We see here a scene of a description now familiar to every eye, but one which would have been inexplicable, even to the most scientific of our readers, forty or perhaps even thirty years ago. It is a landscape bearing the marks of the great modern improvements: canals and railroads. But how many of our countrymen in a hundred, or even in a thousand, are qualified to take so simple an outline as this, and give an explanation of the purposes of the improved modes of transportation, the principles involved, the history and results, with the present condition of things relating to them, the desiderata at the present time, and the projects now under consideration for further advances? Who, we ask, feels competent to impart to an uninformed friend such information as this in a lucid and satisfactory manner?

A moment's reflection will remind us of the complexity of the subject. How many principles of how many sciences are involved! How much research and study, how many inventions and experiments have been wasted, in the long course of patient trials in bringing all things to the state in which we find them! The best way in the world to prepare ourselves for learning, is to become acquainted with our ignorance, by bringing our knowledge to a practical test. If I know, I can teach,"

is a capital truth, well worthy of being impressed upon every mind, and brought into frequent use. It is one which a professional teacher is compelled to admit, and which every mechanic who has apprentices to train up, every physician and lawyer, every farmer and housewife, who have ignorant assistants or children of their own around them, have more or less opportunity to become convinced of.

Why, first, is a road so important a thing to a neighborhood, to the country and to every inhabitant of every house, that our laws so carefully provide for it? What inconveniences are removed from the family in the distant white house near the center of the print, below the windmill, by having a road pass their door! What new advantages are afforded by the canal on the left! In what respects, and in what degrees is transportation facilitated by canals? What inconveniences arise from a canal crossing one's farm? Compare railroads with canals for expense, safety, rapidity, &c. &c. By what means are rail-cars drawn up inclined planes? There are other objects in the print, calculated to suggest other inquiries: a ship, a windmill, a bridge, &c. But we intended to start only a few inquiries, and to invite the attention of some of our readers to topics that may interest them hereafter; and here we stop.

THE OAHU CHARITY SCHOOL, IN THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.

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One of the most wonderful of all the intellectual and moral changes which have taken place in the world for centuries, if not the most wonderful, is that effected in the Sandwich Islands. About thirty years ago, the people were miserable, degraded idolaters,

ground to the earth by a system of superstitions as prosperous as that of Rome, and a priesthood not less arogant and bloody. During thirty or forty years from the time of the discovery of the islands by Cooke, they had been exposed to the injustice, cruelty and vices

of the worst men who sailed the ocean, and whose criminal acts have been recently in part exposed by the publications of the English "Society for the Protection of Aborigines." At length great numbers of the people revolted against their bloody rulers, and a great battle gave them a triumph, which they used with humanity towards their surviving enemies, while they threw their false gods into the sea. The first band of American missionaries arrived just after these events, and were astonished to find themselves received with open arms. From that day to this, Christianity and civilization have been faithfully taught, and extensively embraced. As several attempts have been made, at different times, to give unfavorable impressions of the character of the missionaries, or of their influence, we have seen, with a pleasure which we wish to participate with our readers, the following impartial testimony in their favor, from Lieut. Wilkes's Report of the "Exploring Expedition."

By way of introduction, however, we would remark that the preceding print represents one of the principal school-houses in the Sandwich Islands, viz. that built for a Charity School in 1833, in the town of Honolulu. We have before mentioned it, in No. 7 of the Penny Magazine, p. 104, as it is seen on the right hand side of the fine view of the town, on that page. We now proceed to our extracts from the report of Lieut. Wilkes.

SCHOOL FOR CHIEFS' CHILDREN.

The house which I occupied was in the eastern suburbs of Honolulu, near the residience of the missionaries, and in connection with the school of Mr. and Mrs. Cooke for the chiefs' children. The latter I had the pleasure of visiting at an early day after my arrival, and was much delighted with the order and cleanliness of the whole establishment. Mr. and Mrs. Cooke superintend the amusements as well as the studies of the children, and impress upon them the necessity of application. Much astention is paid to them, and being removed from all contagion from without, they have many advantages over the other natives. This was the best regulated school I saw in the islands: the pupils, consisting of eleven boys and girls, were under good management and control. The object of this school is exclusively the education of the royal family-to form their characters, teach them, and watch over their morals. Much good, it is thought, will accrue from this system of education. I am not, however, satisfied it will have the full effect that is hoped for, or that the impressions given them are those that are proper in

the education of princes. The system pursued rather tends to republican forms; a good, practical, religious education, however, may be the result. How far it is intended to carry it, I did not learn. I have seldom seen better behaved children than those who attend this school.

Connected with Mr. and Mrs. Cooke, I must not omit to mention John Ii, who is their guardian and protector. During my stay I saw them frequently. The Saturday after my arrival, I had them on board the ship, with their tutors. They were hardly to be distinguished from well-bred children of our own country, were equally well dressed, and are nearly as light in color.

THE MISSIONARIES.

I also had the pleasure of visiting the missionaries; and as many misrepresentations have been published, and much misunderstanding exists, relative to their domiciles, I trust I may be excused if I give a short description of their interior, to set the matter at rest. It will, I think, be sufficient to satisfy any one that they are not as luxurious in their furniture as has been sometimes represented. Their houses are generally one story and a half high, situated fifteen or twenty paces within an unpretending gate, and the garden is surrounded by adobe walls about seven or eight feet high. Some of the houses are of stone, but most of them are of wood; they are from twenty to thirty feet square, twenty feet high, and have the appearance of having been added to as the prosperity of the mission increased. The front door opens into the principal room, which is covered with a mat or common ingrain carpeting, and furnished with a table, a few windsor chairs, a rockingchair, and sofa, all of wood. There is a very high mantel, but no fire-place, the latter not being needed. On the mantel are placed four glass lamps, each with one burner, and in the centre a small china vase, with a bunch of flowers in it. Several colored scriptural prints hang on the walls about a foot below the ceiling; on the table were a few devotional books.

The eating-room adjoins the principal room, and in one corner stands a cupboard, or an old sideboard, very much the worse for wear. This contained the common earthenware used at meals. A native girl, or woman, is all the help;" and both the master and mistress take a part in many of the domestic duties. As to their fare, it is plain, simple, and wholesome, and always accompanied with a hearty welcome, and cheerful, contented faces; at least, I found it so.

To several of the missionaries I feel indebted for unsolicited kindness, and I spent many agreeable hours in their society. I must bear testimony that I saw nothing but a truly charitable and Christian bearing towards others throughout my intercourse with them, and heard none but the most charitable expressions towards their assailants. Heedless of the tongue of scandal, they pur

sued their duties with evenness of temper, and highly laudable good will.

THE SABBATH AT HONOLULU.

Sunday is ushered in with a decorum and quietness that would satisfy the most scrupu lous Puritan. I have often had occasion to speak of the strict observance of the Sabbath among the Polynesian islands; and this strictness is no less remarkable here. Such is the force of example, that even the least orderly of the foreigners are prevented from indulg ing in any excesses; which, considering the worthless population the town of Honolulu contains, is a proof of the excellence of the police regulations, and the watchfulness of the guardians of the law.

To the preceding extracts we will add a brief account of the Oahu Charity School, represented in the print at the head of this article, from the Hawaiian Quarterly Spectator of 1833.

"A circumstance, trifling in itself, led to the establishment of the "Oahu Charity School." Mr. Andrew Johnstone and his lady were members of the reinforcement to the mission of the American board, which arrived in the Spring of that year. No chaplain to seamen was then stationed at Honolulu, and Mr. Johnstone devoted a part of his time to the distribution of Bibles and tracts among them. During one of these visits on board vessels, he fell in with an interesting lad, the son of Capt. Carter, of an English vessel, then in the port. On offering him some books, the little fellow observed that they had a library of such books on board his father's vessel, furnished by the Sunday school in Dr. Raffles' church in Liverpool, of which he had been a member. Mr. Johnstone invited the lad to his house. In a day or two afterwards he came, accompanied by another lad, a son of one of the foreign residents, who asked Mr. J. if he would teach him to read; to which he readily assented. Very soon another boy presented himself, asking the same favor; and the exercise soon became a stated one, Mr. Johnstone devoting a part of every day to the instruction of the boys who came to his house for the purpose. A new interest was thus awakened in the subject. The residents became deeply interested; and, as suitable accommodations were needed for a school, a proposition was made by the foreign residents to erect a school-house. The king granted a lot of land, and a general subscription was made by the residents, as well as by the shipmasters then in port, including a large donation from the officers and seamen of the U. S. ship Potomac, then on a visit to the islands. In the month of September, 1832, the subscribers to the funds organized a board of trustees, and the house was erected, and dedicated by appropriate services on January 10th, 1833. It is a neat, substantial building of stone, 36 feet long and 26 feet wide, fitted up with benches and other con

veniences for a school-room, and with a handsome desk for the accommodation of the services which it was expected might be held there on the Sabbath, in the English language. The cupola is provided with a bell, presented by John C. Jones, Esq., U. S. consul. The whole expense of the building was about $1800."

JUVENILE DEPARTMENT.

EDWARD AND HIS FRIENDS.

Story about Woodchucks. '.

One day, when James called to see his friend Edward, he was met by him with a smiling face and an animated air. "O, who do you think has come ?" said he. “A young gentleman from the country. He is very kind, and likes children. He will play with us, I can tell you."

It was well for the boys that this was a young man of good taste, and well able to tell them some things of importance. He was son of a gentleman who lived in a very pleasant place in the country, among fields, and groves, and hills, and streams of water. He liked to work, and was used to ploughing, planting, cutting down trees, reaping, and mowing; and the exercise he took, while doing such useful things, made him strong and healthy, good natured and kind. Besides, he drank nothing but water, and ate none of the rich, high-seasoned food, which makes so many people ill-tempered and sickly.

James felt bashful when he came into the house. Edward's father was so familiar with him, that he called him John; but James bowed, and only answered his questions respectfully. He was invited to sing; but he felt diffident, and said he would rather not.

In the afternoon he went to see Edward again; and found John sitting down, with Edward by his side, and one of his little sisters on his lap, playing and talking with her. Edward's father said he thought James would like to hear a story about some of the animals which John was acquainted with in the country, and asked him if he would please to tell one about the woodchucks.

Woodchuck!" said James, "what is that? Is it a bird? I have heard so."

"Woodcock, you are thinking of," said one of them; "no, a woodchuck is a small fourfooted animal which lives in the ground. It is about as large as a cat, with shorter legs; and has very mischievous habits, for it will

come out in the night, and eat pumpkins and other vegetables in the fields and gardens. You catch them sometimes, John, don't you?"

We try, sometimes, sir, but we do not very often succeed. They are sly, very sly indeed-especially the old ones; they often wander off to a distance from their holes, in the night, and get back again before the farmers go out. As you go about the fields, you here and there find a hole in the ground, and sometimes two or three or more holes near the same spot. Sometimes you will see an old fellow sitting at the mouth of a hole; and when you go near him, he will run in." Why don't you dig after him with a spade ?" asked Edward's father, for he wished him to go on and tell stories for the amusement and instruction of the boys.

That you may do, if you please," said he; "but you are not certain of finding him. The woodchuck generally has at least two holes; so, while you are digging in one, he will steal out of the other, and run off without making any noise. The only way is, to stop up one hole with stones, and then find as many others as you can, and have them filled up, or closely watched; and then dig, and perhaps you may catch him. Yet he may have one hole in a secret place which you can't find, and then you have all your work for nothing.

"The best way is to drown them out, or to set a trap. They commonly get near the water to make their holes; and then, if you stop all the holes but one, and fill that with water, you will drown him. Setting traps is to be done with great care. Oh, they are the most cunning creatures you ever heard of. An old woodchuck you can hardly get into a trap.

"Where the ground has been ploughed, the woodchucks often walk in some particular furrows, and sometimes they tread paths in the grass, which you can plainly see. The way is to dig a hole in the path, and bury the trap there, covering it up with dirt or grass, so that the place shall look exactly as it did before. Go there the next morning, and probably you will not find a woodchuck in the trap. Oh, they are so suspicious and cautious! Why, I once set a trap so, in company with a man who had had a good deal of experience; and no person, I am sure, could have told there was anything buried there, or that the earth had been removed; yet, in the

morning, I traced the foot-prints of an old woodchuck along the path, almost to the spot; and then I could see where he stepped out of the path, walked round it, and then back again. I tried it again, and put it in another part of the woodchuck's walk; but he went round it, and so he did every day, so that it was impossible to catch him."

MINERALS-No. 8. Slate.

There is no difficulty in knowing common slate, to anybody who has been to school. It is dark colored, dull, soft enough to be scratched with a pin, and breaks in flat pieces. When ground or scraped fine, it makes a light-colored dust, which is sticky when wet, and smells like clay.

Some slate is coarse, and good for nothing but rough building stone. When it splits thin and is strong, it is used for covering houses. The finer kinds, such as that found at Easton, in Pennsylvania, are shaped and framed for school slates; and the soft parts are cut up for pencils. Until a few years ago, all our slates and pencils were brought from England and Germany.

Slate contains a good-deal of clay, or alumine, which is an earth that makes mud when wet. It contains also much flint-earth, or silex, which, you remember, is harder than steel. Perhaps now you can tell why a piece of slate makes a good hone, to sharpen a knife on.

There are a great many rocks and hills in the world made of slate; and some of them contain a little potash, which is dissolved by rain, springs and streams of water, and then the slate crumbles, and is carried down to the low grounds, where it is left, and forms beds of clay, which is made into bricks.

Slate is sometimes black, bluish, brown, reddish, and of other colors. Sometimes it contains limestone, bitumen and other substances, and then is named accordingly: limestone slate, bituminous slate, &c. Common slate is, therefore, often called clay slate, to distinguish it.

CORRESPONDENCE.

AFRIL 23, 1845. To the Editor of the Am Penny Magazine. If you think the following worth a place in the American Penny Magazine, please insert it. I think your paper a very useful one. I take it myself, and would advise any one who likes a variety of news and good reading to subscribe for it. I did not think necssary to