Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-04-01

from their own lands 10 the country west
the Missisippi.-Richm. Eng.
AMUSING.
It is not little extraordinary how many
Of our most important discoveries owe
their existence to chance. Every body
knows the anecdote about Sir Isaac New.
ton and the apple DR.. Jenner and the
milkmaid; John Bunyan and drunken
Perkins, &c. &c. But every body does
not know the anecdote of Sir Peter Pom.
top, who found the bottom of coal mine
by chance. | proceed, therefore, to re-
late it. Sir Peter had been quarrelling
with one of his workmen, on the day pre-
vious to the catastrophe | am narrating,
relative to wages. There are two modes
Of descending into coal-pits. The usual
way is to be wound down in a machine
but they to whom the entrance and exit
are matters of custom, content themselves
in descending by grasping rope, which
communicates to counteracting pulley.
The weight of the individual thus carries
him downward without dislocation. Sir
Peter, on the day in question, adopted the
latter expedient, as usual, in utter dark
ness. Judge of his horror, when, on
reaching the extremity of his journey, he
found that his feet failed to touch the
ground. He instantly thought that the
workman with whom he had quarrelled,
had in revenge cut short the rope. He
screamed and bawIed till he was hoarse,
but all the operatives had adjourned to
their dinner. At length his strength fall
ed him; he let go his hold, expecting to
be dashed to atoms in the unfathomable
abyss, and found that he had been for a
full half hour screaming about three inch
es from the ground. Here was chance
discovery which nettled Sir Peter sorely;
insomuch, that he actually felt half angry
with himself for not having been precipi-
tated some hundred feet. according to his
reasonable expectation.--Neso Mo. Mag.
The British Admiral Sir Charles Wa
ger was born in Newport, r. |. of very
poor parents, in house on Easton's point,
| (which is still standingl not far from the
abode of the late Com. Perry's father.
From earliest youth he followed the seas,
first as cabin-boy-afterwards in
higher capacity, till his good conduct and
uncommon merit raised him to the post
of chief mate on board large merchant
vessel. 1t happened in the time of the
French war, SO called, in which our coun-
try, as British Colonies, was involved, the
merchandising was furiously attacked by
privateer of the hostile nation. The cap
tain of the ship being Quaker, and true
to his principles, retired peaceably to his
birth below-leaving the management of
the vessel, In this eventful crisis, to the
enterprising mate. Wager made the best
advantage Of the liberty allowed him. and
thinned, by his well-directed fires, the en-.
emys complement of men. Yet the cap
tain, though pacific, was not idle,-but
curiosity would every now and then bring
him on deck to survey the progress of the
battle. Spying the French commander
active in the engagement, he repeatedly
exclaimed with peculiar emphasis, on res
mounting from below, g Wager Wa.
ger! that felloao NTH the red CAP on aon.
der, IS a busy fsllow!" His disciple soon
took the hint, and the French commander
was dead man. Victory on the part of
the American tars succeeded. The pr.
vateer was carried into an English port.
The whole praise Of 4ha ao4;ess, ....s O. 90
cribed to Wager by the generous captain !;
and from that suspicious commencement.
the former, through variety of grades.
arrived at last to be Sir Charles WAGER