North Wales Gazette

For the North lvates Gazelle. LETTER III. The fabulous teaden-cy of the British Chro- nicle is exemplified by slating the general 'te'lot of 'lie iistory. From the death of Brutus occurs a regular detail of events and a suces si "t of Princes, which the translator consi- ders, wi 110 few exceptions,as strictly authentic: for h;lll ¡he author," he observes, "wished to impose tales of 1M* own invention, the lung lis' of ni nes would have afforded abundant ,ol)(I"rtllllilies: ncilll!r. dot;! the stJlc in¡!ic:llc an inventive turn of mind or strong; powers of imagination." A to the Illng lid (If namcs the fabricator hClS cellainly taken the oppor- tunity of swelling In narrative to the utmost extent* and attributing to most of them some -fabulous exploit or other except, however. •in Ihe case of ihe twenty sons and hirlvdati" li- ler of lifroc, who were all gent out to visit their relations, the family of old Silvius Al banu", King of Italy, where the old gentle man received t'leui with great civility, and gave f hem i.t marriage to persons of rank, and then sent them all in a fleet to Germany, "where their posterity still continue. The f;1 l> r n;-<tt ir found it } di iicait mat ter to dispose of to many in any other way, especially as he was approaching the reign of Beii, which af. •forded him a more ample field, to display the ■great poweis of his imagination. Accordingly his reign is distinguished by Hie most brilliant exploits. Beli an j Brail march with a large arnvv to the gates of House, and would have plundered it 111 the consulship of Gabii (a town near Rome) and Porseuna, had they not ")pen onl).d hy lar:e SUI" of money. This I important event which reflects such honor on British prowess, the translator corroborates Uy the I)Iirise iii Livy of selliti, klll P01 senna's goods." This fable is evi- -dently built upon the expedition of Alaric in the year 410. so totally regardless was the. fabricator 01 Chronology, as to commit an error of a thousand years. Beli and Bran, ac- cording to the Brut, return to Home a second time so did Aiaric: and in order to intimi- date the Romans to surrender, erect a gal low-s before the city. The translator is silent aiii)ti' ttit! gtilows. Were I allowed to hazard a conjecture. I should think that the Roman Historians were ashamed to mention a circum- stance so dishonourable to the Romans. Br m wis crowned Emperor of Rome, and probabl) died-so, as tiie hisi oriau declines, from fatigue, saying any thing more about him; which the translator interprets as a confession highly favourable to the authenticity of the -history The powers of the author's imagination were so completely exhausted by the long rei"u, ti)"Il lie C()Ill(i ilivt.llt lit)lliin,, retn;trk;ililc till tie arrived at the reign of Bell the Great, when 'he glvt's fill! !!cope, once more, to his exuher ant fancy. This hero is said to have conquered all the islands in the Tyrrhenian sea, or as il is expressed by Neiiiuus, amnes insulas Tyr rheni maris," which the Edilor translales all the islands ol the Ligy of Biscay. Many othe lucubrations are given in the notes, such as that Beli's biirviii, tiie pigs in Oxford. at page 70, isanalogous to the Indian custom of bury ing the war hatchet. J. J. 21

AGRICULTURE. Agriculture hash been held in high estima- "tioa iu all aeI. by those persons whose spleu. dkl talents and eminent virtues have entitled them to be regarded as instructors and pat- terns to the rest of mankind. The Romans who attained a pitch of grandeur which hath seldom been equalled in the history of nations paid the most particular altention from the earliest times to this delightful and useful art. It was the occupation of their wisest states- men and bravest generals, when they werenot necessarily engaged in the deliberations of the Senate, or exploits of the field. Cincinuatus was found at the plough when he was called upon by his countrymen to assume the su- preme administration of public affairs. And though that high spirited and warlike people engaged in the service of the state with the promptest alacrity, and marched out to meet their enemies with the most heroic ardour, yet they gladly exchanged the fatigues of war for the pure and lIealrhfulpleasurcs ofa coun- try life. When it was no longer necessary to bear arms, they bent their swords into plough shares, and tlietr slicars itift) pruning hooks and solaced their minds after the horrors of war with the delightful contemplation ol that variety of natural beauty, which from timeto time the fields present to the eye of the iudus trious and enlightened husbandman. And as the greatest of their heroes dignified this pro- fession by sharing in its toils, thesnblimest of their poets, made it it the subject of the most finished work, perhaps of which antiquity can boast, that he might enllce his countrymen to the study of agriculture, by adorning it with 11 the graces and beauties of the most exqui, site poetry. In Scotland considerable atten- tion has of late been applied to the improve- ment of this important art. Many excellent treatises have been written upon the subject, by men of eminence in the literary world, who, by devoting a portion ot their time and talents to the study of agricul- lure, are no doubt entitled to the gratitude of their countrymen. Uetore, however, HOOKS on tarmingcannpe- rate as means of general improvement,before a person can be qualified for reading such books with advantage, it would be necessary for him to go through a more complete course of education, than can becommonly obtained at a country parish school. A considerable acquaintance with the English language,arith- metic, book-keeping, and mensuration, are qualifications, without which a farmer can neither make himself master of the improve- ments made in the art, nor prosecute those improvements in a manner either bcueficiallo himself or his country. This, by the way, shows the necessity of giving greater encou- ragement to public masters than is at piesent done as there is not perhaps, any single cir cumstance that would conduce so much to the advancement of agriculture in Wales, as mak- ing provision for the proper education of that class of men II v whom the art is to be carried oU. In this neighbourhood, till very lately, the capital improvements which farming has re- ceived during the course ot the last century, have not been generally adopted. Within a recent period neither turnips nor artificial grasses of any kind were sown in the largest farm of the Kale. The fields alter being ex- hausted bv cropping, were resigned in succes- sion to pasture, and remained in I hat condiliotl several vears, producing scanty crops of natu- ral grasses, till it became necessary to break them up foi corn and the instruments oi husbandry corresponded in clumsiness, with the rudeness of Ihe mode of cultivation. Of late however things have assumed a very dif- ferent appearance. Turnips are raised on many farms. The rotation of crops is some times such as the (test writers on husbandry recommend the fields are laid down with a plentiful allowance of clover and rye-grass, and Ihe IllolJhs, and harrows, and carls, are made of the best construction. Still however to an accurate and judicious observer, there may certainly appear room for much future improvement, both in the formation and iik- the execution of their grounds. In Wales the inhabitants have suffered a great hardship from the want of proper pub lie masters for their children, in a suitable provision for the education of youth in the country parishes of the principality, so as to give them an opportunity of acquiring at home the principles of and a con siderabl knowledge of arithmetic, book, keeping, and mensuration, is a national object of much greater magnitude than is generally I el supplied it is certainly essentially necessary to general improvement in the art of agriclIl tore, an art upon the advancement of which the happiness of individuals, and the prospe- rity of the nation in a great measure depends. At present the salaries and perquisites of esta- blished schoolmasters in the country are in general so exceedingly s.uall, that they do not exceed and often hardly equal thewag-es of an ordinary mechanic and it can scarcely be ex- pected that a person, properly qualified for communicating the necessary branches ofedu- cation, will devote himself for such an income to the most laborious of all professions. On the mountains in tie principality wnicn are now overrun and deformed with furze and heath, trees would shoot with luxuriance, shade and beautify the country, aud amply re- ward the planter's toil. But those natural advantages remain neglected. To whatevT quarter of the globe we lurn our thoughts,, similar. hut more striking objects of regret inect our ob,rv;ttiozi.I'Iieeiftli, which in- dustry might have turned into a fruitful gar- den, reIn a ins for the most parI, a waste and barren wilderness. How numerous and ex- tensive are the Savannahs 011 which the sickle and the ploughshare never gleamed How tall and majestic are the forests iu which the sound of the hatchet never echoed! Upon many of the rivers which roll their mighty waters through the nations, the sail of com- b merce has been almost never seen. The sur- tace of the earlh ts strewed, and its bowels arc impregnated with the rude materials of tisefui manufactures, which the hand of skill has never touched. Mall seems more eager to desolate and destroy, than to produce and cultivate. When shall the happy period ar- rive, at which ruin and carnage shall cease for ver, and all the sons of men shall place heir glory in imitating the character of the supreme universal father, who delights to create, to improve, and to felicitate. LEOLYN.

MEXICO. The fields and the gardens of Mexico are wouderfully productive of all sorts of graiii and pulse, nnd herbs and flowers in abundance; their markets are well supplied with all kinds of fish, and sea shells of extraordinary beauty. Their wild beasts are numerous, and they have plenty of horses, camels, muls, asses, cows, sheep, hogs, dogs, and cats, which mul- tiply in a most wonderful manner. The inland parts being extremely high are temperate, dry, and healthy. But the agreeableness of the climate is counter-balanced by thunder storms, as likewise by earthquakes as was experienced on the 29th of July, 1773, When the large and popuious city of St. Jago de Guatimala, one of the largest in Spanish America, was totally destroyed by a dreadful earthquake, accompanied with an crll ption from a neighbouring volcano when one hundred and twenty thousand persons are supposed to have perished1. There are an infinity of nilrous, sulphureous, vitriolic, and aluminous mineral waters, some of which spring so very hot, that in a few moments, any kind of fruit, eggs, or auimai food is boiled ill them. t, t! There are six kinds of bees, some have stings, and some are without. The honey is taken from them six times a year, and the honey is abundant and of a tine" flavor they have wasps and butterflies ol so great variety and beauty, that the finest pencil is unable to imitate lite exquisite colouring and design, which the Almighty author of nature has dis- played in the embellishment of their wings.— The method which the Mexicans use to catch ducks and other aquatic fowl, is artful and curious. The Mexican leaves some empty gourds to-float upon the water, where these hirds resort, that they may be accustomed to see and approach them without fear. The bird-catcher goes into the water so deep as to hide his body, and covers his head with a gourd the ducks, &c. come to pick at it, and tliii he pulls them by the feet under the water, and in this manner secures as many as he pleases. The daily consumption of To- bacco for smoking, in the capital, is reckoned at one thousand two hundred tind fifty dollars or thereabout; which in one year makes the sum of 450,000 dollars.

ON SMUT IN WHEAT. To the Editor of the North fVales Gazelle, SIR,—FOR the pleasant excursion which I made to visit you during the last Summer. I observed with some concern, the small pro portion of Wheat which is grown in your Welsh districts to the other sort of grain, and I see no insurmountable impediments to its culture. I know, that wheat cannot be raised on an extensive scale, unless marl can be oil. tained to stiffen the light soils; bul you oh truded to my notice, several places wherc that most valuable manure might be obtained and which may be said, tp be almost, the one thin needful," to render Jour districts equal in the produce of all s )rts of grain, and lill proved pastures, to any iu the kingdom. 1 am aware of other existing impediments to the immediate extensive adoption of this lin- I)ro,venietit ;-as a sufficient number of teams, perhaps is another formidable obstacle, and the strength or yonr native horses seems une- qual to several days labour in drawill that heavy material. But these, and all other dis- heartening suggestions have given way to the exertions of farmers in Ihe English couulics, and may be overcome in North Wales, by a persevering indusiry, aided by the opulent land-owners, and by the Agricultural Socie- ties offering premiums. (and those not small) for the largest pieces of laud that had been marled. A scientific friend has promised me to ascertain, by chemical process, the proper- ties of the different species of marl, by analiz- ing,forwh;ch lshallshortly send him specimens for that purpose, and will communicate the result to be inserted amongst your many va Itiable papers that havcappearcd in lhc North Wales Gazette. Permir me, ill the mean time to request that you will favour me with inserting our method of pickling wheat for seed to prevent Smut, as perhaps it may not be generally known by your farmers, I practice the following method in prepar- ing my wheat for sowing, and it is a)soprac tised in many parts of Ireland, and is a most certain and efficacious prevention from Smut.— I have a tub 18 inches deep, and 32 inches diameter, which I place on the floor in my pickling-house, this 1 fill three paris full wilh brine, strong enough to swim a sound egg: I have also a sieve, with a wooden rim which is 12 inches deep, and 24 inches diameter, with a wicker bottom close enough interwoven to catch the wheat, and admit of the brine pas- sing through: the sieve is immerged in the brine, within about two or three inches of the top of the rim and half a bushel or 18 or 20 quarts of wheat, put into the sieve at a tnne then with a iin skimmer 9 inches broad, full of small holes stir Ihe wheat well, and skim off every thing that swims, and repeat fie stirring, and skimming 5 or 6 times, or as long as any thing can be got to rise to the surface of Ihe brine, by which means every thing that will produce smut will, be rea- dily separated from the wheat, and if the parcel of the wheal be not clean, il will bring to the surface of the brine, all dock-seed,hay- riff, beggnr's-needlea, land or wild oafs, and in shorrrhe seeds of all weeds, whose bulk or substance is lighter than that of the sound wheat. Wheu the wheat is sufficiently stirred and skimmed. the sieve is lifled out of lhe brine, and held edge.wap over the tub. a;, (lut halfa minute that the brine may run from the wheat then empty the wheat oil the floor, and when a bag f ull of it is done, riddle some lime over it, and turn it together, so as to separate the wheat, and make it dry enough to sow. If 1 happen to pickle more than I can sow the same day, or if the wet Weather should prevent my sowing fOl' a week or fortnight, I empty the pickled wheat on the floor and spread it rather thin, and turn it once a day, to prevent it heating In order to avoid Ihe consequences of the old adage, (that what is everybody's business is nobody's j the same person, who can be depended upon, is uni tormly employed on the occasion, and it is as much as he can do '° PreP^re it properly for one person to sow. I am confident, indeed I know from many years experience, that it wheat was one half smut, and property and. carefully prepared, 111 the way I have stated, it wiUra0ficertainly separate every thing from it that will produce smut the succeeding year. Being an advocate for (Economy, I have the last ten or twelve years regularly ordered a sufficient quantify of urine to be laid by,against the time of wheat sowing, which answers the same purpose as the strongest brine. March, 1813 A CHESHIRE FARMER.

FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE. Admiralty Office, March 23. Copy of a letter from the Hon. Captain Irby, of his Majesty's ship the Amelia, to John Wilson Croker, Esq. dated at Spithead, the 22d inst. Sin, — I beg leave to acquaint you, forIhe information of the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that when 1 was about to quit Sierra Leone river for England, in his Majesty's shiji under my command, on file 291 It January, Lieut. Pascoe arrived there with the chief part of the crew J of his Majesty's gun-brig Daring, lie having been obliged to run his vessel on shore, and [)low lie, III) at 'Fitti,-ira (one of I lie Isles d,- Loss, in consequence of having been chased by a French frigate, in companv wiih two other ships, apparently frigates lie reported he left them at anchor off I he islands on 27th. I immediately dispatched Lieutenant Pascoe in a small schooner to reconnoitre the enemy, (fie liavlii, volunteered his services) and on the 3d of February he returned, having as- certained their force to he two f rigates of the largest class (L'Arelhusa and Le Mubis),and a Portuguese, ship. I heir prize that they had nearly completed their water and afi-:r un. loading the Portuguese ship, intended to give her up to the crew, and proceed themselves to sea to intercept our homeward bound trade Conceiving that if I cruised off the Isles de Loss (III the event of their not having left them) I might he enabled to fall in with any of his Majesty's ships that might be coming down the coast, and also protect the vesst is bound to Sierra Leone, of lilcit I had receiv- ed intelligence, I prepared to weigh, when a cartel arrived from the islands with the Mas- ter and crew of another vessel they had taken, whose accounts corroborating Lieut. Pascoe's report, I left Sierra Leone river, and worked up to the islands standing in at day-light on the 6th ultimo, towards the island of Tamara, we joined the Princess Charlotte Government schooner, who informed me, one of the fri- gates was at anchor at a considerable distance to the northward from the other, which was apparently unloading the prize. I dispatched the Schooner to Sierra Leone, to leave direc- tions to any ships that might arrive to repair lo me. Having neared the Island in the even- ing, the frigate to the northward weighed, and stood out to sea the other frigate had signals flying, and being observed at sun-set with her top-sails hoisted, I stood off for sea and the next morning one of the frigates (1 believe L'Areihuse) was just visible from the deck il was then calm oil a breeze springing up about noon, she stood towards lis. As I had hopes of drawing her from her consort, we continued standing out to sea till sun-set, .,N,Ilell not perceiving the other ship from the mast head, and Ihe breeze falling, we shorten- ed sail, wore, and stood towards her. A little alter seven Ihe enemy observing us near liiin, tacked, and hoisted her colours At 45 mi- nutes past seven, p. m. being-within Pis/oj shot on his weather bow, both ships commenced firing nearly al the same lime, whicji continu- ed (remaining nearly in Ihe same situation) until twenty-uitc minutes past eleven, when she bore up, having the advantage of being able to do so, leaving us in an ungovernable state, with Ollr sails, standing and running rigging cut to pieces, and masts much injured. iiiii- i the action we twice fcllm board the enemy, in attempting to thwart his hawse, WIH;11 he allemplctl 10 board, but was repulsed by the marines (which were commanded by Lieutenant Simpson), and the boarders. Tho' I most sincerely lament the numerous list of killed IInd wounded, which amounted to one hundred and forty one, yet it is the greatest consolation in reflecting, that we were never once exposed to a raking or the slight- est accident occurred all fell by fair fighting. It is with the most poignant regret I have to mention the names of the Senior and Se- cond Lieutenants, John James Bates and John Pope, and Lieutenant Grainger, of Marines, among the slain they fell early in the action. Having been more than five years in tht-shtp, I have had ample opportunities of knowing their inestimable characters, and the conse- quent loss lie service has sustained by their falling. It is wilh equal concern I have to mention Lieutenant George Wills, the junior Lieutenant, who fell while carrying 011 the m duty of the quarter-deck, when 1 had received a wound which obliged me to quit il; and also that of that good and zealous officer, Lieuf. Pascoe, lale of the Daring, who commanded the midship guns, on the main deck; Mr, John ilogtie, late Purser of the Tluiis (inva- lided), received a mortal wound below, after having been before wounded on the quarter- deck. When I have the misfortune to state such a severe loss I trust it will be clear every per- son must have done his duty. I fecllllost grateful to my gallant officers and crew, as well as the supernumeraries, late belonging to the Daring, for their cool, steady, and perse veriug conduct, which was worthy the utmost success: but the superior force of the enemy, (hc carrying on her main-deck heavy French 24-poiinders) the considerable quantity of gold dust we have on board, as well as the certain ty of the other frigate coming lIl), would have prevented me seeking a renewal of the action, if it had not been totally impracticable. T should not omit to mention to their Lord ships, the admirable conduct of Mr. De Mayne, the Master, who placed the ship so ably at the commencement of the action, and his unre- mitting assiduity till the enemy kept away.— My most grateful thanks arc due, to Lieut Simpson, of Marines, and John Collnian, Ihe Purser, who exerted fhemselvesto the utiiiomi., as well as Mr. Saunders, of the African corps. Having recei zed the greatest assistance from Lieut. Reeve, invalided from his Majesty's sloop Kangaroo, who was wounded more than once during the action, I have appointed him to act as first Lieutenant of the ship. Mr. Samuel Umfreville, Maslet"1I Mate, adeserv ing and valuable officer, as Mcond, and Mr. Edward Robins m, Master s Mate, who has received a severe wouodi as tblrd. Tie crippled state of the ship, and deplora. bletate of the w unded, having rendered the objtl for which I sailed from Sierra Leone abo ive; and having every reason to conclude thatthe state of the enemy must have been suclfts to have greatly foiled him in his in- tendil operations, being much cut up about his hll. I thought myself justified in not re- maimgon the coast, and therefore proceeded with he intention of touching at Madeira or the Vesterii islands, for refreshments for the sick,which the badness of the weather pre- venld, and arrived here this day. lout not omit to report to their Lordships the hth sense I entertain of the humane and skilfualtemion of Mr. Williamson, surgeon, and N-r. Burke, assistant, as also that of Mr. Stewal, late assistant surgeoii of the Daring, to the wounded, since this sanguinary con- flict. I shtuld also state, that although our num- bers were apparently strong at she commence- ment of the action, yet from the length of time wehad been on the coast, and much re- duced Iii sickness, we had barely our compli- ment fitltirduly, and they much enervated. rhere fallows a list of killed and wouuded- Total killed !J t Total wounded 95.J r, itFDERICK PAUL IRBY, Captain. John Wilson Croker, Esq. Extract of a letter from Sir John Borlase War- ren, Commander in Chief of his Majesty's ships and vessels on the American station,dat- ed at Bermuda, tfte 26th Feb. 1813. Enclosed herewith, I beg leave to transmit a list of vessels captured and destroyed betweeli the 18th Septemher last and this date. [Here follows a list of 156 vessels captured on the American, Jamaica, and Leeward Island sta- tious;]

FASHIONS FOR LADIES, Morning Costume.-A Polonese robe and pet- ticoaf, ol fine camhric or jaconot muslin, orna- mented at its several terminations with a border ( of net-work, finished with an edging; of muslin, gathered very full, and a Vandyke cuff, en suite. A bonnet-cap, composed of jonquille satin, and treble borders of scollopped lace, confined on one side with ribband of the same colour. Gloves and slippers of yellow kid. This robe, so at- tractive, novel, and elegant, is more particularly adapted to the slender or tall figure and is fur- nished us from the house of Mrs. Gill, of Cork- street, Burlington Gardens, to whose unrivalled taste, unique elegance, and novelty of design, we have for some time past been indebted for the superior order of female fashions by which, we flatter ourselves, this publication is ever distin- guished. Carriage Costume.-A high round robe of ja- conot or cambric muslin, with plaited bodice, long sleeve, and deep falling frill, terminated with a vandyke of needle-work. A Russian man- tle, of pomona or spring green sarsnet, lined with white satin, and trimmed with rich frog fringe and binding, confined with a cord and tassel, as taste or convenience may direct. A cottage slouch honnet, of corresponding materials, edged with antique s. ollopped lace, confined under the chin with ribband, tied on the left side and appo- sitely ornamented with a small cluster of spring flowers. Slippers of green kid, or jean, and gloves of primrose kid.-Pi-ont Jckermaiis Repository of Arts, Fashions, c.

The American frigate the Constitution is as large as a British 74 cut down, and so high in the water, that when opposed to one of our 38 gun frigates, she has completely the advant- age, and can sweep her decks with ease. Senior, condemned at the York Assizes, for concealing his effects oa his bankruptcy, is said to be the third person who has suffered for that offence,Und which most seriously calle for punishment, as it is a practice growing daily more into usage, particularly in the manufacturing and trading counties; Anecdote.—The Chinese show great defence and respect to old age. An inferior Mandarin of the tribunal of the mathematics, about all hundred years old, came to salute the Empe- ror, who though he had given orders to see no body that day, ordered that he should be admitted. Though indifFerenlly habited, he was led to the Emperor's apartment, who rose to meet him, and received him wilh great affection aud kindness. The Mandarin fell on his knees, but the Emperor immediately raised him up, and graciously taking both his hands, said, Venerable old man, I will henceforth admit you into my presence as often as you shall come to salute me and I acquaint you once for all, that I dispense with all sorts of ceremony as for one, I will rise up to meet vou, but il is not to your person that 1 do this i, honour, it is to your age; and to give you ji substantial marks of my attention, I now ap« j point you to be chief President of the Tribu- /I nal of the mathematics." Thus the old man |f-| attained the height of happiness, having never f in his life tasted so sincere a joy.

i v It TIDE TABLE FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. I p? » 3 1 a M H < 5 /i Q » K I.ATAN SANUJ, 5 ■* J «< a 2 < etf •-> e K 55 =8 S u S^-2 ^5<f crossed 3 s >• J & » 5 B « B At.-ara after high 5 g a g £ B £ » Kater, and conti- H ea P« o y nue safe, 4 hours* «tj SU U j //iff A ifig/i I High High High Holidays ■"ay Water I Water Water Water Water Watsr AFRIL. II. M. H- M. H. M. I H. M. | H. M. ( H. M. 'Thursday. 1 7 30 8 30 .9 10 10 0 j 10 20 11 0 Friday, 2 8 18 9 18 9 58 10 48 | 11 8(11 48 Saturday. 3 9 6 10 6 10 46 II 36 | 11 56 12 36 j Sundav 4 9 54 10 54' 11 34 12 24 12 44 1 24 5th Sun. in Lent Monday 5 10 42 11 42 12 22 I 12 1 32 2 12 i Tuesday 6 11 30 12 30 1 10 2 0 j 2 20 3 0 I Wednesday. 7 12 18 j 1 18 1 58 3 48 | 3 8 3 48