4. Bending his course towards the river, where two men were fishing, he urged them by all the powers of native rhetoric to accompany him to the woods. The men were suspicious of a decoy to an ambuscade, and durst not venture to follow the dog; who finding all his caresses fail, returned to the care of his master; and, ficking his wounds a second time, renewed all his tenderness; but with no better success than before. 5. Again he returned to the men; once more to try his skill in alluring them to his assistance. In this attempt he was more successful than in the other. The men seeing his solicitude, began to think the dog might have discoversome valuable game, and determined to hazard the consequences of following him. cd 6. Transported with his success, the affectionate creature hurried them along by every expression of ardor. Presently they arrived at the spot, where behold-an officer wounded, scalped, weltering in his gore, and faint with the loss of blood. 7. Suffice it to say he was yet alive. They carried him to the fort, where the first dressings were performed. A suppuration immediately took place, and he was conveyed to the hospital at Albany, where in a few weeks he entirely recovered, and was able to return to his duty. 8. This worthy officer owed his life, probably to the fidelity of this sagacious dog. His tongue, which the gentleman afterwards declared gave him the most exquisite pleasure, clarified the wound in the most effectual manner, and his perseverance brought that assistance, without which he must soon have perished. 1. 9. "My dog the trustiest of his kind, ICE VOLCANOES OF ICELAND. Abridged from the Encyclopedia. CELAND is noted for Volcanoes, which seem to be more furious there than in any other part of the world. They begin with a subterranean rumbling noise, with a roaring and cracking in the place from whence the fire is to burst forth. Fiery meteors also precede the eruption of tire and sometimes shocks of earthquake. E 2. The drying up of small lakes, streams, and rivulets, is also considered as a sign of an approaching eruption; but the immediate forerunner is the bursting of the mass of ice on the mountains. Flames then issue from the earth, and lightning and fire-balls from the smoke, and stones and ashes are thrown to a vast distance. In 1755, a stone of 290 pounds weight was thrown 24 miles. 3. The most tremendous eruption ever known was in 1783. Its first sign was perceived on the first of June, by a trembling of the earth in the western part of the province of Shapterfall; it continued and increased till the 11th day, when the inhabitants quitted their houses and lay in tents. A continual smoke was seen to rise out of the earth in the northern part of the island, and three fire spouts broke forth - in different places. 4. These spouts of fire ascended to a vast height, so as to be visible at the distance of 200 miles. Immense quantities of ashes, sand, and other substances were cast up and spread over the country. The atmosphere was so filled with them, as to be rendered dark, and great damage was done by the pumice stones which fell red hot in large quantities. 5. The shower continued for many days. The fire sometimes appeared in a continual stream, and sometimes in flashes, with a noise like thunder, which lasted the whole summer. At the same time fell vast quantities of rain, im- pregnated with acid and salts, which corroded the face and hands of the people; in other places there fell showers of hail which did much damage. In places near the fire, the grass and every green thing was destroyed being covered with a crust of sulphurous and sooty matter. 6. Such thick vapors were raised by this conflict of adverse elements, that the sun was obscured and appeared like blood and the whole face of nature seemed to be changed. This dreadful scene lasted several days, and the whole country was laid waste. The inhabitants fled to the utmost parts of the island to escape the terrible conflagration. 7. On the first eruption of fire, the river Skapta was considerably augmented, but on the 11th day the waters were dried up. The next day, a prodigious stream of red hot lava was discharged from the earth and ran down the channel which the river had left, and overflowing the banks rose to a great height, & spread desolation over the whole adjacent country. 8. The fiery stream then ascended the channel, and mounting high, it destroyed the village of Rutland, though situated on a hill, consuming the houses and every thing that stood in its way. It spread till it had converted a tract of 36 miles of country into a sea of fire. It then changed its course to the south, and after filling the channel of the Skapta for six miles, it burst upon a wide plain carrying flaming wood on its surface, and overwhelming the earth with torrents of liquid fire. 9. It continued thus to spread from June 12 to August 13, when it ceased to extend itself, but continued to burn. When any part of the surface acquired a crust by cooling, it was soon broken by the mass of fire below, and then tumbling among the melted substance, it was tossed about with prodigious noise and crackling, and small spouts of fire were continually shooting into the air. 10. When it had left the channel of the Skapta, this mass of fire was 400 feet in depth. It ran in every direction where it could find a vent, and destroyed a number of villages. In one place it came to a cataract of the river, of 14 fathoms high, where it fell with a tremendous noise and terrible convulsions. In another it stopped up the channel of a river, filled a large valley, and destroyed two villages, tho' it approached no nearer than 600 feet. 11. Other villages were inundated by the waters of rivers driven from their channels by the fiery torrent. At last, having filled all the vallies to the south, it changed its course to the north, and spread over a tract of country 48 miles in length and 36 in bredth. It dried up several rivers, and formed lakes of fire. At last on the 16th of August the eruption ceased. 12. The whole extent of ground on three sides covered by this dreadful inundation, was computed to be 90 miles long and 24 broad; and the depth of the lava from 100 to 120 feet. Twelve rivers were dried up-20 villages destroyed, and a considerable number of people. The extent of ground covered on the north was not ascertained.— Some hills were melted down-others covered, and the whole had the appearance of a sea of red hot melted metal. 13. After this eruption, two new islands rose from the sea. One in February, 1784, rose about 100 miles southwest of Iceland. It was about 3 miles in circumference, and a mile in height. It burnt with great violence, sending forth prodigious quantities of sand and pumice stones, Both Islands have since disappeared. 1. GENERAL WASHINGTON'S RESIGNATION. Mr. President, Ted, reng et length taken place, I have now the HE great events on which my resignation depend honor of offering my sincere congratulations to Congress, and of presenting myself before them, to surrender into their hands the trust committed to me, and to claim the indulgence of retiring from the service of my country. 2. Happy in the confirmation of our independence and sovereignty, and pleased with the opportunity afforded the United States of becoming a respectable nation, I resign with satisfaction, the appointment I accepted with diffidence a diffidence in my abilities to accomplish so arduous a task, which however, was superceded by a confidence in the rectitude of our cause, the support of the supreme power of the Union, and the patronage of Heaven. 9. The successful termination of the war has verified the most sanguine expectations; and my gratitude for the interposition of Providence, and the assistance I have received from my countrymen, increases with every review of the momentous contest. 4. While I repeat my obligations to the army in general, I should do injustice to my own feelings, not to acknowledge, in this place, the particular services and distinguished merits of the gentlemen who have been attached to my person during the war. 5. It was impossible the choice of confidential officers to compose my family should have been more fortunate. Permit me, Sir, to recommend, in particular, those who have continued in the service to the present moment, as worthy of the favorable notice and patronage of Congress. 6. I consider it as an indispensable duty to close this last solemn act of my official life, by commending the interests of our dearest country to the protection of Almighty God, and those who have the superintendance of them, to his ho ly keeping. : 7. Having now finished the work assigned me, I retire from the great theatre of action and bidding an affectionate farewell to this august body, under whose orders I have so long acted, I here offer my commission and take my leave of all the employments of public life. December 23, 1783. G. WASHINGTON. 1. E SINGULAR INSTANCE OF PATRIOTISM. DWARD, the third, king of England, after the battle of Cressy, laid siege to Calais. He had fortified his camp in so impregnable a manner, that all the efforts of France proved ineffectual to raise the siege or throw succours into the city. The citizens, however, under the conduct of Count Vienne, their gallant governor, made an admirable defence. 2. Day after day the English effected many a breach, which they repeatedly expected to storm by morning; but when morning appeared, they wondered to behold new ramparts, nightly raised, erected out of the ruins which the day had made. 3. France had now put her sickle into her second harvest, since Edward, with his victorious army, set down before the town. The eyes of all Europe were intent on the issue. The English made their approaches and attacks without remission, but the citizens were as obstinate in repelling all their efforts. 4. At length, famine did more for Edward than arms.— After the citizens had devoured the lean carcasses of their half starved cattle, they tore up old foundations of rubbish, in search of vermin; they fed on boiled leather and the weeds of exhausted gardens: and a morsel of damaged corn was accounted matter of luxury. 5. In this extremity they resolved to attempt the enemy's camp. They boldly sallied forth: the English joined battle, and, after a long and desperate engagement, count Vienne was taken prisoner; and the citizens, who survived the slaughter, retired within their gates. 6. On the captivity of their governor, the command devolved upon Eustace Saint Pierre, the mayor of the town, a man of mean birth, but of exalted virtue. Eustace soon found himself under the necessity of capitulating, and offered to deliver to Edward the city, with all the possessions and wealth of the inhabitants, provided he would permit them to depart with life and liberty, 7. As Edward had long since expected to ascend the throne of France, he was exasperated to the last degree against these people, whose sole valor had defeated his warmest hopes; he therefore determined to take an exemplary revenge, though he wished to avoid the imputation of cruelby. |
