The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1780-02-12 00:00:00, page 1

IN Ireland, a large island belongingto Denmark, there
ar&many remarkable springs, some of them so hot, As
to scald the hand, or even to boil a piece of beef, (accor
ding to Dr Bernoni) in a quarter of an bour ; and about
the brims of the (fangs these waters petrify. Blefaei^ius
relates, that in toe western part of the island, nere is a
lake which Cookes continually, and kef a petrifying qua
lity ; so that if a piece of wood be stuck into it, the part
wider water becomes fiony, and that in the ground turns
to iron. This he tills % be twice experienced ; but
adds, that what feem'd to be iron, being thrown into the
fire, burnt like charcoal. He also mentions another lake
in the middle of the island, which exhaks so poisonous a
vapour, as to kill birds that fly near its furface. The fame
author takes notice of two springs, the one hot, the other
cold, the waters whereof form an excellent bath, being
convey'd by different channels into one and tte fame ba
ton : And near these springs there is another, the water
of which tastes like wheat, and iAexcellent again fl the ve+
r.ereal diflemper. In thefouth-eaft part of this island, not
far Irony rhe sea, is a noted volcano or burning mountain
called Hecla, which not only fends forth flamer, but
flreams of fulphureous water, that burns like spirit of wine.
In this ifend is also found the fofil, called island chryftal,
which has the remarkable property of causing every thing
that is seen through it to appear double. Near to Slef
vick, fouthwwd, are yet to be seen the remains of that
famous well and trench, made above 880 years ago by
Gotritids, then King of Denmark, to hinder the incurfons
of the Saxons, efembling somewhat the Pias wallin
Great Britain. Between Flensburg and Slefwick is a
small village, which goes by the name of Anflen, remark
able in this, that from the said village, and country ad
jacent, came our ancestors, the antics Angles, into
Great-Britain. In Gottorp is an admirable globe of cop
per ten feet and a half diameter, so contrived by one of
the'Du^ of Holfteic, that (by certain wheels turned a
bout by water) it reprefent# the motions of the celestial
bodies: As also another of fix feet diameter, framed by
Ticho-brahe, that famous Da^fh aflrunomer, now to be
seen, with a lively reprefentatien ofthe TiCno-braick/
system, mechanically contrived, and fevers! curious astro
nomical instruments in the round tower at Copenhagen ;
which tower itfelf, is likewise oti^rvaWe for its manner
of aroint, being so contrived, that a coach may drive up to
the top thereof. . . _ r .
But the greatest euriofibes in Denmark, are those trea
fur'd up in the royalMuf^um, or repertory, at Copen
hagen; which confifis of eight different apartments, fill
ed with rarities. Amongst the natural curtofries preser
ved in these chambers, on® of the most remarkable is a
petrified child, the history whereof has been given us at
lawe by Bartholins, Licetus, and other authors. This
child was cut out of the mother's belly at fas in Cham
pagne, in the year 1582, after having lain there between
twenty and thirty years ; and that it was a human Foetus,
and not artificial, is evident beyond all depute. Its
head, flioulders, and telly, are of a whitilh colour, and
very much referable alabafier; the back and loins are
foiriewhat brown, and harder; but from the hips down
wards, it is of a red colour, and as hard and perfect flene
as can be, exactly resembling the hard fort of Hones ge
nerated in the bladder. This Foetus, after it was taken
from the mother, was frit carried to Paris, where it was
fold to a jeweller of Venice, who happened to be there, for
about twenty pounds Hurling; of whom it was afterwards
purchased by Frederick 111. King of Denmark, lor sixty
pounds, and added to this colkaion : In one of the cham
bers are to be seen two Elephant's teeth, each weighing a
hundred and fifty pounds, which were dug out of a hone
quarry in Saxony. Here is also an egg laid by a woman,
about the size of a common pullet's egg, which Olaus
Wormius tells us, was lent him by very good hands, and
the truth of the fed confirmed by people of credit : “ The
« woman, fays he, brought forth two eggs, with the usu
-1“ al child birth pains; but the neighbours, who were
" called in to her affiftrnce, broke the firff, wherein they
“ found a yolk and a white, aria that of a hen." § We
likewise fee here an Unicorn's horn, as it is called, white
as ivory, and spirally twilled : This, however, is not the
horn of any land animal, but belongs to akiadef whale,
called a Narval. Here is a human thigh bone, three feet
three inches long, as meafur'd by Dr. Oliver himfelf, and
two very large feoll op shells, holding about three gallons
each, and weighing 124 pounds apiece. These were
broughtfrom the East-Indies; and it is said the fifth they
§ As flrange as this may seem to those who are un
acquainted with the animal ceconomy, we have abundant
testi monies to confirm the truth of such productions; and
indeed the generation of all forts of animals from eggs, is
flrenuoufly asserted, by H^r-vg, de Grassy and other great
laatomiflL
The following remarkable Curiosities olDinmark, are
inserted as an agreeable ainufement.
<Ol
GENERAL
SATURDAY,
OR
[ Published every Tueiday, Thursday and Saturday.]
belong to is of such a strength, that if a man happens to
get his arm or leg between the shells, when they are open,
it claps them together so forcibly, as to cut the limb cleat
off. A piece of marble is preferred in this collegian,
which the Lutherans reckon a very valuable cut iofity, the
natural veins of the Hone running in such a manner, astd
represent the exalt figure of a crucifix : Some indeed have
fufpeded the representation to have been by art; but upon
the nicest examination, it appears to be entirely the work
of nature. * Amongst tee artificial curiosities are, the
veins and arteries..of the human body, curiowfly repre
fenced by iron wi,e, ail of them appearing in their natu
ral situation, bigness and colour.,
An artificial human skeleton of ivory, admirably well
done by a certain Dinfh mechanick; its ri.hr hand
grasps a large feythe, the left holds a sand-glass, and up
on tee outside of thecafe containing this curiofity,is a rom
mendatory copy of verses composed by the celebrated a
natomiil Thomas Bartholinus. A lively hiflory of our
Saviour's passion aut out in ivery. An ivory model of 4
ship with her mafia ?kd fails, all of ivory. An ivory
clock actually a going. A cabinet of ivory and ebony,
very beautiful to look upon, and admirably well contri,
ved within; and remarkable for being the work of a
Dinfh mechanick, flone blind Several Urge marble ta
bles, curiously adorned with inlaid precious (tone,, natu
rally reprefentiAg birds of divers forts. . A pretty turned
wooden cup, which consists of go fewer than an hundred
cup, put into one another; each of, which is so thin, that
they'll hardly admit of a flight touch of one's hand without
harm. Several tankards, cups, boxes, and other vessels,
of beach tree, neatly made and adorned with variety of
curious figure by a peasant of Norway; and all with nd
other tool th% an ordinary knife. Two curious drink
ing veffelfy one of gold, the other of silver, in form of a
founding horn ; that of gold weighs 102 ounces and an
half, is in length two feet nine inches, and contains about
two English pints and an half: This horn was found hi
the djocefe of Ripen, anno 1639 ; has in railed work on
its outside, such a number of animals, with men in flrange
postures, and divers hieroglyphick figures, as fufficiently
evince iu being of Pagan extraction, and to have been u
sed by the Ileatheds, in their religious performances : The
other cf fiver weighs almost four pounds, and is termed
Caroli Oldtnburgi^um, of which a certain chronologer
Hamelmanus, gives a strange relation, pretending that
it w^s presented to Otho I. (one of the Dukes of Olden,
burg) by a ghost that appeared to him in a wood as be
was hunting: But in the judgment of the bell criticks,
teas made by Chriflian I. King of Denmark. Machida
Plaasrum, an excellent modern engine, by turning the
handle of which, one m*y readily fee at any time, either
pad, prefebt, or to come, the true slate of the cdeftial
motions, according to the Coperaick fyffem; the lofei
tude and latitude of each planet ; their Apogaeum and Pe
rigaeum and true place in the Heavens; with Several other
pleafantcuriofities.
Machina Eclipfium, another modern engine, so contri
ved, that by turning it round, one may fee both the year,
and day, and quantity of a solar or lunar eclipse, for any
time desired, either past or to come. Both tnefe curious
engines were projected and completed by the present pro
feffor of the mathematicks at Copenhagen, the ingenious
Olaus Roner. Machina Ingens Cupernicana, a lively re
prefontation of the Copernick fyflem, being a pretty me
chanical engine moved by clock work, which having t^e
fun immoveable in the centre, thews thetrue motion of the
earth, both diurnal and annual; as also the moon's mo
tion about the earth, in twenty-nine days and twelve
hours, with their Various phases, and the refpeßive moti
on of each of the other planets. Many Prisms, Micro
scopes, and burning glaffa, particularly one of a prodi
gious bigness, being thirty-two inches diameter. A curi
ous Cylinder of all polished metal, by which feme colours
on a table, that appear monftrouffy confided to the naked
eye, do clearly represent the true effigies of Frede
rick I. of Denmark, with his Queen Sophiana Amelia.
Various forts of arms and habits of a great many nations,
with a curious collision of piHures done by some of the
best mafiers. Some Indian and Egyptian idols of wood,
ftoneanci Ivory, with a few of Eorcelane earth, and one
of brass from Egypt, in form of a hog. Some pages of
writing on palm tree leaves from the coast of Malabar, be
ing done by the natives of that country with an iron stile.
* A remarkable instance of this nature is to be seen in
an Egyptian pebble, late in the cohesion of Sir Hans
Sloane; from one end of which a lapidary having ttruck
off a small piece, observed to his great furprize, that the
course of the veins represented a human face, and not on
ly so, but the face of a particular person. The lineaments
(it teems) are exa&ly those of our old poet Chaucer, ac
cording to all the paintings we have of him ; and this
has so little of fancy in it, that every one who fees the
stone, if be ever before few a pidurg of Chaucer, mull
remember the likeness.
I 1
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# N^|i'>'^'#^^l
THE
f^^z^rf^<A\ ^m^ffiv^^t
C>^^^o^^^
ADVERTISER
FEBRUARY ^ ty^
And we are to!^, there is a common cherry-stone, on
the furface of which are engraven two hundred and twenty
heads, but their smallness makes them appear imperfe'
and confuted.,
<f Dr. Oliver tells us h^ did not fee thecherry stone here
spoken of, but fays, that in Holland, an English gentle
men once shewed him a cherry stone with a hundred and
twenty-four heads upon.it, and all fd pftfeQ that the na
ked eye might difiinguifh these of Kings, Popes, Cardi
nals, &c. by. their crowns and mitres. T^& c,vricfity
was bought in Prussia, for three hundred , pounds, and is
said to have been th@ fforkmanfoip of a poor wretch in
prison at Dantzick.
tt+4„44sH w ,+4+ H++64p
FOR Brf L E,
At the Suh/ctiber's Office at the eerier of M^ck-horfe
Ajley r in Front street, Phfed-lpoa,
, TRACT, or piece of p„ent<d LA'„ D,. fi.'uate
0° the waters of Tunkhenrock, in the pourity of
Northumberland,, containing three hundred ^d twenty
four acres and a quarter., Also, cenrin piece or parcel
of LAND, fi^uxt? in Lower Provident township, in
the county of Chester, containing forty-two acres arid
thirty perches..•
AS.2HETOX HUMPHREYS.
N, B. If th: above premife# are no: fold at private sale
by th* 26th instant, they will be expend to fa.)< by pub
lic vendue, at th: Coffee- house ; the sale to begin at Six
o'clock jn the even,pg.
Febio, x,So,
Dover, Dha^are State, F b. 6, 1780.
Three Hundred Dollars Reward.
AN A WAY the zed of November fatty & N-gro
man n.med DANIE L, about five feet four
Inches high, has a livriywalk, a littlebow legged, coun
try born; bad on and took with him a brown country
cloth coat, an aid cotton velvet jacket, z green ciuth
under ditto, a pair of lack velvet breeches, ard a p^ir
of black knit worsted ditto, both old, and a round ire ;
liis other deaths unknown. Whoever t^kes up and ft.
curej the said Ne ro so that his matter may have him
agai% shall receive the above reward, and if brought
home reafonabU exp n<es, prid by
FRENCH BATTELL.
Kent County, Delaware sate, Feb. 7. 1780.
One Thousand Dollars Reward.
BROKE OPEN on Sunday evening the 33d ot
January last, the dwelUng-houfe of the fir Jenner;
in Li.ctle-Cre.-k b^ck. arid the fallowing articles were
tiken out, to %iti One kid qolcu.^d broadcloth coat
and breaches; the coal with small oval concave gilt but
tons, the breeches with bnJl rourfG <cnrqx ditto ; one
velvet waiffcoit neailythe fa&.c lour, buttons covered
with velvet th; fame of th? waiftecht; one new Holland
ruffled thirty two plain .ditto,two ram'^ick docks, one
pair light coloured cloud'd wotfed ftockiegr. cue pair
whitd yarn ditto,, one pair Otoes and a ,rir silver (hue
heckles, one nurd fine hew hat, cr.r bawiano b^nd
ke:chief, half a fide of fcal and half a file of cc /e up
per leather. The theft w&s committed by a couple of
fellows who ran away from the fubferiber the farce .ced
ing; one of them alow well fit black Negro fellow,
lately marked much with the fmall-,ex, supposed to be
about twenty or twenty one years of .age, who celled
himfelf Draper, but is supposed to have changed hit
name ; the other a young Mula^o fellow about m&ere.n
years of age, five feet ten or eleven inches higl , named
Joseph Armstrong, very artful and fabric, who be
longed to the fabferiber. Whoever apprehends arid fe
cares th* above described fellows so that they may be
brought to jufcce and the goods recovered, shall revive
the above reward, or Four Hundred Dollars for
either of them, and in proportion for what articles m?f
be recovered, paid by
CHARLES HILLYARD, Junior.
Pb%la<W,fe, February 1.
.To be SCLD by Public Sale,
On Saturday the twelfth inffant, at Three o'clock in
the afternoon, on the premises,
ATHREE-ftory trick House and Lot of Ground,
, faua^e on the cast fide p See n^ Arret, brtwiQ
South and Shippen-fire fr, :n the diryria of Sov.ihrerkj
containing in breadth about eighteen feet and in depth
seventy feet; fubj^a to a ground rent of ninctem Span
ish milled dolors per annum ; Late the eftfle o : fores
Bivnev, decried, arid fold bu order of an Croh^ Court.
ELIS &&E fH BA"NF& A #
WILLIAM M'MULLIN; AdminiftratQA
THE