for fishes, which it pursues and devours, as it does also ducks and other water-fowl. Its flesh is much esteemed, and hence it is captured for the table by those who are acquainted with its haunts. They bait a strong hook with a living fish, as it is necessary that the prey should be in motion to attract the turtle. Care and caution are needful in landing the game when captured; for it darts its head in all directions, seeking to bite its enemies, and frequently inflicting severe wounds from the remarkable suddenness and agility of its movements.

This large and fierce turtle is chiefly remarkable for having only the central portion of the back covered with a shell of horny plates, the remainder of the upper parts being protected by a marginal flap-like expansion of leathery texture, the edge of which is free, and helps the animal in swimming; the feet also, which are armed with strong hooked claws, are furnished with large swimming flaps of like leathery substance.

[To be continued.]

THE RISING MOON.

The moon is up! How calm and slow,

She wheels above the hill!

The weary winds forget to blow,

And all the world lies still.

The wayworn travellers, with delight
The rising brightness see;
Revealing all the paths and plains,
And silvering every tree.

It glistens where the hurrying stream
Its little ripple leaves;

It falls upon the forest shades
And sparkles on the leaves.

So once on Judah's evening hills
The heavenly lustre spread ;
The Gospel sounded from the blaze,
And shepherds gazed with dread.
And still that light upon the world
Its guiding splendour throws ;
Bright in the opening hours of life,
But brighter at the close.

The waning moon in time shall fail
To walk the midnight skies;

But God hath kindled this bright light
With fire that never dies.

W. O. B. PEABODY.

It is curious to observe how different and far-distant places are brought into prominence on the page of History as the great sheet of Time is gradually unrolled. Nineveh, Babylon, Athens, and Rome may serve as examples on a grand scale; but, to descend to minor instances,-who could have foretold that St. Petersburg, Cronstadt, and Sebastopol would have drawn so many eyes towards them as they have done for months past? And how many thoughtful readers have gazed on the word Pekin with interest, of late, who perhaps scarcely ever directed a single thought to this far-distant city in their whole previous lifetime! This word will not improbably be the central point in the annals of one of the most extraordinary revolutions which the history of the world has exhibited. Into the merits or demerits of that revolution, however, we have neither the intention nor the ability to enter; but some account of the city of Pekin may not be un

interesting to our readers, and it shall be the writer's endeavour that it may not be unprofitable also. We may add, that Sir John. Davis is our authority for everything which we relate, unless the contrary is stated, and the lapse of time may render some of our minor details not strictly applicable at the present day.

Although on the northern confines of China Proper, Pekin is centrical, when the whole Chinese empire is taken into view. It stands in an extensive plain, and consists of two cities, whose entire circumference is not less than twenty-five miles within their walls, exclusive of suburbs. The area included between the walls of the two cities is about the same; but whether these cities are joined to one another or not we are unable positively to state. The northern, or Tartar city, is the residence of the emperor, who occupies a space of about two square miles in its centre. This space is walled off, and there is again a third and still more sacred enclosure within this, and here are situated the private palaces of the emperor and empress. The palaces and courts in this innermost enclosure are said to be far superior to everything of the kind in China. Near the southern gate of the imperial wall are the principal boards or tribunals of the supreme government. The college of the Russian mission is not far from these. This mission consists of ten persons, who are periodically relieved. That portion of the Tartar city which is not imperial ground is studded with official or religious buildings, surrounded by large open courts, so that altogether there must be a very considerable amount of unoccupied space. The large area enclosed by the imperial wall may be considered as comparatively empty.

The following quotation is given on the authority of one who was described as a late Russian traveller," in 1842 :

:

"As soon as we were clothed in complete Chinese costume, being very desirous to see Pekin, we hired cabriolets and drove through the streets of the capital. First, we drove to the imperial palace, where the emperor passes the winter months; during the whole of the rest of the year he resides in a palace about nine miles distant from the city. The palace occupies an immense space, consisting of a multitude of one-story houses built of bricks, each of which has its appointed use. The emperor resides in one of them, in another he conducts the affairs of state, and in a third is the empress. The others are appropriated for his children, the widowed empress, the ladies of the court, &c. Each division is surrounded by a tolerably high wall, which none may pass, except those persons belonging to it. All these buildings are again surrounded with a general wall, the threshold of whose gate may only be passed by the courtiers. An enclosure surrounds this outer wall, where there are many private shops, and where everybody is allowed to walk or drive. The palaces themselves we could

not see, and only the yellow roofs of glazed tiles showed themselves above the wall. Neither those streets in the vicinity of the palace, nor any throughout the city of Pekin, are paved.

"Without having in the least satisfied our curiosity, we drove from the palace through the street Sy-oi-lou, which, like all the other principal streets, is distinguished for breadth and regularity. The middle of each chief street of Pekin consists of an embankment of earth raised about three feet above the rest of the street, for the use of light carriages and footpassengers. Heavy loads, or carriages drawn by five and seven mules, must drive along the narrow avenues on each side of the embankment, which is a good width, and would be very convenient for driving upon, were it not that there are tents and booths erected at each side, which confine it so much that two carriages can scarcely drive abreast. In consequence of the excessive population of Pekin, the streets are filled throughout the whole day, with a double row of carriages, slowly progressing in opposite directions. The main streets are of a good width, but the side ones are so very narrow, that two carriages meeting could not possibly pass, so that the coachman must always call out on entering one, to ascertain whether any other vehicle is coming in the opposite direction. Every side-street had formerly a gate wherever it crossed either another cross or a main street, and many of them still remain. These gates were formerly closed at night by warders, who lived in the vicinity, and the passenger required a particular permission, in order to pass it by night; now, however, this extreme strictness has ceased; the warder merely questions the nightly passenger, and even this occurs rarely. Owing to the custom of the Chinese of surrounding themselves with high walls, the streets of Pekin are most remarkably uniform. On every side rise high enclosing walls, built of half-burnt grey bricks; everywhere peep out from behind these walls pointed sloping roofs, which in form and colour are again monotonous. The imperial palace alone is covered with glazed green tiles, all the other dwelling-houses with the half-burnt grey-coloured ones. Besides the emperor's, there are not more than seven or eight princely palaces. All the rest weary the gaze by their dust-colour; and the eye can rest on nothing which does not display the most tedious uniformity, unless it be the shops, which generally project into the streets. Before the entrance of all these booths hang black polished boards, inscribed with thick golden letters; there is not, however, any difference betwixt them, and only those where confections are sold are distinguished by their splendour. The whole of the front wall of these is gilt, even to the roof, and adorned with dragons and other figures. The magnificence of these shops is the most striking, as close beside them one may often find a half-destroyed wall or a little tottering dwelling-house. There are no open places or gardens in Pekin; and the only remarkable buildings are the temples, which are profusely painted with vermilion colour."

This traveller, or resident in China, as he may rather be called, gives us the following glimpse of the routine of Pekin life :

"The stir in the streets commences at break of day-that is, in summer, at four, and in winter at six o'clock. The men in office first make their

appearance going to the palace with public papers, and then the small dealers with eatables. The noise and bustle are continually on the increase; by seven all the streets are crowded with innumerable masses of people; and at nine or ten at night they retire to rest. At this hour the most perfect silence reigns through the empty streets, and here and there only glimmer the dim light of the paper lanterns, which are fixed on low pillars."

From this picture of Pekin life we ourselves might learn a valuable lesson, for such early habits must be conducive both to health and to morality; but we fear that there is a dark side to this pleasant picture, from what we have read elsewhere of the Chinese.

The high castellated walls-those we presume of the Tartar city-are about thirty feet high, and have a deeply embattled parapet with intermediate loopholes. The wall is nearly twenty feet thick at the base, and slopes on the inner side, to a breadth of twelve feet or more at the summit. It consists of a mound of earth, or rubbish cased with brick. At each gate the wall is doubled by an outer semicircular enclosure, whose entrance is not opposite to the principal gate, but lateral. Towers of several stories are erected over both gates. Flanking towers, or bastions, project about thirty feet from the curtain, at intervals of about sixty yards along the wall. Numerous holes, the effects of time and neglect, existed in the face of this rampart when our unprosperous embassy of 1816 passed the north-east portion of the wall.

A large portion of the area of the Chinese city is occupied by the immense courts of the temples dedicated to Heaven, and to the deified inventor of agriculture. The Altar to Heaven stands in a square enclosure about three miles in circuit. The terrace has three stages, diminishing from one hundred and twenty, to sixty feet in diameter. Each stage is surrounded by a marble balustrade, and is mounted by marble steps. To the north-west of the enclosure lies the Palace of Abstinence, where the emperor fasts three days, preparatory to offering sacrifices to the Heavens at the winter solstice. Over against the Temple of the Heavens stands the Altar of the Earth. The square enclosure is about two miles in circuit, and contains the field which is ploughed once ayear, by the emperor and his great officers. There are also large sheets of water, and vegetable gardens, to add to the amount of open space and therefore, we may add, to the salubrity of the city. Sir George Staunton furnishes us with the following particulars

"The first street," he says, "extended on a line directly to the westward, until it was interrupted by the eastern wall of the imperial palace, called