makes his character much worse, and the loss of religion and conscience, which is worst of all; for without these reason is rather a disadvantage."

A BRIDGE OF MONKEYS.

In advancing towards the great basin of the Llanos or savanahs of Caraccas, our naturalists were amused with the Araguatoes, or howling monkeys, which they saw for the first time in numerous bands, moving in procession from one tree to another—a male being followed by many females, several of which carried their young on their shoulders. When they cannot leap from tree to tree, the male that leads the band suspends himself by the callous part of his tail, and dropping the rest of his body, swings, till in one of his movements he reaches the nearest branch; and he is then immediately followed by all the rest of the band.

Don Ulloa ascribes to these animals a still more extraordinary sagacity; and has even given an engraving, which represents these monkeys forming a sort of chain with their tails, so as to reach the opposite side of the river. The howl of the Araguatoes is heard at the distance of nearly a mile; and, according to the Indians, they have always a leader who chants in a strong voice.-Baron Humboldt's Travels.

WILD AUSTRALIANS.

In a book of Voyages and Travels, lately published, we find the following account of interviews with the natives, who now saw white men for the first time:

"Near Escape Cliffs I met a small family of natives, consisting of an elderly man, his wife, and four children. By degrees, advancing alone, I contrived to get near enough to make the woman a present of a handker

chief; in return for which, she gave me a large leaf of the cabbage palm that was slung across her back. I at length drew all the family around me; the eldest child, a youth of about fifteen, being the most timid.

* * * These people exhibited more curiosity than I had before noticed in the aborigines, as I was able to induce them to visit the whale-boat that was on shore close by. Here, as in other places, the size of the oars first astonished them, and next the largeness of the boat itself. The exclamations of surprise given vent to, by the old man as he gazed on the workmanship of his civilized brethren were amusing: suddenly a loud shout would burst from his lips, and then a low whistle. I watched the rapid change of countenance in this wild savage with interest; all his motions were full of matter for observation. The mixed curiosity and dread depicted in his dusky face, the feeling of secret alarm at this first rencontre with a white man intruding in his native wilds, which he must have experienced, added much to the zest of the scene. I, however, at length almost persuaded the old man to accompany me on board: he even put one foot in the boat for the purpose; when, seeing the depth of the interior, he recoiled with a slight shudder, as if from immersion in cold water. He was now overwhelmed by the woman and elder child with entreaties not to take such a rash step; and their rude eloquence succeeded."

ESCAPE FROM AN ALLIGATOR.

FROM the same volume, we select the following perilous adventure:

66

Several flights of large curlews were seen passing over the boat, and resting on the flats in its neighbourhood. Whilst endeavouring to procure some of them,

I was placed in a sufficiently awkward position, running the risk of becoming myself a fresh meal instead of procuring one. I had stripped to swim across a creek, and with gun in hand was stealthily crawling to the outer edge of the flat where my intended victims were, when an alligator rose close by, bringing his unpleasant countenance much nearer than was agreeable. My gun was charged with shot; and the primitive state of nudity to which I had just reduced my-' self precluded the possibility of my having a secondload. To fire, therefore, was useless, and to retreat difficult, for I had wandered from the boat some distance across the bank, on which the water was fast rising. Thought, there was no time for; and before my companions could have reached me, the tide would' have flooded the place sufficiently to enable the alligator to attack me at a disadvantage. My only chance of escaping the monster was to hasten back to the boat, and to cross the last creek before the alligator, who appeared fully aware of my intentions. It was now, therefore, a mere matter of speed between us; and the race began. I started off with the utmost rapidity, the alligator keeping pace with me in the water. After a sharp and anxious race, I reached the last creek, which was now much swollen; while the difficulty of crossing was aggravated by my desire to save my gun. Plunging in, I reached the opposite shore just in time to see the huge jaws of the alligator extended close above the spot where I had quitted the water. My deliverance was providential; and I could not refrain from shuddering as I sat gaining breath upon the bank after my escape, and watching the disappointed alligator lurking about as if still in hopes of making his supper upon me. Waiting till the monster came close, I took a deliberate aim at his eye; which had only the effect of frightening him a little."

CHILDREN'S MISSIONARY MEETING.

ON Monday, April 27, the Children's Annual Meetings, in connection with the Baptist Missionary Society, were held in London, at Park-street and John-street chapels, which latter I had the pleasure of attending, with some young friends, and as there are a great many little girls and boys who live too far off to have been there, I think they will like to know what was said.

Mr. Bird first addressed the children, and began by saying: "When I was a boy, I used to like any one to talk to me in little short words, so that I could understand them. Now, we are come to talk about doing good to those children who do not know God. Suppose some one were to come and tell you that

there were a great many poor little children who were starving, who had no food to eat, nor any clothes to wear, you would be very sorry, and one of you would say, 'I've got some bread that I'll send to them,' and another would wish to give them some clothes, or if you could not send them food or clothes, you would say, 'I'll send them my pennies to buy some with.' Now, we are come to tell you about a great many children who have no food for their minds; they have no bibles, no nice little books to read, no beautiful news of the gospel. You have this beautiful news every Sunday, and I dare say you could say some of it to me. 'Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God; this is Jesus Christ's invitation to children. Many children have never heard this; they never saw a chapel, nor ever heard a hymn or a sermon. You pity them; I pitied them when I was a boy, but there were no Missionary Societies then, through which I could help them; but you can help them. We want to send to India to tell them the way to heaven; should not you like to help us? I think I can imagine some of these bigger girls wishing they had a number of little black children around them to tell them of Jesus, and teach them the way to heaven. When you grow up, perhaps some of you boys may become ministers; all ministers were once little boys; and when the Indian boys are taught about Jesus Christ and his gospel, they may grow up to be ministers. How much misery it will save them to know Jesus Christ; their parents take them to the idol's temple, and they worship the idol, and carry offerings to it. If you had been born there, you would have done the same. We want to point them to Jesus Christ, because we know that they have souls as well as ourselves. If you are anxious to send the gospel to others, I think you will be anxious to receive it yourselves. Give your own little hearts to Christ,—