The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1847-04-21
THE PORTUGUESE MAN or NyAls..

= The recently published nnmber.0f The
North American Review snpniiea iis Witla
description oC n natural o6ject but little
known Ia common readers, thn,lg llssaid sia
be familiar ln theasight ofthuse who nSTis
ga,esbetween the tropics. the beautiful md
enigmalcal' ms rr,, ,,conmnnlyc calletl.t0 Pnr.
tuGucs, Mnn.o War. II is fronla hlemni..
10 Doctor I'hilesius who accompanied Mr..
lie Kruscns,efn in his vnyage round the
world. -, ~
"This singular animal had evcrnl times
been drlinen,cl, described, and en,nwrd
with names; yet moi only its denominations
were varinus, but also the nature and cha
racteristics nScrihed To ii. According TO
some il wnsa rolypus. according 10 others
znophytc, and Enthers ranged it among
the mullusco. Nu,uriaiists who fnllowetl in
lie steps Of Lin"mus have called j! the
phvsalis. Wnnderfnl as areynll ,he3wnrks
Of Providence, admirably fitted Sas Sarethp
several ;,urts nf each created heing Tor their
several functions, cnmpleX in their cnmpo-
siinn as they sometimes nt first seem.
while vet they are always found tn be real
ly so simple and suitable in .heir nciinn
on n nearer investigation. we may, never
'lhcless, venturctin rank this little animated
creature amnng the8mosi curious phenom-
ena. worm between six and eight in
chps in length, which is found hut in GER
tain attitudes. has seemingly the skill aud
knowledge nf an experienced navigator.
and is in itself little ship. Its cvoulions
arc nccording To the winds; j. raises and
Ic .rrrs its sail. which is Il membrane pro-
videci with eleva,ing and deprr ssing nrgnns.
When filled with air, /. is SO light, that it
swms on the surface nf a'c"hal, andri nj
the snmc time provided with a structure.
which furnishes il with the enccrssary bal.
last. When high winds wonld endanger
It's existence, il tIescen.ls tito the deep. and
is never seen on the surface nf the water.
From the under side Of The hpdy pr"cesd
tubes, which extend twenty Zee, in length,
and are so elastic anl delicate, thai they
wind in spiral form like screw, serving
al once as anchors, defensive and offensive
weapons, pneumatic tnhrs am! ire3erS.
The insect has the colours nf the ruinbDw;
It's crest, hs4perlnr'ns the office of
sail, is in,crsec,cd with pink aud blue
veins, trimmed with n rosy border. sani
swellss with '.lle wind ar at the animals
pleasure. The Gbrcsacnn,ain d viDcous mat
ter, which has the property G" s,ingna.
like nc,tels, aud prn,luces pus'uIrs. II
acts so strongly, that vessels in which .hey
have been kept fur time. must he repen-
telly washed, before they can he used.
These Gbrcs may be cutsoff' wilhoul dep,i-
wing them or the rest OF The insect Of the
principle of life; and the separation takes
pluce spontaneously. whenever The glulin-
aus mnlicr comes inEcUnlacl with a hard
surface like the sides of IS glass glohe.
The insect has. hnwGvcr, dangerous enc
mics in small do U|phins. and mcdeSG, against
which neither its NATURAL skill nor it's poi
son can defend il. To the natural phlos-
opher, this little animal is curtis cxe,n.
pliGcalop Of the principles nf hy,lrnstalics
and Of Eydromclry. us i,s bladder is per-
haps among tho substances lha, can be
used Tor The delicate instruments of the
latter science. To The pbysinlogisl il has
some in,poriance,sus the lust o( that class
af beings. Of whiclrevery part5is endowed
vitality. and wliicl.ahave therefore not i'm.
properly been called biota, by DR.. Hill.
II" Il nlcmplaliyeimfnd. the wonderful or.
ganiza,inn "fs,he physaIies must br new
proof that lardl lyEamy grea C flurt nrhnman
ingenuily, perseverance, courage, aud skill,
is8wiihout a duplicate Of more astonishing
workmanship, simplicity. and sagaci,y, in
being, coming from the haud Of th- Author
Of Creation. If navigation is justly deem
cd the most daring enterprise ALTMAN, j,
may be considered as remedy against
pride to know that there exists a worm,
whicl, an alIpowerrul Providence hns II,
once made a5navigator and n ship a!hy ydrns-
la,ic nnh pneumatic ouginc, being ,iesti-
,ute ofmind and yet 0nc that watches the
winds md rides on the waves