de Luz, were taken and plundered by the Spaniards in 1636, who at the same time, seized on fourteen large vessels laden with blubber, &c. After this fatal event, which annihilated the fishery of the Basques, a number of their best sailors found it necessary to expatriate themselves, and carry their talents and industry elsewhere.

In

"It belongs to the pencil of history, to depict in their true colours, the disputes that took place among the rival companies which arose in Holland, France, and England, and built their prosperity on the ruin of each other. the course of only two hundred years, they thinned, or rather entirely deprived, the North sea of its whales; for Anderson has calculated, that between 1721 and 1765, the Hollanders alone caught no less than $2,927.*

"I have thus collected and stated such facts as seem to ensure an incontestable priority on behalf of the fishermen of the North, in respect of this branch of maritime industry. If the Basques did not equal these, another species of glory at least is reserved for the latter, and this is, by the boldness of their navigation, to have afforded a grand example to the other nations of Europe; they having pierced nearly as far as the pole, in order to establish a species of floating manufacture there.

"Neither the Basques nor the Dutch can however be justly considered as the first whale-fishers; as the most ancient records possessed by the latter ascend no higher than the year 1415. Besides, I find by the proceedings of the states-general of the United Provinces in 1614, that the Hollanders were at that period so little acquainted with the whalefishery, that they invited a great number of Basque fishermen from France, in order that they might teach them their me thod.

"It results then from the whole, that we are but little informed relative to the origin, the infancy, and the progress of this branch of maritime economy, both

I have discovered by a work translated from the Dutch, that between 1669 and 1778, inclusive, the Dutch alone caught on the coast of Greenland, no fewer than 57,589 whales; and between 1719 and 1778, inclusive, they took 7,586 of these fish in Davis' Strait, which forms a grand total of 65,175 whales.

+ Diplome de Guillaume, Conte de Bavière et de Hollande, en faveur des pêcheurs d'Ypel.

1

among ourselves and our neighbours. Commerce has obtained a Fischer for an historian in Germany, and an Anderson in England. A third is yet wanting for France, in order to compile a complete work relative to the infancy, the youth, and the more advanced progress of a mul titude of useful arts, in respect to the invention and practice of which we perhaps are entitled to the preference. In fine, it still remains a desideratum, to indicate the epochs at which we have gradually obtained perfection in our rural, commercial, and maritime economy."

This work abounds with curious facts, but is evident that it has been produced by Gallic vanity; for the author labours to attribute all the glory of the deep-sea fishery to his countrymen, the Basques and Normans. It is notorious, however, that the Dutch and English were their precursors, and that the French at no one period were able to rival either of these nations in the pursuit and capture of the whale.

“Tableau de Georgie, &c." An histo rical, political, ecclesiastical, and literary Account of Georgia, by Eugenius, Ar chimandrite of the Convent of St. Alexander Newsky.

The insular situation of Great Britain, in the opinion of many of her inhabitants, happily exempts her from any cares relative to other countries. Our commerce, our manufactures, our agriculture, and our navigation, according to them, are the sole objects that ought to be considered; and,with an exception to our colonial possessions in the West Indies, and our eastern dominions in Asia, that English interests alone should employ our attention, and engross our specu lations.

It will readily occur, however, to men of discernment, that a great nation, such as ours, is deeply affected by the fall or aggrandizement of the remotest state in Europe, or perhaps even in Asia, And this argument does not embrace political relations alone; for our commercial prose perity is in some measure involved in it,

as

our manufactures, more especially during peace, extend, in some way or other, to almost every region of the ba bitable world.

Russia, with which we are at present at war, after having lately emerged from barbarism, has made inroads on all the neighbouring countries, and increased her empire to a most formidable size. Among her recent conquests is the country which is the subject of the present work;

for

for part of Georgia has been lately-transformed into a province, and many of the nations in the vicinity of Mount Caucasus, have been constrained to yield their fierce independence, in consequence of the victorious incursions of a people but a single degree less rude than themselves.

Georgia, in Russian called Gorusia, and in Turkish and Persian, Giurdgistan, was formerly termed Iberia, by which name it is invariably mentioned by the Byzantine historians. Plutarch describes the government that prevailed there in ancient times; and the facts adduced by him, appear to have been correctly stated. The princes of the blood royal composed a very numerous tribe, or cast; and the eldest branch, always exercised the rights of sovereignty. When attacked by Pompey the Great, their king was called Artoces or Artchir; and they opposed him with numerous but undisciplined armies, unable to contend in the open country against the veteran legions of ancient Rome. They must, however, have been, even at that remote period, rather more civilized, perhaps, than at present; for according to Strabo, they built towns, manufactured the grape into wine, and cultivated corn: all of which presuppose a certain degree of polity.

So much for their ancient state: as to their modern annals, we learn that the Czar, or Tzar, Wachtang I. laid the foundation of Tefflis, the capital, in the year 311 of the Christian æra. After changing their religion, from heathenism to christianity, they began to distinguish themselves among their neighbours. Their conversion, as usual, was produced by a female. This pious woman, called Nonna, if we are to credit the testimony of one of their kings, gravely confirmed by Rufinus, wrought inany great miracles, and these are, at the same time, amply attested by the collateral proofs of several religious books, which minutely describe all the particulars. Such a favourite, indeed, has this good lady been, for ages past, that the natives were careful, amidst all their feuds and wars, to preserve, for several centuries, a cross formed out of the trunks of two vines, and tied together with her hair. In consequence of a successful invasion of the Turks, it was carried, however, into Russia, where it remained until within these few years; when the present Emperor, with a most becoming respect for the religious prejudices of his new sub

jects, sent back this palladium of the nation, to the shrine whence it was for merly taken,

After subjugating many of their neighbours, the Iberians themselves were at length overcome by the Persians. On this, many of the chiefs entered into the service of their conquerors; but Prince Tornikia, who had turned Monk, leaving his convent, assumed the dress of a warrior, and distinguished himself by his exploits. What is still more wonderful, after defeating the enemy, he calmly resumed the babit of his order, and built a convent on Mount Athos, where his ar mour is still exhibited.

At length, Georgia, having regained her independence, was enabled, by the wisdoin of her princes, to withstand the efforts of the surrounding nations, here termed barbarians. David III. who ascended the throne, in 809, rebuilt several towns, which had fallen into decay, while George III. who commenced his reign in 1150, carried his victorious arms into Persia, and thus avenged his country for the many wrongs experienced from that quarter.

But Tamar, who may be considered as the Iberian Catharine, deserves the greatest portion of notice, as she eclipsed the glory of all her predecessors, and has not since been equalled by any of the succeeding princes. This illustrious female commenced her reign in 1173, and filled the throne during a period of twenty-seven years. She commanded her armies in person, at the head of which her majesty gained many battles, and rendered several nations tributary. Her princes, and great men, if we are to give credit to the work before us, which is further supported by other authorities, mingled a taste for the Muses with a love of war; and on their return from the toils of a campaign, amused themselves with poetry. Their compositions, both in verse and in prose, are still relished by the Georgians, who admire the classic productions of those days, when the court of Tefflis was thronged with men of letters. During the life of this celebrated princess, who married a son of the Czar Andrew Bogulohskoi, and thus, for the first time, formed a connexion with Russia, Georgia, may be said to have enjoyed all the blessings of the golden age.

The age of iron soon succeeded; for a queen, named Udan, or the Russies, having imprudently divided the kingd into two, of course rendered it weaker,

and less able to bear the pressure of a foreign enemy. Jhengis Khan, therefore, was enabled to traverse the country thrice; and the princes of the blood royal, preferring the suggestions of their own ambition, to the love of their country, called in the assistance of foreign nations, for the express purpose of satiating their own lust of dominion.

During this epoch of confusion and disaster, Tamerlane obliged nearly all the Georgians to subinit to the rites of circumcision, and profess the faith of Mahomet. But this was not all; for in 1414, the Czar Alexander I. partitioned out the kingdom among his three sons, giving Kardwel to one, Kachetia to another, and Imirette to the third and youngest. These three branches have produced and continued three different successions, amidst a melancholy series of civil discord, foreign invasion, and religious persecutions. The dethronement, and assassination of many of the princes, and the bloody civil wars to which these events gave rise, naturally weakened the strength and power of a divided country. This of course invited hostilities on the part of the surrounding nations, and we accordingly find, that towards the end of the sixteenth century, Imirette was entirely subdued by the Turks; while Kardwel and Kachetia, without so much as a struggle, resigned themselves to the dominion of the Persians. The Czar of Kachetia, however, who had consented to become their vassal, thought proper to withdraw from the yoke of the latter, and placed himself under the protection of Russia, to the sovereign of which country he became tributary. The tribute, however, was not onerous, although it might have been dishonourable; at first it consisted of only ten pieces of gold and silver cloth, and fifty pieces of satin. In return for this yearly present, the reigning monarch, Theodore Iwanowitsch, agreed to protect his vassal from every enemy; and to confirm this promise in 1586, transmitted a fine patent, replete with offers of assistance, to which a gold seal was appended.

This intercourse, naturally excited the jealousy of both the Turks and Persians, and in 1653, we find Teymuras, a brave prince, after being assailed on every side by enemies, imploring the assistance of six thousand Russians, in vain.

At length, the Georgian Czar, Artchiel, having repaired to Russia, in the beginning of the eighteenth century, died there in 1713, and in his will declared Peter MONTHLY MAG. No, 187.

the Great heir to all his dominions. That monarch, by his brilliant conquests on the side of Persia, was enabled to protect the Georgians, during the latter period of his reign; but, on his death, the Turks entered the country; and Russia, in the person of one of his successors, acknowledged their right of dominion. Persia, however, not unmindful of her interests, was still eager to obtain a nominal sovereignty over the territories adjacent to her empire; and by the treaty of 1736, the Turks, in their turn, were obliged to cede the supreme authority over Upper Georgia to Nadir Shah, or Thamas Kouli Khan, who conciliated the affections of the inhabitants.

Some time after the demise of that celebrated warrior, the Prince or Czar Heraclius, who died in 1798, threw off the Persian yoke; but it was only to submit to the more terrible domination of Russia: he having agreed to become the vassal of the Empress Catharine, in 1783. His successor, Prince George, after an appearance of consultation with the chief personages in his dominions, found it prudent to abdicate the sovereignty, and cede the country entirely to the Russians. This event, which his mother had never been able to accomplish, was reserved for the reign of Paul Petrowitz's person, who received a deputation of the inhabitants, with great ceremony; and was most graciously pleased to admit the Georgians of Kachetia and Kardwel, to all the rights, immunities, franchises, and privileges, of Russian subjects. The Emperor Alexander has since formed Upper Georgia into a province, under the name of Gorusia, and has established a regency at Tefilis, the capital, for its government. As the inhabitants are attached to their own laws, these are allowed for the present to remain in force, and the native Boyurs are to be preferred to Russians, in respect to public offices: but as the revenue is only valued at 101,000 rubles per annum, and nearly the whole of this sum will be required for the establishe ment of order; the courtiers of St. Petersburgh are not likely to become candidates for any, even of the greatest posts. In respect to Imirette, usually called Lower Georgia, a descendant of the ancient sovereigns is still permitted to reign there, under the auspices of Russia.

As to literary pursuits, the Georgians do not seem of late years to have ex ́celled. Their authors have been chiefly 4 X Theologians,

Theologians, and most, if not all their manuscripts, relate to ecclesiastical affairs. This circumstance is easily accounted for, as on the fall of Constantinople, and the dissolution of the Greek empire, great numbers of the clergy took refuge in their country, whither they at the same time carried whatsoever was accounted valuable. John Pertizi, about the year 1100, during the reign of the Czar David, by whom he was patronized, translated many philosophical and theo. logical works out of the Greek into his own vernacular language. Georgian versions of Aristotle, Plato, and Porphyry, still exist; and Prince Orbelianow composed a dictionary, which is yet preserved in Tefflis, but has never been printed. Persian manuscripts also abound there; and they are in possession of a History of Joseph and Salicha, the wife of Potiphar; which in their language is denominated Usup Salichaniani. Of their own original productions, the most celebrated is the Tamariani, being an epic poem on the queen, or rather the Czarina Tamar, to whom we have al luded above. She is described as Juno, rather dignified than beautiful, with a majestic aspect, and a "flowing gait," like to a river, "nobly rolling its waters along its bed." In respect to recent improvements, we are informed by the very intelligent Russian Archimandrite, who composed this work, that the native princes who lately ruled in Georgia, endeavoured to enlighten the people, by the diffusion of knowledge. To achieve this, they founded schools, and libraries; they also established printing-presses, and appear to have been actuated by a noble spirit of emulation. The VicePatriarch Anthony, who died in 1798, compiled, or at least published, a grammar, and a dictionary; circulated several elementary books relative to history and geography; and caused many scientific works to be translated from the French and German into the Georgian language. He also composed the funeral sermons of a number of saints and martyrs, who died fighting for their country.

After having treated thus fully of the history and literature, we shall now extract some information, relative to the geography of a country, bounded by the dominions of the Turks, the Persians, and the Russians; and subject, in turn, to them all. Mount Caucasus, which appears to have been to the full as well known to the ancients as the moderns, extends its immense chain of hilly region

between the Black and the Caspian seas. The middle is interspersed with glaciers, while all the summits are covered with snow, which the sun has not power to dissolve. It extends about four hundred and fifty miles in length, while its breadth, in the widest part, is two hundred miles. Elbutz is the highest promontory, and its summit is estimated at four thousand five hundred feet above the level of the adjacent sca; we apprehend, however, that the author is here mistaken; for if this computation be in the least accurate, it must necessarily follow, that the Caucasus, in point of elevation, is a mountain of the second or third order.

To the north, this immense range of hills bounds those extensive plains, occupied, in the time of the Romans, by the Sarmatians; it is now the residence and hunting-grounds of the Cossacks and Calmucks, who serve in the Russian armies, and are more celebrated as freebooters, than as warriors. To the south it joins Mount Taurus; to the east it gradually shelves, or declines towards the Caspian; while to the west, its abrupt and rugged cliffs, extend towards the Euxine sea. This immense mountainous tract is not so strong, in a military point of view, as might have been expected; and indeed the armies of Persia, of Rus sia, and of Turkey, have all penetrated into, and overrun it, with a facility that appears almost incredible. Notwith standing this, there are but two passages; one that opens to Asia, and the other to Europe; that situate near to where the river Tereck takes its rise, has been de nominated the gate of Caucasus; the second is the defile of Derbend, or the Caspian gate.

The isthmus of Caucasus has been long celebrated; and in its neighbourhood are to be found, not only all the climates, but all the productions of Europe, and Asia. The physiognomies and the di alects of the inhabitants, are all alike various; and the author, not unmindful that he is a Russian by birth, after enumerating the various nations, who either roam at large, or are settled here, is eager to convince his readers, that, however barbarous, or however distant, they all own the emperor for their liege lord.

nature.

During a residence of three years, Riche applied himself to the sciences allied to medicine, more especially natural history and physics. While in that city, he sustained several theses, and distinguished himself by one in par. ticular, on the chemistry of vegetables, replete with ingenious experiments: in fine, his reputation was now so well established, that the Academy of Sciences of Montpellier, elected him an associated correspondent, in express contravention to its own regulations, prohibiting the adinission of any medical student. In 1787, he obtained a doctor's degree.

Finding himself attacked at this period, with a phthisis, which increased in the exact proportion of his application, he was obliged to resign his labours, and seek for solace in the bosom of his family; which he quitted, however, soon after, in order to repair to Paris: there, encouraged by assistance of every kind, and also urged forward by a noble emulation, he continued to prosecute his studies with renewed ardour. His genius, accordingly developed itself, in a variety of different memoirs, particularly one relative to the classification of animals by their interior parts; another, concerning larve; a third, which had for its object an account of microscopic animals; and a fourth, concerning the petrified shells in the vicinity of Paris.

The best eulogium that can be paid to Riche, is, that he possessed the esteem and affection of those two justly celebrated men, Fabricius, and Vicq-d'Azir. The latter made him the associate of his labours, and was indebted to his assiduity for a large portion of what he publisted in the Encyclopédie Methodique: Riche is author of the Tables which precede the Comparative Anatomy. The original draughts of these, written and

corrected with his own hand, are still in existence.

Vicq d'Azir, accordingly, on all occasions, was ready to do him ample justice; he praised him several times in his writings, and was accustomed to prophecy that he would be his successor. Riche, however, survived him no more than two years; these were chiefly occupied by a long voyage, of which we intend to give an account, as during that period, he acted a very conspicuous part, in consequence of his zeal for the progress of science; to which, indeed, he devoted the whole of his life.

It is with a certain degree of affection, that the name of the unfortunate La

Pérouse is always mentioned. Sent to the South Sea, to reconnoitre those lands which the immortal Cook had not been able to visit, he set out, in 1785, with instructions to return in 1788. But these three years elapsed, and no intelligence whatsoever was received concerning him, posterior to his departure from Botany Bay. It became extremely probable, and indeed appeared evident, at length, that he had either perished on some rock, or by means of some tempest. However, in the month of January, 1791, the Society of Naturalists proposed to the Constitutent Assembly, to fit out a new expedition, to ascertain the fate of the former; and to resume, in case of misadventure, that project; the completion of which had been prevented by misfortune. This scheme, equally honourable to the nation, and advantageous to the cause of science, was listened to with enthusiasm.

Two vessels were accordingly destined for the expedition: these were called, La Recherche, and L'Espérance; D'Entrecasteaux, repaired on board the former, as commander of the expedition; with Hernimy d'Auribeau, as his captain, Crepin, his lieutenant, &c. Huon, who possessed the rank of captain, cominanded the Recherche; while Frobriart served under him, as an inferior officer.

Great discernment was displayed in the choice of the persons to be employed for the purpose of making researches in natural history; and at the recommendation of the Society of Naturalists, Thévenard, minister of the marine, appointed Riche, together with Labillardière, a batanist, already celebrated on account of his journey to Syria, in the course of which he discovered, and has since published, several curious plants. Deschamps and Blaviere, were

the