Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-07-04
1luiun aud gmrrifau,
WEDNESDAY. JvLY (. 1866.
Jefferson Davis in Prison.
SCENES AND INCIDENTS or THE LITE
OF THE EX-CONFEDERATEP PREsT-
BENTIN THE CASEMATE At
FORTRESS MONROE.
Ezracls from the Diary Of the Post
Surgeon.

SOUTHERN ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- TIE ANT
LION AND ITS HABITs-NR. DAVIS OK THE
FUTURE OF THE SOUTHERN BLACKS.
AUGUST 24-Nisited Mr.. DAVIS with
Capt. THROW, officer Of the day. Found
him slightly better in body and mind. Ex-
pressed hope that no sensational reports of
his illness had appeared in the newspapers
10 alarm his wife more than necessary. His
hope was faint, however. The swarm Of
newspaper correspondents, more than quad
rupled by the war, no longer finding food for
their pens in camps OF on bartle-felds, had
10 seize every item Of the slightest interest
and swell its importance by exaggeratioa in
order % retain their employment. Spoke
Of the superior literary and inventive pow
crs Of our correspondents during the war
TO contrast the dry official report Of some
affair OF Outposts or the skirmish line, in
which hali-a-dozen men on either side had
been killed or wounded, with the wonder
fully enlarged and intensely colored mirage
of the same appearing some few days sub-e-
quently in the Northern press, formed an
amusing and amazing study, giving one q
higher ideal Of a mans imaginative power.
The Southern press, on the contrary, was
short Of printers, short Of paper, and all 9TH
cr requisites for exciting journalism, insO-
much that lat.crly only the meagerest skele-
tons Of events could appear; and even Off
cial documents, and debates Of the highest
consequence had to be briefly epitomizcd
Mr.. DAVIS said the press Of the South had
enjoyed more liberty and given more trou-
bic 10 its government than that Of the North
Properly conducted, its power was an i'm
portant adjunct 10 the war; but engineering
10 was q complex study, calling for special
education in its professor. The only mca
still remaining vindictivey belligerent and
anxious % porpctuatc trouble in the South
SO far as hc knew, and as their words could
reach-would be found in the small-frv Of
little country editors, and certain classes Of
civilians who had been exempted from mill
iarv service by special legislation the pur-
chase Of substitutes, or the procurement Of
details Itwas the non-belligercnts Of actual
conflict who had always been and would re-
main most ierociously belligerent in speech
and writing Not having borne arms in the
struggle, they might claim rewards for their
loyalty or neutrality in Federal patronage,
or Offices to be filled by popular vote and
such claims would likely be allowed by our
people 30 the exclusion Of those fearless and
honorable men, who-having fought, failed,
and accepted deieat-were now only anxious
30 erase all painful souvenirs and legacies Of
the unfortunate and unavailing strife.
Observing me brush away with my foot
some crumbs near his bedside Mr. DAVIS
asked me TO desist; they were for a mouse he
was domesticaung only living thing he
had now power 10 benefit. The drawback
20 this companionship was, that the crumbs
called forth a swarm Of red ants as well as
the mouse and he suggested, with a smile,
that a few ant-liOns should be caught and
brought in from the beach. Placed in
cigar-box, with some fine sand and a lump
of sugar, or a few dead locusts, to attract the
ants, they would soon rid him Of his insect
visitors, and afford, though on a small scale,
the nearest approach TO sport he could now
have.
Finding my curiosity excited, Mr.. DAVIS
then described the ant-lion with much mi-
uutcness and pleasant humor, saying it was
next TO the bee rs an Interesting study in
natural history il is about the size Of a
small elongated pea, three legs on each size,
% forceps prOportionably immense arming
ils head, and between these nippers a sharp
-tilctto. which can be drawn in. or thrown
ont at pleasure. Il is found all along the
Southern coast, and world seem 20 have
difficult problem in supporting life. II is
painfully slow ufmovement always walking
backward and dragging i,s iorceps along the
ground behind IL; while the ants, ON which
~ chiefly preys, are extremely active. Ma
ture, however has compensated bv subtlety
what the ant-liOn lacks in action. It digs a
fuuncl-shapcd hole in the fine sand of the
Southern coast, circular ~ the top, Of an
inch diameter and an inch in depth, At
the bottom IL secrctcs itself in the sand, only
its sorceps prOtruding These pitfalls are
located about an inch or so from the stems
of shrubs OF tufts Of grass-thc ants iloCSing
to these latter because finding in them
species of graSs-lOuso called the ant-Cow,
which the ant milks by suction as its favor
ite food, the COWS not resisting less worse
bciall them, and not appearing injured by
the process. While the ants are thus hast
ening to their food, some one Of them will
approach the brink Of the ant-lion's pitiall,
and instantly the fine sand Of the edge gives
way, prcCipitating the uuwary traveller TO
the bottom Here he is seized by the forceps,
and firmly held, while the stiletto is driven
through his body. Ills juices are soon suck
ed dry hy the sccrctcd monster of the cave,
and then with one Jerk of the torceps, the
carcass is flung up and out two or three
inches beyond the edge Of the tuuncl-a dis
lance as much as If a man were thrown one
hundred and fifty times his lergth. Should
the ant when first tumbliuc escape the
grasp of the tOrccps, and seek 10 Chamber
ont of the trap, the ant-lion foils the attempt
hv Jerking little Jets of sand on the body and
across the path of his tying victim, who is
soon stunned hcwildered, and loosing his
foat-grasp ON the slippery sides, falls back a
helpless prey 20 his destroyer.
Mr.. DAVIS, when ON the coast of Georgia,
many years ago, had often spent hours in
watching them, and their whole performance
could hc witnessed 10y placing one i'm cigar
box half filled with fine sand, and dropping
in some sugar or q dead locust 20 attract the
ants The ant-lion would not be i'm The
box half q day before commencing 90 earn
his livelihood 10y digging out his trap. 80
great was the habit of suhtletv in this insect
than when moving from place 10 place, II
alwavs burrowed along Just 70 little beneath
the surface OF the sand; and he had heard
II compelled 90 cross a stone, log or other
Obstruction. that 10 seized a chip Of lcafwith
It's forcops, thereby covering its body, as II
slowly and painfully toilcd backward. This
however, he could not verify from personal
observation.
Every conversation of this kind with Mr.
DAVIS recalled the saving Of some eminent
writer whose name has escaped me- that ''iI
IA q nUhIt tNlnE 10 ANAtiNttiaN nov t' tlN' O
country walk" OF words conairiHg that idea
hut more concjscly and yividly expressed
Educated hy the microscope and habits %
observation, we become afraid Of trcadial
ON some Of Cons beautiful little things a
every step.
AJaUsr 25.-Callcd upon NJ. DAVIS, nc
campauicd bv Captain GEES~oN, Of the stat
of Major General MUES officer of the day
The Captain gave me an order from Genera
NIurS. allowing the State.prisoncr DAVIS @
have a knife and fork with has meals here
after. Mr.. DAVIS was pleased, but said u,
hat learned many new usesto which spool
could be put when no other instrument wa
accessible In particular, 10 was the bos
uc7ch-pcelcr ever invented and he illustu
icd as he spoke ON q fruit that lay ON his ta
BILE Denying him a knife and fork lest h,
should commit suicide, nc said was designc,
tn represent him 90 the world as an afro
cs5us criminal. So narrowed 10y rcmor-c tina
the Oblivion OF death would be welcome
Ills early shackles had partly the same ob
ic,t. hut still more 20 degrade his cause.
Prisoners health very delicate, but tn
,rvsipsias suhsiding. Asked could he sooi
resume his walks in the open arr Tn
change Of scene being great delight an
the exercise improving has sleep.
Mr.. DAVIS OF RECONSTRUCTION.
Ar-fsF.-- or -T.lIa4 FlroD Mr. DAVIS at