The Wheeling repository — Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1808-03-17 00:00:00, page 1

l!i!a!giigg^————mm——» m ■ n—
THE '
WHEELING REPOSITORY.
(VoL- *•) Thursday, 17th March, 1808. (No. 45.)
T ■ ■ ■ .... ■ . - --- -
THE JUNKE T.
Bv Richard Rummager, Es^.
No. xii.
m nstrum horrendum, informe, ingens.
Virgil.
A monster, horrid, Ai/gr, deformed.
AS it is my principal object to cater
for the entertainment of the readers of
the Repository, I have not been inatten
tive to the peculiarity of their literary
taste. I have observed that my labours
have not been very well received, and
that many xvise people turn up their noses
at the first appearance of the Junket._
T. hey “ cry aloud, and cease not,” for
news ; for something which is not to be
iound iii books. Indeed I have learned
that many persons object to the Reposi
tory, because it contains nothing but
wuai is ue iounu in books; because
it abounds with reflections and essays
on moral and literary subjects.
1 hough some people may he surprised
to hear such objections, I must confess
that I am not. I am sufficiently ac
quainted with human nature, to know
tii.it it possesses a most gormandizing
appetite lor the wonderful. Let a news
paper be devoted to conjuring up some
monstrous accusation against an indivi
dual, or against the rulers of a country,
and it is sure of circulation. Any tall,
no matter how absurd or ridiculous, if
it is replete with marvellous incidents,
always excites interest ; for the human
mind delights in such things, whether
true or false.
With a view to gratify this descrip
tion ol readers, I have this day selected
an article peculiarly adapted to their
tastes. It is the account of a man who
lived upon large quantities of raw flesh.
T iis extraordinary account is contained
in an official document, being the result
of an experiment made by Dr. Coch
rane, at Liverpool. It is attested by the
clerk of the office o/ sick and wounded
s< imen, and was published in Walker’s
ii i icrnian Magazine for Sept. 1800, at
thereqiu stof Dr.Johnston,commission
er for sick <uid wouudud &c*uncu» And
all jesting aside,the readers of the Junket i
may rest assured, that this story is an un- I
doubted fact. E
“Charles Domert, a native of
Benchc, on the frontiers of Poland, a
ged 21, was brought to the prison of Li
verpool in February 1799, having been
a soldier in the French service on board
the Hoche, captured by the squadron
under the command of sir J. B. Warren,
off Ireland.
He is one of nine brothers, who, with
their father, have been remarkable for
the voraciousness of their appetites.—
1 hey were all placed eaidy in the army;
and the peculiar craving for food with
this young man began at thirteen years
of age.
ru was allowed two rations in the
army, and hv his earnings, or the indul
gence of his comrades, procured an ad
ditional supply.
W hen in the camp, if bread or meat
were scarce, he made up the deficiency,
oy eating four or five pounds of grass
daily; and in one year devoured 174
cats, (not their skins) dead or alive ;
and says he had several severe conflicts
in this act of destroying them, hv feel
ing the effects of their torments on his
face and hands. Sometimes he kill
ed them before eating, but when very
hungry did not wait to perform this hu
mane office.
Dogs and rats equally suffered from
his merciless jaws ; and if much pinch
ed by famine, the entrails of animals in
discriminately became his prey. The
above facts arc attested by Picard, a re
spectable man, who was his comrade in
the same regiment on hoard the Hoche,
and is now present; and who assures
me, he has often seen him feed on those
animals. .
VV hen the ship on hoard of which he
was surrendered, after an obstinate ac
tion, finding himself as usual, hungry,
ani nothing else in his way but a man’s
leg, which was shot off, lying before
him, he attacked it greedily and was
feeding heartily, when a sailor snatched
it from him «uid .threw it overboard.
. * ,M " *■ » • * «
Since he came to thig prison he has
eat one dead cat and about twenty rats.
But what he delights most in is raw meat,
beef or mutton, of which, though plen
tifully supplied, by eating the rations of
ten men daily*, he complains he hast
not the same quantity, nor indulged
in eating so much as he used to do ia
France.
He often devours a bullock’s liver
raw, three pounds of candles, and a fevtf
pounds of raw beef, in one day, without
tasting bread or vegetables, washing it
down with water, if his allowance of
beer is expended.
ms subsistence at present, independ
ent of his own rations, arises from the
generosity of the prisoners,who give him
a share of their allowance. Nor is his
stomach confined to meat: for when in
the hospital, where some of the patients
refused to take their medicine, Domery*
had no objections to perform this for
them : his stomach never rejected any
thing, as he never vomits, whatever be
the contents, or however large.
Wishing fairly to try how much he
actually could eat in one dav ; on the
17th ol September 1799, at four o’clock
in the morning, he breakfasted on four
pounds of cow’s udder r at half past
nine, in presence of Dr. Johnston, com
missioner of sick and wounded seamen,
Admiral Child and his son, Mr. Fos
ter agent for prisoners, and several re
spectable gentlemen, he exhibited hi«
power as follows :—There was set be
fore him five pounds of raw beef, and
twelve tallow candles of a pound weight,
and one bottle of porter. These he fi
nished by half past ten o’clock. At one
o’clock there was again put before h m
five pounds of beef and one pound of
candles, with three bottles of porter ; at -
which time he was locked up in the room.
• The French prisoners of war were
at this time maintained at the expense of
their own nation, and were each allowed
the following daily ration : Twenty-six
ounces of bread, half a pound of greeny
two ounces of buttery or six of cAc?#4.