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This island confifts of a ridge of rocks, which is divided by many vallies, that stretch to the north and to the fouth. Its mountains are so high, that, in clear weather, one may fee them from about half the distance between the island and Kamtchatka. The inhabitants of Kamtchatka, of old times, thought there must be fome land over-against the mouth of the river Kamtchatka, by reason that the fky appeared there always cloudy, though it were never fo clear every where else about the horizon.

The highest mountains of the ifland do not measure above two verftes in a perpendicular.

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[Here follows a description of this barren rocky island, of which the following four pages are not to our prefent purpose. Then at page 136, the account proceeds thus.

The fouth-weft fide of the island is of a quite different nature from the other, as to accefs: for though the fhore there is more rocky and craggy, yet there are two places by which, in flat-bottomed boats, fuch as are the Tcherbotui*, one may not only land on the shore, but even advance as far as a lake, by the ftreams that flow from it. The firft of these places is at 50 verftes, and the other at 115, from the foutheaft end of the island.

This laft place is very remarkable from the fea; for the land there goes rounding from the north to the weft; and, at the very promontory there runs a stream, which is the largest of any in that ifland; and, when the water is high, its depth is not less than feven feet. It runs from a great lake, which lies a verft and a half from its mouth and because that stream grows deeper, the farther it is from the fea,

therefore one may conveniently go upon it in boats as far as the lake: and upon the lake there is a fafe ftation; for it is furrounded with rocky mountains, as with a wall, and fheltered from all winds. The chief mark, by which one may know this stream from the sea, is an ifland, which is about seven verites in circumference, and lies to the fouth at seven verftes diftance from the mouth of the ftream. fhore from thence towards the west, is fandy and low for five verftes. Round the fhores, there are no rocks under water; which one may know from thence, because there are no breakers.

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From the highest rocks of that island, one fees the following lands: at the fouth, two iflands, one of which meafures about feven verstes in circumference, as was observed before; but the other is overagainst the very end of Berings island, at the fouth-weft: it confilts of two high and cleft rocks, of about three verftes in circumference, and is at fourteen verftes distance from Berings ifland.

From the north-east end of Berings ifland, in clear weather, one may fee to the north-eaft, very high mountains covered with fnow, and their diftance may be computed at 100 or 140 verftes. Thofe mountains our author thought, with better grounds, to be a cape of the continent of America, than an ifland :

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Because thofe mountains, allow. ing for their distance, were higher than the mountains on the neighbouring islands. 2. Because that, at a like distance towards the east, one obferves plainly, from the island, fuch like white mountains, from the height and extent of which all judged that it was the continent.

* Large canoes, or boats, fomewhat resembling ferry-boats.

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From the fouth-eaft end of Berings ifland, they faw to the south-eaft alfo, another island, but not very clearly: it feemed to lie between Berings island and some low part of the continent.

From the weft and fouth-weft fides, it was obferved, that even in clear weather, there is a perpetual fog higher up than the mouth of the river Kamtchatka; and from thence, in fome meafure, they came to know the inconfiderable diftance of the land of Kamtchatka from Berings ifland.

North of the fo often mentioned Berings ifland, there is another ifland, in length from 80 to 100 verftes, which lies parallel to it, i. e. from the fouth-eaft to the north-weft. The freights between these two islands, at the north-weft, measure 20 verftes, and at the foutheast about 40. The mountains upon it are lower than the ridge of mountains in Berings ifland. At both ends of it, there are, in the fea, many rocks at low water mark, and perpendicular rocks like pillars.

With regard to the weather, it differs from that at Kamtchatka only in this, that it is more fevere and fharp for the island has no fhelter from any quarter; and, befides that, it is narrow, and without woods.

Moreover, the force of the winds increases to fuch a degree, in thofe deep and narrow valleys, that one can fcarce ftand upon one's legs. In February and April months, were obferved the fharpeft winds, which blew from the fouth-eaft and from the north-weft. In the for mer cafe, the weather was clear, but tolerable; but in the latter cafe, it was clear indeed, but extremely cold. The higheft rifing of the water happened in the beginning of February month, during north-west winds: the other inundation was

in the middle of May, occafioned by great rains, and by the fudden thawing of the fnows. Neverthelefs, thofe floods were moderate, in comparison with thofe of which there ftill remained undoubted marks: for there have been carried many trees, and whole ikeletons of fea animals, to the height of thirty fathoms or more, above the furface of the fea [above the common wa ter mark, or level]: from which our author judges, that in the year 1737, there happened likewife in this ifland fuch an inundation as that at Kamtchatka,

Earthquakes happen here feveral times in the year. The moft violent that was obferved, was in the beginning of February, which, during a wefterly wind, lafted exacly fix minutes; and before it was heard a noife, and a ftrong wind, under ground, with a hiffing, which went from fouth to north.

Among mineral things, which are found in that island, one may reckon as the moft remarkable, the fine waters, which, upon account of their pureness and lightness, are very wholéfome: and this virtue of them was obferved upon fick people, with advantage and the defired fatisfaction. With regard to the plentifulness of them, there is not a valley but what has a ftream running through it; and the number of them all together exceeds fixty; among which there are fome, which are from 8 to 12 fathoms broad; and fome are two, and fome even five fathoms deep, when the water is high; but there are few fuch, and the greater part of them is extremely fhallow at the mouth; becaufe that they have a very rapid courfe, on account of the fleep flopes of the vallies, and that near the fea they divide into many rivulets.

USEFUL

USEFUL PROJECTS.

On the medicinal Uses of Hemlock. See our last Volume, page 105.

Obfervations concerning the different kinds of Hemlock growing in England, with rules for knowing and gathering that used and recommend ed by Dr. Storke of Vienna. By William Watfon, M. D. F. R. S.

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R. Storke, who published at Vienna laft year a treatise de Cicuta, has lately informed a correfpondent in London, that fince the publication of that work he had received letters from almost every part of Europe, confirming his good opinion of the virtues of the Cicuta; and that he is about to publish a fecond treatise upon the fame fubject, containing ftill more extraordinary relations of cures brought about by adminiftering that plant. There is no doubt therefore but that endeavours will be made here to confirm the truth of the doctor's affertions; more efpecially, as fome of the difeases, in which Dr. Storke found the Cicuta attended with great fuccefs, are fuch as are of all others the most shocking to human nature, and have, by too long experience, been found to give way to no other

means.

Hence it is highly important to every one, more particularly to phyficians, that the very plant directed by Dr. Storke be administered, and no other in the place of it, either through inattention, or want of knowledge; as judgment in the phyfician is of no real fervice, unless

his prefcriptions are faithfully prepared.

For thefe reafons it may not be improper to inform thofe medicinal practitioners, who are not conver fant in botany, and who may, ne vertheless, be defirous of trying the effects of the Cicuta, that at this time of the year [viz. April] there is another plant, growing in the fame places, and often mixed with it, fo much refembling it in appearance, as not without fome attention to be diftinguished from it, which however greatly differs from it in fenfible qualities. Great care therefore ought to be taken that the one of thefe should be felected from the other.

As Dr. Storke has tranfmitted hither a fpecimen of the plant he has employed, no doubt can remain in afcertaining its fpecies. It is the Cicuta vulgaris of the botanifts, or common hemlock.

The plant fo much refembling hemlock, is the Cicutaria vulgaris of the botanifts, which, in fome parts of England, is called cowweed, in others wild cicely. Its greatest refemblance to hemlock is in the fpring, before the stalks of the leaves of the hemlock are interfperfed with purple fpots, and therefore at that feafon more eafily mistaken for it: though even then the leaves of the hemlock fmell much ftronger, are more minutely divided, and of a deeper green colour than those of the cow-weed. Afterwards, indeed, they are more eafily diftinguifhed, as the cicutaria flowers at the end

of April and beginning of May, and the cicuta not till June, when the

other

other is paft: To fay nothing of the flowering ftalk of the cowweed being furrowed and fomewhat downy; and that of Hemlock, fmooth, even, and always fpotted. Thefe plants differ likewise very effentially in their feeds, which in the cow-weed are long, fimooth, and black, when ripe; whereas thofe of Hemlock are fmall, channelled, and fwelling towards their middle.

Befides the cow-weed, there is another plant in appearance very like the Hemlock, although widely differing from it in other refpects; and, unless I am very greatly mifinformed, quantities of this have been collected and fold in London for the Hemlock. This is more like ly to be taken for the Hemlock in fummer or autumn, as it is an an nual plant, and is produced and flowers late in the feafon. The plant here meant is the cicuta minor of Parkinfon, or cicutaria tenuifolia of Ray. This however is easily diftinguifhed from Hemlock by its being of the colour and fhape of parfley, its flowering ftalks having no purple or other fpots, and not having the ftrong fmell peculiar to Hemlock.

To the two plants before-men, tioned may be added a third, which very frequently, more especially about London, grows along with, and is mixed with the Hemlock. This plant is called by the late excellent Mr. Ray, Small Hemlock Chervill with rough feeds; and is denominat ed by Cafper Bauhin in his Pinax Myrrhis fylveftris feminibus afperis. This, like the cow-weed beforementioned, can only be miftaken for Hemlock in the spring. It may be diftinguished then from it, VOL. IV.

by the leaves of the Myrrhis being more finely cut, of a paler green colour, and though they have fome what of the Hemlock fmell, are far lefs ftrong, and have no fpots. This plant flowers in April, and the feeds are ripe before the Hemlock begins to flower; and these feeds are cylindrical, rough, and terminated in an oblong point.

The leaves of Hemlock are most fit for medicinal purposes, as being in their greateft perfection when collected in dry weather from the middle of May to the time that their flowering ftems begin to fhoot: as by that time the plants will have felt the effects of the warm fun, have acquired an highly virofe smell, and the ftems of the leaves are covered with purple spots, an argument of the exaltation of their juices. And we should be attentive here to give them all advantages, as three degrees of latitude, and other circumftances of foil and fituation, may occafion a very fenfible difference in the qualities of the fame plant. An inftance of which occurs in the plant under confideration, and may be one of the causes why the effects of the Hemlock have not been fuch here, as we are affured they are at Vienna, viz. Dr. Storke fays, that the root of the Hemlock, when cut into flices. pours forth a milky juice, which I have never feen it do here in England.

There are feveral vegetables, which, though they thrive here apparently well, their productions are nevertheless not the fame as in other parts of the world, where the heat is more intense, and, the fum. mers of longer continuance. It would be extremely difficult here,

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tho'

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though the plants thrive very well, to produce from the white poppy or Ciftus ladanifera, either the opium or the laudanum, the known production of these vegetables in other parts of the world. No art can make here the tragacantha pour forth its gum, the lentifcus its maftick, or the candle berry myrtle, of North America, its febaceous concrete. To these might be added many others too tedious to men

tion.

In fuch mild winters as the laft, the leaves of Hemlock may be procured in any part of them; but they are not to be depended upon; as their fpecific fmell is then comparatively weak, their juices poor and watry, and they are wholly without fpots.

A remarkable inflance of the fuccefs of Hemlock in England; in a letter from a gentleman, who received the benefit of it.

H

OWEVER great at Vienna, and elsewhere, the fuccefs may have been from the use of Hemlock, it has not, as I am informed, been equal to the expectations of practitioners here. I therefore fend you the fuccefs of its administration in my own cafe.

Having for many years been corpulent, and been obliged to fit many hours every day, occafioned, feveral years fince, my legs to fwell, and frequently to become very hard and painful. At times, for thefe four years, this has increafed, and feveral ulcers have broke out in both my legs, which, though they fometimes have been healed, they left my legs hard and fwelled, and my tendons were fo contracted from the calf to the heel, that I could not fet my feet flat to the

ground without the greatest pain. I was contrained therefore to walk upon my toes, fupported by sticks. Since Christmas laft, my complaints grew worfe, my legs fwelled more, the ulcers broke out again, increafed in their number, extent, and forenefs; and, notwithstanding all the means I could procure, they would not heal; infomuch, that by the beginning of May my legs and thighs were very greatly diftended, extremely hard and painful, of a deep red colour, and numberless ulcers occupied both my legs from my knees to my ancles. Many of thefe were very large and deep, and furrounded by high callous lips, and gleeted a thin fharp humour, in fuch a quantity that it ran into my fhoes, and upon the floor where I ftood, and wherever it touched my flesh, it brought other ulcers. My feet were likewife prodigiously fwelled, and I could fcarce move my ancles, and not in the leaft my toes. My forrows did not end here, for upon lying down in my bed the warmth thereof made my ́ulcers yet forer, and excited fuch an itching all over my body, that I was conftrained to leave my bed, and have fat upright in my chair great part of the night, not daring to lie down. The continuance in this potture made, if poffible, my condition worfe; as my legs grew more diftended, and confequently my ulcers increased in number, and the old ones became more foul, and greatly enlarged. Not only my legs and thighs, but my arms and head were fwelled and inflamed. I was hot and dry, and my fpittle, which had for fome months been brackish, now became very falt. I had been in hopes that the dif

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