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a good crop when the others failed; and were the inhabitants to be brought to live equally upon this fruit and rice, it could scarcely ever happen, that a total failure. of both crops would take place at the same time; so as to reduce the people to that extremity of distress to which they are so frequently exposed at present.

There are two things, however, still wanted to enable the people to free themselves from every danger of suffering by famine. One is, the practice of feeding some domesticated animals on such fruits and roots as can be there easily reared, that are not reckoned such palatable food by man as rice, and the other food they have been used to; such as that kind of bread fruit that they do not think delicate, but which could be employed in cases of necefsity; for unless they can employ a thing of this sort with profit in ordinary seasons, it is not to be supposed they will ever rear it in such quantity as to prove a great re source in times of scarcity. But if they were in the prac tice of feeding animals with it, and of eating their flesh the animals themselves, being first killed, would afford one supply; and the food they would have consumed would afford another supply, which would be highly beneficial. The same reasoning might apply to the feeding of poultry, and other animals, in ordinary years, upon rice. But the prejudices of their religion prove an unsurmountable bar to this salutary practice.

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The other circumstance which would tend still more to remove the dread of famines, would be to afford the inhabitants a full protection to their persons and property, and to grant them a similar freedom to trade, as that which is enjoyed by all ranks of people in Britain. Were this the case, there can be no doubt that, in a few years, the certain prospect of gain would induce the rich people to store up such quantities of rice, during plentiful years, as would always supply the call for it in times of scarcity,

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wherever it might happen. But this is a measure, which, I am afraid, we may rather wish, than hope to see adopted in our day.

SLIGHT NOTICES OF THE PRESENT SEAT OF WAR IN THE

NETHERLANDS.

Vide

Continued from p. 36.

NAMUR, Liege, Maestricht, Roermonde, and Venloo, are all upon the banks of the river Maese. Maestricht is the largest of these places, and is one of the most ancient and remarkable cities in the Netherlands, particularly for its strength. It lies fourteen miles north of Liege; it is divided by the Maese into two parts, which are joined to each other by a grand stone bridge. The smallest, situated on the side of the duchy of Limburg, is called Wyk. It is one of the strongest fortresses belonging to the Republic, and likewise one of the principal keys on the Maese. The Jeker, a small river, running through the south side of the town, and falling into the Maese at the bridge, may be checked in its course by means of sluices, and the level country between the town and St Petersberge, (a strong fort about two gunshots to the south of it,) flooded by it. The houses within its walls are about 3000 in number.

Liege is a populous city, about twenty-eight miles lower down the river than Namur. It is a place of no

strength; it is about four miles in circuit. Two branches of the Maese, with other rivulets or canals run through many of the streets, forming so many islands, and render it a very pleasant place. The differences that have for some time past prevailed between the prince Bishop and his people, are well known to all our readers.

Roermonde, commonly called Ruremonde, lies on the confluence of the Roer and the Maese, about twenty

miles south of Venloo. It is a populous place, but of no great strength. Here the French had collected their principal magazines for forwarding their operations on the Maese.

Venloo is a place of considerable strength, though of no great beauty, on the lower Maese, in the province of Geldre. It consists of only eight or nine hundred houses; most of the inhabitants are boatmen, carriers, porters, &c. Opposite to the town, lies an island in the Maese, called the Waard, with a strong bastion on it, for the defence of the town on that side; and fronting the island, on the other side of the Maese, stands fort St Michel, situated about two musket shots from the town. It lies about ten miles S. W. from Geldres, and near forty N. E. from Bois le duc.

Bois le duc is situated at the confluence of the rivers Bommel and Aa, which after their junction here are called the Diest. At about four miles from hence, this river loses itself in the Maese, at a place called fort Crevcœur, from which, however, it may be diverted by means of a sluice, and the whole circumjacent country laid under wa ter. The town is pretty large, and intersected with a great many canals. It was once a place of great strength, owing chiefly to an extensive morass about it, which being now in a great measure drained, renders it much lefs formidable than formerly. It is about twenty-five miles east, and a little north of Breda, and ten miles from fort Hewsden.

The French minister at war says, he has sent orders to Dumourier, to lay immediate seige to Maestricht. The distance he will have to march from Williamstadt, before he can reach Maestricht, is very near 100 miles, so that even if no enemy fhould oppose him, it cannot be inves ted in a very short time.

**It is hoped the map of the seat of the war will be ready next week. Two letters from G. L. are received, both charged postage. No ad drefs of the kind be uses, unless for newspapers alone, can pass free.

120.

THE BEE,

OR

LITERARY WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER,

FOR

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20. 1793.

THE OCELOT.

Ir is somewhat remarkable, that many of the most ravenous creatures are extremely beautiful. The leopard, the tiger, the panther, and the ocelot, though among the most ferocious animals in nature, are also among the most beautiful, especially in what regards the colouring and spots on their skin ; though the exprefsion of the countenance is nothing like so pleasing as that of the dog kind, another class of ravenous creatures, whose ferocity man has VOL. xiv.

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*

March 20. known how to regulate and employ for his own purposes.

The ocelot resembles, in form, the other animals of the cat kind. In size it may be accounted nearly a medium between the tiger and the domestic cat. It is in length about four feet, and in height, about two feet and a half. Its fkin is elegantly variegated by a great number of oblong marbled stripes. Its general colour is a bright tawny. A black stripe extends along the top of the back from head to tail, its forehead is spotted with black, as are also its legs; its shoulders, sides, and rump, are beautifully marbled with long stripes of black, forming oval figures, filled in the middle with small black spots. Its tail is singularly marked with large spots, and black at the end. The colours of the female are lefs vivid than those of the male; neither is it so beautifully marked.

It is a native of South America; inhabits Mexico and Brazil; is very voracious and timid; but seldom attacks men. It is afraid of dogs; and when pursued flies to the woods.

It lives chiefly in the mountains, and conceals itself among the leaves of trees, from whence it darts upon such animals as come within its reach. It sometimes extends itself along the boughs, as if it were dead, till monkies, tempted by their natural curiosity, approach within its reach. It is said to prefer the blood of animals to their flesh.

This creature is among the most savage and untameable of all the savage tribe to which it belongs.

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