The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-06-23
AN IMAGINATIVE CHER.
 GYMAN.
Philadelphia Times.

ling story of the imagination, "Allen Quartermain," will readily recall his description of the loathsome and hor- rible fresh water crabs which the ad- venturous travellers encountered on the banks of river in the heart of Africa, but there are few persons aware that nearly 250 years ago stronger and more terrible monsters were gravely reported as existing on the Delaware, and that, too, by his- torian and minister of the Gospel in 6 professedly serious work, than the romancer has introduced in his lively novel of the Dark continent.
 In February, 1643, there landed at a place called "the Rocks," on the Christiana river within the present limits of the city of Wilmington, the Rev. John Campanius, whose name is sometimes printed John Campanius Holme-the ast word being added to denote the place of his residence, Stockholm, in Sweden.
 Campanius, who came with vessel load of Swedish and Dutch immi- grants, was the second minister who visited the shores of the Delaware and the first who remained any considera- ble length of time, his predecessor, Torkillus, making only a brief stay. Campanius remained in the country six years, exercising the priestly function, seeing much of the country, the natives and the early settlers, and wrote book, which, edited by his grandson, printed originally in Swedish and translated into English, forms one of the earliest authorities on the history of New Sweden, and is for the most part trustworthy.
 His errors and congregations are at this day obvious, but when the writ ings of the clergyman first appeared ill Sweden they must have created, to say the least, the liveliest interest in this then practically unknown land, and no doubt many innocent Scandi- navians marvelled greatly at some of the things of which they were told. Of the existence of precious metals the chropicler told only such stories as were common to the other writers of the time, and for which it is easy to account, as for instance, by the quite natural error of mistaking iron pyr- ties for silver or gold. But such sto- ries were far too tame and common place for the imagination of Campan- jus. His remarks upon the firefiy are more in accordance with his romano ing style and love of the marvellous.
 He says: "There is also a kind of fly which the Indians call 'cucupo,' which in the night gives SO strong a light that is sufficient, when a man is travelling, to show him the way. One may also write and read the smallest print by the light which they give"
 And now follows an invention which would really do credit to the author of the nightmare tales of Af- rica. "When the Indians go in the night hunting," says the old time Swede, "they fasten those insects to their hands and feet, by which they cap see their way as well as in the day time," and he further states that one night they frightened all of the sol- diers on guard at Fort Christina (Wilmington), who thought that an enemy was advancing against them with torches.
 But even this does not exhibit Campanius' best powers. Alter speaking of various colored earths which might be used as ink and paint, and describing tree resembling box wood and smelling like "raw fish. D which could not be split, but when fire was built around it "melted away" he proceeds to disclose the wonders of the animal Kingdom. Among the least of these was "a kind of fish with great long teeth" (found only in the water along the shore des- tined to be the site of Philadelphia) "which the Indians call smanitto. which means spirit or devil" and which, he says, "plunges very deep in the water and spouts it up like a whale"
 The favorite subjects for the exer- else of the writer's imagination seem, however, to have been the rattlesnake and the king crab. The latter Cam panius really makes so much more formidable than Haggard's fresh water crabs, as to put that author of stalwart fiction to shame. "At Spi- der's Point" (Bembay Hook, says he, "when the south wind blows, great many ssea spiders are driven on shore, which are not abls to return into the water. They are as large as tortoises, and like them have houses over them of kind of yellow horn. They have many feet, and their tails are half an ell long, and made like three.edged saw, with which the hardest tree may