it was. government of Turkey may be said to have resided with the Grand Vizier; he commanded the armies, regulated the finances, and was the supreme judge. But commensurate with his power was his responsibility, and a fearful responsibility For every state evil the Grand Vizier was accountable, and his life has often been sacrificed to the caprice of the Sultan, or the vengeance of the people. When Selim ascended the throne, he wished to reduce the power, and consequently the responsibility of the Vizier he therefore created a new council, to which were submitted all important affairs, and all state projects. Of this council, which consisted of twelve persons, the Vizier and the Mufti were presidents. The various innovations which Selim had in contemplation to introduce would flow, he thought, with greater force and with less interruption from this new-modelled divan than from his own individual authority. But with all his wisdom he miscalculated the temper and character of his men; and he soon found that the measures for ameliorating the empire at large, which his benevolence had suggested; that his attempts to diminish the absolute authority of the Vizier, and to introduce economy into the finances; were thwarted and frustrated by the mutual jealousies of the members of that very council which it had been his pride and honour to establish. Selim established, in direct contradiction to the ruling superstition of his people, a printing-office at Scutari: several persons were employed in translating useful books, many of which are printed in a beautiful manner, on a paper made at the Sultan's manufactory upon the canal. Books of geography were printed, and maps of different parts of the world, in the Turkish character. Mr. Macgill saw there a Turkish translation of Captain Cook's Voyages, and of Euclid's Elements. One of the principal means by which the late Sultan Selim strengthened and enriched his empire was the abolition of protections. From time immemorial it had been the custom of foreign ambassadors at the Porte to sell their protections to the subjects of it, by which they were released from the avanies, or extortions of the government. They were judged by the laws of that country whose ambassador protected them, and paid custom for their goods, as if they had been the subjects of the government by which he was employed. This abuse had been carried to such an excess, that the only subjects of the Porte were those poor wretches who had not money to buy a protection. In the year 1805 it was computed that Russia alone gave protection to 80,000 Turkish subjects. Selim determined to abolish this disgraceful traffic: the firmness with which he adhered to his resolution astonished all the Europeans, who declared they would rather go to war with the whole world than abandon their established custom. Ambassadors and Dragomen, however, employed all their menaces and all their rhetoric in vain: a firman announced the Sultan's decree, and protections were abolished. But that innovation which ultimately caused the ruin of the unhappy Selim was his endeavour to destroy the power of the janizaries. These troops, like the Roman legions in the decline of the empire, had become much more formidable to the prince than to the enemies of the state. Formidable as they once were, they are described by writers on the present state of Turkey, as having lost all discipline and courage, but at the same time as being ever ready to mutiny and desert, and to engage in any measures of intimidation, by which they may obtain a bribe, or share in plunder. Selim, like his ancestor, saw this evil, and followed the plan of Mustapha in raising new troops according to the method adopted by the Christians. These troops, Mr. Macgill says, now exceed 60,000; they are instructed in European tactics, and are less incumbered with dress and arms than the janizaries. "Recruiting goes on rapidly, and it is generally expected," he continues, that in a short time Selim will be able to throw off that yoke which so long burdened his predecessors." Alas, this was not written in the spirit of true prophecy! Selim, however, was very cautious in his mode of attack upon this ancient and rebellious body. He began upon the Yamags or new companies formed for the town garrison, or fortress duty along the frontiers of Germany. They every where took up arms and were every where subdued, except at Widdin, where the Ayan, Paswan Oglou, by his popular virtues and superior military skill, collected the people round his standard, and led them on to victory against the humbled Pacha. The history of these transactions is related by Olivier, to whose excellent work we refer the reader. Suffice it for us to say, that ultimately Selim so far succeeded, that in the year 1805, when Mr. Macgill wrote, the force of the janizaries appeared to be broken, the new troops were kept in barracks distinct from the people; they were well paid, and received every attention which could attach them to their sovereign. The state of the arsenal, and of the fleet was emerging from irregularity and confusion, and there seemed every appearance both that the army and navy of the Turkish empire would grow respectable and powerful. In the year 1807, however, the janizaries rose from their depression, and on the 28th of May of that year, the Sultan Selim was dethroned. At the moment we are writing these lines the newspapers announce another revolution in Turkey, and the authority of the Porte, which had been destroyed by the deposition of Selim may, for the moment, revive under Mahomet. The history of the present revolution, so far as we can collect it is, that Mustapha Bairactar, pacha of Rudschuck, with a view to restore Selim to his throne and authority, entered Constantinople July 28, 1808, with a corps of trusty troops,beheaded KavagkyOglou, commandant of the castles of the Dardanelles, strangled the Aga of the janizaries, deposed the Mufti and all the new ministers of the Sultan Mustapha IV. and occupied the most important posts of Constantinople with his troops. The Sultan himself had no apprehension of the storm, and was absent from Constantinople. The Valida, or Queen-mother, communicated the intelligence to him, and while he was returning with all expedition by sea to the seraglio, the Pacha of Rudschuck was entering it by land. Mustapha ordered the inner gates of the seraglio to be shut; the soldiers of the Pacha, however, speedily effected an entrance, but found the unfortunate Selim dead and covered with blood. Mustapha Bairactar and the grandees of the Porte caused Prince Mahomet, the last branch of the reigning dynasty, to be proclaimed Emperor. He is about fifteen years of age, and had been confined with the Sultan Selim since the revolution of May, 1807. Selim was buried with great pomp, and the major part of his assassins have been executed. The deposed Sultan is said to have been strangled. Mustapha Bairactar has taken possession of the great seal, and the Grand Vizier is a prisoner in his camp for having revealed to the Sultan Mother the plan of replacing Selim on the throne. Such are the rivers pour During his residence at Constantinople, Mr. Macgill made several excursions; the most interesting are those to Taganrock and Odessa in the Black Sea, the navigation of which is dangerous and but little known. The weather is usually stormy and thick, the sea itself is full of currents, being a bason into which many their streams. The French chart, which till lately was the only one made use of, is incorrect, placing Capa on the Asia side, 15 miles too far north, and Cape Caraza, on the Crimea, 22 miles too far south, thus making an error in the width of the sea of 37 miles. Taganrock is a small city situated near the head of the sea of Azoph, in lat. 46°, It consists of "one thousand small houses, built chiefly of wood and mud, and covered over with bark; very few indeed are of brick or stone, "The streets are wide and unpaved; when it rains for only an hour, they become impassable; the soil is so fine, that the mud is immediately knee deep in many places, and so clammy and slip pery, that it is both disagreeable and dan gerous to a foot passenger. You will think me capricious, but this I can assure you is not the case; when the rain ceases for a few hours, the streets still continue intolerable; the sun and wind quickly dry up the moisture, and raise a cloud of dust from the fine mould, which I have mentioned to you, and which is reduced to an impalpable powder by the feet of crowds ofoxen and horses,that are passing every instant with produce from the country: the wind, which is generally strong, carries this dust into the air in such clouds, that I have actually seen the sun darkened by them for a considerable time, and at the breadth of a street have not been able for several minutes to distinguish a man from a horse: this dust is carried so far that with the wind off the land, at three wersts distance, I have been almost choaked with it. The first time I saw these clouds, I concluded that they were certainly the forerunners of an earthquake. I esteem this circumstance as one of the most unpleasant attending a residence. here, and should have supposed it very pernicious to the health of the inhabitants, but they all look well and hardy, and a medical friend, who had received his education in Edinburgh, assured me that they were not afflicted with disease any more than other people. I observed, however, that the doctor, who, like myself, had no inclination to drink water impregnated with dust, always had it boiled with a little salt of tartar, which precipitated all the sediment. I found it impossible to keep out the dust: the windows were kept down and although I wore thick pantaloons and boots, at night I found my skin perfectly black. This, in some measure, accounts for the dirtiness of the Russians in this quarter; I never saw a dirtier set of men, and upon mentioning it, I was told that they said, this was to be "in the English fashion" they were quite surprised to see me always the cleanest in the company." houses were filled with it even when the The Russian government has long had it in contemplation to shut up the sea of Azoph, and carry its commerce to Kaffa, in the Crimea. The sea is only open a few months: in the year, and the water at times is so scarce on the bar that no vessels of any burden can enter, without taking lighters to carry part of their cargoes. At Kaffa the port is fine; even in the depth of winter ships arrive there and at other ports in the Crimea. The fortress of Taganrock is regular, and sufficiently large to accommodate 50,000 men, Peter the Great built an arsenal im mediately under it, and built an island three wersts into the sea and fortified it; he also cut a canal which passed from the arsenal to it. The export trade of Taganrock is considerable: it is principally carried on by Ragusan and Greek supercargoes. The Ragusans have fine ships, and are all good seamen. The articles exported are corn of every description, tallow, bees-wax, wool, iron which comes down the Volga in immense quantities from Siberia, hemp and flax, hides, cord. age, timber, caviar or sturgeon roe, which is made on the Don and Volga rivers, and is consumed by Roman Catholics and Greeks on their meagre days. The society at Taganrock is not very inviting the formality of a Russian feast, where each is served according to his rank, leaves the cheese-parings and candle-ends, the scraps of the table, for humble and degraded civilians. The Russians play high, are very fond of music, dancing, and bathing. In their baths, both sexes meet promiscuously in a state of nature. Shortly after my arrival here," says Mr. Macgill, I was standing on the beach, when a well dressed female began to strip herself by my side; she was quickly undressed, and ran off into the sea. I thought she was out of her senses, but was presently convinced that she was not madder than the rest of her countrywomen, many of whom soon followed her example, and swam about like a parcel of sea-nymphs." Slavery is carried here to an amazing extent it is not uncommon to see one man lord of ten or twenty thousand of his fellow creatures, of whom he disposes as he would of his cattle. From Taganrock Mr. M. pro ceeds overland in a kebitka to Odessa.-This city stands near the head of a bay between the rivers Dnieper and Dniester: the port is safe and commodious, and government is now building a mole or quay*, which extends near half a werst into the sea. Several hundred ships were lying in the roads waiting for their cargoes. The city of Odessa is a singular instance of rapid prosperity it has scarcely existed four years, but the population is up. wards of 10,000, and is daily increasing. The houses and magazines are very well built of a kind of free-stone; the shops are com modious, amply stocked with articles of domestic and of distant produce. The market is large, the streets are wide, but at present unpaved. Not a tree is to be seen for many miles, owing to the occasional visitation of blighting winds. Odessa is become the summer residence of the Polish nobility, who repair hither in crowds to enjoy seabathing: balls are well attended twice or thrice a week, and a large theatre is now building to diversify the entertainments of the place. The Duc de Richelieu has retreated to this spot, and is the favorite, our traveller says, of every one from the Czar to the beggar; he is governor of the city, and its prosperity is attributed to his wise administration. The merchants of this place are respectable, and the trade carried on is very extensive: it was supposed that in the year 1805 1000 ships would be loaded at the port of Odessa. Two English houses are established there, but the principal merchants are Germans and Italians; Jews form a large part of the population; and Mr. Macgill seems to have been by no means insensible to the soft beauties of the female Israelites. They are, in general, fair complex * Misprinted Key. ioned, and are far from suffering any religious prejudice to damp the ardour of a Christian embrace. Mr. Macgill returns to Constantinople, revisits Smyrna, stopping at the Dardanelles, and journeying over the plains of Troy, and setting foot on some of the Greek islands, Tenedos, Mytelene, &c. Leaving Smyrna, he embarks for Malta, and thence proceeds for England. The government by which so ample a territory had been acquired, was very laudably desirous of collecting some authentic information. with respect to its native inhabitants, its natural productions, and the practicability of a commodious passage through it to the coast of the Pacific Ocean, by which a more direct intercourse might be established between the United States and China than had hitherto taken place. For this purpose an expedition was fitted out by the President of the United States, consisting of forty one men, commanded by Captains Lewis and Clarke, who were directed to ascend the Missouri to its source, thence to explore a passage across the Stony Mountains to the banks of the Columbia river, and then to follow the course of this stream to its influx into the Pacific ocean. ART. IV. A Journal of the Voyages and Travels of a Corps of Discovery, under the Command of Captain Lewis and Captain Clarke, of the Army of the United States: from the Mouth of the River Missouri, through the Interior Parts of North America, to the Pacific Ocean; during the Years 1803, 1804, 1805, and 1806. Containing an Authentic Relation of the most interesting Transactions during the Expedition; Description of the Country; and an Account of its Inhabitants, Soil, Climate, Curiosities, and Vegetable and Animal Productions. By PATRICK GASS, one of the Persons employed in the Expedition. 8vo. pp. 381. THE government of the United States, it appears from the preface to this work, considers itself as having acquired by the cession of Louisiana, not only the country included between the eastern boundary of Mexico and the Mississippi, but that much larger extent of territory which intervenes between the northern boundaries of New Mexico and the Missions of Monterey on one side, and the British possessions and discoveries on the other. This latter territory will be defined with sufficient exactness by saying that it stretches, in an easterly direction, from the coast of the Pacific ocean, to the high lands that separate the waters of Canada from those that flow into the Missouri and Mississippi, and that it is included within the 38th and 50th degrees of latitude. These boundaries comprehend a tract of country about 900 miles in length, from north to south, and about 1800 miles in breadth, from west to east, which is longitudinally subdivided into two unequal portions by a moun tainous chain of considerable elevation called the Stony Mountains. The waters of the eastern of these subdivisions unite in one common channel, the Missouri; and those of the western subdivision are discharged into the Pacific, by one common outlet called the Oregan, or Columbia, or great river of the west. Not only the commanders of this expedition but every individual of it, who was judged capable of so doing, was enjoined to keep a journal of the transactions and objects that might present themselves.These journals, during the expedition, were from time to time compared together and corrected, in order by this means to multiply the chances of securing to the country an account of the proceedings and discoveries of the expedition in case of the dispersion of the party by the savages, or any other disaster. The |