Newspaper Page Text
glltS OIKLXAMT*
Finn llc Petersburg li.!r!ligrsnr.
Vv c have made, for this day s
paper, an interesting extract in
relation to the Florida lheelers,
fi uin a wot k whicii h** s been recently
j nidi shed under me title, Obsci*
Nations upon Pe Florida?, by
Charles Vign/dcs, Civil and Topo
graphical Engineer. This work ol
Mr. Vignoles (snvs the National
Gazette) contains more abundant,
curious and well digested inlorma-
lion concerning the Florida?, than
any other extant on the same sib p-ct.
It i nis afforded us much pleasu and
instruction, and we have been i ager
to express our acknowledgements
to the respectable author. It is
accompanied by a handsome map,
which has a like superiority over
preceding ones, and in the construc
tion of w hich he availed himself ot
all the existing charts and maps,
both domestic and foreign, as well
ns skilful manuscript
Almost the whole sea
coast from St. Mary’s river to cape
Florida is from his own actual sur
vey. The map concentrates all that
is at present known ol the territory-
THE FLORIDA AII FAKE US.
The wreckers have been more than
once mentioned, and a slight notice of
these people may not be unacceptable.
For many years It recking has been
reduced to a perfect system, and upon
the c oast of Florida lias been engrossed
by the inhabitants of the Bahama
islands, and principally by those of
the island of New Providence. The
usual custom in fitting out these small
crafts on a wrecking and turtiing voy
age (for they are generally combined)
is upon shares: the merchants ot
Nassau are chiefly the proprietors of
the vessels, into winch a few barrels
of pork ami biscuit are put, the crews
being supposed able to subsist them
selves by fishing and hunting, and these
c rews are composed of pilots and fisli
oi men of the Islands.
Forty or fifty wreckers have often
made their rendezvous at A ‘ey Taver
nier, which has before been noted as a
central position for their purposes, and
at these times one or two vessels have
been selected to fish for the others, in j
which case they always had a share of j
any booty.
On returning to Nassau, the govern
ment duties, admiralty fees, the tythc
to the resident governor, and a variety
of other colonial charges, look on an
average thirty-live per cent, from the
gross amount ol the sales of the prop
erty brought in by the wreckers: one
moiety of the nett proceeds then fell
to the owner and fitter out of the craft,
the other half was divided among the
< aptain and crew in certain shares and
portions of shares, as agreed upon,
previous to the commencement ol the
expedition.
It has been estimated that the duties
to the British government aione pro
duced an annual revenue of fifteen
thousand pounds sterling from this
curious source; besides keeping a
numerous Imdv of hardy and enter
prising subjects in employ, and repav
ing with great profit the speculations
of the merchants. It is also a notorious
fact, that since the termination of the
late war, the town of Nassau has been
almost supported hv the w reckers, who
are so sensible of the advantages deri
ved from their employment, that they
have openly declared they will never
leave the reef, until driven olf by
armed force, ami scorn to consider
themselves possessed of a right in the
wrecking ground as theii own indi
vidual property, independent ot any
change of government.
The great effect of gales of wind
upon the Florida or Gifil stream, the
uncertainty of the line of the eddy, and
the numerous bafiling currents contin
ually drive the mariner upon the reefs;
the inexperienced navigator ton, is
Sometimes by light winds and unknown
set* of the gulf, accidently carried
within side of the reel, through some
of the inlets, and when lie has got out
an anchor, he sees through the clear
water, that he is surrounded by roc ks
and shoals, which are more appalling
to the eye than dangerous in reality,
often lying in deep places. It is then
that tin* wieefcer makes his appear
ance, and the flighted mu ter of a rich
laden vessel, is compelled to accede
to the terms of the only pilots who
can take him safely out, for which, in
many instances, two and three thou
sand dollais have been paid, there is
seldom any competition, tor by a point
of honor among them, no wrecker inter
feres with the one who first finds the
bewildered vessel.
The variety of modes of gain, and
the different kinds of imposition,
sinufiling, &c. would till a volume;
but on the other hand, by trusting too
much to the captain of the rescued
vcssol, it hits more than once occurred
dint lu* lias given lolls of exchange
w hich have never been | aid, and mao’
engagements ami j roinises, “huh,
unless fulfilled before the extrication
cf his \ esse!, have been broken without
a scruple, when he found himself
once mure sale in the open sea.
In justice to the wreckers among the
Flouda keys, it must be remarked
that much ol the abuse which has been
! thrown upon them,is very undeserved,
and that where in one instance they
j arc accused of extortion, there are
many more where they have been iil
treated lor their services.
The idle tales which have been told
of their nfhking false lights on the coast
all who have resided in those parts as
"sure to be untruths. 1 hose tires are
occasioned by the hunters and Indians,
i who burn the forests to dear them of
underbrush, and to procure fresh pas
ture for the deer. Lightning also
often sets lire to trees, and it if, not
very uncomm .), in dry seasons, to
see spontaneous flames arise in marshy
daces. Hut after all, w hat business
lias a mariner who knows there are no
harbors or light houses on this coast,
to follow a light out of his courser
and would itNiot be advisable fur all
passing along this coast, upon seeing
a to the westward, to look out
fur breakers if he stands in for that
quarter?
We understand that lately a consi
derable number of small crafts have
been sent down from various Atlantic
ports, upon voyages of wrecking and
turtiing, but they should be protected
in some mode by the American govern
ment, and measures taken to prevent
the interference of foreigners willi
their lawful pursuits.
Ab establishment at Old .Matatombe
would he very convenient, where some
authorised persons could reside to
regulate bv rule ami law, to determine
upon the rates of pilotage in extreme
cases, and prevent imposition on the
one hand, and the want of sufficient
remuneration on the other. A revenue
vessel of light draught of water, would
be a preventative to many disorders,
and keep off the Providence w reckers,
who might shun an armed cutter,
when they would laugh at any regula
tions that were not supported bv com
petent strength, and put into eject by
force of arms.
Sources of considerable profit in
various respects are to be found up<m
the Florida red, and among the archi
-1 pelagoof kevs, !he quantity of wrecked ;
property annually thrown here is very
great, and can only be ftiliv know n to
those who have long been in the habit
of wrecking: the nsmber ol vessels
fitted out from Nassau is the greatest
proof. Turtle shell, and drift logwood
and mahoganv, are no small branches
of emolument; the quantity ol turtle
taken is vast; a gentleman in Nassau
has amassed a very forge fortune
lately, by purchasing all the turtle
not wanted for the consumption of the
Bahamas, with which he makes very
large quantities of turtle soup; this
after being boiled to a hard jelly, is
preserved in cases perfectly air tight
and sent to London, by which the soup
in that city can be afforded nt nearly
one half the former prices. Would
not a similar supply be acceptable to
our northern cities ?
From “ L'llistoiredes Chiens Celebris.
tiie dog of pera.
The house of a Greek interpreter
at Pera, in the suburbs of Constan
tinople, being on fire, he had saved
nearlv all his property by the assist
ance of a few Jannisaries, but more
anxious, without doubt, for his mo
ney than for his family, he had for
gotten an infant in its cradle. No
one could enter the house, for every
thing was on fire. The father, re
duced to despair, believed that his
child had perished, when, of a sud
den, a large dog, which he kept to
guard his dwelling, emerged from
the flames hearing the innocent lit
tle creature suspended In its linen
from his mouth. T hey reached
towards the dog to take the child,
but he would not abandon it, ahd
eluding their efforts, lie ran through
a number ol streets, until he reach
ed the house of an intimate friend
of his master, where he deposited
the precious burden, and remained
till the door was opened to receive
it.
Can you imagine what was the
reward of this faithful and gener
ous servant ? The owner strove to
recompense him—hut the mode
that he devised was equally absurd,
afflicting, and incredible. With a
barbarous gratitude he killed the
dog, and had him served up at a
splendid feast which he gave on the
occasion.
j “Mv dog,” said the Turk, “has
behaved too well to be the food of
worms. Men only deserve to eat
him. And as for you,” looking at 1
his trlends and relations, t
cannot but gain by it—it will ren
der you more benevolent.
•There is in this attested fait,
more of barbarism than of lecling;
—it would have been infinitely bet
ter to have caressed and taken care
of this dog until extreme age, than
thus to devour him lino wolves.—
In India, a dog, after such an act,
would perhaps have obtained a tem
ple. This would have been, no
doubt, ridiculous, hut still it is bet
ter to err by being over grateful ,
than to sin by the excess oj ingrat
itude.
A WILD WOMAN.
Extract of a pri vale letterf nan Aladr id
“A truce to politics h>r one day, and
let us sympathize with the charming
fair ones of Madrid who are dying to
see the wild woman that has lately
been found in Sierra dc Montero, a
desolate and rude range of mountains
in the south. She had been seen occa
sionally bjy the goat-herds as they
wandered through the mountains. —
The talc at length reached Cordova,
and the authorities sent officers in pur
suit of her. They succeeded in ap
prehending her, and she i> now in one
of the public hospitals of that city.—
.She is not altogether destitute ol un
derstanding, nor ignorant of language,
as she can say a few words, such as
pepa, papa, goto, a cat, campo, the
country and some few other*. \N hen
she was asked if she w ould like to re
turn to tfie country, she nodded her
head in the affirmative. She eats what
ever is given to her, but prefers un
cooked meat and vegetables. In the
beginning, cooked victuals did not
agree with her, and made her sick ; she
eats with an extraordinary appetite.
Her clothes appear as if they were
placed on a stick ; her arms w ere tied,
because she was ever tearing her
>dioes, in spite of every care th it was
taking to prevent her.—Sometimes
she iias thrown oft all garments, and
runs out qaite naked into the kitchen
garden, .'-lie las been found, after an
interval of two dm?, coiled up in a
place fuli of mire, and at another time,
-be has been discovered in the dung
hill of the stable.—She is about IG
years old, of a short stature, a deep
brown colour, protruding lips, and so
rough as a I most in appearance to re
semble a wolf.—She sleeps by day as
well as by night, without any regula
rity, arid generally coiled up. Some
times her sleep lias continued for
< went.v-eight hours successively, ei
ther in bed or on the ground, with or
without covering.—She keeps her eyes
mostly closed and when she is alone
she cries for three hours together, and
the next three she laughs.
“ I he Duke de Diva, the Constitu
tional Alcade, lias takfn a great deal
of trouble to find the origin of this fe
male, but it has baffled all his inqui
ries, and lie lias given them tip in de
spair. It is supposed she belongs to
parents not less wild than herself,
who are still undiscovered in the
mountains.”
Extent of our Country. — Accord
ing to a statistical table, the dist
ance between Washington City, and
the new Colony contemplated at
the mouth of the Columbia river,
is almost .the distance between
Washington and London. While
the imagination of the patriot is
dazzled by the brilliant destinies
which seem to await our country,
the Christian’s prayers will be, that
true piety, and moral and intellect
ual improvemer.t, mav increase,
with the enlargement of her territo
ry and the growth of her power.
Coliim. Star.
Flow smsll a portion of our life
is this we really enjoy. In youth
we’ are looking forward to things
that are to come ; in old age we are
looking backwards to things that
arc gone past; in manhood although
we appear indeed to be more occu
pied in things that arc present; yet
even that is too often absorbed in
vague determination* to be vastly
happy on some future day ; when
we la\ e time.
An unfortunate fellow who had
b*en sent to Brixton Stepping Mill
for some offence, while absent, the
moher told the children that he
had -one to the country to sec his
frienVs. On being released, his
little kmilv got about him and said
they wvre glad to see him return,
and expressed a wish to go with
him, when he went again to the
country. The wretched man who
seemed sensible of his error, heaved
a sigh, andsaid feelingly—All my
dear childfpn, I should be very
sorry to se? you tread in your
‘father's steps. English Paper.
The Capitol Square or enclosure
at Washington, contains twenty
acres and one-eighth, which is sui
rounded by an iron railing resting
on a stone wall, ihe area ot the
Capitol is more than an acre and a
half; the residue is either laid out
or meant to be laid out and impro
ved as a shrubbery and public walk.
The length of the outer foot-way,
round the whole, is three quarters
of a mile. (,v ‘ e
The list of Plants now cultiva
ted in Great-liritain is given at up
wards of 120,000. They have been
collected from all parts of the world.
Two thousand three hundred and
forty-five varieties were taken from
America.
EXTRAORDINARY DELIVERANCE.
The following very remarkable epi
taph was copied by a traveller, from a
burvmg ground in Spring Path, over
against Port. Koval, Jamaica..
“ Mere lies the body of Lewis Galdy,
Ksq. who died Sept. 22, 1739, aged 80.
Me was born at Montpelier,in Fiance,
which place lie left for his religion,
[being a Protestant] and settled in
that island ; where, in the great earth
quake in 1693 he was swallowed up,
and by the great providence of God,
bv a second shock was thrown out into
the sea, where he continued swimming
till lie was taken up by a boat and mi
raculously preserved. Me afterwards
lived in great reputation, and died
universally lamented.”
The asperities of Jllnier cease,
and Spring opens upon us in its
bloom* and its beauty. The pensive
snow-drop, the earlv herald of
warmth and of verdure —the tune
fii lavs of the rejoicing bird—the
smiling aspect of the exulting belle
—the fragrant embroidery of the
awakened earth —the genial atmos
phere and the illumined sky —these
are among the beautiful attractions
of nature.
Why is not man cheerful and in
nocent like the bird? Why does
not society flourish like a garden?
Because the powers which mankind
possess afford facilities of wrong
and of misery as well as of happi
ness and ot virtue. It would be
well, if with our boasted reason tve
could attain the same conformity
to the designs of our creation,as is
exemplified by those whom instinct
governs. The rose (unless it be
the daily one) is always fragrant,
the lamb is always gentle—and the
sensitive plant is uniformly tender.
But of man, you can predicate no
thing with certainty, except that
haring the F -y to act, he will
probably abuse it —and having fa
cilities of happiness, he will assu
redly neglect or overlook them.
Yet, one cannot be blind to the
beautiful drapery of groves of flow
ers, vocal with melody—nor insen
sible of the reviving sun—releasing
the mind and the feelings from the
contemplation and the effects of a
freezing winter. Cheerless as may
be your situation—and discordant
as you may he with the wishes of
those around you—cherishing as
you may- have done of a cold night,
by a nearly extinguished fire, sen
timents hitter and unsocial, you
have no excuse in such weather as
we now enjoy, if there be not a
smile on your countenance, and
good will in your heart.—
Char. Cour.
|rr HARDY IIARREL and
KLEAZAR M G ALL,
are candidates Cor die ullkx of Justice
of llie Peace for this district. Tlie e
lection will take place on the 25tli inst.
We are authorised Vo sa\
that Joseph Boren is a candidate for
tlie office of Justice of tlie Peace far
this district.
*-
w ’c are autUovV/.ed Vo sa\
•
that James L. Bussey is a candidate
for the office of Justice of the Peace
for tins district.
Aicih qmE. [
? pHE Subscriber informs the Public
l that he lias opened school in the
Town of Macon, where he will teach
Spelling, Reading,
Jiriting, Arithmetic,
Algebra, F.nglisli Grammar,
Geography and Mathematics,
Surveying &, the elements of Logic,
At the customary prices.
Good boarding can be had at respec
table houses on reasonable terms in
the vicinity of tlie school.
J. 11. GRACE.
April 14 th 4 St
T\\c iivuuVi \u£evso\ & V\os<
s dissolved ; the books and notes re
main in the hands ofS. M.lngersol,-.
All persons indebted arc required to
make immediate payment.
S. M. INGKttSOL.
11. G. ROSS.
April 14 th ‘1 -3t
. ■ ■ 1111
A list of Letters remaining in the
Post Office at Louisville, Gw. on the
Ist (lav of April,lß23, and ifnot taken
out, before the Ist day ol July next,
will be sent to the General lost Office
as dead letters.
A
Miles Adams
S. Arington Ksq. David Lmer
Charles Agerton J<thn Lildan
J 1 WiLliajf Little
Shadruk Bailey DanielL Lowe
John Bozeman Willi* Long
Fred. Baldwin A'ndr# B. Lawsotf
Jesse Britt John V. Lowe
Nathan Brown Will in Lowery
John Bower Adnvs. or Krfrs.
Dan’l. Blockenton orfhe estate of
Joseph Bryan Ain bald Lewifr
John Bennett M
0 San* l Moore
Lockhart R. Cole- Job McDaniel
man _ r Lsq. 2
James Cox Mi) VY. Montgo-
Thoinpson Curry m*y
f) Rond Moore
John Darsey Gge McKeldon 2.
Win. Daniel Esq. 0
John Douglass Anibald Odum
Messrs. Dressier / P
& Lamia imlum Prior Esq^
Samuel Denny f diain Powell
Rev.Tho's Dailey/ Ksq.
p, * f illiam Pervis
Post Master, I'omas Peebles
Emanuel Countvjardy Parker
p * rjlomon Phillip*
Amos Ford ‘ R
Enos Fountain c 'tj. Jabez Ryan
Allen F"utrel aldwin Raiford
Joseph Flowers Esq-
Owen Fountain laurel 1 Raiford
John Freeman onathan Ross
Mrs Mary Figg SMss Peggy Ryan
G
Willis Gorham Tacob Sutton
Shepherd Green Silas A. Stokes
EscGeo. Stapleton Jure
Mund Gross Jordan Smith
John Glisson 2 Rev. Win. Stan-
J. Garven sill 2
,iesse v. c.ree.n cs W m. S. Shcrley
Hardy Grigory John Sapp
Jacob Godowu 2 Jacob Shepherd
Jesse Gilberd Honorable Stephen
Mrs xancy Gordi Swain 2
Miss Leucratia Miss Nancy Sloan
Good on Fancy Span
Miss Vostia G|- T
down Richmond Terrell
If Elizabeth 0. Tcr-
Klijah Rudsffld rell
George C. I luges Mrs Nancy Turner
Jsq. W
Cullen Horf2 John Y\ ood
David HolUify John C. Winn
John Harris Mathew M- Wood
Rev. Cbrisk# G. Ilenry Wamble
Hill nugli m. Wilkersott
K Post Master
Stephen Kthy VV arnersville
L Y
Allen LawhJ-n Elam Young
JOHN IMSTWICK
Tost Muster.
a’OVUV,.
NINE moths after date, applica
tion will benade to the honorable In
ferior courtif Jefferson county, when
sitting for c linary purposes, lor leave
to sell all t ; real estate ol Samuel L.
Andrew, la; of said county deceased
—to be sole for tlie benefit of the heirs
and creditor of said deceased.
a\r X e}t- Urmvn, > Adm - r! ,
Ja red Tomlinson, y
Seplerr.be ’ 2 m9m
l offer son Counta .
’A UKREAS Rachel Bcctou and
T ‘ William S. Becton applies to
me fir letters of adtttinisiuiixi. * mo
estate of Samuel S. llecton, late of
sakl county dec’d.
These are therefore, to cite and ad*
monish all, and singular the kindred
and creditors of said deceased to be
and appear at my office, within the
time prescribed by law, to shew cause,
if any, why said letters should not be
granted.
Given under my hand ibis 3d day of
March. 1823.
JOHN G. BOSTICK, o. r. r. o.
March 21st I—3od
tt\,VVK
WY\ts, Sheriffs \)cct\s,
common t\o.
SUftviffs Witts of Sate,
furor’s Summons,
.Justice's t\o.
f\o. Executions,
SuYipcrnas, Gamuts, &.c.
For sate at ttns office.