WOODEN ARTILLERY.

Few narratives of sieges are more entertaining than that given in the Seir Mutakhereen, of a fort which was defended by the use of wooden artillery, and defended effectually in one of Auringzebe's campaigns in the Deccan. The commandant was nearly unprovided with cannon, having only one or two defective pieces. The town was, however, a great mart for timber. The governor securing both the timber and the carpenters, garnished his ramparts with wooden imitations of cannon; and being fully supplied with most other requisites when the imperial army arrived, put a good face on the business. He did more too, for he kept the secret within his own walls; and the enemy respecting the number of his train, commenced their approaches in due form, affording him thus abundance of leisure to mature his plan of defence. Every piece, as soon as fired, became of course unserviceable, but he immediately replaced it by a new one. The balls from the imperial batteries were returned with the utmost facility, as, however ponderous these were, our hero was able to supply pieces of any calibre, and send recochet shot, selon les regles, even with more effect than his enemy. The labours of the Carron Foundry never produced more guns in a year, than this man's ingenuity did in one siege. The enemy tired out, at last, with the obstinate defence which he made from his batteries, determined to carry the place by escalade in open day. Having failed, however, in some similar enterprizes, a neighbouring saint was procured, who was to head the attack, and by the sanctity of his character, to inspire the soldiers with greater zeal in a desperate cause. The holy man was raised on a platform, and carried in the rear of the forlorn hope. The governor's good luck still adhered to him. A shot from a wooden gun, when the escaladers were nearly close to the walls, knocked down the saint, on which the party took to their heels. A delay ensued; the siege was at last raised; and the commandant covered with glory.

ALPINE FARMERS.

The farmers of the Upper Alps. though by no means wealthy, live like lords in their houses; while the heaviest portion of agricultural labour devolves on the wife. It is no uncommon thing to see a woman yoked to the plough along with an ass, while the husband guides it. A farmer of the Upper Alps accounts it an act of politeness, to lend his wife to a neighbour who is too much oppressed with work; and the neighbour, in his turn, lends his wife for a few days' work, whenever the favour is requested.

THE SUSPICIOUS HUSBAND.

It is pretty generally known, that George the First entertained a suspicion of the fidelity of his queen, and that he supposed the object of her af fections was Count Koningsmark. So strongly did this opinion work on the monarch's mind, that he doomed her to be confined for life in a castle of his own in Hanover. The reason which he gave for his suspicion was, that having occasion to enter her majesty's clo set very late one night, he found her asleep on the sofa, and a man's hat (which he knew to belong to Count Koningsmark) lying by her; and as he thought the circumstance to amount to a full proof of her guilt, he took the barbarous resolution of confining her in the castle where she died.

Some time after this, Dr. Hoadly reflecting on the above circumstance, worked up the comedy of the "Suspicious Husband;" the principal plot of which is the causeless jealousy of Mr. Strictland, which the author artfully confirms, by introducing Ranger's hat in Mrs. Strictland's chamber, which being found by Mr. Strictland, confirms his suspicion, and makes him resolve to part with his lady.

THE DAMASCENES.

As a parallel to the late horrid Massacre of the Greeks at Scios, and intolerant bigotry of the Mussulmans, the destruction of the Damascenes in the 7th century may be instanced.

In the year 633, the Arabs, encouraged by the conquest of Bosra, four days journey from Damascus, laid

siege to the ancient capital of Syria. At some distance from the walls, they encamped among the groves and fountains of that delicious territory; and the usual option of the Mahometan faith, of tribute or of war, was proposed to the resolute citizens, who had been lately strengthened by a reinforcement of five thousand Greeks.

Many a lance was now shivered in the plain of Damascus; and the personal prowess of Caled, the Saracen leader, was signalized in the first sally of the besieged. The event of some general and partial actions reduced the Damascenes to a closer defence; but a messenger, whom they dropt from the walls, returned with the promise of speedy and powerful succour; and their tumultuous joy conveyed the intelligence to the camp of the Arabs. After some debate, it was resolved to raise, or rather to suspend, the siege of Damascus, till they had given battle to the forces of the emperor.

Caled defeated the imperial army at the battle Aiznadin, with immense loss; and the death of four hundred and seventy Moslems was compensated by the opinion that they had killed fifty thousand infidels.

The sad tidings were carried to Damascus by the speed of grief and terror; and the inhabitants beheld from their walls the return of the heroes of Aiznadin. The Damascenes defended their city with great bravery; but after a siege of seventy days, their patience and their provisions were exhausted, and the bravest of their chiefs submitted to the hard dictates of necessity. In the occurrences of peace and war, they had been taught to dread the fierceness of Caled, and to revere the mild virtues of Abu Obeidah. At the hour of midnight, one hundred chosen deputies of the clergy and people, were introduced to the tent of that venerable commander, who received and dismissed them with courtesy. They returned with a written agreement, on the faith of a companion of Mahomet, that all hostilities should cease, that the voluntary exiles might depart in safety, with as much as they could carry away of their effects; and that the tributary subjects of the Caliph, should enjoy their land

and houses, with the use and possession of seven churches. On these terms, the most respectable hostages, and the gate nearest to his camp, were delivered into his hands. The success of the treaty relaxed the vigour of the Damascenes; and in the same moment, the opposite quarter of the city was betrayed and taken by assault. A party of a hundred Arabs had opened the eastern gate to a more inexorable foe. "No quarter," cried the rapacious and sanguinary Caled, "no quarter to the enemies of the Lord." His trumpets sounded, and a torrent of Christian blood was poured down the streets of Damascus, until the hungry and cruel Arabs were arrested by the benevolence of Abu Obeidah. Throwing himself between the trembling citizens, and the most eager of the barbarians, he abjured them, by the holy name of God, to respect his promise, to suspend their fury, and to wait the determination of their chiefs. After a vehement debate in the church of St. Mary, it was agreed that the sword should be sheathed, that the part of Damascus which had surrendered to Abu Obeidah should be immediately entitled to the benefit of his capitulation, and that the final decision should be deferred to the wisdom of the Caliph,

A large majority of the people accepted the terms of toleration and tribute; but the valiant Thomas, a noble Greek, and the free-born patriots who had fought under his banner, embraced the alternative of poverty and exile. In the adjacent meadow a numerous encampment was formed, of priests and laymen, of soldiers and citizens, of women and children; they collected with haste and terror their most precious moveables; and abandoned with loud lamentations or silent anguish,their native homes, and the pleasant banks of the Pharphar. The inflexible soul of Caled was not touched by the spectacle of their distress; he disputed with the Damascenes the property of a magazine of corn; endeavoured to exclude the garrison from the benefit of the treaty; consented with reluctance,that each of the fugitives should arm himself with a sword, or a lance, or a bow; and sternly declared, that after a res

pite of three days, they might be pursued and treated as enemies of the Moslems.

The passion of a Syrian youth, completed the ruin of the exiles of Damascus. A nobleman of the city, of the name of Jonas,was betrothed to a wealthy maiden of the name of Eudocia,but her parents delayed the consummation of his nuptials, and their daughter was persuaded to escape with the man she had chosen. They corrupted the nightly watchmen of the gate Keisan; the lover, who led the way, was encompassed by a squadron of Arabs; but his exclamation in the Greek tongue," the bird is taken," admonished his mistress to hasten her return. In the presence of Caled and of death, the unfortunate Jonas professed his belief in one God and his Apostle Mahomet; and continued till the season of his martyrdom to discharge the duties of a brave and sincere Mussulman.

When the city was taken, Jonas flew to the monastery where Eudocia had taken refuge; but the lover was forgotten; the apostate was scorned; she preferred her religion to her country; and the justice of Caled, deaf to mercy, refused to detain by force a male or a female inhabitant of Damascus. Four days was the general confined to the city, by the obligations of the treaty, and the urgent cares of his new conquest. His appetite for blood and rapine would have been extinguished by the hopeless computation of time and distance; but he listened to the importunities of Jonas, who assured him that the fugitives might yet be overtaken. At the head of four thousand horse, in the disguise of Christian Arabs, Caled undertook the pursuit. They halted only for the moments of prayer; and their guide had a perfect knowledge of the country. For a long way, the footsteps of the Damascenes were plain and conspicuous; they vanished on a sudden; but the Saracens were comforted by the assurance that the caravan had turned aside into the mountains, and must speedily fall into their hands. In traversing the ridge of Libanus, they endured intolerable hardships, and the sinking spirits of the veteran fanatics, were supported

and cheered by the unconquerable ar dour of a lover. From a peasant of the country, they were informed, that the emperor had sent orders to the colony of exiles, to pursue without delay the road of the sea coast, and of Constantinople, apprehensive, perhaps, that the soldiers and people of Antioch might be discouraged by the sight and the story of their sufferings. The Saracens were conducted through the territories of Gabala, and Laodicea, at a cautious distance from the walls of cities; the rain was incessant, the night was dark, a single mountain separated them from the Roman army; and Caled, ever anxious for the safety of his brethren, whispered an ominous dream in the ear of his companion. With the dawn of day, the prospect again cleared, and they saw before them, in a pleasant valley, the tents of Damascus. After a short interval of repose and prayer, Caled divided his cavalry into four squadrons, committing the first to his faithful Derar, and reserving the last for himself. They successively rushed on the promiscuous multitude, insufficiently provided with arms, and already vanquished with sorrow and fatigue. Except a captive who was pardoned and dismissed, the Arabs enjoyed the satisfaction of believing, that not a Christian of either sex escaped the edge of their scymitars. The gold and silver of Damascus were scattered over the camp, and a royal wardrobe of three hundred load of silk, might clothe an army of naked barbarians. In the tumult of the battle, Jonas sought and found the object of his pur suit; but her resentment was inflamed by the last act of his perfidy; and as Eudocia struggled in his hateful arms, she struck a dagger to her heart.

MERCANTILE ADVENTURE.

Mr. Richard Atkinson was one of the many instances of good sense and persevering industry, well directed in a commercial country like England.When he first came from the North, he was a mere adventurer, without either fortune, or even friends that could serve him, and with no other acquisitions of education, but common penmanship and arithmetic. Thus circumstanced he came to London, and passing