ASSAY. HEATED WITH FLUXES. Bismuth... Oxide of bismuth. Oxides of tin. Oxide of lead P.W. fine green glass, R. F. partly reduced, glass, hot; colourless, Fuses with great difficulty; permanently clear glass but not quite clear, cold opaque P. W. clear glass, Clear colourless glass yellow, hot; on cooling, colourless C. flows over the sur face and reduces O. F. fine green glass, O. F. similar to bo hot; on cooling, colour- which in R. F. becomes rax; R. F. glass usually C. absorbed and re-nabar-red and opaque enamel ARTICLE X. Astronomical Observations, 1822. Bushey Heath, near Stanmore. Latitude 51° 37′ 44.3′′ North. Longitude West in time 1' 20.93". N. B. The eclipses of the first and second satellites happened so near together, that while employed in writing down the first observation, the other took place. 14 03 27.5 15 45 22.0 15 46 43.0 ARTICLE XI. Notice of Capt. Scoresby's Voyage to Greenland. (To the Editor of the Annals of Philosophy.) DEAR SIR, Liverpool, Sept. 20, 1823.THE importance of the following communication will, I think, induce you, even thus late, to give it a place in the next number of the Annals. The Baffin, the ship of our friend Capt. Scoresby, jun. arrived here on the 19th inst. from Greenland with 195 tons of blubber, the produce of nine whales. The Baffin obtained her cargo principally near the east coast of Older West Greenland, which has been also named Lost Greenland, from the long period in which it was invisible to Europeans. Within sight of this interesting country, Capt. Scoresby remained for three months, and in the intervals of the fishery employed himself in making observations on the geography and natural history of this hitherto almost unknown country. The result I understand is a real survey of the coast from lat. 75° N. down to 69°, comprising an extent (reckoning the various indentations and sinuosities observed) of about 800 miles! The coast visited by Capt. Scoresby is a continuation toward the north of that on which were planted the ancient colonies from Iceland, the fate of which is still veiled in such deep obscurity. Capt. S. discovered several very extensive inlets; some of them indeed, it was ascertained, penetrate at least 60 miles within the general cut of the coast, and even then were without any visible termination. From the number and extent of these inlets; from the direction which some of them pursue; and from the many islands with which the coast is flanked, Capt. Scoresby believes the whole country to be a vast assemblage of islands; and he has grounds for concluding, that some of the inlets are passages communicating with Baffin's Bay! But this is not all. The general form of the land was found to be so very unlike what is represented in our maritime charts, that only three places laid down could be recognised; and the error in the longitude of these, according to most of the charts, was no less than 15 degrees! Capt. Scoresby landed on various parts of the coast, and in some of the bays; and on each visit to the shore discovered traces of inhabitants; some of them apparently recent. In one place he met with a considerable hamlet of deserted huts, among which were many graves. About this place he obtained many fragments of the domestic and fishing utensils of the inhabitants. Though the weather at sea was generally cold, the thermometer being about 38° or 40° Fahr. on the hills near this hamlet it was hot and sultry, and the air swarmed with musquitoes. Capt. Scoresby has made a large collection of plants and of minerals, especially of rocks: he has also brought some zoological specimens. Animals of the higher orders were rare in that country; but he shot a white hare, and caught an animal of the genus mus with a short tail. The high degree of interest which Capt. Scoresby's discoveries in this quarter must excite, will, I trust, induce him to publish his journal, which, according to his invariable laudable custom, is kept with great care. To you who know the enterprising genius and philosophic spirit of Capt. Scoresby, his success will cause much more pleasure than surprise. When we see how much he has accomplished without any other means than that of a private individual engaged in an arduous and anxious occupation, we cannot help regretting that the government of this great commercial country has not seized the opportunity of employing the individual attention and talents of Capt. Scoresby in prosecuting his researches, no less conducive to the advancement of science, than to the glory of our country I am, dear Sir, yours, very faithfully, THOMAS STEWART TRAILL. ARTICLE XII. Curious Substance formed by some Chemical Changes from the Wine of the Sugar Cane.* M. CLAMAN sent from Martinique to M. Vauquelin, for the purpose of analysis, a quantity of vesou, or the wine made from the sugar cane. It had been previously submitted to the means recommended by M. Apert for the preservation of vegetable substances; notwithstanding which, however, it had undergone some very remarkable alterations during the voyage. In some of the bottles, it had fermented so as to produce alcohol, vinegar, and carbonic acid, but still containing a little sugar. In the greater number, it had entirely lost its saccharine taste, and a species of semitransparent gum had been formed in great quantity, and so thick as to quit the bottles with difficulty. Besides this portion separated from the liquor, much of the same substance remained in solution, from which it was precipitated by alcohol. The peculiar odour of vesou, however, was very perceptible. The contents of some bottles remained entirely fluid, acid, and saccharine, but still held much gummy matter in solution. A portion of the vesou thus altered, which still retained a little sugar, was evaporated into a thick syrup, and the sugar crystallized. Another portion, which had been divested of its gum by alcohol, and of its acid by chalk, and which had likewise been reduced to a syrup, crystallized with more ease, and in greater quantity. M. Vauquelin precipitated by alcohol two bottles of the thick vesou; washed and kneaded the gummy matter repeatedly with fresh portions of alcohol, pressed, and dried it. While moist, this substance is semitransparent, and of a greyish colour; it diminishes much in bulk by desiccation, and in that state is white, opaque, like the paste of starch, and has still a slight flavour of sugar. It is very soluble in water, but the solution is always milky, even after filtration. If laid upon a burning coal, it becomes puffed up, is quickly carbonized, and emits a smell like that produced by sugar or gum; by distillation, it yields an acid, together with a little ammonia. Four grammes of this substance were boiled for 10 or 12 hours, with 200 grammes of water, and 10 of sulphuric acid; the water lost by evaporation being from time to time replaced. The solution acquired a red colour, and on cooling deposited a substance of the same hue, which, after being washed and dried, * Ann. de Chim. xx. 93. |