The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-03-19
Secret Writing.

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deceitS ever known in cryptography was
adopted by Histiaus in his message to
Aristagoras. advising him to revolt. This
HistiGus. then. chose one of his most ialth-
ful slaves. and having shaved his head tat
tooed it with his adyices, and after keep
inc him till his hair had grown again, dis-
patched him to AriSta@Oras with this mes
sage only Shave my head and look there
on.'' Two objections might be urged
against this method: first. il the cOmmnu-
ication was of an urgent nature (which In-
deed 1t was). the growing of the hair IN
volved some little delay; and secondly. 1t
is difficult to see why, if his slave was most
faithful. HistiPus did not intruSt the mes
sage to the slaves mind instead OF ms
skull, especially as the slave must have
known, from the pain Of the operation, that
some mystery lay there, and in his tlnc
of trial by threats and promises, would
probably have said so. The account we
have given is that offered by Herodotus,
who has been irreYerently called the
father of lies.' The story is better told by
Aulus Gelius, who says Histiseus chose
for his purpose slave who had an inlirm-
ity IN his ewes. and shaved his hair under
pretense of healing his diseased vision, and
after, when his hair was grown, sent hlm
TO Arista9OraS. bidding the slave tell the
ruler to repeat the operation. BY this yer-
sion the slaves suspicion was less likely to
be aroused, but the difficulty of the delay
still remains. Aulus Gellius denominates
the whole undertaking as an unexpected
and profound vile eXcOgitated by barbaric
craft"
Most people have tried their hand at that
sO-called secret writing whichis effected by
various vegetable juices. and brought TO
light by fire or water-here the use OF sal
ammoniac and juice of onions, of solution
of gals, and of cOpDeras, is well known.
From the time of Ovid, who advises ayOung
lady in his Art of LOUe-as If forsOOth,
Young ladies required instruction, at least
on that subiect-tO deceive all prying eyes
bya letter written with raw milk, till the
present day recipes have been prescribed
of various values to this end. One of the
most curious is that which recommends an
ink to be used made under certain cOndI-
tiOnS with the ichOr of glOw-wOrms. The
writing, says the author, may be well read
in light of moon or star. This is sure
recipe.
The story of Histi9us may be compared
with that of Harpagus, who sent letter
to CYRUS in a hare or with that of GER
tain surgeon, who, wishing TO disclose a
matter of great importance to brother of
his craft. sent him live bulldog to be dis
sected to whom he had previously admin
istered a bOluS containing the letter he
wished kept secret. so his friend was
guided by that dumb. dead. disSectedb beast,
as the wise men were guided by star.
Another applied Ms. to a sore leg in
stead of or under, the bandd9e. The
sewing of letter in a shoe is recommends
ed by Ovid. and rolling thin leaves of met
Il tat. N
another ancient author: third directs
the communication to be written on a
blown bladder. the bladder to be afterward
placed i'm flask and filled with wine.
Letters may be also written on the inside
of the sheath of 4 sword. on an arrow. on
bullet, in an egg, or rolled up in hol-
low stick-which last proceeding calls TO
mind the story of that nnfaithful de-
pOsitarv, who hid the trust-mOney
in this manner, and when called
before the Judge for breach of trust by
the deposiUor, asking the plaintiff to
! hold his stick while he kissed the Bible
with fervent devotion, swOre he had re-
turned the money, and it was mt that very
| time in the plaintiff : possession. ,AnOther
method, explained at large by a learned
Dutchman, which consisted in first writing
the letter in lilliputian character and in
reasons that want of space. be more than
alluded to here. Among 4 hundred other
devices suggested by affection or by fear,
letters were hidden in wOmen's hair, which
would now, we suppose, be represented by
their chignOns. But we can not refrain
from adding one more method which has
been proposed for secret transmission Of
sound. Let man, says the ingenious aIl-
thor, breathe his words slowly. in a long
hollow cane Theoretically sealed at the
farthest end, and then let him suddenly
and closely seal the end into which he
breathed. The voice will continue in the
tube till it has some vent. When the seal
is removed at the end which was first
sealed. the words will come out distinctly
and in order. but if the seal at the other
| end be removed. their inverted series will
create confusion This happy conception,
which seems to have been proposed in all
| good faith by its author, reminds us of the
| famous one of bottled sentences. and may
| be compared with JOSeph's grunt, towhich
! he gave vent in the execution of his trade,
and which is preserved, it is said, in crys-
| tai among other equally valuable and
sacred relics i'm a celebrated church in
Madrid.
A secret message ought, like telegram,
! to be composed in as few words as posi-
BILE. nav. in as few letters. like shorthand.
since this will save trouble to the writer
and to the reader, and will, moreover, rem
der less likely the danger OF detection.