of confequence, as his life was made a facrifice to the hardships he met with, or the intemperance he fell into, during the voyage. To fay the truth, his task was by much the most adventurous and difficult; Mr Muller refiding in Siberia, and Mr Gmelin obtaining a coadjutor to eafe him of the most dangerous part of the expedition. This was Mr Steller, who acquitted himself with reputation, and indeed acquired fome profit by the voyage. As to the marine officers, and particularly the commander in chief, Capt. Bering, the hardships they met with were extreme; the commander himself expiring, on an uninhabited ifland, in a most deplorable fituation. Of the life and This gentleman has given very particular deferiptions of feveral fea-animals they met with on the unknown coafts they visited, which deEriptions are inferted in the commentaries of the academy of Sciences. He brought alfo no lefs 371 death of this gallant and enterprifing officer, Mr Muller gives the following concife account. "He was a Dane by birth, and had, in his youth, made voyages to the East and West Indies, when the glorious example of the immortal Emperor, Peter the Great, for the marine *, tempted him to feek his fortune in Ruflia. In the year 1707 he was a lieutenant, and in 1710 captain-lieutenant in the Ruffian fleet. Having ferved in the Cronstadt fleet from its beginning, and been in all the expeditions by fea, in the war with the Swedes, he joined to the capacity requifite for his office a long experience. It is a pity that it was his fate to end his life in fuch an unfortunate manner. He may be faid to have been buried half alive; for the fand rolling down continually from the fide of the ditch in which he lay †, and covering his feet, he at laft would not fuffer it to be removed, and faid, that he felt fome warmth from it, which otherwife he should want in the remaining parts of his body; and thus the fand increafed: fo that after his deceafe they were obliged to scrape him out of the ground, in order to inter him in a proper manner." Mefl. Gmelin and Muller returned to Peterburg in the beginning of the year 1743; Capt. Tichirikow, in 1745; and the furviving mariners, in 1749: so that this fecond expedition to Kaintschatka may be faid to have lafted near fixteen years. As to the three additional maps comprifed in this English edition, the two first are fmall indiftin&t things; the one, a copy of part of the Japannefe map of the world, and the other a like copy of De Lifle's and Buache's fictitious map, founded on the pretended discoveries of De Fonte, De Fuca, and others. The third additional map is a pretty large and correct one of Canada and the north ern part of Louifiana, extending weft ward to the coaft which the Rulians dif covered in 1741. As we fee no table of errata to this work, it will be very proper for the pu blifher to add one, or to cancel the pages 29. and so where the Pacific ocean is twice called the Atlantic ocean. M. • This paffage is not very intelligible, but it is extracted verbatim from the book. than 300 beaver-fkins with him back to Kamtfchatka and Siberia. However, by staying at Kamtfchatka after his fellow travellers, he im- †The Captain and his crew being shipwreck broiled himself in matters foreign to his departed, and obliged to lodge themselves in the hol ment; and, though honourably acquitted, and lows between the fand-hills, for want of better allowed to return to Peterburg, lived not to ar convenience. rive there, but died of a fever at Tumen. |