The Newhampshire gazetteer — Exeter, N.H., 1792-06-13 00:00:00, page 2

INGENUITYIN TRIFLES
IN the i6ih century an Ita
lian Monk, named Peter Ah
muns, comprised the ad of
the apostles, and the gospel of
St. John, within the circum
ference ofa farthing.
An artist, endowed with
equal patience, presented Queen
Elizabeth with a bit of paper,
of the size of a finger nail, on
which were written the ten com
mandments, the creed, and the
Lord's prayer, together with
her majesty's name, and the
date of the year ; all the letters
of it were easily distinguished
by means ofa pair of fpeftacles
which this artist had himfelf
conftruded.
and administering them to their
children ; for I had heard the
apothecary fay, that he fells to
his neighbours more vomits,
purges; worm phyfick, and
brimstone, on Saturday in the
afternoon, than in all the week
besides. Mrs. Sophron, who
is a serious, but a plain, blunt
woman, turning to Mrs. Slop,
who far knitting in our cricle,
and was something disconcerted/
fays, “ This, Mrs Slop, is a
word in leafon for you. You
seldom dose your children for
warms, or anoint them for the
itch, but on Sundays. 1 dare fay
you are one of the apothecary's
Saturday customers. If 1 go
into 'your house on Sunday
evening, the smell and the uten
sils at once betray you." "Why"
fays Mrsi Slop, 1 have a
large family, I cannot so well
find time for medicining on any
other day." And, replied the
other, " there would be little
occasion for it, if you did not
abuse Sunday. If I Should
do so, I Should expert my chil
dren would be sick all their
time, and good justice too.
I do not believe Sunday brings
the itch or breeds worms." I
was afraid the good woman
would push the conversation too
far ; I therefore diverted- her in
to another fubjeft.
Jerome Faba, an Italian
priest, and a native of Calabria,
exercised himfelf in another
species of Industry equally won
derful from its difficulty.—He
finifhed a work of boxwood,
which represented all the mys
teries of the passions, and might
be put into the shell of a wal
nut. To him is attributed a
coach, of the size of a grain of
wheat, within which were to be
seen a man and woman, a coach
man who drove it, and horses
which drew it. These perform
ances were presented to Francis
lit, and Charles Vth.
Another artist coftruded an
ivory chariot, which a fly cover
ed with his wings, and a Ship
The Iliad of Homer too, is
to be seen written upon velum,
and in so small a compass, that
a nutshell contains it.
Madame de Sevigne likewise
mentions, in one of her letters,
that there was a man in Paris,
who as a matter piece, had con
firuded a chariot, which was
drawn by fleas. The Dauphin
on this occafion,afked the Prince
of Conti (his coufinj who it was
that made the harness, and was
told by him, with a smile, that,
it certainly must have been feme
feeder in the neighbourhood.
also of ivory, with its rigging
compleat.'
Paul Colomies tells us some
where, that he law a goldsmith
at Moulins, who had chained a
living flea to ? gold chain,which
contained fifty links, and did
not weigh three grains.
WINCHESTER,%g.)May 7.
WE have received the melancho
ly information of the Indians
having penetrated into the country as
far as the head waters of Dunkercreek
—within fifteen miles of Morgantown,
where they have committed murders
on our innocent fellow citizens, the
bare recital of which is,. ,fuilicient to
stir up every latent spark of American
valour to revenge. On the plantation
of one Leg there „as a blockhouse, in
which nine militia men were Ration
ed ; seven of these having gone to
the Pan Pau Ration, about eight railei
distant, on some business with their
officer, and the other two bei^g , out,
cutting timber for benches, a party
of Indians, consisting of 15 or 20,
came in the interim, took Mr. Leg,
two of his children, a man by the
name of Honfacre (who was out in a
field, and was firft wounded by then,
a young woman of-the name of Bald
wind, and five children (part Hon
facre's) prisoners. Mrs. Leg was
wounded above the shoulder bone, but
escaped to the house of one Cillet.
Having secured the prisoners, the
Indians set fire to the dwelling house
and blockhouse, and then proceeded
up the creek about nine miles, and
encamped. On the march, Honfacre,
being faint with the loss of blood,
they pricked him with knives and
spears to make him keep up. At the
place they encamped, they scalped
him and knocked out his brains. -
Mrs. Honfacre, bemoaning the loss of
her husband, was tomahawked by
them—and her youngest child, who
cried bitterly at the tragic scene she
beheld, also fell a facrifice to savage
vengeance. A party of militia went
in pursuit of them next day, arrived
where they had encamped, buried the
unfortunate Honfacre, his wife and
child, and then proceeded on, but
without effect, as they did not over
take the Indians. The militia re
turned the Sunday following, and re
ported, that as they came back, they
difeovered a frefh trail, from which it
is conjectured another party of Indians
is Rill hovering about the settlements,
The house abovementioned, said to
be set on fire, was extinguished by a
person who was passing by, before
much damage was sustained ; the
blockhouse was reduced to ashes.
APRIL 24.
Extraa of a letter from a gentleman at
Rogerfville, in the Territory South
of the Ohio,, to bis friend in this
town, dated April, 6, 1792.
" A numbet of the Creeks and all
the Chickamogga Indians, have some
days since declared war against the
settlement of Cumberland—killed
22, and taken two prisoners—We are
at a loss to know whether they will
turn out on our frontiers or not. One
of the Shawanefe has been lurking
about the neighbourhood where I
reside, for some time, and (to Shew
their natural propensity for barbarism)
American Advices.
yeihrday, while I was attending ge
neral muster, an express came to town
with the melancholy news, of his hav
ing within 15 miles of the place, kill
ed and scalped three children. The
father of them was chafed a considera
ble distance but escaped. The mother
is supposed to have been taken prison
er, This day a party setts off in per
foit of them. The people of Cumber
land have fentto the Governor fpr.af
fiftance. ; A full captain's company
will n,arch for that place on the 21st.
The savage thirst for blood seems dif
fufing itfel f generally., 1 fear thecon
fequences to us will be beyond concep
tion great, and our army too late to
redress the inexpressible fufferings of a
helpless people.
PETERSBURG, [Virginia} May 17.
Several alarming accounts have
been received in this town, of a very
dangerous infur,e&ion among the ne
groes on the Eastern Shore of Virgi
nia—the particulars of which we have
not been able to obtain:— Reports
Rate, that #out two weeks ago, the
negroes in that part of the fate, to the
amount of about, 900, agembjed in
different parties, armed,with muskets,
spears, clubs, &c, and committed se
veral outrages upon the inhabitants, —
A favourite servant of Col, Sairge,
who had joined them, tock his horse
and some money from him, & treated
him in a very insolent manner. Caleb,
a negro, the property of Mr.Simpkins,
was to command this , banditti—he
was also a favorite servant ofhis mas
ter, and had long lived in the ca
pacity of an overseer. A barrel of
mulket balls, about 300 spears, some
guns, powder, provisions, &c. .have
already been difeovered and taken—
the spears it is said were made by a
negroe blacksmith on theEaftern Shore.
A considerable number of negroes have
bee, taken, and it is expelled will be
hanged. The militia have turned
oat, and are obliged to keep constant
guard.
It appears by a letter which has
been lately difeovered inNorfolk,from
one of the Negroes on the Eastern
Shore, that they had concerted a
plan with the negroes about Norfolk
and Portsmouth, to commit some
violent outrages in and about these
two towns.—The letter Rates, that
600 of them were to cross over the
bay, at a certain time in the night,
and when they had arrived in those
towns, they were to be joined by the
negroes in that neighbourhood —they,
then meant to blow up the magazine
in Norfolk, and massacre the inha
bitants. Since the difeovery of this
letter, a guard of fifty men in each of
the towns of Norfolk and Portsmouth,
has been regularly kept up ; several
negroes have been taken up on suspi
cion, and lodged in jail, and a num
ber of guns have been difeovered con
cealed under houses and other secret
places, all loaded, most of which were
English muskets with fixed bayonets.
It is hoped that a timely check will
be given to,this alarming outrage.'
The present unguarded situation of
our country renders the above circum
stances more particularly interesting
—and it is hoped will be a means of
urging our rulers to make some spee
dy and effectual provision for arming
and organizing the militia, which for
three years past has been most fhame
fully neglected, and has left us almost
destitute of defence.
Some time last week a negro mo
foan in the county of James City was
delivered of a very extraordinary child.
It had two heads and necks, four
arms, four legs, and thighs, and every
other part difliod for two male chil
dren, except the body, which was en
tire ; there were only the appearance
of two teats, and one navel, but as
large as two fine children. It was
conjedured there were only one set of
lungs and bowels, and it measured
over the hips one foot.—The woman
is likely to do well.
RICHMOND,- Ma, 4. ,
Extraa of a letter from a gentleman in
Havann^b, to bis friend tn Newport,
dated April \otb, 1792.
" Tbefamous Mr. Bowks and three
of the principles of the Creek nation were
brought in here afiu days Jince —Mr.
Bowks was conducted to the More, where
be now remains, and it is thought the de
predations he has committed on the hpankb
lettidments will cod him his life. It is
reported that be was in the afhon againd
Gen. St. Clair."
By a Gentleman we are Informed,
that the Scarcity of Bees may be attri
buted IQ Martin Ikras, they making
them their principal food, and their
practice to kill them when ever they
leave their hives, but do not moleit
them there —that on killing one of
the said birds he found a large number
in its crop :—_He therefore recom
mends the killing of the firft to pre.
serve the latter, aS their honey is a
necessary article in a family for medi
cine, and very delicious to tafte:—
the comb also affords good Wax, and
is very ufeful : The birds are of no real
utility aod afford no benefit to any in
dividual whatever.
The following melancholy occur
rence may.ferve to shew the uncertain
ty of life and the certaint, of death :—
A Mr. Jethro Hill of Candia, on
the 25th ult. was found dead in his
field, he left his family in good spirits,
a ffiort time before, in order to prevent
the fire which had caught in feme
bushes, doing damage to his fence,
however, he was too late, the fire had
got so far a head as to rage with con
siderable fury, spreading devaluation,
wherever it went.—He fought it fcr
sometime, it is conjedured, till being
exhausted and having no one to assist
him, he become a prey to this de
vouring element—affd was when
found, a fpedaclc shocking to behold
—He was not absent more than on
hour from his family when found is
the above situation.
The late Gov. Wentworth, of
New- Hampshire, is appointed Lt.
Governor of Nova-Scotia.
The melancholy iniormeuon of
the Decease of cur late worthy Brother,
the Hon. JOSEPH RUSSELL, Esq.
having been received by ieveral of the
Brethren of the Lodges of free and
accepted Masons in this and the
adjacent Towns, a number coLeßed
to pay their last tribute of refpe& to
the venerable relics.-—Alter the Body
had been deposited or . a Carriage,
and immediately before its Departure
for Providence, a refpeaable Bro
ther made the fallowing thort Ad
dress: —
• '' GO ! thou venerable Drift of
Russell, and ledge a while in the
Sepulchre of thy former Friends !
" Thou waft the secret—the pub
lic—the unreserved FrlEndof M an;
—which is the Sublime of human
Nature! .
" The Monuments of Gratitude —of
Love—of Refpefl — which thy good
Heart hath raised to thy Memory, will
be durable as thy Name !
" The Sic^ —the Poor — the Unfor
tunate —will bewail the Absence of
Russell ! they fend from their hearts
bjeffings on th, spirit to the Supreme
Architect and God of the Universe !
" In which we join our AMEN !"
", Three nights since, the Nancy,
Reuben Dunbar,mafter,from Chgrlef
ton, loaded with provisions; ran foul
of something, (he supposes a whale)
and his vessel funk in an hour; the
whole crew saved themselves in the
boat and are now here,"
Extraa of a letter from Trinidad,
dated April 2.
WARREN, (R. I.) May 12-
WCODSTOCK, May 19.
PORTSMOUTH, June 2.
BOSTON, Juie 2.
JUNE Z.