Georgia Historic Newspapers

    From the Tallahas/’ Sldf>
OLD FORT sy LOUIS,
I A Nil A V IXDIA.V CONCEKNIXG IT.
At iiliinHt mvci-v stej/in this part ofFlor
da, tin: 11 in* tumid ?r/es of the ohl Span
ish m i,; ,it .(•< wliitVsnin-.* hundred aud fif-
V, or t i hundred/jurs ago, were scat
t'Ti'i! iifti ;i grautporliou of this Territory.
. Hart* me he sum extensive fortifications,
with portions ol'/toir walls stir] standing—
there, embank/mts, entrenchments, told,
gateways—a/easily to be distinguished,
though over/mwii with the loftiest pines or
oaks, and wfienever the soil is disturbed are
tlirown ugtlie signs of strife and warfare;
gun harms, broken swords, mingled with
the bon/s of horse and man. Anon we come
upon t/ie ruin of sonic suburban residence of
bricly'or tabby, stjll surrounded with the
vigorous, though old aud venerable live
oaks, with their long streamers of moss,
j all planted with great regularity, so as to
form avenues, or ornamental shades to the
dwellings of the people ofa bygone centu
ry. Deeply worn roads may also he tra
ced running through the country in all di
rections.
About two miles west of the city of Tal
lahassee, lie the ruins of what tradition says
was once the Spanish fort of Si. Louis.—
Our attention has been recently directed to
these ruins, from the circumstance,'that a
very intelligent gentleman, formerly of
Georgia, now of Alabama, has at this time
many laborers engaged in excavating the
site of this old fort, on a search after hidden
treusures. Whether or no, he may suc
ceed in bringing to light any considerable
deposite of the precious metals, is not for
us to say. But he has already thrown up
from beneath the soil, where they had long
been entombed, many articles which will
possess great interest with the antiquarian.
There has long existed a popular belief,
that beneath the ruins of many of these old
Forts, lie concealed much of the wealth of
the past age—large hordes of precious me- j
tals. This belief lias been gathered from j
the traiwtions current among the Indians, as |
well as from the few historical facts which |
remain, of the condition of the Spanish in- :
habitants who for more than a hundred j
years, nourished in this section of the coun
try. That they were wealthy, is evident
from what remains of their dwellings, their
fortifications, their orange groves, their ex
tensive plantations—the signs ofwhich may
yet be traced. The Gulf coast of Florida,
was long the favorite resort, and her bays
and inlets, but little known to the rest of
the world, long continued to be the safe re-’
treat—ofthat bloody, desperate & reckless
race of buccaneers, who, during the 17th
century, so much infested the southern
seas. It was from this coast that they drew
their main supplies ; and when driven from
the ocean, it was here in these unknown
regions that they sought safety. And ac
cording to tradition, it was to the Spanish
Forts and settlements along the coast, that
they carried much of the blood-stained
wealth, which they had gathered bv pira
cy, from the four corners of the earth.
Under the feeble government of Spain,
there was no authority, perhaps, no disposi
tion—within this distant cojony—to bring
the freebooters to justice. Indeed Florida,
for a long period, seems to have been as
much forgotten by her parent government
as she was unknown to all the world be
sides. And if the connexion of the settle
ments with tlie buccaneers, is such as some
traditions have represented it to be—it may
be presumed, they themselves did not care
to make their condition more extensively
known.
At what precise period this Spanish race
ceased to occupy the country, is not exact
ly known. From the growth of the oaks
and the pines above their former dwellings,
it may lie supposed that it was much over
a hundred years ago. That they were dri
ven firth by war, by viol; nee, and with a
bloody hand, is evident from tlie- marks
whiefcthey left behind them. The tradi
tions current among the Indians, all tel! the
same story.
Tradition says, that the regions now
known as Georgia, upper South Carolina,
and Alabama, poured their Indian hordes
into FI ■ fidn. Tin.- Spaniards who were not
on the first irruption butchered, retreated to
their forts, and long maintained an obstinate
and bloody contest with their savage neigh
bors. The overwhelming- numbers, how
ever of the savages, at length proved an
overmatch for the discipline, and the most
resolute and unyielding courage of the
Spaniards. They were driven from one
strong hold after another, or buried ■them
selves beneath their ruins.
And at length, Old Fort St. Louis be
came the last point where the Spaniards
could maintain a foothold, from St. Augus
tine to Pensacola. Hither had those who
escaped from the slaughter and the destruc
tion of other ports, been driven—bringing
with them their treasures of gold and silver,
their plate and whatever else they ntav
have had opportunity, or tneansof removing.
But here were they followed by their re
lentless pursuers, hemmed in and beset on
all sides. With unflinching courage, the
Spaniards long continued a desperate,
though unequal contest.
The imagination of the old Indian legend
bearer, still warms at the repetition of the
many bold and reckless deed of valor which
these desperate men endeavored for their
rescue during the long siege which follow,
cd, but the tortures of famine were added
to the hopelessness of their condition. And
the enfeebled fortress listened to the terms
of a truce, which was proposed by the Chief
Warrior of the Indians, who seerrjs to have
been struck with admiration of the indom
itable courage and the heroic valor of his
enemies. He proposed to them that they
should leave the country, with all their ef
fects behind them, save only their arms,’
which, as they had used them like braves,
he would nut bate them part with.
Before leaving iite Fort, liowevor, they
had warned the Italians that tljey had left
behind them their Great Medicine,” and
that it would he certain death for any Indi
an to tutor the Fort until the shadow oflhe
ff, or b fore the lapse
of six hours from their departure. Saying
this the Spaniards took up their inarch for
the Oeklocknev Bay, where they hud in
formation, or supposed, were some vessels,
oti whioii they might be transported to St.
Augustine or Pensacola. Hardly, howev
er, had the Spaniards disappeared from tho
Fort, when the Indians, urged on by their
cupidity or their curiosity, and having per
haps, lntlo respect for the Great Medicine
of the Spaniards, lushed into the evacuated
Fort by thousands. The enclosure was fil
led, crowded, with the wondering and ad
miring ravages, their warriors,their women
and their children; w hen, horrible to relate,
the subterranean magazines exploded, and
thousands of the poor wretches w*ere bur
ied beneath the ruins of Old Fort St. Louis!
Their bones may be seen to this day, min
gled with the fragments of broken arms,
horse furniture, guns, swords, and the ma
terials of the overthrown walls !
But the Indians took a bloody revenge,
on what they believed to boa most treach
erous outrage, on the part of the Great Me
dicine oft lie Spaniards. The friends and
relatives of those who perished in the Fort,
pursued the retreating band, fell upon them
and slaughtered them to a man.
This is an Indian tradition, but the facts
related, are pretty generally credited. —
And it is supposed that the motive which
induced the Spaniards to leave behind them
a train to fire the magazine, was io conceal
by the misplaced earth and fallen walls,
the entrance to those subteranean apart
ments, where they had concealed their trea
sures, and which they intended on some fu
ture day to reclaim.
But it is said the Indians ever since, and
to this day, have a most awful dread of the
Great Medicine of Old St. Louis, who gave
to them such a terrible and signal display
l of his vengeance on this memorable occa
sion. We have been assured by old set
tlers, who came to the country when the
Indians inhabited it in great numbers, that
no one was ever known nor could be indu-
by any consideration, to approach with
in a mile of the old ruin. Such was his su
perstitious dread of the mysterious pciwer
of the Great Medicine.
From the N. O. Picayune.
MEXICAN TRICKERY.
Than the chevaliers iVlndustrie of Mexico
there are perhaps none more expert in the
wide world, none more original in their
tricks to raise the wind. In the course of
a recent interesting lecture at Baltimore,
delivered by Brantz Mayer, Esq., late our
Secretary of Legation at Mexico, he rela
ted the following anecdote. A more in
genious chain of trickery was never devised
and successfully carried out. We give it
in Mr. M’s own words:
A worthy judge of one of the Mexican
courts, one morning entering the edifice to
take his scat on the bench, was about to re
fer to his gold watch, when he discovered
that it was not in his pocket. ‘Ah! as u
sual,’ he remarked aloud to a friend, ‘I have
left my watch under my pillow,’ and pro
ceeded forthwith to the discharge of the du
ties of the day; these concluded, he return
ed home to dinner, which being also-des
patched he thought of his watch, and direct
ed his wife to send for it. ‘Send for it,’ said
she, with no little surprise, ‘why have you
not got it my dear?’ No, my dear, indeed,
I have not,’ ‘Well, that is exceedingly
strange, I sent it to you three hours ago.’
‘Sent it to me, and by whom?’—‘Why a
buut an hour after you were gone this mor
ning, a genteel dressed man came to the
house, aocompanied by a boy bearing a
splendid turkey, which he said you had
bought of an Indian on your wav to court,
and had requested him to see delivered at
the house, with a request that I should have
it picked and put away to cool, as you in
tended to invite your brother judges home
with you to,dinner to-morrow; he then ad
; : ded that you had left your watch under
I your pillow, and had desired him to obtain
, j it from me, for the purpose of carrying it to
you.’ Os course the vexation and annoy
, ancc of the worthy judge will be easily un
jilerstood; it was, however, soothed by an
hour’s reflection upon the rascal’s ingenui
ty, and his cogitations had also led him to
improve the fellowis hint, and invite his
brothers of the bench on the following day.
Accordingly, the next morning, he ordered
the turkey to be cooked for dinner, and on
the adjournment ofthe court, having related
to his associate the costly trick of the
preceding day, returned home in company
with them to enjoy the turkey which itad
! been so dearly, bought.
But what was his surprise to find dinner
prepared, and no turkey to grace the board.
| —‘Where is the turkey my dear?’ he
; quietly inquired of his worthy lady. ‘The
j turkey,’ she exclaimed; ‘what, haven’t you
seen it at court?’ ‘At court, my dear, —
whv, what should the turkey be doing at
court?’ ‘ls it possible,’she exclaimed, ‘that
I have again been duped by a villain!’
‘How, now?’ said the judge. ‘VVhy after
you were gone a couple of hours this
morning, a pale-faced young man, with a
shabby genteel dress, came to the door, and
stated that he was a clerk of the court, con
gratulated me on the recovery of your gold
watch, and added that the thief who had so
vilainously duped your honor had been ar
rested, and was now in court undergoing
an examination; that the chain of evidence
was complete against him, with the excep
tion of the actual presence of the turkey,
which lie had been despatched to bring into
court—and I gave it to hint. ’ Well, my
dear, you are certainly as great a goose as
that was a turkey,’ politely observed the
judge, almost mad with chagrin and disap
ment. The admirable character of the
trick, however, still sufficed to calm the ir
ritated feelings of the judicial dignita
ry, and he enjoyed his dinner, interrupted
occasionally only by a hearty laugh, al
though the turkey had been picked to grace
another’s hoard.
Second Advent Jackets. —A firm in Bos
ton, Messrs. Holmes & Bugbee, advertise
a general assortment of Second Advent
Jackets, suitable for sinners on the 23d of
April, warranted fireproof !
From the Albany, (Ga.) Courier
A PIG CAUGHT. i
Mr. Pigg and Overby, whose arrest, f ol - j
passing counterfeit Central Bank Bills, u
this city, was announced in our paper fi
last week, were, after a full investigation oil
all the circumstances connected with their
cases, committed to jail, at Starkvillo, in
Lee county, on the Oth inst. At the request
of one ofthe parties, we have concluded to
withhold the'publication of the evidence, as
it was submitted to tho Magistrates’ Court,
which had been prepared for this number.
If appeared, however, from the testimony of
both Pigg and Overby; that their acquain
tance commenced at Tallahassee about 4
weeks since. Overby states, that his place
of residence is in East Tennessee, Jeffer
son county—that he went to Tallahassee
with a drove of horses, which lie sold, and
lost the proceeds “ lucking against the Faro
Bank ” —that in Tallahassee lie became ac
quainted with a man by the name of Ar
nold, a one-eyed man, who is a gambler—
that the said Arnold is the partner of his
friend Pigg, and has in his possession
“oceans’’ of the counterfeit Central Bank
bills—that the object of Pigg in coming to
Albany was to change off the counterfeit
Central money for good funds, in order to
enable Arnold to travel West, where he in
tended to put the counterfeit Central Bank
bills in circulation—that Pigg had also told
him, the money was struck or- obtained a
bout Irwinton, Ala., and that he could get
any amount of Treasury notes struck that
he wished—that on his way from Tallahas
see to Albany in company with Pigg, he
saw him pass offone of the bills, in Quincy,
Fla., for a Bowie Knife and a five dollar
bill in Alabama money—that Pigg had
since told him, that he had sold the knife
forspeeie funds—he denies knowing that
the money was counterfeit until the day of
his arrest, when Pigg, in order to get him
to leave the place told him, that the money
which he had given him lo pass off for spe-.
cie funds was counterfeit. He accounts
for his connection with Pigg in the follow
ing manner—that after he had lost his mon
ey in Tallahassee, Pigg told him, “he was
a good fellow,” and that “if he would go
with him, he would bear his expenses
home.” How far this statement may be re
lied upon, it is not for us to say. Pigg and
his friends accuse Overby of having been
persuaded by promises of being discharged
into this statement, which they say is false.
Mr. Pigg is a genteel, good looking man,
evidently accustomed lo different company
from that which he was found amongst
while in this city. He drove stock from
Kentuckv'to this country, in 1839, and
since that time has been living in Irwinton
Ala., and Columbus, Geo., in the former of
which places, he sustained a good and un
impeachable character—he states that he
was unfortunate with his stock, and in or
der to retrieve his fortune, commenced gam
bling. He soon lost his little all and un
willing to meet his creditors in Kentucky
determined not return. He states that
lie saw Arnold pay* Overby Central Bank
bills for stock while in Tallahassee, which
statement is coroboratcd by Overby’s as
sertions before he was arrested—that he
came by the money honestly and can prove
where lie obtained it. Mr. Pigg had pas
sed only one bill of this money in our city,
when he was arrested, Overby his partner,
however, had put in circulation over four
hundred dollars, a great part of which had
been exchanged for specie funds.
We would advise the good people of Tal
lahassee lo look into this matter, as it is the
opinion here that these bills are manufac
tured somewhere in that region.
There is unquestionably a company of
these whole sale swindlers who design do
ing an extensive business if they are not de
tected. The evidence of Overby would en
title Mr. Arnold to a few months gratuitous
boarding in a Public House with his coad
jutors, if he should deem it proper to visit
this section. This scoundrel ought to be
detected and brought to justice if possible;
we have no doubt the people of Baker would
be glad to have a man of such distinguish
ed abilities .to represent them a few years
in Milledgeville—he might there finish his
trade, so that his work would hereafter bear
inspection. There may be others equally
skilled with this man Arnold, it behoves the
Tallahassians to be on the look out.
Since writing the above, we have recei
ved the Floridian, from which we learn that
Mr. Arnold, (spoken of by Overby) is in
safe keeping:
“A few days since a person by the name
of Greenup Arnold, was arrested in this ci
ty charged with passing counterfeit money,
a considerable amount in S2O bills of the
Central Bank, were/ound concealed about
his person. He was fully committed to
stand his trial at the next term of the Supe
rior Court.
Counterfeit S2O bills on iheCentral Bank,
of Georgia, Dated 7th June, 1840, payable
to G. C. Ryan. A. M. Nesbit, Cashier,
T. Fort, President, are in circulation:: Pa
per dark, and may be easily detected.”
Equestrianism in Mexico. —Kendall re
lates that while he and his comrades
on their inarch in Mexico, as prisoners of
war, they one morning met a female, dri
ving a little, half starved jackass. Upon
the back of this donkey, he adds, “with his
head turned towards the animal’s tail, a
large and extremely fat hog was riding—
the first ofthe swinish race 1 had ever seen
mounted. Ilis four large legs were con
fined, two on either side of the animal which’
was bearing him along ; and the bog was
ever and anon changing the position of his
head from one side to the other, in order to
take the greatest possible comfort under the
circumstances. I cannot say that this e
questrian performance was altogether as
graceful as some I have seen, nor that he
had that dauntless bearing which gives to
feats of horsemanship their greatest charm;
but he certainly manifested a resignation
and stoical indifference which could hardly
have been expected, and we laughed out
right at the scrubby-looking animal, with
his singular rider as he trotted past us. I
have often heard of a ‘hog in armor,’ but
never.expected to see a hog on horseback,”
From the Augusta Constitutionalist.
MOST DISGRACEFUL.
When will the people of the United
States have the virtue and rnorul courage,
to subdue the feelings which lead to the
disgraceful scenes, similar to tho one rela
t'd below? Shall we wait, to work a re
foin, until such such passions become in
corprated in our customs ami maimers?
Havt not several outrages of this kind oc
eurret already, in utter disregard of all
i laws, aid without being visited with any le
gal pendties?
From tie correspondent of the Nortli A
j merican:
IlAnttism HG, April 8, 1843.
To-day, ML Sliarswood reported from
the committee, irticles of impeachment a
gainst Wm. Oterfield, one of the Canal
j commissioners, for attempting to bribe a
member of the bgislature. While this re
port was tinder consideration, an event oc
curred, without its paralell in the history of
Pennsylvania, to less than an attempt on
the floor of the clamber ofthe House, and
in sight of the assembled lawmakers of
Pennsylvania, to rommit a homicide, to take
life by violence and deadly weapons—by
Mr. McGowan, a member of your county
delegation, from Moyamensing, Philadel
phia. I proceed to give you an impartial
history ofthe transaction.
This morning, .the State Capitol Gazette
was issued, with the following article un
der its editorial head:
‘You shall both have office in the Custom
House, if you vote for the Tyler candidate
for State Printer,’ as J. Porter Brawley said
to McGowan and Bacon. Agreed,‘was the
response—and they did vote for him sure
enough. In our next we shall hold up to
the public gaze every man who lias been
bribed.”
To understand the above rightly, it will
be necessary to state, that on the first day’s
trial, in the Convention to elect a State
Printer, Mr. McGowan and Mr. Benton
both voted for Mr. Bratton, the caucas can
didate for State Printer. When the con
vention met on Friday for another trial,
they both unexpectedly to every one voted
for Dimock, the Governor’s candidate.
Charges that they were “bought up” wore
then and have since been whispered about
Immediately after copies ofthe paper
containing the above article were distribu
ted in the House, Mr. Mcgowancainc up to
Mr. Bratton the publisher of the Gazette,
wl;o was standing to the left of tITe Speaker’s
chair, back, near to the entrance of the
room of the Sergeant-at-arms, and asked
him, if he was the author of that article?
Mr. Bratton said he was. Mr. McGowan,
it is said, swore at him—calling him ‘d—d
rascal,’ or some such term, and spit in his
face,.at the same time throwing the paper
at him. Before he had an opportunity to do
any thing more, Mr. Bratton caught him by
the vest collar, h# upon losing his hold,
McGowan raised a chair, something of a
scuffle ensued, and struck Bratton on the
temple, inflicting a rather bad wound.
Mr. B. then seized hold of the chairwith
both hands, and was pressing Mr. G. back,
when the latter, relinquishing the chair,
drew from an inner pocket, on the left breast
of his frock coat, a dirk knife, raising it sud
denly and turning it quickly in his hand,
for a blow. Mr. Bratton at once dropped
the chair and fled behind the Speaker’s
rostrum, and around to the right of the
Clerk’s desk, where Mr. Gowan caught up
to him, and there, in the presence of the as
sembled representatives of the people of
Pennsylvania, drove the uplifted knife into
fiis back, but the blow alighting fortunately
on the left shoulder blade, the wound in
flicted, though an ugly gash was not seri
ous. No second blow was struck, we be
lieve; tor the members rushed in and ar
rested the further progress of the homicide.
The knife was taken from McGowan and
proved to have been lent into a curve, by
meeting with the resistance of the shoulder
bone. The force and good will with which
the blow was given may be estimated from
this fact—though, it is possible, that the
impetus of the motion of running gave un
usual force to the blow:
While this scene was going on, anil after
it had closed, —the greatest and most in
tense excitement prevailed—the whole
house was in motion—the members rushed
from their seats into the area before the
Speaker’s chair—business for the time be
ing was almost suspended. After the knife
was taken from McGowan he proceeded to
his seat; and Mr. Bratton was taken into
the room ofthe Sargeant-at-Arms, and the
extent of bis injuries examined.
As soon as order could be restored some
what, Mr. Deford offered a resolution toap
point a committee of three to examine and
report on the circumstances ofthe assault,
which was agreed to without debate, with
an amendment, increasing the committee to
five, and giving it power to send for persons
and papers. The Speaker appointed “the
following members as the committee—
Messrs. Deford, Elwell, Morris, Hahn, and
Skinner.
An hour after this, a constable came to
the door of the House, with a magistrate’s
warrant for McGowan’s arrest, on the
charge of assault and battery with intent
to kill.” There was no power to execute
the warranton Mr. McGowan while he was
in the House; but at the suggestion of some
of His friends, he came out and surrender
ed himself, when he was taken before Jus
tice Snyder, & bound over in SIOOO, for his
appearance on the charge laid in the war
rant. The above is a plain statement of
facts as they occurred, without bias or pre
judice of any kind.
Electro Magnetic Telegraph. —Professor
Morse, who has obtained a grant from Con
gress for his experiment on the Electro-
MagnetioTelegraph, advertises for 210,000
pounds of lead pipe to enclose his wires,
which are to be laid, in the first instance,
along the rail-road from Washington to
Baltimore ; for which purpose an agree,
ment has been made betwe.en the Professor
apd the Railroad Company.
From the Savannah Republican.
FREE TRADE AND THE PRODUC
TION OF COTTON.
The Republican many months since, had
a series of urticles on the rivalry to the cot
ton growing interest, which is springing up
in the East Indies. Free trade and foreign
dependence naturally linked itself in with
tin: discussion of the subject. We attempt
ed to explain that whether the production
of cotton was materially increased in the
East Indies or not, was of little consequence,
since the favorito theory of free trade was
sure lo secure an abundant growth in the
South West and Texas, to supply the
world and more than enough. We were
regarded as alarmists at the time and were
not believed, except perhaps to a partial ex
tent. The truths which we announced,
were unwelcome, and no ono likes to be
lieve such. Cotton has attained such pri
ces now however, that it matters little
whether the East Indies succeed in increas
ing the stock of cotton in the Liverpool
market or not. We have said but little of
late, but have not failed to notice that ma
ny of the interior papers are sounding the
note of alarm.
The event has so far justified our pre
dictions, and it is time for the streams in the
up country to begin moving machinery,
whether for manufacturing cottons, or for
ging iron. It is time to work our abundant
mines, for we have them of all kinds; even
of copper. It is time to subdivide labor, and
produce those thousand things for ordinary
use, which we now pay the North for, even
to shoes, hats, bonnets, axes, tools and im
plements of every kind. It is time to stop
paying millions of dollars for Western
hogs, horses and mules. It is time to raise
our own sugar, and every tiling else that is
possible within our own limits. Properly
understood, the low price of cotton might
eventuate in making the citizens of Geor
gia a more prosperous and happy people,
by directing their attention to active indus
trial operations, instead of prating about,
and expounding free trade theories.
Great social changes ore now in pro
gross in this State, and already the new
times bear the impress of anew course giv
eu to industry. This economy in paying
loss for things produced without the State
lias bet*n largely put in practice. We be
gin to see its fruits, and free trade theories
have strangely declined in popularity since
cotton has become almost a drug.
SEDUCTION A CRIME.
%
Iti view of tlie consequences which the
last few years have revealed, as attendant
upon licentiousness, our legislators are at
last awaking to the necessity of calling
tilings by their rigid names; of defining
crime as crime, and punishing it as such.
We perceive that a committee of the New-
York legislators have reported a bill for the
punishment of seduction and crimes. It
subjects all persons guilty of adultery to
punishment by imprisonment in the county
jail or state prison for a term not exceeding
three years, or by fine not exceeding SSOO.
Lewdness, when neither party is married,
is punished somewhat more mildly. Se
duction, where a female under eighteen
years of age is enticed away from her pa
rents or guardians for a vile purpose, is
punished with not less than three nor more
than five years, and all who abet it are
subjected to the same penalty. Keeping a
house of iil-fame is punished by like im
prisonment, or by fine, or both. The letting
of a house for such a use is punished by
imprisonment not exceeding two years, by
a fine of SSOO, or both, and by forfeiture of
the rent of the premises for five years ensu
ing, to the overseers of the poor.
Boston Mail.
MILK AS AN ARTICLE OF FOOD.
This is one of the best articles of diet de
rived from the animal kingdom, and has
many remarkable properties worthy of no
tice belonging to it. In the course of this
work it will be shown, that the higher or
der of animals require a mixture of differ
ent alimentary substances for their nutri
tion; for when they are limited to one kind
of food,their condition is either deteriorated,
or disorganization of structure ensues.
Milk is the only aliment which offers an
exception to this rule—that is to say, which
is capable of supporting life alone. Dr.
Prout has well remarked, that all other
alimentary matters exist for them
selves, or for the use of the animal or veg
etable of which they form a constituent
Milk, however, is prepared by na
ture expressly as food, being of no other use
to animals whatever. It would naturally
be expected that since milk possesses the
nutrient property in so eminent a degree, its
composition must be peculiar, and contain
a greater diversity of alimentary matter
than other kinds of food. Such, indeed, is
the fact; for every sort of animal nftilk is
composed of albumen, oil, and sugar, sus
pended in large quantities of water. The
proportions in which these three substan
ces are united iu different kinds of milk
vary exceedingly, but they have always
been found to exist in the milk of all anim
als.—Dr. Truman on Food.
Unusual Lights in the Heavens. —Last
evening, between 7 and 8 o’clock, the at
tention of those abroad was directed to se
veral remarkable and very beautiful
streaks of light, which appeared in the south
eastern and north-western parts of the sky.
The former were longer and more brilliant
;than the others. The stream of light seem
ed to radiate from a nucleus below the hor
izon, extending nearly to the vertical point
in the firmament. Those to the southward
which were more particularly noticed,
gradually descended in that direction, and
soon after 8 o’clock the last of them had
mingled with the hazy obscurity on the
horizon, and disappeared. Innumerable
fine and delicate lines of light extending
like fibres from the main luminous bodies,
were beautifully relieved against the clear
blue of the heavens beyond, and the pre
cision of the outline did not seem to be les
sened by the brillianoy with which the
moon was shining at the time.—iV. Y. E.
Post of the Btli inst. •
The same beautiful phenomena were ob
served here on both Friday and Saturday
i evefiings.— Philadelphia Sentinel.
I Remarkub/e Phenomenon —A letter from
; an olHcer in the U. S. Army, dated at Fort
| Leavenworth, Missouri, March 20th, slates
thuton the 14ih of February, at 3 A. M.
“the moon, which had been obscured by a
cloud for some hours burst forth of a
blood-red color, with a black cross of equal
proportions over the face, extending beyond
the rim ; while on the two sides small pie
ces of rainbow were visible. After contin
uing in this way lor about an hour, the co
lor of the moon changed to its ordinary hue,
and the cross became a silvery white ; with
the edges extending beyond the rim, and
touching the rainbows. It continued so for
half an hour, and heavy clouds then inter
vening, obscured the moon, which set un
seen. This phenomenon was seen by the
hospital attendants, who were up at that
hour, someofthem very intelligent men, hv
the guards and sentinels on post, and bv
several citizens of Weston, a little town five
miles off The next morning the sun rose
accompanied bv two sun dogs, as they are
commonly called, nearly equal in brillian
cy to the sun, and resembling two other,
suns. This latter sce.ne was witnessed by
numbers. In addition for about two weeks
past, every night at seven to eight o’clock,
a bright streak of light has appeared in the
heavens, coming from the west, and bearing
about E. S. E., and resembling very much
what it is believed to be the tail of a comet.
I have thought it my duty to state these
things, even at the expense of being discred
ited, in the hope ofeliciting a comparison of
observations elsewhere.
Although the phenomenon of the appa
rent cross on the moon can no doubt be ex
plained from natural causes, yet it will be
seized upon by some persons as confirma
tory ofthe prophecy of father Miller ; and
be viewed by others with superstitious dread.
NEW HORSE SHOE.
A simple but most ingenious invention
has been laid before us, in the shape of an
improvement in the Horse Shoe. It is that
of making that part of the shoe, which is
now solid, concave, by which the foot is
enabled to lake a grip, which with the or
dinary shoe is impossible. The principle
is, in fact, that of the fluted skate; and
whilst the shoe is, of course lighter than
when manufactured on tlie usual principle,
it is equivalent in slippery weather, or on
wood pavement tQ one that is roughed.
The concavity runs entirety round tho shoe,
having a strong rim in form, equal in
thickness to tho litsof of the horses loot, and
anotherat the back, of half that that thick
ness. The mode of formation, while it in
volves the use of a .smaWer quantity of
iron, and consequently less weight, gives
a far greater purchase, and is much more
in accordance with the nature form, and
texture of the horse’s foot. Bv preventing
the necessity of turning up the shoe behind;
it places the foot in a more natural position,
and thus assists in bringing into.operation
the frog, instead of placing it out of action,
and straining all the other parts ofthe foot.
PROPHETS.
11l the 1212 it was prophesied by an in
genious seer that the Medi|aranean sea
would be dried up, and that believers could
go to Jerusalem on foot. Italy it is said
became crowded with German pilgrims,
but the sea obstinately refused to depart.
In 1524 great terror pervaded all Eu
rope, from the prediction of John Stoleorous,
a mathematician and astrologer of Suabia,
that a great deluge was approaching.
Many of reputation as wise men coincided
with him, and books on books were sent
fortli warning the people to prepare, ami
suggested means of escape from inunda
tion. In France the terror was so great
that many were near madness, and some
built up arches to save themselves. Presi
dent Auriol, of Thoulouse, built up four
pillars, with a boat at the top; which how
ever was not needed, as no deluge came.
The prophet, however, nothing daunted
though the stars were against him, contin
ued to prophecy, and predicted the end of
the world in 1589, which we may conclude,
did not take place.
A Lutheran divine, by the name of Mi
chael Stifelius, in an arithmetical sermon,
predicted the end of the world in 1532,
He was preaching on the very day appoint
ed, and his hearers in great terror confiding
in fiis predictions, when a fierce storm a
rose, witli terrific thunder and lightning,
which, with their fears created inexpressi
ble trouble. But soon the storm ceased,
the winds were bushed, and thesky became
serene. The people, made furious by the
deceit practised on them, dragged the
prophet from his desk, and beat him so se
verely as nearly to have realized his proph
ecy, as far as himself was concerned.
Lord Napier, the inventor of logarithms,
was among those who prophecied of the end
ofthe world at a certain time; but he like
many other enthusiasts, outlived his pre
diction.
In the 1791 two men appeared in Cologne
who said that they came from Damascus.
-The Jesuits of that town went to them, and
talked to them in Latin, Greek, Hebrew
and Chaldaic, they answered in all lan
guages. They said they were come, bv
order of Heaven to turn men to repentance.
They gave out that they were seven hun
dred years old! Among the rest of their
prophecies, they predicted that Constanti
nople wonld be destroyed in 1766; the true
God acknowledged by all nations, 1767; a
valiant man give his testimony to it 1768;
England to be overflowed, 1769; an earth
quake all over the world, 1770; the fall of
the sun, moon
the earth burnt, 1772; the universal judg
ment, 1773. _ i
All these fanatics had their favorites iqx
a season; and so long as superstition; ite
rance, and the love of novelty reignsju/tiie
breasts of men, false prophets will arise;and