And now the new-slain sacrifice And, well appeased, the guilty clears. IV. Now, Lord, fulfil thy faithful word, Long have they in thy vineyard wrought, Alas! they spend their strength for nought, So shall they still, without thine aid, The fruitless task pursue; If o'er the land thy Spirit shed The first and latter rain! Then shall our youth before thee live, Lord, we commend the work to Thee, Thy blessing, full success! Lower-Broughton, Salford. ROBERT A. WEST. THE SEASONS. EACH season has Its own delights: happy are they who feel London: R. Needham, Printer, 1, Belle-Sauvage-Yard, Ludgate- Hill. SUCH is the name given to a favourite amusement of the Russians, and which has been introduced to our Parisian neighbours, no doubt to their great satisfaction. It were well if all amusements were as innocent, or even as healthful as this. It will be seen from the engraving that "The Flying Mountain" consists of a conical-shaped frame work of wood, about forty feet high, on the outside of which a flight of steps conducts to the summit. From the top a grooved railway descends, the declivity being at a very acute angle; this is conducted perhaps fifty or a hundred yards on a level line. At the termination of the level there is sometimes another elevation, and so on, several times in succession. The company who wish to partake of the amusement, ascend by the flight of steps, and each individual, being seated on a low carriage, with four small wheels, is pushed from the platform down the railway. The descent is with a velocity which not unfrequently produces giddiness. The force acquired by descending carries the vehicle along the level plain, and up the next elevation, down the other side of which it goes, regaining part of the velocity which it had lost by friction and ascent, and thus onward, till the whole force is spent. VOL. III. Second Series. G In Russia, these "Flying Mountains" are often erected during the winter on their frozen rivers; and the railway, by means of water and snow, is converted into a sheet of ice. It seems probable that the artificial mountains by which the more civilized now amuse themselves, are derived from natural elevations, which, during the winter, might easily have an ice-path formed upon them for the amusement of the ruder peasantry. PEARL FISHERY IN THE GULF OF PERSIA. THE pearl bank extends from Sharja to Biddulph's Group. The bottom is of shelly sand and broken coral, and the depths vary from five to fifteen fathoms. The right of fishing on the bank is common, but altercations between rival tribes are not unfrequent. Their boats are of various sizes, and of varied construction, averaging from ten to fifty tons. During one season it is computed that the island of Bahreïn furnishes, of all sizes, three thousand five hundred; the Persian coast one hundred; and the space between Bahreïn and the entrance of the Gulf, including the Pirate Coast, seven hundred. The value of the pearls obtained at these several ports is estimated at forty lacs of dollars, or four hundred thousand pounds. Their boats carry a crew varying from eight to forty men; and the number of mariners thus employed at the height of the season is rather above thirty thousand. None receive any definite wages, but each has a share of the profits upon the whole. A small tax is also levied on each boat by the Sheikh of the port to which it belongs. During this period, they live on dates and fish, of which the latter are numerous and good; and to such meager diet our small presents of rice were a most welcome addition. Where polypi abound, they envelope themselves in a white garment; but in general, with the exception of a cloth around their waist, they are perfectly naked. When about to proceed to business, they divide themselves into two parties, one of which remains in the boat to haul up the others, who are engaged |