male and female flowers upon the same tree. The males grow in bunches containing fifty or more florets in each, and are always found on the upper parts of the tree. The females appear after the males have perished, and have their germes curiously winged with a flat and stiff membrane which invests them.

CONCHOLOGY.
(Continued.)

Of the benefits derived by mankind from shells, or rather their animals, less is probably known at this moment than could be wished, or might be expected; they will only be developed by time. We need scarcely mention the oyster, for which our native shores have been so long famous; since, so far back as the beginning of the second century, the Roman poet Juvenal, while satirising the epicure Montanus, thus speaks of them :—

"He, whether Circe's rock his oysters bore,
Or Lucrine lake, or distant Richboro's shore.
Knew at first sight."

These, with muscles, cockles, sallops, &c., form a
considerable branch of commerce and wealth to the
enterprising fisherman.

Janthina, Buccinum, and other shells, indicate th presence of a strong colouring matter, and a specie of Purpura produced the highly valued Tyrian pur ple dye, which formed a very costly article in th catalogue of Roman extravagance; but the same col our being now obtained by the chymical effects of mineral or vegetable matter, at a trifling expense, ha of course, superseded its use. In early treatises o medicine, shells ranked as useful agents; they, how ever, now form no part of the pharmacopoeia, com mon chalk being equally efficacious. In countries where the manufacture of glass is either unknown o too expensive to be generally used, a shell of the genus Placuna is substituted to the present day, its extremely thin valves permitting the rays of light to pass partially through them. With these, in China and Japan, the windows may be said to be glazed As a commercial circulating medium, shells have been employed on the coast of Africa, where sealed bags of the Cyprea moneta (money cowry) form tallies for certain sums; thus exchanging hands in the trading operations of uncivilized nations, as an equivalent for coin, and redeemable by the party issuing them with the same good faith that notes are honoured by the firm on which they are drawn. As articles of luxury and decoration, shells, from the most remote period of history, have afforded personal ornaments, in various ways, to civilised and savage Many other species of shell-fish might also be enu- people. With some they are distinctive marks of merated, affording an agreeable and nutritive food to rank, and in the idolatrous worship of India, some nations compelled by local situation, uncongenial cli- species are consecrated to ignorant superstition, by mate, or ignorance of civilized improvement, to seek those "who sit in darkness and who see no light." from ocean's bounteous store, a natural and never-The Avicula margaritifera, commonly called the failing source of subsistence, frequently, indeed, the mother-of-pearl oyster, is universally well known as principal, if not the only one within their reach. In yielding that beautiful iridescent substance, from the days of Roman epicurism we have already enu- which numberless elegant and useful trinkets are merated snails and oysters, to these may be added fashioned by skilful workmen. It must be observed Echini and Balani, for we are told, that at the famous however, that the beautiful colours, like those of the supper given by Lentulus when he was made Fla- Opal, which they resemble, are not the effect of any men Martialis, or Priest of Mars, these and other pigment or colouring matter but occasioned by the shell-fish formed a part of the delicacies presented mechanical arrangement of the molecules, or atoms to the guests; and Pennant satirically observes, of matter, constituting the lamellar substance of the they seemed to have been eaten by the holy person- shell, being so distributed as to become capable of ages, priests and vestals, invited on the occasion, as decomposing the rays of light, and reflecting the exa whet for the second course. The Echinus, how-quisite prismatick hues which all pearly or nacreous ever, is a crustaceous and not a testaceous mollusc, shells exhibit. On this subject the philosophical as we shall explain under its description we have experiments of Brewster and others are highly intasted both this and the Barnacle, but not possessing teresting. It is the animal of this shell, or a diseasRoman stomachs, or perhaps from the want of classi-ed condition of it, which produces that modest but cal cooks, we confess they appeared anything but highly coveted jewel, the Oriental pearl, the pride eatable to our vulgar taste. As baits to catch fish, of Europe's fairest daughters, or Africk's sable chilmany species of shells are used; we have, ourselves, dren-the gem that decks a monarch's brow, or captured many a bright mackerel and whiting with graces native innocence. In sacred writing, pearls no other lure than a small piece of mother-o'-pearl are frequently named as things of inestimable value. suspended from the hook. The amphibious mam"No mention shall be made of coral or of pearls, for malia, sea-birds, and even many fishes, derive a large the price of wisdom is above rubies ;" and in Matthew portion of their sustenance from shell-fish, which our Saviour said, "The kingdom of heaven is like tends to check, without destroying altogether, the a merchantman seeking goodly pearls, who, when innumerable broods hourly brought into existence. he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold Except as food, shell-fish contribute but little to sup- all he had and bought it." Poets of every nation, ply the other wants of mankind. The Pinna Mari- but particularly those of the eastern nations, have na does, it is true, furnish with its byssus, or beard compared the objects of their dearest affections to as it is commonly called, a silky filament, in suffi- pearls, as the most invaluable things known, its cient abundance to be fabricated into gloves, stock-Persian name Mervarid, or globe of light, being ings, and some few other articles of wearing apparel, constantly used in the hyperbolical language of oribut not in such quantities as to render them articles ental poetry. of general use, or commercial speculation, beyond Several other species of shells, both marine and the value attached to them as museum rarities. The fresh water, also produce pearls-the Pinna marina

Vou. V-8

58

Tridacna gigas, Unio, Mussel, &c., they are, however, far inferiour in beauty and value.

WONDERFUL ESCAPE FROM INDIANS.
JAMES MORGAN, a native of Maryland, married at
an early age, and soon after settled himself near
Bryant's station, in the wilds of Kentucky. Like
most pioneers of the west, he had cut down the cane,
built a cabin, deadened the timber, enclosed a field
with a worm fence, and planted some corn.

leaves

Having enumerated some of the known benefits mankind derive from shells, whether as food, ornament, or otherwise, it will be proper to point out such as are injurious, or so considered in certain points of view, that is, so far as their habits tend to It was on the fifteenth day of August, 1782 ;— defeat the industry or ingenuity of man; but here, as in the instance of the common snail, we feel cal- the sun had descended; a pleasant breeze was playled upon to enter a philosophical protest against ing through the surrounding wood; the tall cane treating them indiscriminately as destructives and bowed under its influence, and the broad green enemies. The evil they commit is certainly mani- of the corn waved in the air; Morgan had seated fest, but it is confined to a very limited circle-it himself in the door of his cabin, with his infant on may be every where checked, or prevented by care his knee; his young and happy wife had laid aside or art-while the good they perform, being unseen her spinning-wheel, and was busily engaged in preand extended over an immense space, passes un-paring the frugal meal. That afternoon Morgan had heeded, and, in the present state of our knowledge accidentally found a bundle of letters, which he had of natural history, is not appreciated as it should be; finished reading to his wife before he had taken his let it, however, be remembered, that there is an eter-seat in the door. It was a correspondence in which nal fitness of things which requires that the decrease they had acknowledged an early and ardent attachof various portions of creation should, in some de- ment for each other, and the perusal left evident gree, keep pace with their otherwise superabundant traces of joy on the countenance of both; the little growth, thus balancing the account of nature's deal- infant, too, seemed to partake of its parents' feelings While thus agreeably employed, the reings, and regulating the expense of life. Extensive by its cherub smiles, its playful humour, and infantile mischief is doubtless committed by that insidious lit- caresses. tle animal the Teredo, which recklessly wends its port of a rifle was heard, another, and another, followway in ten thousand tortuous paths, through the hard-ed in quick succession. Morgan sprang to his feet, est oak, or toughest teak, rendering them like sponge, his wife ran to the door, and they simultaneously and destroying their texture as supports to submarine exclaimed " INDIANS!" crections, occasioning, in certain localities, dangerous consequences; piles, jetties, piers, and vessels, long stationed in some climates, are subject to their ravages, from which fatal accidents have resulted. It is not in human nature thus to witness the destruction of the noblest works of our ingenuity, without condemning the agents that have effected it; but these are no more than additional illustrations of the fact, that it is for man's ultimate benefit such occurrences should take place-they give a stimulus to his industry-set his wits to work-teach him to counteract the evil committed against his immediate interest or convenience and often create a far greater eventual benefit than he could at first sight disThe wise man only becomes so by not despising the humblest information he is constantly examining, inquiring, or reasoning on everything around him; and some of the greatest efforts of genius have been perfected from the indications furnished from apparently trivial causes, overlooked at first from their insignificance. Another of the number of shells but little loved by mariners, is the Balanus or Barnacle, whose numerous broods spread themselves in thick congregations, sometimes as it By this time, Morgan had secured his child in a were incrusting the bottoms of ships, and their sides below the water mark, to such an extent, that their bag, and lashed it to his back; then throwing off progress through the pathless sea becomes seriously some clapboards from the roof of his cabin, resoluteimpeded the watchful sailor baffled in his best ex-ly leaped to the ground. He was instantly assailed gun. The ertions, and the wealthy speculator disappointed in by two Indians. As the first approached, he knockhis nicely calculated hope of gain. To conclude our ed him down with the butt end of his list of commonly called destructives in conchology, other advanced with uplifted tomahawk; Morgan we shall add the Pholas, and other of the pene-let fall his gun and "closed in." The savage made trating genera of shells, whose habitations are form- a blow-missed aim, but severed the cord that bound ed in the calcareous, and even stony matter, wood, the infant on his back, and it fell. The contest over &c., there performing either good or evil according the child now became warm and fierce, and was to the particular circumstances of their situation and carried on with knives only. The robust and aththe purposes of their being, which are, if well con-letick Morgan at length got the ascendency. Both sidered, probably more beneficial than prejudicial to were badly cut, and bled freely, but the stabs of the white man were better aimed and deeper, and the mankind.

Cover.

The door was immediately barred, and the next moment all their fears were realized, by a bold and spirited attack of a small party of Indians. The cabin could not be successfully defended, and time was precious. Morgan, cool, brave, and prompt, soon decided. While he was in the act of concealing his wife under the floor, a mother's feelings overcame her-she arose-seized her infant, She hesitated-gazed silently upbut was afraid that its cries would betray her place of concealment. on it-a momentary struggle between affection and duty took place. She once more pressed her child to her agitated bosom; again and again kissed it with impassioned tenderness. The infant, alarmed at the profusion of tears that fell upon its cheek, 66 In the name looked up in its mother's face, threw its little arms around her neck, and wept aloud. of Heaven, Eliza, release the child, or we shall be lost," said the distracted husband, in a soft imploring tone of voice, as he forced the infant from his wife; hastily took up his gun, knife and hatchet; ran up the ladder that led to the garret, and drew it after him. In a moment the door was burst open, and the savages entered.

savage soon sunk to the earth in death. Morgan of ground, a short distance from him. The scene hastily took up his child and gun, and hurried off. of action shifted, and he remained undiscovered and The Indians in the house, busily engaged in unscalped, an anxious spectator of the battle. drinking and plundering, were not apprized of the It was now midnight. The savage band after tacontest in the yard, until the one that had been king all the scalps they could find, left the battleknocked down gave signs of returning life, and call-ground. Morgan was seated at the foot of the oak, ed them to the scene of action. Morgan was dis- its trunk supported its head. The rugged and uncovered, immediately pursued, and a dog put on his even ground that surrounded him was covered with trail. Operated upon by all the feelings of a husband and a father, he moved on with the speed of a hunted stag, and soon outstripped the Indians, but the dog kept in close pursuit. Finding it impossible to outrun or elude the cunning animal, trained to hunts of this kind, he halted and waited until it came within a few yards of him, fired and brought him down-reloaded his gun, and again pushed forward. In a short time he reached the house of his brother, who resided between Bryant's station and Lexington, where he left the child, and the two brothers immediately set out for his dwelling. As they approached the clearing, a light broke upon his view-his speed quickened, his fears increased, and the most agonizing apprehensions crowded upon his mind. He emerged from the cane-brake-beheld his house in flames, and almost burnt to the ground. "My Wife!" he exclaimed, as he pressed one hand to his forehead, and grasped the fence with the other, to support his tottering frame. He gazed for some time on the ruin and desolation before him, advanced a few steps, and sunk exhausted to the earth.

the slain; the once white and projecting rocks, bleached with the rain and sun of centuries, were crimsoned with the blood that had warmed the heart and animated the bosom of the patriot and the soldier. The pale glimmering of the moon, occasionally threw a faint light upon the mangled bodies of the dead, then a passing cloud enveloped all in darkness, and gave additional horror to the feeble cries of a few still lingering in the last agonies of protracted death, rendered doubly appalling the coarse growl of the bear, the loud howl of the wolf, the shrill and varied notes of the wildcat, and the panther, feeding on the dead and dying. Morgan beheld the scene with heart-rending sensations, and looked forward with the apathy of despair, to his own end.

A large and ferocious looking bear, covered with blood, now approached him; he threw himself on the ground-silently commended his soul to Heaven and in breathless anxiety awaited his fate. The satiated animal slowly passed on without noticing him. Morgan raised his head-was about offering thanks for his unexpected preservation, when the cry of a pack of wolves opened upon him, and again Morning came-the bright luminary of Heaven awakened him to a sense of his danger. He placed arose-and still found him seated near the almost his hands over his eyes-fell on his face, and in expiring embers. In his right hand he held a small silent agony awaited his fate. He now heard a stick, with which he was tracing the name of "ELI- rustling in the bushes-steps approached-a cold ZA," on the ground-his left was thrown over his chill ran over him.-Imagination--creative, busy favourite dog, that lay by his side, looking first on imagination, was actively employed; death-the the ruin, and then on his master, with evident signs most horrible death, awaited him-his limbs would, of grief. Morgan arose. The two brothers now in all probability, be torn from his body, and he be made a search, and found some bones almost burned devoured alive. He felt a touch-the vital spark to ashes, which they carefully gathered, and silently was almost extinguished-another touch, more vioconsigned to their mother earth, beneath the wide-lent than the first, and he was turned over-the spread branches of a venerable oak, consecrated by the purest and holiest recollections.

Several days after this, Morgan was engaged in a desperate battle at the lower Blue Licks. The Indians came off victors, and the surviving whites retreated across the Licking, but were pursued by the enemy for a distance of six-and-thirty miles.

cold sweat ran down in torrents-his hands were violently forced from his face-the moon passed from under a cloud-a faint ray beamed upon him-his eyes involuntarily opened and he beheld his wife, who, in scarce audible voice, exclamed "My husband!-my husband!" and fell upon his bosom.

Morgan now learned from his wife, that after the James Morgan was among the last that crossed Indians had entered the house, they found some the river, and was in the rear until the hill was de-spirits and drank freely; an altercation soon took scended. As soon as he beheld the Indians reap- place-one of them received a mortal stab and fell; pear on the ridge, he felt anew his wrongs, and re-his blood ran through the floor on her. Believing it collected the lovely object of his early affections. to be the blood of her husband, she shrieked aloud, He urged on his horse and pressed to the front. and betrayed her place of concealment. She was While in the act of leaping from his saddle, he re-immediately taken and bound. The party, after ceived a rifle ball in his thigh, and fell; an Indian setting fire to the house, proceeded to Bryant's stasprang upon him, seized him by the hair, and applied the scalping-knife. At this moment Morgan cast his eyes upward and recognized the handkerchief that bound the head of the savage, and which he knew to be his wife's. This added renewed strength to his body, and increased activity to his fury. He quickly threw his left arm around the Indian, and with a death-like grasp, hugged him to his bosom, plunged his knife into his side, and he expired in his arms. Releasing himself from the savage, Morgan crawled under a small oak, on an elevated piece

tion. On the day of the battle of the Blue Licks, a horse, with saddle and bridle, rushed by her, which she knew to be her husband's. During the action, the prisoners were left unguarded-made their escape, and lay concealed beneath some bushes under the the bank of the river. After the Indians had returned from the pursuit, and left the battle-ground, she, with some other persons that had escaped with her, determined to make a search for their friends, and if on the field, and living, to save them if possiAfter searching for ble from the beasts of prey.