The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1834-11-22

tombed alive olener than any other, ow-
ing perhaps, to the manner in which they
secrete themselves when preparing fol
their torpid state. Numbers Of then
have been found in the immense lime
stone quarries of Montmartre, and the
catacombs Of Paris 7; in blasting rock:
for the gigantic breakwater at Plymouth
and one was found snugly ensconced IL
the centre of huge block of limestone
which had been procured 10 aid in build
ing the magnificent locks at Lockport, or
the Erie Canal, in the State OF Now
York. Beautiful specimens Of petrifed
fishes have been found in the coal strata
which crosses the Connecticut river, ,near
Middletown and, latterlv, bat, which
has been by some naturalists placed as a
connecting link between two divisions o.
the creation, has been found in fine
state Of preservation in the great lime
stone basin of Paris. Scarcely q class oI
animals, known to be existing at the pres
ent day, but has its petntied representa-
Tive in the vast collection Of fossi! re-
mains procured by the industry md re-
searches of Baron Cuyler; and thcre may
also be seen many, the living types o
which are now extinct, such as the ST.
morgh Of mastodon, and the megatherion
Hitherto, oil endeavors to find we'll
authenticated fossil, or Petrified specimen
OF the creature man." had been uni
formly unsuccessful. One was found a
few years since, in Upper Austria, in "a
profound bog and from some coins found
near him, it was evident must have re-
NAMED in that situation from the time OF
the invasion of Germany by the Emperor
Trajan but, on exposure to the upper
air, in short time il crumbled to dust
Another was found on the island Of Qua
daloupe an undoubted petriiactlon, which
had the appearance ofthe human form to
such degree that it was sent to Paris
for examination, when sitting OF the
French Institute pronounced it q portion
of large lizard. Within few years it
was fancied that petrfied human head
had been discove$ed near the celebrated
salt springs OF Onondaga, in our own
Country but the fancied resemblance
has vanished before the philosophic scru-
tiny Of science, and is now admitted to be
one Of dame Natures freaks, in arrang-
ing a nodule Of fiinty limestone. But
the mystery which hung round this sub
ject has at last been in a great measure
and it has been demonstrated
that man is not only capable Of Petriiac-
ton, but also Of remaining in state OF
Tor thousands Of years, and yet
retaining his faculties entirely unimpaired
by their long disuse.
1t is probably known to the reader that
the western part Of the State Of kentuc-
ky, particularly in the vicinity Of Green
River, abounds in mines Of nitre, or salt
petre, as it Is generally termed, and that
large quantities are annually manaiactur-
ed for expectation. This substance is
found in the interminable caves
Of that region, and sometimes in what is
called ntre or saltpetre rock. This is
species Of coarse sandstone, the silicious
particles Of which are cemented together
with pure ntre, and when blasted into
suitable pieces it is broken up, and thrown
into large vessels of hot water, where the
nitre is dissolved, and the sand, disinteg-
rated, remains at the bottom OF the vessel.
II was at manufactory Of this kind, that
The fortunate stars Of my friend, the Doc
tor, enabled him to make the discovery
10 which | have alluded, ,and which shall
now attempt in few words to describe.
Desirous to witness the process from
the commencement, he requested the
workmen to blast very large mass Of the
sands rock which he selected for
that purpose. They willingly complied,
aud mass Of several tons weight was de-
tached, and thrown off when, to the ut
ter astonishment of the workmen, and the
unexpected qualification of the Doctor, a
fine, perfect, specimen Of the human race
was exhibited to their view, encrusted
with coat Of nitre half an inch in thick
ness, and by the admix,ure Of sand rem
dered nearly as hard as flint. The shock
given by the operation Of blasting, had,
by partly cracking the stony envelope in
which it was embedded, loosened him
from the mass, with the exception Of few
fragments which adhered to different
parts Of the body. A handsome doceur,
on the spot, secured TO the Doctor this
nestimable trophy, which, with the aid OF
he workmen, was borne to the neigbor-
ng laboratory where, by repeated alb
utions Of warm water, the remaining por-
ions OF the rock were dissolved and re-
moved, aad the figure was exhibited in all
IS proportions. Happily, not limb was
injured during its extrication, and it now
perfect as the finest efforts OF
he chisel Of Phidias or Canova.
On a further and more minute examina-
ion, the Doctor discovered, with sur
prise that where the warm water had
been, most liberallynpplied, the coating of
nitre was not only considerably removed,