fight furiously with each other for the females, and are jealous of the approach of every thing as already stated. The cows calve about the end of May or the beginning of June; the calves are frequently whitish, but more commonly marked by a white patch or saddle upon the back. very good. "In most parts of Hudson's Bay, it is known by the name of Kew-hagon, but amongst the northern Indians it is called Achees." The weight of the musk ox, according to Parry, is about 700 lbs. ; that of the head and hide is 130 lbs. The horns of the musk ox are employed for various purposes by the Indians and Esquimaux, especially for making cups and spoons. From the long hair growing on the neck and chest, the Esquimaux make their mus cheto wigs, to defend their faces from troublesome insects. The hide of the musk ox makes good soles for shoes, and is much used by the natives for this purpose. The musk oxen killed on Melville island during Parry's visit were very fat, and their flesh, especially the heart, although very highly scented with musk, was considered very good food. When cut up, it had all the appearance of beef for the market. Hearne says, that the flesh of the musk ox does not at all resemble that of the bison, (Bos Americanus,) but is more like that of the moose, and the fat is of a clear white, tinged During the months of August and September, the with light azure. The young cows and calves furnish musk oxen extend their migrations to the North Geor a very palatable beef, but that of the old bulls is so in- gian and other islands bordering the northern shores of tolerably musky as to be excessively disagreeable. A the continent. By the first of October they have all left knife used in cutting up such meat becomes so strong- the islands and moved towards the south. By Frankly scented with this substance as to require much wash-lin's expedition, they were not seen lower than 66° N.; ing and scouring before it is removed. Musk ox flesh, though, as we have before stated from Hearne, they when dried, is considered by hunters and Indians to be are occasionally seen as low as 60°. congregation, many of the latter might be seen kneeling without on the hard rock, and offering up their silent devotions. Religion never looked more solemn or more divine, than when its rites were thus administered on the rock of ages. Choristers responded to the strains of the amiable and venerable bishop, whose gray hairs added dignity to his devotion, and a fine band of music attended, whose notes might be heard in the recesses of the mountains. It was a scene we shall not soon and wish never to forget, for it was full of lofty inspiration, accompanied by associations of religion, of charity, and of philanthropy. We herewith present our readers with a sketch by | area within being insufficient to contain the visiters and our friend Weir, of the catholic chapel of " Our Lady of Cold Spring," one of most classical and beautiful little churches we have ever seen. The building is of brick, coloured with a composition which gives it the character and appearance of a light, yellowish-brown stone; and the portico, which is of the Tuscan order, of the most correct proportions. Its situation, opposite West Point, on a high rock overhanging the Hudson, and surrounded by majestic mountains, is extremely well chosen; and the traveller, sailing up and down the river, cannot but be struck with its romantic beauty. It was our fortune to be present at the consecration of this little temple, a few weeks since,* by the Right Rev. Bishop Dubois, assisted by the Rev. Messrs. Power, Varela, and O'Reilly. The scene was most impressive. It was a calm Sabbath morning, full of quiet and repose, accompanied by a slight haziness of the atmosphere, that communicated a soft and gentle hue to the surrounding hills, and disposed the mind to corresponding impressions. It was in the midst of the most majestic of His works that a temple was to be consecrated to the God of nature and of nations. The ⚫ Sunday the twenty-first of September. "We could not help cherishing the hope, that the erection of this chaste and elegant little building, migh form the commencement of an era of good-will among all religious denominations. It seemed to us like the temple of peace; as the shrine where all who worship the same God, and depend for salvation on the same Saviour, might come and lay down that load of unchristian antipathies which has separated mankind into inveterate factions, and deluged the earth with blood. Its history should be told, that the example may be followed. The village of Cold Spring and its neighbourhood, the grotto. Baron Humboldt states that the aspect of from various causes, had become the residence of a large number of poor Irish catholics, and though there are churches of various denominations at that place, there was not one to which they could resort without hearing their faith questioned, and the objects of their veneration called by the most opprobrious names, agreeably to the orthodox practice of too many of the preachers of that religion which is all charity, all philanthropy, all love to our fellow creatures. These people were too poor to provide themselves with a place of worship, and to none are the rites of their religion more important to their social habits and morals than the labouring classes of the catholic church. In this state of things, a gentleman having large interests in the neighbourhood, Mr. Gouverneur Kemble, came forward to their assistance. He gave them the ground on which the church stands, and a considerable portion of the means for its erection, besides furnishing the plan, and giving a paternal superintendence to its progress and completion. The indefatigable exertions of the Rev. Mr. O'Reilly, pastor of the congregation, supplied the remaining funds. Mr. Kemble is a protestant, and so are we; but this shall not prevent our bearing testimony to the liberal and philanthropic spirit, which, overlooking the metaphysical refinements of religion, resorts to its spirit and essence, and recognises all the worshippers of one Creator, and one Saviour of the world, as fellow-creatures and fellow-christians, who, however they may differ in modes and forms, look up to the same eternal source in this life, and the life everlasting. Convenience and necessity are often found in conflict with the natural taste of mankind for the picturesque and beautiful; and in nothing more remarkably so, than in the location of religious edifices. If it were possible, we would always have our houses of worship isolated from the busy haunts of traffic and of pleasure. In cities this can never be effected; but in the country we delight to see the sanctuaries of religion standing apart from amid the common scenes and objects of worldly care and interest and occupation. They should be held sacred from all sights and sounds of earthly import; the solemn stillness of their presence can only harmonize with the murmur of the breezes, the mysterious rustling of the foliage, and the thousand soothing tones of nature's music. The walk to the house of God should be through smiling fields, shaded by the verdant luxuriance of forest trees-the atmosphere that floats around should be the pure, fresh air of heaven, breathing serenity and peace; the objects that it offers to the eye should be only such as invite to serious meditation, with no intruding incident or object of the world's contaminating impress, to break the chain of humble aspiration, that would lead to heavenly things. The throne of religion is man's heart; but nature, in her calm untrammelled beauty, is religion's meetest empire.-N. Y. Mirror. CAVERN OF THE GUACHARO. Baron Humboldt, in his Personal Narrative, gives an account of a remarkably interesting cavern, in the province of New Andalusia, about three short leagues from the convent of Caripe, and called the Cavern of the GUACHARO. A narrow path led the travellers across a fine verdant plain, when they turned westward, and were guided by a small river which issues from the mouth of the cave. During three quarters of an hour, they continued to ascend, sometimes walking in the water, and sometimes between the torrent and a wall of rocks, by a path rendered slippery and fatiguing by masses of earth and trunks of fallen trees, which they had to surmount. On a sudden turn of the road, which winds like the stream, they found themselves before the immense opening of the place was majestic, even to an eye accustomed to the picturesque scenery of the Alps; he had visited the Peak Cavern, in Derbyshire, and was acquainted with the different caves of Franconia, the Harz and Carpathian mountains, and the uniformity generally observable in all these, led him to expect a scene of a similar character in that which he was about to visit; but the reality far exceeded his expectations; for, if the structure of the cave, and the variety and beauty of the stalactites resembled those he had elsewhere witnessed, the majesty of equinoctial vegetation gave an individual character and indescribable superiority to the entrance of the Cavern of the Guacharo. The entrance is a vaulted arch, eighty feet broad and seventy-two feet high; the steep rock that surmounts this opening is covered with gigantic trees, mixed with creeping and climbing plants and shrubs, brilliant with blossoms of the richest colours, and the most varied forms.* These form natural festoons which hang before the mouth of the cave, and are gently agitated by the passing currents of air. What a contrast between such a scene and the gloomy entrances to the caverns of northern climes, crowned with oaks and sombre larches! But this luxuriant vegetation was not alone confined to the exterior; the traveller, on following the banks of this subterranean stream into the grotto, beheld them with astonishment, adorned for thirty or forty yards with the Praga palm-tree, plantain-leaved heliconias, eighteen feet high, and arums that resembled trees in their size! It was not found necessary to light their torches till they had reached the distance of 430 feet, owing to the continuous direction of the cavern, which allows the light of day to penetrate thus far; and when this began to fail, the hoarse cries of the nocturnal birds, whence the place derives its name and celebrity, began to be audible from a distance. The Guacharo is about the size of a common fowl, and resembles in form the vulture tribe, with a beak surrounded by stiff hairs; its plumage is of a dark blueish gray, mixed with small streaks of black; white large heart-shaped spots, bordered with black, mark the head, wings, and tail; it is strictly a nocturnal bird, and is almost the only one which does not prey on animals, its food being fruits. The shrill, discordant noise made by thousands of these birds, brought from the inmost recesses of the cave, and reverberated from the arched roofs, form a clamor of which it is impossible to form an idea. Their Indian guides, by fixing torches to the ends of long poles, showed travellers the nests of the bird, which were constructed in funnel-shaped holes, with which the roof of the grotto was pierced in all directions, and generally at about sixty feet above their heads. There is an annual destruction of these birds by the Indians, who obtain from their young an oil much used in that country. They bring down their nests by means of long poles, and many thousands of the old birds are killed while endeavoring to defend their helpless progeny; they keep hovering over the heads of their enemies, uttering the most discordant cries. The young thick layer of fat that is found in their intestines is that fall with the nests are immediately opened, and a. melted down in pots of clay, and is known by the name of guacharo butter, (Manteca or Aceite,) it is half liquid. transparent, without smell, and may be kept a year without becoming rancid, and, according to the Baron who ate it at the convent, where no other oil is used, it ed with it. The habits of the bird, excluded from dayimparts no disagreeable taste or smell to the food dresslight, using little exercise, and feeding on vegetable For the sake of our botanical readers, we may state, that among these the Baron enumerates a Dendrobium (family Orchidea) with golden flowers, spotted with black, and three inches a magnificent Solandra, the deep orange flower of which has a long! A Bignonia, with a violet blossom; a purple Dolichos, and fleshy tube, four inches long. food, account for the production of this quantity of fat in a manner analogous to that in which geese and oxen are known to become large by similar modes of treatment; the quantity of this oil obtained, bears but a small proportion to the carnage thus made annually by the hunters; they do not obtain more than a 150 or 160 bottles, of about sixty cubic inches each, of pure manteca; the rest, which is less transparent, is kept in earthen vessels. a Still pursuing the course of the river, the cavern preserving the same width and height to the distance of 1458 feet from the mouth; the travellers on turning round, were struck with the singularly beautiful appearance which a hill covered with the richest vegetation, immediately fronting the entrance of the grotto, pre sented; this, brilliantly illuminated by the sun's rays, and seen through the vista of the dark cave, formed striking contrast to the surrounding obscurity; while There are two causes why this destruction of the the large stalactites depending from the roof were rebirds at the oil-harvest, as it is termed, have not extir-lieved against the luminous back ground of verdure. pated the race; one is, that the Indians are prevented After surmounting, with some difficulty, an abrupt rise by superstition from penetrating very far into the interior in the ground where the stream forms a small cascade, of the cavern, and the other, that neighbouring caverns they found that the cave diminished in height to forty too small to be penetrated by man, afford a place of feet, but retained its original direction; here a blackish security to them to breed and multiply in; at least it mould was found, either brought by the rivulet, or appears that no perceptible diminution of their numbers washed down from the roof by the rain water, which has been observed. penetrates the crevices of the rock; and in this, to the delight of the travellers, they found seeds growing, which had been brought thus far into the cave by the birds, but so altered by the deprivation of light, that they could not even recognise the species of plant thus produced under such unfavourable circumstances. It was found impossible to persuade the Indian guides to advance further; the cries of the birds rendered still more horrible by the contraction of the cave, had such an effect on their minds, that they absolutely refused to proceed; and to the regret of Humboldt and his friend they were compelled to retrace their steps. The travellers in continuing to explore the cave, followed the banks of the stream which issues from it, and is from twenty to thirty feet wide; they pursued this course as far as the hills formed of the calcareous depositions admitted. When the torrent wound among high masses of stalactites, they were often obliged to descend into the bed of the stream, which is only about two feet in depth; on its banks they observed great quantities of palm-tree wood, the remains of trunks the Indians made use of to climb to the nests which they could not otherwise get down. This edifice is built of marble from the quarries at eight lights and two embattled transoms. The heads Sing Sing, and exhibits a specimen of the English of the lights are cinque-foiled in a plain arch, and the collegiate style of architecture. It is situated between divisions above are quatre-foiled. Over the head of Washington Place and Waverly Place, and fronts the window is a drip-stone with plain returns. From Washington Square towards the west. The building is the central building, or chapel, wings project right and one hundred feet wide, and one hundred and eighty left, and are four stories in height, flanked by towers of feet long. In front, this oblong is divided into five five, supported by angular buttresses of two stages, runparts-a central building, with wings flanked by tow-ning above an embattled parapet, and are at the top ers, one rising on each of the four corners of the edifice. This central building, or chapel, is superior to the rest in breadth, height, and character; and is somewhat similar to that of King's College, Cambridge, England -a masterpiece of pointed architecture, and the model for succeeding ages. It is fifty-five feet broad and eighty-five deep, including the octangular turrets, one of which rises at each of the four corners. The two ends are gabled, and are, as well as the sides, crowned with an embattled parapet. The chapel will receive its principal light from a window in the western end. This window is twenty-four feet wide and fifty high. It has The themselves embattled. The windows in the wings the exception of the gable, where the capping follows the slope. The principal entrance is under the great western window, through a richly moulded and deeply recessed portal, flanked by buttresses of two stages, the upper stage set diagonally, and rising above an embattled parapet, finishing in triangular crocketted heads, crowned with a pinnacle. The doors are of oak, richly panelled, and filled with tracery of open-work, closely studded with bronze. Entering at the west and principal door, you pass on the right to the room of the janitor, and to the apartments of the professor of chemistry and botany, or on the left to the office of the clerk of the university, and rooms for classes in the ancient and modern languages. Ascending a broad flight of steps immediately before the great western entrance, you reach the principal floor, which contains rooms devoted to the use of literary societies, one large lecture room, We learn, with much pleasure, that in addition to and rooms for classes in mathematics, natural philoso- the present appointments in literature and the sciences phy, rhetoric, and belles-lettres, intellectual and moral generally, the university is about to organize a faculty philosophy, history, civil engineering, and the higher of law. This we consider a great desideratum in our classes in ancient and oriental languages. On the city, and if the appointment of law professors is judiupper floors, right and left of the chapel, are the studio ciously made, we have no doubt that this department of the professor of design with the cabinet of models will be numerously attended. It has long been a suband illustrations, and other extensive apartments for ject of wonder and regret, that notwithstanding the the fine arts, libraries, and collections in natural histo-eminence and abundance of legal talent in our state, ry, mineralogy, and antiquities. An observatory is also to be erected on one of the towers. him, such branches of education as may be most to his taste, or as may be most important to him in the busi ness of his future life; on the completion of which, he receives an honorary testimonial as to his progress and attainments. In this way, advantages are presented to young gentlemen who may wish to devote themselves to the more practical professions, which, in a city like this, are found to be of great importance. Recently as the institution has been opened, it has already become the resort of several graduates from different colleges, who wish to extend their education beyond the usual college course. This is the necessary consequence of the variety and extent of the professorships already established; and it must become still more so, as other departments of the whole university system shall be filled up. The building is now nearly at its height, and will be ready for occupation in May next, and will form a noble ornament to the square on which it fronts. The university, however, has not waited for the completion of its own buildings, in order to commence the business of instruction. The institution was opened for the reception of students on the first Monday of October, 1832; and its success, as to the number of its students and the efficiency and usefulness of its extended system of instruction, we believe, has even surpassed the expectations of its friends. The officers already appointed are the following, viz. : Rev. J. M. Matthews, D. D. Chancellor. our young men have been obliged to go abroad for the advantages of a law school. We have heard of several of our most eminent jurists as already in nomination for the contemplated appointments. Before we close this notice we have a suggestion to offer, which, not for our own gratification, but for the cause of taste and elegance, and the greater beauty of the edifice, we hope, may not be suffered to fall unheeded to the ground. By a glance at the engraving it will be seen, that over the principal entrance is a noble window of vast dimensions, by which the chapel of the university is lighted. Why should not this window be of rich stained glass? The art of making it, which was so long lost, is now restored, and glass may be procured of hues as brilliant and unfading as those with which the rays of light are tinged that fall upon the tessalated pavements of the old cathedrals in Europe. We know R. B. Patton, Professor of the Greek language and literature. not whether the trustees, under whose direction the Rev. J. Proudfit, Professor of the Latin language and literature.university is built, have the right and power to adopt Rev. George Bush, Professor of Hebrew and Oriental languages. C. W. Hackley, Professor of mathematics. W. Norton, Professor of natural philosophy. Lewis C. Beck, Professor of chemistry and botany. L. D. Gale, Acting Professor of geology and mineralogy. S. F. B. Morse, Professor of the literature of the arts of design. D. B. Douglass, Professor of architecture and of civil engineering; Charles L. Parmentier, Professor of the French language and literature. Rev. H. P. Tappan, Professor of moral and intellectual philosophy and belle-lettres. rature. Lorenzo L. Da Ponte, Professor of the Italian language and lite- literature. literature. The plan of instruction embraces a full course in the classical, mathematical, and philosophical studies, usually pursued in our colleges; and we are glad to perceive, from the regulations of the university, that the amount of requirements from students who enter this course, and become candidates for the Baccalaureate, is unusually great. It is much to be desired that the standard of scholarship in our country should be elevated; and that our liberally educated young men should aim at becoming finished scholars, and not be satisfied with the attainment of a degree after a hurried progress through their academical studies. We hope this object will be steadily pursued by the university, and that the institution will meet with the hearty co-operation of the public in its efforts for the accomplishment of so desirable a step in American literature. The benefits of the institution are by no means confined to the students who pursue this full course. The system of instruction is so arranged that any young gentleman may select for himself, or his guardian for the proposition, nor whether they would feel themselves justified in making the additional expenditure; but even should they not, we trust that there is enough obviate all difficulties of that nature. It would be a of public spirit and munificence in this wealthy city to generous and noble deed in the occupants of the houses near the university to join in raising a fund sufficient for the purpose; or it might be obtained by a general subscription. In one way or the other, we hope that the donation will be made; confident that in witnessing the splendid and beautiful effect of the stained glass, there is no man who will not feel pride and pleasure in the thought that he was instrumental in procuring it.-N. Y. Mirror. SELF-EDUCATION. Much less of success in life is in reality dependant upon accident, or what is called luck, than is commonly supposed. For more depends upon the objects which a man proposes to himself; what attainments he aspires to; what is the circle which bounds his visions and thoughts; what he chooses, not to be educated for, but educate himself for; whether he looks to the end and aim of the whole of life, or only to the present day or hour; whether he listens to the voice of indolence or vulgar pleasure, or to the stirring voice in his own soul, urging his ambition on to laudable objects. Nothing is more easy than to represent as impertinences any part of learning that has no immediate reference to the happiness or convenience of mankind. We hope, most sincerely, that the world is not to be scourged by cruel and unnatural wars much longer; and that the rising generation will soon read every thing relating to this subject as they now do the accounts of gladiatorial combats and other wicked practices, which have long ago ceased. Still, it may not be amiss to treat of warlike subjects occasionally. The engraving represents the "panoply" or complete armour of the Jews and other nation, 1800 years ago. Perhaps we may get as lively an account of what it consisted from the sixth chapter of the epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians, as from any part of history. The apostle mentions it incidentally, but his account is very full, as the following extracts will show. were able to foretell future events. Claudian introduces Her torch Bellona waving through the air, A dreadful murmur sends. And in Homer we have a description of a battle in Loud clamours rose from various vations round; "Bellona is a subordinate being, who, even by her appearance and deportment, betrays her inferior standing. In her wild aspect, no quiet look discloses the divine spark of inward wisdom, or inventive genius. Her glaring eye darts rage and fury; her figure is not graced with that nobility of air in which the ruler of battles, and the august guide of the heroes is to be recognised; her headlong impetuosity, her cruel desire of murder and devastation, discover the worthy companion of Discord, as well as the ferocious driver of the snort ing coursers of Mars." VICTORY. "Victory, called by the Greeks Nike, was honoured as a deity by the Grecians. Hesiod says, she was the daughter of Styx and Pallas. The Sabines called her Vacuna; from this name came the feast which the an"Having your loins girt about with truth, and hav-cients called Vacunalia. Plutarch asserts, that the ing on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet Egyptians called Victory Napthe. She was an attend shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above ant of Mars. all, taking the shield of faith-the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit." It should be mentioned, however, that the breastplate was something more than a mere plate of metal worn over the breast. It sometimes covered all the fore part of the body, and extended a little way over the arms; not far, however, for this would have diminished their activity. By shoes, too, appear to be meant, cases for the whole leg, almost from the foot to the body. As to their shields, they were sometimes very large; and it was not uncommon for a warrior to have an armourbearer to go before him, and carry his shield for him. Indeed, all the armour was heavy. In the Atheneum of Boston, are pieces of ancient armour preserved, such as helmets and breastplates; the great weight of which would surprise you if you should see them. MYTHOLOGY. BELLONA. "Bellona is the goddess of war, and the companion of Mars; or, as others say, his sister or wife. She prepares for him his chariot and horses when he goes to fight. It is plain that she is called Bellona from bellum. She is otherwise called Duel from duellum, or from the Greek word belone a needle,' whereof she is said to be the inventress. Her priests, the Bellonarii, sacrificed to her in their own blood; they hold in each hand naked swords, with which they cut their shoulders, and wildly run up and down like madmen; upon which people thought that (after the sacrifice was ended) they "The goddess Victory had several temples at Rome. Her figure is to be met with upon a great many monuments, marbles, gems, and medals. She is generally represented with wings, holding a branch of a palmtree in one hand, and a crown of laurel in the other We see her sometimes mounted upon a globe, to show that Victory rules over all the earth: we meet with them upon the medals of the emperors, to signify that they have conquered all the world, and that all nations are subject to their government. Victory, though very rarely, is likewise found without wings, writing upon a shield, supported by a pillar, and holding her left foot upon a helmet. The Greeks pictured her sometimes in that manner, and called her Apteros, which signifies without wings. Pusanias says, that there was at Athens a Victory which had no wing, and that Calamis the sculptor took a copy of it. The Athenians made her without wings, says the same author, that she might continue with them, and not fly away any where else. To the same purpose we meet with two verses in the Anthologia Græca, which were put upon a statue of Victory, whose wings were burnt by a flash of lightning. The sense of the verses is this. Rome, queen of the world, thy glory can never perish, since unwinged victory cannot fly away." THE STORY OF TEREUS. "Tereus, the son of Mars, by the nymph Bistonis, married Progne, the daughter of Fandion, king of Athens, when he himself was king of Thrace. This Progne had a sister called Philomela, a virgin in modesty and beauty inferior to none. She lived with the |