April 3, other power but what the love and confidence of the inhabitants give him, for the purpose of keeping order; and he is obeyed out of respect to his age and wisdom.

Idiots and madmen are. likewise often called Shechs, because they are generally reputed holy, and thought to be inspired, particularly when they are more knaves than fools, and go about prophesying and working miracles, as tricks of hocus pocus are called by the ignorant Mahometans.

This great latitude in the application of the title Shech, may therefore have misled the translator of the title of the sovereign of the Hafsafsi, and induced him to intérpret Shech ul Gabel, Old Man of the Mountain; as if he had been only a chief from respect and age, like the old man of a Syrian village; but it is a mistake, as the Arabic title means, in that phrase, the real prince or sovereign of a people, and is synonimous to Sultan, Khan, and Emir; all four different names for the sovereigns of different tribes of Arabs, but no one of them claim the least superiority or pre-eminence on account of his supe rior title.

I fhall conclude these remarks on the title of Shech, by observing, that this and Emir are alone employed to designate the Arab princes in Arabia, whilst those of Sultan and Khan are employed as titles for the princes of the Arab tribes on the coast of Persia.

If you like these observations on the old ruffian and his subjects, so often mentioned at present in newspapers, c. to how from whom the French

173 are so emulous of taking example, and a new name, they are much at your service, to do with them what you please, till leisure may produce some other disquisition more important and useful from your old friend

OLD BYSANTHIUM.

THE MANNNER THE TURKS POSSESS OF SETTING JEWELS ON WATCHES, HILTS OF SCIMITARS, e. BY MEANS OF A CEMENT OR Glue, which neVER

FALLS OUT.

Communicated by Arcticus.

DISSOLVE five or six bits of mastic, about the size of peas, in as much spirit of wine as is necessary for their perfect liquidity; then dissolve in French brandy a piece of isinglafs, (sufficient to make about two ounces of glue by measure,) which has been previously soaked all night in water; and, lastly, add to the solution of isinglass in brandy, three small pieces of gum galbanum, of the size of peas, like the mastic, and let the whole be perfectly difsolved and then mixed together. With this composition you may set stones, glue pieces of polished steel or glafs together, &c. always taking care that the bodies to be joined be perfectly clean and free from oily particles. They ought always to be heated likewise before junction, in proportion as their respective natures will bear without injury.

My friend likewise mentions another art, pofsessed and practised by the Greeks in Smyrna, but which he thinks may be known in Britain, viz. a way of

preparing cotton, so as to take on any kind of colours like silk.

This is by simply boiling it first in a solution of mild alkali, and then in oil.

ANECDOTES OF HUNTING, BY ARCTICUS.
For the Bee.

amusement

Manner of booting the great grous in Russia. I AM ignorant if the Russian manner of shooting two species of large game is familiar to some of your readers; but it certainly cannot be so to all. I fhall therefore give an outline of it for two reasons, the first is its having been a a favourite of the empress Elisabeth and her court in a former reign; the second, its pointing out two curious circumstances in the natural history of the two species of game, the tetrao urogallus, or great grous, a very large fowl, and the tetrao tetrix, or black game, something smaller, which last was the ancient object of the imperial hunt, although now fallen into disuse in the present reign, which encourages no species of chace, although hounds, hawks, and huntsmen, are still kept up as formerly, under the two Veneurs, viz. the grand huntsman, prince Galitzen, and master of the hounds, Potemkin, mentioned in a former article, rather for fhow than use, although some of the nobility, and lovers of hunting, profit by the neglected establish

ment.

The manner of shooting the large grous is founded on the curious trait of its character alluded to

F

formerly, which is fhutting its eyes in rapture at its own music, though certainly none of the sweetest during which extacy the sportsman walks boldly on, without fear of alarming it with the rustling of bushes, or any common noise; but should the bird cease to sing, as they call it, he must instantly stop, and stand motionlefs like a statue, without even venturing to turn his head towards the tree where his game sits, or he is sure to lose it; such is the quickness of its eye and ear, when not fascinated with its own note. On the grous beginning another air, the sportsman pushes on without farther circumspection, often up to the very tree, and brings down the silly bird, which sop would not have failed to make famous for its folly in a fable, had it inhabited Greece, or the range of his travels.

Manner of booting the black cock.

THE fhooting of black game, or the black cock, is of that social kind which collect sportsmen together in parties, and used in a former reign, as said above, to be the favourite amusement of the court.

There are little fhooting huts built on purpose in the woods frequented by the black game, full of loop holes, like little forts, where the company watch the assembling of the game on the surrounding trees, dressed out with artificial decoy birds, commonly made of black cloth, with the marks of the natural fowl, and fhoot them through the described openings, without taking the trouble of moving from their seats.

In this manner the company are all lodged in ses parate parties and huts, in various parts of the woods, where there is commonly likewise good cheer; so that they enjoyed the pleasure without the fatigues of the chace, with the additional advantage of society and refreshment, whilst waiting for game.

The black game are by no means scared away by the report of a gun, if they do-not see the sportsman; so that several may be killed on the same tree; but, particularly, if by chance three or four are placed on branches one above another; the sportsman has then only to fhoot the undermost bird first, and then the others gradually upwards in succefsion; as the superior fowl is earnestly employed in looking down after his fallen companion, and keeps chattering to it till his own turn comes.

VIRTUE

READING MEMORANDUMS.

IRTUE is undoubtedly most laudable in that state which makes it most difficult; and therefore the humanity of a goaler certainly deserves public approbation; and the man whose heart has not been hardened by such an employment, may be justly proposed as a pattern of benevolence.

Upon reports of extraordinary sanctity, do not wholly slight them, because they may be true; but do not easily trust them, because they may be

false.