Chap. IV. The Fourth and laft Chapter of this Work, contains the Hiftory of the Converfion of the Oftiacks to the Chriftian Worship, according to the Rites of the Greek Church. This Converfion was en- . tirely owing to the Zeal of Father Philotheus, Archbishop of Siberia, a Prelate of diftinguished Piety, and remarkably induftrious in the Converfion of Heathens. He had fent Miffionaries among the Mongalians, a roving Nation little known, which inhabits the extreme Parts of the Mufcovite Empire, towards China. Upon their return without Succefs, he turned his Thoughts towards the Oftiacks. He refigned his Archbishoprick, and with Leave of Prince Petrowitz Gagarin, Governor of Siberia, went himself among the Oftiacks, accompanied by fome of his own Clergy. There without any other Force, than that of Reason and Perfuafion, he attacked Idolatry, and prevailed fo far, that the old Man of the Oby was committed to the Flames near Samaroff, in the Year, 1712; and foon after another Idol met with the fame Treatment. However, the Good Prelate baptized no more than ten or eleven Perfons in that Year; among them was a Man of Rank, a Knés, as they call them, defcended, it was faid, from the antient Kings of that Nation. In the following

Years

Years he had more extenfive Succefs confiderably. Above five thoufand Perfons were baptized in the Years, 1713 and 14.

Here ends Mr. Muller's account of the Oftiacks. He has inferted, in a fhort Digreffion, fome Particulars of the Mongalians, which I have referved for the Conclufion of this Abstract.

They dwell in Tents, and lead a roving Life, without any fettled Habitation. They are however luxurious in their Way, chufe the most delightful Spots to encamp in, and have their Winter and Summer Tents equally magnificent. The former are made of Felt, and the latter of the fineft Silks, frequently of Velvet. They are Idolaters, as the Chinese, but believe the Tranfmigration of Souls. They were formerly under the Jurifdiction of a HighPrieft, refiding on the Confines of China, and whofe Stile of Honour was Dalailama. This Priest governed them by his Suffragan, who was called Kutuchta, and who has fince ufurped the Authority of his Provincial, and exercifeth Jurifdiction in his own right at present.

No Man can be more respected than the Kutuchta is among them. They believe, or pretend to believe, that he grows young again with the new Moon; and he countenances this Opinion by fhaving only on

that

that Day, and appearing with all the Advantages of Drefs and Paint, to hide all the Traces of old Age. He is attended in Public by a great and magnificent Retinue of Priefts, who burn Incenfe before him with the fame Solemnity, as before their Idols, and present him with the fame facred Food, which they offer to their Gods, Honey, Sugar, dried Sweet Meats, Mead, Brandy, Tea, Milk, and Wine. 'Tis no wonder, that a Man thus deified should not hearken readily to the good Archbishop's Miffionaries.

ARTICLE IX.

An ESSAY towards accounting for vari ous Phænomena, which may help to acquire an exact Knowledge of Nature. Written in High Dutch by Chriftopher Philip Berger, Doctor of Phyfick, and Phyfician in ordinary for the County of Shaumburg. The firft Tome. With a Preface by Mr. Chriftopher Wolf, Counsellor, &c. Printed at Lemgo in 8vo. containing 204 Pages without the Preface and Index (a).

MR

R. Berger's Effay contains ten Obfervations. 1. On the Inflammation of VOL. III. PART II.

I

(a) Biblioth. Germ. Tom. xl. Art, vii.

the

the fubterraneous Air in a Coal Mine. 2. On a Man, who was purged by the bare Smell of a purgative Potion. 3. On a Kind of Rainbow, which was feen in the Sky towards the South, at half an Hour past nine at Night the 4th of October, 1731. 4. On a Disorder in the Spleen, which had been taken for an Appearance of Pregnancy. 5. On a Phænomenon believed to be, and called, a Rain of Sulphur. 6. On what they call Vampyrs, i. e. dead Bodies which are believed to fuck the Blood of the Living. 7. On a Girl, who inftead of her Menftrua had Milk in her Breafts. 8. On the Caufe of the Coldness of the Air, which is felt on the highest Mountains. 9. On Superfœtation. 10. On the Reason why it does not hail in Winter (b).

In every one of the Doctor's Obfervations, fays the Author of the French Abftract, there is fome new Discovery, and fome Marks of his Sagacity and Exactnefs.

The Phænomenon, which is the firft Subject of his Obfervations, happened the 5th of September, 1735, at Sulbeck, a Village which belongs to the Count de la Lipe Shaumburg: And the Doctor was obliged

not

(6) We muft fuppofe the Fact to be true in the Author's Climate. 'Tis not fo in this,

not only by his Employment, but by a fpecial Order from his Excellency, to examine it with the utmost Accuracy,

The Particulars, of which he could get a true Information, are the nine following. -I. As foon as the fubterraneous Air is fet on fire by the Approach of the Miner's Candle, a Flame of a bluish Colour quickly fpreads like a Train of Gunpowder from the Place where it was kindled, and after having fled till it meets with an Obftruction to its Way, it flies back again with the fame Rapidity towards the Miner; and except he can betimes throw himself on the. Ground with his Face downward, and cover his Head with a wet Cloth, the Fire finges his Skin and Hair. If it furprizes him standing, the ftrong Motion it occafions in the Air, pushes him violently down; and whether he had laid himself on the Ground, or not, he feels a strong Preffure as the Guft of inflamed Air paffes along. 2. As long as the Miner ftands with his lighted Candle at the Place, which anfwers perpendicularly to the Mouth or Opening of the Mine, or at the Entrance of the Paffages, which recede from the main Opening, the Air as yet does not take fire; it kindles only when you carry the lighted Candle near as far as the Middle of thofe Paffages. 3. There are but three of thofe Paffages, where the Air proves inflammable, I 2

and