remarkable form; for a long time it was consid- | living coral. A view is here given of an old ered to be a coral, a living animal form. Bunches Spanish gun that was discovered on the reef, of this are found on the beaches bleached; overgrown with caulerpas and other sea-mosses. and the stout calcareous structure, jointed and A rich submarine view is when this vine is seen branched, studded with minute pores, gives quite as above, and the white, sandy bottom is bethe appearance of the higher coral. A thorough decked with the golden knobs of the porites, or examination, however, discloses the true nature. finger coral, the interspaces crowded with the On the bead-like limy joints are numerous dark brown zooanths, the latter having most expores. While the plant is small and young quisite emerald centres. Here and there among the internal green vegetable pith is protruded them the bright face of a sea-anemone unfolds through these pores in beautiful pencils, form- itself. ing rays around the stalk. As the plant grows old and higher the pencils drop off, and only the uppermost ones show them. Of all the marine vegetable forms the caulerpas are most like those of the land. They are entirely tropical, none being found in the Northern waters or temperate regions. In the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, and on the coral reefs of the Pacific, they are seen in abundance. The natives of some of the islands of the Pacific use them for food; and to the green turtle they all furnish a favorite forage, which is said to nourish the green fat so prized in this choice edible. There being no common names, we use the generic title, which, indeed, is very appropriate, caulerpa meaning creeping stem. Some of the finer varieties of this plant are seen coiling around the coral heads, and spreading out like the checker-berry or mitchella of the forests, contrasting beautifully in its bright green with the purple gorgonias and the delicate colors of the There is one pretty as well as singular weed called the peacock's tail, from its fan shape and its property of reflecting prismatic colors under water. It is the Padina pavonia. Another variety, allied to the latter, is the zonaria. The two last-mentioned belong to a natural order approaching closely the great laminarias of the Northern latitudes. In concluding our rambles along the reef I will record here certain facts concerning the soaring of birds. This has long been a puzzling subject to observers, and no one, to my knowledge, has heretofore given the true explanation. Darwin, in his "Voyage of the Beagle," speaking of the condors of South America, says: "Except when rising from the ground I do not recollect ever having seen one of these birds flap its wings. Near Lima I watched several for nearly half an hour, without once taking my eyes off them. They moved in large curves, sweeping in circles, descending and ascending, without giving a single flap. As they glided close over my head I intently watched from an oblique position the outlines of the separate and great terminal feathers of each wing; and these separate feathers, if there had been the least vibratory movement, would have appeared as if blended together, but they were seen distinct against the blue sky. The head and CAULERPAS GROWING ON THE SEA-BOTTOM. VOL. XLIII.-No. 254.-13 neck were moved frequently, and apparently with force, and the extended wings seemed to form the fulcrum on which the movement of the neck, body, and tail acted. If the bird wished to descend, the wings were collapsed for a moment, and when again expanded with an altered inclination the momentum gained by the rapid descent seemed to urge the bird upward with the even and steady movement of a paper kite. In the case of any bird soaring its motion must be sufficiently rapid, so that the action of the inclined surface of its body on the atmosphere may counterbalance its gravity. The force to keep up the momentum of a body moving in a horizontal plane in the air (in which there is so little friction) can not be great, and this force is all that is wanted. The movement of the neck and body of the condor we must suppose is sufficient for this." 66 The birds we have most noticed are the man-o'-war hawks," or "frigate-birds"Tachypetes aquila. These birds are buoyant to a remarkable degree, by aid of their hollow bones and immense spread of wing and tail. We have watched them, in view of verifying this theory, from the light-tower, where they sometimes came very closely. This was as perfect an examination as one would wish. They are always seen when a stiff breeze comes from any quarter, in groups of a score, more or less; and, strange to say, they are seen soaring in this way during the night, though in calm weather they roost on the bushes of the keys. They depend on stealing from the gulls for food; therefore it seems unaccountable why they soar in this way, either day or night. When birds rise in circles they are operated on precisely the same as vessels on the water. They incline their wings, and take the force of the wind; tacking, jibing, and otherwise taking advantage of the power for this purpose. One thing is certain, they do not rise or soar unless there is a breeze to help them; this is the one important point overlooked by all observers. In this account, as in all others I have seen, the one important element is overlooked-the force of the wind. Some insist that there must be some movement, and suggest that certain feathers under the pinions move sufficiently to give them motion. Observers have failed to notice that these soaring birds are never poised In our boating along the reef some members in mid-air, motionless, when the wind is not blow- of our boat's crew have been occasionally in ing steadily from one point. The truth is, they view. As Fat Charley was our best oarsman remain in the air precisely as a boy's kite does, and diver, and as his after-career was rather literally sitting on the breeze, gravity operating unexpectedly changed, we conclude by giving in lieu of the string. Darwin's remark is an account of it. The peculiar circumstances very true when he says, "the extended wings of his case as a prisoner for desertion-and cerseemed to form the fulcrum on which the move-tainly he felt that he was misjudged as suchment of the neck, body, and tail acted," and made him an object of commiseration and inthat "the head and neck were moved frequent-terest with us. ly, and apparently with great force." This move- He had been the hero of many a daring exment is a tilting one, as if the bird was poised on a point on which it balances itself; always, however, in the direction of the wind. The bird's head is always "to windward;" otherwise he would go off before the wind instantly, as a kite goes when the string is cut. It is a mistake, | probably, that the bird "moves its head with great force," as it is not necessary. It has that appearance as the head is "ducked" forward and downward to bring the weight of the body against the force of the wind. In the case of the kite the loop-string is delicately adjusted; and every boy knows that the least deviation up After the usual hot and sultry summer, and or down from the right point of fastening the the heavy rains of early autumn, there came one string renders the kite useless. The bird, like of those terrific cyclones sweeping around the the kite, as we have mentioned, must be before island like a whirlwind, uprooting trees within the wind, or facing it. The wind tends to car- the fort, and throwing down every prominent ry it off before it; the bird tilts gently forward, object not firmly fixed. The great three-story opposing its weight, which centres forward, to building in process of construction for officers' the wind. This latter action tends to carry quarters received a heavy blow, and one large the bird downward and forward. The instinct portion of the rear wall was thrown to the of the bird preserves the balance, and thus birds ground, crushing in its course a small building soar and sit upon the breeze without the move-in which two officers of the garrison were sleepment of a feather.* ⚫ The kites of the Chinese or Japanese, that have no tails, and particularly those made in imitation of a bird with outspread wings, are perhaps better examples. If they possessed the faculty of poising themselves, tilting so as to exactly balance the two forces-gravity and the wind-then we would have the same result. ploit in the water; but there came a time when ing. Efforts were So instantaneous was the blow one of the officers was crushed to death in bed before he could leave it. Ere any one had recovered from the shock, much less commenced to look about, Fat Charley was hammering away at the door where the officers were confined, and soon effected an entrance-just in time to rescue one 66 THE RECOVERY OF JERUSALEM. He twirled his hat on his fist for a moThe him. officer from the still impending danger. other lay crushed upon his bed, under an im- ment, resting now on one hip, now on the oth"Well, Colonel"-and Charley looked as mense load of bricks that had broken through er. the roof. Now appeared a most embarrassing near the melting mood as he ever had been besituation. A large portion of the wall, extend- fore-"the fact is, Colonel, I have got acquainting to the very top of the building, was partial-ed with a girl on the key, and she has just gone ly dislodged, but would not yield to the force off, and she said she'd have me if there was any applied. The commanding officer would not reasonable prospect of my getting out of this. order any one to go up, but asked if any one Now the truth is, I think she believes in me, present would volunteer. No one moved. It and I know that I am better for her, andseemed that the danger was too apparent. But and-" Charley broke down completely, but ralfew moments passed, however, before a sensa- lied vigorously when the Colonel showed him tion was noticed in the crowd; some one was his signature appended to a document wherein - Regiment, observed climbing behind the loosened wall. the Hon. Secretary of War was respectfully inIt was Fat Charley, who commenced crying out formed that Charles Rodgers, oflustily for some one to "toss him the bight of a rope." Such a shout went up to greet him as never before or since was heard within the walls of Fort Jefferson. A light cord was made fast to a hawser, and one end fastened to a stone which was thrown over the wall. Charley adjusted the rope and came down, receiving the congratulations of his comrades, and the thanks of the commanding officer, who ordered him to go to his office at once. Charley took a prodigious chew of tobacco, and said "he'd be dog'd if he hadn't rather have a thimbleful of 'pain-killer' and a little rest, but he supposed he must obey orders." "Rodgers, what can I do for you?" says the Colonel. Charley took the quid out of his mouth and tossed it out the window. An idea struck Volunteers, etc., and was recommended for executive clemency for exemplary conduct and bravery. In due time the Adjutant placed in Charley's hands his discharge; whereupon he lost no time in joining his good angel, following her to New York, where he surprised her, and claimed that her promise should be fulfilled. She was as good as her word; they were married at once, and left for their home in the Green Mountain State. From his country home we The handreceived a letter, signed by husband and wife, telling of their great happiness. writing was singularly alike; but we remembered that Charley had not only learned to write under the tuition of his guardian, but had joined her church while yet they were at the prison. The Bos'n lies buried by the deep sea on the Florida Reef. THE RECOVERY OF JERUSALEM. GALLERY AT GOLDEN GATE. TH HE church of Notre Dame, in Paris, which, founded in 1163, was originally elevated six or eight steps above the level of the street, is now upon the same plane with it; and if the detritus continues to accumulate in the future as it has in the past, it will not be long before the traveler will have to descend into the cathedral. The tourist in Rome, passing near the site of the ancient Forum, finds himself ten or twelve feet above the surface of ancient Rome, which only recent excavations have brought to view. These facts-and they are not isolated ones by any means-present curious and interesting illustrations of the way in which the present is perpetually at work in burying and obliterating But the all traces of the past. examples to which we have alluded sink into insignificance when pared with that which is afforded by There is the city of Jerusalem. scarcely any city of ancient times still in existence whose localities are not better understood. Its topography is com JERUSALEM. more obscure by far than that of Athens, Alexandria, or Rome; and even Nineveh and Babylon have been more effectually explored. It is true that the legends of the church fix very definitely every locality, whether real or fictitious. The pious priests show the tourist the Ecce Homo Arch, where Pilate brought out Jesus, hoping thus to appeal to the sympathies of the mob; the very window from which Pilate's wife warned her husband to have nothing to do with the persecution of that just man; the street along which Jesus was carried to his execution; the places where he rested upon the journey; the pillar where he was scourged; the place where he was crucified; the very holes on the top of the rock in which the crosses stood; the precise spot occupied by the Roman soldier who, in view of the crucifixion, bore witness, "Surely this was the Son of God;" the Stone of Unction, whereon the body of the Saviour was laid to prepare it for burial; the sepulchre hewn in the rock wherein he was entombed; and the spot where he appeared to Mary Magdalene in the likeness of a gardener. But they show with equal confidence the spot where he fell under the weight of his cross, and point in attestation to a great granite column broken by the blow; two deep indentations in the stone wall where he stumbled and fell; the house of the saint, Veronica, who, according to the Romish legends, came out, undaunted by the hootings of the mob, and wiped the perspiration from his brow, bearing away with her as her reward the imprint of the Saviour's face upon her handkerchief. The legend must be true, for the identical handkerchief is preserved and exhibited in half a dozen cathedrals of Europe. It is scarcely necessary to say, however, that though some of these sites may happen to be correctly designated, no credence is to be attached to the monkish opinions concerning sacred geography, except as they are sustained by original and independent investigations. For the purpose of conducting such investigations, a society was formed in England a few years ago, entitled The Palestine Exploration Fund. An expedition was organized to explore Jerusalem; and the results of two years of indefatigable labor, pursued under every variety of difficulty, are now before us in a volume of official reports from Captain Warren, under whose direction they were carried on. We shall not attempt to condense into & few pages any thing like a full and accurate account of his labors, but shall hope to give some hint of these most recent efforts of Christian scholars for the recovery of the Holy City. Jerusalem is literally a city set on a hill, or rather on hills. The modern city stands, as the ancient one did, on the southern extremity of a spur, or plateau, inclosed by two ravines, which bear the familiar names of Kedron and Hinnom. A third ravine, the Tyropoon, joining the Kedron on the south, passes through the city, dividing it into two unequal portions. THE RECOVERY OF JERUSALEM. ARCH OF THE ECCE HOMO. On the western spur, probably the Mount Zion | The hills of Jerusalem are precipitous, and in many cases the rock was cut down to give additional security. In the long history of the city, from the days when David first captured it from the Jebusites to the wars of the Crusades, it has been repeatedly besieged, captured, and laid waste. The detritus of centuries has gradually accumulated in these valleys, until in some places it is a hundred feet in depth. The upper portion of the ancient walls has been The lower portion is buried thrown down. beneath the rubbish. The plan which accomThe location of the walls panies this article, like all plans of the city, is largely conjectural. Some faint is traced by surmise, not by observation; for no modern has ever seen, in their entire circuit, the ancient walls of Jerusalem. conception of the extent to which this rubbish overlays old Jerusalem is indicated by the sectional diagram which we give upon another page. Perhaps, however, the reader will get even a better conception from a single incident in Captain Warren's explorations. He had occasion to sink a shaft on the north side of the city, considerably removed, as he supposed, from the street which ran in the valley below. But after getting well under-ground he found himself breaking through the wall of a blacksmith's shop, and recognized the workman as a man from whom he had been buying some tools shortly before. The man was transfixed with terror at the apparition bursting through 1 |