Delaware gazette and peninsula advertiser. [volume], May 28, 1817, Image 2

About Delaware gazette and peninsula advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1814-1820

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jail
performed by the locust shaking itself
with considerable force.
" When the insect relieves itself
from the outer covering, or grub-which
worm ease, the wings are of a hue of
rieli milk. In this state, the filaments is
which add strength to them, are of
the same white color, and instead of
the transparency which they
wards obtain, they are now r< marka
bly opaque; but as themoisti ire dries
from off the wings of the inst} 0 *» these
filaments become more firm» am * have
a dark brown color, wh>* 1,1 a Pl*roaeh
•loeust becomes
1
es a black as the
stronger.
" The time- w ' !en they issue from
is about an hour or two
.»et, soon after which they
tiegin their exertions to free them
selves from the grub ease, which the
stronger ones effect in a hour or two.
They remain on the branches of the
trees, which they have attained, (be
fore the last metamorphosis) until
morning, when they are of a high am
ber color, have acquired their strength
and are able to contend with some of
their enemies. The weaker
the ground
(
ones,
and those who do not leave the earth
till morniog, do not so easily effect
their transformation, and often prove
a delicious prey to the larger and even
to the smaller birds.
« While in the grub worm state
there is a fissure in the hack of the
skin, sufficiently large to admit the
locust to pass therefrom, which, not
withstanding, is not done without
great exertions. At the time of their
leaving the grub ease, for it cannot
he. with propriety, termed a chrysalis,
life and motion is strong in the insect,
even when it is about assuming ils new
form. And when *.e consider that
ev. ry particular li>-b, every part of
the body however delicately and ten
derly formed—and really some of
them at this time, are almost incon
ceivably thin ami tender—is enclosed
in a separate ease, and these tender
parts must he necessarily extricated
from their sheaths, before the insect
can enjoy uninterrupted freedom, we
certainly feel our astonishment in
crease, in observing, that those so
elegant formed members escaped un
injured from even the extremities of
tfieir covering.
'* When this escape is effected, the
insect leave the place where its <*o
vei ing is, and rests at a very short
distance from it, where it remains un
til the moisture is evaporated from
its body. The wings, as well of the
insect, when first protruded from the
grub ease, are very moist and tender ;
ilsongh by degrees they dry and be
come more firm and rigid. But should
any accident prevent the cicada from
a free expansion of its wings, fra
considerable time after the grub
is forsaken, the poor insect is doomed
to remain either in a state of total or
partial debility.
For should it be so weak as to be
unable to expand the wing thorough
ly, while the moisture and pliancy re
main. as soon as they become dey and
rigid, they are fixed in that parti-, 1 nr
total waul of expansion ; and in this
helpless.st île, the ei-ada is a certain
prev even fo the long applauded in
dustrious emmet.
" nie locust grul) rising from the
ground, is nearly the color of the lo
cust when it has attained its full per
fe< lion, though not altogether as dark,
its stieugtii is very great, nearly c
qualmg that of the scarabucus earui
fex (or the beetle which forms the
balls front ordure.) but as it is about
to leave the c.'se it becomes weaker.
••A* the .'une of their last appear
npnle tree
tbrain* of
a
a
ease
m
»■«** approved ol
my enquiry : and
I must have been v.-ry small
of their former visit, vet
having caret ally collected the gratis
which rame up under ils branches,
the fi *s evening 1 numbered 500,
which ! removed; the second evening
600 more had uni le their appearance,
ami tlm uiird e'.-niug upw ards of iOO.
Sever I st ag-lets remained, who
were i ygh'-ied, as the numbers were
already setii.-irntiy great to claim my
whole atirntinn.
11
t!
HÎ. ill*
mm*
" T»o or three days after their
stiming the moth state, the air
sounded wilii their notes, which were
re-e, lined either on the wing, or oti
the branches of the trees iniliserimiti
iiotes, expressive av
those ofthe leathered s,
rd a call to ourtsliip.
•s
re
ai c'y. These
mgsters pro» .
The
power
of song, »hi h somewhat resembled
the noise of a sto, king loom, wus con
fined to the male—which it was
easy
to discover was produced by inflating
air into its body, and expressing it
through two small apertures, placed
a little below the base of his wing;
the»** holes lead front a musical table,
on <*a<-h side of which motive
bars, connected by exquisitely
membranes; which during the
tin «• of song, maintain a continual vi
firm ion. Like the grasshopper, the
Iikiisi v.ry seldom sports its social
call without a response from aluiosl
or six.
ti.i
tin
jail the males wit bin hearing; and
frequently when th* courtship has
obtained its male's approbation, an
intruder, allured by the concert,
is easily distinguished!^ chal
lenges the hero to eomliat, and fight
is often long and desperate ; as the
victory always coufers an interesting
reward.
When gestation is fully aoeomplish
-vhiuh is generally two or three
days -jftep they have assumed the
flying, ct.ate, the female prepares to
deposit q er burden ; and, although
her body t oes „„t annear greaHy dis
tended, yet she generally lays but
1 VO eggs. The egg is of a white co
lor, and about a line in length, and
one third of a line in diameter. Na
ture has wonderfully provided her
with an instrument in her tail, .some
what resembling a two edged sword,
which, like the grasshopper, she can
sheath and unsheath at pleasure ; witli
this she preforates the tender twigs of
such trees as well afford a convenient
nidus for tiie eggs, and deposits them
oy fourteen or 15, under the hark, in
( he form ofthe letter F and sometimes
stie pierces through a twig one fourth
of an inch thick. After she has care
fully deposited her eggs in the small
branches, a sudden blast of wind fre
quently lops off the branch she has
chosen for the residence.
" It it ftfe (hat the parent pro
vide) fora succession of the species,
in which employment it is generally
busied until about the 10th day of her
moth state, seldom if ever feeding on
any thing but the early dew. For,
as they fly in such numbers, (and al
ways carelessly without a leader, as
is usual with the eastern locusts) were
they to feed on the plants the damage
must certainly be observaoie; anu
they live in the moth state twelve or
thirteen days, it is probable they have
a portion ofthe dew of heaven for
their sustenance. Then they dry up
as ti.e silk worm moth—the male be
coming superanuated 2 or 3 days he
fore tiie female.
H
Having pursued the locust
through its several moth stages, the
numerous offspring it law deposited in
the slender twigs of tre.es, have stiil
some claim to an investigation. The
eggs are of so cylindrical a form,
rounded at the ends, and are of such
a consistence that they require a hard
pressure, between tiie fingers to crush
them.—The substance within, as in
most other small eggs, is a wiiite,
transparent, and viscious fluid. In a
liout the space of fourteen days, from
the time of their first re ing left by
the parent, the egg produces a whi
tish insect, somewhat larger than the
silk worm when fresh hatched which
leaves the branch, where the nest was
and dropping on tiie ground either
enters the hole through which the ohl
loeust issued, or turns the earth aside
afresh, and entombs itselT there, to
undergo the metamorphosis of its
ancestors.
«
" In digging wells, cellars &e. in
America, inserts of every different
appearances have been discovered,
some twenty feet deep, which have
been supposed to be of this species—
others have been discovered nearer
the surface, of which no doubt remains
but that they are the grub of the lo
cust—anti early in the spring, previ
ous to their assuming the moth state,
tiie plough-share often furnishes the
blackbird which follows tiie plough
man, with a rich repast of them, for
which, by his clamors and fluttering»»
he endeavours to. express bis obliga
tions. Varieties of this genus ap
pears annually, they are i.i general
much larger than tiie cicada septem
devint, and of a greyish east; tin
dark brown or amber
■oltir which
the others have, appearing iu these
moiled with a dry white."
Mind.
The gentle mind is like the smooth
stream, which reflects every object in
its fairest colors. The violent spirit,
like troubled waters, rentiers back
the iim
hruken
tliat disordered motion, which arises
solely from its own agitation.
es of things distorted and
and communicates to them
Westchester, f Pa.) May it.
At the court ofOyerand Terminer,
on Wednesday last, came on the trial
of John Lee, for burning the barn of
Mr. Thomas Davis, in East Follow
field township
.
convicted and senten
ced to ten years imprisonment in the
penitentiary, one of which in solit
confinement.
it
ary
Boston, May 17.
A company of young men is form
ing in New York, for the purpose of
pro, ceding I« s.oie part of South A
merica. there to form a settlement.
I he share to he advanced by eaeli
adventurer, for the purchase of
vessel, Ac. is glOO.
a
9
Of the Moors and Moorish
Arabs.
VMM WUrt UAKRAttVE.
Tlu Moors are a stout athletic race
of nnu, and generally of about five
vet en inches in height. They
from the Bereberries, or old
sprung
inhabitants of the north and western
parts o r northern Africa, together
with th descendants of the Cartha
aud various Greek and Ko
geniam,
man c.donies ou those coasts, con
quered by and commixed with the
Arabs *r Saracens win passed the
Istha, of stuez, and subjugated the
north t)i si
under tie- eaiipUs of
t^ie pretended prophet Mohammed.
Fcx is at present the great capital of
the empire, and chief residence of the
emperor, who is styled by the Moors
and Arabs cl Sultan, (the Sultan) or,
as they pronounce it, Sooltnn. Bust
has become independent ofthe Moors.
The Moors are all strict follower» of
the Mahoiiiniedan doctrine, and firm
predestinarians. I call the doctrine
Mahomedan instead Mahometan, be
cause the name of their prophets is
pronounced, both by the Moors and
Arabs, Mohammed, and both of them
pronounce their letters very distinctly,
and with their mouths open, like the
Spaniard, giving to every letter its
full sound ; for though they write
with characters, and do not know how
to form a Homan letter with a pen,
yet a person understanding letters,
who hears them speak, w ould say they
were perfectly familiar with the Ho
man Alphabet, and laid more empha
sis ami stress on the letters, by means
of whii.li Bit- y speak their language
asiot-tiet mat, any other people on earth,
The Moors, in general, do not learn
to read and write, but their Talbs are
learned men, who take great pains to
become acquainted with the prinei
pies of their own and the ancient
Arabic language, ami with the law»
ofthe Koran, wltiolt is held by them
to be a sacred book, and to contain
nothing but divine revelation. The
Talbs transact all the business that
requires writing, and serve alternate
ly as scriveners, lawyers and priests.
The Moors use no bells for their
places of worship ; but in the towns
and cities, their religious houses have
high minarets or steeples, with flat
lops, and a kind of balustrade round
them : to the, lops of these the Talbs
ascend to call the. people at stated
times to prayers; and as the steeples
are very high, and the Talbs are ac
customed to call uloud, they are bean)
at a great distance, particularly when
Jl is stiil in the city. Their times
of prayers are before day light iu the
morning, at about mid-day, about the
middle ofthe afternoon, at sunset, and
again before they retire to rest, about
H or 10 o'clock in the evening.
Tallis, who are on the steeples before
day light in the morning, commence
by calling all the fi.ithl'ul to prayers :
their voices sound most harmoniously,
and thrill through the air iu a singu
lar manner. I was always awakened
by them myself, while I staid at Mo
gadore, and often went to the window
to hear them: their call reminded me
ol my duty als«. Alter they sum
moiled all the faithful to attend pray
ers, they either rehearsed particular
passages from their Bible or Koran,
or sang some sacred poetry with a
loud sum piercing, hut at the Mine
a very melodious and pleasing tone of
voice. The Moors who live near the
places of worship go in, joiu with the
! albs, and pray together ; but by far
the greater number perform their de
votions in their own rooms. The
Talbs, I am informed, perform their
religious duties, which are very fa
ligning, merely from motives of piety
—they do not receive the smallest re
muneration, either from the prince or
people, in any shape or way whatever.
All worship by turning their faces to
the east, und bow their heads in the
«lust, like the wandering Arabs: they
wash their bodies all over with water
before prayers, as well as their hands
and faces ; lot* which purposes, with
in the walls of their
,1ui ctiurt leading
to the mosque was paved with tiles,
and kept very clean, with stone ba
mosques or
churches, they have wells or foun
tains of Water, aud large stout* basons,
in which to bathe.
V hen they ap
pear before God (as they call it) in
their places of worship, they divest
thetnsi*!r"s el a!! superflcus orna
ments and clothing, and even of their
breeches; after purifying with water,
they wrap themselves decently up in
their huiek ot* blanket
of
only, ami go
through their ceremonies with sig
ofthe most profound devotion.
Christian enters a Mohammedan place
of worship, he must either change his
religion, by having bis head shaved,
undergoing the operation of circum
cision, and confessing there is but one
God, and that Mohammed is his holy
prophet, &e. or suffer instant death ;
but I have ventured to look into them
from the street.
IIS
If a
of
a
filled with pure water on each
side for the purposes of purification ;
though 1 durst not, approach so near
to see in what maimer.the interior
part was arangeri, but I was inform
ed they were entirely free from or
naments.
rally permitted to enter their houses
of religious worship, nor even to ap
pear in the streets, unless they are
completely covered by their clothing,
which going over their beads, is held
in such a manner by their hands on
the inside, as only to permit them to
peep out witli one eye, to discover ami
pick their way ; so that no Moor or
Christiafi ran see their faces. In the
they are vei*y seldom seen,
and arc 90 extremely ileshy, that they
waddle, rather than walk along, like
No Moor will
sons
as
The women are not gene
streets,
fat and clumsy ducks.
wife until she is well fatted
marry a
by her father, and if it is not in the
husband's power afterwards to keep
her in the same good case and con
dition, or rather, to improve upon it,
he is dissatisfied, and endeavors to gel
clear of her, which he very often ef
fects for he will not keep a wife un
less she is very fleshy, or bed with
what he calls " a deal!. sMeton."
The women visit each other and walk
together on the tops of their houses,
but even the husband cannot enter the
room they are in when uncovered, or
get a sight of his neighbor's wife or
daughter, being strictly forbidden by
bis religion to look on any other wo
man than his own wife or wives: thus -
the Moors, when they receive coni
pany, set down with them on the
ground ouside of their houses, wiiere
they converse together ; hut notwith
standing all these precautions, as the
women are very amorous, they ma
nage to introduce their gallants by
means of the female covering, and the
privilege they enjoy of visiting each
other, and get their lovers oft'by the
same means undiscovered.
The Moors gooft'in large numbers
every year, forming a great caravan,
on a pilgrimage to Mecca, and return
in three or four years ,* every Mosle
titari being by law obliged to visit the
tomb of his prophet once in his life
time, if he can afford to pay the ex
pences of his journey. The men who
have been to Mecca, and returned, arc
dignified by the name of cl a jail, or,
the pilgrim) and the women who go
and return, (for there are few who
venture) are allowed the privileges of
wearing the liaick, or man's blanket;
of walking the streets uncovered, like
men, and of conversing with them
promiscuously, as they may deem fit,
being considered holy women, und as
possessing souls by special graee and
favor. Every Moor, who is horn an
ideof, or becomes delirious, is consi
dered a saint, and is treated with the
greatest attention,and respect, by eve
ry one ; is clothed, and fed, and taken
the greatest care of by the whole
community ; and, do what hr. will, he
cannot commit a crime, in the eye of
their law.
THE EX-EMPRESS M.lRKl
LOUISA.
(From a private letter.)
« This Lady lives it a style of great
splendor at Parma, hut without os
tentation. With the Noblesse of the
country she lias little society. The
greater part of them were ruined in
their properly by tiie French Revo
lution, and the whole body, like the
rest of their brethren in most parts
of Italy, arc at the very lowest ebb
m point of character and education,
«
From late English papers received at
the office of the Merc fork Jtaihj
Advertiser.
Her court is composed principally of
Germans. The inferior si rvants an
chiefly French, and nearly the same
who served her when on the thrum
•>f France. The count de Ncipperg.
who negotiated the treaty in virtue of
which Ferdinand of Naples
stored to his throne, acts as her gram!
Chamberlain ;
are also Germans; her private seere
tary is a Piedmontese. M. M*Aulay
is her Minister of State and Grand
Chancellor; a young man, Irish by
-iir4.it, who is possessed of considera
ble property in the King's County, in
Ireland, where his family have resided
for a long period.
*• The disposition of the Ex-Em
press is extremely mild ; her man
ners unassuming.
serve tin* French took for hauteur,
of which, in fact, she lias not the
slightest trait. The few persons,
whom she admits to her soeiely, are
so far from being treated, as if they
were paying their court to a Princess,
that they soon feel themselves easy
in their conversation with her. The
usual accomplishments ol her sex she
possesses in more than the usual de
gree. She plays on the piano, and
sings extremely well.She reads a goo,,
deal of English, and siic speaks it
with a better accent, than could have
been expected, and with more fluenev.
English books constitute a large nor
tion of her library, and she has made
was re
her dames d'hoimeur
Her natural
<■
;
it the fashion at Parma to learn Eb 1 -*
lislr. Her fondness for lier son is well
known ; at her expense, his retinue at
SchOenhrunn has been rendered far
inure ample and splendid than that
provided for him by the Emperor
Francis.
" The title of Majesty is always
given to her, when spoken to ; hut,
when sjKiken of, she is called nuti'Im
peratrhc, but la Sovrana.
at Parma the toilette-given to her by
the city of Paris on her marriage, and
the cradle of the young King of Home,
as well as the jewels and the entire
of the wardrobe. The toilette and
cradle were described in the French
papers at the time. The jewel
supposed to be far more valuable than
those of any crowned head in Europe.
Although this princess is certainly
not distressed by her absence front
Bonap. -te, and was but little east
down at Iter political reverses, she
lias latterly grown very thin, and,
therefore, is unlike the portraits of
her sold in-England.'*
Paris, April 10.
The account. I gave you yesterday
and die day before, is confirmed in
its material features by the King's
Ordinance inserted in the Moniteur of
this morning, whereby the disband
ment of the Company of Nouilles it
officially notified. The complaints of
(lie young men were twofold : 1st,
against certain innovations in the dis
cipline of the corps : 2d, against the
appointment of individuals whose poli
tical conduct they do not judge,
empt from reproach. I need not add
that while the public approve the
iirmness of Government, the veterans
ol' the old army learnt with surprise
an infraction of discipline, which, un
der the preceding regime, would have
drawn down a far more memorable
punishment.
During the suspension ofthe French
Parliamentary debates, and in the
lack of grave political matter, you
will exeuse me for recording a well
authenticated anecdote of some promi
nent personages who have no ineonsj
dcrablc influence in the direction of
(lie event* which succeed each other
with such rapidity in the grear politi
cal drama.
A few nights after the representa
tion ofGermanieus, Count Worouzow,
desirous of seeing Talma in Manlius,
went to the Theatre, but front ihe
immense crowd, was unable to pro
cure a seat. lie was stepping into
his carriage, when an Aid de Camp
of the Due d'Aumont, represented to
him, that the Due, who is First Gen
tleman of the Bed Chamber, held hi»
box alternatively, and as he was the
occupant lor the night, he the Aid
de Camp, was sure he would he ful
filling the Due's wishes, in engaging
his Excellency to accept a seat in it.
Gen. Woronzow embraced the offer,
and no one being as yet in the box,
placed himself in the first bench,
where there was precisely room for
two persons. The Duchess d'Aumont
arrived a few minutes afterwards,
-aw an incognito in a military cloak,
conceived he was some dependant on
lier husband, and seated herself by
bis side. The great attention the
Count paid to the piece, which did
not contribute to liis politeness to (he
Lady, fortified her in the idea « que
ce n'etait pas gramle chose." At the
beginning of the fourth act, the Due
de Bellune (Marshal Victor) entered
with all the paraphanalia of his order;
and no seat being vacant in the front
r-j*v, he placed himself in the seeond.
The amiable Duchess was au ilexes
pair at seeing his excellency in so in
different a situation, and expressed
lier regret so loudly, and so often, that
nought hut the unparalleled perform
ance of Talma could have absorbed
At last
She lias
s are
ex
the attention of AYoronzow.
out of all patience, she exclaimed,
•• Monsieur, w..om I hare not the ho
nor of knowing, do yon not observe
the marshal due dc Bellune is behind
Monseigneur can absolutely see
Count Woronzow excused
you,
nothing.
himself for his inattention, arose and
The play finishing
1»
gave up his place,
shortly after, he bowed and withdrew.
When the Ducliess learnt from the
Aid dcCantp who the unseemly stran -
ger was, she posted to Princess Ba
gration's, to whom site confided all
her mishap, and protested she should
never be convinced that Count Wo
rnnzow did not set her down for null
honnele femme, unless she met him at
her house, and offered her excuses to
him in person,
consented to invite her illustrious
countryman to dinner, aud engaged
(he Duchess to name the other visi
tors.
The affable Princess
The Human Heart.
The heart, in a healthy man, in one
hour, heats S600 times; discharges
7200 ounces of blood, ami conveys
through it the .whole mass of blood
in the body, not less than 25 times.
In the space of 21 hours, the whole
blood iu the body circulates 600 times.
yy*. T. Chronicle.