Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-10-01

Lac Magazine contains an exceedingly
interesting article on the history of rats In
Europe:
"Tne late inundation of the Seine,
which caused so many disasters, occasion
ed one Of which there had been no expec-
tation. In entering the sewers which
open into the river, the waters drove on
an immense number of rats, who were
thus carried into the houses which stand
upon the quays or in their neighborhood.
The houses were completely overrun by
these horrible creatures, and for week
their inhabitants made incessant raids up
on them, by means of terrier dogs, traps,
and poison. In the Rue Sainte Julien le
Pauvre, in one day one hundred and forty
rats of enormous size were destroyed.
Now, the question is, whence did the
rats come which in such numbers invaded
our shores? Without designing an his
torical course of ratology, there are many
details which might be communicated re-
gardipg the origin of these creatures.
which are of very interesting nature;
rare book upon the historical curiosities Of
Paris, published about the middle of the
last century, and other works by erudite
scholars, supply much information on the
subject.
The legions, which were SO unceremo-
niously dIslodged the other day came from
the borders of the Caspian Sea. But be-
fore speaking of these foreigners, few
words are in order about the brown rat
| rat which is almost extinct, in conse-
quence Of the war which for hundred
years Trey have been compelled to carry
on with the red, or Asiatic rat.
The brown rat was himself an emigrant,
his reign was by right of conquest, not of
birth. He came with the ebarbarians from
the north. As the surface was occupied,
there was corresponding occupation be-
meath it. There was the rat OF the Gotas,
| the rat Of the Vandals, the rat of the
Huns.
The brown rat was the rat of the Van
dals. When he came to France there was
no one for him to dislodge in order to fnd
room The Gauls were not infested by
any individuals of this kind. and must
| therefore have been rather surprised at the
appearance of this unknown visitor
At the sight of the ravages by which he
first betrayed his incognito, it might have
been supposed that his coming was an i'm
mediate visitation of divine justice. A
passage of Gregory of Tours tells how the
inhabitants of Paris, who could not &C,
count for this subterranean invasion in any
rational manner, sought its explanation in
fable. Their town of Lutetia. they said,
had always been secure from fires aud the
attacks Of hurttul ANIMALS, by the protec-
ton of god to whom they had offered
homage, burying certain images in con-
secrated place. Unfortunately, in digging
sewer, one of these holy images Was DIS
placed. and then these hurttul animals
took possession of the town, and it was
ravaged by fires.
Once masters of the soil, the brown
rats moved not. They only sent an army
of occupation In the suite of William the
Conquerer, when he went to invade Eng
land and these English rats also found
means for making an irruptiou into Ire-
land. The frogs, SO abundant there,
proved delicate morsel, and they Toasted
upon them with so good an appetite that
one fine morning the whole croaking popu-
latiou had disappeared. The rats, failing
their provisions, disappeared in their turn.
Toward 1917. shortly before the Fronde,
there was a rumor in Paris that a new
kind of rat had suddenly appeared, and
distinguished itself not only by its rava-
ges, but by the desperate battles it waged
with the brown rat, the master of the SOIL
The new comerS were of an iron-gray
color, and on this account were called
vulcans.
The surmulot, the race which now
reigns, that terrible animal which cannot
be drawn from Montfaucon, and it is found
will hold good its place in the quarters of
the markets and the Palais Royal, did not
arrive till hundred years later.
In the year 1725, there were terrible
earthquakes in the countries on the borders
of the Caspian Sea. From the depth of
the abysses suddenly opened from the bo-
som of the mountain in labor, what came
forth? Rats which were large and fat, and
armed with formidable teeth, and with
their long red hair had terrible appear
ance. They advanced in immense bat
talions, and their arrival in Askalon in
the autumn of 1727 was remarkable.
Nothing stopped them, not even rivers, for
they are good swimmers. They either
passed the Volga or took possession in le-
gions of the vessels which they found there.
Others pushed on in an opposite direction.
A whole army moved simultaneously to-
ward Siberia, and having entered the little
town of Juikb, mastered it. TIE town
was then taken by assault. The attack
took place at four O'Clock in the evening,
aud quarter of the town was given up
by the conquered to the conquerors.
The vessels lying in the Russian ports,
on board. which the surmulots had taken
free passage, returned to France, and the
hungry rats were the first to disembark.
/ Twenty years later the surmulots were
masters. The black rat cannot make head
against this intruder, stronger than he is.
better armed with teeth, and renewing his
legions three times year, by birth Of
from twelve TO twenty little ones each time.
He disappeared, and his existence is now
one of the myths of the sewers of London
and Paris.
Tue black rat has been driven fro1
Eogland by the gray rat. to which the
name of Hanover rat has been given. on
account Of the time Of his appearance in
that country, and he is now master of the
situation"
J, WHERE THE YANKEs NASAL TwANo
!, CAMs FRox.-I am IN Eaglishmau
, from ona of tha northern countias I.ix.