The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1866-03-23

excludes them from all legal protection
denies them the right to appeal to tn,
courts of law for redress of grievances, anG
requires the agents and officers of the bu
reau to stake jurisdiction of all cases
which concern them and their interests.
Very respectfully, your friend and fel.
low citizen, EDWARD BATES.
Battles Of the Swordfsh and the Whale.
Among the extraordinary spectaoles
sometimes witnessed by those who ego
down to the sea in ships" none are.more
impressive than combat for suprema.
oy between the monsters of the deep
The battles of the sword6sh and the whale
are described as Homerio in grandeur
The swordfsh 60 iu shoals like whales,
and the attacks are often regular sea
fights, when two troops meet. As soon as
the swordfsh have betrayed their pres
ence by few bounds in the air, the
whales draw together and close their
ranks. The swordfsh always endeavors
to take the whale in the flank, either be-
cause its cruel instinct has revealed to it
the defect in the cuirass-for there exists
near the bracbial fins of the whale a spot
where wounds are mortal-or because the
flank presents wider surface to its blows.
The swordfsh recoils to secure greater
impetus. If the movement escapes the
keen eye of its adversary, the whale is
lost, receives the blow of the enemy, and
dies almost instantly. But if the whale
perceives the sword6sh at the instant of
the rush, by spontaneous bound it
springs clear of the water its entire length
and falls on its flank with crash that re-
sounds many leagues, and whitens the
sea with boiling foam. The gigantic ami
NAL has only its tail for defence. 1t tries
to strike its enemy, and finish it with
single blow. But if the active sword6sh
avoids the fatal tail the battle becomes
more terrible. The aggressor springs
from the water in its turn, falls upon the
whale, aud attempts, not to pierce but 10
saw it with the teeth that garnish its
weapon.
The sea is stained with blood, the fury
of the whale is boundless The swordfsh
harnesses him, strikes him on every side,
kills him and flies to other vcto-
ries. Often the sword6sh has not time
to avoid the fall of the whale and
contents itself with presenting its sharp
saw to the flank of the gigantic an
imal which is about to crush it. It dies
then like Maccabaus, smothered beneath
the weight of the elephant of the ocean.
Finally the whale gives few last bounds
into the air, dragging its assassin in its
fight, perishes as it kills the monster of
which it was the victim. The heroic
combats of the sword6sh with the whale
would assuredly furnish matter for o
strange poem, in which the grand would
contend with the eccentric. The sea of
blood, loaded with INDUSTRIOUS bodies de-
void of life, and slain upon each other,
would be picture worthy of Inspiring a
rival of the singer of the Batrachomyo-
machia. If the divine Homer did not
hesitate to celebrate the wars of mice and
frogs, why should not one of the sons of
Apollo accord the recital of the formula
BILE resistance of the giant of the waters.
A ROMANTIC SToRY.-About twenty
years ago, learned Associate Justice Of
the Supreme Court of Louisiana, fell in
with what the writer of the proverb calls
"strange woman and she led him a
fast life and finally into debt. To retrieve
his fortunes, he bethought himself of
sending present of fruits and cakes to
John McDonogb, who, in those polite days
of course acknowledged it an autograph
ic and Geographic note. The autograph
was used to give validity to a promissory
note or draft for $4,000, but the forgery
was detected very quickly by the forger's
associates, and one morning he found him
self alone on the bench and no one to bear
him company or to keep him COUNSEL
He therefore fastened to the river and
threw himself in, but was rescued by some
kind-hearted fat-boatmen. He subse-
quently, however, mounted a fast horse
and made his way down the coast, and
safely got off to the then Republic of
Texas, whence ne found his way to Mex.
leo. And If any one will take the
trouble to look at the pictures of
Mexican generals lately published BY
Harpers, they will discover among them
one which is neither Iberian nor Aztec,
but genuine American. This is old John
McDonogh's friend very learned and
able man, once Judge OF Louisiana, who
first victim Of stnge woman" has
since run the noble career Of Mexican
General.
PRETTY GooD-A gentleman residing
near Boston drew the attention of the
Town Council to slough in the road as
nuisance, but no notice was taken of it,
One day he found to his amusement that
two Councilmen had walked into it by
accident, and were foundering about in
the mre, when he addressed them thus
"Gentleman of the Town Council Of
Boston-I have often petitioned to your