Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1775-02-20 00:00:00, page 2

An F^raßfrom a dfoqtivn of ARABI A.
ri" 1 H E education ofthe Arabs, the author ob
-1 serves, is so different froni ours, that we
mult not be furptzed at the little resemblance
there is between their character and that of the
Europeans. Their children, till the age of four
or five, are left to the care of women, and, during
that period, an:ule theinleives as our children co
in Europe. When they are taken out of the hands
of the women, they are obliged to acculiom them-
Idves to think and to Ipcak with gravity, and to
Spend whole days with their father, unless his titu
atiooin life enables him to give them masters. As
muhe and dancing are reckoned indecent among
the Arabs, as the fair sex is excluded from all
public afemblies, and all ftroog liquors are pro
hibited, their youth have not even the know
ledge of many pictures that are tailed by the Eu
ropeans, and being constantly under the eyes of
persons of an advanced age, they naturally be
come serious from their very infancy.
Some European travellers alledge that the
Arabs are an hypocritical, deceitful, and thieving
race. For my.part, (fays our author) I have no
complaint to make of them in these refpeAs. I
may have known tome persons of this character,
but it would be unreasonable in me to bring a
charge against a whole nation on account of the
bad conduA of a few individuals. As the Arabs
heve from time to time some commercial dealings
in their lea-ports with a final! numberof European
merchants, all honest men in appearance, I have
beard them fay to one another, that an European
never promised to pay without keeping his word
very exactly, and they look upon it as a reproach
to Muffulmen, that is, the true believers, not to
be equally honest. But if an honest Arabian mer
chant was to come into Europe, or America, and
null the firft, perlons that should offer their servi
ces to him, I much question whether he would not
have good reason to complain of them. The pro
per inference from all this is, that there are un
doubtedly rogues in Arabia, but that there, as
well as in Europe, and indeed in every country,
there are many performs of Arid and approved in
tegrity. $
The modern Arabs we are informed, are as
remarkable for their hofpitatily as their ancestors.
When any person is sent upon an embafly to a
Schech ofdiftinaion, he is entertained, according
to the custom of the Orientals, during the whole
of h:s day, at the expence of the power that re
ceives him, arid not only so, but at his departure
he receives prefects.
When the Arabs are at table, they invite those
to eat with them who happen to come in, whether
they be Mahometans or Christians, rich or poor.
In the caravans I have often seen with pleasure a
poor muleteer pressing the pafi'engers to (hare his
repast with him, and though the greatest patt of
them politely excused themselves, yet 1 have seen
him divide, with an air of much complacency and
fatisfa&ion, his scanty morsel of bread and his
few dates with those who would accept of them:
but in Turkey I have been much furprized to fee
rich Turks sneak into a corner, that they might
not be obliged to invite those who might happen
to fee them at table.
Polygamy, our author tell us, is not founiver
fal in the East as the Europeans imagine. For
though some Mahometans, fays he, have boasted
very much to me of this privilege, others, who
were rich enough to have several wives, have in
geniously confelfed to me they were never happy
but with one. Accordingly there are very lew
men in ordinary Rations that have more than one
wife, and many persons of diftin&ion confine them
selves to one during the whole oftheir lives. Their
law obliges them to maintain all the wives they
have in a decent manner, and to fee each of them
once a week.
There is no reason to doubt but that polygamy
is hurtful to population; for if there are examples
of one man's having had many children by several
wives, it has likewise been observed, that those
who have but one wife have generally more chil
dren than those who have many. This obfervati
en, I am persuaded, is true; for the women of
the east, knowing that they have rivals, are con
stantly driving to supplant them; whence it hap
pens that complaisance and voluptuousness boon
weaken a husband that has many wives, for the
remainder of his life.
The Mahometans, in general, we are told live
in so regular a manner, that they seldom have oc
casion for a physician, and when they have, they
seldom pay him for his trouble, and only give him
the price of his medicines. If the patient digs,
the physician unds it very difficult to getany thing;
and ifhe recovers, he soon forgets his illness, and
his obligations to thcphyfician. Accordingly the
greatest part of the phylicians ofthe East aieobli
ged to have recourse to ftratagcm for a livelihood.
They know that the patient is most disposed to be
grateful when he finds some relief; accordingly,
they lay hold of this, opportunity to afl<, under
different pretences, as much money as they have
any reason to exped from a person of his. fortune,
and thus get payment before-hand. For this and
many other reafens we cannot expeft to find able
ph}ficians in Arabia; there is scarce one of them,
ind.-J, who knows any thing more of medicine
th.n such technical terms as are to be met with in
the ancient Arabic and Greek authors who treat
of thefubjeft; some few there are, perhaps, who
know thevirtues of the herbs .described by these
autho:s. I knew no famous physician in Arabia;
some 1 bw in Yemen who were at once chemists,
apothecaries, surgeons, and horfe-doßors, and
notwithstanding all this, could scarce get a liveli
hood.
There are three kinds of leprosy among the
Arabs; the firft is called Bohak, and is neither
contagious nor fatal; the Second is called Barras,
and is net adangerous disorder ; the third is called
Madyuidam by the people, and by the learned
Dsjuddam, and is the molt malignant of all. Ac
cording to the opinion of a learned Jew of Mafkat,
it is the famethat is mentioned in Levit. xiii. io, iI.
There is great plenty, we are told, of horses,
mules, asses, camels, dromedaries, oxen, sheep,
goats, and oilier domeflic animals in Arabia.
The Arabians, it is well known, set a high vJue
upon their horses, and divide them into two spe
cies. The one they call Kadifehi, that is, horses
of an uncertain breed; these are only looked up
on in Arabia as common horses are in Europe,
and serve only to carry bur.hens, &c. The se
cond species is called Kocalani, that is, horses
whole genealogy can be traced two thousand years
back. They will have it, that they came origin
ally from Solomon's Rods, and boalf that tney
can endure the greatest fatigues, and live whole
days upon air, as theytexprels themselves, with
out any food. They attack an enemy, it is fail,
with great impetuosity; and there are some of
them, who, when they are wounded in battle,
and find themselves unable to carry their rider
any longer, retire from the field, and plac^ him
out of the reach of danger. It he is dilmoumed,
, they keep near him, and never give over neigh
ing till some person comes to Ids assistance. They
are neither large nor beautiful, but very fwift;
accordingly the Arabs only value them for their
breed and their good qualities, and by no means
for their form. They never use them for carry
ing burthens, or any kind of labour, but only
for riding. The Kocklani are principally bred
by the Bedouins, and are divided into several fa
milies. . [ never heard them mentioned in the
weft of Arabia, and believe they are chiefly to be
found in Hedsjas.
Story of DE L'lsle and De la Fosse.
DE L'ISLE and Dela Foffe were two French
Officers, who lived not long ago. They
had both been born in the lame town, the fame
ftieet, and were alm'oft next door neighbours.
They had pafcd their infancy, and the firft part
oftheir youthful yea's, together as play-fellows
or fchool-fellows, and a mod cordial friendfhip
was contrafid.
Unfortunately for them and their parents, an
Officer's commiflion for each was purchased in two
different regiments between whom had long subsist
ed an inveterate animosity.
De L'lfle's regiment was upon duty at Mont
pelier, and De la Foffe bore his commission in a
regiment that was to succeed it. The latter having
a strong desire to fee the former, obtained leave to
go a day or two before, on pretence to fee a friend
of his who was much indisposed.
De Life was transported with joy at feeing
him, as well as on account of the obliging Arata
gem he had invented for that purpose.
Having dined and drank a chearful glass of
Fiontinac together, De L'lfle conduced his friend
to a kind of licensed gaming house in the envi
rons of Montpelier. They played a few games ;
De L'lfle, having the run of cards in his favour,
won every one. The other somewhat piqued,
said unguardedly, " Is it possible to win so? How
d) you contrive to get such cards? Keep your
temper (replied De L'lfle) the cards may favour
you in a game or two more.—This friendly alter
cation ended in a laugh on both lides. They
paid the usual tax ofthe place for cards, went
home, flipped together, and on parting took a
farewell embrace of each other, De L'j'fle being to
set out from Montpelier with his regiment the
next morning, in order to make room for De la
Foffe's.
It seems, unhappily for them both, and quite
unknown to De L'lfle, that an Officer belonging -
to his corps, who had got intelligence of De la
Fofl'e's belonging to the regiment adverse to theirs,
Rood behind while they played at cards, in order
to observe what should pass between them. The
busy lidenerhad remarked the impatient expres
sions at loohng, which De la Foffe's too warm tem
per had let escape. These seeming to imply an in
nuendo of foul play, he construed as an affront ;
which, on account of the then subsisting regimen
tal antipathy was not then to be put up with.
Wherefore waiting on De L'lfle in the morning,
he told him Iris sense of the affair, and that he
mpft go and demand immediate fatisfadion, both
for the fake of his own honour, and that of the
\corps to which he belonged.
De L'lfle, alarmed at the cruel purport of this
unexpected visit, remonstrated to his Brother-
Officer the undesigning and good-natured warmth
of his friend, that they had been intimate from
their infancy; that the fatal consequences per
haps, of such a requifirion would effectually ruin
his peace of mind for ever, should he be ever, the
survivor.
All his excuses however, were treated as un
manly ; and he was told, he might do as he plea
sed ;but that a faithful narrative of the affair should
be laid before the fupericr officers.
Tom with anxiety and horror, he went to De
la Foffe's lodgings, and acquainted him with the
terrible dilemma they were both in, and that the
horri'd mandate ofmilitary usage must be obeyed.
They went out upon the ramparts of the town,
drew their swords, with great regret, againfteach
other, and soon received on both sides wounds
fufficient to disable them from continuing the com
bat any more that day, as well as to atone, in the
judgment of any men but refined Barbarians, for
lotrifling, nay imaginary an affiont.
This duel was fought in the fight of some of De
L'h'le's Officers, who had been feat on purpole to
observe him. Asfoon as he got his wounds dreft
he repaired to fatisfy his superior officers: These
refufed to fee him, but ordered it should be inti
mated to him that what he had done was not
enough, because one of the parties mutt die.
in consequence of this merciless injunction, the
diffracted youths, neither desiring to outlive his
I end, by mutual agreement ran upon each others
Iword, in the fond hope of expiring together•
which was nearly the case; for De la Foffe dropt
in the instant at De L'lfle's feet, who was so terri
bly wounded that his recovery was despaired of for
fix weeks by the Surgeon to whole house he had
been privately conveyed, and where he was kept
secreted from all the enquiries of justice.
De la Foffe was, by the immediate care of the
military gentlemen, thrown into a hole dug for
I that purpofe,and roundwhich they Rood with their
swords drawn, till the feffi was all confirmed, or
so far disfigured that the sentence ofthe law could
not be executed upon it, viz. that the body ofthe
person (lain in a duel is to be dragged on a fledge
through the streets, &c.
In about three months after this unhappy catas
trophe, De L'lfle escaped privately in the night
time from Montpelier, and fled to Spain, where
he has lived ever since, lamenting the loss of his
country, his parents, and his friend.
— to—
An Extraß from The LADY's TRAVELS
into SPAIN; or a genuine relation of the Re
ligion, Laius, Commerce, Cufloms and Manners
of that country. Written by the Countess of
Danois.
THESE letters (now dedicated to Mr. Foote)
were formerly dedicated to Sir Richard
Steele, a name that will ever be dear to all lovers
of polite literature. This edition, we are told
by the editor, has been carefully reviled; many
obsolete terms have been thrown out, and others
more familiar adopted, the Spanish words rtfto
red totheir right orthography ; and some ufeful
matter borrowed from Baretti. Thus far the
editor concerning the present edition. The fol
lowing extraCt may serve as a specimen of the
work.
" DON ANTONIO (my banker) made me
to enter into alittle boat, which he had prepared
to go down the river of Andaye, till we were near
the mouth of the sea, were we law the King of
Spain's galleons ; there were three very fine and
large ones. Our little boats were set foi tli with
gilt streamers ; they were managed by girls, who
were very lusty and handsome; there are three in
each, two thatrow, and one who holds the rud
der.
These wenches are very well shaped, of chef
nut complexion, hare very good teeth, hair
black, which they tie up with ribbons, in knots,
and so let it hang behind them : They wear a
kind of veil on their heads, made of muslin, em
broidered with flowers of gold and silk, which
hangs look and covers their breasts : They wear
pendants in their ears of gold and pearls, and brace
lets of coral ; they have a kind ofjuftau corps, like
onr gypsies, whose sleeves are very strait : I <an
assure you they charmed me. I was told these
wenches swim like fifhes, and fuffer neither wo
men nor men among them. This is a kind of
Republic, to which they repair from all parts, and
where their parents fend them very young.
When they are willing to marry they go to
mass at Fontarabia, which is the nearest town
to them, and there the young men cometo choose
them wives to their humour. He that will en
gage himfelf in Hymen's bonds, goes to his mis
tress's parents, declares to them his intentions,
regulates every thing with them: And this being
done, notice of it is given to the maid: If die
likes the party, die retires to their house, where
the nuptials are celebrated.
I never saw a more gay air than that on their
countenances; they have little habitations along
the water-tide, and there are old maidens, to
whom the younger pay refpe& as to their mothers.
They related these particulars to us in their lan
guage, and we hearkened to them with great de
light, when the Devil, who never sleeps, disturb
ed us with a vexatious adventure.
My cook, who is a Gafcon, and exaftly of the
humour of those of tha^ country, was in one of
our boats behind us, at some distance, very near
a young Bifcaneer, who appeared to him very
handsome, he contented not himfelf with telling
her as much, bat would hare rudely turned up
her veil. She not being used to this fort of plain
dealing, without any words broke his head with
her oar: Having done this exploit, fear seizing
on her, Ihe threw herfelf immediately into the wa
ter, though the season was very cold, and swam
with great fwiftnefs; but having all her cloaths
on, and it being far to the Shore, her strength
began to fail her. Several of these Wenches who
saw this at land, leapt immediately into their
borts to her assistance, when those who had re
mained in the boat with the cook, fearing the loss
oftheir companion, fell on him like two furies, re
folding by all means to drown him, and had like
two or three times to have overturned their little
veflel, which we beholding from ours, had much
a-do to part and appease them.
I assure you, the foolifli Gafcon was so cruelly
handled, that he was all over blood; and my
Banker told me, that these young Bifcaneers pro
voked, are worse than Lyons. In fine, we came
to land, and were scarcely on shore, but we saw
this wench which was saved out ofthe water mak
ing up towards us, with near fifty others, each
with an oar on their ffioulder, marching in battle
ray, with fife and drum; when (he who was to be
the mouth of the company, advanced, and calling
out several times Andria, which is to fay, Madam,
(so that's all I could retain of her fpecch) gave me
to underhand, " That they would have my cook's
Skin, if fatisfaction were not made proportionally
to the damage done to their companion's cloaths."
At the ending of which words, the she drummers
fell loudly beating their drums, and the rest of
their Amazons set up an hollowing, leaping and
dancing, and fencing with their oars in a most
astonishing manner.
Don Antonio undertook to make peace : He
found that my cook, who thought himfelf fuffici
ently beaten, had reason to give nothing; and
therefore he distributed Some pieces of money
among this marine troop. On receipt of which
they set forth louder hollows than before, and
wifned me a good journey, and fpeecy return,
each of them dancing and tinging at the found of
their pipes and tabors."
Original of the Coroner's Jury in England.
A Gentlewoman in London, after having bu
ried fix husbands, found a gentleman har
dy enough to make her a wife once more. For
several months their happiness was mutual ; a cir
cumstance which seemed to pay no great compli
ment to the former partners of her bed, who, as
die laid,had di s gusted he; by their fottifhnefs and
infidelity. In the view of knowing the leal cl^-
rat.ter.of his amorous mate, the gentleman beg.a
frequently to absent himfelf, to return at late
hours, and when he did return to appear as if in
toxicated. At firft reproaches, but afterwards
menaces, were the consequence of this conduct.
The gentleman persisted, and seemed every day
to become more addided to his bottle. One even
idg, when foe imagined him dead drunk, ffie un
fewed a leaden weight from one of the sleeves of
her gown, and having melted ir, ffie approached
to her husband, who pretended still to be found
asleep, in order to pour it into his ear through a
pipe. Convinced of her wickedness, the gentle
man started up, and seized her; when, having
procured assistance, he secured her till the morn
ing, and conducted her before a magistrate, who
committed her to prison. The bodies of her fix
husbands were dug up; and, as marks of violence
were still discoverable upon each of them, the
proof of her guilt appeared so strong upon her
trial, that (he was condemned and executed. To
this circumstance, fays the compiler of the Di^i
onaire d' Anecdotes, &c. is England indebted for
that ufeful regulation, by which no corpse can
be interred in that kingdom without a legal in
fpe&ion.
Aremarkable Inflate of TEMERITY ^,/
English Soldier.
GEORGE Haflewood, an English soldier,
having been taken in company with twenty
three Spaniards, by Prince Maurice, it was de
termined that eight of them should be hanged,
in requital for a like sentence that had been made
by Albert, the Archduke, upon some Hollanders,
and that it fhouid be decided by lot on whom the
puniinment fhouldfall. The Englishman happily
drew bis deliverance; but one Spaniard expressed
great reludance and terror of mind, when he put
his hand into the helmet, to try his fate, not so
much in fear of death, as an antipathy to such an
unnatural decision, in which be might make his
own hand destroy himfelf and be executed for the
guilt of others, or acquitted for no innocence of
his own. The Englishman consented to take
what money he had, and stand to the chance for
him. The judges consented also to this request,
as that of a fool ora madman, who deferred not
the life he had so providentially obtained. Yet
such his fortune was, that he drew himfelf fafe.
When he was afted, why he would put his life
in such danger again for the fafety of another,
and, after such a signal escape, so prelumptuoufly
to hazard it a second time? Because, said he, £
thought I had a bargain of it ; for, considering
that I daily expose myfelf for the value of six
pence, I thought I might with much more reason
venture it for twelve crowns.
§#+4,4 - -fo-fofc.fr.fy.|...±, 4. §..;..g*fy
B O S 1 O N, February 9.
Wednesday last the Provincial Congress met
at Cambridge, when the Hon. John Hancock,
Esq; was chosen President.—Present 178 mem
bers.
In Provincial Congress at Cambridge, Feb. 7,177 g.
WHEREAS it appears to this Congress, that
certain persons are employed in divers
kinds of work for the army, now Rationed in Bos
ton, for the purpose of carrying into execution
the late a&s of parliament, and in supplying themr
with iron for waggons, canvass, tent-poles, and
other articles of field equipage, whereby said ar
my may be enabled to take the field, and diftiefs
the inhabitants of this country.
Therefore Resolved, As the opinion of this.
Congress, and it is accordingly strongly recom
mended to the inhabitants of the several town^
and diftrids of this province, that should any per
son or persons, presume to supply the troops now
stationed in Boston, or elsewhere in said province,
with timber, boards, spars, pickets, tent-poles,
canvass, bucks, iron, waggons, carts, carriages,
intrenching tools or any materials for making any
of the carriages, or implements aforefaid, witli
hories or oxen for draught, or any other mate
rials whatever, which may enable them to annoy,
or in any manner to distress said inhabitants, he
or they so offending shall be held in the highest
detestation, and deemed inveterate enenries to
America, and ought to be prevented and opposed
by all reasonable means whatever.
And whereas it appears to this Congress, that
large quantities of straw will be wanted by the
inhabitants of this province, in case we should be
driven to the hard necessity of taking up arms in
our own defence :—Therefore Refolded, That no
person or persons ought to fell or dispose of any
straw, which he or they may have on hand, ex
cept to the inhabitants of this province for their
own private use, or the use of the fa : d province.
And re is strongly recommended by this Congress
to the Committees of Correspondence and Infec
tion in the several towns and diftrift s in this pro
vince, to fee that the above rcfolves be ftri&lv
and faithfully adhered to, till otherwise ordered
by this or some other Provincial Congress, or
House of Representatives.
A true extras from the Minutes.
Benjamin Lincoln. Secretary.
By a courier just arrived from Cambridge, we
learn, that the Provincial Congress, now fitting
there, have appointed a Committee to examine
into, and answer his Majesty's most gracious
speech! And to allure him that there is not a pre
vailing disposition to infringe the laws, as has been
maliciously and falfely represented to his Majesty.
The Provincial Congress of New-Rampfhire,
consisting of 144 Delegates, have adopted the
Continental refobes; chosen John Sullivan and
John Langdon, Efqrs. Delegates for the.'next
Continental Congress, and have palled a number
of rcfolves.
NEW -YO RK, February 1^
The Chip James, Captain Watson, arrived at
Sandy-Hook the 2d instant, from Glafgo^, with
coals, and a few dry goods on board; but as she
came into port after the time limited bv the Con
gress for us to continue cur trade with Creat-Brj-