The Newhampshire gazetteer — Exeter, N.H., 1790-11-13 00:00:00, page 2

Occasioned by an Eruption of Mount Pefuvius.
(Related by Mrs. Piozzi, during her fa, at Naples.)
WE met at the hoafe of the Swedish minister,
Monsieur Andre, uncle to the lamented of
ficer who perished in our sovereign s service in A
jnerica ; and while the rest of the company were
entertaining themselves with cards and music, I
began laughing in myfelf at hearing the gentleman
and lady who fat next me, Called by others Don
Raphael and Donna Camilla, because those two
names bring Gil Blas into one's head. Their a
greeable and interesting conversation, however,
soon gave my mind a more serious turn, when dis
coursing on the liberal premiums now offered by
the King of Naples to those who are willing to re
build and repeople Meffina. Donna ^Camilla
politely introduced me to a very sick but pleasing
looking lady, who, (he said, was going to return
thither : At which (he, starting, cried, " Oh God
forbid my dear friend !" in an accent that made
me think ihe had already fuffered something from
the concussions that overwhelmed that city in the
year 1783. —Her inviting manner, her foft and in
teresting eyes, whose languid glances seemed to
(hew beauty funk in sorrow, and fpirit^ oppressed
by calamity, engaged my utmost attention, which
Don Raphael observing, pressed her to indulge the
foreigner's curiosity with some particulars of the
distresses she had (hared.— Her own feelings were
all she could relate she said—and those confufedly.
« You fee that girl there," pointing to a child a
bout seven or eight years old, who food listening
to the harpficord :'' She escaped ! I cannot, for
my foul, guels how, for we were not together at
the time#" " Where were you, madam, at the
moment of the fatal accident ?" " Who me?" And
her eyes lighted up with recollected terror : I was
in the nursery with my maid, employed in taking
fta' ns o. of some Brussels lace upon a brazier; tvo
babes, neither of them four years old played in ty
eat an indigested part of a pike which a larger one
had ferallowed, but had not finished, & which were
taken in this state in a net. " Aye! cried he, this is
killing two birds with one Rone !"—At this time
he was worth nearly eight hundred t^oufaad pounds H
and had not yet made his will, And of course was
mot saving from any sentiment of afedion for ariy
of his children, or other persons.
In the summer of 1788, Mr. Elwes returned to
London, where he passed his time without any
other company than two maid servants. His chief
employment was getting up early to visit his nu
merous houses that were building, and watching
the workmen, to fee that they were not idle.—
Money was now his only thought—He role upon
money—upon money he lay down to rest, and as
his Capacity funk away from him by degrees, he
dwindled from the real cares of his propertyjoto
the puerile concealment of a few guineas. Tnil
little store he would carefully wrap up in vari
ous papers, and depositing them in different
cornets, would amuse himfelf with running
from one to the other, to fee whether .hey were al!
fafe. Then forgetting, at times, where he had
concealed tome of them, he would become as se
riously affiided as a man might be who had loft all
his property..
In the fall of 1 789, the last old Elwes was fated
to fee his memory weakened every day. He
lived wretchedly in London and would not accept
of an invitation to pass the remainder of his days
with his son George Elwes at Marcham in Berk
shire, for fear of the expense of the journey. He
was at last taken there gratis by a gentleman of
the law, who made him a prefenc of a coat.
His friends endeavoured to make things agree
able to him, but it was in vain. His mind had
no rest upon the vast and troubled ocean of his
property, and the fetching and carrying about a
few guineas was the only employment that could
give him relief. He would frequently be heard
at midnight as if struggling with some one in his
chamber, and crying out—' I v.:?lkeep my
money, I will ; nobody (hall rob me of my pro
perty !” —One night while in this wakeful state
he miffed his treasure, being five guineas and an
half, and half a Crown, that great jam which dif
traded the last moments of a man whose property
nearly reaching to a million, extend itfelf through
almost every county in England.— This imaginary
loss almost diftra&ed him, until at length it was
found a few days after behind the window Shutter,
On the 18th of November 1789, Mr. Elwes be
trayed symptoms that his last hour was approach
ing. His appetite was gone, he had little or no
recollection of any thing ; and h*s last coherent
words were addressed to his son, Mr. John Elwes
_/ hope—hope—hope, Johnny (laid he) that 1 have
left you —what you wanted !
On the morning of the 26th of November, he
expired without a sigh, with the ease with which
an infant goes to deep on the breast of its mother,
worn out with the rattles and toys of a long day !
PARENTAL DISTRESS^
com.
When the Pitt arrived at Gravefend, an old wo
man came on board with a ba&et of gingerbread,
&c. to fell; the tyger set the old woman as a cat
does a mouse, and having a favourable opportunity,
sprang at her, jumped upon her backwards, and
threw his pwt mad her neck. This unexpeded
A BEAUTIFUL young male Tyger, about ten
or twelve months old, nearly the Tize of a
large maftiff dog, is now on board the Pitt End
Indiaman, Capt. Manning, just arrived in the ri
ver from China.
This creature is a singular instance of the practi
cability of taming and domefticaiing wild beasts,
a tyg er being allowed to be the most ferocious
of the savage creation.
When firft brought on board, it was not larger
than a puppy of a month or fix weeks old, and the
Grip's company were determined, if possible, to
render it tame and tradable. The familiarities
used with this creature " gr<.w with his growth,
and strengthened with his strength;" and though
now about a year old, he is as harmless and playful
as a young kitten.
Until he grew up, that a birth was assigned him
in the Carpenter's Cabin, he frequently slept with
the sailors in their hammocks, each choosing him
for a Chum. In the passage home he was mischie
vous in carrying off the tailors' shoes, and hid
ing their clothes ; at one time he had in conceal
ment no less than 25 pair of silk breeches. He is
extremely playful, runs out on the bowsprit, climbs
about the Grip like a cat, and never was a kitten
half so sportive ; with this addition, that the an
ticks he performs, are such as no one can have any
conception of, unless an eye witness.
There is a dog on board with which he often
plays ; and it is astonishing to fee with what agili
ty he throws him up, a coafiderable height, and
catches him again in his paws, with many other
drolleries.
The sailors made him lie down on deck, and
three of them at one time repose their heads on
him, instead of a pillow, from which situation he
does not Ilir until the sailors havb taken their nap.
In return for this familiarity, he now and then
steals their meat, which is the only mifehjef he does
on board, and for which he was never puniffied but
once. Having one day, on the passage home, tak
en a favourite roasting piece of beef from the car
penter, his Left Chum, he followed the animal, and
had not, only the temerity to take it out of his
mouth, in which conflid his hand was slightly
scratched, but also beat him severely for the theft,
which punishment he fuffered with all the patienee
of a spaniel dog # ; .
Mr. Murray, the purser, having left bis cabin
door open, the tyger actually jumped into the cot
while he was asleep, but not liking his bed-fellow,
he hastily took leave and left his unwelcdme and
unexpected visitor in full possession of both cot and
rooms. The eldest boy, dear lad! had just left ns
and was in his father's fountry house. The day
grew so dark on a sodden, and the brazier—Oh
Lord fofus ! I Felt the brazier Aide from me, and
saw it run down the long room on his three legs.
The maid (creamed and l ihut my eyes and knelt
at a chair. We thought all over ; but my husband
came, and snatching me up, cried, run, run !—I
know not how or where, but all amongst falling
houses it was, and people Ihrieked so and there was
such a noise ! My poor son ! he was fifteen years
old; he tried to hold me sass; in the croud. 1 re
member killing him : Dear l a d, dear lad ! I said,
I could speak just then : bulge throng at the gate !
Oh the gate ! Thoufands' at ohce ! Ay thousands !
thousands at once : and my poor old confeffor too !
— I knew him : I threw my arms about his aged
\\eck.—-= Padre moi ! said 1, Padre moi ! Down he
dropt ; a great stone struck his Ihoulder ; 1 saw it
coming, and my boy pulled me: he laved m, life,
dear lad, dear lad ! But the crash of the gate, the
screams of the people, the heat— ; Oh inch a heat !
I felt no more on't tho' ; 1 saw no more on't ; I
Waked in bed; this girl by me, and her father giv
ing me cordials. We were on shipboard, the, told
me, coming to Naples to my brother's house here;
And do you think I'll ever go back there again ?
No, no ; that's a curft place ; I loft my son in :r.
Never, never will I fee it more ! All my friends
try to persuade me, but the fight of it would do my
business. If my poor boy was alive indeed! But
he! Ah, poor dear lad ! He loved his mother:
he held me faft.—No, rio, I'll hever fee that place
again :—God has cursed it now : I am sure he
has."
A narrative so melancholy; so tender, and so
true, could not fail of its effect.
FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.
LONDON, AUG. 28,
DOMESTICATED TYGER.
FROM A SWEDISH AUTHOR.
ENGLAND, without dispute, is the Queen I
Jflei—the empire and arsenal of Neptune^ She i.M
at the fame time, the Peru of Europe, the King-3
dom of Bacchus, the school of Epicurus,the academy 1
of Venus, the country of Mars, the abode of Mi
nerva, the support of Holland,the scourge of France,
the purgatory of partizans of Oppofitibn, and the
paradife of those of liberty.
The women are handsome, but their beauty is'
attended with something very insipid. Bravery
A letter from Havre-de-Grace, of August :<?,
fays, "It is with no small degree of pleasure a@
fatisfaftion that we look back, in a national view,
upon our former situation, and conftraft it with
that in which we now stand. No longer insulted
as a race of slaves, we can at last look up, and ar
rogate that refpeft from our neighbours which is
due to the dignity of man. The English behold
us at the present instant, with a mixture of fear,
jealousy, and veneration, for throwing off that
yoke in an iftant, which it took them so many
centuries to get rid of, and which, in some degree,
still galls the necks of avast majority of their na
tion. The liberty of our press is now complete, and
while there is virtue enough in France to prevet
its corruption, we may pronounce it impossible ft r
any future system of despotism to take place in
this empire. Any unprejudiced.perfon must now
confefs that we are far before-hand with the British
in the essentials of liberty. Some time ago, in
Paris, in avast concourse of gentlemen, friends to
EnglilhFreedom, & among whom were many litera
ry chara&errof the firft rank, a toast was proposed
and universally received with the highest acclama
tions, viz.—Liberty of the EngliJh Press/"
The WESTERN POSTS—
Those barriers of the United States—are Rill
retained by the British; and, we are told, have
lately been strengthened by additional fortifications
and troops. —That at Niagara, in particular. The
half-pay officers therein have been put on the
pay establishment; and there appears not ti.=
smallest prdfped, that Great-Britain will ev
peaceably relinquilh those strong-holds which Na• d
ture, and Treaties made "in the name of the mos I
holy and undivided Trinity,'' have given to the ■
United States. It is said, " some constant good ,
attends on ill"—and some believe our having the
jealous Spaniard on our southern, and the aspiring
Briton on our northern and weftern borders, arel
circumstances in which are to be found as much|
good as evil. “It will," fay they, " prevent thatl
indolence and inactivity which extensive empire,
and security of pofleffion, often introduce. It will—
teach us, that although we ought not to attack, wea
ought ever to be ready th defend; and that our
territory is so extensive that it demands no addi-I
tion." Plausible as these remarks may seem, the
United States must appear pufilinanimous in thl I
eyes of nations, if she fuffers her rightful territory
to be hostilely retained by a foreign power.
attack, on the part^^^^^Mramren^rfa&dCT
with every tragic emotion ; the bailees, ginger,
bread, fruit and all its contents fell on the deck, t
which when done, as if conscious of the woman's
situation, he released his prisoner, and began new
sports in another part of the (hip.
Six or eight sailors, part of the men put on board I
the (hip to work her up to her moorings at IM@t- (
ford, had, at this time their portion of fre(h beefl
served out to them ; and while they were contest- 1
ing whether it Ihould be boiled or roasted, a diver-,
fity of opinions having taken place, the tyger, who
lay couchant at hand, watched a favourable oppor-•
tunity, made a sudden spring, and seized it, which
not only decided the coriteii, but even saved them
the trouble of dressing it; as the tyger, it has been
observed prefers raw meat to either boiled or
roasted.
The above re'ation, however strange it may ap
pear, is incontroveriibly true —we had it from a
gentleman of veracity, who was on board the Pitt
on Friday last. This gentleman, desirous of fee- fe
ing this extraordinary tyger, was led to the car--,
penter's cabin, where he lay dormant at the feet.
of the carpenter's wife and lifter. Encouraged by ic $
the account given of his docility, he firft venture de
to touch him ; and after growling a little, whi^
he always does when firft disturbed from deep, he
patted him in the mod familiar manner, and at
last ventured to put his hand into his mouth, whici
he was (offered to withdraw with amazement and
fatisfadion.
AMERICAN ADVICES.
CHARACTER of the ENGLISH.
BOSTON, NOV. 3.