cate his army from their dangerous situation, by evacuating the post, and crossing the river to New-York. The passage was found at first to be impracticable by reason of a violent wind from the northeast, and a strong ebbing tide. But providentially the wind grew more moderate and veered to the northwest, which rendered the passage perfectly safe. 3. But a circumstance still more remarkable was, that about two o'clock in the morning a thick fog enveloped the whole of Long Island in obscurity, concealing the retreat of the Americans, while on the side of New-York the atmosphere was perfectly clear. 4. Thus, by the favour of an unusual fog, our army, consisting of nine thousand men, in one night, under great disadvantages, embarked, with their baggage, provisions, stores, and horses, with their munitions of war, crossed a rapid river a mile or more wide, and landed at New-York undiscovered and without material loss. 5. The enemy were so near that they were heard at work with their pick-axes, and in about half an hour after the fog cleared off, the enemy were seen taking possession of the American lines, and they were astonished that our troops had got beyond reach of pursuit. Gordon, in his anecdotes, says, that a clerical friend, on this occasion, observed that, "but for the interposition of a cloud of darkness the Egyptians would have overwhelmed the Israelites upon the sea shore. 6. "And but for the providential intervention of the fog upon Long Island, which was a cloud resting on the earth, the American army would have been destroyed, and the hopes of every patriot bosom extinguished, perhaps for ever." On the retreat of our army from New-York, Major General Putnam, at the head of three thousand five hundred continental troops, was in the rear, and was the last that left the city. 7. In order to avoid any of the enemy, that might be advancing in the direct road to the city, he made choice of a different road till he could arrive at a certain angle, whence a cross road would conduct him in such a direction as that he might form a junction with our main army. It so happened, that a body of about eight thousand British and Hessians were at the same moment advancing on the road which would have brought them in immediate contact with Putnam before he could have reached the cross road. 8. Most fortunately the British Generals halted their troops, and repaired to the house of Mr. R. Murray, a quaker and friend to our cause; Mrs. Murray treated the British officers with cake and wine, and they were induced to stay two hours or more. By this happy incident Putnam, by continuing his march, escaped a rencounter with a greatly superior force, which must have proved fatal to his whole party. 9. I have recently been informed by the son and aid de camp of General Putnam, that had the enemy, instead of a halt, marched ten minutes longer, they would have reached the cross road, and entirely cut off the retreat of our troops, and they must inevitably have been captured or destroyed. It was a common saying among our officers, that, under Providence, Mrs. Murray saved this part of our army. 10. When in the year 1777, General Burgoyne's army was reduced to a condition of extreme embarrassment and danger, General Gates received what he supposed certain intelligence, that the main body of the British army had marched off for Fort Edward, and that a rear guard only was left in the camp situated on the opposite side of Saratoga Creek. 11. He determined therefore to advance and attack the enemy in their encampment in half an hour. For this purpose General Nixon crossed the creek with his brigade in advance. General Glover was on the point of following, but just as he entered the water he perceived a British soldier crossing near him, whom he called and examined. 12. By this British deserter, the fact was ascertained, that the detachment for Fort Edward had returned, and the whole British army was now encamped behind a thick brushwood, which concealed them from our view. This communication being made known to General Gates, the order for attack was immediately countermanded, and the troops were ordered to retreat; but before they could recross the creek, the enemy's artillery opened on their rear, and some loss was sustained. 13. This was a most critical moment, and a quarter of an hour longer might have caused the ruin of the two brigades, and effected such a favourable turn of affairs as to have enabled Burgoyne to proceed in his route to Albany, or a safe retreat into Canada. In his narrative of the expedition under his command, Burgoyne laments the accident which occasioned the failure of his stratagem, as one of the most But adverse strokes of fortune during the campaign. Americans ought never to forget the remarkable providential escape. Note. East River forms the communication between Hudson River and Long Island Sound on the southeast side of the city of New-York.-Fort Edward, a fortress of New-York, was situated on the east bank of the Hudson, fifty miles north of Albany. It is now in ruins. MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE EURO- SECT. 1. Their Appearance and Character. 1. THE personal appearance of the Turks is in general prepossessing. They are well formed, have fair complexions, dark eyes, an aquiline nose, and dark auburn, or chestnut, and sometimes black, hair. Their gait is slow and stately, their mode of speaking clear and deliberate, and every action is performed with somewhat of a solemn air. 2. Their character is a curious mixture of good and bad. They are temperate in eating and drinking; have few wants, and are liable to few diseases; hospitable and courageous : and though full of veneration for their laws and usages, yet no country presents more frequent examples of insurrection When provoked their passions are furious and ungoverna ble; they are vindictive, jealous, haughty, intolerant, and full of dissimulation. 3. Their religion inspires them with contempt and hatred for those of a different creed; their despotic government makes them blindly submissive to their superiors, and oppressive to their inferiors. Mr. Eton sums up the character of the Turks in the following terms: 4. "The worst are the people of Anatolia, particularly those bordering on the Black Sea; those of Constantinople are softened by a city life; those of Aleppo are the most refined and civil among themselves, and remarkably decent; at Damascus they are furious zealots; the people of Smyrna are savage and dangerous; in European Turkey they have fewer prejudices against Christians; at Bagdad they are more open to instruction than in other parts of Asia; the people of Bassora, a mixture of Arabs, Persians, and a few Turks, are mild and docile." 5. The Arabians of the desert generally pay as much respect to an European as to one of their own country, and more than to a Turk, whom they hate. SECT. 2. Their Religion. 6. The Turks are Mahometans of the sect of Omar. The rule of their faith is the Koran, an incongruous mixture of sound and absurd doctrines, of grave and trifling precepts. The two leading doctrines are, that there is one God, and that Mahomet is his prophet. 7. The five principal precepts enjoin, 1st, frequent ablutions; 2d, prayer at five stated times in a day: 3d, alms to be bestowed according to the ability of the giver: 4th, fasting; and 5th, pilgrimage to Mecca, one being esteemed absolutely necessary to salvation. The use of pork is prohibited, and also the drinking of wine, yet the principal people indulge in it to a certain degree. Polygamy, though permitted, is seldom practised. 8. The charity enjoined by the Koran is chiefly confine ed to the erection of public buildings, as mosques, or inns for the accommodation of travellers, fountains for water, baths, colleges, and bridges. Little of the charity is applied to the immediate relief of the necessitous, except to the support of those who are continually wandering about the country. 9. During the month of fasting, all ranks of people abstain from eating and smoking till after sunset; but through the night all is festivity, the public and private houses are illuminated, and they are careful to recompense themselves for the abstinence of the day. The Turks believe in the doctrine of predestination in such a manner as to prevent their taking precaution against the plague and other evils; they also endure afflictions with great fortitude. SECT. 3. Of their Language and Literature. 10. The language of the Turks is a mixture of several dialects, and is esteemed greatly inferior in force and har mony to the Arabic or Persian. The lower ranks are almost devoid of education. Learning is confined chiefly to law and theology, which have here a close connexion; for the lawyer must be skilled in the Koran; the divine learned in the law. 11. They have their ancient poets, historians, and divines; but their poetry is full of false taste; and of the geography and history of other countries they are almost entirely ignorant. Astronomy, as taught in Turkey, is a fanciful system of judicial astrology. SECT. 4. Of their Government and Laws. 12. Their government is despotic. The emperor, who is styled sultan, is the sole fountain of honour and office, and has absolute power of life and death. Though unchecked by any representative body, he is virtually restrained by the ordinances of the Koran, by certain usages, and by the decision of the Mufti. 13. There is hardly any hereditary nobility, and very little distinction of rank, but what arises from holding a public office. The prime minister, or first officer after the sultan, is called grand vizier. The Mufti is at the head of the religious establishment, and is the second subject in the empire. 14. The divan, or cabinet-council, is composed of the vizier, the mufti, and bey. Other high officers are sometimes called in. The governors of provinces are styled pachas. One of the first class has a right to punish capitally any subordinate officer, without the form of trial. The ulema are a numerous body, combining the character of clergy and lawyers, and have at their head the grand mufti. SECT. 5. Of their Dress, &c. 15. The Turks cover their heads with a white turbam, which they never take off except when they go to sleep, and none but Turks are permitted to wear the turban. They have slippers instead of shoes, which they pull off when they enter a house or temple. 16. They wear shirts with wide sleeves, and over them a vest fastened with a sash; their upper garment being a |