ancient jurisprudence and rites of religion, established long before they
had any idea of the division into hours. The first sun-dial seen at Rome
was brought from Catania, in Sicily, in the first punic war, as part of
the spoils of that city; and after this period, they divided the day into
twenty-four hours. An officer, called _accendus_, used to proclaim the
hours; and at the bench of justice (says Kennett) gave notice every three
hours what it was o'clock.

Throughout the Turkish empire, time is reckoned by certain portions of the
natural day, resembling the vigils of the ancient Jews and Romans. Public
clocks not being in use, these divisions of time are proclaimed from the
minarets.

P.T.W.

* * * * *



THE TOPOGRAPHER.


TRAVELLING NOTES IN SOUTH WALES.

_Voyage up the Bristol Channel_.--Two steam-packets ply twice every week
throughout the year between Bristol and Swansea. The opposition has been
so great this season, that the cabin fare is only 5_s_. and the steerage
2_s_. 6_d_. for a distance of seventy-five miles. The voyage down is
performed in fine weather in about six hours; while, in consequence
of the tide being adverse, it requires from nine to ten hours to make the