however they may be separated by climate, by distance, by colour, by religion, or by stature, they are still Brothe the world is one great Brotherhood, and God the unive Having said this much by way of introduction, we sh say something upon a few of the most important of th the Earth.

Natural Wonders.

No. I.

SOMETHING ABOUT THE MAELSTROM.

HE wonders of the waters are very great, and among the many wonders of the watery element the Maelstrom stands pre-eminent.

young friends may have heard of it;

Many of my but none, per

haps, of a recent visit to it, made during the summer of 1850, which I shall now detail.

This tremendous whirlpool is on the west of the coast of Norway, near the island of Moskoe; its impetuosity is regulated by the flux and reflux of the sea. At the turn of the tide its dizzy whirl seems at a stand, which continues for about a quarter of an hour, its violence gradually returning. At ebb its noise is not equalled by the most tremendous cataracts. The depth of the water is about forty fathoms.

This mighty vortex is sometimes agitated by a storm, and then its

influence will reach vessels at a distance of five or six miles. In 1645 it raged with such violence that at Moskoe the houses were so shaken as to cause the stones to fall to the ground. So great also

is the strength of the current that whales are said not to be able to extricate themselves from it. A bear once attempted to swim from Lofoden to Moskoe, with a design of preying upon some sheep

at pasture in the island; being caught by the stream, his roarings were heard a considerable time, as he vainly strove against the current, which was hurrying him to destruction. Fragments of vessels, which have been wrecked in this whirlpool, are often seen on the neighbouring coast, brought by the return of the tide, their edges literally smashed, and jagged as if with a saw, proving the bottom to be composed of sharp rocks. A friend of Peter Parley's, who possesses a fine yacht, called the "Edward Jesse," was sailing in this locality last year, gave him the following description of this phenomenon of the waters :-"When he came within a convenient distance," said he, "the breeze, which had been long sluggish, fell into a calm, and soon a low, continual hum, like that of an army of bees, which seemed to rise out of the stilled ocean, became audible to every ear. Not a word was spoken; every one held his breath, while he listened with an intensity of eagerness which betokened the awe that was fast filling his heart. It is the Moskoestram.' cried the boatswain: 'away, men!' shouted the mate; 'down to the hold; bring in the spare sails; clear the deck; set up a spar for a mast! away! away!' The din of preparation drowned the stern hum of the distant whirlpool; there was, however, an anxious pause when the new sail was stretched into the air, and the experienced sailors suffered themselves to be cheated with the hope that there was still breeze enough to make the good ship answer to her helm. But, alas! the heavy canvass refused to expand its folds, and not a breath of wind ruffled the dull surface of the sullen waters. They had not another hope: the sailors looked upon each other in blank dismay; and now they heard, with awful distinctness, the roar of the terrific Maelstrom, and the frowning rocks of Lofoden were but

too plainly visible on the right. It became evident to all that the ship, borne along by the tide, was fast approaching the dreadful whirlpool. The vessel continued slowly to approach, and the certainty of unavoidable death became every moment more overpowering and intense. At first, the sailors stood together in a group, gazing gloomily upon one another, but, as the roar of the whirlpool

became louder and louder, and the conviction of inevitable destruction became stronger, they all dispersed to various parts of the ship. It was a beautiful day: the sun shone forth without a cloud to dim its lustre; the waves sparkled beneath his influence, and the white plumage of a thousand busy sea-birds became more dazzling with his rays. The isle of Moskoe was close at hand, and looked cheerful and inviting; but the ship was not to approach nearer to its shores, the stream which bore her along never suffering any vessel