Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1844-05-11

/ ne fetioNlng 0necdote shows very
clearly that spiders were not made merely
TO spin webs and catch flies; that thos,
things are only means not ends--their way
of getting living, rot the object of life
The story is told in the last number of the
London aFcreisa Quarterly Review in
an entertaining article on ,sCalenaars and
Almanacs," and tits related as being PER
tectly authenticated historical fact. The
spider that taught patience and persevcr-
ance to sthe Bruce OF Scotland, was
not a more important historical parsonage
than the spider Of the dungeon of Utrecht.
The story runs as follows: @ $3.50
v"Quatremer Disjonval, Frenchman BY
birth. was acknowledgement in Holland, and
took an active part on the side ofthe Dutch
patriots, when they revolted against the
Stakeholder. On the arrival of the Prus-
sian army under the Duke of Brunswick.
he was immediately taken, and having been
condemned to twenty-five years imprison-
ment, was incarcerated in dungeon at
Utrecht, where he remained eight years.
Spiders, which are the constant and FREE
quently the sole companions Of the unhap-
Ply inmates of such places, were almost
the only living objects which Disjonval saw
in the prison of Utrecht. Partly to be-
guile the tedious monotony Of his life, and
partly from taste which he had imbibel
for natural history, he began to seek en-
ployment, and evidently found amusement
in watching the habits and movements of
his tiny fellow prisoners. He soon re-
marked that certain actions OF the spiders
were intimately connected with the APP
preaching chances Of the weather. A Vi
client pain on one side Of his head, to which
he was subject at such times, had first
drawn his attention to the connection be-
tween such changes, and corresponding
movements among the spiders. For in
stance, he remarked that those spiders
which spun large web in a wheel-like
form, invariably withdrew from his cell
when he had his bad head ache; and that
these two signs, namely, the pain in his
head and the disappearance OF the spiders,
were of all things best fitted to give accua
rate intimation when severe weather Wight
be expected. In short, Disjonvh pursued
these inquiries and observations with so
much industry and intelligence, that BY re-
marking the habits Of his spiders, he was
at length enabled I'd prognosticate the APP
proach Of severe weather from ten to four
teen days before it set in, which is proved
by the following fact, which led to his re-
lease.
When the troops Of the French Repub-
lie overran Holland in the winter Of 1874,
and kept pushing forward over the ice, a
Sudden and unexpected thaw in the early
part of the month Of December threatened
the destruction Of the whole army unless
it was instantly withdrawn. The French
generals were thinking seriously Of ac-
cepting sum offered BY the Dutch, and
Withdrawing their troops, when Disjonval,
who hoped that the success of the republi-
can army might lead to his release, used
every exertion, and at length succeeded in
Getting letter conveyed to the French
general in January, 1895, In which he
pledged himself, from the peculiar actions Of
his spiders, that within fourteen days there
would colnmence-a severe frost, which
would make the French masters Of all the
rivers, and afford them sufficient time to
complete and make sure Of the conquest
they had commenced, before It should be
followed BY 4 thaw: -. w 49,
Tie commander. Of the French forces
believed bis prcgnosticssion and psrsevvr-
4