Virginia statesman. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1828-1829, 1828-10-22
rroN THE smssIssiPp1 GALAXY.

FEON THE MISSISSIPPI GALAXY.
o.nississippi Guards c'-The traveller
and historian as far as aminformed, have
passed by unnoticed, one of the most use
fnl of all the various tribes cf insects-the
Mississippi Guards. In Mississippi, and
the States in the same parallel, there are
large tracts of country which abound with
such numerous swarms of flies, that the
herds ofcattle would be compelled entirely
TO desert their pasture grounds were 1t not
for the kind protection they receive from
the Mississippi Guards. The Guards IN.
habit the driest and hottest sand knowls.
They live on the various species Of flies
which infest the stock. They resemble
very much the yeilowjacket, both IN size
and appearance; there are, however, larg-
er, and smaller guards, adapted to the diff
ferent kind of flies on which they prey
The earth for some distance around the
sand hull that constitutes their barracks, IS
trodden firmly by the cattle Of the neigh
boring country, forming what the herdsman
calls a stomp. Hither the cattle repair with
wild and headlong fury whenever they are
beset beyond further endurance with the
large horse flies and other tribes Of insects
that nf6st their pasture grounds At the
sound of their approach, the guards turn
out Of their subteraneous barracks and
parade over their sand hill, moving to and
! fro, resembling swarms of bees. So soon
as the iufurated herd Of cattle arrive, they
arrange themselves around the sand bill, y,
become almost rs still as statues, though
/ literally covered with flies, which are draw
ing blood from almost every pore; not a
COW Is seen even to switch her tail. AT
this moment the guards sally forth on the
| flies which cover the cattle. Each guard
|seizcs a fly, clips off his wings IN the first
| place, Jerks OUT the probocis, though buried
( in the skin of the beasts. and bears off the
| Fly, a struggling wlngless prisoner, to the
sand hills, aud there scratches hole in the
sand, drags in the criminal, and by means
/ Of peculiar shuttle Of the hind feet, covers
up the hole as he desceads, and IN al an
slant, the guard mounts up through the
sand in a different place, leaving the poor
lily buried alive. lie again proceeds TO the
catdo in quest of another. Ina short time,
not fly Of any description can be seem
The cattle, under the vigilant protection OF
their guards, at length lie down and chew
tho cud IN peace. A gentleman who has
large stock ofhorses and cattle, has been
so fortunate as TO have his pound selected
by a company of gurds for their place Of
abode. He IS never under the necessity
Of having his cattle or horses driven up to
the pound, they always come Of their own
accord, to rid themselves Of the large flies
with which that whole vicinity abounds
The guards are always found at their post
ready to seize the bloOd-thlrsty tormentors
of the cattle. and to mlict on them pun
ishment, the same with hat which Numa
Pommlius first instituted for the vestal
Virgins who should break their vow.
Navigation ofae Upper Mississippi
Until the year 1922 It was though impos-
sibIe for any steam boat TO ascend the river
above the rapids; bn' during that year, to
the as'ouishmeUt OF thousands. the steam
boat Virginia ascended he river to ST.
| Peters, aud returned. And uow there are
as many as eight or ten steam boats en-
gagged in the Upper Mississippi trade.
.4draaiqge Of The La1o's Deloy-It may
possibly be 10 the recollection Of many OF
our readers, that some years ago, there liv-
ed III Ireland. d gentleman uamed Burton,
who Kept banking house IN Dublin, whose
credit vas so emucat, that It became pro-
verbal In Ireland, where, when the good
ness of security described, it was usual
to say, Il was "as good as Ben Burton"
It happened, however, in the chapter OF
casualties ever attendant on human affairs,
that honest Burton failed, and his affairs
were thrown into the hands Of trustees.
The glorious uncertainty Of the law" rem
dereC this trust an hereditary concern, and
for serenity t0lT gears the business has been
involved in litigation. 1t was not until
latelythat the subject was brought to final
issue in Chancery, when the descendants
of the first trustees paid to the posterIty of
the original creditors their respective dlyi-
dends upon the claims of their forefathers,
which dividends, as the whole produce Of
Mr.. Bmton's assets were thrown into the
funds, had accumulated very considerably,
Emsomuch, that one gentleman, named Fitz-
patrick, the hereditary legatee for an orig-
nal sum of E970, received, as his dividend,
upwards of 5000. "Beter lite than
aerer."
Nicely the Law.-At the Lancaster