The Shasta courier., 1871-09-23
CURIOUS CLOCKS.

Inc mat Instrument uSeo Ior nOtlng tne
h ur was probably the sundial But some
means of reckoning was needed when tie
ssy was overcast To meet this wanl
c.epsyd- was invented Ii consisted uf q
veSse, c ,ntaining water, which dropped
slowly in through snrll ori6ce, which
afiat in the vessel receiving it Indicated by
its hight the lapse OF time. The sandslass
still used for many purposes, was also al
ancient invention; bur the exact date OF Ihf
invention OF. clocks Is unknown. Bv some
they are surpassed to have originated among
the monks; but as the Saracens are known
to have had them IN the el, venth e.ntu-y
it Is much more probable that the; were
introduced into European monasteries by
the Crusaders. ~
Alfrrd the Great contri, ed candle
clock. which was formed by SIX candle
each divided by pins into twelve inches -
These lighted succc>sively and burned four
hours each, at the rate ofen inch for t, cry
twenty minutes. Thus the candles lasted
In 8e9 haroun al Rasclid presented a
clock tn { harlenaene. in which were twelve
d"rrs that opened succrssively at each hour
and continued to open until noon, when the
knights on horse back then paraded around
the dial. aud disappeared within the doors,
which closed after them The Emperor
Saladin gave Frederick the Second clock
which III ,rke.i q only the hours, but also
the course of the sun. moon and planets
SJne years ago the Emperor of China re-
c.'ived from the East India Company Il
clock in the form of II chariot. in which
was seated lady. On her finger wa> a
bird set IN diamonds rnd rubies, with its
wings expanded. as il about to tax. it,
fight, and which hut,ered for some time
when = &c tain diamond utton w,s touch
ed. The body of the bird which contained
the machinery by which it was moved
me sured ahou the sixteenth If an inch
Over the lady's head were two umbrellas
under the larger of which bell Was placed
at sunIe distance from the clock and ap
parently having no connection with it. but
from which cunmu icaton was >ecretly
c"nve, ed to hammer that reg ular ly struck
fhe hour. Il her feet WIS gold dog. be.
fore which were tw" birds on spiral springs
having their wings and feathers set with
stones of various colors hey appeared to
be flying with the chariot, which. hya bid
den motive. was made to ruo in any direc
tion. boy stationed at the back seeming
tn push it forward Above the umbrellas
We're flowers and ornaments Of preciou.
stones. terminating in flying dragon sci
n the same manner. The Who'll, Was Of
geld, curiou>Iy wrought and embellished
with rubi : and pearls
lruz a merchant nf Geneva, produced
an instrume ut which excel. all others
in Ingenuity. On it were seated negro,
a shepherd and dog
Wren the clock struck, the shepherd
played six tines ON his flute. aud the dog
and flwne1 upon him. This
wonderful machine WIS exhibited to the
King of Spain, who was greatly delighted
with it.
The gentleness Of my dog" said Droz,
lis the Least merit. II your Majesty touch
oue of the apples which you see in the
shepherd b b'sket, you will admir-. the ami
mails 6del,y"
Tine king took an apple. and the dog
flew at his hand, barking $" loul that the
Kings dog. which Wis in the ron began
TO bark also At THIS the cnurtiers. u {
'luubting that WIS.,, else of witehcral
hastily left the rppn crossing th.mseive,
as they d.prrted Having desired the
Minister # 'larine (thc only one who ven
turei to remain) to ask the negro what
O'Clock il was. The Minister did so. but
abt.ired Nc reply. Droz then observed
that the negro had not yet learned Spauish.
upon which the question was repeated in
French. when the black iinme ii,tely an
sSered him At this new prodigy the
firmness OF the Minister also for,.s,k him
and he -etreated precip lately. declared
that it must be the work Of a supernatural
beine. 1t Spr,bable that in the perform
ance of these tricks Droz tnuched certain
springs in the mechanism aIthou.'h this is
not mentioned in any of the accounts OF
his clock
The large click in the world liz that
Of the Cat athedral in Sfrasbureh. 1t is one
hundred feet high. thirty feet wide und
6fteen feet deep 1t has lso wond, rful
antomata connected with it. nd has per-
formed its allotted duties for nearly5 0J0
years.