camp-equipage, instruments, provisions, and every thing required, were carried on men's backs, except on one short military line of route, where mules lightly loaded may occasionally be used. Sheep, it is true, are also used as beasts of burden in the higher mountains, but they carry very small loads. Similar inconveniences and limitations as to the season of residing on them, occur at the trigonometrical stations of Chandpúr, Bairát, and Surkunda, in a less degree; and in a still greater at Kédar Kanda, and Uchalárú, which are higher than the Chur; or in crossing the passes over the ever snowclad Himalaya, and in exploring the sources of the great rivers which rise in their deep and gloomy chasms.' p. 197.

Captain Hodgson being obliged to leave the mountains in October 1818, the remainder of the survey was carried on by Lieut. Herbert alone.

Our geographical knowledge has been much extended by him, not only in carrying various route lines of the Jahnavi river above Bhairoghati, and of the Setlej above Wongtu, but also in tracing the Tonse river to its sources in the snowy range; ascending which, in October 1819, he crossed over the southern ridge of the Himalaya by the Gunas pass, elevated more than 15,700 feet above the sea. Descending hence, he came upon the valley of the river Baspa, a principal feeder of the Setlej, originating in that cluster of high peaks which are situated in a re-entering angle of the range above Jumnotri, and from which, in another direction, are derived the more eastern rivers. From its confluence with the Setlej, he followed the course of the latter upward to Shipkee, a frontier valley of the Chinese territories, in lat. 31°. 48'. A hundred and ten miles below Shipkee, the Setlej (which is called by the Bhoteas or Tatars there, the Sangjing kanpa) receives another stream, nearly equal in size, sometimes designated Spati-maksang; spati being the name of the pergunnah (district) it flows through, and maksang as well as kanpa, signifying a river. From the confluence of this river with the Setlej, he proceeded up to Lari, a frontier village of Ladak. In this part of his route, he describes the mountains as entirely clay slate, bare of verdure, and with little snow, and evidently of inferior elevation ; from all which it may be inferred, that he was then on the northern face of the great range. Having no particular motives for penetrating further, and the season being advanced, he returned from this place; though he had little doubt, as he says, that, if desirous, he might have proceeded even to Leh, the capital of Ladak. The road was described as good, and the people as not manifesting the same jealousy as those subject to the Chinese authority.' pp. 199, 200.

The Himalaya attains its highest elevation in lat. 30° 12′ 19′′, N., long. 79° 57' 22"; the height of the loftiest peak being fixed, by the present survey, at 25,749 feet. Four other peaks rise to an elevation exceeding 23,000 feet. Mount Moira, a remarkable peak near the head of the Ganges, attains 22,792 feet; and two of the united peaks at the head of the Bhagirathi,

called St. Patrick and St. George, 22,798 and 22,654 feet respectively. We know not whether the peak A. No. 2, the highest according to the present observations, be the Dhawlagirree of Mr. Colebrooke, to which he assigns an elevation of 26,862 feet; but we must, at all events, allow of an excess of 1,113 in his estimate,-no very great error in calculations which professed to be only an approximation to the truth. If he refer to any other peak, the inaccuracy is greater. Mr. Fraser concluded, as the result of his own observations, taken in connexion with the measurements of Captains Webb and Hodgson, that the loftiest peaks would be found to range from 18,000 to 22 or 23,000 feet above the sea. It now appears, that he underrated their extreme height, although he is correct, if we understand him as referring to their average elevation. Chimborazo, the loftiest peak of the American chain, according to Humboldt 20,100 feet, is still 5,649 feet below the summit of the Indian range.

Three short papers in the present volume are on subjects of natural history. Art. IV. Description of a Zoophyte commonly found about the coasts of Singapore Island. By Major Gen. Hardwicke. This curious marine production belongs to the genus Spongia, class Vermes, and is named Spongia Patera, from its resemblance to an immense cup or bowl on a foot. The specimen, of which there is presented an engraving, is thirty-seven inches in height, seventeen inches in diameter at the brim, and contains thirty-six quarts of water. We have seen four of these gigantic productions, apparently of the same kind, which were sent to this country as curiosities; and, at a distance, they have almost the effect of rude antique vases. Art. V. Description of a Substance called Gez or Manna, and the Insect producing it. By the Same. The name of manna is improperly given to various sorts of gum, which are supposed to exude as the effect of the puncture of an insect. In this paper, the insect, which the Writer proposes to call chermis mannifer, is described as producing the substance, not from the tree, but from its own body.

The substance appears to project from the abdomen in the form of a tail or bunch of feathers, of a nature more like snow than any thing I can compare it to. These insects are found on the branches and leaves of trees, on which they swarm in millions, and work and generate this feather-like substance, till it gets long, and drops on the leaves, caking on them, and resembling the most beautiful white bees' wax. This hardens on the leaf, and takes the complete form of it, which you can strip off, bearing the very impression and imitation of the leaf itself, which no art could exceed. But, what appears surprising, they do not seem to eat or destroy the leaves they swarm on;

and though they may have been some days on the leaves, nothing more is seen than this waxy substance issuing from the tail.' p. 1851

This substance is, however, quite different from the Bey rouk honey' and other gums which are obtained from various trees by simply making an incision into the branches. The Calabrian manna is said to be an exudation produced by the puncture of an insect. The subject is deserving of further investigation. It is needless to point out the infelicity of the term manna in either reference, as it tends to countenance the absurd notion, that the substance with which the Jews were miraculously supplied, which they ground or pounded, and baked, was a vegetable or animal exudation.-Art. VIII. On the Sorex Glis. The animal described is a native of Penang and other islands in the Indian Archipelago; bears a resemblance to the genus Viverra, particularly the V. ichneumon; and has the habits of a squirrel.

The remaining papers are of a literary description. Art. I., by Francis Ellis, Esq., gives an account of the discovery of a modern imitation of the Vedas, which throws additional light upon the proceedings of the Propagandists in India. These pseudo Vedas, the originals of which are in the possession of the Romish missionaries at Pondicherry, are ascribed by the more respectable native Christians to Robertus de Nobilibus, the founder of the Madura mission, and the author of many works in Tamul on polemical theology. Mosheim has given an account of this mission*, which was avowedly conducted on the principle of concealing from the natives the country of the missionaries, and imposing them on the people as belonging to the sacred caste of Brahmins. This fundamental deception of course necessitated many more. Mr. Ellis is inclined to attribute to Robertus, the composition only, not the forgery of these Vedas; but his chief reason for this opinion appears to be, the character for probity which he bears in India; whereas instances are cited with applause by Father Jouvence, of his dexterous pious frauds. It matters little indeed, whether the Author or the Editor of these Vedas was the forger. It is not a question of individual delinquency, but involves the good faith of all who took part in the system of deception and imposture upon which the mission was conducted. Our detestation should fall, however, not upon the men, but upon the system. Their motives were far purer than their notions of morality. They sought to do good by means which they did not deem evil, but which are

* Mosheim, Cent. xvii. § 1.

utterly at variance with the simplicity and godly sincerity enjoined by the religion they professed. The learning, personal virtues, and ardent zeal of some of these Missionaries,' remarks Dr. Morrison, speaking of those who penetrated into China, deserve to be imitated by all future Missionaries, will be 'equalled by few, and perhaps rarely exceeded by any.' We must not confound such men with the Duboises of the present day.

Art. VII. On the ancient Geography of India. By Lieut. Col. F. Wilford. This paper, like all the communications of the learned, though fanciful and credulous Writer, is both curious and interesting. It is, we believe, his latest, and perhaps his most valuable contribution to Asiatic literature, and casts more light upon the ancient geography of India, than any previous Writer had been able to furnish. Col. Wilford was master as well of the Sanscrit as of the vernacular dialects of Hindostan; but, as M. Klaproth expresses it, il manquait to'talement de critique. Like Sir William Jones, his literary zeal and ardour sometimes outstripped his judgement, and laid asleep his caution. He was deceived by his pundits; and the literary forgery imposed upon him, the discovery of which he narrates with such ingenuous simplicity and candour *, shews that the French and Italian Brahmins must yield the palm, in point of deceptive ingenuity, to the native literati.

We shall merely give the titles of the remaining papers. Art. IX. On an Indian Method of constructing Arches. By Capt. Mackintosh. Art. X. An Account of the Cootub Minar, and the Inscriptions in its Vicinity. By Walter Ewer, Esq.

The first volume of the Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society, is in all respects worthy of the distinguished names which appear among the contributors, and forms an honourable commencement of its learned labours. The three parts comprise thirty-four papers, which we shall not take in their order, but, as in the above notice of the Asiatic Researches, according to the class of subjects to which they respectively belong.

Seven of the articles relate to Chinese literature; they are as follow:-Art. I. Memoir concerning the Chinese. By John F. Davis, Esq. M.R.A.S. III. Singular Proclamation issued by the Viceroy of Canton. Translated by the Rev. R. Morrison, D.D. XIV. Some Account of a Secret Association in China, entitled, the Triad Society. By the late Dr. Milne. XVI and XXII. Extracts from Peking Gazettes. Translated by J. F. Davis, Esq. XIX. Eugraphia Sinensis; or, the Art

* Asiatic Researches, Vol. VIII. p. 247, &c.

of Writing the Chinese Character with Correctness. By the Same. XXXI. Two Edicts from the Hoppo of Canton to the Hong Merchants. By the Same.

Mr. Davis takes the same sober view of the extravagant pretensions of the Chinese and the reveries of their panegyrists, that is now becoming pretty general among all competent scholars. With regard to their early history, he is of opinion, that a careful examination of the native annals, undertaken with a proper degree of scepticism towards the misrepresentations of national vanity, will establish the following facts:

That the antiquity of China as an empire has been greatly exaggerated, and that it cannot be dated earlier than the reign of Chihoang-ti, about B. C. 200; that it was then confined almost entirely to that half of modern China which lies between the great river Keang and the confines of Tartary; that it was subsequently split into several independent nations, (kingdoms?) which, after various contests and revolutions, were formed into two empires, the Northern and Southern, and became finally united under one head about A. D. 585; that China has been the theatre of as bloody and continued wars as have ravaged most of the other countries of the globe; that it has twice, and at no very distant periods of time, been completely conquered by foreign barbarians; and that its last conquerors exercise over it, at this day, an imperious and by no means impartial sway, but one in which the precedence and the trust are in most cases conferred on the Tartar.' pp. 10, 11.

That the Chinese possessed no real science of their own, is proved, Mr. Davis thinks, by the readiness with which they adopted that of Europeans, deviating in this one respect from their established prejudices against every thing foreign.

'I feel' (he says) persuaded, that, until the introduction of astronomy into the empire by the Arabians in the first instance, and subsequently by the European Missionaries, the whole science of the Chinese consisted in a careful observation and scrupulous notation of the eclipses and other heavenly phenomena. Their ignorance led them to attach the most important political influences to the different aspects and conjunctions of the celestial orbs, and hence arose the exactness with which they marked and chronicled them. Confucius has recorded six and thirty eclipses of the sun, the greater number of which have been verified by the calculations of European astronomers; but the recording an eclipse may prove the authenticity of historical annals, while it proves nothing as to the existence of astronomical science......Indeed, it is impossible not to smile at the idea of attributing any science to a people, whose learned books are filled with such trumpery as the diagrams of Fohi, and a hundred other puerilities of the same kind.' pp. 12, 13.

The extracts from the Peking Gazettes are sufficiently curious and entertaining, affording an insight into the manners and