The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-02-25
From the Boston Courier.
The Latest and Best OF the Mosquito Cues



Having some time ago acquainted our readers
with all knew of this matter, we have abstained
from copying the practice of many of our worthy
contemporaries, who continue 10 write copousy to
inform the public how much they do not know, re-
| spccting this very dark and piquant subject We
are constrained however, this one occasion, to
break silence on the Mosquitoes, by a which
the reader will understand when he reads what
follows 1t is certainly the BEST if not the latest
intelligence on this important subject, which has
| either leaked out through the cracks and gimlct-
holes OF private gossip, or streamed forth through
the legitimate taps and bung- holes of diplomacy.
We copy it from the Paris correspondent of the
New Orleans Picayne:
i was much amused, two or three weeks since at
the manner in which the London Times had been
sold, by republishing with all seriousness, let
ter from person, who imagine must be no other
than the facetious Hull correspondent of the Boston
Courier. This letter announced the arrival at Hull
Massachusetts,, of thesmack Nancy, Skipper Nudge,
from Honduras, and gave full account of an inter
view between the skipper and his majesty the King
of Mosquito. The dress Of the latter, what there
was of il, was infinitely described, together with
the circumstance Of his receiving the skipper
| drunk, seated on n barrel marked "Monongahela"
The dress in question, in which his Mosquito ma
jcsty received the republican Nudge, consisted, all
told, of cooked hat, sash, and pair of gilt spurs
a touch, it is true, above the Georgia summer
/
rather scanty for royalty to receive company in.
As this letter republshed among news items,
and without comment of any kind, there can be no
doubt that the Times man honestly took every line
Of il for law and gospel truth. But perhaps the
most amusing part Of the joke is the fact that
| friend of the Mosquito king, taking umbrage at
| the liberty taken with the character and costume
Of his majesty Of Bluefelds, comes out in the Times
with fiat contradiction of the statement Of Skip
| per Nudge, in which he calls his story "fabrica-
ton of ialsehoods" He does not doubt the existence
of the smack Nancy, nor that of Skipper Nudge,
not in the least; he only questions the veracity Of
| the latter But perhaps II may be better to allow
| the Times correspondent TO blow of his indignant
steam in his own way. Here is his communication
TO the editor of the great London paper
81 observe, in your paper of the I'D instant, quo
| tation from an American paper, which Is likely to
mislcad some Of your readers, with reference TO the
King of the Mosquitoes IL is there stated that the
skipper Of the smack Nancy had Just returned from
| Honduras and had had an interview with the King
| of Mosquito, whose full uniform consisted only of a
cooked hat, sash and gilt spurs; that, though not
more than twenty years Of age he was rather intox-
icated, seated on a whisky cask, and concluding
| with n few facetious remarks 20 his majesty
suite. Imagine, sir that this quotation must have
been inadvertently permitted place in your vau-
| able paper, as your frequent remarks on the Mos
quito questions show you have at all times 10
| correct information from that quarter, and you
must consequently be well aware that this Yankee
article il fabrication ffalseboods Until the carly
part Of 1913, the little king resided with and was
educated by her Britannia majcsty's late consul
| general In that territory, and his accomplished
lady, at Bluehelds. Since that time he has resided
| with DIR. Green, her Britannia majesty's vicc-con
| sui at Bluefelds, and at Grey Town, Mosquito,
without having been at Honduras, where Skipper
| Nudge states he had his interview. The king is
about II years Of age, but his extremely delicate
| appearance and diminutive size make him appear
not more than IS. His dress and manners are quite
English, and his department gentlemanly lam
confident his Mosquifan majesty il not more likely
l In baye yed ind in he 9TH nd
| airy costume described by him, than is Prince Al
bert TO receive the Archbishop Of Canterbury in
such scanty habiliments.
English is the only language spoken perfectly
by the king, yet the skipper asserts that one
eyed drummer or gentleman fifcr acted as inter
prefer. Either Skipper Nudge must have returned
from his first voyage resolved to relate some Of
| the wonderful sights by those who go down
on the great waters and invented this tale. or he
must have been imposed upon by the residents of
| Honduras, as il is evident he has never seen his
majesty. You may, perhaps, consider this con
tradiction OF Skipper Mudgc's assertions worthy a
corner in your paper"
Can any thing be more lndicrously serious than
the whole tenor of this communication The hon
est indignation with which the correspondent takes
up the cudge i'm behalf Of tho personal appearance
dress, and habits Of his friend tho king Of Mosqui-
tia the perfect confidence he has that he would not
receive the Yankee captain in the costume, posi-
ton, and situation described, and the grave and
solemn carnestncss with which he proceeds TO re-
but and disprove the statements of Skipper Nudge,
would induce the wag who perpctrated the hoax
TO split his sides with laughter. or the two, al
though the editor Of the Times was most essen
tally "sold" by this piece Of Yankee wit, yet
think that the correspondent who undertakes to
correct him has been worse taken in.
We arc unable to call to mind every thing that
our Hull correspondent has stated in the course OF
his labors for the enlightenment of mankind; but
suspect the last thing that entered his head was
that he should ever be caught playing the Jack
with John BULBS "thunderer," What Mosquito
stories have been issued from Hull and who has
youcbcd for them, cannot say, being gifted
with short memory. Pccping Tom, perhaps, may
explain. if he still lives, and moves, and goes a
fishing. We will drop him line The Times ge-
Mus and bis correspondent remind US OF the honest
Irish parson ia Dean Swift's time, who declared
that Gullver's Travels contained some things which
he could not believe.
w. r. BaoBsoS, collector Of the port of Will
mington, Delaware, expired in that city ON Tues