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DARIEN lllllf GAZETTE
fol. 17.
Darien <©a3ette
EDITED AND PUBLISHED
BY
CHA’S. F. GRANDISON.
(ON THE BAY)
At g 5 fier annum, payable in advance.
■ *—7
from the charleston merccrf.
The high-minded Young Carolinian.
prom Judge James’ interesting unpublished
Manuscript.
GEN. ZACHARIAH CANTEY.
At the time Col. Tarleton was in pursuit
of Buford’s regiment, Major Cochrane com
manded his legionary infantry. When he
came to Camden he wanted a guide, ami was
conducted by a well known vory to General
Cantey, then a youth ofabout seventeen years
of age, who introduced the Major to him
thus: “ This is the young man who ran guide
you.” Cantey, who was then in Kershaw’s
store, acting as his principal clerk, did not
know what was meant. But Cochrane speak
ing in broad Scotch, which shall not now be
imitated, soon informed him. 1 stand, said I
lie, m need of a guide to pursue that rebel
Buford, and 1 have been told by Mr. ——
that you would be a very good one. Cantey
replied that he did not thaifft Mr.
for his recommendation; that he had only a
few days since been taken a prisoner in
Charleston and pooled, and he wished to j
keep it by remaining neutral “Not thank I
Mr.- for recommending you! Why
young mail it was intended as an honor to
you, to be employed in his Majesty's service;
besides you shall not be warning.” Cantey
again repeateil that he had been paroled as
a prisoner, and he meant to abide by it until
exchanged.—“ Hoot, hoot man 1 speak of be
ing exchanged, and the country is conquer
ed, you will never be exchanged. Enter in
to his Majesty’s service like a mail; you shall
be promoted; I’ll 9ee to that—and here is
gold,” at thes-me time taking a guinea out
of his purse. Cantey stepped back as if hor
roi struck. “If that be not enough,” sa/d
the Major, “here is more,” pulling out five
or six pieces. “His Majesty pays those well
who serve him faithfully.” Cantey said that
he did not doubt it; but if lie gave him his
purse full, nay, the whole store full, he could
not think of serving the King by betraying his
Countrymen —besides my parole. “D ■—n
you parole, it was not worth a baw-bee, and
*your countrymen they are ad and pack of
insolent rebels. Say, will you go and get
money and promotion; or not, and be hang
ed like a dog?” Cantey replied he would
rather be banged, and die an honest man.—
“Then you shall be hanged. Sergeant M‘-
Niell take this and and rebel and turn him
out of doors, and keep a guard over him.”
Jt was raining hard; the sergeant and his
guard stood in the piazza, and Cantey
was turned out into the rain. The Major
now began to look ab >ut him; the store well
supplied with wine, and the yard with poul
try', he ordered dinner. After the dinner
Was prepared be sat down to it. The ser
geant beckoned to Cantet, and told him in a
low voice, to come into the piazza; it was
stTil raining, and Cantey did so; but nf.er
Cochrane ad swallowed his first bottle, lie !
bethought himself of his prisoner, and step
ping out found him m conversation with the
sergeant —he first cursed M‘Neill and then
Cantey, and ordered him out of doors again
in the rain—but after several other trials,
Major Cochrane finding his prisoner’s reso
lution unshaken, be gave him up and looked
out for one -whose conscience was more pliant.
After this Cantey was so much persecuted
by the British in Camden, that his father (an
aged man) and mother joined in advising ;
him to escape to the Americans. H.s only !
objection was that from the plundering of j
the enemy, they were already reduced to
poverty, and he expected if he went away,
they would be reduced to want their bread.
At length however, a friend sent him a horse,
and he made bis escape by night, having,/?rs7 1
received the blessing of his parents. He jo n- :
ed Gen. Greene, who immediately appoint- 1
cd him Deputy Quarter-Master, and be serv
ed him faithfully in that department. After
the war Gen. Cantey lived at Camden honor
ed and respected, and died in the summer
of 1822, universally regretted, but more par- 1
ticularly so by the poor, to whom his boun
ty bad been always liberally and remarka
bly extended.
THE MAID OF CAROLINA.
We are happy to nnd that Judge Jawes,
in bis new work on the first struggle of Rev
publicanism, has (as might have been antic?-
liated.) awarded the highest honor to the
ailics, which is not more than mere jus'ice
to their conduct. When we recal their for
titude, their devotion to the cause of’76,
their cheerfulness tinder disaster, and their
magnanimity, we have considered a biogra
phy of the ladies of that period as a deside
ratum, which would furnish the patriotism of
Sparta, the wit, the ingenuity of Athens.—
The following is one of the many brilliant il-;
lustrations:
EMILY GEIGER.
At the time Gen. Greene retreated before
Lord Rawdon from Ninety-ijix, when he had
passed Broad river he was very desirous to
send an ordei* to Gen. Sumter who was on
the Wateree, to join him, that they might at
tack Rawdon, who had now divided his force.
But the dbneral could <find no man in that
part of the state who was bold enough to
undertake so dangerous a mission. The
country to be passed through for many miles
was full of blood-thirsty turies, who on every
occasion that offered imbued their hands in
the blood of the whigs. At length Emily
Geiger presented herself to Gen. Greene,
and proposed to act as his messenger; and ■
the General both surprised and delighted,
closed with her proposal. He accordingly
“Tote a letter and delivered it, and at the
DARIEN, (GEORGIA,) HEijualaMl <l3fact Justice. TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 1824.
same time communicated tne contents of it
verbally, to be told to Sumter in case of ac
cidents, Emily was young, but as to her
person or adventures on the way, we have
no further information, except that she was
mounted on horseback upon a side-saddle,
and on the second day of her journey she
was intercepted by Lord Rawdon’s scouts. —
Coming from the direction of Greene’s ar
my, and not being able to tell an untruth
without blushing. Emily was suspected and
confined to a room, and as the officer in
command had the modesty not to search her
at the time, he sent for an old tory matron as
more fitting for that purpose. Emily was
not wanting in expedient, and as soon as the
door was closed and the bustle a little sub
sided, she ute up the letter piece by piece.—
After a while the matron arrived and upon
searching carefully nothing wa3 found of a
j suspicious nature about the prisoner, and she
would disclose nothing. Suspicion being;
thus allayed,- the officer commanding the i
scouts suffered Emily to depart for where
she said she was bound—but she took a route |
somewhat circuitous to avoid further delen-!
i tion, and soon after struck into the road to
1 Sumter’s camp, where she arrived in safety, j
I Emily told her adventure and delivered
Green’s verbal messageto Sumter whomcon
svquence soon ajter joined the main army at
Orangeburg. Emily Geiger afterwards mar
j ried Mr. Vhreewits, a rich planter on tile
| Congaree. She has been dead thirty-five
: y ears; but il is trusted her name will descend
j to posterity among those of the patriotic fe
’ males of the revolution.
A
- PHYSICIAN.
Influence of the Winds on Health. —lt seems :
to be the effect of a particular Providence,
that we are usually visited in Spring by high
winds and storms. Indeed, upon the whole, i
l cannot for my part consider the winds so 1
pernicious to health as they are commonly j
accounted, or coincide with Hoffman when
he says, that “God has placed his chemical
labaratory in the earth, whence issue winds
and malignant effluvia.” Essential as it is
that we should live in a pure air, if we would
remain healthy, so Essential is it that there j
should be winds to purify our atmosphere of
the many noxious vapours, which would but
too fspeedily corrupt and infect our juices.
In spring, the warm breath of milder bree
zes opens the bosom of the earth, which was
closed throughout the winter. The changea
ble ness of tiie weather fills the atmosphere
with aqueous vapours. The beneficial frost
which purified it in winter, now leaves us;
and we .should therefore have just reason to
apprehend unwholesome air and malignant
diseases in Spring, did not storms supply the
place of frost and cleanse the atmosphere.
Hippocrates, in Ins time, observed, lliat a wjet
spring occasions contagious fevers, and the
experience of all succeeding physicians
proves, that the air, when impregnated with
damp vapours, produces dangerous diseases
oftliat kind. Hence it is easy to infer, that
Spring would be prolific in such diseases,
but for the prevalence of that season of high
winds which dispel these vapours and purify
the air.
But, it may be objected, do not these
winds bring noxious vapours along with them?
This case is possible enough. Darvieux re
\ laies that Barut was formerly rendered very
unhealthy by the sea-winds, but that, to
screen it from them, an Emir caused pines
to be planted, and these trees keep off the
pernicious marine exhalations, so that the
place is now as healthy as any part of the sur
rounding country. When the Illyrians, ap
prehensive of a pestjlfence, consulted Hippo
crates on the means of preventing it, he took
advanuge of this enquiry, and warned the
Greeks to guard against the winds which
; blew from Illyria: “for,” said he, “beyond
j those mountains rages the plague, and these
; are the passes of those mountains. At such
and such a time, the winds of the dog days
will blow and bring with them pestilential
effluvia into Greece: therefore close up those
passes.” By this counsel he rescued Greece
1 from the danger of the plague; and the whole
: prediction rested on the knowledge which
* Hippocrates had*pf the course of the regu
lar Wtnds which were accustomed to blow
in Greece. Had he in this case quieted their
alarms, and assured them that these winds,
j which were accounted salubrious, would not
do them any injury, he might have brought
a dreadful calamity on his country. Ittis on
ly in the case of winds which recur regularly
at a particular season, ‘ hat such anticipation
can be formed. When on the other hand,
irregular winds vwift pestilential effluvia a
lqng with them, tnis danger cannot be fore
seen; and in this manner the winds may, un
der certain circumstances, prove as detrimen
tal to health as in others they are beneficial.
This objection warns me, then, not to be
stow on the wirtds in general greater or more
unqualified praise than they deserve. So
little as we cm assert without qualification,
that thisffr the other kind of food, drink or
medicine, is absolutely wholesome or perni
cious, so little can the same be said of the
winds. The winds render the air <of a cer
tain country healthy or unhealthy, according
; as they bring with them from different re
i gions oertain vapours, which produce a
change either for the better or worse in the
atmosphere of that country. If damp sea
winds blow over an arid, parched tract, they
improve its atmosphere, which dry winds,
on the contrary, would deteriorate; but the
selfsame winds would produce the very con
trary effect, il it were a low, damp and swam
py region. It is equally hazardous to pre
tend to determine the qualities of winds in
general. We cannot positively assert, for
example, that an east or a north wind is dry,
and that a west or south wind is damp; for if
an east or north wind has to traverse an ex-
and swampy plain before it ar
rives Mi certain country, it must fill the at
mosphere of the latter with damp and dele
terious effluvia. With us, on the contrary,
first sweeping as it does over a vast conti
nent, it is generally of a drv nature, and our
invalids are but too sensible of its pernicious
effects upon them. A physician, therefore,
is liable to involve himself in many contra
dictions by pronouncing unconditionally on
the qualities of the winds. The celebrated
Hoffmann considered the east and north
west winds as salubrious, and the west and
south as unhealthy. What would our inva
lids say, if l were to assure them in the very
words of of that eminent physician, that “the
east wind renders body and nnnd more alert,
improves the appetite, sharpens the senses,
invigorates the fibers, and imparts a lively
colour?”—Bqerhave was more cautious.—
He would not venture to determine the pro
perties of a wmd tiil he was acquainted with
the country in which it was to blow and its
whole vicinity, Frronmoud relates extraor
dinary things of thfe south wind when it
blows in the Azores. “ I'ne inhabitants,”
\ 3ays he, “then go about as melancholy as if
j some great misfortune had befallen them.—
l‘he little children stay within doors quite
J dull; none of them are to lie seen running
! about and playing in the streets But as
| soon as the north wind again begins to blow,
i all is once more life anß bustle.” Who
would be so bold as to set down the south
| wind in general, on the strength of this ob
servation, as an enemy to our comfort? And
in what a deleotaide situation we should be
placed by a Persian, if h* were to add to
Frominand’s observatidn, the result of his
own experience respecting the west and
southwest winds? It is knpwn that in Pers
ia these winds, when they pass over heated
rocks and marble mountains, carry along
with them hot and suffocating vapors; and
that to avoid their dangerous effects people
are obliged o lie flat on the ground, and in
this s tiut on to en lure heat and anxiety, if
they would not drop down dead on the spot.
It is only in the night time and on rivers ‘hat
they are able to withstand it, and for this rea
son the Persians are not fond of travelling
by dayV This extreme dryness of the air in
Persia is probably the cause of a circumsianc
which Varro i elates, on the aulbority of Xen
ophon, concerning the Persians, namely, that
their fcodies were so exceedingly meagre
arid dried up that they never had occasion
either to spit or to blow their noses. Her
odotus gives us another story on this sub
ject. He tells us that owing to the drought
of their climate die heads of the Persians are
so brittle, that a stone thrown at them pas
ses right through the skull; wherers those of]
the Egyptians are so hard, that no s'one can
make any impresion on them. It may be so;
we will not fail out with the wi iters of anti
quity: but I shall only say, if ‘he Persians
were to desire,us to throw ourselsve at full
..length on the ground when a south wind
biowl, how we should laugh at them.
Eevery town, then, and every country has
uts good and its bad wind, according to the
nature of the atmosphere through which that
wind has passed; and on this ground I readi
ly admit, that we cannot assert generally
tiiat all storms purify the atmosphere. 11
winds blow long, and without intermission,
from unhealthy places they are not benefici
al to a country. But were lto be asked whe
ther an interruped calm or variable winds
were more salubrious, I would give the pre
ference to occasional storms. Every thing
on this restless earth must, have motion. It
revolvs itself upon its axis. The vegetables
are shaken by the winds, and mountains
and provinces by earthquakes. The sea
would soon become putrid, were its water
not kept duly mixed by its incessant agita
tion. The whole animal kingdom is constant
ly in motion. Here are tribes which scar in
to the clofids, and sport in the atmosphere —
there are others which burrow in the
ground. This species creeps, that hops, a
third swims, and a south walks. Should the
atmosphere, alon \ then be able to repose
without detriment? No. Nature knew how
to order matters better. She has charged
impetuous winds to blow from every quart
er, and seldom long together from one point.
By their means sh&only dissipates the stag
nant vapors in the atmosphere, which are
like the swamps in low vallies, but also keeps
incessantly mixing together vapors of tatally
different kinds; and she thereby improves
the air in the same manner as a skiihil cook
mixes up a variety of ingredients, which ta
ken seperately, are pernicious, in order to
compound with them a dish that is whole
some.
Such is, then, the relation in which the
winds stand to the health of mankind.—But
now we come to the question: What are
the particular effects which they produce on
every human body? Here a distinction is to
be made. The winds operate on the hu
man body, in the first place, inasmuch astliey
change the gravity and properties of the at
mosphere; but in this respect they do not act
in reality as winds. The second effect is,
that which they produce inasmuch as they
are air in motion, and it is no this point that
I propose to subjoin a few remarks.
When the air is in rapid motion, it presses
in the same msnner as if it had become heav
ier on the surface of the human body; for it
is a well-known axiom of natural philosophy,
that the power of a body is augmented not
only by the increase of its bulk, but also by
the increased velocity imparted to it. This
augmented pressure of the air particularly
affects the lungs, especially of those who are
weak in the chest; and every body knows
how difficult it is for a man walking against
the wind, to get rid of the air that rushes of
itselfinto the lungs. It is, therefore, neces
sary that such persons should be cautious not
to injure the chest too tapid motion against
the wind.
The principal effect of winds, however,
is, that they dispel the warm atmosphere,
which constancy surrounds the body, and in
which, if it were visible, we should look like
saints encompassed with a nimbus or glory:
—or, in other words, the winds cool the hu
man body. They would consequently sup-
press the transpiration so essential to the
health, is we were not to use some precau
tion to keep the pores open by an increase
of the internal heat. To tbs end spirituous
liquor and bodily exercise aie subservient.
When recourse is had to these means, the
wind must rather tend to augment than to
stop transpiration; for ihk transpiration of
fluids is chiefly owing io their particles be
ing ctiried away by the particles of caloric,
and these pats off rapidly in a cold air. Y\ no
ever, therefore, cannot keep himself warm
in windy wheather, either by exerc.se or
some other means, ought to avoid exposure
to it if lie has any regard for his health.
I shall lienee dec! ad two inferences which
maybe useful. Spring is the
we have to cold stormy winds.
For this reason I warn my readers not to
change the winter drtss for lighter appearel
too erlv. Nothing is more liable to give
bold than wind. If I chose to make a parade
of quotations on this subject. I should nev
er have clone transcribing! Sydenham de
clared, that “out of a hundred persons jil of
inflaination of the lungs, scarcely
i two would be found whs had not br tight
these disorders on themselves by ciiange
1 of clpthing; thaffis to say, no* by dressing too
warmly, but not warmly enough.” Uoerka
< ave xoncided in this opinion; and Hoff'niand
reomtunends tlist “Spring, when the wheth
er grows warm, people should beware of
exchanging their warm winter apparel lor
hghter;” and he assures us that “if would
be better to wear the same kind of dress all
the year round, so as to prevrn ‘he? e lem
ent air, in all vicissitudes of whe'her, front
penetrating the pores of the skin.* But of
what use is all that eminent may
have advanced, even th> ugh every body must
allow it to be ‘rue? People follow ihese
rules only so long as they would have done
bad such rules never been given—and they
violate them and sacrifice themseves as
though the salvation of their country requir
ed it, mereiy perhaps to .comply with the
supposed dictates of fashion.
The second warning which I have to give
relates to a draught or current air, winch is
an artificial wind that we produce in an apart
ment bv the opening of doors and windows
! standing opposite to one another. An apart
ment under such circumstances, should cither
be avoided altogether, or a person should
move about in it to keep tip the insensible
transpiration, or shun the current of air by
retiring into a corner. With these precau
j tions a draught of air in rooms is not only in
; nocent, but to be recommended; because it is
j the best method of dispersing the noxious ef
j fluvia which may have collected in them. It
j would, consequently, be the height of folly
! for a person in a rofuse perspiration to
place himself in a draught for the purpose
of cooling himself, like a man whose c.s 13
stated by one of our physicians, and alio,
though previously the picture of he.hh,
died on the seventh clay of an itiflamation of
the chest, brought on by this imprudent ex
posure. To act thus is to run headlong into
destruction. Who, indeed, could conceive it
to be necessary to forbid surh things to per
sons having the use of their reas n? But so
it is in our profession. We are obliged to
tell people things which their own sense
ought to suggest even to the meanest un
derstandings. We have to denuuis'rate
positions which are not difficult of
comprehension than that a ship,miist be: ca
pable of floating on the water. We have to
recommend precautions, which, as dai •y
experience shows, cannot be neglec'ed but
at the hazard of life. We have to exert all
on*- eloquence to prevail upon them not to
die before they absolutely must, and to re
main healthy while they may. In physic
more than in any other profession.it is in
enmbent on a writer to bear in mind the
maxim, not to take his readers to be wise?
than they really are.
General rules for the Restoration and Preser
vation of Health.
ON APPETITE.
• Appetite, in general, signifies the natural
instinctive desire by wliich the animal is led
to pursue the gratifications of sense. In the
present instance, however, we shall confine
its meaning to the craving for food- In this
respect the appetite of man may be divided
into three different species,though rhat evin
ced by inferior animals is naturally simple,
because it is not impaired by art. Thus, if
children were never enticed, by weak pa
rents and ignorant nurses, to eat more than
their own inclination directs them, or to par
take of highly flavored artificial dishes
which stimulate the palate, and preternatu
rally distend the stomach, there is every
reason to believe *hat the following classifi
cations would be unnecessary.
1. The natural appetite, which is content
ed as well with the most simple as the most
compound and delicious dishes:—such is that
of country people embloyed in hard manual
labor; of children who have not been mis
managed in the nursery; and of every ra
tional person who is convinced of the advan
tages resulting to both mind and body, from
a simple and frugal diet.
* 2. The artificial appetite of the epicure,
the hypochondriac and thetipler; all may be
ranked under the same class. It would be
needless to add, in this place, any other re
mark than that such inclinations for sensual
| enjoyment remains only so long as the oper
! alion of the exqusite stimulants continues.—
i When the papillary nerves of the palate can
J be no longer influenced by such excitement,
; the sensualist loses his appetite, and is pun
ished with all the concomitant symptons of
indigestion.
3. The habitual appetite, though partly
acquired, is not liable to those serious objec
• tions which apply to the latter species; nor
jis attended with , any other disadvantagea
1 than those arising from long fasting, or an un
i due allowance o’ food on particularoecasions,
j Thus after fatiguing exercise, when thp
JV*o. 31,