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diff --git a/36304.txt b/36304.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fa23bef --- /dev/null +++ b/36304.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3126 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Rambles of a Naturalist, by John D. Godman + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Rambles of a Naturalist + +Author: John D. Godman + +Release Date: June 2, 2011 [EBook #36304] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Anna Hall and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + RAMBLES + + OF + + A NATURALIST. + + + + WITH A + + MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR, + + DR. JOHN D. GODMAN. + + + + PHILADELPHIA: + + PUBLISHED BY THE + + ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS FOR THE DIFFUSION OF RELIGIOUS + AND USEFUL KNOWLEDGE, + + 109 NORTH TENTH STREET. + + 1859. + + + + + The account of the life and character of DR. JOHN D. GODMAN has been + prepared from the several brief memoirs and eulogies published shortly + after his decease, and from the tract issued by "The Tract Association + of Friends," entitled "A Sketch of the Life and Character of Dr. John + D. Godman." + + "The Rambles of a Naturalist" have been republished from "The Friend," + a weekly paper, for the columns of which the essays were originally + contributed. + + + + +MEMOIR OF DR. JOHN D. GODMAN. + + +Dr. John D. Godman, the author of the pleasing descriptions which, under +their simple title, "Rambles of a Naturalist," contain so much of the +beautiful and true, was born at Annapolis, in Maryland, in the year +1798. At a very early age he was deprived, by their death, of both his +parents. He was then placed under the care of an aunt, whose +intellectual attainments and elevated piety, united to much sweetness of +disposition, eminently qualified her for the direction of the youthful +mind. His fondness for books and aptitude for learning were remarkable; +while his frank, sensitive, and sweet temper gained the affection of all +around him. It is said that he had such a reverence for truth, even from +infancy, that he was never known to equivocate. When he attained the age +of six years, his excellent aunt died. The patrimony which should have +provided for his wants, was lost through the mismanagement of those to +whom the care of it had been entrusted; and thus, without resources, +and without suitable protection, he was left exposed to adversity and +temptation. It appears, however, that the moral and religious +impressions which had already been made upon his mind, though obscured +for a time, were never obliterated. In his last illness he bore this +testimony to the affectionate religious care of his pious aunt. "If," +said he, "I have ever been led to do any good, it has been through the +influence of her example, instruction, and prayers." + +Little is known of the next ten years of his life. He appears to have +had some opportunities for attending school; but to his own native +energy and uncommon intellectual endowments, self cultured under many +obstacles and discouragements, is his future superiority of mental +attainment to be chiefly attributed. An interesting incident of his +character, after he had attained his fifteenth year, has been furnished +by a physician who was, in 1810, a senior student in the office of Dr. +Thomas E. Bond, of Baltimore. "The office," says he, "was fitted up with +taste, and boys, attracted by its appearance, would frequently drop in +to gaze on the labelled jars and drawers. Among them I discovered one +evening an interesting lad, who was amusing himself with the manner in +which his comrades pronounced the 'hard words' with which the furniture +was labelled. He appeared to be quite an adept in the Latin language. A +strong curiosity soon prompted me to inquire, 'What is your name, my +little boy?' He was small of his age. 'My name is John D. Godman.' 'Did +you study the Latin language with Mr. Creery?' 'No, he does not teach +any but an English school.' 'Do you intend to prosecute your studies +alone?' 'I do; and I will, if I live, make myself a Latin, Greek, and +French scholar.'" + +In 1812 he was bound an apprentice to a printer of a newspaper, in +Baltimore, but soon became much dissatisfied with the occupation, which, +he said, in a letter to a friend, "cramped his genius over a font of +types, where there are words without ideas." He had been placed in this +situation against his own wish, being anxious to enter a more +intellectual pursuit, and had selected that of medicine; but his +guardian was opposed to it. + +His early views of the Christian religion are thus expressed in a letter +to a friend, in the early part of 1814: "I have not ever had a fixed +determination to read the works of that modern serpent (Thomas Paine), +nor had I determined not to do it; and it seems to me surprising that a +fellow-student of yours should recommend the perusal of such writings. + +"There is a great comfort in the belief of that glorious doctrine of +salvation that teaches us to look to the Great Salvator for happiness in +a future life; and it has always been my earnest desire, and I must +endeavour to die the death of the righteous, that my last end and future +state may be like His. It would be a poor hope indeed, it would be a +sandy foundation for a dying soul, to have no hope but such as might be +derived from the works of Bolingbroke and Paine; and how rich the +consolation and satisfaction afforded by the glorious tidings of the +blessed Scriptures! It is my opinion there has never one of these modern +deists died as their writings would lead us to believe; nor are but few +of their writings read at the present day." + +About this time he appears to have left the printing-office, and became +a sailor on board the flotilla stationed in Chesapeake bay, under Com. +Barney. It was while in this situation that an incident occurred to +which he has himself attributed much of the buoyancy and energy of his +character. A raw sailor, who had been sent aloft by the captain, and was +busy in performing some duty which required him to stoop, was observed +to falter and grow dizzy. "_Look aloft_" cried the captain; and the +fainting landsman, as he instinctively obeyed the order, recovered his +strength and steadiness. The young philosopher read a moral in this +trifling incident which he never forgot, and which frequently animated +and aroused him in the most adverse circumstances. It is not treating +the subject with undue levity to add, that in the last and closing scene +of his life, when the earth was receding from his view, and his failing +strength admonished him of his peril, the watchword was still ringing in +his ear. At that awful period he "looked aloft" to "worlds beyond the +skies," and therein derived strength and hope, which supported him in +his passage through the narrow valley. + +At the close of the war, young Godman received an invitation from Dr. +L., the physician already mentioned, to come to his house in +Elizabethtown, Pa., where he would have the opportunity of studying +medicine. This offer was accepted with joy; and he resolved, by the most +indefatigable study and diligence, to deserve the kindness of his +friend. "In six weeks," says the doctor, "he had acquired more knowledge +in the different departments of medical science, than most students do +in a year. During this short period he not only read Chaptal, Fourcroy, +Chesselden, Murray, Brown, Cullen, Rush, Sydenham, Sharp, and Cooper, +but wrote annotations on each, including critical remarks on the +incongruities in their reasonings. He remained with me five months, and +at the end of that time you would have imagined from his conversation +that he was an Edinburgh graduate." When he sat down to study, he was so +completely absorbed by his subject, that scarcely any event would +withdraw his attention. + +Returning to Baltimore, he commenced the attendance of the medical +lectures in that city, and pursued his studies under the direction of an +eminent medical preceptor. In this situation he, through many affecting +difficulties, finished his education as a physician. At one time his +feelings are thus described in a letter: "I have been cast among +strangers. I have been deprived of property by fraud that was mine by +right. I have eaten the bread of misery. I have drunk of the cup of +sorrow. I have passed the flower of my days in a state little better +than slavery, and have arrived at what? Manhood, poverty, and +desolation. Heavenly Parent, teach me patience and resignation to Thy +will!" + +Professor Sewall, in his eulogy on Dr. Godman, remarks, in relation to +this period of his life: "He pursued his studies with such diligence and +zeal as to furnish, even at that early period, strong intimations of his +future eminence. So indefatigable was he in the acquisition of +knowledge, that he left no opportunity of advancement unimproved; and, +notwithstanding the deficiencies of his preparatory education, he +pressed forward with an energy and perseverance that enabled him not +only to rival, but to surpass all his fellows." + +While attending his last course of lectures in the University of +Maryland, Professor Davidge, who was his preceptor, was disabled by the +fracture of a limb from completing the course. He selected his gifted +pupil to supply his place. "This situation he filled for several weeks +with so much propriety; he lectured with such enthusiasm and eloquence; +his illustrations were so clear and happy, as to gain universal +applause. At the time he was examined for his degree, the superiority of +his mind, as well as the extent and accuracy of his knowledge, were so +apparent, that he was marked by the professors of the university as one +who was destined at some future period to confer high honour upon the +profession." + +Dr. Godman graduated in the Second month, 1818, and soon after settled +in Maryland, as a practitioner, in a county bordering on the Chesapeake, +the spot described with so much truthful beauty in some of the numbers +of his "Rambles of a Naturalist." Here he devoted all the intervals of +leisure from a laborious practice to the study of natural history, in +which, from his ardent love of the subject, and his minute, persevering +investigation of it, he became so distinguished. + +His intellectual powers had fitted him for a wider sphere than that of a +village doctor. His nature urged him to enter on a field more worthy of +his gifts. He returned to Baltimore, with the hope of being engaged in +the university as a professor, but found that arrangements different +from what he anticipated had been made. Here he married, and not long +after received an appointment to fill the chair of surgery in the +medical college of Ohio, located at Cincinnati. He was recommended by +one of the professors of the school in which he had been educated, in +this emphatic language: "In my opinion, Dr. Godman would do honour to +any school in America." + +The Ohio school not succeeding, Dr. Godman resided in Cincinnati for one +year only; but in that short period inscribed himself deeply on the +public mind. The memory of his works remains. In the midst of his varied +scientific labours, he found time to cultivate his social relations, and +every day added a new friend to the catalogue of those who loved him for +his simplicity and frankness, not less than they admired him for his +genius, vivacity, and diligence. + +He returned to Philadelphia, and soon after began to lecture on anatomy +and physiology, his first and greatest objects. His residence in this +city continued for several years, during which time he wrote many +valuable papers on scientific subjects, and published his celebrated +work, "The Natural History of American Quadrupeds," which has attained +deserved popularity. + +The fame of Dr. Godman as a teacher of anatomy was now widely spread, +and he was solicited to accept the professorship of that branch in the +Rutgers Medical College at New York. His practice soon became extensive, +and the affairs of the college prosperous, when, in the midst of his +second course of lectures, a severe cold settled on his lungs, +accompanied by a copious hemorrhage, and compelled him to abandon his +pursuits, and flee for his life to a milder region. He sailed for the +West Indies, and passed the remainder of the winter and spring in the +island of Santa Cruz. Returning after this to Philadelphia, he took a +house in Germantown, and by the labours of his pen, continued to support +his family. His consumptive disease continued, though for a time so far +mitigated, that his friends flattered themselves his life was yet to be +spared to science and his country. At this time he says of himself: "At +present, that I am comparatively well, my literary occupations form my +chief pleasure; and all the regret I experience is, that my strength is +so inadequate to my wishes. Should my health remain as it is now, I +shall do very well; and I cannot but hope, since we have recently passed +through a severe spell of cold weather without my receiving any injury. +All my prospects as a public teacher of anatomy are utterly destroyed, +as I can never hope, nor would I venture if I could, again to resume my +labours. My success promised to be very great, but it has pleased God I +should move in a different direction." + +His disease advanced with steady pace, and, though there were many +fluctuations, his strength continued to decline. The gradual progress of +his disorder allowed him many intervals of comparative ease. In these he +returned to his literary labours with his usual ardour, and wrote and +translated for the press until within a few weeks of his death. +Perfectly aware of the fatal character of his disorder, he watched its +progress step by step with the coolness of an anatomist, while he +submitted to it with the resignation of a Christian. The "Rambles of a +Naturalist" were among the last productions of his pen, and were written +in the intervals of acute pain and extreme debility. These essays are +not inferior in poetical beauty, and vivid and accurate description, to +the celebrated letters of Gilbert White on the natural history of +Selbourne. He came to the study of natural history as an investigator of +facts, and not as a pupil of the schools; his great aim being to learn +the instincts, the structure, and the habits of all animated beings. +This science was a favourite pursuit, and he devoted himself to it with +indefatigable zeal. He has been heard to say that, in investigating the +habits of the shrew mole, he walked many hundred miles. His powers of +observation were quick, patient, keen, and discriminating: it was these +qualities that made him so admirable a naturalist. + +His fame, however, rested chiefly, during his life, upon his success as +a teacher of anatomy, and in this capacity he raised himself at once to +the top of his profession. He was so intent on making his students +understand him, and he was so fully master of the subject himself, that +his clear and animated flow of eloquence never failed to rivet their +attention; and he became, wherever he taught, the idol of his pupils. +His lectures on anatomy were real analytical experiments. The subject +was placed before the class; tissue and muscle and blood, vessel and +bone, were laid bare in their turn, their use and position exemplified +to the eye, and enforced by the most lively and precise description; +while the student was at the same time receiving the most valuable +lessons in practical dissection. + +Dr. Godman had a remarkable capacity for concentrating all his powers +upon any given object of pursuit. What he had once read or observed he +rarely, if ever, forgot. Hence it was that, although his early education +was much neglected, he became an excellent linguist, and made himself +master of Latin, French, and German, besides acquiring a knowledge of +Greek, Italian, and Spanish. He had read the best works in these +languages, and wrote with facility the Latin and French. His character +and acquirements are justly portrayed by a distinguished journalist, in +the extracts which follow. "The tributes," said he, "which have been +paid in the newspapers to the late Dr. Godman, were especially due to +the memory of a man so variously gifted by nature, and so nobly +distinguished by industry and zeal in the acquisition and advancement of +science. He did not enjoy early opportunities of self-improvement, but +he cultivated his talents, as he approached manhood, with a degree of +ardour and success which supplied all deficiencies; and he finally +became one of the most accomplished general scholars and linguists, +acute and erudite naturalists, ready, pleasing, and instructive +lecturers and writers, of his country and era. The principal subject of +his study was anatomy in its main branches, in which he excelled in +every respect. His attention was much directed also to physiology, +pathology, and natural history, with an aptitude and efficiency +abundantly proved by the merits of his published works, which we need +not enumerate. + +We do not now recollect to have known any individual who inspired us +with more respect for his intellect and heart, than Dr. Godman; to whom +knowledge and discovery appeared more abstractly precious; whose eye +shed more of the lustre of generous and enlightened enthusiasm; whose +heart remained more vivid and sympathetic amidst professional labour and +responsibility, always extremely severe and urgent. Considering the +decline of his health for a long period, and the pressure of adverse +circumstances, which he too frequently experienced, he performed +prodigies as a student, an author, and a teacher; he prosecuted +extensive and diversified researches; composed superior disquisitions +and reviews, and large and valuable volumes; and in the great number of +topics which he handled simultaneously, or in immediate succession, he +touched none without doing himself credit, and producing some new +development of light, or happy forms of expression. He lingered for +years under consumption of the lungs; understood fully the incurableness +of his melancholy state; spoke and acted with an unfeigned and beautiful +resignation; toiled at his desk to the last day of his thirty-two years, +still glowing with the love of science and the domestic affections." + +Upon all this bright attainment and brighter promise for the future the +grave has closed. Divine Providence saw fit to arrest him in the midst +of his unfinished labours. We have now to view him in another and far +more important relation--that which man, as an immortal being, bears to +his Almighty Creator. + +Dr. Godman's generous and enthusiastic devotion to science and learning +commands our admiration; and perhaps no more ennobling pursuits can +occupy the mind of him who looks not beyond the present state of +existence; but when these are brought into contrast with the solemn and +momentous concerns of eternity, they sink into utter insignificance. How +then was the subject of this memoir influenced by _religious_ +considerations? + +Unhappily, the philosophical and religious opinions of Dr. Godman were +formed originally in the school of the French naturalists of the last +century. Many of the most distinguished of these men were avowed +atheists, and a still greater number rejected absolutely the Christian +revelation. Such is fallen human nature! Surrounded by the most +magnificent displays of Almighty Wisdom--placed on a scene where all +things speak of God, and invite us to worship and obey Him--a purblind +philosophy may devote herself to the study of His works, yet pass by the +testimony they furnish of His existence and attributes, and see nothing +in all this wonderful creation more noble than the mere relations of +colour and form. It was so with Dr. Godman; for, while assisted by such +lights as these, and guided alone in his investigations by perverted +reason, he became, as he tells us, _an established infidel_, rejecting +revelation, and casting all the evidences of an existing Deity beneath +his feet. In the merciful providence of a long-suffering God, the light +of truth at length beamed upon his darkened understanding. In the winter +of 1827, while engaged in his course of lectures in New York, an +incident occurred which led him to a candid perusal of the New +Testament. It was a visit to the death-bed of a Christian--the death-bed +of a student of medicine. There he saw what reason could not explain nor +philosophy fathom. He opened his Bible, and the secret was unfolded. He +was in all things a seeker of the truth, and could not satisfy himself +with any superficial examination. + +He applied himself assiduously to the study of the New Testament; and +that this sincere and thorough examination of the inspired volume was +made the means of his full conversion, will best appear from his own +eloquent pen. The following is an extract of a letter he addressed to a +medical friend, Dr. Judson, a surgeon in the navy of the United States, +who was at that time in the last stage of consumption: + + + "_Germantown, December 25th, 1828._ + +In relation to dying, my dear friend, you talk like a sick man, and just +as I used to do, when very despondent. Death is a debt we all owe to +nature, and must eventually ensue from a mere wearing out of the +machine, if not from disease. Nature certainly has a strong abhorrence +to this cessation of corporeal action, and all animals have a dread of +death who are conscious of its approach. A part of our dread of death is +purely physical, and is avoidable only by a philosophical conviction of +its necessity; but the greater part of our dread, and the terrors with +which the avenues to the grave are surrounded, are from another and a +more potent source. ''Tis conscience that makes cowards of us all,' and +forces us by our terrors to confess, that we dread something beyond +physical dissolution, and that we are terrified not at merely ceasing to +breathe, but that we have not lived as we ought to have done, have not +effected the good that was within the compass of our abilities, and +neglected to exercise the talents we possessed, to the greatest +advantage. The only remedy for this fear of death is to be sought by +approaching the Author of all things in the way prescribed by himself, +and not according to our own foolish imaginations. Humiliation of +pride, denial of self, subjection of evil tempers and dispositions, and +an entire submission to His will for support and direction, are the best +preparatives for such an approach. A perusal of the gospels, in a spirit +of real inquiry after a direction how to act, will certainly teach the +way. In these gospels the Saviour himself has preached His own +doctrines, and he who runs may read. He has prescribed the course; He +shows how the approval and mercy of God may be won; He shows how awfully +corrupt is man's nature, and how deadly his pride and stubbornness of +heart, which cause him to try every subterfuge to avoid the humiliating +confession of his own weakness, ignorance, and folly. But the same +blessed Hand has stripped death of all the terrors which brooded around +the grave, and converted the gloomy receptacle of our mortal remains +into the portal of life and light. Oh! let me die the death of the +righteous; let my last end and future state be like his! + +This is all I know on the subject. I am no theologian, and have as great +an aversion to priestcraft as one can entertain. I was once an infidel, +as I told you in the West Indies. I became a Christian from conviction +produced by the candid inquiry recommended to you. I know of no other +way in which death can be stripped of its terrors; certainly none better +can be wished. Philosophy is a fool, and pride a madman. Many persons +die with what is called _manly firmness_; that is, having acted a part +all their lives, according to their prideful creed, they must die +_game_. They put on as smooth a face as they can, to impose on the +spectators, and die _firmly_. But this is all deception: the true state +of their minds at the very time, nine times out of ten, is worse than +the most horrible imaginings even of hell itself. Some who have led +lives adapted to sear their conscience and petrify all the moral +sensibilities, die with a kind of indifference similar to that with +which a hardened convict submits to a new infliction of disgraceful +punishment. But the man who dies as a man ought to die, is the +humble-minded, believing Christian; one who has tasted and enjoyed all +the blessings of creation; who has had an enlightened view of the wisdom +and glory of his Creator; who has felt the vanity of merely worldly +pursuits and motives, and been permitted to know the mercies of a +blessed Redeemer, as he approaches the narrow house appointed for all +the living. Physical death may cause his senses to shrink and fail at +the trial; but his mind, sustained by the Rock of Ages, is serene and +unwavering. He relies not on his own righteousness, for that would be +vain; but the arms of mercy are beneath him, the ministering spirits of +the Omnipotent are around him. He does not die manfully, but he rests in +Jesus; he blesses his friends, he casts his hope on One all-powerful to +sustain and mighty to save, then sleeps in peace. He is dead, but +liveth; for He who is the resurrection and the life has declared, 'Whoso +believeth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.' 'And whosoever +liveth and believeth in me, shall never die.'" ... + + +This letter, which so truly contrasts the death-bed scene of the infidel +with that of the Christian, so beautifully portrays the history of the +change which had been effected in Dr. Godman's own sentiments and +affections, and so clearly points the benighted wanderer to the true +source of life and light, was not lost upon his friend to whom it was +addressed. It described his condition, and it reached his heart. + +Dr. Judson, though religiously instructed when young, having a pious +clergyman for his father, and another for his elder brother, had +nevertheless long since freed himself from what he called the prejudices +of education, the shackles of priestcraft, and was ranging the fields of +infidelity. He had acquired wealth and reputation, and was an estimable +man in all the domestic relations of life; but the self-denying +doctrines of the Saviour were too humbling to his proud spirit, and he +could not submit to their influence. At the time he received Dr. +Godman's letter, however, he was gloomy and despondent, looking forward +with fearful forebodings to the period of his dissolution, which seemed +not far distant. He had no confidence but that of the sceptic--no hope +but that of ceasing to be. Aware of the fatal nature of the disease +under which he had lingered for years, he had long been arming himself +to meet the king of terrors with composure, that he might die like a +philosopher, "_with manly firmness_;" but as he drew nearer to the +grave, the clouds and darkness thickened around him, and he began to +fear that there might be something beyond this narrow prison. His +infidelity now began to give way, and he inquired with solicitude: "Is +there such a thing as the new birth, and if so, in what does it +consist?" He at length consented to make the investigation recommended +by Dr. Godman. He took up the New Testament, and read it in the spirit +of candid inquiry. A conviction of the truth of its doctrines fastened +upon him. The clouds which had so long enveloped him were dissipated, +light broke in upon his mind, and he was enabled to lay hold of the +promises. The remaining days of his life were devoted to fervent prayer +and the constant study of the Scriptures. Through the holy influences of +Divine grace, he was enabled to rely with undoubting confidence on the +infinite merits of his Redeemer, his soul was filled with heavenly +composure, and the last words he uttered were, "Peace, peace." If he did +not die with "_manly firmness_," he "_rested in Jesus_." + +Dr. Godman's views of the authenticity and practical tendency of the +gospel, are expressed with singular force and beauty in the following +extract from an essay written not long before his death: + +"Is proof wanting that these gospels are true? It is only necessary for +an honest mind to read them candidly, to be convinced. Every occurrence +is stated clearly, simply, and unostentatiously. The narrations are not +supported by asseverations of their truth, nor by parade of witnesses: +the circumstances described took place in presence of vast multitudes, +and are told in that downright, unpretending manner which would have +called forth innumerable positive contradictions had they been untrue. +Mysteries are stated without attempt at explanation, because +_explanation_ is not necessary to establish the _existence_ of facts, +however mysterious. Miracles, also, attested by the presence of vast +numbers, are stated in the plainest language of narration, in which the +slightest working of imagination cannot be traced. This very simplicity, +this unaffected sincerity, and quiet affirmation, have more force than a +thousand witnesses--more efficacy than volumes of ambitious effort to +support truth by dint of argumentation. + +What motive could the evangelists have to falsify? The Christian kingdom +is not _of this world_, nor _in it_. Christianity teaches disregard of +its vanities, depreciates its honours and enjoyments, and sternly +declares that none can be Christians but those who escape from its vices +and allurements. There is no call directed to ambition, no gratification +proposed to vanity: the sacrifice of self, the denial of all the +propensities which relate to the gratification of passion or pride, with +the most humble dependence upon God, are invariably taught and most +solemnly enjoined, under penalty of the most awful consequences. Is it, +then, wonderful that such a system should find revilers? Is it +surprising that sceptics should abound, when the slightest allowance of +belief would force them to condemn all their actions? Or is it to be +wondered at that a purity of life and conversation so repugnant to human +passion, and a humility so offensive to human pride, should be opposed, +rejected, and contemned? Such is the true secret of the opposition to +_religion_--such the cause inducing men who lead unchristian lives, to +array the frailties, errors, weaknesses, and vices of individuals or +sects, against _Christianity_, hoping to weaken or destroy the system by +rendering ridiculous or contemptible those who _profess_ to be governed +by its influence, though their conduct shows them to be acting under an +opposite spirit. + +What is the mode in which this most extraordinary doctrine of +Christianity is to be diffused? By force, temporal power, temporal +rewards, earthly triumphs? None of these. By earnest persuasion, gentle +entreaty, brotherly monition, paternal remonstrance. The dread resort of +threatened punishment comes last; exhibited in sorrow, not in anger; +told as a fearful truth, not denounced with vindictive exultation; while +to the last moment the beamy shield of mercy is ready to be interposed +for the saving of the endangered. + +Human doctrines are wavering and mutable; the doctrines of the blessed +and adorable Jesus, our Saviour, are fixed and immutable. The traditions +of men are dissimilar and inconsistent; the declarations of the gospel +are harmonious, not only with each other, but with the acknowledged +attributes of the Deity, and the well-known condition of human nature. + +What do sceptics propose to give us in exchange for this system of +Christianity, with its 'hidden mysteries,' 'miracles,' 'signs and +wonders?' Doubt, confusion, obscurity, annihilation! Life, without +higher motive than selfishness; death, without hope! Is it for this that +their zeal is so warmly displayed in proselyting? Is such the gain to +accrue for the relinquishment of our souls? In very deed, this is the +utmost they have to propose; and we can only account for their rancorous +efforts to render others like themselves, by reflecting that misery +loves company." + +His intellect was strong and undimmed to the last, and almost the only +change that could be observed in his mind was that which belongs to a +being on the verge, of eternity, in whose estimate the concerns of this +life are sinking in comparison with the greater interests of that to +which he is approaching. His principal delight was in the promises and +consolations of the Bible, which was his constant companion. On one +occasion, a few days before his death, while reading aloud from the New +Testament to his family, his voice faltered, and he was desired to read +no longer, as it appeared to oppress him. "It is not that," replied he; +"but I feel so in the immediate presence of my Maker, that I cannot +control my emotion!" In a manuscript volume which he sent to a friend, +and which he intended to fill with original pieces of his own +composition, he wrote as follows: "Did I not in all things feel most +thoroughly convinced that the overruling of our plans by an all-wise +Providence is always for good, I might regret that a part of my plan +cannot be executed. This was to relate a few curious incidents from +among the events of my most singularly guided life, which, in addition +to mere novelty or peculiarity of character, could not have failed +practically to illustrate the importance of inculcating correct +religious and moral principles, and imbuing the mind therewith from the +very earliest dawn of intellect, from the very moment that the utter +imbecility of infancy begins to disappear. May His holy will be done, +who can raise up abler advocates to support the truth." "This is my +first attempt to write in my Token; why may it not be the last? Oh! +should it be, believe me, that the will of God will be most acceptable. +Notwithstanding the life of neglect, sinfulness, and perversion of heart +which I so long led, before it pleased Him to dash all my idols in the +dust, I feel a humble hope in the boundless mercy of our blessed Lord +and Saviour, who alone can save the soul from merited condemnation. May +it be in the power of those who chance to read these lines, to say, Into +thy hands I commit my spirit, for Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord! thou +God of Truth!" + +A reliance on the mercies of God through Jesus Christ became indeed the +habitual frame of his mind, and imparted to the closing scenes of his +life a solemnity and a calmness, a sweet serenity and a holy +resignation, which robbed death of its sting and the grave of its +victory. The following extracts from some of his letters afford +additional evidence of the great and glorious change which he had been +permitted to experience. + + + "_Philadelphia, Feb. 17th, 1829._ + +"MY DEAR FRIEND,--Since my last to you my health has suffered various +and most afflicting changes."--"But thanks to the mercies of Him who is +alone able to save, the valley and shadow of death were stripped of +their terrors, and the descent to the grave was smoothed before me. +Relying on the mercies and infinite merits of the Saviour, had it +pleased God to call me then, I believe I should have died in a peaceful, +humble confidence. But I have been restored to a state of comparative +health, perhaps nearly to the condition in which I was when I wrote to +Dr. Judson; and I am again allowed to think of the education of my +children and the support of my family." + + +In reply to a letter from Professor Sewall, giving an account of the +last moments of his friend Dr. Judson, he responds in the following +feeling manner: + + + "_Germantown, May 21st, 1829._ + +MY DEAR FRIEND,--I feel very grateful for your attention in sending me +an account of our dear Judson's last moments. After all his doubts, +difficulties, and mental conflicts, to know that the Father of mercies +was pleased to open his eyes to the truth, and shed abroad in his heart +the love and, salvation offered through the Redeemer, is to me a source +of the purest gratification, and a cause of the most sincere rejoicing. +The bare possibility of my having been even slightly instrumental in +effecting the blessed change of mind he experienced, excites in me +emotions of gratitude to the Source of all good which words cannot +express."--"My health has been in a very poor condition since my last to +you. The warm weather now appears to have set in, and possibly I may +improve a little, otherwise it will not be long before I follow our +lately departed friend. Let me participate in the prayers you offer for +the sick and afflicted, and may God grant me strength to die to His +honour and glory, in the hopes and constancy derived from the merits and +atonement of the blessed Saviour." + + + "_Philadelphia, Oct. 6th, 1829._ + +MY DEAR FRIEND,--My health is, as for a considerable time past, in a +very tolerable condition; that is, I can sit up a great part of the day, +writing or reading, without much injury. My emaciation is great, and, +though not very rapid, is steady, so that the change in my strength +takes place almost imperceptibly. On the whole, though I suffer greatly, +compared with persons in health, yet so gently have the chastenings of +the Lord fallen upon me, that I am hourly called upon for thankfulness +and gratitude for His unfailing mercies. Equal cause have I had for +rejoicing, that I have learned to put my whole trust in Him, as He has +raised me up help and friends in circumstances which seemed to render +even hope impossible, and has blessed me and mine with peace and content +in the midst of all afflictions, trials, and adversity." + + +In his last letter to Dr. Best, of Cincinnati, with whom he had long +maintained an affectionate correspondence, he writes: + +"It gives me great happiness to learn that you have been taught, as well +as myself, to fly to the Rock of Ages for shelter against the +afflictions of this life, and for hopes of eternal salvation. But for +the hopes afforded me by an humble reliance on the all-sufficient +atonement of our blessed Redeemer, I should have been the most wretched +of men. But I trust that the afflictions I have endured have been +sanctified to my awakening, and to the regeneration of my heart and +life. May we, my dear friend, persist to cling to the only sure support +against all that is evil in life and all that is fearful in death!" + +Dr. Best's circumstances were in several respects similar to those of +his friend Godman: like him, he had been a disbeliever in the Christian +religion, and like him had been brought by a careful examination of its +evidences to a perception and an acknowledgment of the truth. He too was +at this time languishing in consumption, which brought him to the grave +a few months after Dr. Godman; and like him he was supported and +animated by the precious faith of the gospel, and yielded up his spirit +in hope and peace. + +Professor Sewall,[A] from whose account much of this memoir has been +derived, remarks: "In the last letter which I ever received from him, +he observes: 'I have just concluded the publication of the translation +of Levasseur's account of Lafayette's progress through the United +States, which will appear next week. My health has for the last week or +two been very good, for me, since, notwithstanding my rather excessive +application during this time, I continue to do well. My cough and +expectoration are sufficiently troublesome; but by light diet, and +avoiding all irritation, I have but very little trouble from night +sweats, and generally sleep tolerably well. To-morrow I must resume my +pen to complete some articles of zoology for the Encyclopedia Americana, +now preparing in Boston. It shall be my constant endeavour to husband my +strength to the last; and, by doing as much as is consistent with safety +for the good of my fellow-creatures, endeavour to discharge a mite of +the immense debt I owe for the never-failing bounties of Providence.'" + + [A] "An Introductory Lecture delivered November 1st, 1830, by + Thomas Sewall, M. D., Professor of Anatomy and Physiology in the + Columbian College, District of Columbia." + +He did husband his strength, and he toiled with his pen almost to the +last hours of his life; and by thus doing has furnished us with a +singular evidence of the possibility of uniting the highest attainments +in science, and the most ardent devotion to letters, with the firmest +belief and the purest practice of the Christian. But the period of his +dissolution was not distant: the summons arrived; and conscious that the +messenger, who had been long in waiting, could not be bribed to tarry, +he commended his little family in a fervent prayer to Him who has +promised to be the 'Father of the fatherless, and the widow's God,' and +then, with uplifted eyes and hands, and a face beaming with joy and +confidence, resigned his spirit into the arms of his Redeemer, on the +morning of the 17th of Fourth month, 1830. + +A friend who was his constant companion during his sickness, and +witnessed his last moments, writes thus: + +"You ask me to give you an account of his last moments: they were such +as have robbed me of all terror of death, and will afford me lasting +comfort through life. The same self-composure and entire resignation +which were so remarkable through his whole sickness, supported him to +the end. Oh! it was not death; it was a release from mortal misery to +everlasting happiness. Such calmness, when he prayed for us all--such a +heavenly composure, even till the breath left him, you would have +thought he was going only a short journey. During the day, his +sufferings had been almost beyond enduring. Frequently did he pray that +the Lord would give him patience to endure all till the end, knowing +that it could not be many hours; and truly his prayers were heard. +'_Lord Jesus, receive my soul_,' were the last words he uttered, and his +countenance appeared as if he had a foretaste of heaven even before his +spirit left this world." + +The fine imagination and deep enthusiasm of Dr. Godman occasionally +burst forth in impassioned poetry. He wrote verse and prose with almost +equal facility, and had he lived and enjoyed leisure to prune the +exuberance of his style, and to bestow the last polish upon his +labours, he would have ranked as one of the great masters of our +language, both in regard to the curious felicity and the strength and +clearness of his diction. The following specimens of his poetical +compositions are selected less for their intrinsic excellence, than for +the picture which they furnish of his private meditations. + + +A MIDNIGHT MEDITATION. + + "'Tis midnight's solemn hour! now wide unfurled + Darkness expands her mantle o'er the world; + The fire-fly's lamp has ceased its fitful gleam; + The cricket's chirp is hushed; the boding scream + Of the gray owl is stilled; the lofty trees + Scarce wave their summits to the failing breeze; + All nature is at rest, or seems to sleep; + 'Tis thine alone, O man! to watch and weep! + Thine 'tis to feel thy system's sad decay, + As flares the taper of thy life away + Beneath the influence of fell disease: + Thine 'tis to _know_ the want of mental ease + Springing from memory of time misspent, + Of slighted blessings, deepest discontent + And riotous rebellion 'gainst the laws + Of health, truth, heaven, to win the world's applause! + + --Such was thy course, Eugenio; such thy hardened heart, + Till mercy spoke, and death unsheathed the dart, + Twanged his unerring bow, and drove the steel + Too deep to be withdrawn, too wide the wound to heal, + Yet left of life a feebly glimmering ray, + Slowly to sink and gently ebb away. + + --And yet, how blest am I! + While myriad others lie + In agony of fever or of pain, + With parching tongue and burning eye, + Or fiercely throbbing brain; + My feeble frame, though spoiled of rest, + Is not of comfort dispossest. + My mind awake, looks up to Thee, + Father of mercy! whose blest hand I see + In all things acting for our good, + Howe'er thy mercies be misunderstood. + + --See where the waning moon + Slowly surmounts yon dark tree-tops, + Her light increases steadily, and soon + The solemn night her stole of darkness drops: + Thus to my sinking soul, in hours of gloom, + The cheering beams of hope resplendent come, + Thus the thick clouds which sin and sorrow rear + Are changed to brightness, or swift disappear. + + Hark! that shrill note proclaims approaching day; + The distant east is streaked with lines of gray; + Faint warblings from the neighbouring groves arise, + The tuneful tribes salute the brightening skies, + Peace breathes around; dim visions o'er me creep, + The weary night outwatched, thank God! I too may sleep. + + +LINES WRITTEN UNDER A FEELING OF THE IMMEDIATE APPROACH OF DEATH. + + The damps of death are on my brow, + The chill is in my heart, + My blood has almost ceased to flow, + My hopes of life depart; + The valley and the shadow before me open wide, + But thou, O Lord! even there wilt be my guardian and my guide, + For what is pain, if Thou art nigh its bitterness to quell? + And where death's boasted victory, his last triumphant spell? + O Saviour! in that hour when mortal strength is nought, + When nature's agony comes on, and every anguished thought + Springs in the breaking heart a source of darkest woe, + Be nigh unto my soul, nor permit the floods o'erflow. + To Thee, to Thee alone! dare I raise my dying eyes; + Thou didst for all atone, by Thy wondrous sacrifice; + Oh! in Thy mercy's richness, extend Thy smiles on me, + And let my soul outspeak Thy praise, throughout eternity!" + +Beneath the above stanzas, in the manuscript alluded to, is the +following note: "Rather more than a year has elapsed since the above was +first written. Death is now certainly nearer at hand; but my sentiments +remain unchanged, except that my reliance on the Saviour is stronger." + +It was a melancholy sight to witness the premature extinction of such a +spirit; yet the dying couch on which genius, and virtue, and learning +thus lay prostrated, beamed with more hallowed lustre, and taught a more +salutary lesson, than could have been imparted by the proudest triumphs +of intellect. The memory of Dr. Godman, his blighted promise and his +unfinished labours, will long continue to call forth the vain regrets of +men of science and learning. There are those who treasure, up in their +hearts, as a more precious recollection, his humble faith and his +triumphant death, and who can meet with an eye of pity the scornful +glance of the scoffer and the infidel, at being told that if Dr. Godman +was a philosopher, he was also a Christian. + + + + +RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. + + + + +RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. + + + + +No. I. + + +From early youth devoted to the study of nature, it has always been my +habit to embrace every opportunity of increasing my knowledge and +pleasures by actual observation, and have ever found ample means of +gratifying this disposition, wherever my place has been allotted by +Providence. When an inhabitant of the country, it was sufficient to go a +few steps from the door, to be in the midst of numerous interesting +objects; when a resident of the crowded city, a healthful walk of half +an hour placed me where my favourite enjoyment was offered in abundance; +and now, when no longer able to seek in fields and woods and running +streams for that knowledge which cannot readily be elsewhere obtained, +the recollection of my former rambles is productive of a satisfaction +which past pleasures but seldom bestow. Perhaps a statement of the +manner in which my studies were pursued, may prove interesting to those +who love the works of nature, and may not be aware how great a field +for original observation is within their reach, or how vast a variety of +instructive objects are easily accessible, even to the occupants of a +bustling metropolis. To me it will be a source of great delight to +spread these resources before the reader, and enable him so cheaply to +participate in the pleasures I have enjoyed, as well as place him in the +way of enlarging the general stock of knowledge, by communicating the +results of his original observations. + +One of my favourite walks was through Turner's Lane, which is about a +quarter of a mile long, and not much wider than an ordinary street, +being closely fenced in on both sides; yet my reader may feel surprised +when informed that I found ample employment for all my leisure, during +six weeks, within and about its precincts. On entering the lane from the +Ridge road, I observed a gentle elevation of the turf beneath the lower +rails of the fence, which appeared to be uninterruptedly continuous; and +when I had cut through the verdant roof with my knife, it proved to be a +regularly arched gallery or subterranean road, along which the +inhabitants could securely travel at all hours, without fear of +discovery. The sides and bottom of this arched way were smooth and +clean, as if much used; and the raised superior portion had long been +firmly consolidated by the grass roots, intermixed with tenacious clay. +At irregular and frequently distant intervals, a side path diverged into +the neighbouring fields, and, by its superficial situation, +irregularity, and frequent openings, showed that its purpose was +temporary, or had been only opened for the sake of procuring food. +Occasionally I found a little gallery diverging from the main route +beneath the fence, towards the road, and finally opening on the grass, +as if the inmate had come out in the morning to breathe the early air, +or to drink of the crystal dew which daily gemmed the close-cropped +verdure. How I longed to detect the animal which tenanted these +galleries, in the performance of his labours! Farther on, upon the top +of a high bank, which prevented the pathway from continuing near the +fence, appeared another evidence of the industry of my yet unknown +miner. Half-a-dozen hillocks of loose, almost pulverised earth were +thrown up, at irregular distances, communicating with the main gallery +by side passages. Opening one of these carefully, it appeared to differ +little from the common gallery in size, but it was very difficult to +ascertain where the loose earth came from, nor have I ever been able to +tell, since I never witnessed the formation of these hillocks, and +conjectures are forbidden, where nothing but observation is requisite to +the decision. My farther progress was now interrupted by a delightful +brook which sparkled across the road, over a clear sandy bed; and here +my little galleries turned into the field, coursing along at a moderate +distance from the stream. I crept through the fence into the meadow on +the west side, intending to discover, if possible, the animal whose +works had first fixed my attention, but as I approached the bank of the +rivulet, something suddenly retreated towards the grass, seeming to +vanish almost unaccountably from sight. Very carefully examining the +point at which it disappeared, I found the entrance of another gallery +or burrow, but of very different construction from that first observed. +This new one was formed in the grass, near and among whose roots and +lower stems a small but regular covered way was practised. Endless, +however, would have been the attempt to follow this, as it opened in +various directions, and ran irregularly into the field, and towards the +brook, by a great variety of passages. It evidently belonged to an +animal totally different from the owner of the subterranean passage, as +I subsequently discovered, and may hereafter relate. Tired of my +unavailing pursuit, I now returned to the little brook, and seating +myself on a stone, remained for some time unconsciously gazing on the +fluid which gushed along in unsullied brightness over its pebbly bed. +Opposite to my seat was an irregular hole in the bed of the stream, into +which, in an idle mood, I pushed a small pebble with the end of my +stick. What was my surprise, in a few seconds afterwards, to observe the +water in this hole in motion, and the pebble I had pushed into it gently +approaching the surface. Such was the fact: the hole was the dwelling of +a stout little crayfish, or fresh-water lobster, who did not choose to +be incommoded by the pebble, though doubtless he attributed its sudden +arrival to the usual accidents of the stream, and not to my thoughtless +movements. He had thrust his broad lobster-like claws under the stone, +and then drawn them near to his mouth, thus making a kind of shelf; and, +as he reached the edge of the hole, he suddenly extended his claws, and +rejected the incumbrance from the lower side, or down stream. Delighted +to have found a living object with whose habits I was unacquainted, I +should have repeated my experiment, but the crayfish presently returned +with what might be called an armful of rubbish, and threw it over the +side of his cell, and down the stream, as before. Having watched him for +some time while thus engaged, my attention was caught by the +considerable number of similar holes along the margin and in the bed of +the stream. One of these I explored with a small rod, and found it to be +eight or ten inches deep, and widened below into a considerable chamber, +in which the little lobster found a comfortable abode. Like all of his +tribe, the crayfish makes considerable opposition to being removed from +his dwelling, and bit smartly at the stick with his claws: as my present +object was only to gain acquaintance with his dwelling, he was speedily +permitted to return to it in peace. Under the end of a stone lying in +the bed of the stream, something was floating in the pure current, which +at first seemed like the tail of a fish; and being desirous to obtain a +better view, I gently raised the stone on its edge, and was rewarded by +a very beautiful sight. The object first observed was the tail of a +beautiful salamander, whose sides were of a pale straw colour, flecked +with circlets of the richest crimson. Its long lizard-like body seemed +to be semi-transparent, and its slender limbs appeared like mere +productions of the skin. Not far distant, and near where the upper end +of the stone had been, lay crouched, as if asleep, one of the most +beautifully-coloured frogs I had ever beheld. Its body was slender +compared with most frogs, and its skin covered with stripes of bright +reddish-brown and grayish-green, in such a manner as to recall the +beautiful markings of the tiger's hide; and, since the time alluded to, +it has received the name of _Tigrina_ from Leconte, its first scientific +describer. How long I should have been content to gaze at these +beautiful animals, as they lay basking in the living water, I know not, +had not the intense heat made me feel the necessity of seeking a shade. +It was now past twelve o'clock: I began to retrace my steps towards the +city; and, without any particular object, moved along by the little +galleries examined in the morning. I had advanced but a short distance, +when I found the last place where I had broken open the gallery was +_repaired_. The earth was perfectly fresh, and I had lost the chance of +discovering the miner, while watching my new acquaintances in the +stream. Hurrying onward, the same circumstance uniformly presented; the +injuries were all efficiently repaired, and had evidently been very +recently completed. Here was one point gained: it was ascertained that +these galleries were still inhabited, and I hoped soon to become +acquainted with the inmates. But at this time it appeared fruitless to +delay longer, and I returned home, filled with anticipations of pleasure +from the success of my future researches. These I shall relate on +another occasion, if such narrations as the present be thought of +sufficient interest to justify their presentation to the reader. + + JOHN. + + + + +No. II. + + +On the day following my first related excursion, I started early in the +morning, and was rewarded by one sight, which could not otherwise have +been obtained, well worth the sacrifice of an hour or two of sleep. +There may be persons who will smile contemptuously at the idea of a +_man's_ being delighted with such trifles; nevertheless, we are not +inclined to envy such as disesteem the pure gratification afforded by +these simple and easily accessible pleasures. As I crossed an open lot +on my way to the lane, a succession of gossamer spider-webs, lightly +suspended from various weeds and small shrubs, attracted my attention. +The dew which had formed during the night was condensed upon this +delicate lace, in globules of most resplendent brilliance, whose clear +lustre pleased while it dazzled the sight. In comparison with the +immaculate purity of these dew-drops, which reflected and refracted the +morning light in beautiful rays, as the gossamer webs trembled in the +breeze, how poor would appear the most invaluable diamonds that were +ever obtained from Golconda or Brazil! How rich would any monarch be +that could boast the possession of _one_ such, as here glittered in +thousands on every herb and spray! They are exhaled in an hour or two, +and lost; yet they are almost daily offered to the delighted +contemplation of the real lover of nature, who is ever happy to witness +the beneficence of the great Creator, not less displayed in trivial +circumstances, than in the most wonderful of His works. + +No particular change was discoverable in the works of my little miners, +except that all the places which had been a second time broken down, +were again repaired, showing that the animal had passed between the +times of my visit; and it may not be uninteresting to observe how the +repair was effected. It appeared, when the animal arrived at the spot +broken open or exposed to the air, that it changed its direction +sufficiently downwards to raise enough of earth from the lower surface +to fill up the opening; this of course slightly altered the direction of +the gallery at this point, and though the earth thrown up was quite +pulverulent, it was so nicely arched as to retain its place, and soon +became consolidated. Having broken open a gallery where the turf was +very close, and the soil tenacious, I was pleased to find the direction +of the chamber somewhat changed: on digging farther with my clasp-knife, +I found a very beautiful cell excavated in very tough clay, deeper than +the common level of the gallery, and towards one side. This little +lodging-room would probably have held a small melon, and was nicely +arched all round. It was perfectly clear, and quite smooth, as if much +used: to examine it fully, I was obliged to open it completely. (The +next day, it was replaced by another, made a little farther to one side, +exactly of the same kind: it was replaced a second time, but when +broken up a third time, it was left in ruins.) As twelve o'clock +approached, my solicitude to discover the little miner increased to a +considerable degree: previous observation led me to believe that about +that time his presence was to be expected. I had trodden down the +gallery for some inches in a convenient place, and stood close by, in +vigilant expectation. My wishes were speedily gratified: in a short time +the flattened gallery began at one end to be raised to its former +convexity, and the animal rapidly advanced. With a beating heart, I +thrust the knife-blade down by the side of the rising earth, and quickly +turned it over to one side, throwing my prize fairly into the sunshine. +For an instant, he seemed motionless from surprise, when I caught and +imprisoned him in my hat. It would be vain for me to attempt a +description of my pleasure in having thus succeeded, small as was my +conquest. I was delighted with the beauty of my captive's fur; with the +admirable adaptation of his diggers, or broad rose-tinted hands; the +wonderful strength of his fore-limbs, and the peculiar suitableness of +his head and neck to the kind of life the Author of nature had designed +him for. It was the shrew-mole, or _scalops canadensis_, whose history +and peculiarities of structure are minutely related in the first volume +of Godman's American Natural History. All my researches never enabled me +to discover a nest, female, or young one of this species. All I ever +caught were males, though this most probably was a mere accident. The +breeding of the scalops is nearly all that is wanting to render our +knowledge of it complete. + +This little animal has eyes, though they are not discoverable during its +living condition, nor are they of any use to it above ground. In running +round a room (until it had perfectly learned where all the obstacles +stood), it would uniformly strike hard against them with its snout, and +then turn. It appeared to me as singular, that a creature which fed upon +living earth-worms with all the greediness of a pig, would not destroy +the larvae or maggots of the flesh-fly. A shrew-mole lived for many weeks +in my study, and made use of a gun-case, into which he squeezed himself, +as a burrow. Frequently he would carry the meat he was fed with into his +retreat; and, as it was warm weather, the flies deposited their eggs in +the same place. An offensive odour led me to discover this circumstance, +and I found a number of large larvae, over which the shrew-mole passed +without paying them any attention; nor would he, when hungry, accept of +such food, though nothing could exceed the eager haste with which he +seized and munched earth-worms. Often, when engaged in observing him +thus employed, have I thought of the stories told me, when a boy, of the +manner in which snakes were destroyed by swine: his voracity readily +exciting a recollection of one of these animals, and the poor worms +writhing and twining about his jaws answering for the snakes. It would +be tedious were I to relate all my rambles undertaken with a view to +gain a proper acquaintance with this creature, at all hours of the day, +and late in the evening, before day-light, etc. etc. + +Among other objects which served as an unfailing source of amusement, +when resting from the fatigue of my walks, was the little inhabitant of +the brook which is spoken of in the extract made from the "Journal of a +Naturalist," in last week's Friend. These merry swimmers occupied every +little sunny pool in the stream, apparently altogether engaged in sport. +A circumstance (not adverted to in that extract) connected with these +insects, gives them additional interest to a close observer--they are +allied by their structure and nature to those nauseous vermin, the +cimices, or _bed-bugs_; all of which, whether found infesting fruits or +our dormitories, are distinguished by their disgusting odour. But their +distant relatives, called by the boys the _water-witches_ and +_apple-smellers_, the gyrinus natator above alluded to, has a delightful +smell, exactly similar to that of the richest, mellowest apple. This +peculiarly pleasant smell frequently causes the idler many unavailing +efforts to secure some of these creatures, whose activity in water +renders their pursuit very difficult, though by no means so much so as +that of some of the long-legged water-spiders, which walk the waters +dry-shod, and evade the grasp with surprising ease and celerity. What +purposes either of these races serve in the great economy of nature, has +not yet been ascertained, and will scarcely be determined until our +store of _facts_ is far more extensive than at present. Other and still +more remarkable inhabitants of the brook, at the same time, came within +my notice, and afforded much gratification in the observation of their +habits. The description of these we are obliged to defer for the +present, as we have already occupied as much space as can be allowed to +our humble sketches. + + JOHN. + + + + +No. III. + + +In moving along the borders of the stream, we may observe, where the +sand or mud is fine and settled, a sort of mark or cutting, as if an +edged instrument had been drawn along, so as to leave behind it a track +or groove. At one end of this line, by digging a little into the mud +with the hand, you will generally discover a shell of considerable size, +which is tenanted by a molluscous animal of singular construction. On +some occasions, when the mud is washed off from the shell, you will be +delighted to observe the beautifully regular dark lines with which its +greenish smooth surface is marked. Other species are found in the same +situations, which, externally, are rough and inelegant, but within are +ornamented to a most admirable degree, presenting a smooth surface of +the richest pink, crimson, or purple, to which we have nothing of equal +elegance to compare it. If the mere shells of these creatures be thus +splendid, what shall we say of their internal structure, which, when +examined by the microscope, offers a succession of wonders? The +beautiful apparatus for respiration, formed of a network regularly +arranged, of the most exquisitely delicate texture; the foot, or organ +by which the shell is moved forward through the mud or water, composed +of an expanded spongy extremity, capable of assuming various figures to +suit particular purposes, and governed by several strong muscles, that +move it in different directions; the ovaries, filled with myriads, not +of eggs, but of perfect shells, or complete little animals, which, +though not larger than the point of a fine needle, yet, when examined by +the microscope, exhibit all the peculiarities of conformation that +belong to the parent; the mouth, embraced by the nervous ganglion, which +may be considered as the animal's brain; the stomach, surrounded by the +various processes of the liver, and the strongly acting but transparent +heart, all excite admiration and gratify our curiosity. The puzzling +question often presents itself to the inquirer: Why so much +elaborateness of construction and such exquisite ornament as are common +to most of these creatures, should be bestowed? Destined to pass their +lives in and under the mud, possessed of no sense that we are acquainted +with, except that of touch, what purpose can ornament serve in them? +However much of vanity there may be in asking the question, there is no +answer to be offered. We cannot suppose that the individuals have any +power of admiring each other, and we know that the foot is the only part +they protrude from their shell, and that the inside of the shell is +covered by the membrane called the mantle. Similar remarks may be made +relative to conchology at large: the most exquisitely beautiful forms, +colours, and ornaments are lavished upon genera and species which exist +only at immense depths in the ocean, or buried in the mud; nor can any +one form a satisfactory idea of the object the great Author of nature +had in view, in thus profusely beautifying creatures occupying so low a +place in the scale of creation. + +European naturalists have hitherto fallen into the strangest absurdities +concerning the motion of the bivalved shells, which five minutes' +observation of nature would have served them to correct. Thus, they +describe the upper part of the shell as the _lower_, and the _hind_ part +as the front, and speak of them as moving along on their rounded convex +surface, like a boat on its keel, instead of advancing with the edges or +open part of the shell towards the earth. All these mistakes have been +corrected, and the true mode of progression indicated from actual +observation, by our fellow-citizen, Isaac Lea, whose recently published +communications to the American Philosophical Society reflect the highest +credit upon their author, who is a naturalist in the best sense of the +term. + +As I wandered slowly along the borders of the run, towards a little +wood, my attention was caught by a considerable collection of shells +lying near an old stump. Many of these appeared to have been recently +emptied of their contents, and others seemed to have long remained +exposed to the weather. On most of them, at the thinnest part of the +edge, a peculiar kind of fracture was obvious, and this seemed to be the +work of an animal. A closer examination of the locality showed the +footsteps of a quadruped, which I readily believed to be the muskrat, +more especially as, upon examining the adjacent banks, numerous traces +of burrows were discoverable. It is not a little singular that this +animal, unlike all others of the larger gnawers, as the beaver, etc. +appears to increase instead of diminishing with the increase of +population. Whether it is that the dams and other works thrown up by men +afford more favourable situations for their multiplication, or their +favourite food is found in greater abundance, they certainly are quite +as numerous now, if not more so, than when the country was first +discovered, and are to be found at this time almost within the limits of +the city. By the construction of their teeth, as well as all the parts +of the body, they are closely allied to the rat kind; though in size, +and some peculiarities of habit, they more closely approximate the +beaver. They resemble the rat, especially, in not being exclusively +herbivorous, as is shown by their feeding on the uniones or muscles +above mentioned. To obtain this food requires no small exertion of their +strength; and they accomplish it by introducing the claws of their +fore-paws between the two edges of the shell, and tearing it open by +main force. Whoever has tried to force open one of these shells, +containing a living animal, may form an idea of the effort made by the +muskrat: the strength of a strong man would be requisite to produce the +same result in the same way. + +The burrows of muskrats are very extensive, and consequently injurious +to dykes and dams, meadow banks, etc. The entrance is always under +water, and thence sloping upwards above the level of the water, so that +the muskrat has to dive in going in and out. These creatures are +excellent divers and swimmers, and, being nocturnal, are rarely seen +unless by those who watch for them at night. Sometimes we alarm one near +the mouth of the den, and he darts away across the water, near the +bottom, marking his course by a turbid streak in the stream: +occasionally we are made aware of the passage of one to some distance +down the current, in the same way; but in both cases the action is so +rapidly performed, that we should scarcely imagine what was the cause, +if not previously informed. Except by burrowing into and spoiling the +banks, they are not productive of much evil, their food consisting +principally of the roots of aquatic plants, in addition to the +shell-fish. The musky odour which gives rise to their common name is +caused by glandular organs placed near the tail, filled with a viscid +and powerfully musky fluid, whose uses we know but little of, though it +is thought to be intended as a guide by which these creatures may +discover each other. This inference is strengthened by finding some such +contrivance in different races of animals, in various modifications. A +great number carry it in pouches similar to those just mentioned. Some, +as the musk animal, have the pouch under the belly; the shrew has the +glands on the side; the camel on the back of the neck; the crocodile +under the throat, etc. At least no other use has ever been assigned for +this apparatus, and in all creatures possessing it the arrangement seems +to be adapted peculiarly to the habits of the animals. The crocodile, +for instance, generally approaches the shore in such a manner as to +apply the neck and throat to the soil, while the hinder part of the body +is under water. The glands under the throat leave the traces of his +presence, therefore, with ease, as they come into contact with the +shore. The glandular apparatus on the back of the neck of the male +camel, seems to have reference to the general elevation of the olfactory +organs of the female; and the dorsal gland of the peccary, no doubt, has +some similar relation to the peculiarities of the race. + +The value of the fur of the muskrat causes many of them to be destroyed, +which is easily enough effected by means of a trap. This is a simple +box, formed of rough boards nailed together, about three feet long, +having an iron door, made of pointed bars, opening _inwards_, at both +ends of the box. This trap is placed with the end opposite to the +entrance of a burrow observed during the day-time. In the night, when +the muskrat sallies forth, he enters the box, instead of passing into +the open air, and is drowned, as the box is quite filled with water. If +the traps be visited and emptied during the night, two may be caught in +each trap, as muskrats from other burrows may come to visit those where +the traps are placed, and thus one be taken going in as well as one +coming out. These animals are frequently very fat, and their flesh has a +very wholesome appearance, and would probably prove good food. The musky +odour, however, prejudices strongly against its use; and it is probable +that the flesh is rank, as the muscles it feeds on are nauseous and +bitter, and the roots which supply the rest of its food are generally +unpleasant and acrid. Still, we should not hesitate to partake of its +flesh, in case of necessity, especially if of a young animal, from which +the musk-bag had been removed immediately after it was killed. + +In this vicinity the muskrat does not build himself a house for the +winter, as our fields and dykes are too often visited. But in other +parts of the country, where extensive marshes exist, and muskrats are +abundant, they build very snug and substantial houses, quite as +serviceable and ingenious as those of the beaver. They do not dam the +water as the beaver, nor cut branches of trees to serve for the walls of +their dwellings. They make it of mud and rushes, raising a cone two or +three feet high, having the entrance on the south side, under water. +About the year 1804, I saw several of them in Worrell's marsh, near +Chestertown, Maryland, which were pointed out to me by an old black man +who made his living principally by trapping these animals for the sake +of their skins. A few years since I visited the marshes near the mouth +of Magerthy river, in Maryland, where I was informed, by a resident, +that the muskrats still built regularly every winter. Perhaps these +quadrupeds are as numerous in the vicinity of Philadelphia as elsewhere, +as I have never examined a stream of fresh water, dyked meadow, or +mill-dam, hereabout, without seeing traces of vast numbers. Along all +the water-courses and meadows in Jersey, opposite Philadelphia, and in +the meadows of the Neck, below the Navy-Yard, there must be large +numbers of muskrats. Considering the value of the fur, and the ease and +trifling expense at which they might be caught, we have often felt +surprised that more of them are not taken, especially as we have so many +poor men complaining of wanting something to do. By thinning the number +of muskrats, a positive benefit would be conferred on the farmers and +furriers, to say nothing of the profits to the individual. + + JOHN. + + + + +No. IV. + + +My next visit to my old hunting-ground, the lane and brook, happened on +a day in the first hay-harvest, when the verdant sward of the meadows +was rapidly sinking before the keen-edged scythes swung by vigorous +mowers. This unexpected circumstance afforded me considerable pleasure, +for it promised me a freer scope to my wanderings, and might also enable +me to ascertain various particulars concerning which my curiosity had +long been awakened. Nor was this promise unattended by fruition of my +wishes. The reader may recollect that, in my first walk, a neat burrow +in the grass, above ground, was observed, without my knowing its author. +The advance of the mowers explained this satisfactorily, for in cutting +the long grass, they exposed several nests of field-mice, which, by +means of these grass-covered alleys, passed to the stream in search of +food or drink, unseen by their enemies, the hawks and owls. The numbers +of these little creatures were truly surprising: their fecundity is so +great, and their food so abundant, that, were they not preyed upon by +many other animals, and destroyed in great numbers by man, they would +become exceedingly troublesome. There are various species of them, all +bearing a very considerable resemblance to each other, and having, to an +incidental observer, much of the appearance of the domestic mouse. +Slight attention, however, is requisite to perceive very striking +differences, and the discrimination of these will prove a source of +considerable gratification to the inquirer. The nests are very nicely +made, and look much like a bird's nest, being lined with soft materials, +and usually placed in some snug little hollow, or at the root of a +strong tuft of grass. Upon the grass roots and seeds these nibblers +principally feed; and, where very abundant, the effects of their hunger +may be seen in the brown and withered aspect of the grass they have +injured at the root. But, under ordinary circumstances, the hawks, owls, +domestic cat, weasels, crows, etc. keep them in such limits, as prevent +them from doing essential damage. + +I had just observed another and a smaller grassy covered way, where the +mowers had passed along, when my attention was called towards a wagon at +a short distance, which was receiving its load. Shouts and laughter, +accompanied by a general running and scrambling of the people, indicated +that some rare sport was going forward. When I approached, I found that +the object of chase was a jumping mouse, whose actions it was truly +delightful to witness. When not closely pressed by its pursuers, it ran +with some rapidity, in the usual manner, as if seeking concealment. But +in a moment it would vault into the air, and skim along for ten or +twelve feet, looking more like a bird than a little quadruped. After +continuing this for some time, and nearly exhausting its pursuers with +running and falling over each other, the frightened creature was +accidentally struck down by one of the workmen, during one of its +beautiful leaps, and killed. As the hunters saw nothing worthy of +attention in the dead body of the animal, they very willingly resigned +it to me; and with great satisfaction I retreated to a willow shade, to +read what nature had written in its form for my instruction. The general +appearance was mouse-like; but the length and slenderness of the body, +the shortness of its fore-limbs, and the disproportionate length of its +hind-limbs, together with the peculiarity of its tail, all indicated its +adaptation to the peculiar kind of action I had just witnessed. A sight +of this little creature vaulting or bounding through the air, strongly +reminded me of what I had read of the great kangaroo of New Holland; and +I could not help regarding our little jumper as in some respects a sort +of miniature resemblance of that curious animal. It was not evident, +however, that the jumping mouse derived the aid from its tail, which so +powerfully assists the kangaroo. Though long, and sufficiently stout in +proportion, it had none of the robust muscularity which, in the New +Holland animal, impels the lower part of the body immediately upward. In +this mouse, the leap is principally, if not entirely, effected by a +sudden and violent extension of the long hind-limbs, the muscles of +which are strong, and admirably suited to their object. We have heard +that these little animals feed on the roots, etc. of the green herbage, +and that they are every season to be found in the meadows. It may +perhaps puzzle some to imagine how they subsist through the severities +of winter, when vegetation is at rest, and the earth generally frozen. +Here we find another occasion to admire the all-perfect designs of the +awful Author of nature, who has endowed a great number of animals with +the faculty of retiring into the earth, and passing whole months in a +state of repose so complete, as to allow all the functions of the body +to be suspended, until the returning warmth of the spring calls them +forth to renewed activity and enjoyment. The jumping mouse, when the +chill weather begins to draw nigh, digs down about six or eight inches +into the soil, and there forms a little globular cell, as much larger +than his own body as will allow a sufficient covering of fine grass to +be introduced. This being obtained, he contrives to coil up his body and +limbs in the centre of the soft dry grass, so as to form a complete +ball; and so compact is this, that, when taken out with the torpid +animal, it may be rolled across a floor without injury. In this snug +cell, which is soon filled up and closed externally, the jumping mouse +securely abides through all the frosts and storms of winter, needing +neither food nor fuel, being utterly quiescent, and apparently dead, +though susceptible at any time of reanimation, by being very gradually +stimulated by light and heat. + +The little burrow under examination, when called to observe the jumping +mouse, proved to be made by the merry musicians of the meadows, the +field-crickets, _acheta campestris_. These lively black crickets are +very numerous, and contribute very largely to that general song which is +so delightful to the ear of the true lover of nature, as it rises on the +air from myriads of happy creatures rejoicing amid the bounties +conferred on them by Providence. It is not _a voice_ that the crickets +utter, but a regular vibration of musical chords, produced by nibbing +the nervures of the elytra against a sort of network intended to produce +the vibrations. The reader will find an excellent description of the +apparatus in Kirby and Spence's book, but he may enjoy a much more +satisfactory comprehension of the whole, by visiting the field-cricket +in his summer residence, see him tuning his viol, and awakening the +echoes with his music. By such an examination as may be there obtained, +he may derive more knowledge than by frequent perusal of the most +eloquent writings, and perhaps observe circumstances which the learned +authors are utterly ignorant of. + +Among the great variety of burrows formed in the grass, or under the +surface of the soil, by various animals and insects, there is one that I +have often anxiously and, as yet, fruitlessly explored. This burrow is +formed by the smallest quadruped animal known to man, the minute +_shrew_, which, when full grown, rarely exceeds the weight of +_thirty-six grains_. I had seen specimens of this very interesting +creature in the museum, and had been taught, by a more experienced +friend, to distinguish its burrow, which I have often perseveringly +traced, with the hope of finding the living animal, but in vain. On one +occasion, I patiently pursued a burrow nearly round a large barn, +opening it all the way. I followed it under the barn floor, which was +sufficiently high to allow me to crawl beneath. There I traced it about +to a tiresome extent, and was at length rewarded by discovering where it +terminated, under a foundation-stone, perfectly safe from my attempts. +Most probably a whole family of them were then present, and I had my +labour for my pains. As these little creatures are nocturnal, and are +rarely seen, from the nature of the places they frequent, the most +probable mode of taking them alive would be, by placing a small +mouse-trap in their way, baited with a little tainted or slightly +spoiled meat. If a common mouse-trap be used, it is necessary to work it +over with additional wire, as this shrew could pass between the bars +even of a close mouse-trap. They are sometimes killed by cats, and thus +obtained, as the cat never eats them, perhaps on account of their rank +smell, owing to a peculiar glandular apparatus on each side, that pours +out a powerfully odorous greasy substance. The species of the shrew +genus are not all so exceedingly diminutive, as some of them are even +larger than a common mouse. They have their teeth coloured at the tips +in a remarkable manner; it is generally of a pitchy brown, or dark +chestnut hue, and, like the colouring of the teeth in the beaver and +other animals, is owing to the enamel being thus formed, and not to any +mere accident of diet. The shrews are most common about stables and +cow-houses; and there, should I ever take the field again, my traps +shall be set, as my desire to have one of these little quadrupeds is +still as great as ever. + + JOHN. + + + + +No. V. + + +Hitherto my rambles have been confined to the neighbourhood of a single +spot, with a view of showing how perfectly accessible to all, are +numerous and various interesting natural objects. This habit of +observing in the manner indicated, began many years anterior to my visit +to the spots heretofore mentioned, and have extended through many parts +of our own and another country. Henceforward my observations shall be +presented without reference to particular places, or even of one place +exclusively, but with a view to illustrate whatever may be the subject +of description, by giving all I have observed of it under various +circumstances. + +A certain time of my life was spent in that part of Anne Arundel county, +Md. which is washed by the river Patapsco on the north, the great +Chesapeake bay on the west, and the Severn river on the south. It is in +every direction cut up by creeks, or arms of the rivers and bay, into +long, flat strips of land, called necks, the greater part of which is +covered by dense pine-forests, or thickets of small shrubs and saplings, +rendered impervious to human footsteps by the growth of vines, whose +inextricable mazes nothing but a fox, wild-cat, or weasel could thread. +The soil cleared for cultivation is very generally poor, light, and +sandy, though readily susceptible of improvement, and yielding a +considerable produce in Indian corn and most of the early garden +vegetables, by the raising of which for the Baltimore market the +inhabitants obtain all their ready money. The blight of slavery has long +extended its influence over this region, where all its usual effects are +but too obviously visible. The white inhabitants are few in number, +widely distant from each other; and manifest, in their mismanagement and +half-indigent circumstances, how trifling an advantage they derive from +the thraldom of their dozen or more of sturdy blacks, of different sexes +and ages. The number of marshes formed at the heads of the creeks, +render this country frightfully unhealthy in autumn, at which time the +life of a resident physician is one of incessant toil and severe +privation. Riding from morning till night, to get round to visit a few +patients, his road leads generally through pine-forests, whose aged and +lofty trees, encircled by a dense undergrowth, impart an air of sombre +and unbroken solitude. Rarely or never does he encounter a white person +on his way, and only once in a while will he see a miserably tattered +negro, seated on a sack of corn, carried by a starveling horse or mule, +which seems poorly able to bear the weight to the nearest mill. The +red-head wood-pecker and the flicker, or yellow-hammer, a kindred +species, occasionally glance across his path; sometimes, when he turns +his horse to drink at the dark-coloured branch (as such streams are +locally called), he disturbs a solitary rufous-thrush engaged in +washing its plumes; or, as he moves steadily along, he is slightly +startled by a sudden appearance of the towhe bunting close to the side +of the path. Except these creatures, and these by no means frequently +seen, he rarely meets with animated objects: at a distance the harsh +voice of the crow is often heard, or flocks of them are observed in the +cleared fields, while now and then the buzzard, or turkey-vulture, may +be seen wheeling in graceful circles in the higher regions of the air, +sustained by his broadly-expanded wings, which apparently remain in a +state of permanent and motionless extension. At other seasons of the +year, the physician must be content to live in the most positive +seclusion: the white people are all busily employed in going to and from +market, and even were they at home, they are poorly suited for +companionship. I here spent month after month, and, except the patients +I visited, saw no one but the blacks: the house in which I boarded was +kept by a widower, who, with myself, was the only white man within the +distance of a mile or two. My only compensation was this--the house was +pleasantly situated on the bank of Curtis's creek, a considerable arm of +the Patapsco, which extended for a mile or two beyond us, and +immediately in front of the door expanded so as to form a beautiful +little bay. Of books I possessed very few, and those exclusively +professional; but in this beautiful expanse of sparkling water, I had a +book opened before me which a life-time would scarcely suffice me to +read through. With the advantage of a small but neatly made and easily +manageable skiff, I was always independent of the service of the blacks, +which was ever repugnant to my feelings and principles. I could convey +myself in whatever direction objects of inquiry might present, and as my +little bark was visible for a mile in either direction from the house, a +handkerchief waved, or the loud shout of a negro, was sufficient to +recall me, in case my services were required. + +During the spring months, and while the garden vegetables are yet too +young to need a great deal of attention, the proprietors frequently +employ their blacks in hauling the seine; and this in these creeks is +productive of an ample supply of yellow perch, which affords a very +valuable addition to the diet of all. The blacks in an especial manner +profit by this period of plenty, since they are permitted to eat of them +without restraint, which cannot be said of any other sort of provision +allowed them. Even the pigs and crows obtain their share of the +abundance, as the fishermen, after picking out the best fish, throw the +smaller ones on the beach. But as the summer months approach, the +aquatic grass begins to grow, and this fishing can no longer be +continued, because the grass rolls the seine up in a wisp, so that it +can contain nothing. At this time the spawning season of the different +species of sun-fish begins, and to me this was a time of much +gratification. Along the edge of the river, where the depth of water was +not greater than from four feet to as shallow as twelve inches, an +observer would discover a succession of circular spots cleared of the +surrounding grass, and showing a clear sandy bed. These spots, or +cleared spaces, we may regard as the nest of this beautiful fish. There, +balanced in the transparent wave, at the distance of six or eight inches +from the bottom, the sun-fish is suspended in the glittering sunshine, +gently swaying its beautiful tail and fins; or, wheeling around in the +limits of its little circle, appears to be engaged in keeping it clear +of all incumbrances. Here the mother deposits her eggs or spawn, and +never did hen guard her callow brood with more eager vigilance, than the +sun-fish the little circle within which her promised offspring are +deposited. If another individual approach too closely to her borders, +with a fierce and angry air she darts against it, and forces it to +retreat. Should any small and not too heavy object be dropped in the +nest, it is examined with jealous attention, and displaced if the owner +be not satisfied of its harmlessness. At the approach of man she flies +with great velocity into deep water, as if willing to conceal that her +presence was more than accidental where first seen. She may, after a few +minutes, be seen cautiously venturing to return, which is at length done +with volocity; then she would take a hurried turn or two around, and +scud back again to the shady bowers formed by the river grass, which +grows up from the bottom to within a few feet of the surface, and +attains to twelve, fifteen, or more feet in length. Again she ventures +forth from the depths; and, if no farther cause of fear presented, would +gently sail into the placid circle of her home, and with obvious +satisfaction explore it in every part. + +Besides the absolute pleasure I derived from visiting the habitations of +these glittering tenants of the river, hanging over them from my little +skiff, and watching their every action, they frequently furnished me +with a very acceptable addition to my frugal table. Situated as my +boarding-house was, and all the inmates of the house busily occupied in +raising vegetables to be sent to market, our bill of fare offered little +other change than could be produced by varying the mode of cookery. It +was either broiled bacon and potatoes, or fried bacon and potatoes, or +cold bacon and potatoes, and so on at least six days out of seven. But, +as soon as I became acquainted with the habits of the sun-fish, I +procured a neat circular iron hoop for a net, secured to it a piece of +an old seine, and whenever I desired to dine on _fresh_ fish, it was +only necessary to take my skiff, and push her gently along from one +sun-fish nest to another, myriads of which might be seen along all the +shore. The fish, of course, darted off as soon as the boat first drew +near, and during this absence the net was placed so as to cover the +nest, of the bottom of which the meshes but slightly intercepted the +view. Finding all things quiet, and not being disturbed by the net, the +fish would resume its central station, the net was suddenly raised, and +the captive placed in the boat. In a quarter of an hour, I could +generally take as many in this way as would serve two men for dinner; +and when an acquaintance accidentally called to see me, during the +season of sun-fish, it was always in my power to lessen our dependence +on the endless bacon. I could also always select the finest and largest +of these fish, as, while standing up in the boat, one could see a +considerable number at once, and thus choose the best. Such was their +abundance, that the next day would find all the nests reoccupied. +Another circumstance connected with this matter gave me no small +satisfaction: the poor blacks, who could rarely get time for angling, +soon learned how to use my net with dexterity; and thus, in the ordinary +time allowed them for dinner, would borrow it, run down to the shore, +and catch some fish to add to their very moderate allowance. + + JOHN. + + + + +No. VI. + + +After the sun-fish, as regular annual visitants of the small rivers +and creeks containing salt or brackish water, came the crabs, +in vast abundance, though for a very different purpose. These +singularly-constructed and interesting beings furnished me with another +excellent subject for observation; and, during the period of their +visitation, my skiff was in daily requisition. Floating along with an +almost imperceptible motion, a person looking from the shore might have +supposed her entirely adrift; for, as I was stretched at full length +across the seats, in order to bring my sight as close to the water as +possible without inconvenience, no one would have observed my presence +from a little distance. The crabs belong to a very extensive tribe of +beings which carry their _skeletons_ on the _outside_ of their bodies, +instead of within; and, of necessity, the fleshy, muscular, or moving +power of the body is placed in a situation the reverse of what occurs in +animals of a higher order, which have internal skeletons or solid frames +to their systems. This peculiarity of the crustaceous animals, and +various other beings, is attended with one apparent inconvenience--when +they have grown large enough to fill their shell or skeleton completely, +they cannot grow farther, because the skeleton, being external, is +incapable of enlargement. To obviate this difficulty, the Author of +nature has endowed them with the power of casting off the entire shell, +increasing in size, and forming another equally hard and perfect, for +several seasons successively, until the greatest or maximum size is +attained, when the change or sloughing ceases to be necessary, though it +is not always discontinued on that account. To undergo this change with +greater ease and security, the crabs seek retired and peaceful waters, +such as the beautiful creek I have been speaking of, whose clear, sandy +shores are rarely disturbed by waves causing more than a pleasing +murmur, and where the number of enemies must be far less, in proportion, +than in the boisterous waters of the Chesapeake, their great place of +concourse. From the first day of their arrival, in the latter part of +June, until the time of their departure, which in this creek occurred +towards the first of August, it was astonishing to witness the vast +multitudes which flocked towards the head of the stream. + +It is not until they have been for some time in the creek, that the +moult or sloughing generally commences. They may be then observed +gradually coming closer in shore, to where the sand is fine, fairly +exposed to the sun, and a short distance farther out than the lowest +water-mark, as they must always have at least a depth of three or four +inches water upon them. + +The individual having selected his place, becomes perfectly quiescent, +and no change is observed, during some hours, but a sort of swelling +along the edges of the great upper shell at its back part. After a time, +this posterior edge of the shell becomes fairly disengaged, like the lid +of a chest, and now the more difficult work of withdrawing the great +claws from their cases, which every one recollects to be vastly larger +at their extremities and between the joints than the joints themselves. +A still greater apparent difficulty presents in the shedding of the sort +of tendon which is placed within the muscles. Nevertheless, the Author +of nature has adapted them to the accomplishment of all this. The +disproportionate sized claws undergo a peculiar softening, which enables +the crab, by a very steadily continued, scarcely perceptible effort, to +pull them out of their shells, and the business is completed by the +separation of the complex parts about the mouth and eyes. The crab now +slips out from the slough, settling near it on the sand. It is now +covered by a soft, perfectly flexible skin; and, though possessing +precisely the same form as before, seems incapable of the slightest +exertion. Notwithstanding that such is its condition, while you are +gazing on this helpless creature, it is sinking in the fine loose sand, +and in a short time is covered up sufficiently to escape the observation +of careless or inexperienced observers. Neither can one say how this is +effected, although it occurs under their immediate observation; the +motions employed to produce the displacement of the sand are too slight +to be appreciated, though it is most probably owing to a gradual lateral +motion of the body, by which the sand is displaced in the centre +beneath, and thus gradually forced up at the sides until it falls over +and covers the crab. Examine him within twelve hours, and you will find +the skin becoming about as hard as fine writing-paper, producing a +similar crackling if compressed; twelve hours later, the shell is +sufficiently stiffened to require some slight force to bend it, and the +crab is said to be in _buckram_, as in the first stage it was in +_paper_. It is still helpless, and offers no resistance; but, at the end +of thirty-six hours, it shows that its natural instincts are in action, +and, by the time forty-eight hours have elapsed, the crab is restored to +the exercise of all his functions. I have stated the above as the +periods in which the stages of the moult are accomplished, but I have +often observed that the rapidity of this process is very much dependent +upon the temperature, and especially upon sunshine. A cold, cloudy, raw, +and disagreeable spell happening at this period, though by no means +common, will retard the operation considerably, protracting the period +of helplessness. This is the harvest season of the white fisherman and +of the poor slave. The laziest of the former are now in full activity, +wading along the shore from morning till night, dragging a small boat +after them, and holding in the other hand a forked stick, with which +they raise the crabs from the sand. The period during which the crabs +remain in the paper state is so short, that great activity is required +to gather a sufficient number to take to market, but the price at which +they are sold is sufficient to awaken all the cupidity of the crabbers. +Two dollars a dozen is by no means an uncommon price for them, when the +season first comes on: they subsequently come down to a dollar, and even +to fifty cents, at any of which rates the trouble of collecting them is +well paid. The slaves search for them at night, and then are obliged to +kindle a fire of pine-knots on the bow of the boat, which strongly +illuminates the surrounding water, and enables them to discover the +crabs. Soft crabs are, with great propriety, regarded as an exquisite +treat by those who are fond of such eating; and though many persons are +unable to use crabs or lobsters in any form, there are few who taste of +the soft crabs without being willing to recur to them. As an article of +luxury, they are scarcely known north of the Chesapeake, though there is +nothing to prevent them from being used to a considerable extent in +Philadelphia, especially since the opening of the Chesapeake and +Delaware canal. During the last summer, I had the finest soft crabs from +Baltimore. They arrived at the market in the afternoon, were fried +according to rule, and placed in a tin butter-kettle, then covered for +an inch or two with melted lard, and put on board the steam-boat which +left Baltimore at five o'clock the same afternoon. The next morning +before ten o'clock they were in Philadelphia, and at one they were +served up at dinner in Germantown. The only difficulty in the way is +that of having persons to attend to their procuring and transmission, +as, when cooked directly after they arrive at market, and forwarded with +as little delay as above mentioned, there is no danger of their being +the least injured. + +At other seasons, when the crabs did not come close to the shore, I +derived much amusement by taking them in the deep water. This is always +easily effected by the aid of proper bait: a leg of chicken, piece of +any raw meat, or a salted or spoiled herring, tied to a twine string of +sufficient length, and a hand net of convenient size, is all that is +necessary. You throw out your line and bait, or you fix as many lines to +your boat as you please, and in a short time you see, by the +straightening of the line, that the bait has been seized by a crab, who +is trying to make off with it. You then place your net where it can +conveniently be picked up, and commence steadily but gently to draw in +your line, until you have brought the crab sufficiently near the surface +to distinguish him: if you draw him nearer, he will see you, and +immediately let go; otherwise, his greediness and voracity will make him +cling to his prey to the last. Holding the line in the left hand, you +now dip your net edge foremost into the water at some distance from the +line, carry it down perpendicularly until it is five or six inches lower +than the crab, and then with a sudden turn bring it directly before him, +and lift up at the same time. Your prize is generally secured, if your +net be at all properly placed; for, as soon as he is alarmed, he pushes +directly downwards, and is received in the bag of the net. It is better +to have a little water in the bottom of the boat, to throw them into, as +they are easier emptied out of the net, always letting go when held +over the water. This a good crabber never forgets, and should he +unluckily be seized by a large crab, he holds him over the water, and is +freed at once, though he loses his game. When not held over the water, +they bite sometimes with dreadful obstinacy; and I have seen it +necessary to crush the forceps or claws before one could be induced to +let go the fingers of a boy. A poor black fellow also placed himself in +an awkward situation--the crab seized him by a finger of his right hand, +but he was unwilling to lose his captive by holding him over the water; +instead of which, he attempted to secure the other claw with his left +hand, while he tried to crush the biting claw between his teeth. In +doing this, he somehow relaxed his left hand, and with the other claw +the crab seized poor Jem by his under lip, which was by no means a thin +one, and forced him to roar with pain. With some difficulty he was freed +from his tormentor, but it was several days before he ceased to excite +laughter, as the severe bite was followed by a swelling of the lip, +which imparted a most ludicrous expression to a naturally comical +countenance. + + JOHN. + + + + +No. VII. + + +On the first arrival of the crabs, when they throng the shoals of the +creeks in vast crowds, as heretofore mentioned, a very summary way of +taking them is resorted to by the country people, and for a purpose that +few would suspect, without having witnessed it. They use a three-pronged +fork or gig, made for this sport, attached to a long handle; the +crabber, standing up in the skiff, pushes it along until he is over a +large collection of crabs, and then strikes his spear among them. By +this several are transfixed at once, and lifted into the boat, and the +operation is repeated until enough have been taken. The purpose to which +they are to be applied is to feed the hogs, which very soon learn to +collect in waiting upon the beach, when the crab spearing is going on. +Although these bristly gentry appear to devour almost all sorts of food +with great relish, it seemed to me that they regarded the crabs as a +most luxurious banquet; and it was truly amusing to see the grunters, +when the crabs were thrown on shore for them, and were scampering off in +various directions, seizing them in spite of their threatening claws, +holding them down with one foot, and speedily reducing them to a state +of helplessness by breaking off their forceps. Such a crunching and +cracking of the unfortunate crabs I never have witnessed since; and I +might have commiserated them more, had not I known that death in some +form or other was continually awaiting them, and that their devourers +were all destined to meet their fate in a few months in the stye, and +thence through the smoke-house to be placed upon our table. On the +shores of the Chesapeake I have caught crabs in a way commonly employed +by all those who are unprovided with boats and nets. This is to have a +forked stick and a baited line, with which the crabber wades out as far +as he thinks fit, and then throws out his line. As soon as he finds he +has a bite, he draws the line in, cautiously lifting but a very little +from the bottom. As soon as it is near enough to be fairly in reach, he +quickly, yet with as little movement as possible, secures the crab by +placing the forked stick across his body, and pressing him against the +sand. He must then stoop down and take hold of the crab by the two +posterior swimming legs, so as to avoid being seized by the claws. +Should he not wish to carry each crab ashore as he catches it, he +pinions or _spansels_ (as the fishermen call it) them. This is a very +effectual mode of disabling them from using their biting claws, yet it +is certainly not the most humane operation: it is done by taking the +first of the sharp-pointed feet of each side, and forcing it in for the +length of the joint behind the moveable joint or thumb of the opposite +biting claw. The crabs are then strung upon a string or wythe, and +allowed to hang in the water until the crabber desists from his +occupations. In the previous article, crabs were spoken of as curious +and interesting, and the reader may not consider the particulars thus +far given as being particularly so. Perhaps, when he takes them +altogether, he will agree that they have as much that is curious about +their construction as almost any animal we have mentioned, and in the +interesting details we have as yet made but a single step. + +The circumstance of the external skeleton has been mentioned; but who +would expect an animal as low in the scale as a crab, to be furnished +with ten or twelve pair of jaws to its mouth? Yet such is the fact; and +all these variously-constructed pieces are provided with appropriate +muscles, and move in a manner which can scarcely be explained, though it +may be very readily comprehended when once observed in living nature. +But, after all the complexity of the jaws, where would an inexperienced +person look for their teeth?--surely not in the stomach?--nevertheless, +such is their situation; and these are not mere appendages, that are +called teeth by courtesy, but stout, regular grinding teeth, with a +light brown surface. They are not only within the stomach, but fixed to +a cartilage nearest to its lower extremity, so that the food, unlike +that of other creatures, is submitted to the action of the teeth as it +is passing _from_ the stomach, instead of being chewed before it is +swallowed. In some species the teeth are five in number; but throughout +this class of animals the same general principle of construction may be +observed. Crabs and their kindred have no brain, because they are not +required to reason upon what they observe: they have a nervous system +excellently suited to their mode of life, and its knots or ganglia send +out nerves to the organs of sense, digestion, motion, etc. The senses of +these beings are very acute, especially their sight, hearing, and smell. +Most of my readers have heard of crabs' eyes, or have seen these organs +in the animal on the end of two little projecting knobs, above and on +each side of the mouth: few of them, however, have seen the crab's ear; +yet it is very easily found, and is a little triangular bump placed near +the base of the feelers. This bump has a membrane stretched over it, and +communicates with a small cavity, which is the internal ear. The _organ_ +of smell is not so easily demonstrated as that of hearing, though the +evidence of their possessing the sense to an acute degree is readily +attainable. A German naturalist inferred, from the fact of the nerve +corresponding to the olfactory nerve in man being distributed to the +antennae, in insects, that the antennae were the organs of smell in them. +Cuvier and others suggest that a similar arrangement may exist in the +crustacea. To satisfy myself whether it was so or not, I lately +dissected a small lobster, and was delighted to find that the first pair +of nerves actually went to the antennae, and gave positive support to the +opinion mentioned. I state this, not to claim credit for ascertaining +the truth or inaccuracies of a suggestion, but with a view of inviting +the reader to do the same in all cases of doubt. Where it is possible +to refer to _nature_ for the actual condition of facts, learned +_authorities_ give me no uneasiness. If I find that the structure bears +out their opinions, it is more satisfactory; when it convicts them of +absurdity, it saves much fruitless reading, as well as the trouble of +shaking off prejudices. + +The first time my attention was called to the extreme acuteness of sight +possessed by these animals, was during a walk along the flats of Long +Island, reaching towards Governor's Island, in New York, A vast number +of the small land-crabs, called fiddlers by the boys (_gecarcinus_), +occupy burrows or caves dug in the marshy soil, whence they come out and +go for some distance, either in search of food or to sun themselves. +Long before I approached close enough to see their forms with +distinctness, they were scampering towards their holes, into which they +plunged with a tolerable certainty of escape--these retreats being of +considerable depth, and often communicating with each other, as well as +nearly filled with water. On endeavouring cautiously to approach some +others, it was quite amusing to observe their vigilance--to see them +slowly change position, and, from lying extended in the sun, beginning +to gather themselves up for a start, should it prove necessary: at +length standing up, as it were, on tiptoe, and raising their +pedunculated eyes as high as possible. One quick step on the part of the +individual approaching was enough--away they would go, with a celerity +which must appear surprising to any one who had not previously +witnessed it. What is more remarkable, they possess the power of moving +equally well with any part of the body foremost; so that, when +endeavouring to escape, they will suddenly dart off to one side or the +other, without turning round, and thus elude pursuit. My observations +upon the crustaceous animals have extended through many years, and in +very various situations; and for the sake of making the general view of +their qualities more satisfactory, I will go on to state what I remarked +of some of the genera and species in the West Indies, where they are +exceedingly numerous and various. The greater proportion of the genera +feed on animal matter, especially after decomposition has begun: a large +number are exclusively confined to the deep waters, and approach the +shoals and lands only during the spawning season. Many live in the sea, +but daily pass many hours upon the rocky shores for the pleasure of +basking in the sun; others live in marshy or moist ground, at a +considerable distance from the water, and feed principally on vegetable +food, especially the sugar-cane, of which they are extremely +destructive. Others, again, reside habitually on the hills or mountains, +and visit the sea only once a year, for the purpose of depositing their +eggs in the sand. All those which reside in burrows made in moist +ground, and those coming daily on the rocks to bask in the sun, +participate in about an equal degree in the qualities of vigilance and +swiftness. Many a breathless race have I run in vain, attempting to +intercept them, and prevent their escaping into the sea. Many an hour of +cautious and solicitous endeavour to steal upon them unobserved, has +been frustrated by their long-sighted watchfulness; and several times, +when, by extreme care and cunning approaches, I have actually succeeded +in getting between a fine specimen and the sea, and had full hope of +driving him farther inland, have all my anticipations been ruined by the +wonderful swiftness of their flight, or the surprising facility with +which they would dart off in the very opposite direction, at the very +moment I felt almost sure of my prize. One day, in particular, I saw on +a flat rock, which afforded a fine sunning place, the most beautiful +crab I had ever beheld. It was of the largest size, and would have +covered a large dinner-plate, most beautifully coloured with bright +crimson below, and a variety of tints of blue, purple, and green above: +it was just such a specimen as could not fail to excite all the +solicitude of a collector to obtain. But it was not in the least +deficient in the art of self-preservation: my most careful manoeuvres +proved ineffectual, and all my efforts only enabled me to see enough of +it to augment my regrets to a high degree. Subsequently, I saw a similar +individual in the collection of a resident: this had been killed against +the rocks during a violent hurricane, with very slight injury to its +shell. I offered high rewards to the black people if they would bring me +such a one, but the most expert among them seemed to think it an +unpromising search, as they knew of no way of capturing them. If I had +been supplied with some powder of nux vomica, with which to poison some +meat, I _might_ have succeeded. + + JOHN. + + + + +No. VIII. + + +The fleet running crab (_cypoda pugilator_), mentioned as living in +burrows dug in a moist soil, and preying chiefly on the sugar-cane, is +justly regarded as one of the most noxious pests that can infest a +plantation. Their burrows extend to a great depth, and run in various +directions; they are also, like those of our fiddlers, nearly full of +muddy water, so that, when these marauders once plump into their dens, +they may be considered as entirely beyond pursuit. Their numbers are so +great, and they multiply in such numbers, as in some seasons to destroy +a large proportion of a sugar crop; and sometimes their ravages, +combined with those of the rats and other plunderers, are absolutely +ruinous to the sea-side planters. I was shown, by the superintendant of +a place thus infested, a great quantity of cane utterly killed by these +creatures, which cut it off in a peculiar manner, in order to suck the +juice; and he assured me that, during that season, the crop would be +two-thirds less than its average, solely owing to the inroads of the +crabs and rats, which, if possible, are still more numerous. It was to +me an irresistible source of amusement to observe the air of spite and +vexation with which he spoke of the crabs: the rats he could shoot, +poison, or drive off for a time with dogs. But the crabs would not eat +his poison, while sugar-cane was growing; the dogs could only chase them +into their holes; and if, in helpless irritation, he sometimes fired his +gun at a cluster of them, the shot only rattled over their shells like +hail against a window. It is truly desirable that some summary mode of +lessening their number could be devised, and it is probable that this +will be best effected by poison, as it may be possible to obtain a bait +sufficiently attractive to ensnare them. Species of this genus are found +in various parts of our country, more especially towards the south. +About Cape May, our friends may have excellent opportunities of testing +the truth of what is said of their swiftness and vigilance. + +The land-crab, which is common to many of the West India Islands, is +more generally known as the Jamaica crab, because it has been most +frequently described from observation in that island. Wherever found, +they have all the habit of living, during great part of the year, in the +highlands, where they pass the day-time concealed in huts, cavities, and +under stones, and come out at night for their food. They are remarkable +for collecting in vast bodies, and marching annually to the sea-side, in +order to deposit their eggs in the sand; and this accomplished, they +return to their former abodes, if undisturbed. They commence their march +in the night, and move in the most direct line towards the destined +point. So obstinately do they pursue this route, that they will not turn +out of it for any obstacle that can possibly be surmounted. During the +day-time they skulk and lie hid as closely as possible, but thousands +upon thousands of them are taken for the use of the table, by whites and +blacks, as on their seaward march they are very fat, and of fine +flavour. On the homeward journey, those that have escaped capture are +weak, exhausted, and unfit for use. Before dismissing the crabs, I must +mention one which was a source of much annoyance to me at first, and of +considerable interest afterwards, from the observation of its habits. At +that time I resided in a house delightfully situated about two hundred +yards from the sea, fronting the setting sun, having in clear weather +the lofty mountains of Porto Rico, distant about eighty miles, in view. +Like most of the houses in the island, ours had seen better days, as was +evident from various breaks in the floors, angles rotted off the doors, +sunken sills, and other indications of decay. Our sleeping room, which +was on the lower floor, was especially in this condition; but as the +weather was delightfully warm, a few cracks and openings, though rather +large, did not threaten much inconvenience. Our bed was provided with +that indispensable accompaniment, a musquito bar or curtain, to which we +were indebted for escape from various annoyances. Scarcely had we +extinguished the light, and composed ourselves to rest, when we heard, +in various parts of the room, the most startling noises. It appeared as +if numerous hard and heavy bodies were trailed along the floor; then +they sounded as if climbing up by the chairs and other furniture, and +frequently something like a large stone would tumble down from such +elevations, with a loud noise, followed by a peculiar chirping noise. +What an effect this produced upon entirely inexperienced strangers, may +well be imagined by those who have been suddenly waked up in the dark, +by some unaccountable noise in the room. Finally, these invaders began +to ascend the bed; but happily the musquito bar was securely tucked +under the bed all around, and they were denied access, though their +efforts and tumbles to the floor produced no very comfortable +reflections. Towards day-light they began to retire, and in the morning +no trace of any such visitants could be perceived. On mentioning our +troubles, we were told that this nocturnal disturber was only Bernard +the Hermit, called generally the soldier-crab, perhaps from the peculiar +habit he has of protecting his body by thrusting it into any empty +shell, which he afterwards carries about until he outgrows it, when it +is relinquished for a larger. Not choosing to pass another night quite +so noisily, due care was taken to exclude Monsieur Bernard, whose +knockings were thenceforward confined to the outside of the house. I +baited a large wire rat-trap with some corn-meal, and placed it outside +of the back door, and in the morning found it literally half filled with +these crabs, from the largest-sized shell that could enter the trap, +down to such as were not larger than a hickory-nut. Here was a fine +collection made at once, affording a very considerable variety in the +size and age of the specimens, and the different shells into which they +had introduced themselves. + +The soldier or hermit-crab, when withdrawn from his adopted shell, +presents, about the head and claws, a considerable family resemblance to +the lobster. The claws, however, are very short and broad, and the body +covered with hard shell only in that part which is liable to be exposed +or protruded. The posterior or abdominal part of the body is covered +only by a tough skin, and tapers towards a small extremity, furnished +with a sort of hook-like apparatus, enabling it to hold on to its +factitious dwelling. Along the surface of its abdomen, as well as on the +back, there are small projections, apparently intended for the same +purpose. When once fairly in possession of a shell, it would be quite a +difficult matter to pull the crab out, though a very little heat applied +to the shell will quickly induce him to leave it. The shells they select +are taken solely with reference to their suitableness, and hence you may +catch a considerable number of the same species, each of which is in a +different species or genus of shell. The shells commonly used by them, +when of larger size, are those of the whilk, which are much used as an +article of food by the islanders, or the smaller conch [strombus] +shells. The very young hermit-crabs are found in almost every variety of +small shell found on the shores of the Antilles. I have frequently been +amused by ladies eagerly engaged in making collections of these +beautiful little shells, and not dreaming of their being tenanted by a +living animal, suddenly startled, on displaying their acquisitions, by +observing them to be actively endeavouring to escape; or, on introducing +the hand into the reticule to produce a particularly fine specimen, to +receive a smart pinch from the claws of the little hermit. The instant +the shell is closely approached or touched, they withdraw as deeply into +the shell as possible, and the small ones readily escape observation, +but they soon become impatient of captivity, and try to make off. The +species of this genus (_pagurus_) are very numerous, and during the +first part of their lives are all aquatic; that is, they are hatched in +the little pools about the margin of the sea, and remain there until +those that are destined to live on land are stout enough to commence +their travels. The hermit-crabs, which are altogether aquatic, are by no +means so careful to choose the lightest and thinnest shells, as the land +troops. The aquatic soldiers may be seen towing along shells of the most +disproportionate size; but their relatives, who travel over the hills by +moonlight, know that all unnecessary incumbrance of weight should be +avoided. They are as pugnacious and spiteful as any of the crustaceous +class; and when taken, or when they fall and jar themselves +considerably, utter a chirping noise, which is evidently an angry +expression. They are ever ready to bite with their claws, and the pinch +of the larger individuals is quite painful. It is said that, when they +are changing their shells, for the sake of obtaining more commodious +coverings, they frequently fight for possession, which may be true where +two that have forsaken their old shells meet, or happen to make choice +of the same vacant one. It is also said, that one crab is sometimes +forced to give up the shell he is in, should a stronger chance to desire +it. This, as I never saw it, I must continue to doubt; for I cannot +imagine how the stronger could possibly accomplish his purpose, seeing +that the occupant has nothing to do but keep close quarters. The invader +would have no chance of seizing him to pull him out, nor could he do him +any injury by biting upon the surface of his hard claws, the only part +that would be exposed. If it be true that one can dispossess the other, +it must be by some contrivance of which we are still ignorant. These +soldier-crabs feed on a great variety of substances, scarcely refusing +anything that is edible: like the family they belong to, they have a +decided partiality for putrid meats, and the planters accuse them also +of too great a fondness for the sugar-cane. Their excursions are +altogether nocturnal: in the day-time they lie concealed very +effectually in small holes, among stones, or any kind of rubbish, and +are rarely taken notice of, even where hundreds are within a short +distance of each other. The larger soldier-crabs are sometimes eaten by +the blacks, but they are not much sought after even by them, as they are +generally regarded with aversion and prejudice. There is no reason, that +we are aware of, why they should not be as good as many other crabs, but +they certainly are not equally esteemed. + + JOHN. + + + + +No. IX. + + +Those who have only lived in forest countries, where vast tracts are +shaded by a dense growth of oak, ash, chestnut, hickory, and other trees +of deciduous foliage, which present the most pleasing varieties of +verdure and freshness, can have but little idea of the effect produced +on the feelings by aged forests of pine, composed in a great degree of a +single species, whose towering summits are crowned with one dark green +canopy, which successive seasons find unchanged, and nothing but death +causes to vary. Their robust and gigantic trunks rise an hundred or more +feet high, in purely proportioned columns, before the limbs begin to +diverge; and their tops, densely clothed with long, bristling foliage, +intermingle so closely as to allow of but slight entrance to the sun. +Hence, the undergrowth of such forests is comparatively slight and thin, +since none but shrubs, and plants that love the shade, can flourish +under this perpetual exclusion of the animating and invigorating rays of +the great exciter of the vegetable world. Through such forests, and by +the merest foot-paths, in great part, it was my lot to pass many miles +almost every day; and had I not endeavoured to derive some amusement and +instruction from the study of the forest itself, my time would have been +as fatiguing to me, as it was certainly quiet and solemn. But wherever +nature is, and under whatever form she may present herself, enough is +always proffered to fix attention and produce pleasure, if we will +condescend to observe with carefulness. I soon found that even a +pine-forest was far from being devoid of interest, and shall endeavour +to prove this by stating the result of various observations made during +the time I lived in this situation. + +The common pitch, or, as it is generally called, Norway pine, grows from +a seed, which is matured in vast abundance in the large cones peculiar +to the pines. This seed is of a rather triangular shape, thick and heavy +at the part by which it grows from the cone, and terminating in a broad +membranous fan or sail, which, when the seeds are shaken out by the +wind, enables them to sail obliquely through the air to great distances. +Should an old corn-field, or other piece of ground, be thrown out of +cultivation for more than one season, it is sown with pine-seeds by the +winds, and the young pines shoot up as closely and compactly as hemp. +They continue to grow in this manner until they become twelve or fifteen +feet high, until their roots begin to encroach on each other, or until +the stoutest and best rooted begin to overtop so as entirely to shade +the smaller. These gradually begin to fail, and finally dry up and +perish, and a similar process is continued until the best trees acquire +room enough to grow without impediment. Even when the young pines have +attained to thirty or forty feet in height, and are as thick as a man's +thigh, they stand so closely together that their lower branches, which +are all dry and dead, are intermingled sufficiently to prevent any one +from passing between the trees, without first breaking these +obstructions away. I have seen such a wood as that just mentioned, +covering an old corn-field, whose ridges were still distinctly to be +traced, and which an old resident informed me he had seen growing in +corn. In a part of this wood, which was not far from my dwelling, I had +a delightful retreat, that served me as a private study or closet, +though enjoying all the advantages of the open air. A road that had once +passed through the field, and was of course more compacted than any +other part, had denied access to the pine-seeds for a certain distance, +while on each side of it they grew with their usual density. The ground +was covered with the soft layer or carpet of dried pine leaves which +gradually and imperceptibly fall throughout the year, making a most +pleasant surface to tread on, and rendering the step perfectly +noiseless. By beating off with a stick all the dried branches that +projected towards the vacant space, I formed a sort of chamber, fifteen +or twenty feet long, which above was canopied by the densely-mingled +branches of the adjacent trees, which altogether excluded or scattered +the rays of the sun, and on all sides was so shut in by the trunks of +the young trees, as to prevent all observation. Hither, during the hot +season, I was accustomed to retire for the purpose of reading or +meditation; and within this deeper solitude, where all was solitary, +very many of the subsequent movements of my life were suggested or +devised. + +From all I could observe, and all the inquiries I could get answered, it +appeared that this rapidly-growing tree does not attain its full growth +until it is eighty or ninety years old, nor does its time of full health +and vigour much exceed an hundred. Before this time it is liable to the +attacks of insects, but these are of a kind that bore the tender spring +shoots to deposit their eggs therein, and their larvae appear to live +principally on the sap, which is very abundant, so that the tree is but +slightly injured. But after the pine has attained its acme, it is +attacked by an insect which deposits its egg in the body of the tree, +and the larva devours its way through the solid substance of the timber; +so that, after a pine has been for one or two seasons subjected to these +depredators, it will be fairly riddled, and, if cut down, is unfit for +any other purpose than burning. Indeed, if delayed too long, it is +poorly fit for firewood, so thoroughly do these insects destroy its +substance. At the same time that one set of insects is engaged in +destroying the body, myriads of others are at work under the bark, +destroying the sap vessels, and the foliage wears a more and more pale +and sickly appearance as the tree declines in vigour. If not cut down, +it eventually dies, becomes leafless, stripped of its bark, and, as the +decay advances, all the smaller branches are broken off; and it stands +with its naked trunk and a few ragged limbs, as if bidding defiance to +the tempest which howls around its head. Under favourable circumstances, +a large trunk will stand in this condition for nearly a century, so +extensive and powerful are its roots, so firm and stubborn the original +knitting of its giant frame. At length some storm, more furious than all +its predecessors, wrenches those ponderous roots from the soil, and +hurls the helpless carcass to the earth, crushing all before it in its +fall. Without the aid of fire, or some peculiarity of situation +favourable to rapid decomposition, full another hundred years will be +requisite to reduce it to its elements, and obliterate the traces of its +existence. Indeed, long after the lapse of more than that period, we +find the heart of the pitch-pine still preserving its original form, +and, from being thoroughly imbued with turpentine, become utterly +indestructible except by fire. + +If the proprietor attend to the warnings afforded by the wood-pecker, he +may always cut his pines in time to prevent them from being injured by +insects. The wood-peckers run up and around the trunks, tapping from +time to time with their powerful bill. The bird knows at once by the +sound whether there be insects below or not. If the tree is sound, the +wood-pecker soon forsakes it for another; should he begin to break into +the bark, it is to catch the worm; and such trees are at once to be +marked for the axe. In felling such pines, I found the woodmen always +anxious to avoid letting them strike against neighbouring sound trees, +as they said that the insects more readily attacked an injured tree than +one whose bark was unbroken. The observation is most probably correct; +at least the experience of country folks in such matters is rarely +wrong, though they sometimes give very odd reasons for the processes +they adopt. + +A full-grown pine-forest is at all times a grand and majestic object to +one accustomed to moving through it. Those vast and towering columns, +sustaining a waving crown of deepest verdure; those robust and rugged +limbs standing forth at a vast height overhead, loaded with the cones of +various seasons; and the diminutiveness of all surrounding objects +compared with these gigantic children of nature, cannot but inspire +ideas of seriousness, and even of melancholy. But how awful and even +tremendous does such a situation become, when we hear the first wailings +of the gathering storm, as it stoops upon the lofty summits of the pine, +and soon increases to a deep hoarse roaring, as the boughs begin to wave +in the blast, and the whole tree is forced to sway before its power. In +a short time the fury of the wind is at its height, the loftiest trees +bend suddenly before it, and scarce regain their upright position ere +they are again obliged to cower beneath its violence. Then the tempest +literally howls, and amid the tremendous reverberations of thunder, and +the blazing glare of the lightning, the unfortunate wanderer hears +around him the crash of numerous trees hurled down by the storm, and +knows not but the next may be precipitated upon him. More than once have +I witnessed all the grandeur, dread, and desolation of such a scene, and +have always found safety either by seeking as quickly as possible a spot +where there were none but young trees, or, if on a main road, choosing +the most open and exposed situation out of the reach of the large trees. +There, seated on my horse, who seemed to understand the propriety of +such patience, I would quietly remain, however thoroughly drenched, +until the fury of the wind was completely over. To say nothing of the +danger from falling trees, the peril of being struck by the lightning, +which so frequently shivers the loftiest of them, is so great as to +render any attempt to advance at such time highly imprudent. + +Like the ox among animals, the pine-tree may be looked upon as one of +the most universally useful of the sons of the forest. For all sorts of +building, for firewood, tar, turpentine, rosin, lamp-black, and a vast +variety of other useful products, this tree is invaluable to man. Nor is +it a pleasing contemplation, to one who knows its usefulness, to observe +to how vast an amount it is annually destroyed in this country, beyond +the proportion that nature can possibly supply. However, we are not +disposed to believe that this evil will ever be productive of very great +injury, especially as coal fuel is becoming annually more extensively +used. Nevertheless, were I the owner of a pine-forest, I should exercise +a considerable degree of care in the selection of the wood for the axe. + + JOHN. + + + + +No. X. + + +Among the enemies with which the farmers of a poor or light soil have to +contend, I know of none so truly formidable and injurious as the crows, +whose numbers, cunning, and audacity can scarcely be appreciated, except +by those who have had long-continued and numerous opportunities of +observation. Possessed of the most acute senses, and endowed by nature +with a considerable share of reasoning power, these birds bid defiance +to almost all the contrivances resorted to for their destruction; and +when their numbers have accumulated to vast multitudes, which annually +occurs, it is scarcely possible to estimate the destruction they are +capable of effecting. Placed in a situation where every object was +subjected to close observation, as a source of amusement, it is not +surprising that my attention should be drawn to so conspicuous an object +as the crow; and having once commenced remarking the peculiarities of +this bird, I continued to bestow attention upon it during many years, in +whatever situation it was met with. The thickly-wooded and well-watered +parts of the State of Maryland, as affording them a great abundance of +food, and almost entire security during their breeding season, are +especially infested by these troublesome creatures, so that at some +times of the year they are collected in numbers which would appear +incredible to any one unaccustomed to witness their accumulations. + +Individually, the common crow (_corvus corona_) may be compared in +character with the brown or Norway rat, being, like that quadruped, +addicted to all sorts of mischief, destroying the lives of any small +creatures that may fall in its way, plundering with audacity wherever +anything is exposed to its rapaciousness, and triumphing by its cunning +over the usual artifices employed for the destruction of ordinary +noxious animals. Where food is at any time scarce, or the opportunity +for such marauding inviting, there is scarcely a young animal about the +farm-yards safe from the attacks of the crow. Young chickens, ducks, +goslings, and even little pigs, when quite young and feeble, are carried +off by them. They are not less eager to discover the nests of domestic +fowls; and will sit very quietly in sight, at a convenient distance, +until the hen leaves the nest, and then fly down and suck her eggs at +leisure. But none of their tricks excited in me a greater interest, than +the observation of their attempts to rob a hen of her chicks. The crow, +alighting at a little distance from the hen, would advance in an +apparently careless way towards the brood, when the vigilant parent +would bristle up her feathers, and rush at the black rogue to drive him +off. After several such approaches, the hen would become very angry, and +would chase the crow to a greater distance from the brood. This is the +very object the robber has in view, for, as long as the parent keeps +near her young, the crow has very slight chance of success; but as soon +as he can induce her to follow him to a little distance from the brood, +he takes advantage of his wings, and, before she can regain her place, +has flown over her, and seized one of her chickens. When the cock is +present, there is still less danger from such an attack, for chanticleer +shows all his vigilance and gallantry in protecting his tender +offspring, though it frequently happens that the number of hens with +broods renders it impossible for him to extend his care to all. When the +crow tries to carry off a gosling from the mother, it requires more +daring and skill, and is far less frequently successful than in the +former instance. If the gander be in company, which he almost uniformly +is, the crow has his labour in vain. Notwithstanding the advantages of +flight and superior cunning, the honest vigilance and determined bravery +of the former are too much for him. His attempts to approach, however +cautiously conducted, are promptly met, and all his tricks rendered +unavailing, by the fierce movements of the gander, whose powerful blows +the crow seems to be well aware might effectually disable him. The first +time I witnessed such a scene, I was at the side of the creek, and saw +on the opposite shore a goose with her goslings, beset by a crow: from +the apparent alarm of the mother and brood, it seemed to me they must be +in great danger, and I called to the owner of the place, who happened to +be in sight, to inform him of their situation. Instead of going to their +relief, he shouted back to me, to ask if the gander was not there too; +and as soon as he was answered in the affirmative, he bid me be under no +uneasiness, as the crow would find his match. Nothing could exceed the +cool impudence and pertinacity of the crow, who, perfectly regardless of +my shouting, continued to worry the poor gander for an hour, by his +efforts to obtain a nice gosling for his next meal. At length, convinced +of the fruitlessness of his efforts, he flew off to seek some more +easily procurable food. Several crows sometimes unite to plunder the +goose of her young, and are then generally successful, because they are +able to distract the attention of the parents, and lure them farther +from their young. + +In the summer the crows disperse in pairs, for the purpose of raising +their young, and then they select lofty trees in the remotest parts of +the forest, upon which, with dry sticks and twigs, they build a large +strong nest, and line it with softer materials. They lay four or five +eggs, and, when they are hatched, feed, attend, and watch over their +young with the most zealous devotion. Should any one by chance pass near +the nest while the eggs are still unhatched, or the brood are very +young, the parents keep close, and neither by the slightest movement nor +noise betray their presence. But if the young are fledged, and beginning +to take their first lessons in flying, the approach of a man, especially +if armed with a gun, calls forth all their cunning and solicitude. The +young are immediately placed in the securest place at hand, where the +foliage is thickest, and remain perfectly motionless and quiet. Not so +the alarmed parents, both of which fly nearer and nearer to the hunter, +uttering the most discordant screams, with an occasional peculiar note, +which seems intended to direct or warn their young. So close do they +approach, and so clamorous are they as the hunter endeavours to get a +good view of them on the tree, that he is almost uniformly persuaded the +young crows are also concealed there; but he does not perceive, as he is +cautiously trying to get within gun-shot, that they are moving from tree +to tree, and at each remove are farther and farther from the place where +the young are hid. After continuing this trick until it is impossible +that the hunter can retain any idea of the situation of the young ones, +the parents cease their distressing outcries, fly quietly to the most +convenient lofty tree, and calmly watch the movements of their +disturber. Now and then they utter a loud quick cry, which seems +intended to bid their offspring lie close and keep quiet, and it is very +generally the case that they escape all danger by their obedience. An +experienced crow-killer watches eagerly for the tree where the crows +first start from; and if this can be observed, he pays no attention to +their clamours, nor pretence of throwing themselves in his way, as he is +satisfied they are too vigilant to let him get a shot at them; and if he +can see the young, he is tolerably sure of them all, because of their +inability to fly or change place readily. + +The time of the year in which the farmers suffer most from them, is in +the spring, before their enormous congregations disperse, and when they +are rendered voracious by the scantiness of their winter fare. Woe +betide the corn-field which is not closely watched, when the young grain +begins to shoot above the soil! If not well guarded, a host of these +marauders will settle upon it at the first light of the dawn, and before +the sun has risen far above the horizon, will have plundered every shoot +of the germinating seed, by first drawing it skilfully from the moist +earth by the young stalk, and then swallowing the grain. The negligent +or careless planter, who does not visit his fields before breakfast, +finds, on his arrival, that he must either replant his corn, or +relinquish hopes of a crop; and, without the exertion of due vigilance, +he may be obliged to repeat this process twice or thrice the same +season. Where the crows go to rob a field in this way, they place one or +more sentinels, according to circumstances, in convenient places; and +these are exceedingly vigilant, uttering a single warning call, which +puts the whole to flight the instant there is the least appearance of +danger or interruption. Having fixed their sentinels, they begin +regularly at one part of the field, and pursuing the rows along, pulling +up each shoot in succession, and biting off the corn at the root. The +green shoots thus left along the rows, as if they had been arranged with +care, offer a melancholy memorial of the work which has been effected by +these cunning and destructive plunderers. + +Numerous experiments have been made, where the crows are thus +injurious, to avert their ravages; and the method I shall now relate I +have seen tried with the most gratifying success. In a large tub a +portion of tar and grease were mixed, so as to render the tar +sufficiently thin and soft, and to this was added a portion of slacked +lime in powder, and the whole stirred until thoroughly incorporated. The +seed-corn was then thrown in, and stirred with the mixture until each +grain received a uniform coating. The corn was then dropped in the +hills, and covered as usual. This treatment was found to retard the +germination about three days, as the mixture greatly excludes moisture +from the grain. But the crows did no injury to the field: they pulled up +a small quantity in different parts of the planting, to satisfy +themselves it was all alike; upon becoming convinced of which, they +quietly left it for some less carefully managed grounds, where pains had +not been taken to make all the corn so nauseous and bitter. + + JOHN. + + + + +No. XI. + + +It rarely happens that any of the works of nature are wholly productive +of evil; and even the crows, troublesome as they are, contribute in a +small degree to the good of the district they frequent. Thus, though +they destroy eggs and young poultry, plunder the corn-fields, and carry +off whatever may serve for food, they also rid the surface of the earth +of a considerable quantity of carrion, and a vast multitude of insects +and their destructive larvae. The crows are very usefully employed when +they alight upon newly-ploughed fields, and pick up great numbers of +those large and long-lived worms which are so destructive to the roots +of all growing vegetables; and they are scarcely less so when they +follow the seine-haulers along the shores, and pick up the small fishes, +which would otherwise be left to putrefy, and load the air with +unpleasant vapours. Nevertheless, they become far more numerous in some +parts of the country than is at all necessary to the good of the +inhabitants, and whoever would devise a method of lessening their +numbers suddenly, would certainly be doing a service to the community. + +About a quarter of a mile above the house I lived in, on Curtis's creek, +the shore was a sand-bank or bluff, twenty or thirty feet high, crowned +with a dense young pine-forest to its very edge. Almost directly +opposite, the shore was flat, and formed a point, extending, in the form +of a broad sand-bar, for a considerable distance into the water; and, +when the tide was low, this flat afforded a fine level space, to which +nothing could approach in either direction without being easily seen. At +a short distance from the water, a young swamp-wood of maple, gum, oaks, +etc. extended back towards some higher ground. As the sun descended, and +threw his last rays in one broad sheet of golden effulgence over the +crystal mirror of the waters, innumerable companies of crows arrived +daily, and settled on this point, for the purpose of drinking, picking +up gravel, and uniting in one body prior to retiring for the night to +their accustomed dormitory. The trees adjacent and all the shore would +be literally blackened by these plumed marauders, while their increasing +outcries, chattering, and screams, were almost deafening. It certainly +seems that they derive great pleasure from their social habits; and I +often amused myself by thinking the uninterrupted clatter which was kept +up, as the different gangs united with the main body, was produced by +the recital of the adventures they had encountered during their last +marauding excursions. As the sun became entirely sunk below the horizon, +the grand flock crossed to the sand-bluff on the opposite side, where +they generally spent a few moments in picking up a farther supply of +gravel, and then, arising in dense and ample column, they sought their +habitual roost in the deep entanglements of the distant pines. This +daily visit to the point, so near to my dwelling, and so accessible by +means of the skiff, led me to hope that I should have considerable +success in destroying them. Full of such anticipations, I loaded two +guns, and proceeded in my boat to the expected place of action, previous +to the arrival of the crows. My view was to have my boat somewhere about +half-way between the two shores, and (as they never manifested much fear +of boats) to take my chance of firing upon the main body as they were +flying over my head to the opposite side of the river. Shortly after I +had gained my station, the companies began to arrive, and everything +went on as usual. But whether they suspected some mischief from seeing a +boat so long stationary in their vicinity, or could see and distinguish +the guns in the boat, I am unable to say: the fact was, however, that +when they set out to fly over, they passed at an elevation which secured +them from my artillery effectually, although, on ordinary occasions, +they were in the habit of flying over me at a height of not more than +twenty or thirty feet. I returned home without having had a shot, but +resolved to try if I could not succeed better the next day. The same +result followed the experiment, and when I fired at one gang, which it +appeared possible to attain, the instant the gun was discharged the +crows made a sort of halt, descended considerably, flying in circles, +and screaming most vociferously, as if in contempt or derision. Had I +been prepared for this, a few of them might have suffered for their +bravado. But my second gun was in the bow of the boat, and before I +could get to it the black gentry had risen to their former security. +While we were sitting at tea that evening, a black came to inform me +that a considerable flock of crows, which had arrived too late to join +the great flock, had pitched in the young pines, not a great way from +the house, and at a short distance from the road-side. We quickly had +the guns in readiness, and I scarcely could restrain my impatience until +it should be late enough and dark enough to give us a chance of success. +Without thinking of anything but the great number of the crows, and +their inability to fly to advantage in the night, my notions of the +numbers we should bring home were extravagant enough, and I only +regretted that we might be obliged to leave some behind. At length, led +by the black boy, we sallied forth, and soon arrived in the vicinity of +this temporary and unusual roost; and now the true character of the +enterprise began to appear. We were to leave the road, and penetrate +several hundred yards among the pines, whose proximity to each other, +and the difficulty of moving between which, on account of the dead +branches, has been heretofore stated. Next, we had to be careful not to +alarm the crows before we were ready to act, and at the same time were +to advance with cocked guns in our hands. The only way of moving +forwards at all, I found to be that of turning my shoulders as much as +possible to the dead branches, and breaking my way as gently as I could. +At last we reached the trees upon which the crows were roosting; but as +the foliage of the young pines was extremely dense, and the birds were +full forty feet above the ground, it was out of the question to +distinguish where the greatest number were situated. Selecting the trees +which appeared by the greater darkness of their summits to be most +heavily laden with our game, my companion and I pulled our triggers at +the same moment. The report was followed by considerable outcries from +the crows, by a heavy shower of pine twigs and leaves upon which the +shot had taken effect, and a deafening roar, caused by the sudden rising +on the wing of the alarmed sleepers. _One_ crow at length fell near me, +which was wounded too badly to fly or retain his perch, and as the flock +had gone entirely off, with this one crow did I return, rather +crest-fallen, from my grand nocturnal expedition. This crow, however, +afforded me instructive employment and amusement, during the next day, +in the dissection of its nerves and organs of sense; and I know not that +I ever derived more pleasure from any anatomical examination, than I did +from the dissection of its internal ear. The extent and convolutions of +its semi-circular canals show how highly the sense of hearing is +perfected in these creatures; and those who wish to be convinced of the +truth of what we have stated in relation to them, may still see this +identical crow skull in the Baltimore Museum, to which I presented it +after finishing the dissection. At least, I saw it there a year or two +since; though I little thought, when employed in examining, or even when +I last saw it, that it would ever be the subject of such a reference, +"in a printed book." + +Not easily disheartened by preceding failures, I next resolved to try to +outwit the crows, and for this purpose prepared a long line, to which a +very considerable number of lateral lines were tied, having each a very +small fish-hook at the end. Each of these hooks was baited with a single +grain of corn, so cunningly put on, that it seemed impossible that the +grain could be taken up without the hook being swallowed with it. About +four o'clock, in order to be in full time, I rowed up to the sandy +point, made fast my main line to a bush, and extending it toward the +water, pegged it down at the other end securely in the sand. I next +arranged all my baited lines, and then, covering them all nicely with +sand, left nothing exposed but the bait. This done, I scattered a +quantity of corn all around, to render the baits as little liable to +suspicion as possible. After taking a final view of the arrangement, +which seemed a very hopeful one, I pulled my boat gently homeward, to +wait the event of my solicitude for the capture of the crows. As usual, +they arrived in thousands, blackened the sand beach, chattered, +screamed, and fluttered about in great glee, and finally sailed over the +creek and away to their roost, without having left a solitary +unfortunate to pay for having meddled with my baited hooks. I jumped +into the skiff, and soon paid a visit to my unsuccessful snare. The +corn was all gone; the very hooks were all bare; and it was evident that +some other expedient must be adopted before I could hope to succeed. Had +I caught but one or two _alive_, it was my intention to have employed +them to procure the destruction of others, in a manner I shall hereafter +describe. + + JOHN. + + + + +No. XII. + + +Had I succeeded in obtaining some living crows, they were to be employed +in the following manner: After having made a sort of concealment of +brushwood within good gun-shot distance, the crows were to be fastened +by their wings on their backs between two pegs, yet not so closely as to +prevent them from fluttering or struggling. The other crows, who are +always very inquisitive where their species is in any trouble, were +expected to light down near the captives, and the latter would certainly +seize the first that came near enough with their claws, and hold on +pertinaciously. This would have produced fighting and screaming in +abundance, and the whole flock might gradually be so drawn into the +fray, as to allow many opportunities of discharging the guns upon them +with full effect. This I have often observed--that when a quarrel or +fight took place in a large flock or gang of crows (a circumstance by no +means infrequent), it seemed soon to extend to the whole; and during the +continuance of their anger all the usual caution of their nature +appeared to be forgotten, allowing themselves at such times to be +approached closely; and, regardless of men, fire-arms, or the fall of +their companions, continuing their wrangling with rancorous obstinacy. A +similar disposition may be produced among them by catching a large owl, +and tying it with a cord of moderate length to the limb of a naked tree +in a neighbourhood frequented by the crows. The owl is one of the few +enemies which the crow has much reason to dread, as it robs the nests of +their young, whenever they are left for the shortest time. Hence, +whenever crows discover an owl in the day-time, like many other birds, +they commence an attack upon it, screaming most vociferously, and +bringing together all of their species within hearing. Once this clamour +has fairly begun, and their passions are fully aroused, there is little +danger of their being scared away, and the chance of destroying them by +shooting is continued as long as the owl remains uninjured. But one such +opportunity presented during my residence where crows were abundant, and +this was unfortunately spoiled by the eagerness of one of the gunners, +who, in his eagerness to demolish one of the crows, fixed upon some that +were most busy with the owl, and killed it instead of its disturbers, +which at once ended the sport. When the crows leave the roost, at early +dawn, they generally fly to a naked or leafless tree in the nearest +field, and there plume themselves and chatter until the day-light is +sufficiently clear to show all objects with distinctness. Of this +circumstance I have taken advantage several times, to get good shots at +them in this way. During the day-time, having selected a spot within +proper distance of the tree frequented by them in the morning, I have +built with brushwood and pine-bushes a thick, close screen, behind which +one or two persons might move securely without being observed. Proper +openings through which to level the guns were also made, as the +slightest stir or noise could not be made, at the time of action, +without a risk of rendering all the preparations fruitless. The guns +were all in order and loaded before going to bed, and at an hour or two +before day-light we repaired quietly to the field, and stationed +ourselves behind the screen, where, having mounted our guns at the +loop-holes, to be in perfect readiness, we waited patiently for the +day-break. Soon after the gray twilight of the dawn began to displace +the darkness, the voice of one of our expected visitants would be heard +from the distant forest, and shortly after a single crow would slowly +sail towards the solitary tree, and settle on its very summit. Presently +a few more would arrive singly, and in a little while small flocks +followed. Conversation among them is at first rather limited to +occasional salutations, but as the flock begins to grow numerous, it +becomes general and very animated, and by this time all that may be +expected on this occasion have arrived. This may be known, also, by +observing one or more of them descend to the ground, and if the gunners +do not now make the best of the occasion, it will soon be lost, as the +whole gang will presently sail off, scattering as they go. However, we +rarely waited till there was a danger of their departure, but as soon as +the flock had fairly arrived, and were still crowded upon the upper +parts of the tree, we pulled triggers together, aiming at the thickest +of the throng. In this way, by killing and wounding them, with two or +three guns, a dozen or more would be destroyed. It was of course +needless to expect to find a similar opportunity in the same place for a +long time afterwards, as those which escaped had too good memories to +return to so disastrous a spot. By ascertaining other situations at +considerable distances, we could every now and then obtain similar +advantages over them. + +About the years 1800-1-2-3-4, the crows were so vastly accumulated and +destructive in the State of Maryland, that the government, to hasten +their diminution, received their heads in payment of taxes, at the price +of three cents each. The store-keepers bought them of the boys and +shooters, who had no taxes to pay, at a rather lower rate, or exchanged +powder and shot for them. This measure caused a great havoc to be kept +up among them, and in a few years so much diminished the grievance, that +the price was withdrawn. Two modes of shooting them in considerable +numbers were followed, and with great success: the one, that of killing +them while on the wing towards the roost; and the other, attacking them +in the night, when they have been for some hours asleep. I have already +mentioned the regularity with which vast flocks move from various +quarters of the country to their roosting-places every afternoon, and +the uniformity of the route they pursue. In cold weather, when all the +small bodies of water are frozen, and they are obliged to protract their +flight towards the bays or sea, their return is a work of considerable +labour, especially should a strong wind blow against them: at this +season, also, being rather poorly fed, they are of necessity less +vigorous. Should the wind be adverse, they fly as near the earth as +possible, and of this the shooters, at the time I allude to, took +advantage. A large number would collect on such an afternoon, and +station themselves close along the foot-way of a high bank, over which +the crows were in the habit of flying; and as they were in a great +degree screened from sight as the flock flew over, keeping as low as +possible, because of the wind, their shots were generally very +effectual. The stronger was the wind, the greater was their success. The +crows that were not injured found it very difficult to rise, and those +that diverged laterally only came nearer to gunners stationed in +expectation of such movements. The flocks were several hours in passing +over; and as there was generally a considerable interval between each +company of considerable size, the last arrived, unsuspicious of what had +been going on, and the shooters had time to recharge their arms. But the +grand harvest of crow heads was derived from the invasion of their +dormitories, which are well worthy a particular description, and should +be visited by every one who wishes to form a proper idea of the number +of these birds that may be accumulated in a single district. The roost +is most commonly the densest pine-thicket that can be found, generally +at no great distance from some river, bay, or other sheet of water, +which is the last to freeze, or rarely is altogether frozen. To such a +roost the crows, which are, during the day-time, scattered over perhaps +more than a hundred miles of circumference, wing their way every +afternoon, and arrive shortly after sunset. Endless columns pour in from +various quarters, and as they arrive pitch upon their accustomed +perches, crowding closely together for the benefit of the warmth and the +shelter afforded by the thick foliage of the pine. The trees are +literally bent by their weight, and the ground is covered for many feet +in depth by their dung, which, by its gradual fermentation, must also +tend to increase the warmth of the roost. Such roosts are known to be +thus occupied for years, beyond the memory of individuals; and I know of +one or two which the oldest residents in the quarter state to have been +known to their grandfathers, and probably had been resorted to by the +crows during several ages previous. There is one of great age and +magnificent extent in the vicinity of Rock Creek, an arm of the +Patapsco. They are sufficiently numerous on the rivers opening into the +Chesapeake, and are everywhere similar in their general aspect. Wilson +has signalised such a roost at no great distance from Bristol, Pa.; and +I know by observation that not less than a million of crows sleep there +nightly during the winter season. + +To gather crow heads from the roost, a very large party was made up, +proportioned to the extent of surface occupied by the dormitory. Armed +with double-barrelled and duck guns, which threw a large charge of shot, +the company was divided into small parties, and these took stations, +selected during the day-time, so as to surround the roost as nearly as +possible. A dark night was always preferred, as the crows could not, +when alarmed, fly far, and the attack was delayed until full midnight. +All being at their posts, the firing was commenced by those who were +most advantageously posted, and followed up successively by the others, +as the affrighted crows sought refuge in their vicinity. On every side +the carnage then raged fiercely, and there can scarcely be conceived a +more forcible idea of the horrors of a battle, than such a scene +afforded. The crows screaming with fright and the pain of wounds; the +loud deep roar produced by the raising of their whole number in the air; +the incessant flashing and thundering of the guns; and the shouts of +their eager destroyers, all produced an effect which can never be +forgotten by any one who has witnessed it, nor can it well be adequately +comprehended by those who have not. Blinded by the blaze of the powder, +and bewildered by the thicker darkness that ensues, the crows rise and +settle again at a short distance, without being able to withdraw from +the field of danger, and the sanguinary work is continued until the +shooters are fatigued, or the approach of day-light gives the survivors +a chance of escape. Then the work of collecting the heads from the dead +and wounded began, and this was a task of considerable difficulty, as +the wounded used their utmost efforts to conceal and defend themselves. +The bill and half the front of the skull were cut off together, and +strung in sums for the tax-gatherer, and the product of the night +divided according to the nature of the party formed. Sometimes the +great mass of shooters were hired for the night, and received no share +of scalps, having their ammunition provided by the employers: other +parties were formed of friends and neighbours, who clubbed for the +ammunition, and shared equally in the result. + +During hard winters the crows suffer greatly, and perish in considerable +numbers from hunger. When starved severely, the poor wretches will +swallow bits of leather, rope, rags, in short, anything that appears to +promise the slightest relief. Multitudes belonging to the Bristol roost +perished during the winter of 1828-9 from this cause. All the +water-courses were solidly frozen, and it was distressing to observe +these starvelings every morning winging their weary way towards the +shores of the sea, in hopes of food, and again toiling homewards in the +afternoon, apparently scarce able to fly. + +In speaking of destroying crows, we have never adverted to the use of +poison, which in their case is wholly inadmissible, on this +account--where crows are common, hogs generally run at large, and to +poison the crows would equally poison them: the crows would die, and +fall to the ground, where they would certainly be eaten by the hogs. + +Crows, when caught young, learn to talk plainly, if pains be taken to +repeat certain phrases to them, and they become exceedingly impudent and +troublesome. Like all of their tribe, they will steal and hide silver or +other bright objects, of which they can make no possible use. + + JOHN. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Rambles of a Naturalist, by John D. 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