have been an act of madness; but it was doubtless the effect of sudden, but sound reasoning; for if taken alive, he must have expected to be tortured to death, according to their custom. He was instantly pierced with arrows so numerous, that, to use the language of Colter," he was made a riddle of." They now seized Colter, stripped him entirely naked, and began to consult on the manner in which he should be put to death. They were first inclined to set him up as a mark to shoot at; but the chief interfered, and seizing him by the shoulder, asked him if he could run fast? Colter, who had been some time amongst the Keekat-sa, or Crow Indians, had in a considerable degree acquired the Blackfoot language, and was also well acquainted with Indian customs, he knew that he had now to run for his life, with the dreadful odds of five or six hundred against him, and those armed Indians; therefore cunningly replied that he was a very bad runner, although he was considered by the hunters as remarkably swift. The chief now commanded the party to remain stationary, and led Colter out on the prairie three or four hundred yards, and released him, bidding him to save himself if he could. At that instant the horrid war whoop sounded in the cars of poor Colter, who, urged with the hope of preserving life, ran with a speed at which he was himself surprised. He proceeded towards the Jefferson Fork, having to traverse a plain six miles in breadth, abounding with the prickly pear, on which he was every instant treading with his naked feet. He ran nearly half way across the plain before he ventured to look over his shoulder, when he perceived that the Indians were very much scatterred, and that he had gained ground to a considerable distance from the main body; but one Indian, who carried a spear, was much before all the rest, and not more than a hundred yards from him. A faint gleam of hope now cheered the heart of Colter; he derived confidence from the belief that escape was within the bounds of possibility, but that confidence was nearly being fatal to him, for he exerted himself to such a degree, that the blood gushed from his nostrils, and soon almost covered the fore part of his body. He had now arrived within a mile of the river, when he distinctly heard the appalling sound of footsteps behind him, and every instant expected to feel the spear of his pursuer. Again he turned his head, and saw the savage not twenty yards from him. Determined if possible to avoid the expected blow, he suddenly stopped, turned round, and spread out his arms. The Indian, surprised by the suddenness of the action, and perhaps at the bloody appearance of Colter, also attempted to stop, but exhausted with running, he fell whilst endeavouring to throw his spear, which stuck in the ground, and broke in his hand. Colter instantly snatched up the pointed part, with which he pinned him to the earth, and then continued his flight. The foremost of the Indians, on arriving at the place, stopped till others came up to join them, when they set up a hideous yell. Every moment of this time was improved by Colter, who, although fainting and exhausted, succeeded in gaining the skirting of the cotton wood trees, on the borders of the fork, through which he ran, and plunged into the river. Fortunately for him, a little below this place there was an island, against the upper point of which a raft of drift timber had lodged, he dived under the raft, and after several efforts, got his head above water amongst the trunks of trees, covered over with smaller wood to the depth of several feet. Scarcely had he secured himself, when the Indians arrived on the river, screeching and yelling, as Colter expressed it, "like so many devils." They were frequently on the raft during the day, and were seen through the chinks by Colter, who was congratulating himself on his escape, until the idea arose that they might set the raft on fire. In horrible suspense he remained until night, when hearing no more of the Indians, he dived from under the raft, and swam silently down the river to a considerable distance, when he landed, and travelled all night. Although happy in having escaped from the Indians, his situation was still dreadful: he was completely naked under a burning sun: the soles of his feet were entirely filled with the thorns of the prickly pear; he was hungry, and had no means of killing game, although he saw abundance around him, and was at least seven days journey from Lisa's Fort, on the Bighorn branch of the Roche Jaune river. These are circumstances under which almost any man but an American hunter would have despaired. He arrived at the fort in seven days, having subsisted on a root much esteemed by the Indians of the Missouri, now known by naturalists as Psoralea esculenta. After the preceding extract it seems but justly due to add the following testimony in favour of Indian hospitality. From the same. No people on earth discharge the duties of hospitality with more cordial good-will than the Indians. On entering a lodge, I was always met by the master, who first shook hands with me, and immediately looked for his pipe: before he had time to light it, a bear-skin, or that of a buffalo, was spread for me to sit on, although they sat on the bare ground. When the pipe was lighted, he smoked a few whiffs, and then handed it to me; after which it went round to all the men in the lodge. While this was going on, the squaw prepared something to eat, which, when ready, was placed before me on the ground. The squaw, in some instances, examined my dress; if any repair was wanting, she brought a small leather bag, in which she kept her awls and split sinew, and put it to rights. After conversing as well as we could by signs, if it was near night, I was made to understand that a bed was at my service. ART. XI.-Notoria; or Miscellaneous Articles of Philosophy Literature, and Politics. To the editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR-The French chymists have, among other traits of their superior ingenuity, been laudibly industrious in turning to the best account that prolific plant THE POTATO; and, during a late sojourn in Paris, I collected the following particulars in regard to two very important uses of its roots and its tops. They are, through your valuable Magazine of science and truth, at the service of the world. Saone, for a cottage eight leagues from Vienna-has established, on the small farm she occupies, a distillation of brandy from potatoes; which she has found to be very lucrative. The brandy of twenty degrees of Reaumur is very pure, and has neither taste nor smell different from that produced by the distillation of grapes. The method she employs is very simple, and within every person's reach. Take 100lb. of potatoes, well washed, dress them by steam, and let them be bruised to powder with a roller, &c. In the mean time, take 4lb. of ground malt, steep it in luke-warm water, and then pour into the fermenting back, and pour on it twelve quarts of boiling water; this water is stirred about, and the bruised potatoes thrown in, and well stirred about with wooden rakes, till every part of the potatoes is well saturated with the liquor. Immediately six or eight ounces of yeast is to be mixed with twenty-eight gallons of water, of a proper warmth to make the whole mass of the temperature of from twelve to fifteen degrees of Reaumer; there is to be added halfa-pint to a pint of good brandy. The fermenting back must be placed in a room to be kept, by means of a stove, at a temperature of fifteen to eighteen degrees of Reaumur. The mixture must be left to remain at rest. The back must be large enough to suffer the mass to rise seven or eight inches, without running over. If, notwithstanding this precaution, it does so, a little must be taken out, and returned when it falls a little: the back is then covered again, and the fermentation is suffered to finish without touching itwhich takes place generally in five or six days. This is known by its being perceived that the liquid is quite clear, and the potatoes fallen to the bottom of the back. The fluid is decanted, and the potatoes pressed dry. The distillation is by vapour, with a wooden or copper still, on the plan of count Rumford. The product of the first distillation is low wines. When the fermentation has been favourable, from every 100lb. of potatoes, six quarts and upwards of good brandy, of twenty degrees of the areometer, are obtained; which, put into new casks, and afterwards browned with burnt sugar, like the French brandies, is not to be distinguished from them. The countess de N. has dressed and distilled per diem 1000lb. of potatoes at twice, which gives sixty to seventy quarts of good brandy. We may judge from this essay what would be the advantages of such an operation, if carried on on a grand scale, and throughout the year. The residue of the distillation is used as food for the stock of her farm; which consists of thirty-four horned cattle, sixty pigs, and sixty sheep: they all are excessively fond of it when mixed with water, and the cows yield abundance of milk. The sheep use about five quarts per diem each; viz. one half in the morning, and one half at night. The malt must be fresh-ground: the ountess has it ground every week. Remarks, by Judge Cooper. On the above article respecting potatoes, it may be observed, that ardent spirit distilled from potatoes has been a practice in Switzerland for these twentyfive years, and has been practised in the back parts of Pennsylvania for at least these fifteen years: so far back as that, potatoe-whiskey was made in Lycoming county. The potatoes may be either baked or steamed. If steamed, the most economical mode of so doing when it is pursued as a business, is this: fix in the ground one or more cast-iron boilers with a flange resting on the surface of the ground. The fire place is made underneath below the surface, and the chimney carried up on one side. The width of the boiler should be such as to admit of a hogshead just to enter into it at the mouth. Wash the potatoes with a birch broom in a vessel through which a stream of water passes, or in a trough under a pump. Bore augur-holes in the bottom of the hogshead; fill the hogshead with washed potatoes. Half fill the boiler with water, or make it three parts full. Roll on the hogshead full of potatoes; cover them loosely with the head. Make the water boil. The steam passes through the augurholes, and in half an hour your potatoes are cooked either for cattle or the distillery. Have ready another hogshead full, and when one is steamed, roll it off and roll on another. These potatoes mashed, and treated like chopped rye, will yield a pleasant wholesome spirit. Now, as to the profit. The quantity of whiskey procured, seems to depend on the quantity of starch in the grain distilled: for starch is convertible into sugar, and sugar into alcohol by oxygenation: pursue the process of oxygenation, and you convert alcohol into vinegar. Rye contains about thirty-six, or from that to forty per cent. of starch, while potatoes do not contain more than twenty per cent. Suppose an acre well cultivated produces twenty bushels of rye on the average of the crop of a plantation; and each bushel of rye weighs 60lbs: then the weight of rye on an acre will be 1200lbs. and it may yield forty per cent, or 480lbs. of starch or matter convertible into whiskey. Let an acre of potatoes be calculated at 250 bushels, each bushel weighing 60lbs. and the quantity of starch one fifth of the whole. Then an acre of potatoes will yield three thousand pounds weight of starch convertible into alcohol. The chopping may be set against the steaming, for what with toll and carriage chopping will diminish the quantity one ninth, or one eighth. These facts and suggestions merit consideration. T. C.] On the Means of extracting Potass from Pot to tops. One of the most important discoveries of the present day is that of a druggist of Amiens, by which Europe will be freed from the heavy tribute she pays to America for the article of pot ass. The author of this discovery has, in a truly patriotic manner, made known his discovery-after ascertaining, by a series of experiments, the truth of his conclusions. The French Society of Agriculture, and the Society for Encouragement of National Industry, have both named commissioners to frame official reports; in the mean time, we feel it important to give an account of the process, in the hope that, even in the present season, it may be turned to account as it interests landlords, tenants, merchants, and manufacturers. It is necessary to cut off the potatotops the moment that the flowers begin to fall, as that is the period of their greatest vigour; they must be cut off at four or five inches from the ground, with a very sharp knife. Fresh sprouts spring, which not only answer all the purposes of conducting the roots to maturity, but tend to an increase of their volume, as they (the sprouts) demand less nourishment than the old top. The tops may be suffered to remain on the ground where cut; in eight or ten days they are sufficiently dry without turning, and may be carted, either home or to a corner of the field, where a hole is to be dug in the earth, about five feet square, and two feet deep (the combustion would be too rapid, and the ashes cool too quick, and thereby diminish the quantity of alkali, were they burnt in the open air). The ashes must be kept red-hot as long as possible: when the fire is strong, tops that are only imperfectly dried may be thrown in, and even green ones will then burn well enough. The ashes extracted from the hole must be put in a vessel, and boiling water be poured upon it, as then the water must be evaporated: for these two operations potato-tops may be used alone as firing in the furnace, and the ashes collected. There remains after the evaporation a dry saline reddish substance, known in commerce under the name of salin; the more the ashes are boiled, the grayer and more valuable the salin becomes. The salin must then be calcined in a very hot oven, until the whole mass presents a uniform reddish brown. In cooling it remains dry, and in fragments --bluish within, and white on the surface; in which state it takes the name of potass. The ashes, exhausted of their alkaline principle, afford excellent manure for land intended to be planted with potatoes. The following is a table of the results obtained in France: An acre planted with potatoes, at one foot distance, gives lbs. plants ... .... 40,000 120,000 These 40,000 plants yield, on an average, 3lb. per plant at least, or of green tops. On drying they are reduced to 40,000 This quantity produces of ashes 7,500 The evaporation gives of ashes, exhausted of alkali ... Salin..... The salin loses ten to fifteen per cent. in calcination, which gives of potass.... 5,000 2,500 2,200 All these estimates are taken at the lowest, by which it is evident that upwards of 2,000lb. of potass may be obtained, in addition to an increased crop, from every acre of potatoes, or a value far exceeding that of the crop itself. Farmers of course will next year turn this discovery to the best account, in planting those potatoes which yield the greatest quantity of tops. The expenses of preparing the potass, as above described, including every thing, is about six guineas per acre. ** I cannot conclude these articles without inviting the cultivators of England and Ireland to instantly seize the immense advantages afforded by the two discoveries here announced. The former will free us from our tribute to France for brandies, a commerce which the emperor Napoleon turned to such good account during the warinsisting on British vessels, which car. ried over staple commodities to France, to return with cargoes of wine and brandy; and the latter will, it is trusted, free commerce, and our diers in particular, of the necessity of applying to Russia and America for potass, of which our consumption is immense. I will, in an early number, give the French methods of making the best brandies, which I collected in the same capital. Mon. Mag. Anecdotes of Bonaparte. One day, Bonaparte, seeing near his person one of those beings who know not a posture sufficiently humble, by which they suppose they can obtain some favors, said to those who surrounded him, "I know not how it happens, that, in order to understand this man, who is eight inches taller than myself, I am obliged to stoop every time that I speak to him." As a body of troops passed in review before Bonaparte at the Carrousel, his horse became so unruly, that his hat fell off in his exertions to restrain it. A young soldier, who happened to be near him, picked up the hat, and presented it to him. "Thank you, captain," said Napoleon. "In what regiment, sire?" said the young man. A few days after, the young man, with whose answer Bonaparte was much pleased, was unexpectedly raised by brevet to the rank of captain in the Imperial Guard. ib. in her way in that quarter: that Austria would compromise the matter with her for a few provinces-that the French and English were the only disciplined troops; but what can you do, though you have on your side the bravoure des siecles, whilst you have only 45,000 men, you should stick to the empire of the sea and not interfere with continental politics (rather sly) and then you will send your ambassadors to every court and ask what you please. I know the mischiefs of a blockade. A coast blockaded, is in the state of my face says he, which is now rubbed over with oil, and deprived of its natural perspiration. Your countrymen formerly were thrifty merchants, never made peace without gaining something, but now they have become fine gentlemen, and ruin themselves by generosity. You should have secured commercial advantages from Portugal, and so from the allied powers at the peace, but Lord Cast. became a courtier, and now you are insulted with commercial restrictions by every state in Europe, much more than when I shut the ports against you. When I made a Frenchman a soldier, I deprived him of his peace and happiness; when a Russian is made a soldier, be thereby gains his freedom, and the countries he visits are all much finer than his own. England does not take sufficient advantage of its naval strength, it acts like Francis, who had a field of artillery much finer than any which had been brought into action before his time, yet he lost the whole advantage of it by rushing sword in hand, at the head of a select body of troops, brandishing la grande epee a la main be tween his own artillery and the enemy he denied the book attributed to him, said it was a good imitation." Ed. An. Chymical Amusement; By Frederick Accum, Operative Chemist, &c. &c. This amusing and instructive work will form a valuable addition to the Elementary Treatises on Chymistry already in the hands of the public. The author is well known both by his publications and his lectures; and by this little volume he has entitled him. self to that praise which will never be denied to scientific professors who |