The Neapolitan sailors never go to sea without a box of small images
or puppets, some of which are patron saints, inherited from their
progenitors, while others are more modern, but of tried efficacy in
the hour of peril. When a storm overtakes the vessel, the sailors
leave her to her fate, and bring upon deck the box of saints, one of
which is held up, and loudly prayed to for assistance. The storm,
however, increases, and the obstinate or powerless saint is vehemently
abused, and thrown upon the deck. Others are held up, prayed to,
abused, and thrown down in succession, until the heavens become more
propitious. The storm abates, all danger disappears, the saint last
prayed to acquires the reputation of miraculous efficacy, and, after
their return to Naples, is honoured with prayers.--_Ibid._
* * * * *
The Naturalist.
* * * * *
LENGTH AND FINENESS OF THE SILKWORM'S WEB, &c.
Baker in _The Microscope made Easy_, says, "A silkworm's web being
examined, appeared perfectly smooth and shining, every where equal,
and much finer than any thread the best spinster in the world can
make, as the smallest twine is finer than the thickest cable. A pod of
this silk being wound off, was found to contain 930 yards; but it is
proper to take notice, that as two threads are glewed together by the
worm through its whole length, it makes double the above number, or
1,860 yards; which being weighed with the utmost exactness, were found
no heavier than two grains and a half. What an exquisite fineness is
here! and yet, this is nothing when compared with the web of a small
spider, or even with the silk that issued from the mouth of this very
worm, when but newly hatched from the egg."
Under the article _Silk_, in _Rees's Cyclopaedia_, the writer says,
"that those who have examined it attentively, think they speak within
compass, when they affirm that each ball contains silk enough to reach
the length of _six_ English miles."
Baker tells us, "not to neglect the _skins_ these animals cast off
three times before they begin to spin; for the eyes, mouth, teeth,
ornaments of the head, and many other parts may be discovered better
in the _cast_-off skins than in the real animal."