his nephew were volunteers, serving without pay, for the attainment of a great national object, in prosecuting which they have lost their all.

From Hull, Captain Ross proceeded to London, and received the most gratifying testimonials of public approbation of his services.

So incredulous had been the public of the possibility of his having returned in safety, that when the news of it first reached London, it was taken as a hoax, and although a meeting of the subscribers to Captain Back's expedition was convened in order to take measures immediately to recall that gallant and self-devoted individual, Mr. Perry, the Governor of Hudson's Bay Company, in assenting to take the preliminary steps for expediting such recall, yet spoke of the return of Captain Ross as far from certain. Having appeared, however, in person, all doubts were at an end; and orders from the Hudson's Bay Company, have been sent to transmit by express to Captain Back, the gratifying intelligence of the safe return of those, of whom, amidst the discouragements and uncertainties of all others, he had not despaired, and for the chance, desperate as it seemed to most, of rescuing whom, he willingly incurred the risk of much toil and suffering, and the imminent hazard of a lingering and protracted death.

Truly enviable, indeed, will be his feelings, when he hears of the safety of his friend, and finds, moreover that after justly entitling himself to the whole merit of such a sacrifice as his attempt implies, he may be very honorably, and for the most sufficient reasons, exempted from the hardships and perils of farther prosecuting it,

MANNER OF EATING AMONG THE ANCIENTS.

In ancient times, it was the custom, among the patriarchs and others, frequently to take their meals. out of doors. We meet with many instances of this in the gospels, and it is usual among eastern nations in the present day. The regular meals were, dinner a little before noon, and supper in the evening. The latter was the principal meal. The feast of the passover was in the evening.

The Hebrews did not eat with the neighboring nations: we are not told in the Bible when they began to separate themselves in this manner; but it was their custom in Joseph's time, although in that instance it appears to have arisen from objections on the part of the Egyptians. The Jews in our Saviour's time did not eat with the Samaritans, and they objected to our Lord's eating with publicans and sinners. This custom was so strictly observed, that when the Lord was about to extend his church to the Gentiles, he sent an especial vision to St. Peter, to show that it might be discontinued.

Peter was blamed by the other apostles for eating with Cornelius, and from several passages in the epistles, we find that the early Christians abstained from meat offered unto idols. As these sacrifices were offered at all solemn feasts, and on many occasions of less importance, they were thereby separate from eating with the heathens in general.

It was usual in ancient times, and is still the custom in China, Persia, and many other countries, for one or more of the guests to have a little table or tray placed on the floor, upon which dishes are set separately for them. In India, many persons never eat out of the same dish as others, believing that it would be sinful to do so, and thinking that their dishes, &c. are polluted and spoiled if touched by persons of another religion. If so touched, they break them, as the Jews were to break their earthen vessels when touched by an unclean animal. This assists in explaining the apostle's words: "Touch not, taste not, handle not. Dr. Clark found similar customs among the Turks. He was one night entertained very kindly by a Turk and his family; after leaving the place, the next morning, Dr. C. returned for a book he had left behind, when he found his kind host and all the family employed in breaking and throwing away the earthen-ware plates and dishes, from which his guests had eaten, and purifying the other utensils and articles of furniture by passing them through fire or water.

Elkanah, the father of Samuel, distributed portions of provision to each of his wives separately. It is still the custom in ali countries of the east, when there is more than one wife, for each to be separate, as much as the master of the family can afford. When entertaining strangers, as well in

eating and drinking in general, there appears to have been great plenty, but not much care or delicacy in preparing the provision. It was deemed a mark of favor to send the guests a great deal of any dish; thus the mess or portion which Joseph sent to Benjamin was five times greater than was sent to any other of his brethren. It is an honor to receive any portion from the table of the master of the feast, if he is a great man A modern traveller, who dined in the presence of an eastern king, describes his majesty as tearing a handful of meat from a quarter of lamb, which stood before him, and sending it to his guest as a mark of honor. This custom also prevails in China. Van Braam, the Dutch ambassador, relates that some bones of mutton, with half the meat gnawed off, were sent to him from the table of the emperor, and he was told it was a great honor! Knives and forks never have been used in the east as among us.

THE PET MONKEY AND THE SHIP'S CREW.

I need not dwell on the common-place tricks of a nautical monkey, (observes Captain HALL), as they must be well known to every one; such as catching hold of the end of the sail makers' ball of twine, and paying the whole overboard, hand over hand, from a secure station in the rigging; or his stealing the boatswain's silver call, and letting it drop from the end of the catheal: or his getting into one of the cabin ports, and tearing up the captain's letters, a trick at which even the stately skipper is obliged to laugh.

One of our monkey's grand amusements was to watch some one arranging his clothes in his bag. After the stowage was completed, and every thing