The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-01-23

| color, and appearance, to which he commune
| cate0 perfect action, through the medium of
| internal mechanism. His automaton compile
s1ot n1 aext turned his attention to the training
=. ~. morse ana dogs. On FIRST beholding the
monster, artificial though il was, the horse be-
came un,nanageable, while the dogs aed the
mex, DAY their fear diminished, though nothing
| could induce them To approach the animal =
| The day after, the horse advanced within Gf,,
| steps OF the monster. and the dogs showed their
teeth. Eight days afterwards, the horse tram.
pied the serpent beneath his feet, and the two
| dogs flew at him, as at a bull. wv
| Nevertheless, Gozon continued to exerc;..
| them for two more months, accustoining his
dogs to seize their prey by the belly. which he
| had observed was free from scales. To do this
he was in the habit Of putting fresh meat into
| the stomach of his automaton; the dogs, know
| ing where their breakfast awaited them, diytd
in search Of it into the very enirais Of the ani-
| NAL. At the end of two months their training
was complete; moreover, the monster was fast
falling into pieces, Notwithstanding the daily
repairs TO which it was subjected.
The knight now set out for Rhodes, where
he safely arrived affer q months voyage ],
something less than six months having elapsed
since his departure.
His first inquiry on landing was after the
monster, who, he was informed, was in most
fiourishing condition; only that cattle and
game having become somewhat scarce, he had
now extended his excursions to the very walls
of the town. The Grand Master, Helion de
Villeneuve, had ordained the observance 'of
forty hours of prayers. Forty hours of prayers,
however, had proved Of no more efficacy than
even simple Are Maria so that the unfor-
tunate inhabitants of the Isle of Rhodes were
lost in the utmost despondency.
The knight, mounting his horse, and fol-
lowed by his dogs, repaired TO the church
where he performed his devotions, continuing
in prayer from seven in the morning till mid
day. during the whole of which period he left
his dogs without food, while at the same time
he supplied his horse with an ample feed of
corn. Midday arrived; he set out from the
town, to surprise the monster during his en-
Joyment OF his habitual siesta, followed by the
half-famished hounds.
But as the monster, as has already been OBJ
served, had been latterly in the habit of extend
ing his excursions to the town, the knight had
scarcely proceeded a mile from the gates, when
he beheld the object of his search. The latter
no sooner caught view of the knight than
raising his head with q snort, he extended his
wings, and advanced rapidly towards him.
His expected prey, however, proved somewhat
hard of digestion for no sooner had he come
in view of the dogs, than believing him to be
their old friend the automat0n, and remember
ing that their breakfast was in his stomach, they
attacked him savagely, we'll backed up by the
horses hoofs, and the knights exertions. In
vain did the unfortunate serpent endeavor to
seek for safety in flight the fates were against
him. One blow from the knights lance threw
him on his flank. This was followed by kick
from the horse, which disabled his wing, and
by fierce assault of the dogs upon his en-
trails. Loud were the shouts Of exultation
which now rent the air from the inhabitants
yxyl,o hnt IaI th hot III
TO witness the combat. Encouraged by these
plaudts, the knight leaped from his horse. cut
off the serpents head, and carving it before
him as trophy, rode into the town amidst uni
versal accamation, when he was led, followed
by his two dogs and the entire population, to
the palace of the knights.
Arrived at headquarters, he found the Grand
Master, Hel0n de Villeneuve, awaiting him.
Insiaad, however, of being complnented by
that officer upon his valor, he was reminded of
the decree which had been issued, prohibiting
any Knight of the Order of ST, John from CO.
ping with the monster; and in virtue of that de-
cree, against which he had so fortunately run
counter, was committed 10 prison, upon the
principle that want of proper discipline in
knight was more grievous calamity than the
wholesale consumption of halt the inhabitants,
and every herd of cattle in the island. A coun.
Gil was thereupon summoned, and Gozon was
degraded from the rank of knight. But, as
may be easily imagined, no sooner had this
sentence been recorded, and the ends off justice
consequently satisfied. than Gozon was REIN
stated in his former titles; fresh honors were
heaped upon him; and on the death of Helion
de Villeneuve, which occurred some few
months afterwards, he was raised to the dignity
of Grand Master. On this occasion Gozon as
sumed dragon on his arms; device which
continued in his family till the commencement
of the seventeenth century, when his de-
scendants became extinct.
As for the horse and the two dogs, they were
maintained for the st of their lives at the pub
lie expense, and embalmed after their death.