Wisconsin herald, and Grant County advertiser. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1844-1845, 1845-10-25

MINI WOutu uub lew Jul Vac
hope Of the great prizes sometimes dis
covered in this miserable way ,deprives
it Of its terror, and all the principal
sewers that branch into the Thames
have their reguler frequenters. Were
!. it not that the tide gives them too little
time for that purpose, they would ex-
tend their researches to the extremtes
of London; but two or three miles
inland is the utmost bound of their
peregrinations. Those who value their
lives will not be tempted to extend
their researches further lest they should
be drowned by the rising waters of the
river.
| About two years ago these, and
some other particulars of their mode of
life, were elected in consequence Of
the following circumstance: An old
man who had long pursued this calling
was suddenly missed. Every search
was made for him by the few to whom
he was known; and his wife and fami-
Ily, not without many fears that he had
lost his way in the sewers, or had been
surprised by the tide and drowned in
his efforts to escape, made anxious in
quiries at every police office in Lon
don, but without receiving any tidings
Of his fate. Months elapsed, and his
name was passing from the remem-
brance Of all but those who had lost
their husband and father by his disap-
pearance, when young man, passing
with his torch up the fleet, at nearly a
mile distant from the place where it
discharges itself into the Thames; was
startled at seeing the figure of man
amid the darkness sitting at the june
ture Of smaller sewer with the main
current Of the fleet. He shouted but
received no answer, and heard nothing
but the rolling of the black and fetid
water, and the splash or squeak of the
numerous rats which he had alarmed.
Advancing nearer, he held the light to
the face Of the silent figure, and beheld
the gastly countenance of skeleton.
He was not man ofstrong min !, and
loosing his sclf-possession, in his terror,
he stumbled against 1t and fell. His
light was cxtinguished. His situation
was now sufficiently awful; but the
added horror Of his total darkness re-
called his startled faculties, instead OF
scattering them entirely. He knew
his way by the number ofiron gratings
at intervals above, and grouped along
cautiously, shouting as loudly as he
could, to keep up his courage and to
startle the rats from his path, lest he
should tread upon one which would
turn upon him and lasten upon his
flesh. Grating after grating was pass
ed, and he heard the carriages rafting
above whenever he came near, and al
times the conversation Of people. Once
he stopped under grating, by the side
Of which an old woman sat at her ap'
pie stand, and overheard her discourse
with her customers, and was tempted
: to give tile slarm that he might bf
drawn up. This, however would have
} been work of time. and he therefore
decided to 60 on. He proceeded ac-
cordingly, and arrived 1t the Thame:
without accident, and Immediately in
formed his companions Of the discov,,
cry he had made. 1t was surmised al
once that the skeleton was that oil The
man who had been so long missing
Information was given to the police
and constable dispatched to see the
issue. He would not, however, ven
ture up the sewer, but remained by the
river side to await the return OF the
smud-larks' who went up with torches
and basket to bring down the re-
mains of the dead man. TheyIfound
on reaching the spot, that the discov'
erer, in his fright, by falling against
the skeleton, had overturned it from 1t:
sitting position. A skull, mass o.
bones. with few buttons, and a por.
lion Of his shoes, alone remainedj hi'
flesh and his attire having been de
youred piecemesl by the rats. The
remains we're collected and brought
out without accident A coroner'sIn
quest was held on the following day
and identity was established by TIN
buttons, the only means by which i
could be proved. OF course it could
never be known TO certainty how
the life of the unfortunate being had
been lost; but the general suppositior
was, either that he had been suiiocated
iby foul air, or that he had been slezec
with fit OF appoplexy in that dark