A VISIT TO PALOS.

residence of Martin Alonzo or Vicente Yañez Pinzon, in the time of Columbus.

We now arrived at the church of St. George, in the porch of which Columbus first proclaimed to the inhabitants of Palos the order of the sovereigns, that they should furnish him with ships for his great voyage of discovery. This edifice has lately been thoroughly repaired, and, being of solid mason-work, promises to stand for ages, a monument of the discoverers. of the village, on the brow of a hill, looking along a little It stands outside valley toward the river. The remains of a Moorish arch prove it to have been a mosque in former times; just above it, on the crest of the hill, is the ruin of a Moorish castle.

I paused in the porch, and endeavored to recall the interesting scene that had taken place there, when Columbus, accompanied by the zealous friar Juan Perez, caused the public notary to read the royal order in presence of the astonished alcaldes, regidors, and alguazils; but it is difficult to conceive the consternation that must have been struck into so remote a little community, by this sudden apparition of an entire stranger among them, bearing a command that they should put their persons and ships at his disposal, and sail with him away into the unknown wilderness of the ocean.

The interior of the church has nothing remarkable,

work of creation and the work of grace revealed in the word of God. Proofs corroborative of the authenticity of the Bible, have been gathered from those very sources which formerly were applied to by the skeptic for his sharpest weapons; and at this moment, (such is the security with which Christianity may regard the progress of knowledge,) there does not exist in our own country, nor, so far as I am aware, in any other, one philosopher of eminence who has ventured to confront Christianity and philosophy, as manifestly contradictory. May we not venture to hope that, in a very short time, the weak darts of minor spirits, which from time to time are still permitted to assail our bulwarks, will be also quenched, and the glorious Gospel, set free from all the oppositions of science falsely so called, shall walk hand in hand over the earth with a philosophy always growing in humility, because every day becoming more genuine. C. J. C. D.

TWELFTH WEEK-MONDAY.

VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES USED FOR WEAVING. THE COTTONPLANT.

THE Cotton-plant, another vegetable substance, extensively used in manufactures, differs materially from that already described, in its properties, appearance, and habits. Instead of being generally diffused over temperate climates, it belongs more properly to the torrid zone, and the regions bordering on it; and instead of being chiefly confined to one species, as to its peculiar and useful qualities, its varieties seem scarcely to have any limit, extending from an herb* of a foot or two in height, to a treef

* Gossypium herbaceum, or common herbaceous cotton-plant.

+ Bombax ceiba, or American silk cotton-tree.-[The Baobab, or Adansonia digitata, an enormous and long-lived tree, also belongs to this family. But it is incorrect to call these trees "varieties" of the cotton plant. They are nearly allied to it, indeed, but they stand in different divisions of the great order of malvacea, or mallows; and the downy contents of their pods are of little use compared with true cotton. -AM. ED.]

Coup de main, (French term,) a military expression, denoting an instantaneous, sudden, unexpected attack upon an enemy.

Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori, It is delightful and glorious to die for one's country.

Effigies Seb. Caboti Angli filii Joannis Caboti militis aurati. As will be seen by the text, where this inscription occurs, (p. 121,) there is an ambiguity in the application of the last two words. The other part of the inscription, may be rendered, "the portrait (or likeness) of Sebastian Cabot, of England, son of John Cabot." Miles, or militis, means, literally, a warrior, or soldier, or officer of the army; and in the English law, sometimes indicates a knight. Auratus, or aurati, means gilt, gilded, or decked with gold. Eques means a horseman, or knight, who was frequently called eques auratus, because, anciently, none but knights were allowed to beautify their armor, and other habiliments, with gold.

En masse, in a body, in the mass, altogether.

Eques, and Eques auratus. See Effigies.

Fascine, (pl. fascines,) a bundle of fagots, or small branches of trees, or sticks of wood, bound together, for filling ditches, &c. Formula, (pl. formula,) a prescribed form or order.

Geodetic, relating to the art of measuring surfaces.

Gramina, grasses.

Green Mountain Boys, a term applied, during the Revolutionary War, to the inhabitants of Vermont, (Green Mountain,) particularly those who were in the army.

Gymnotus, the electric eel.

Habeas Corpus, "you may have the body." A writ, as it has been aptly termed, of personal freedom; which secures, to any individual, who may be imprisoned, the privilege of having his cause immediately removed to the highest court, that the judges may decide whether there is ground for his imprisonment or not. Hipparchus, a celebrated mathematician and astronomer of Nicæa, in Bithynia, who died 125 years before the Christian era. He was

the first after Thales and Sulpicius Gallus, who found out the exact time of eclipses, of which he made a calculation for 600 years. He is supposed to have been the first, who reduced astronomy to a science, and prosecuted the study of it systematically.

Loyalists, Royalists, Refugees, and Tories. In the times of the Revolution, these terms were used as technical or party names, and were sometimes applied indiscriminately. Strictly speaking, however, Loyalists, were those whose feelings or opinions were in favor of the mother country, but who declined taking part in the Revolution; Royalists, were those who preferred or favored, a kingly government; Refugees, were those who fled from the country and sought the protection of the British; and Tories, were those, who actually opposed the war, and took part with the enemy, aiding them by all the means in their power.

Magnetic Variation, a deviation of the needle in the mariner's compass, from an exact North and South direction.

Master-at-arms, an officer appointed to take charge of the small arms in a ship of war, and to teach the officers and crew the exercise of

18mo. pages.

MARY BOND IN A SICK-ROOM.

129

ring it all the time. Of course I do not make it every time it is wanted, for sometimes, when I want it extra good, I boil and stir it a full hour, and then I put it away in a close vessel and in a cool place. For Raymond, or for any one getting well, and free from fever, I put in a third wheat flour, and half milk. You see it is a very simple process, sir."

"Yes-simple enough. But it is to these simple processes that people will not give their attention."

Mary had the happiness of seeing Raymond sitting up before their parents returned, and when they drove into the great gate, and up the lane, he was in his rocking-chair by the window, watching for them. They had heard of his illness, and were most thankful to find him so far recovered. The Doctor chanced to be present when they arrived. "O, Doctor!" said Mrs. Bond, after the first greetings were over, "how shall I ever be grateful enough to you?"

"I have done very little, Mrs. Bond," replied the honest Doctor. "In Raymond's case, medicine could do little or nothing. Nature had been overtasked, and wanted rest and soothing. Under God, Raymond owes his recovery to Mary."

"O, mother!" exclaimed Raymond, bursting into tears," she is the best sister in the world !” "She is the best sister in the two worlds!" cried little Grace Bond, a child of five years old.

A source of true comfort and happiness is such a child and such a sister as Mary Bond!-a light

us, as soon as we are missed; let us keep on and perhaps we may find some other path."

The poor children proceeded on their course, unconscious that every step was taking them deeper into the forest, until, completely bewildered by the thick darkness, and overcome with fatigue, they could go no further. "Let us pray to God, and then we can lie down, and die in peace," said George; and the innocent children knelt down on the fallen leaves, and lisped their simple prayers, as they were accustomed to do at their mother's side.

"We must try to find some shelter, George," said Kate, as they arose from their knees, "this chill air will kill you, even if we escape the wild beasts." As she spoke, the light of a young moon which faintly illumined the depths of the wood, enabled her to discover a hollow log lying near. Tearing off some branches from the brittle hemlock tree, she piled them around the log, in such a manner, as to form a sort of penthouse; and, placing George within the more effectual shelter of the log, she lay down by his side. Worn with fatigue, notwithstanding their fears, the children soon fell into a profound sleep; and the beams of the morning sun, shining through the branches which formed their covering, first awoke them from their peaceful slumbers.

Their little hearts swelled with gratitude to the merciful God, who had preserved them through the perils of the night, and the morning hymn which was wont to resound within the walls of their