to When it left the channel of the Skapta, this mafs of Are was 400 feet in depth. It ran in every direction where it could find a vent, and deftroyed a number of villages. In one place, it came to a cataract of the river of 14 fathoms high, where it fell with a tremendous noife and terrible convulfions. In another, it stopped up the channel of a river, filled a large valley, and destroyed two villages tho it approached no nearer than 600 feet.

11. Other villages were inundated by the waters of rivers driven from their channels by the fiery torrent. At last, having filled all the valleys to the fouth, it changed its course to the north and spread over a tract of country 48 miles in length and 36 in bredth. It dried up feveral rivers and formed lakes of fire. At laft on the 16th of August the eruption ceafed.. 12. The whole extent of ground en three fides covered by this dreadful inundation, was computed to be 90 miles long and 24 broad; and the depth of the lava from 100 to 120 feet. Twelve rivers were dried up-20 villages deftroyed and a 'confiderable number of people. The extent of ground covered on the north was not afcertained. Some hills were melted down-others covered, and the whole had the appearance of a fea of red hot melted metal.

13. After this eruption, two new Iflands rofe from the fea. One in February 1784 rose about 100 miles fouthwest of Iceland. It was about 3 miles in circumference and a mile in height. It burnt with great violence, fending forth podigious quantities of fand and pumice ftones. Both Ilands have fince disappeared.

1.

GENERAL WASHINGTON'S RESIGNATION.

MR. PRESIDENT,

THE great events on which my refignation depended,

having at length taken place, I have now the honor of offering my fincere congratulations to Congrefs, and of prefenting myfelf before them, to furrender into their hands the truft committed to me, and to claim the indulgence of retiring from the fervice of my country.

2. Happy in the confirmation of our independence and fovereignty, and pleafed with the opportunity afforded the United States of becoming a refpectable nation, I refign, with fatisfaction, the appointment I accepted with diffidence; a

1

diffidence in my abilities to accomplish so arduous a task, which however, was fuperfeded by a confidence in the rectitude of our caufe, the fupport of the fupreme power of the Union, and the patronage of Heaven.

3. The fuccefsful termination of the war has verified the moft fanguine expectations; and my gratitude for the interpofition of Providence, and the affiftance I have received from my countrymen, increases with every review of the momentous conteft.

4. While I repeat my obligations to the army in general, I should do injuftice to my own feelings not to acknowledge, in this place, the peculiar fervices and diftinguished merits of the gentlemen who have been attached to my perfon during

the war.

5. It was impoffible the choice of confidential officers to compofe my family fhould have been more fortunate. Permit me, Sir, to recommend in particular those who have continued in the fervice to the prefent moment, as worthy of the favorable notice and patronage of Congress.

6. I confider it as an indifpenfable duty to close this laft folemn act of my official life, by commending the interefts of our dearest country to the protection of Almighty God, and those who have the fuperintendance of them, to his holy keeping.

7. Having now finished the work affigned me, I retire from the great theater of action; and, bidding an affectionate farewel to this auguft body, under whofe orders I have fo long acted, I here offer my commiffion and take my leave of all the employments of public life.

I.

Dec. 23, 1783.

G. WASHINGTON.

SINGULAR INSTANCE OF PATRIOTISM.

EDWARD the third, king of England, after the battle of Creffy, laid fiege to Calais. He had fortified his camp in fo impregnable a manner, that all the efforts of France proved ineffectual to raise the fiege, or throw fuccors into the city. The citizens, however, under the conduct of count Vienne, their gallant governor, made an admirable defenfe.

2. Day after day the English effected many a breach, which they repeatedly expected to form by morning; but when morning appeared, they wondered to behold new ramparts

town.

aightly raised, erected out of the ruins which the day had made. 3. France had now put her fickle into her fecond harvest, fince Edward, with his victorious army, fet down before the The eyes of all Europe were intent on the iffue. The English made their approaches and attacks without remiffion, but the citizens were as obftinate in repelling all their efforts. 4. At length, famin did more for Edward than arms. After the citizens had devoured the lean carcaffes of their half ftarved cattle, they tore up old foundations and rubbish, in fearch of vermin; they fed on boiled lether and the weeds of exhausted gardens: and a morfel of damaged corn was accounted matter of luxury.

5. In this extremity they refolved to attempt the enemy's camp. They boldly fallied forth; the English joined battle, and, after a long and defperate engagement, count Vienne was taken prisoner; and the citizens, who furvived the flaughter, retired within their gates.

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6. On the captivity of their governor, the command devolvupon Euftace Saint Pierre, the mayor of the town, a man of mean birth, but of exalted virtue. Euftace foon found himself under the neceffity of capitulating, and offered to deliver to Edward the city, with all the poffeffions and wealth of the inhabitants, provided he would permit them to depart with life and liberty.

7. As Edward had long fince expected to afcend the throne of France, he was exafperated to the last degree against these people, whofe fole valor had defeated his warmest hopes; he therefore determined to take an exemplary revenge, tho he' wifhed to avoid the imputation of cruelty.

8. He anfwered by Sir Walter Mauny, that they all deferved capital punishment, as obftinate traitors to him, their true and notable fovereign; that, however, in his wonted clemency, he confented to pardon the bulk of the plebians, provided they would deliver up to him fix of their principal citizens, with halters about their necks, as victims of due atonement for that spirit of rebellion with which they had inflamed the common people.

9. All the remains of this defolate city were convened in the great fquare, and like men arraigned at a tribunal from whence there was no appeal, expected with throbbing hearts the sentence of their conqueror. When Sir Walter had de

clared his meffage, confternation and pale dismay were impreff. ed on every face, each looked upon death as his own inevitable lot; for how fhould they defire to be faved at the price propofed? Whom had they to deliver up, fave parents, brothers, kindred, or valiant neighbors, who had fo often exposed their lives in their defense?

10. To a long and dead filence, deep fighs and groans fucceeded, till Euftace Saint Pierre, afcending a little eminence, thus addreffed the affembly: "My friends and fellow-citizens, you fee the condition to which we are reduced; we muft either fubmit to the terms of our cruel and enfnaring conqueror, or yield up our tender infants, our wives and chafte daughters to the bloody and brutal lufts of the violating foldiery."

11. "We well know what the tyrant intends by his fpecious offers of mercy. It does not fatiate his vengeance to make us merely miferable, he would also make us criminal; he would make us contemptible: he will grant us life on no condition, fave that of our being unworthy of it. Look about you, my friends, and fix your eyes on the perfons whom you wifh to deliver up as the victims of your own fafety."

12. "Which of these would you appoint to the rack, the ax, or the halter? Is there any here who has not watched for you, who has not fought for you, who has not bled for you? Who, through the length of this inveterate fiege, has not fuffered fatigues and miferies a thousand times worse than death; that you and yours might furvive to days of peace and profperity? Is it your prefervers then, whom you would deftine to deftruction?"

13. "You' will not, you cannot do it. Juftice, honor, humanity, make fuch a treafon impoffible. Where then is our refource. Is there any expedient left, whereby we may avoid guilt and infamy on one hand or the defolation and horrors of a facked city on the other?"

14. "There is, my friends, there is one expedient left; a gracious, an excellent, a god-like expedient! Is there any he ro to whom virtue is dearer than life! Let him offer himfelf an oblation for the fafety of his people. He fhall not fail of a bleffed approbation from that power who offered up his only Son for the falvation of mankind."

15. He spoke, but an univerfal filence enfued. Each man

looked around for his example of that virtue and magnanimity in others, which all wished to approve in themfelves though they wanted the refolution. At length Saint Pierre refumed.

16. It had been bafe in me, my fellow citizens, to promote any matter of damage to others, which I myself had not been willing to undergo in my own perfon. But I held it ungenerous to deprive any man of that preference and eftimation, which might attend a first offer on fo fignal an occasion ; for I doubt not but there are many here as ready, nay more zealous for this martyrdom than I can be, however modesty and the fear of imputed oftentation may withhold them from being foremost in exhibiting their merits."

17. "Indeed, the ftation to which the captivity of count Vienne, has unhappily raifed me, imports a right to be the firft in giving my life for your fakes. I give it freely, I give it cheerfully who comes next? Your fon! exclaimed a youth not yet come to maturity-Ah my child! cried St. Pierre; I am then twice facrificed. But no-I have rather begotten thee a fecond time--Thy years are few, but full, my fon; the victim of virtue has reached the utmost purpofe and goal of mortality.

18. Who next, my friends? This is the hour of heroes Your kinfman, cried John de Aire! your kinfman, cried James Wiffant! your kinfman, cried Peter Wiffant !--“Ah!” exclaimed Sir Walter Mauny, bursting into tears, "why was I not a citizen of Calais ?"

19. The fixth victim was ftill wanting, but was quickly fupplied by lot, from numbers who were now emulous of fo ennobling an example. The keys of the city were then delivered to Sir Walter. He took the fix prifoners into his cuftody. He ordered the gates to be opened, and gave charge to his attendants to conduct the remaining citizens, with their families, through the camp of the English.

20. Before they departed, however, they defired permiffion to take their laft adieu of their deliverers-What a parting! what a fcene! they crouded with their wives and children about St. Pierre and his fellow prifoners. They embraced, they clung around, they fell proftrate before them. They groaned; they wept aloud; and the joint clamor of their mourning paffed the gates of the city, and was heard through out the camp