When these animals cannot find a sufficient supply of food in their native solitudes, in the uncultivated parts of Africa, they frequently come down in great numbers into the Lower Guinea, where they make horrible devastation among the herds of cattle which cover the plains of that fertile country, and spare no living creature that has the misfortune to fall in their way. The late Sir Ashton Lever kept a leopard in a cage at Leicester house, where it became so tame as always to appear gratified by attention and caresses; testifying its pleasure by purring, and rubbing itself against the bars like a cat. Sir Ashton presented it to the Royal Menagerie in the Tower, where a person previously acquainted with it, went, after an interval of more twelve months, and was greatly surprised to find himself recognized by the animal, which began to renew its usual caresses.

In India there is a species of the Leopard about the size of a grey hound, marked with spots pretty much like the rest of the kind, but of which the ground colour is less brilliant yellow, inclining to tawness. This species of leopard is frequently tamed and trained to hunt the antelope, and other beasts of the chase. It is carried in a small kind of wagon, chained and hoodwinked, until it approaches the game, when it is unchained and let loose on the pursuit. At first it begins by creeping along close to the ground, squatting, and concealing itself as much as possible, until it gains an advantageous position. It then darts on its prey with extraordinary agility, frequently making five or six amazing bounds. If it does not succeed in this first effort, it desists from any other pursuit, and returns to its

master.

The general size of the African Leopard, is nearly that of a pretty large mastiff, and few of them exceed four feet in length.-[Bigland's Natural History. (To be continued.)

Methodist Mission to Liberia.

The intelligence contained in the following letter, is of a most gratifying character, and we hope it may excite Christians of all denominations to higher efforts for the civilization and salvation of the people of Africa. The colony will, we have no doubt, derive vast benefits from the establishment of Christian Missions within its borders. No time, however, should be lost in attempting to prepare men of colour for missionary labours in that land, since human life should not unnecessarily be put to hazard; and the climate cannot be considered favorable to the constitutions of white men.

NEW YORK, Dec. 15, 1830.

REV. AND DEAR SIR: The Young Men's Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Ch. in New York, feeling deeply impressed with the solemn importance of the great cause in which the friends of African Colonization are laboring, have recently resolved to unite their zeal, their liberality, and their prayers for the establishment of a mission in Liberia. They have heard from that distant shore the cry, "come over and help us." They believe it to be the voice of God, and when the Almighty speaks, who shall not listen, who shall not lend an obedient ear? We are convinced, that Colonization, to be entirely effectual, will require more than the arts of civilized life can accomplish. Christianity is absolutely needed; no recommendation from the lamented Ashmun, that great martyr of Africa's salvation, was ever worthy of more solemn consideration, than that wherein he urges ardent and untiring missionary labours, "as the only means of rendering the colo ny, what it is intended to be made, a truly christian and civilized asylum of an outcast race of men. This sentiment we fully embrace, and we are anxious with our brethren of other denominations to share in the glorious work of Africa's regeneration, and to cast our mite into this treasury of the Lord. We well know your deep solicitude upon every subject connected with African Colonization, and hence we have thus introduced to your notice our Young Men's Missionary Society and its objects.

As patriots we indulge the hope that the noble society, to whose advancement you are so zealously devoted, will continue to advance more and more, in its vast, patriotic, and benevolent purposes. But as followers of Christ, who have always manifested a lively interest, and zeal in the spiritual welfare of the black man, we would be more concerned, that the gospel of the Son of Peace should spread its holy influences in that colony, and even penetrate the remotest deserts of that dark corner of the earth. With these objects in view, we shall always be grateful, for any information that you may be able to afford us in their attainment.

Yours truly, &c.

Rev. R. R. GURLEY.

GABRIEL P. DISOSWAY,

Corresponding Secretary.

African Song.

The following account, is from Captain Laing's travels to Falaba, in the Soolima Country. We hope before long to present our readers many other statements in regard to the character and customs of the African Tribes.

The news of my appearance was soon spread abroad, and the yard was forthwith crowded with dancers, musicians, and singers; among the latter of whom I was not a litle annoyed to behold

the females whose stentorian lungs had so stunned me in the morning, and I was obliged not only to submit to a repetition of Yarradee's war-song, with their diabolical chorus, (which is a favourite air among the Soolima musicians,) but to pay them for their trouble; otherwise, according to Musah, I should have had a bad name amongst them, and nothing is more dreaded by an African than a bad name from the Jelles. The sound of the balla was beautiful, as also the recitation by the singing men, but the din of the chorus roared forth by the women, was savage in the extreme. After the war-song of Yarradee, they sung for nearly half an hour of the wars between the Soolimas and Foulahs, a few sentences of which were translated to me as they were caught by my interpreter; and are as follows:

SONG.

The men of the Foulah nation are brave.-No man but a Foulah can stand against the Soolimas.-The Foulahs came to Falaba with 30,000 men; they came down the hills like the rolling of a mighty river; they said, Falaba men, pay, or we will burn your town. The brave Yarradee sent a barbed arrow against the Foulahs, and said, you must slay me first.-The fight began; the sun hid his face; he would not behold the number of the slain. The clouds which covered the skies frowned, like the brow of the Kelle Mansa*.-The Foulahs fought like men; and the ditch around Falaba was filled with their slain.—What could they do against the Soolima Lion?— The Foulahs fled, never to return; and Falaba is at peace.

As soon as the Amazons had finished their song, a droll-looking man, who played upon a sort of guitar, the body of which was a callabash, commenced a sweet air, and accompanied it with a tolerably fair voice. He boasted, that by his music he could cure diseases; that he could make wild beasts tame, and snakes dance; if the white man did not believe him, he would give him a specimen; with that, changing to a more lively air, a large snake crept from beneath a part of the stockading in the yard, and was crossing it rapidly, when he again changed his tune, and playing a little lower, sung: "Snake, you must stop; you run too fast, stop at my command, and give the white man service. The snake was obedient, and the musician continued: "Snake, you must dance, for a white man has come to

The Kelle Mansa, or war-master; the title of the general of the army.

Falaba; dance, snake, for this is indeed a happy day." The snake twisted itself about, raised its head, curled, leaped, and performed various feats, of which I should not have supposed a snake capable; at the conclusion, the musician walked out of the yard, followed by the reptile, leaving me in no small degree astonished, and the rest of the company not a little pleased, that a black man had been able to excite the surprise of a white one. On my retiring to the interior of my dwelling, the dancing commenced, the noise of which deprived me of rest till a late hour; and on my awaking in the morning, I found, by the sluggish beat of the fatigued drummer, that some, more reluctant than others to break up an amusement which daylight alone puts a stop to among Africans, had not yet discontinued their exertions.

Extracts from Correspondence.

Corydon, August 5, 1830.

I enclose to you five dollars for the American Colonization Society, collected in the Presbyterian congregation of this place. If the money which has been usually spent on the 4th of July for gunpowder, ardent spirits, and sumptuous dinners, was cast into the treasury of your Society, what good might be done, and what evil prevented.

Hunter, N. Y. August 10, 1830.

The enclosed ten dollars is for the use of your valuable Society. It is a small contribution, but it is just twice as large as the one we sent you last year. By the blessing of Divine Providence, we hope our contributions may continue to increase. I ought to add, that one dollar of this money was contributed by the children in one of our district schools, wishing you "God speed" in your glorious enterprise.

Clark county, Ind. Aug. 29, 1830.

I am poor; but as an American, I love liberty, and viewing the American Colonization Society (not as I formerly viewed it) one of the grand means to guard our liberties, I herewith enclose to

you for the Society, fifty dollars of my hard earnings, praying for the Lord's blessing on it. The warm blood which flows now through my veins, begotten by the mettle of '76, says success to the enterprising American Colonization Society.

TACITUS.

Intelligence.

At a Meeting of a number of gentlemen friendly to the interests of the American Colonization Society, held on Monday Evening, the 27th ult. at Clinton Hall, William A. Duer was called to the Chair, and Ira B. Under hill was appointed Secretary.

The meeting was addressed by Robert S. Finley, Esq. (an Agent of the American Colonization Society,) and by a number of other gentlemen. The following resolutions were unanimously adopted by the meeting. Resolved, That this meeting have heard with the liveliest interest the cheering account given by the Agent of the Colonization Society, of the flourishing situation of the infant Colony of Liberia, planted under the auspices of the above institution, on the coast of Africa, and that convinced of the certain and successful tendency of that institution to promote the cause of emancipation—to exterminate the Slave trade-to afford a comfortable and appropriate assylum to the free persons of colour in the United States-to eradicate sectional jealousies and embarrassments in our country-cement our own bond of union, and finally, to diffuse the benign influence of the gospel over the vast continent of Africa, and thus to convert the fountain curse into a broad stream of diffusive blessing; we consider it the bounden duty of every philanthropist, patriot and christian to promote its interests.

Resolved, That this meeting highly approves of the benevolent views and beneficial operations of the American Colonization Society; and under the deepest solicitude for its entire success, will cordially cooperate with that Institution in devising and adopting such measures as may be best calculated for the attainment, under Providence, of the great objects it has in view.

Resolved, That with a view to the diffusion of information on this interesting subject, more effectually to enlist the sympathies of a benevolent and discerning public, preparatory to more decided measures to be adopted, a Committee of fifteen be appointed to prepare an Address, and to take measures generally for the call of a public meeting in our city, in relation to this most important subject, to be held (at such place as may be designated by the Committee,) on Tuesday evening, the 11th of January next, at 7 o'clock.