ul mode of life to an active one, continually sauntering away their
time, either among women, or in taking coffee and smoking. Being men of
great taciturnity, they very seldom disturb a stranger with questions; and
a person may live in their country a dozen years, without having twenty
words addressed to him, except on important business. They seldom
travel, and have very little wish to be informed of the state of their
own, or any other country; when a minister of state is turned out of his
place, or strangled, (which is a frequent custom,) they coldly observe
that there will be a new one, without inquiring into the reason of the
disgrace of the former. The doctrine of predestination prevails, and
they therefore think it wicked to endeavour to avoid their fate;
frequently entering houses where they know the plague is raging.

All religions are tolerated in Turkey, though none are encouraged but
the Mahometan faith. The Christians have churches, which the Turks not
unfrequently convert into mosques for their own use; nor will they
suffer any new churches, or temples, to be built, without extorting an
exorbitant fine from the poor Christians. The high-priest of the
Mahometan religion is called the _mufti_; he is invested with great
power, and his seal is necessary to the passing of all acts of state.
But any individual, who pleases to take the habit, may be a priest, and
may leave the office when he is weary of it; for there is nothing like
ordination among them.

G. W. N.

PULQUE.

Pulque, which is the favourite drink of the Mexicans, is extracted from
the Manguey, or Great American Aloe; at the time of throwing its flower
stem, it is hollowed in the centre and the juice which should have
supplied the flowers, is taken from it daily, for about two months;
which juice when fermented is immediately fit for drinking. A very
strong brandy is obtained by distillation. So great is the consumption
that the duty collected at the city gates, amounts annually to 600,000
dollars--_From a Correspondent_.

HATCHING CHICKENS.

The following singular, though effectual mode of hatching chickens,
prevails in the interior of Sumatra; and is vouched for by Major Clayton
of the Bencoolen council:--

The hens, whether from being frightened off their nests by the rats,
which are very numerous and destructive, or from some other cause
hitherto prevalent in Sumatra, do not hatch their chickens in the
ordinary way, as is seen in al