,

"Printed for J. Osborne, near Dockhead, Southwark; and James Hodges, at
the Looking Glass, on London Bridge:"

I observe he gives--at least there--no account whatever of his
peregrinations to the polar regions; and the notion of ascribing to him the
story of the frozen words is preposterous. I have not in my library, but
have read, the best edition of Sir John's _Travels_ (I don't mean the
abominable reprint), but I do not remember anything of the kind there.
Indeed Sir John, like Marco Polo, was perfectly honest, though some of
their informants may not have been so.

J. ME.

* * * * *

Minor Queries.

_The Witches' Prayer._--Can you inform me where I can find the epigram
alluded to by Addison, in No. 61. of the _Spectator_, as "The Witches'
Prayer," which falls into verse either way, only that it reads "cursing"
one way, and "blessing" the other? Or is the epigram only a creation of the
pleasing author's fertile imagination?

DOUBTFUL.

St. John's Wood.

_Water-buckets given to Sheriffs._--Can any of your readers inform me the
origin of the delivery of water-buckets, glazed and painted with the city
arms, given to the sheriffs of London and Middlesex at the expiration of
the year of their shrievalty?

J. B. K.

Temple.

_A Cracow Pike._--Can any of your readers tell me what _a Cracow pike_ is?
I have searched Meyrick's works on _Ancient Armour_ without finding any
notice of such a weapon; but as those works have no indexes one cannot be
certain that there may not be some mention of it. I shall be obliged by a
description of the Cracow pike, or a reference to any authorities
mentioning it, or its use.

I. H. T.

_Meaning of Waste Book._--Can you or any of your readers inform me the
origin of the term used in book-keeping, viz., _"Waste" book_?

I am the book-keeper and cashier in an extensive firm, and I know there is
very little _wasted_ that goes into our books bearing that name.

ONE WHO OFTEN RUNS FOR THE GREAT LEDGER.

_Machell's MS. Collections for Westmoreland and Cumberland._--In the
library of the dean and chapter at Carlisle, are preserved six volumes in
folio, which purport to be _Collections for the History of Westmoreland and
Cumberland, made in the Reign of Charles II., by the Reverend Thomas
Machell_. Have these collections been carefully examined, and their
contents made use of in any topographical publication?

EDWARD F. RIMBAULT.

_