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Mr. URBAN, Lettcomb Regis, Jan. 1. NNEXED is a drawing of an A antient oak-tree in the forelt of Savernake, near Marlborough in Wiltfhire, the property of the Earl of Ailefbury, called, in the dialect of the common people of the county, Duke's vant, who alfo pronounce font in the fame manner. Yet, after the most diligent enquiry, 1 find no teftimony to corroborate fuch etymology; but rather fuppofe it a corruption of vaunt, i, e. the boaft, or glory of the duke. It probably received this denomination about the Supreme in ftate, and in three more de beginning of the reign of Edward VI. · Yours, &c. J. STONE. when it belonged to the great Sir Edward Seymour, firft duke of Somerset, whofe vaunt and glory it might well be, as, from its flupendous bulk, it muft long have been the admiration and wonder of the neighbourhood.

enormous trunk will poffibly exift in a
vegetative ftate for many ages to come,
as its verdure at prefent appears quite
luxuriant. So that without an hyperbole,
we may align him a date, perhaps lit
the short of a thousand years! which
will ferve to thew that it was no poetie
fiction when Mr. Dryden afferted,
«The monarch oak, the patriarch of the
trees,
[grees;
Shoots riting up; and (preads by Now de-
Three centuries he grows, and three he
ftays
[cays."

The dimenfions of this vaft tree are 30 feet in circumference on the outfide, and 20 feet round the hollow within, where a young tree was once planted which grew for fome time, but is now gone.

CONTINUATION OF THE JOURNAL KEPT AT MOCHA. (See p. 395.) Mocha 5 Aug. Therm. 85°

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87°

870

87° light rain. TN the afternoon went to the MinzaIN lah, or place of entertainment for ftrangers, near the Eaftern gate. After, vifiting the different apartments I. This long-time pride of the foreft found they were neither proof against ftands near the highway leading from wind or rain. There was no furniMarlborough to Great Bedwin, aboutture of any kind, except fome old half a mile from the great London and Bath road, on the Northern boundary of the parish of Burbage; and I remember, on a perambulation round the boundaries of that parith about 40 years ago, being one of twenty boys who were fhut up together in the concavity; and alfo that a band of mufic, confifting of a violin, hautboy, and baffoon, played feveral tunes in it. There was then a door hang to it, which fhut or locked occationally. At that time fome of the oldeft men prefent obferved, that it had been in the fame decayed ftate time immemorial; a cogent argument, if any were wanting, of the extreme great age of this verdant ruin; which having remained in the fame condition upwards of a hundred years, thus certainly proved, may reafonably be conjectured to have been much longer in its gradual decline. And if, according to the commonly received opinion, the periods of the growth, perfection, and decline, of the oak are equal, we fall look into very remote antiquity for the acorn that produced this venerable fovereign of the woods. And though long fince deprived of its towering head and wide-extending arms, yet the GENT. MAG. June, 1802.

couches, or cradles, fuch as are com-
monly ufed by the Arabs for fleeping
on. On thefe they ufually fpread the
cloth which they carry over their
fhoulders; and it answers the purpose
of fheet and coverlet. They have no
bedding of any kind. I obferved feve-.
ral camels laying in the yard, or in--
clofure near the houfe. They were
from Moufah, and a dark brown co-
lour; they had brought Taam, or Ifary,
a finall grain refembling millet, for
fale. The Arabs were laying on the
couches in a reclining poftere, fmoak-
ing their hooka's and drinking kahwa.
I enquired for the matter of the house,
but found it was kept by an old wo-
man. On being introduced to her,
I explained that I was hungry, and
wifhed to procure fome refreshment.
It not being the ufual hour, I found
they had nothing in the minzilah but
kahwa and couches. Indeed, I fancy
the fare is but indifferent; however,
the expences are very moderate, being
as follows: for one night's lodging, one
comafh; for a camel for one night,
half a comash; for dinner of mutton,
or goat's flesh, with bread made from
Taam, or Ifary, with Ghee and coffee,
four comafhes; for breakfast of bread -

aud

and milk, Ghee and coffee, four eomathes; daily expence of a man and his camel, about twelve comathes.

From the Minzilah I went to the Well, about three quarters of a mile to the Eatiward of the Grand Molque, to procure fome plants, particularly the Mecca balfam, and the tree which produces the gum myrrh, neither of which were to be met with there, or in the botanic gardens contiguous. I only met with the Bathan, which produces a fruit about the fize of a peach, containing a finall kernel, the leaf of a deep green colour, not unlike the Mango leaf, but more oblong. There was the Mango tree likewife, and the Sifaban, which, refembles the Laburnam; it bears no fruit, but is cultivated for ornament only. I faw cotton plants with a much fmaller leaf than thofe of the Wei Indies; the Capficum, or red pepper, which feems well adapted to the foil, as it thrives remarkably well; the Hybak, or Myrtle; the Palm-three and Palmyra, Wormwood, Mint, Sage. There is likewife a plant, called Afkar,, the leaves of which contain a milky juice extremely acid, which is applied by the Arabs to remove local pains; it occafions irritation and inflammation of the cutis, and is employed on the fame principle we apply blifters, to produce a counter irritation. There are two or three fhrubs from India, with the names and properties of which the gardeners are unacquainted. There is likewife a tree called by the natives Henah, which is ufed for tinging the fkin of a yellow or reddish colour; they bruife the leaves and finaller branches, which they infufe in warm water, and wath with this frequently.

The flave girls, brought from the oppofite coaft, on their arrival at Mocha are extremely black; but in the pace of three weeks or a month, by the ufe of this lotion, they become brown, fo as hardly to be diftinguished from the Arabs. They likewife have a procefs for making their hair ftraight, by tying it very tight with a piece of lead fufpended behind, which keeps it conftantly on the firetch. In the morning when combed out it covers the upper part of the fhoulders; and, except the difference of colour, exhibits nearly the fame appearance as the bifhops wigs. Both last year and this, I have had an opportunity of obferving from my window the different manoeuvres

A kind of batter.

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employed in the manufactory of male and female flaves. One of thefe girls, flanding on the terrace of the houfe where they are kept, obferved I was looking at her, and feemed much of fended at my prefumption. The modę of exprefling her difpleature was foinewhat fimilar to the ladies on the pent at Portfimouth, by turning the back of her hand towards me and clapping it with the other. Whether this is the refult of education, or proceeds from inftinct, I fhall not pretend to deter mine. In returning from the gardens, I came through the village where the Jews relide. A young lad, the fon of one of the Rabbes, met me, and informing me there was a wedding in the Jew town, he propofed to introduce me. I willingly accepted the offer, but on coming to the house we were refufed admittance. The alarm having been given, that a Sharangee, of European, was coming, we were met at the door by three men, who oppoted our entry, and were much difpleased with the boy for attempting to intrude on their feftivity; however, parily by perfo fion and partly by force, I got in, ard took a feat. The women had all difappeared, ou fecing the ftruggle to force our way in; but, after the commotion was over and all quiet, they cane back. again, but kept at a refpectable diftance. The boys, however, eager to look at my watch, crowded round me; and on my indulging them, the very men who had oppoted my coming in with fo much violence became extremely civil, and requcfted that I would open the watch, to thew the internal ftructure, with which they were highly pleafed. This excited the curi ofity of the females, who had hitherto kept aloof, excepting an old woman, on whom I prevailed to bring fonething to drink, telling her “Sherab jotee,” I want fome liquor. She brought fome of the Kalfa, or fpirit diftilled from dates; which I taffed, and told her Iwanted water, it was too firong; the brought a filver cup and fome water which I mixed with the fpirit, and prefented it to the old lady; but the declined drinking. I tafted the grog, and, in my opinion, it is a more pa latable liquor than the arrack, though not near lo ftroug; it is below proof. I then gave the cup to the bridegroom and to two other men, who drank little. a number of the boys feemed eager to get ho, a of the cup, but, as I

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could not indulge them all, I took care of my young friend who had intro duced me; I gave him the cup, and he drank off the whole with avidity. I ought to have mentioned my first introduction to the bridegroom, which took place during the circulation of the filver cup. He was a tall good-looking young nian. After withing him every hap pinefs the inarriage ftate affords, I begged to be introduced to the bride, but could not prevail; they promifed, however, that I thould fee her to morrow. The young ladies now collected round nie, to the number of twelve or fourteen, and begged I would permit them to look at my watch. I could not refute them of courie; I fhook hands with feveral of them, one in particular truck my fancy as remarkably handfonte. I enquired her name, which was Mariam; and her age, I was told, was fourteen. I faid to my young friend, Narla Mara Maleka," this is a very pretty girl: the turned, and went away; I could obferve a fimile on her countenance, and that The was not difpleated at the compliment. She was rather tall, a fine figure, with lively eyes and very exprelive features. I dare fay, in Spain fe would have paffed for a first-rate beauty. I again requefied to be introduced to the bride, explaining to them that, among the Englith, it was enfionary on thele occafions, but could not prevail; on which I took my leave.

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(To be continued.)

Mr. URBAN, May 14. KNOW no channel through which information is conveyed in fo clear a ftream as your valuable Mifcellany; and if you will permit the following lines to appear before your numerons and judicious correfpondents, you will thereby not only oblige an old and conliant reader, but also revive his hopes that the fubject will engage the attention of fome able hand, that will adminifter that juffice to it which its importance feems to require.

For feveral years pait, it has been ny lot to be fettled in a market-town, where I lived in the greatefi intimacy and amity with my parishioners, whole whole deineanour towards me evinced that my conduct was fuch as gained their approbation; and, were proofs neceflary to tapport my allertion, they might without vanity be adduced from

their confiant attendance on divine worship, and the very great increafe of the congregation: indeed, fuch in every refpect was their attention, fuch was the forwardnefs expreffed by every individual to adopt every measure that was recommended, as might well induce me to tay, that "the lines have fallen to me in goodly places." Lately, however, neceflity has frequently compelled me not only to remind them of their duty to attend the fervice of the church, but alfo to lament the want of that Chriftian humility whofe praife is in the Gofpel. A reflection on the change prompted me to enquire into the caule. It occurred to me, that, among the abfentres (for fuch only I confidered them) the far greateft part confifted of people employed in butinefs: and upon my enquiring of Mrs. Grocer, whilst the was replenishing my fnuff-box, after the welfare of her neighbour Tallow, as I had not feen her lately in church! O! fir," replied the, "have you not heard of the new Excifeman? He was dipped latt Sunday; and Mrs. Tallow fays, that He is the fwertet man in the world, fings delightfully, always gives out the hymns at meeting, and prays before the fermon, and has converted feveral by his good advice when he comes to furvey them." Mrs Boniface atured me, that there was nothing loft by going to Meeting, as he would maintain it, that notwithstanding their late great increase of bufinefs, yet they paid not much more than half of that unnatural and detefiable money which was extorted from them at the fitting. Mr. Gauge was fo good to them, and not near fo particular as his predeceffor."

On the following day Mr. Scrupulous, vicar of the next market-town, paid me a vifit, and, in the courfe of converfanation, obferved his having about fix months before adminiftered the Sacranient to a young man, to qualify him for the Excife, who refided in his town, and was from his youth a rigid Anabaptif, and never was feen before or ader in that church. He added, that, should it fall again to his lot to qualify another, who was known to be of that defeription, he should never be able to quiet his own confcience on the occa, fion. But," continued he, "Mr. Meanwell, my worthy neighbour, has ar Excileman refiding in his parish, who not only prays with the fick after he has been to vifit them, but preaches o enl;

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