The weekly Anglo-African. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1859-1861, 1859-09-17

Zy mOOu, I'D save ululSc1l ZIG IouoAo VI
letting down the bars, he took the beast
and lifted him over, and then got upon his
back and rode him to the place where he
was to be employed. He once raised from
the ground the anchor of the ship Roc
hampton, which weighed seventeen hum
dred weight, and which four men had pre-
viously endeavored in vain to lift, upon
bet. Being at Bilboa, in the RevolutiOna-
ry war; in a privateer, an English vessel
came in which had in its crew protested
bully, who was challenging every one to
combat, and hearing of Dowst, sent par
ticular challenge to him. They met, and
the Englishman, who vas superior to our
Sampson in the art of boxing, knocked
him down three times, and the last time
twisted his fingers into his hair to gouge
him, when Dowst gave him blow upon
his arm which broke it, and with another
blow broke three of the bully's ribs, who,
it was said, died of his wounds. Dowst,
with his amazing strength, was remarkably
good natured and tender in his feelings, and
rather of an indolent habit; but when he
was reused to anger or to exertion, his efforts
were irresistible He enjoyed, through
life, large share of health. For three
months previous to his death he had been
afflicted with the dropsy, but appeared to
have considerably recovered; and the last
day of his life he walked abroad the great
er part of the day, according to his usual
habit; but the next morning his wife found
him dead in the bed
In the year 1886 there died, in Virgin
la, man named Peter Francisco, whose
strength was so great as to win for him the
title of "The Sampson of the Western
Hemisphere" The newspapers of the
present week have brought accounts of the
death of his widow, on the 9Th of June, at
an advanced age. Francisco served on the
American side in the Revolutionary war,
and many stories are told of the hair breadth
escapes achieved by means of his extraor-
binary strength.
The following anecdote, exemplifying
his peaceful nature and his strength, is told
of Francisco:
One day while working in his garden he
was accosted by stranger, who rode up to
the fence and inquired of him if he knew
where man by the name of Francisco
lived?
Raising himself from his work and eye
ing his interrogation, who appeared one of
the halfhorse-haltalligator" breed Of Ken
tuckians, he replied
"WeN, stranger, l don't know of any
other person by that name in these parts
but myself
swell, | reckon you amt the man
want. want to find the great fighting
man I've heard tell so much about They
say the fellow can whip all creation and
Kentucky to boot"
can't tell you, stranger, where you'll
find that man; don't know such man,
replied Francisco, resuming his work as a
hint to the other that the conference was
ended But the Kentuckian was not to be
bluffed off, as he would term it. "Look
ere, stranger" said he, after pause, "what
might your given name be2"
any name is Peter Francisco, at your
service"
"Ah p returned the other, "you're Just
the man | want to find !" and riding inside
the fence he dismounted and tied his ami
mal-a rough, ungainly Indian pony-to
one of the posts.
"My name is Big Bill Stokes, all the
way from Old Kentuck am the Ketucky
game chicken, / am. / can out-run, out
jump, out-hop, knock down, drag. out, and
whip any man in all them diggin's, So as
| heard tell of fellow down hereabouts
who could whip all creation, thought I'd
saddle old Blossom and just ride over and
see what stuff he's made of, and here am
And now, stranger, I'm bound to see who's
the best man before go home. It's all in
good feeling, you know, and if you lick
me, why Pm satisfied, but"
Stop minute, stranger" said Francis
co, you have mistaken the man entirely.
| am no fighting man at all, and if was,
/ have nothing to fight about against YOU
Well, don't know; is there any other
Peter Francisco in these parts2"
"No, not that l know Of"
"Well, then, you're the man, and you
must fight. I've come all the way from
Old Kentuck, and l amt going back with
out knowing which is the best man."
"But won't fight. Pve got nothing to
fight about, and l tell you that aoOn't
fght"
"Darned if you shan't fight, stranger. l
am bound to lick you if can-if don't
you must lick me-"
By this time Francisco had become an
cry at the importantly of his visitor, and
determined to put an end to the scene
Selling his antagonist, therefore, by the
seat of his buckskin breeches and the col
lar of his hunting shirt, he threw him over
the fence into the road; then walking leis-
urely to where his pony was tied, he un-
fastened him, and taking him up by main
strength, threw him after his discomftted
rider.
The Kentuckian raised himself from the
ground, perfectly dumbfounded by such an
exhibition of strength; he might not have
seen clearly, but mounted his pony, re-
marking, well, stranger, | reckon you'll
do. reckon it's about time for me to