The Georgia journal. (Milledgeville, Ga.) 1809-1847, May 15, 1811, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Text' lliqj- — — —i-ivj Jtx a. j vy ii i n 1j# VOL. \l mivrn —I .«■ «!■».■ MILLEDGEVII.LE, WEDNESDAY, MAY TSi . 15, 1811. No. 29. YVBLISHSD BY SEATON GRANT I, AND, (PRINTER TO THE STATE,) ON JEF- VERSON STREET, OPPOSITE THE NORTH END OF THE STATE HOUSE. ySRMS THREE DOLLARS PER AN NUM, ON* HALE TQ BE PAID IN AD VANCE. ADVERTISEMENTS WILL BE THANK FULLY RECEIVED, AND PUBLISHED AT THE CUSTOMARY PRICES. JfIL LET)®WILL* PRICE CURRENT. Got'en, * - « 10 nominal &?//* m m m 1 2 5 Iron, > • t IO Corn 9 m m m 2 25 fFhratt 1 MISCELLANY. floating down, the sentinel called to me that he had seen and challenged something black and moving’ln the brushwood, on the beach, which gave no answer j but which from its size he concluded it must be a man. I immediately dropped anchor ; anti having marined the canoe, ill as I THE I'ORGE OF HATRED. Tfhe following tv given as authentic in <7 late English publication and exhibits a sad lesson of human de pravity. An elderly gentleman was cast a- %v#v upon the Western part of Eng land. The people gathered about him, and pointed out a respectable house in the neighbourhood, where he was likely to be well received. He rejoiced to find that it was inha bited bv an old school-fellow, whom lie had never seen since they were bovs together. His joy, however, svas damped, by finding him a martyr to the gout-—yet, long as he had suf fered under the pangs inflicted by that tvrant, he seemed revived at the sight of an early friend, and his spi rits seemed to lie renewed bv the un- Idokcd for accident. After our tra veller had refreshed himself, he was shew A by the servant maid to the chamber she had prepared for him, and left to his repose. The girl was the only domestic of our old gentle man In the night the traveller was inurd' p ed. The trial was to ascer tain bv whom. The master of the house represented himself as unable to su r ha nd or fo< ’t— for a long time he had not moved out of his apartment. The girl when interrogated, gave her uiij'.k rs and propositions in a man- lies s.. candid and covincing, that e- verv .op nion absolved her. In this Situation die council for the prosecu tion said be h.ul one question to ask the servant maid, which he hand ed to the prisoner’s counsel. “ II you put this question (said the latter) I fling up my brief.” Every consi deration naturailv enforced the ques tion—it was, “ Did v oil in the night hear the door open ?” The answer tvas, “ I did.” “ What door.” “ My master’s.” The old gentleman upon this, begged that he might confess his crime, and make the only atone ment in his power* What he said was to this effect: “ We were of the same standing, in the same school, and the sons ol gentlemen.—Two hoys on the loun- datlon with no other dependence had robbed an orchard. The de ceased proposed that we, as able to bear obloquy, should lather the of fence. We did so, and were expel led. The shame of expulsion pro duced hatred towards him who re- commended the act which had pro duced it. We were sundered in bu sinessof life, I knew not, till he sought ftw house, that he existed. At thi sight of him, I felt a flush of triumph springing in my cheeks-*- < to him i no doubt seemed the joy to behold iiiin—it was the joy to behold him my victim. Hatred invigorated my limbs ; decrepitude yielded to the demand ot vengeance : in the middle of a sleepless night, I crawled on my h inds and knees to his chamber door: with a palpitating heart I listened to his breathing, to he as sured he was asleep ; and with a ra zor he had borrowed of me, I cut his throat from car to ear—I then crept back to my chamber with hoi- *ible sensations.” . ^ • It is only necessary to add, that tjpnn this confession, the offender was execute '. do apply the story and illustrate our subject, may be the trouble, for it cannot be the amuse ment, of the reader. Of its truth, there cannot be the slightest ques tion. Jsarrat'rje of Captain Steelman, in his “ Expedition to Guiana.” “ As I was returning in my ham- * " says the captain, “ between of mv fever about older to drag him down to the canoe ; but this again proved fint a very ea sy undertaking, since the creature, notwithstanding its being mortally wounded, still- continued to writhe and twist about in such a manner, as rendered it dangcrout for any per son to approach him* The negro^ nt ocic, the paroxysms hull' way between Cormoetibo and be no other than a rebel spy, or a straggling party detached by the e- nemy ; but one of my slaves of the name of David, declared it was no negro, but a large amphibious snake, which could not be far from the beach, and might have an opportuni ty of shooting it if I pleased. To this however, I had not the least inclination, from the uncommon size of the creature, from my weakness, and the difliculty of getting through the thicket, which seemed impene trable to the water’s edge, and there fore, ordered all of them to return on board. The negro then asked me liberty to step forward and shoot it himself, assuring me that it could not be at any great distance, and warranting against all danger. This declaration inspired me with so much pride and emulation, that 1 deter mined to take his first advice, and kill it myself; provided he would point it out to me, and be respon sible for the hazard, by standing at iny side, from which, I swore, that if he dared to move, I should level the piece at himself, and blow out his brains. To this the negro cheer fully agreed, and having, loaded my gun wdth a ball catridge we proceed ed, David catting a path with a bill hook, and a marine following with three more loaded firelocks to keep in readiness. We had not gone a- bove twenty yards through mud and water, the negro looking every \Vav with an uncommon degree of vivaci ty and attention, when starting be hind me he called out, “ Me see snakee !” and in effect there lay the animal rolled up under the fallen leaves and rubbish of the trees, and so %Ve!l covered that it Was some time before I distinctly perceived the head df this monster, dis ant from me not above sixteen feet, mo ving its forked tongue, while its eyes, from their uncommon bright ness appeared to emit sparks of fire. I now resting my piece upon a branch for the purpose of taking a surer aim, fired ; but missing the head the hall Went through the body, when the animal struck round and with such astonishing force, as to cut a way all the underwood around him with the facility of a scythe mowing grass; and by flouncing h:s tail, caused the mud and dirt to fly over our heads to a considerable dis tance. Of this proceeding, howe ver, we were not torpid spectators ; hut took to our heels, and crouded into the canoe. The negro now in- treated me to renew the charge, as suring me the sr.ake would he qui et in a few minutes ; and at any rate persisting in the assertion that he was neither able nor inclined to pur sue us, which opinion he supported by walking before me, till I should he ready to fire; And thus I again undertook to make the trial, espe cially as he said that his first start ing backwards had only proceeded lroqi a desire to make room lor me. I now found the snake a little remo ved from his former station ; hut ve ry quiet, with his head as befere, ly ing out among the fallen leaves, rot ten bark and old moss. I fired at it immediately, but with no better success than the former time ; and now being but slightly wounded he sent up such a cloud of dust and dirt as I never saw but in a whirlwind, and made us once more suddenly re treat to our canoe, where now be ing tired of the exploit I gave orders to row towards the barge ; but Da vid still intreating me to permit him to kill the animal, I was, by his per suasions, induced to make a third and last attempt in company with him. Thus having once more dis covered the snake, we discharged both our pieces at once, and with this good effect, that he was now, by one of us, shot through the head.— David who was made completely happy by this successful conclusion, ran, leaping with joy, and lost no account of the great knob or knot which the swallowed prey occasions in that part of the body where it rests, till it is digested ; for till then it would hinder the snake from sliding along the ground. During that time it wants no other subsistence. I have been told pf negroes being dexterity, and now, cl! taking hold of the rope we dragged him to the beach, and tied him to the sterrt of the canoe, to take him in tow.— Being still alive he kept swim- ing like an eel, and I had no relish lor such a shipmate on board whose length, notwithstanding to my asto nishment all the negroes declared it to be but a young one, come to a- bout its half growth) 1 found upon measuring it, to be twenty-two feet and some inches ; and its thick ness about that of n-.y black boy Quaco, who might then he about twelve years old, and round whose waist I since measured the creature’s skin* ‘‘ Being arrived along side of the ship, the next consideration, was, at length determined to bring him on shore at Barbacoeb;*, to have him skinned and take out the oil, &c. In order to effect this purpose the ne gro David having climbed up a tree with the end of the rope, let it down over a strong forked bough, and the other negroes hoisted up the snake and suspended him from the tree. This done, David with a sharp knife between his teeth now left the tree, and clung fast upon the monster, which was still twisting; and began his opperations by ripping it up, and stripping down the skin as he descended. Though I perceived that the animal Was no longer able to do him any injury, I confess I could not without emotion see a man stark naked, black and bloody, cling ing with arms and legs round the slyrhy and yet living monster. This labour, however, was mot without its use, since he not only dextercusly finished the operation, but provided me, besides the skin, with above four gallons of fine clarified fat, or rather oil, though there was wasted perhaps as much more. This I de iivered to the surgeons for the use of the wounded men in the hospital, for which I received their hearty thanks ; it being considered, parti cularly lor bruises, a very excellent remedy. When I signified my sur prise to see the snake still living, af ter he was deprived of his intes tines and skin, Caramaca, the old negro, whether from experience or tradition, assured me he would hot die till after sunset. The negroes now cut him ill slices in order to dress and feast upon him, they all declaring that he was exceedingly good and wholesome ; but to their great mortification I refused to give my concurrence to this, and we row ed home with the skin. “ The length of this snake, when full grown, is said to be sometimes forty feet; and more than four in circumference; its colours is a green ish black, a fine brownish yellow on the sides, and a dirty white in the middle ; its head is broad and flat, small in proportion to the body, with a large mouth and a double row of teeth ; it has two bright prominent eyes ; i3 covered all over with scales seme about the size of a shilling; and under the body near the tail, armed with two strong claws like cock spurs, to help it in seizing its prey. It is an amphibious animal, that is, it delights in low and mar shy places, where it lies coiled up like a rope, and concealed under moss, rotten timber, and dried leaves, to seize itn prey by surprise, which from its immense bulk it is not ac tive enough to pursue. Wnen hun gry it will devour any animal that comes within its reach, and is indif ferent whether it is a sloth, a wild hoar, a stag, or even a tiger j round which having twisted itself so that the creature cannot escape, it breaks. as certainly seize them as any other animal. I shall only add, that hav ing liailcd its skin on the bottom of the canoe, tind dried it in the sitn, sprinkling it over with wood ashes to pievent it from corruption I sent it to a friend at Paramaribo, whence it was sent to Holland as a curi osity.” BIOGRAPHY but as soon as Hegnicr rtc,’ve<r reinforcements, he recovered < lie ground he bad lost. The tw.> Cala brians suffered muchjroin the Preach, army. I can venture to affirm that in whatever country Hegmsh is. the inhabitants consider thnnseivts mips by its irresistible force, every bone •— - L — s —-Lrwl«- which it then in the animal’s body covers over with a kind of slime, or slaver from its mouth, to make it slide, and at last graduly sucks it till it disappers : after this the BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. Particulars of General Peignier. Thisofficer is considered in France as one ot tlic best informed in the art of war. A native of Switzer land, he entered the French service at the beginingof the Revolution,— lie was employed on the Staff of the army of the north, at first as ad jutant, and afterwards as Adjutant-Gene ral. Pichegru, it is said had a great opinion of his talents. His official reports, when employ ed with General Moreau, in the ar my of the Rhine, in 1796, shewed that he well deserved his situation of head of the staff. An Officer who was well acquainted with him has told me, that lie was not in the field the same man that he was in the closet. Although his bravery is undoubted, he possesses neither that presence of mind, r.or that just ness of perception; which are indis pensable in the field for the success ol operations. Such is the opinion entertained of him by Generals De- saix, St. Gyr, and St. Susanne. After the peace of Campo For- mio, in 1797, itegnier who was then only in the 27th year Of his age, wished for an opportunity of acqui ring military fame. He requested to be allowed to accompany Bona parte in his expedition to Egypt.— His services were distinguished ra ther by zeal and utility, than by brilliant exploits. He fought brave ly—was assidious in ameliorating thh position of his troops—and his leisure moments were employed in satisfying his curiosity for the arts, and his taste for the sciences. Bonaparte did not think it proper to grant him the same honours that he had decreed to Junot. He was lavish in his praises of the modesty of Regnier, and he was unjust to hi3 military qualities. Tile siege of El. Arish Urns of mueft greater con sequence than the battle of Naza- rathi Why was it not made the subject hf competition among the ar tists of Paris ? Because Regnicr Was neither an aid-decamp, or flatterer, or spy ol Bonaparte’s. At the Bat tle of II cliopolis, Regnier executed the orders of Kleber with admirable precision.—He continued to dis charge his duties of General ol Di vision until that colony was taken possession of by the English. On his return to Prance, lie published some observations, which created him many enemies. General D’Es- taing challenged him, on account of something he had written of him. They fought with pistols in the Hois de Boulogne, near Paris. D’Estaing received a mortal wound ; he died on the spot. Bonaparte who was soon informed of it,havingseen Reg nier at the audience at the Thuille- ries, refused to receive hhn and sent him orders to withdraw. He gave him an employment in the south of Prance. When Bonaparte sent his brother Joseph to Naples, he attached lteg- niertohitn. In the month of March, 1806, the General went into Cala bria. The French column was guil ty of many horrors against the Ca labrians, notwithstanding the endea vors of Regnier to diminish as much as he could the misfortunes of war. On the 9th of July, he was defeated at Maid» by Gen. Stuart; he lost half of his little armv, ami was obii- the esteem ot all those who know how io appreciate those qualities.— He is perfectly acquainted with the theory of war : hut nature has not endowed him with those rare qua lities which master victory on a fi id Of battle, where he has the sole com mand of the operations. Having been defeated at M .ida, after sv- ing practised his profession- un >r PlCHEGRU in Plan lers, MORE-.U 111 Germany and Klebicr iu K ."pi, a campaign under the orders of Mis- sena does not hold out a \ erv flatter ing prospect. It is the general opinion in France* that Recnier is out of his place at the head ol a corps of the ar.ny, uni that his great talents can no where he tiirned so well to account, is in putting him at 'he head of a staff of a first-rate ComtVir.ndei. FOREIGN. 10. ^ibacoehy, while the Charon was I time m bringing the boa. rope, hi in i snake ..annet shift situation on I ged to evacuate the farther Calabria. , V()(n , 11 ^ , 20 . , ;nan d i. * i:c *' :ir * t3 i:u • 12 - en ’ n Plrr "V and cue woman 127 years. LONDON, March Yesterda) morning imunica- tion was made by the '■« ol tr,Je to the Govern ir ofthi Russ an c m- panv, to the following effect: “ Licences will be granted to im port goods from the Baltic, an the subsequent conditions : “The captain-, the ship’s name, and her burden must he marked in the li cense, as well as the loading port in the Baltic—If the port be east ol :he Oder the ships are to sail W.th con voy from the same rendezvous as last year.” We learn that Sir James Sauma- rezon'y waits the i*-lurn of iin vic tory from Lisbon to proceed imme diately to the Bailie, with a powerful fleet under his orders, Tne wauls* however are likely to pr event his sailing for weeks io c ome. Ii is said that count Gottorp will sail with him. Lieut. Gen. Maitland, Governor of Greneda, goes to Sicily, and maj. general Bislop is also spoken >( lor the same station. The important command of Halifax, will he filled up by a military officer. A letter from a British officer in Portugal, gives tiie followio •; ex > a- nation of a late mission from "'•■j- sena to lord Wellington :— The Freneh commander intending io fire a fen defoiv, on receiving intelligence of the birth of the Imperial issue of them arriage of Napoleon’s and vla- rir Louisa, sent to acquaint Lord Wellington, “ ill order,” as the French officer said, “ that Lord Wellington should not he alarmed.” Lord Wellington received the offi cer very politely, and sent back an assUratlcc to Marshal Massena, “ that although no fire from the French line could alarm him he was so much obliged by the politeness of his communication, that us it was probable the first intelligence of the event upon which the fell de foie wai to take place, would reach Portugal from England, lie would not lose a moment in conveying it to the French camp.” The independent Spirit manifest ed by some of the Northern powers will he supported in the ensuing spring by .1 very considerable British fleet, which ministers have determin ed to send to the Baltic. Phe dis tinguished veteran Si:. J. S.,um«t J rez, will take the command. Mr. West’s painting of the Mira* cles of our Savi uur, has been pur chased by tiie Subscribers to the Bri tish institution, for 3000 guineas. The sum wus raised by subscription of 50 guineas each individual. The painting was originally desdued for America. SWEDEN. By the returns made of the popu lation of Stockholm lor ten years, it appears that 212 men & 328 women were living aged from 100 to tOS years; 31 men and 36 womon iroin 106 to 110; 22 men and 19 wom<*n, 123, years.

Georgia Historic Newspapers

The Georgia journal. (Milledgeville, Ga.) 1809-1847, May 15, 1811, Image 1