Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1841-12-18

Sir Joseph. yes sir was the reply, Il have
done that, sir.'---'What were your sensations in
the middle of the ocean, alonos was the next
inquiry,
why, sir, suppose you mean to ask me
how felt on my voyage. | was sometimes
dry, and drank; | was sometimes hungry, and
| ate; was sleepy, and dozed little that
was easy, for l had nice cubby, and fixed a
tiiler there, and slept with my helm in my
hand--and there was no great difficulty in that
What mathematical instruments had you .
was the next inquiry. why, compass and
an axe, pair of pistols, and a sword that Gen.
Pulaski gave me- How was you sure you
was right in your courser # Twas not sure, but
guessed | was right, as ! steercd east when
got pretty well up to the north, and that knew
would take me to England, or some where
thereabouts, and that was right enough for one
whose time was his own, and who owned the
craft he was in, and plenty of provisions on
board. You have sir said Shackford "a fine
omnium gatherum here what are you going
to do with the crocodile you have here , Il am
ciety, upon his habits and nature. which shall
read tomorrow. Do you know anything a
bout the animal, Mr.. Shackford = Il lived
three years in the West Indies where they
are as thick as g-asshoppers' Have you ever
heard their moans to entice and allure travel
lers to come TO them, Gas writer's on natural
history have mentoned,) that they may secure
them as their preyr inquired the philosopher
mo, they never did any such thing for n
good reason, they have no tongue to make
clear sound with, and they can't make a noise,
except one of bringing their Jaws together.
They move their upper jaw, and somehow bring
1t down with great force, and a singular sound
proceeds from this but how can thing moan
without tongue Look into his mouth, and
you will find he has no more tongue than the
great elephant | saw the other day i'll this ci-
ty.' You don't mean,' said Sir Joseph, that an
elephant has no tonguc!' Yes | do replied
Shackford, mean to say that an elephant has
no tongue and what does he want one for, as
he has such thing at the end of his nose, by
which he can feel thing as nicely as ady's
finger could, and then use it as a sledge ham
mer to knock ones brains out with How do
you know that to be fact inquired Sir Joseph,
that it has no tongue = Why, in the best way
in the world looked into his mouth until !
was satisfied of the fact; and then it stood to
reason in my mind, that he did not want one,
with so fine tool as he has, for the purpose
. L.. 4, 4 a. 4
Joseph, not little mortified, rhe crocodilcs are
very ierocious and dangcrous.'-'N Why said
Shacktord, they have good large mouth OF
their own, and an ugly looking set of teeth
but they very seldom attack man a very
slight splash in the water generally frightened
them of. Once in a while they reach ayoung
negro in the water; the old ones don't mind
them no more than musquitoes.' Sir Joseph's
paper would not do. All his argument ofthat
: wonderful moaning and ierceness at last had
opposers To end the conversation, HE of to
the Tower, or Exeter Exchange, to see the
elephant, was evidently Sir Joseph's wish ; but
seph, in trying to hide his impatience made
several hasty inquiries.
Did you ever see a collection like this be.
fore = No. said ShackiorG, the nearest like
it is my barber shop, the other side of the wa
ter
'Mr. Shacklord, what books do you carry
with you on your voyage and travels 1.-The
Bible, sir, Watts Psalms and Hymns, and
Robinson Crusoe Not many others-l look
ed around and read the book of nature, ana
generally picked up something worth remcm
bering,' wac the reply.
o Il should think, said Sir Joseph, that you
c would find many things that would puzzle yor
a in your researches Il do said Shackford
c and so does every man ever saw. Now Si
:, Joseph, let me make plain what mean. Car
r you tell me what animal that is of the Nil,
which is born with tail, without legs, anc
/ dies, if he comes to his growth, with four leg
and without a tailr Sir Joseph pondered
a Why said Shacktord, 1T is frog. When
C polywog, he has a tail but when frog h,
d has four legs without tail. placed his brit
l. on the Nile, which deceived YOU, learned Sir
is but you know tlat the frog is found in ever
y mudpuddle in creation, as well as in the Nile
t. Now said Shackford. Il have great love fu
l. learned men, but they don't know every thing
I'd Sir Joseph was glad to get rid OF the maniac
re who had crossed the Atlantic alone in bo;
1t something more than Cook had done, whe
I'd the navigator and philosopher had quarreled