and the hedged and cultivated fields gave place to moors and 'blasted
heaths;' and the sombre hue of the sky imparted the same tone to our
feelings. Night had now overtaken us, and the rain was still pouring down
in torrents. Way-worn and hungry, we hailed our gloomy prison, which now
presented itself, and we looked upon it almost with joy. From the darkness
of the night we could scarcely discern the dim outline of its lofty walls
and ponderous gates, as they swung open, grating upon their hinges, to
engulf a fresh supply of misery within that sepulchre of the living. We
were now thrust into a building, reeking wet and benumbed with cold. All
was in total darkness, and we were in dread of breaking some of our limbs,
should we undertake to explore the limits or condition of our prison. As
it was, we were fain to lie down upon the stone pavement which formed the
floor of our abode. In this state we passed a long and weary night,
without bedding or covering of any kind, as our baggage had not yet
arrived. A description of the prison of Dartmoor, and of the scenes and
occurrences which took place within its walls, I shall defer to a
subsequent number, as it would occupy too much space to be embodied in
this.
FRAGMENTS FROM THE GREEK.
I.
'TELL ME, ZEPHYR.'
Tell me, Zephyr, swiftly winging,
Ne'er before such fragrance bringing,
From what rose-bed comest thou?
'Underneath a hawthorn creeping,
I beheld a maiden, sleeping,
And her breath I bear thee now!'
II.
FOUR MAIDENS DRINKING.
Streamlet! at thy mossy brink
Maidens four once stooped to drink:
Crag and wild rock tumbling o'er,
Wert thou e'er so blest before?
III.
[Greek: Deduke men ha Selana.]
Gone the Pleiades and moon,
Lo! of night it is the noon!
See! the Hours their watch are keeping;
Lovely lieth SAPPHO sleeping!
G. H. H.
AN ALLIGATORICAL SKETCH.
NUMBER TWO OF LIFE IN FLORIDA.
How thoughtful in you, my kind EDITOR, to have inquired of me touching
alligators! Think of my getting a summer's day and a more than
summer's-day delight out of this March month and latitude of forty-two,
and all by way of a thought alligatorical! Having taken that thought to
bed with me last night, I awoke about sun-rise, at the first burst of a
morning-hymn from the tree-tops at Picolata! The windows and doors were
all open, and as I glanced here and there, with what unspeakable joy did I
recognize the small cosy parlor with its comfortable lounges, the garden,
the river, the hammock, and the barracks; and with what a feeling of
delirium did I launch into the warm air to shout my delight!
Breakfasted upon hominy and syrup, fresh-made from H----'s plantation,
with alternate mouthfuls of--you can't think, Sir--straw-berries and
cream! Large, ripe straw-berries, just gathered by a pretty girl and some
one to help her, from the garden of Father Williams. Had a pleasant sail
on the St. John's after breakfast, and took the cool of the morning for a
ride through the barrens to Augustine, where I have been all day running
about town, half out of breath, dropping broken and hurried words on the
familiar thresholds, with ejaculations of 'Oh Lord!' and 'God bless you!'
and some things quite inarticulate and impossible to write;
_inspirations_, so to speak; after all which I am just now returned,
freighted with pleasant thoughts, to my closed windows, coal-fires, and
other northerly necessities. But for this, Sir, I thought to have done
with these 'Sketches,' as I like not that ambitious heading. 'Gossip'
would have been better, Sir, and more appropriate; and under that modest
title you would not have used the unintelligible stars that blaze to so
little purpose in my last paper. Ah! Sir, you should have considered how
difficult it is to gape--shocking word!--to gape gracefully!
And now to your queries: 'Is the alligator fond of his grandmother? Does
he devour his children? Does he hanker after little niggers? Is he wholly
depraved and given up to the sins of the flesh, or hath he some social and
playful qualities? And, lastly, what are his habits of life?' You have
given me quite too long a text, Sir: the more especially as I think, that
upon most of these points the animal is decidedly non-committal; but not
to hesitate for a single moment in answering your implied slanders, I
declare, in short, that if the alligator affect his grandmother, it is not
made public; and if he grieveth after little niggers, there are no
leavings of evidence; as I take it, he hath no partialities, no mincing of
morsels, no preference of parts.
I wish you to observe, Sir, at the start, that I have no resentments to
gratify, no vengeance to wreak, no sins to compare, allegatorically. I am
not rejoiced at being able to say, after some miserable deed, 'So does the
alligator.' Nor do I think it necessary to impute evil from the difficulty
of proving it. Such, to be sure, is the way of the world. The loftier, the
more unimpeachable the character, the greater is the probability that it
contain some hidden vice, some reach of horror quite worthy of
concealment; and so it is, that after much sinning ourselves, (not
before,) we attain to the relish of gossip, the deliciousness of scandal.
A scandal proved, the excitement is over; but to imagine, to wonder, to
embellish, to hover with a sneer, or a tear, as the humor happens, over a
probable enormity, is the devil's own pleasure, and to a taste properly
matured, said to be very delectable. It is in this manner that unthinking
fathers have amused themselves and their children with stories of an
animal which on _close_ acquaintance they would treat with far more
respect.
Pardon my gossipry, ah! kindest of Editors! while I ask if you believe in
the lastingness of primary impressions? And furthermore, is a countenance
pleasant or otherwise from the humor with which you regard it? Is a place
forever associated with the rain or sun that falls upon it at your first
acquaintance? In running over the brightest of my pleasant days at St.
Augustine, and there are few links wanting in that brilliant chain, I am
just now reminded of lounging one morning at the market, with mind and
waistcoat thrown open to all sunny impressions, when I observed afar off a
small colored gentleman, who was coming toward me with a directness of
motion quite unusual to people of his class.
As the morning was a little breezy and he had but one simple garment,
rudiment, so to speak, between him and the outer world, I attributed his
precision and firmness of step to a sense of delicacy as commendable as it
is rare in those parts, and immediately resolved that I would look with a
kind regard upon that individual: I would parley with him, detain him with
some idle thought, while, all unknown to him, I could seize that moment to
pry into his dark and mysterious nature, and if he proved modest and
upright, as no doubt he would, how would I astound him with a gratuitous
half-bit! Or if he resented that, (it might be,) I would have him at
nine-pins; I would send him of errands; make up objectless and _boot_-less
employment, if necessary, and so contrive to benefit him unawares; to
cherish and sustain his high moral tone, and at some future day, (it was
not impossible,) raise him to the dignity of trowsers! I would do this
without casting a single shadow upon his unsophisticated nature; I would
not deepen his complexion with a single blush!
On coming nearer, I discovered that he was carrying suspended in one hand
what appeared to be specimens of some rare and curious vegetable; strange
roots, medicinal perhaps; bulbous, yet elongated, and beet-like at the
lower extremity, but dark and rough like an artichoke; which, on close
examination, proved to be young alligators. The little nigger had them by
the tail, and they were moaning like kittens in the blindness of their
first days. I afterward discovered that they were not in good voice, from
the circumstance of being carried so long in that unnatural manner. But
what was my surprise, my delight, that an animal so Egyptian in
association, so hieroglyphical, so suggestive of dragons and monsters,
could be so delicately small, so infantile, so perfectly harmless! There
were three of them, each about six inches long, counting the tail; but how
long they had been that long, or whether they had ever been shorter, it
was impossible to say. One could not but ask, were they weaned, or were
they just 'out?' but no one could divine. We may be tolerably certain,
however, that their mother was not aware they were out, otherwise small
Bob would doubtless have had no farther rolling of marbles in those parts;
no riding of my little gray all over town 'just to air him' as he said; no
running for Massalini, the triangle and the tambourine, for our evening
dances. They were not very lively, being, as I have stated, almost gone
with grief or pain, one could hardly tell which, not being acquainted with
their manner of expression. Placed upon the ground, they were quite still
and speechless; no throbbings of fright; no extraordinary circulation, as
far as I could discover. It was at this time, however, that on looking
closer, I observed a strange expression of countenance; a wild look in the
eye; a kind of mute horror there expressed; wondering at which, the
popular belief flashed upon me at once, and I gave small Bob a look which
puzzled him exceedingly. 'Can it be then,' said I, chasing this thought
about in a distracted manner, 'can it be possible that their mother would
not have defended them from small Bob?--but that, on the contrary, (it is
a horrible thought,) she would--would have anticipated that nigger? Were
they born with an instinctive dread of that mother? Did they look
shudderingly from some pin-hole in their shells before venturing into a
wet and miserable world, where their first and last thought must forever
be to avoid, as death and destruction, those who should have brought them
their first morsels; who should have warned them of the rattlesnake; who
should have preserved them from the cat-fish? Alas! here was the
bitterness of that knowledge of evil at the first breath of life!
But waiving all this: how readily you will anticipate, Mr. EDITOR, that I
at once said to myself, I would possess those alligators. I did. They were
put up at auction, and the whole lot came down to me at half-a-bit each,
the smallest coin of the country, but a fortune to small Bob. Bob and I
went home with a new sensation! Apples and marbles to Bob; to me,
something to study, to fuss over, to care for. How refreshing, after the
excitement of balls and late suppers, to retire, and still better to rise,
upon alligators! How primitive, how scriptural, how pyramidal in
suggestion! A large tub with sufficient water to cover them well, was
placed in the yard, and tilted a little, so that they could crawl out into
the sun; a choice of vegetables and meats thrown in for supper; and the
whole family of blacks, by virtue of half-bits, were put in special charge
of the contents. As additional security, the old dog was shown, and
disliked them; cats were banished; the bear's chain made stronger; and,
not unimportant, my room looked out upon the tub. The next morning they
were inspected and found to be a trifle better in condition; but I was
mortified more than I care to express, that they had wholly refused the
dainties we had given them. And this they continued to do, so that for
more than a week thereafter, no one had seen them eating. If they had
manifested any dislike to any thing we offered, it would have been
something to build, to speculate upon; and with my after experience, I
should have had my suspicions; but all our relishes, and different
solutions, salt water and fresh, and half-and-half, were received with the
same indifference. Notwithstanding this, they grew livelier every day, and
as I thought, in better spirits. Held up by the tail, they would bark
something like a puppy when he first begins to think himself a dog; a
quick bark, with a brusque abruptness, and wondering intonation, as though
equally surprised and delighted at being able to speak so well. From this
circumstance, Mrs. ----, who roomed next door, and had a great variety of
lizards, as pets, very early exhibited a decided repugnance to mine, which
I found it impossible to remove. She thought they were vicious. I
maintained the contrary; insisted that they were a species of enlarged
lizard; and that to take any thing by the tail was always a severe trial
of temper. 'Not to inquire,' said I, 'as to the affinity in the words
_cauda_ and _chordis_, (the heart and tail of all things,) I beg to remind
you, Madam, how irresistible is the wag of the dog's tail when he is
pleased; how graceful the curl of the cat's; and how earnestly the calf,
that model of innocence, laboreth to raise _his_ what little he can; and
as to being held by the tail, what are the facts? The dog is indignant,
the cat is furious; in short, all animals resent it as an impertinence;
and I submit, could an alligator do less?' But Mrs. ---- _refused_ to like
them. I was one day taking my half dozen puffs at a cigar, (quite enough
in that climate if you would avoid the siesta,) looking down from the
balcony with an air of abstraction upon that tub, and puzzling myself as
to what could be the particular whim, the acceptable morsel to the palate,
of a young alligator, when the thought of fiddlers, the frisking, tempting
inimitable fiddlers, came to my mind so easily, that I was vexed so
evident a thing could have been overlooked. At that moment Bob was
stirring up the bear with a long pole. 'Bob,' said I, shouting across the
yard, 'Bob! fiddlers!' 'Eh?' said Bob. 'Fiddlers, Sir, fiddlers, you
rogue; run and get a bucket, a whole bucket full.' The fiddlers were soon
brought, and a handful of them thrown into the tub, when to my utter
astonishment the alligators sidled off to high-water mark, and wholly
declined their acquaintance. But here was an excitement at all events.
They were not indifferent. And now, were they disgusted, or did they
affect that? It was difficult to say; but the next morning the fiddlers
_had disappeared_! If fiddlers had not been abundant in that country they
would now have been at a premium, for they continued to disappear as often
as they were furnished; and as evidence that they did not escape from the
tub, the 'pets' now grew sensibly, barked louder and with more firmness,
and were in some degree playful. I do not mean that they had any of that
silly affectation which we see in most young animals; such as the
kittenish grasping at imaginary mice, or the dog's shaking of a stick,
with the idea that it is something very vicious; fallacies all, which
seriously considered are so pitiable and lamentable; I could detect
nothing of that credulous nature; but sometimes, on coming suddenly upon
them, I would find them lying side by side, their fore-feet put forward,
and their three noses laid together on the sunny side of the tub, with an
air of confidence and trust that was very interesting to witness. Indeed,
there was something kindlier in it than you would think of an alligator.
As to my object in keeping them, there were various rumors afloat about
town, in the utterance of which, libellous as some of them were, Mrs. ----
was perhaps the loudest and most malicious; she having hinted, among other
scandalous conjectures, that the soup from alligator-tail being very
palatable and delicate, a speculation was afoot contemplating the supply
of the northern market with that article. About this time, also, some of
her lizards were missing, and thought to have found their way to the tub;
but all surmises were soon cut short by the first cold night of that
winter, (one of them in February,) which chilled the water so that the
'pets' next morning were quite stiff, and apparently dead. By careful
nursing, however, two of them were thoroughly revived, and made to
articulate distinctly; but having no thought of a second cold night in the
same winter, the waters closed over them again, a thin ice shut out the
air, (they had not presence of mind, I suspect, to come to the surface,)
and on the morning of the second day they were quite gone. And now, in
closing this history, I do not want to be uncharitable, but I suspect Mrs.
---- was privately rejoiced at their death; indeed, the whole community,
otherwise very sensible and not devoid of sentiment, seemed to regret the
circumstance much less than would have been expected.
It will be seen, Mr. EDITOR, from this account of the alligator, that I
can say nothing as to what habits he may form in after-life; what evil he
may learn, what original sins he may develope and mature; what temptations
his power and bloody instincts may present to him; what evil resorts he
may be driven to, in an ungrateful world, when he has become case-hardened
and impenetrable to outward impressions; or, in short, what contempt he
may acquire for the fiddlers and cabbage-leaves of his early days. And
what he may do in those vast lagoons where he is undoubtedly master, or in
the black depths of the St. Johns, where the water hides the blood he may
shed, and the long moss screens him from the tiger; what orgies he may
celebrate, what abominations he may practice, when there is none to call
him to account; all this I can only conjecture; but I conjecture on the
charitable side. In the upper waters of the St. Johns I have seen them in
their death-throes; huge animals, at least fifteen feet long; seen them in
scores at a time, some swimming about, some tumbling in clumsily, some
sprawled on shore, apparently asleep, and some raising their black claws
as if to call down vengeance upon us, gnashing their teeth, and lashing
the water in their death-agony; but the howlings and smothered thunder
that others tell of, came not to my ears; and the exhibition, so furious
to others, was to me only the involuntary muscular action of pain and
dissolution. Extravagant stories are told of their great strength and
tenacity of life, and wonderful exploits are recounted by the great mass
who have lived since Agamemnon. While staying over night, not in Egypt,
but at the plantation of Doctor W----, a short time before his place was
despoiled by the Indians, he related an encounter, which though not so
remarkable, is undoubtedly true to the letter.
The doctor in his earlier days had been in some sharp battles against
Napoleon, having been a staff-officer to one of the smaller kings of
Europe; and although an exceedingly kind and benevolent man, his
skirmishing faculties were still lively and unimpaired. In this fight,
which came off at Indian River, he of course commanded the engagement, but
as it proved, not with his usual success. The alligator, one of enormous
size, was so far from the river when discovered, that the doctor had time
to call in his gang of men, and make a general attack. Seizing an axe in
one hand, and shouting 'Charge!' to his men, all who could get a footing
mounted the back of the animal, with a view to stay proceedings till the
doctor could despatch him; but to their surprise, the old fellow walked
off with his burden with apparent ease. The doctor then waived off his
men, and mounting himself, drove the bit of the axe through his hide,
probably at the fore-shoulder; but from wrenching, or some other cause, it
was found impossible to remove it. The doctor hinted that the heart
clasped the bit by strong muscular exertion, with a view to his own
private use; but this being speculative merely, I only mention the fact.
As he was now nearing the water rapidly, a rope was slipped round the butt
of the helm, a quick turn made around a stiff sapling on the bank of the
river, and all hands made fast to the rope. At this moment, just as they
were all braced, the alligator made his plunge into the water, and the
sapling, I don't remember how large, very large however, came up by the
roots, and they all went to the bottom together! Some of the negroes,
however, came back.
Another Doctor W----, who, unlike his venerated namesake, still lives to
relate the marvels of a life unusually varied, has a remarkable store of
incidents, encounters, and other matters, quite alligatorical. The doctor
will forgive me, if I mistake, but I think he told me that the monsters in
the neighborhood of his plantation had in several instances stolen his
butcher-knives and chopping instruments; a fact which he made quite
certain, by seeing them use the knives in a family way on the other side
of the lagoon; and that on one occasion, he was quite astounded at seeing
a large alligator making tracks for the water on three legs, with a
pitch-fork and crow-bar in his jaws, and a hand-saw erect and glittering
from his right arm! Upon these last, however, I do not pronounce.
And now to sum up _my_ opinion of the animal. I believe that
notwithstanding these astounding tales, he is rather peaceful and
well-disposed, when properly trained, but hath very strangely fixed upon
him an idea, not entirely original with him, that the world owes him a
living; that he makes drafts that way to an advanced age; that he is
non-committal, except upon such matters as he can commit to his private
keeping; that his stomach in that respect has great capacity; that he is
not over-nice in his diet; is plain and unassuming; is not puffed up,
seeing that his hide will not much admit of it; and if he resemble himself
to a log adrift, he considereth not what foolish creatures may alight upon
his back, or swim within his jaws; he barks no invitation, nor does he
flourish with his tail to excite their curiosity; and if they happen in
his way when he has done yawning, it is _their_ business, not his.
Lastly, what do I say to the prevalent notion that the waters of the St.
Johns, which resemble brandy and water, half-and-half, are colored by the
blood of his victims? Answer--_it is not so_. I have drank of those waters
for weeks together (stopping occasionally) and even deepened the color, in
a manner peculiar to those who travel in those parts, without feeling half
as sanguinary as I do at this moment, from the bare thought of that foul
and malicious slander.
These are the matters of faith; the facts, I give you are but two, and
perhaps only true of his younger days; that he eateth fiddlers in secret,
and dies in a temperature of twenty-six Fahrenheit.
AN EPITAPH.
This shell of stone within it keepeth
One who died not, but sleepeth;
And in her quiet slumber seemeth
As if of heaven alone she dreameth.
Her form it was so fair in seeming,
Her eyes so heavenly in their beaming,
So pure her heart in every feeling,
So high her mind in each revealing,
A band of angels thought that she
Was one of their bright company;
And on some homeward errand driven,
Hurried her too away to Heaven.
THE CHURCH BELL.
I.
That old church bell is dear to me,
When from its ancient tower
Its silvery tones sound solemnly,
To tell the service-hour;
It seems as if it almost spoke
The words of trustful prayer,
And promised to the spirit broke
With sin, a pardon there.
II.
I love it when it sadly tolls
The knell of life departed,
And gently murmurs sympathy
To mourners broken-hearted;
It whispers of a spirit passed
From doubt and pain and care,
And tells of heaven, and bids them hope
To meet the lost one there.
III.
I love it when its merry peal
Welcomes the coming day,
And rouses me from peaceful sleep
My gratitude to pay;
It bids me pray for strength to do
My daily duty given;
To hope that each successive morn
May find me nearer heaven.
VI.
Then dear is that old bell to me,
And dear its merry peal;
For 'tis a voice of sympathy
With human woe and weal;
Whether my heart with sadness sink,
Or light with pleasure dance,
It speaks to me in every tone
Of Life's significance.
J. O. W.
THE QUOD CORRESPONDENCE.
Harry Harson.
CHAPTER XXIV.