Newspaper Page Text
ORIGINAL.
For the Southern Poet.
THE DROUGHT.
How desolate all nature seems around!
How blighted all the budding hopes of man !
The lurid sky look 9 withered up and scorched
Bv the fierce fury of the burning sun,
Its deep blue bosom buried far away
In distant space, seems to recede from earth.
While sun and moon and all the stars of night
Pour down their fiercest burnings on the land ;
Or like the sullen waters of the sea.
After a long and airless calm, it lies
Smooth and unruffled as if life had fled.
Sometime towards the close of sultry day.
A few pale death-like clouds perchance are seen
To skim the ether blue. They look like shrouds
Wherein are buried all the hopes of man ;
But yet thev are mere messengers to tell
The fate of all their kindred, who so oft
Have rode upon the tempest winds, and shed
Reviving showers o'er all this barren waste.
But now, alas! their flowing streams of life
Are staunchel, or wasted on the burning air,
And they are nothing more than haggard sprites
Floating around th- horizon at eve,
Withered an I parched and shriveled in the winds,
Or long since dead and buried in the sun.
The thunders too, those old familiar friends,
Whose angry mutterings in early youth
So oft have frighted the dull school-boy home,
And made him speculate on their portent —
And how they traversed all around the skies
With such loud startling pea U—they too are dead,
And buried in the vaults of nether shies.
Or their loud voices have long since been hushed,
And their fierce restless bolts of death chained down
By the strong arm of the Eternal One.
And then the winds, those heavenly messengers
Once bearing health upon their fragrant wings,
Now seem to come o’er Afric’s arid sands,
Like the dread monsoon, burning to destrby
Before its fiery blasts, earth withers up,
And all her children languish‘but to die.
The flowers hang drooping on their sapless stents,
And the green herbage oni?e so full of life.
Lies bleaching in the summer's sun. While brooks
And rivulets have long since been exhaled.
To quench dread Phoebus’ burning thirst, and e’en
The rivers seem fast dwindling down to rills.
Old Night herself no longer sheds the dew
In plenteous flow upon the gladsome earth,
But seems to treasure up in her dark breast
All that she can, lest e’en her sable realm
Should perish in excessive heat. Alas f
There seems no Pity in the clouds for man,
Or sure they'd weep themselves away td see
The burning desolation of the eanh',
And the fierce ruin that broods o’er the world.
O, for the thunder's voice once more to wake
To life the sleeping clouds of heaven, and send
The streaming lightning round the deep blue vault
Os yon high canopy, that the soft rain
Might fall in genial showers on the land,
And Nature lift her drooping head again,
And smile triumphant o’er the ruined scene !
Then would glad anthems of unmingled praise
Rise up afresh from many a grateful heart
As holy incense to the God of Heaven.
June 15th, 1839. ALCEUS.
LETTERS FROM THE WEST INDIES-No. 16.
ST. BARTHOLOMEWS.
St. Barts Harbor, March, 1839.
To the Editor of the Southern Post:
Dear Sir—We left St. Eustatia late yesterday after
noon and were beating against a head wind all night,
without making much prOgress-this morning we made
much better work of it, and were at anchor in this
harbor about noon.
St. Barts has the finest harbor we have yet visited—
it is perfectly protected on three sides, and even its
mouth is secured by immense natural breakwaters of
rock which effectually prevent ariy Heavy sea rolling
in. It is only by those heavy hurricanes fnJni which
no earthly protection can secure us that any damage is
ever done here- We were scarcely at anchor before
several of the first merchants df the Island boarded us
and conducted us on shore—the docks, the wharl and
streets are convenient, cleanly, and delightful, and our
first impressions wore highly favorable to the place and
its kind people.
It was our good fortune to meet with a gentleman
who resides here with whom I hsdtriet and formed an
acquaintance at St. Croix. He received us with open
arms, and with others, conducted our party to the re
sidence of the Governor, who received us with a re
-8 ectful attention, shewed us his grounds, and gave us
refreshments. Thence we were conducted tothe houses
of three other gentlemen, and refreshments set before
us. After examining whatever was interesting through
the town we returned to the ship to dinner.
About two years ago this place was visited by a most
violent and destructive hurricane, which is said to have
destroyed about two hundred and fifty buildings ; but
few of which have been repaired or rebuilt. We saw
many of them laying in ruins—among the rest a beau
tiful stone Chapel, which had been just finished at an
expense of about twenty thousand dollars, only part of
the walls being left standing. The harbor forms three
sides of an oblong square a few hundred yards across,
and the town covering all of its sides. The hurricSmS
appears to have entered from the mouth arid kept the
direction of the water to the upper erid,- Where rt swept
nearly all the buildings, together with somfi oil theeast
ern aide, among which was the residence of the Gov
ernor, who is now rebuilding «£ suite of apartments on
the foundations of those demolished.
St. Barts was once a place of extensive trade, during
the time the English colonial ports were closed to the
commerce of other nations. One of the gentlemen as
sured me he had seen five hundred sail of vessels in
port at once. They must have been mostly Island
coasters, however, these being the vessels that trade
principally between the Islands. Now its extensive
warehouses are deserted and falling to decay, nor is it
probab e, unless another general war should take place,
that they will ever be called again Into use. What a
great depreciation those government measures produce
in real estate —stores which once rented here for more
than three thousand dollars a year now may be rented
for less than one hundred. The Island is rocky and
generally barren. It is about seven miles long and
three to four in width, with a population of about four
thousand, of whom not more than four hundred are
slaves, generally servants in families—what little pro.
ductive labor is done on the Islana is by the white pea
santry, mostly French, to which nation the Island ori
ginally belonged, and was by it transferred sometime
in the last century, to Sweden, in liquidation of a na
tional debt.
About three hundred bales of cotton and some fruits
and vegetables are all the natural productions of this
ittle distant and isolated Swedish Colony. There is
some salt manufactured by solar evaporation, and ship
ped to the United States. A fort on a high point com
mands the harbor, but the present government send out
no European troops to man it—a small garrison ot’ere.
■oles keep the works in order. The most respectable
merchants send their children to Europe for education,
end communicate with their home government mostly
through the Danish ships which frequently touch here
•n passing to and from their own Islands. The society
here also enjoy a social intercourse with their neigh
-bors <4 St. Martins, Saba, Bt. Euetaua, and other I*l
lands around them. St. Martins, their nearest neigh
bor, Is nor bore than from five to eight miles, to and
from which small boats are frequently passing—this Isl
and, though small, has two distinct governments; one
of French and the other Dutch, who, it is said, do not
always live together in the greatest harmony; but as I
eschew all slanderous gossip, I will not undertake to
amrise you with the stories with which these kind Isl
anders endeavored to amuse us. We have abundant
cause to be grateful for our kind reception and enter
tainment.
We were much pressed to stay until to-morrow, and
gladly would have done so, but for our desire to accom
plish our visit to St. Thomas and arrive at St. Croix be
fore the Sabbath, in the hope of doing which we are
getting under way, expecting to be off St. Thomas har
bor in the morning. M.
OCT Our readers may recollect seeing, in our paper, a
few months ago, some beautiful lines from the pen of
Geo. F. Morris, entitled the “ Southern Refrain." A
friend has handed us forpublieat on, the following song,
wtitten to the same air, “ Long time ago
Again, I tread where love and childhood,
Long time ago,
O’er the mead and through the wildwood,
Where the Violets grow;
Spread such charms though clouds have shaded
Alt in mem’ry, lo!
These bloom fresh as When unfad>>d,
Long time ago.
Here full many a bright Spring morning.
Long time ago;
We, the damps and rain drops scorning,
In youth's careless flow.
Truant boys have straved from sehooltime.
Braving rod and blow ;
Forgetful but of play the whole time,
Long time ago.
Here along these banks we wandered 1 ,
Long time ago—
Watched the finny tribes and pondered
Who had formed them so;
Or with pliant rod well bftited,
Creeping still and slow,
Patient for a nibble waited,
Long time ago.
E'en alas, o'er mem’ry's pleasures,
Long time ago.
Griefs will rise to dim its treasures,
Saddest scenes of woe.
Near this rock he sfipt and perished,
Struggling sunk below;
He the earliest friend I cherished,
Long time ago.
Then how soon were healed our sorrows?,
Long time ago;
Friends were plenty as to-morrows,
As uncertain though.
Then the future had no terrors,
Clothed in hope’s bright glow,
Nor the past was full of errors",
Long time ago.
But, alas! such times are over;
, Long time ago—
Fresh and fragrant blooms the clover,
Winds as balmy blow.
The groves, the stream, in every feature,
Naught is changed, but oh!
How changed am ! ! once happy creature,
Long time ago:
ANALEIvTA—No. 3
At our last meeting, reader, thou may’st remember
that we said something touching harmony of verse and
smoothness of numbers in poetry. By the way, we
wonder if these said meetings of ours might not be said
to be wliat those queer old chaps of the “Observer"
call a “symposium" —Verily, that same Solomon VVea
zle appears to be a singular old personage, of whom we
may truly say, “ Stat nominis umbra !" Between thy
self and us, reader, we will tetl thee in thine ear, that
we do riot believe he is an entity at all! But talking
of poetry, we have to-day selected for thy amusement
and edification, a littlfe book which we do not thirik
thou haßt ever seen before : at least, we have never met
with any other copy than this one which we hold in
our hand. It is a collection of English poems which
have taken prizes at Oxford, in the years from 1768 to
1827; arid contains sdme of the finest Poetry in the
lartgudge. We will read to thee a few extracts from
sotrie of the Poems : the subjects, of course, are vari
ous, and almost all of them very well treated. We will
not detain thee any longer from the book ; we open it
at a poem on the “ Love of Country,” with this mot
to prefixed:
Who fights His country’s battle,
Does in his bosom feel a golden omen
(Jf victory.
When all is so beautiful, we are puzzled to select; but
take these lines as a sample:
!! Poor is his triumph and disgraced his name,
Who draws the sword for empire, wealth, or feme :
For him tho’ wealth be blown on ev’ry wind,
Tho’ Fame announce him mightiest of mankind,
Tho' twice ten nations crouch beneath his blade.
Virtue disowns hint, and his glories fade :
For him nopray’rs are pour’d, no pceans sung,
No' blessings chanted from a nation's tongue:
Stood marks the path to his untimely bier;
The curse of widows, and the orphan’s tear,
Cry to high Heav’n for vengeance on his head :
Alive, detested, and accurst when dead !
Indignant of his deeds, the muse who sings
Th’ undaunted truth, and scorns to flatter kings,
Shall show the monster in his hideous foWtty
And mark trim as an earthquake,-or a storm.'*
The next lines present a character finely contrasted
with the one just described; with slight alteration, they
might be well applied to one whose memory lives, and
will continue to live, in the breast of every true Ameri
can ; one whose name is revered wherever it is known j
our own, immortal Washington!
“ Nos so the Patriot Chief who dared withstand
The base invader of his native land ;
Who made her weal his noblest, only end;
Ruled but to serve her; fought but to defend;
»»*»««
Who, firmly virtuous, and severely brave,
Sunk with the Freedom that he could not save !
On worth like his, the muse delights to wait,-
Reveres alike in triumph or defeat;
Crowns with true glory, and with spotless fame,
And honors Paou’s more than Frederick's name.”
Paoli was the Corsican hero, who bravely warred to
save the liberty of his country, and fell noblv, at last,
buried beneath her ruins. How different! bow widely
different from a subsequent Corsican, whose name has
since filled the trump of Fame, until the whole earth
has echoed with the blast of his renown—a renown,
which, after all, has only
“ Marked him as an Earthquake or a Storm P r
But it ia not alone in the field of battle nor in the sol
dier's dsslh that love of country is displayed- Death,
even on the scaffold, with circumstance ot ever*
mtny. may quite aa surely show the heavenly fire which
burns within the patriot's bosom. Some there are, who
when the occasion may require, merit the application’
of the same praise which our author has bestowed
on the celebrated Sydney i
“ Unconqucrsd Patriot' formed by ancient lore
THE SOUTHERN POST.
The love of ancient Freedom to restore;
Who nobjy acted what he boldly thought.
And seal’d by Death, the lesson that he taught "
Again, the following lines inculcate to us another and
a useful lesson:
“ Nor yet doth Glory, tho' her port be t >o!d,
Het aspect radiant, and her tresses gold,
Guide thro' the walks of death alone her car,
Attendant only on the din of war;
She ne’er disdains the genfle vale of Peace,
Or olive shades of Philosophic ease,
More pleased on Isis’ silent marge to roam,
Than bear in pomp the spoil of battles home.”
It is not often that it falls to our lot to show our love
of country by fighting in her cause, or by shedding our
blood for her; hut there are many other ways in which
we can serve her with equal advantage and fidelity—
and these methods it is incumbent or. us, and on every
patriotic citizen to adopt, and follow out to the lullest
extent. This we are to do hv using all our efforts to
increase the spread of knowledge and education, to
foster the arts, cultivate the sciences, to protect and en
courage all useful pursuits, and to extend the influence
of virtue and morality: and by so doing we more ef
fectually and usefully serve Our country than by shed
ding torrents of blood on the battlefield. In the words
of our author:
“To read, with Newton’s ken, the starry sky,
And God the same in all his orbs descrv ;
To lead forth merit from her humble shade,
Extend to rising Arts a patron’s aid;
Build the nice structure of the generous Law,
That holds the freeborn soul in willing awe j
To swell the sail of trade, the barren plain
To bid with fruitage blush, and wave with grain ;
O'er pale misfortune drop, with anxious sigh,
Pity’s mild balm, and wipe affliction's eye ;
These, these are deeds Britannia must approve,
Must nurse their growth with all a parent’s love ;
These are the deeds that public virtue owns,
And, just to public virtue, Glory crowns."
Whgt dost thou think of it, reader? is not this true
poetry ? Observe the swee'ness of the versification,
the harmony of the lines, the beauty of the diction.—
We are not of the school of those who judge of verses
merely by the rhyme which is attached to the tail of
each: although Httdibras tetls us, that:,
’Rhyme the rudder is of verses',
As ships are governed by, &c.
(excuse my repeating the rest of the quotation, kind
readet!) The late lamented Robert C. Sands, in one
of his tales, makes a would-be poet pronounce, with
an air of great authority, th 6 following luminous de
< ision:
, Ms I say, the grass is green, do I talk Poetry ? No!
Why not ? Because there is no carious jingle. If I say,
The Grass is green,
As may be seen, ,
that is poetry. Why ? Because it rhymes 1” This cri
terion is offener applied than some folks think, in
these days of scribbling and inkshed. The same wri
ter observes, with much truth, that, “the injudicious
praise which some poets have received from pretended
friends and sciolous editors, has been their great mis
fortune." Many an unfledged bard, when trying the
tender wing of his youthful muse in the pages of a ma
gazi eor the “ Poet’s corner" of a newspaper, has been
poffed up, by such false and injnrious flattery, into a
firm belief in his own possession of poetic genius and
talent V whilst, had a little wholesome and judicious cri
ticism been properly administered, it might have had
the effect, either oi making him a good poet, or of pre
venting him from being a mere poetaster. It is to the
severe criticism of the Edinburg Review, oil the “ Hours
of Idleness,” that the world is indebted, for the subse
quent masterly and immortal compositions of Rvron.
A moment, now to moisten our palate—So—now
whilst you are sipping your Burgundy, hear as read
this passage from another png of these Beautiful poems,
entitled the “ Aboriginal Britons.” How applicable is
it td what we may now see around us, in our own be
loved land! Speaking of the Goddess of Liberty, the
poet says t
“But now, revived,she boasts a purer cause.
Refined by science, form’d by generous laws;
High hangs her helmet in the bannered hill',
Nor sounds her clarion, but at honor's call;
Now walks the land with olive chaplets crowned.
Exalting worth, and beaming safety round :
With secret joy and conscious pride admires
The patriot spirit which herself inspires;
Sees barren wastes with unknown fruitage bloom,
Sees labor bending patient o’er the loom;
Sec 9 science rove thro’ academic bowers,
And peopled cities lift their spiry towers;
Trade Swells her sail;, wherever ocean rolls,
Glows at the line, a> J freezes at the poles :
While thro’ unwatered plains and wondering meads,
Waves not its own the obedient river leads.”
The poem whence these lines are drawn was writ
ten in 1791 ; but had it been written in our day and in
our country, it could scarcely have drawn a truer pic
ture of the effects of Liberty and liberal institutions,
encouraging public and individual talent and etrtei
prize, and scattering blessings over this favored land.
By this saving influence,
“The mind, which, hid in savage breasts of yore,
Lay, like Golconda’s gems, an useless ore,
Now greatly dares sublimest aims to scan;
Enriches science and ennobles man ;
Unveils ths Semblance which its God bestowed.
And draws more near the fount from which it flowed.”
We have as yet shown to thee, patient reader,- but a
few of the gems contained io this little volume : We do
no wish to cloy thee with sweets, by giving too much
at once. We will return to the “ Prize Poems” at an
other, and,-if it so please thee, not very distant dav.
M.
THE OBSERVER, No. 12.
Saturday, June 22, 183d.
Some few evenings ago, I went forth, after the heat
of the day, to refresh myself by a walk, as is my fre
quent custom. The sun, under the influence of whose
fierce rays we had been languishing, was just sinking
towards the west,- to' illumine other realms with the
brightness of his-presence.- Those whohad been pant
ing with the heat, or loiing their energies on their af
ternoon couches, now began to come out,- one by one,
to taste the renewed freshness of the evening. The
soda founts were thronged with crowds of worshippers,
eager to lave their parched lips and thirsty palates in
the grateful and salutiferous beverage; and as the
sparkling stream rushed, hissing and foaming, from the
silver orifice, it was pleasing to see the eagerness with
which the favored votary grasped the cristal goblet, and
the glow of heartfelt satisfaction which diffused itself
over his countenance, as he imbibed the cooling liquid-
Having, in my turn, paid my devotions to this shrine of
health—(l love to patronize all useful establishments,
and I drink soda frtini principle ) —l continued my walk
and proceeded up Mulberry street. The few moments
which I lied spent in pleasing observation at the soda
fount, had given time for a great change The sun
was now just about setting; and the last slant rays of
the sinking luminary were playing, with magical ef
fect, on the rich mansions of our wealthy fellow-clti
teas, which crown ths summit of the hill: every co
— »nrni,.a and entablature, was tipped with
I tumn, e»ei* * '
lIDM.-amf each edifice was bathed in toft ana rosy,
light. The sky, which made the back-grotintf,' Wall
glorious with the radiance of heaven, aaiJ presented
the buddings in bold relief, giving them an appesranc* •
of vast ness, which they da not really poaeeaa. Thefo
!>•««, on every aide, ofesed itself to the eye in He moat j
pleasing aspect, clothed in tints of surpassing richness,
but mellowed and subdued, by the fading light. But
what pen can describe, what pencil can portray the
splendid sight which awaited me, when I turned my
eyes to the point where the sun was about to disap
pear ! Some heavy masses of purp'e clouds lay piled
about the horizon; and above them were scattered, pro
fusely, smaller fleeces of vapor varying in color from
purple, through every shade of rose and orange, to fine
gold: those which were nearest the sun, had all the
lustre and brilliancy of pure metal. I have often had
occasion to remark, that although throughout the day,
the skv may be serene, and the atmosphere without a
cloud, some are always to be seen at sunset; as if they
had been summoned together from every quarter of
the vast fields of ether, to pay homage to their origina
tor, and grace by their gorgeous presence the exit of
the departing God of day. And on this occasion they
pul on their most glorious aspect, and assume their
most graceful and fanciful shapes, reflecting the lustre
which they borrow from the great luminary, in every
form and variety ofbeauty, until the eye is dazzled, and
the ■ ind overwhelmed, withjexcess of splendor. Oh!
how deeply should we be impressed with our own no
thingness, since even a breath of vapor can so far tran
scend in beau'y all our conceptions; and with how
much awe, should we not then raise our thoughts to 1
Hist, to whose Almighty Power, all things owe their 1
origin. I never witness one of these magnificent sun
sets. but my mind is filled with awe and reverence;
my heart warmed with love, and bowed down in ado
ration to that Great Being, who (to use the sublime lan
guage of Inspiration) said: Let there be light, and there
was light,” who made the firmament, and all its lutnln-;
aries, and who “ saw that it was good.”
Engaged in these and similar reflections, I uncon
sciously prolonged my walk, until daylight had almost
entirely faded away. The shades of evening were j
fast falling around me; the little inhabitants of the |
marsh commenced their evening song, and poured forth
their singular chorus in loud and piercing tones, occa-'
sionally broken by the deep and sonorous bass of some
Dionsjer frog; crickets began their shrill chirrup and
the whole tribe of nocturnal injects had commenced
their usual pursuits ; the gay fire-fly flitted past, wend
ing his way to his evening courtship, and every now.
and then showing his lamp, to light him to the bower
of his insect-love, and announce his approach; ever
and anon the beetle’s “'drowsy hum” smote not un
pleasingly upon the ear, as he wheeled lazily along
through the dim twilight. The melancholy “ chuck- j
will's-widow” had taken her position on a fallen tree,
and in well known strains, uttered her mournful plaint
to the night breeze, whilst, as if indeed in very mocke- j
ry, a mockbird, perching himself on the topmost twig
of a small tree, not far distant, poured forth his wild
merriment in a torrent of delicious melody. “So,”
thought I, “is it too often in this world! In one house
you may hear the sob of grief, and the wail of misfor
tune, whilst the next one resounds with boisterous
mirth or noisy rejoicing! Alas! the thoughtlessly gay,
have no sympathy with the mourner and afflicted.”—
Thus musing, I returned slowly homewards, with my
mind at peace with myself and all round, and my heart,
I hope, improved by sweet communion with nature
and “ Nature’s God.” L. |
On my return to my lodgings, I found a fetter from |
Nestor, with another chapter of his subterranean ad-:
ventures. I give it to my readers just as I received it;
but I am fearfyl that Nestor has been more affected
than ne will allow, by a recent attack of illness. He
speaks slightingly of it in his letter; but I am really
afraid that it is but the forerunner of a general dissolu
tion. At his age, even trifles become serious; but we
must hope for the best.
Travels iu the Regions of the Gnomes, or
Sims’ World.
CHAPTER 3.
Which treats of sundry matters and things, including
a description of a Gnome’s dinner, with gastronomi
cal remarks on the dishes.
Friend Weazle—One defect which I labored under,
in my transfiguration and travels in Gnome land was
the source of much mortification and vexation to me.
1 was enabled to assume the sliapfe arid appearance of
an inhabitant of that subterranean region, in every
thing but the tail; that was wanting, and it was the
cause, in some few instances, of bringing trie into col
lision, and almost into disgrace with some of them. But
I always had the go’cd fortune to get clear, eventually,
in a creditable manner, or had the presence of mind to
wish myself invisible, and so escaped. Their punish
ment of criminals is to clip off some portion of this ap
pendage—for a simple veniality, the end only is dipt,
and so on: for a high misdemeanor and crime, the
whole tail is cut off, and the person forever disgraced ;
so that this member becomes an object of great care ;
(as accidents will happen sometimes in the best of fa
milies ;) and you may perceive what a deb cate predica
ment I was in. The old fling, “see what a long tail
our cat’s got," is there the very essence of poetry ; as
witness ohe cf their descriptions of a great beauty,' re
solved into English:
“Her massive tresses trailing on the ground,
. In clouds of light envelop* J jer around •
Her tail a m;: a cle 1 sustains itself behind,
A.nd wjgg bewitching on the wanton wind.”
After I became on familiar footing enough, I re
marked that in Turkey, a part of my country, there
were men called Bashaws, with two and three or more
tails; and they immediately responded, as though they
considered it a grea-t blessirtgindeed. A long tail, with
'them; is thought a mark of favor with heaven;
and when I further added, that these tails projected
from the backside of the head, they were very much
astonished.* On the first period of my arrival, and the
first inhabitant I chanced to meet, was a venerable
sage and recluse, a Gnome of reputed wisdom, and a
great prophet. As he came towards me I was struck
with his singular appearance; his hair, from age and
damp perhaps, had grown brown and rusty, and hung
m- tatters about his person, like swamp moss around
the gnarled oak; his head was BaW, save on the apex,
an isolated lock remained, like that on the head of Time,
in the primer; around his neck, (very like a blue snake)
his tail was coiled; his eyes were of a deep red, and
shone like coals of fire; his bony, withered up arms,
and long skinny fingers, with nails like birdclaws, made
me thfhk, “ surely this is a demon or the ghost of Ne
buchadnezzar.” And when he spoke, although it was
in a dialect differing from any thing that I ever heard,
yet I could understand as well as though he spoke in
my own vernacular ; and what is very singular, upon
my retufn to daylight, I never can recollect a word of
that singular language, but every thing I have heard
seems to resolve itself into appropriate English ! Re
ally, as an old playmate of mine used to remark,' “there
is notiiing so'wonderful but that there is still a greater
wonder.” This Old Sage invited me into his hut close
by, which was of vast size,-and appeared to be built of
fragments of spar of different colors; it was without
windows, as 1 have aince noticed all the houses are,
and it was lighted in each apartment by a single lamp,
hurig on one side, and of uncouth dimensions, which
* My readers will see that Nestor does not scruple to
make use of the privilege claimed by all great travr 1-
lels, even the illustrious Mr. Buckingham, viz i tha> of
shooting with the long bow. He tells his Gnome friends
that the Bashaw's tails grow on the backs of their
heads! and the poor Gnomes believe him of course.
They would, no doubt, agree with Shacabac, u Blue
Beard, that, it would be
“ " A Bl " r,0IU ,h !£ to be Fafeef-i-IRW ,
To * haughty, magnm. m
Nestor, also, (aa might be exceed) US£
fashioned orthography of the word leshaw—the true
sitolliiig, -« now used, ■ >*“**•/ Pronunciation re
mauMi very near ly the same, lilt only change being
that of B Into f- • 1
is never permitted to go out; the reflections from the
surrounding walls making it exceedingly light and bril
liant. Every room was devoted to a separate purpose
In the one I first entered the floor was full of round
holes; one in the centre, and all the rest encircling it.
I was at a loss to divine the meaning of this until the
sage, entering one of them, seated himself, and invited
me, as a mark of attention and politeness, to the one
in the centre. This I find is the fashion of the coun
try toward distinguished guests,and strangers. After we
were seated, he reached down into a sort of side pock
et where he was sitting, and took out from thence a
large bundle of stalks, and lighting the end of one of
them, handed it to me, and then lighting another for
himself, we commenced puffing away with a ven
geance, like a couple of Dutchmen, until we were fair
ly enwrapt in the smoke, as with a cloud. At first I
found the taste very disagreeable and nauseating, but
becoming accustomed to it, 1 could perform my part
tolerable well. He seated opposite me, puffing and
grinning amd chattering away like wrath, his eyes
shining through the mist, seemed no very unapt repre
sentation of the king of the infernals; in fact, I almost
began to believe I bad died in reality, and was in Hu-'
des veritable. He informed me that he had been ex-!
peering my arrival for some time, as it had been fore- j
told in ancient writings, some of which also had parti
cular reference to himself. One morsel he repeated, I
ran as follows
“ When there shall come a man without a tail,
And as thou art, a rusty haired old sage,
Then without fail,
Begins the promised age.”
Another couplet ran thus:
“ His eye is black, his head of hair is straight,
His form a pillar stands, nor bmpeth in his gait.”
I now perceived, for the first time, that l was wrapt
in a mantle of hair similar to that of my companion.
After some desultory conversation between us, and
enquiries oil his part concerning this upper world, he
said he presumed, as I had travelled a long distance,
that I might be somewhat hungiy; to which 1 assent
ed, and at a signal, there was let down between us,
from the roof, and through the smoke, what had rite
appearance of a large door. On this were spread out,
as in the vision of Peter, a motley collection of things,
as I thought, common and unclean. The centre dish
had the appearance of a large boa constrictor, but Ii
found it was nothing but a sort of pudding, made from
the bark of a singular kind of tree growing there ; it I
was quite palatable. Every dish had some such strange 1
appearance, though they were but simple substances—
such is the fashion of cooking—here was a plate of an-1
gle worms, and there a bowl of june bugs. Large iiin- 1
glass pitchers stood on each Side filled with some liquid
having the color of blood. As soon as this door or ta- !
ble was let down, he commenced cutting all kinds of
capers and antics about it; every dish had to pass un-'
der his inspection and smell, crossing his hands over;
it in a peculiar manner, if it pleased him, smacking hie
lips together meanwhile ; if it did not, it underwent a
second examination, and then with a sort of grunt not j
unlike that of a pOrker, it was placed one side. When
this ceremony was completed, he pushed a dish of an
gle Worms towards me, and drawing a like one to him-'
self, began to eat as though he had not seen a morsel
of food for a month, cramming it in with first one hand,
then the other, alternately working like a steam engine.'
I must confess that it was with some reluctance, I be
gan on the unsavory looking dish, but I was so accus
tomed to wonders, that I gave myself entirely up to
whatever might befall me—there was neither knife or
fork on the board, but I had travelled somewhat among
the Turks in my youth, so 1 commenced dipping in.—
The viands were all very well flavored, particularly the
boa constrictor, and the bloody looking fluid had very
much the taste of strong brandy and water As lam
: presidferit of one or two temperance Societies, I was
; gd!tig to decline drinking df it: but he assured me, as
| weN as he could, between his swallowings, that it was
a perfectly harmless drink, made entirely of vegeta-
I bles, and to use his own expression, “ would not harm
a fly.” I believe it did me more good than any
thing f have tasted for a long while; we each emptied
his pitcher. After the meal came a dessert, like dry
saw dusr, and powders of different colors, of which I
did not partake. The door-table was then withdrawn
up to the roof again, and oiix stalks were resumed :
where the reader must leave this chapter, as my paper
is out. NESTOR SENIU&
OFFICE, ON TBISd- STiIEET, ONE DOOR FROM MULBERRY-
Street, and opposite the central hotel.
MACON:
SATURDAY. JUNE 22, 1839.
NEW MAPS
We were yesterday shewn one of the most splendid
Maps, as regards arrangement and execution, we ever
beheld. We had not time to examine its correctness,
but place the utmost confidence in the following notice
from the Charleston Mercury:
NEW AND SPLENDID MAPS.
We have hung in our office, one of Chapin’s
‘ornamental Maps®fthe United Slates,’ pub
lished iu New York.- his a very tastefully and
signed and beautifully expressed specimen of
a rt—and accuracy with neatness. It contains
besides the States ants Territories, smaller
maps of the British possessions, Texas, Mexico,
the West Indies, Columbia, and the world ;
views at the four corners, of Baltimore, Phila
delphia, New York, and Boston—and around
the orn (mental border, very good engraved
portraits of the eight Presidents.
Mr. Wood, the Agent, will remain in town this day
only, and will be happy to receive subscribers both to
the Map, and to the excellent Gazetteer which accom
panies it.
We are pleased to learn that the Engines, recent
ly ordered by the City Council, for the Fire Companies
of this city, are in course of manufacture, and will, no
doubt, be ready for shipment by the time our river is
navigable.
We wish to urge the necessity of improving the fa
cilities for obtaining water, as the next most important
step, for without a plentiful supply of that needful arti
cle, our new Engines will avail us but little.
We would most respectfully inquire, whether any ar
rangements have been entered into respecting a Reso
lution of Council, some months since, requiring Fire
Buckets to be furnished for every tenement in the ci
ty 7 If nothing has as yet been done, we would urge
the necessity of an immediate compliance with said
Ordinance. Next winter we may need every means
that has been suggested (and even more) to battle a
gainst a foe that has thus far been conquered, by little
| or no exertion-
These hifife «r« offered not because we wish to be j
conspicuous in this matter, but from a firm baiarf dial j
it ia our duty to wa/ck, and report on every sufoect
| wherein all clsaeee of citizen* are ao much interested
. . NEW PUBLICATIQN.
During all the hardness of thp (ime*, dry weather,
and a scorching sur.,-that*lns continued almost unre
mittingly for five weeks past, we have found nothing
so rehevini;, so pleasant, and that tends so rtmth tc
make bearable a sultry air, dry weather, clouds of daft
and dun* innumerable, as the late long-u ished-for and
iong-de!ayed arrival of new publications. The lowness
of the river and the extreme .heat of the weather, hag
prevented any thing like regaUr and quick communi
cation with those places on- which we are dep'-'.dentfoP
our intellectual food, that most sustaining, reviving and
revivifying of all others in just such rimes as flies*. But
during the past week we have been blest with the sight,
and we have gazed so intently Rnd long, as to alotost
entirely neglect some other, and perhaps non* tha lest)
important duties, which, if our rcade.s do not remark,
we shall be disposed to account more to good'feeling
towards us than to ought else., . ri ..
Among the intellectual food that has given us *o
much good cheer, we enumerate first, Richelieu, or the
Conspiracy, a play, in five acts, by E. L. Bulwer. It is
certainly worthy its distinguished authorship. We think
it superior, in so far as the interest qf the plot is con
cerned, though perhaps more deficient in the higlinio
ral tone of sentiment, to the “ Lady of Lyons." That
most admired and successful play of Bulwer’s, which
has perhaps more poetical beauty than “RicbJthu,"
but less of stage interest and stage effect. Its connec
tion with history adds much also to the value of this
over the other. It will be read with much interest and
pleasure by the literary public. - , ,
Next comes Chevcley, or the Man of Honor , by La
dy Lytton Bulwer, of which, however, we are not pre
pared to speak at present, as we have not, as yet, been
enabled to give it a perusal. It may perhaps come up
for notice hereafter
We have also anew novel from the pen of Harriet
Martineau, an authoress well known to our readers,
though perhaps not favorably. Still hers is a gifted
mind, and from a very slight glance at “ Deerbrook,"
we are favorably impressed with its merits as a work
of fiction. We should not be surprised to find it, on
perusing it throughout, to smell a little of political or
dc rpestic economy, in morals and manners, &.C.
Also, “ Algic Researches;' by H. ft. Schoolcraft.—
Notices of tliis work have escaped our notice, as yet,
but from its very title we should think it would excite
much interest. It is composed of traditionary tales of
the Indians. It will probably meet with some further
notice hereafter.
All the above works arc to found for fiiXe at thfr
Book Store of Mr- C. A. EUI?, Mulberry street.
We learn from the Augusta Chronicle and Sentinel
that a fire broke out in the Planter’s Hotel, on Tues
day last, which consumed that, together with several
of the adjacent building. Samuel Hale, Esq., the pro
prietor of the Hotel, is said to have sustained a loss of
•bout SIO,OOO mote than the amount of his insurance.
The cause of the fire, whether from accident or de
sign, is not known.
Kr The Vicksburg Sentinel announces the failure of
the house of Bennett, Ferridays & Cos. of that city, for
upwards of a million of dollars. The affair caused
great excitement.
OUR tfAILY
We again call the .attention of opr citizens to ths
Prospectus of the “ Macon Daily Advertiser,” to bo
found on the first page of this day’s impression. Should
we fail to establish (for want of patronage at the hands
of our business men,) a daily print in this city, we feel
confident it will be several years before a like attempt
will be made by any one. Every one appears to be
anxious for its success, and yet a riunibet have refused
to place their names upon the Ji9t until the publicauon
is commenced. We are not disposed to undertake so
arduous a task, without some proof of success—and
take occasion again to repeat that unless two hundred
subscribers are guararited to us in the city, it will be
impossible for us to attempt its publication. The Pros
pectus can be found in our Reading Room, to which
we respectfully invite all who feel an interest in the un
dertaking, to attach their names.
JtT’TnE Mutual Aid and Benevolent Association
acknowledge a donation by the Grand Jury, Panel No.
3, of s2l 62i. H. D. STARR, Scc’jr^
MARRIED,
In Talbot county, on Tuesday evening last, by the
Rev. B. Searcy, Mr. M. E. RYLANDER, of this ci
ty, to Miss SARAH C. BROWN.
Mr We acknowledge the recoipt of the printer’s he:'
MACON VOLUNTEERS !
ATTEND a Meeting at the Company's Room, this
evening, at 8 o’clock. By order,
DANELLY, Ist Sergeant.
June 22 35’
Office Washington Steamboat Company,/
MACON, 19th June, 1839. f
THE subscriber having resigned as Secretary, Trea
surer and Agent of the Washington Steamboat
Company, persons having business with the Company
will call "on Messrs. Charles Campbell & Cos., the au
thorized Agents. P. R, YONGE, Jr.
June 22 35
Monroe Rail Road & Banking 1 Company,)
MACON, June 12, 1839. J
INSTALMENT—Second and Thcrc Division.
NOTICE is hereby given, that an Instalment of Ten
Dollars per Share on the Extension Stock of this
Company is required to be paid at the Banking House
in this citv, on or before the first day of October next.
Stockholders at, and in the neighborhood of Forsyth, “
can make payment at the Agency.
By order of the Board of Directors,
JEREMIAH LEAK, Cashier.
June 22 jj
DISSOLUTION.
THE Copartnership heretofore existing under the
firm ot CLARKE &, SMITH, is this day dissol
ved by mutual consent.
THOMAS B. CLARKE,
CHARLES L. SMITH.
June 22 33
CAUTION.
ALL persons indebted to the firm of CLARKE &.
SMITH, are forbid settling any tfcertunts' of said
firm without'my consent. E. E. BROWN is my atl
thorized Agent during my absence from the city.
CHARLES L. SMITH.
June 22 35*
DEKRBROdfiy
ANEW Novel, by Miss Martineau. Indian Tales
—inquiries respecting the Mental Characters of
the North American Indians, by Schoolcraft, just re
ceived and for sale by C. A. ELLS.
June 22 3.1 “
Information Wanted.
fIIHE subscriber's negro man BEN left hie' plhitfa-
A tion for Macon, on the first of April lest, with 5
WAGON and' FIVE MULES, wkhlnstriifctions to
get a load from that place tb Talbot or this county. —
I have heard that he was in Macon some fiVa or six
weeks since—since which time I have had no informa
tion of him. Said negro ia aliout 5 feet 6 or 8 mfcbda
high, black complexion, about 28 years olt},- has two
stiff or drawn up fingers on hit right harifl, (Ibe twb
last fingers). One of the Mules has a white spot not
far from the joining of the hip aud loin joints. Any
information of the above Negro or Team, seat to the
subscriber, by mail.ro the Franklin Academy Poet Of
fice, Upson county, will be thankfully received by the
subscriber. JOHN DUNN.
Up*»n county, Ga, June 20tb, 1839 3»p*
{tir The Augusta Chronicle and Sentinel will five
the above three weekly insertions, ami forward tncjr
account to this office