USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > The Cincinnati miscellany, or, Antiquities of the West, and pioneer history and general and local statistics. Volume II > Part 57
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Our brave scouts saw the hopelessness of their situation, which nothing could avert but brave companions and an unerring shot-them they had not. But the brave never despair. With this certain fate resting upon them, they had con- tinued as calm, and as calculating, and as un- wearied as the strongest desire of vengeance on a treacherous foe could produce. Soon M'Clel- land saw a tall and swarthy figure preparing to spring from a cover so near the fatal rock, that a single bound must reach it, and all hope be de- stroyed. He felt that all depended on one ad- vantageous shot, although but one inch of the warrior's body was exposed, and that a distance of one hundred yards-he resolved to risk all- coolly he raised his rifle to his eyes, carefully shading the sight with his hand, he drew a bead so sure, that he felt conscious it would do-he touched the hair trigger with his finger-the ham- mer came down, but in place of striking fire, it crushed his flint into a hundred fragments! Al- | hundred feet, when a low " whist" from the girl, though he felt that the savage must reach the warned them of present danger. The scouts sunk
proceeded to the task with the utinost composure, casting many a furtive glance towards the fear- ful point. Suddenly he saw the warrior stretching every muscle for the leap-and with the agility of a deer he made the spring-instead of reach- ing the rock he sprung ten feet in the air, and giving one terrific yell he fell upon the earth, and his dark corpse rolled fifty feet down the hill. He had evidently received a death shot from some unknown hand. A hundred voices from below re-echoed the terrible shout, and it was evident that they had lost a favourite warrior, as well as bcen foiled for a time in their most important movement. A very few moments proved that the advantage so mysteriously gained would be of short duration; for already the scouts caught a momentary glimpse of a swarthy warrior, cau- tiously advancing towards the cover so recently occupied by a fellow companion. Now, too, the attack in front was resumed with increased fury, so as to require the incessant fire of both scouts, to prevent the Indians from gaining the cminence -and in a short time M'Clelland saw the wary warrior behind the cover, preparing for a leap to gain the fearful rock-the leap was made, and the warrior turning a somerset, his corpse rolled down towards his companion: again a mysteri- ous agent had interposed in their behalf. This second sacrifice cast dismay into the ranks of the assailants; and just as the sun was disappearing behind the western hills, the foe withdrew a short distance, for the purpose of devising new modes of attack. The respite came most seasonably to the scouts, who had bravely kept their position, and boldly maintained the unequal fight from the middle of the day.
Now, for the first time was the girl missing, and the scouts supposed that through terror she had escaped to her former captors, or that she had been killed during the fight. They were not long left to doubt, for in a few moments the girl was seen emerging from behind a rock and coming to them with a rifle in her hand. During the heat of the fight she saw a warrior fall, who had ad- vanced some fifty yards before the main body in front. She at once resolved to possess herself of his rifle, and crouching in undergrowth she crept to the spot, and succeeded in her enterprise, be- ing all the time exposed to the cross fire of the defenders and assailants-her practised eye had early noticed the fatal rock, and hers was the mysterious hand by which the two warriors had fallen-the last being the most wary, untiring and blood thirsty brave of the Shawanese tribe. He it was, who ten years previous had scalped the family of the girl, and been her captor. In the west, dark clouds were now gathering, and in an hour the whole heavens were shrouded in them; this darkness greatly embarrassed the scouts in their contemplated night retreat, for they might readily lose their way, or accidentally fall on the enemy-this being highly probable, if not inevitable. An hour's consultation decided their plans, and it was agreed that the girl, from her intimate knowledge of their localities, should lead the advance a few steps. Another advantage might be gained by this arrangement, for in case they should fall in with some out-post, the girl's knowledge of the Indian tongue, would perhaps enable her to deceive the sentinel: and so the se- quel proved, for scarcely had they descended one
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silently to the earth, where by previous agree- ment, they were to remain till another signal was given them by the girl,-whose absence for more than a quarter of an hour now began to excite the most serious apprehensions. At length she again appeared, and told them that she had suc- ceeded in removing two sentinels who were di- rectly in their route to a point some hundred feet distant. The descent was noiselessly resumed- the level gained, and the scouts followed their in- trepid pioneer for half a mile in the most pro- found silence, when the barking of a small dog, within a few fect, apprized them of a new dan- ger. The almost simultaneous click of the scouts' rifles was heard by the girl, who rapidly ap- proached them, and stated that they were now in the midst of the Indian wigwams, and their lives depended on the most profound silence, and im- plicitly following her footsteps. A moment af- terwards, the girl was accosted by a squaw from an opening in a wigwam. She replied in the In- dian language, and without stopping pressed for- ward. In a short time she stopped and assured the scouts that the village was cleared, and that they were now in safety. She knew that every pass leading out of the prairie was safely guarded by Indians, and at once resolved to adopt the bold adventure of passing through the very cen- tre of their village as the least hazardous. The result proved the correctness of her judgment. They now kept a course for the Ohio, being gui- ded by the Hockhocking river-and after three days march and suffering, the party arrived at the Block-House in safety. Their escape from the Indians, prevented the contemplated attack: and the rescued girl proved to be the sister of the intrepid Neil Washburn, celebrated in Indian history as the renowned Scout to Capt. Kenton's bloody Kentuckians.
The Eclectics.
" We have had for some time the rival Colle- ges, the Ohio Medical and the Botanico-Medical, and now it seems there is a third intended to combine the excellencics of both. Is there no end to human calamity, that we should have a third set of doctors let loose on the community. We shall see liere calomel and lobelia, blood-let- ting and steam, harmoniously working side by side.
" This scems to be got up to introduce a set of novi homines into practice. The Professors in the different departments are little known in the community at any rate."-Western General Ad- vertiser.
known in the community"-so far from this be- ing the case it may be safely asserted that as many as two or three of the members of the Faculty are not only as favourably, but as extensively known as any in this or any other country, not only as practitioners, but as teachers of Medical science. This is especially true of one, who enjoys at this moment a more extensive reputation as a Medi- cal man than the most distinguished authors, teachers or practitioners of the Healing Art, either in Europe or America.
We neither know nor care who the editor of the " Advertiser" is, but we hope if he has any self-respect he will endeavour to furnish himself with something like definite information on this as well as other subjects before he commits his thoughts to paper hereafter .- Western Medical Reformer, Dec., 1845.
Wonders will never cease.
I supposed if there was any thing certain in this city of ours, the fact that I was by trade a collector of statistics, was a fixed fact of ab- solute notoriety. Even the existence of the Fakir of Ava, or of Rees E. Price might be as reasona- bly a disputed fact. But the " Eclectics" have dis- covered that " on that subject"-themselves-" as on all others," the editor of the General Western Advertiser has no " definite information."
As to " that subject," I confess my ignorance. I have been for years discovering that what I know, compared with that I am ignorant of, is as a drop to the bucket, every additional step in the acquisition of light I make, serving to reveal to me the existence of darkness around me. On this principle I imagine I am beginning to pene- trate the mysteries of the Eclectic practise, for familiar as my pursuits render me with the citi- zens of Cincinnati, such men as Doctors Cox, Hill, Morrow, Jones, et genus id omne, never fell under my notice. I neither met with them in the halls of science, nor in the respectable walks of private life. I have, it is true, the names of some of them in my directories, but they were taken from their signs. But it seems that un- known as they are to me, they are well known to fame. " Two or three are as favourably and " as extensively known as any in this or any other " country, not only as practitioners, but as teach- " ers of medical science! This is especially true " of one, who enjoys at this moment a more ex- " tensive reputation as a medical man than the " most distinguished authors, teachers or practi- " tioners of the Healing Art, cither in Europe or " America! ! "
The above complimental notice did not until recently prcser.t itself to our observation-neither are we aware that any such sheet as the Western General Advertiser is at present issued from the Cincinnati press. Of one thing we are very cer- tain, however: if the above scrap is to be taken as a specimen of the taste and intelligence of its editor, we pity the deplorable and despicable state of moral and intellectual degradation of that brainless functionary, who, it seems, has un- Old as I am, I trust I am not too old to learn, and ignorant as I may be, not unwilling to be enlightened. I suppose those who know me will admit that there is nobody has a higher opinion of Cincinnati talent, energy, learning, ingenuity and enterprise than myself; and now, I want to know who those two or three, and especially this dertaken to instruct his readers (if he has any) on a subject of which he is wholly and totally ig- norant, not only in reference to the principles and practice of the Eclectic School of Physicians and Surgcons, but also the general reputation and standing of the members of the Faculty of said Institute. For example, in the closing cogi- tations of this senseless wiseacre, it is asserted that the members of the Faculty "are little | ONE, are, whose fame as authors, teachers and
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practitioners transcends that of Velpeau, Roux, [ found inadequate to the heavy and increasing and Andral, of the Paris, and Liston, Stokes, demands of the business done on the line. When the road shall have been completed, by next Oc- tober, to Sandusky City, the great staples of flour, whiskey, pork, bacon, lard, &c., of great magnitude in bulk and value, as they are, will af- ford a splendid prize for the competition of our Atlantic Cities, in their respective routes. When the Buffalo and Sandusky rail-road shall have been completed, we shall have a continuous rail- road to New York and Boston. Philadelphia is preparing to complete a rail-road to Cleveland by filling up the intervening links between the two points. Graves, Cusack and Lawrence, of the London and Dublin Schools of Medicine and Surgery; or that of M'Clellan, Mott, Warren, Gibson and Jackson, who belong to America, but whose fame is not limited to this side of the Atlantic. I feel it a disgrace to remain longer in ignorance. Let him be produced, and we will have him ex- hibited at the hall of the Eclectic Institute as a greater curiosity than the skeleton giant of Tennessee, or the mastodon of Dr. Koch. Let him be produced, that the TEACHER, Author and Practitioner may receive the notice he deserves at home, as well as enjoys throughout Europe and America! Thanksgiving Goose.
An Impregnable Safe.
It would be a pleasant thing to possess money to the utmost extent of our wants and desires, if it were not for the difficulty and anxiety of keep- ing it safe. If it is to be kept ready for use at a moment's notice, it is usually deposited in an iron safe or a bank, both which sometimes be- tray their trust; and if the money is invested in property, it cannot be realised and withdraw nat a moment's warning. The proprietor of a gold mine, Senor Yriarte, living at Cossalo, Mexico, has overcome this difficulty in a manner equally ingenious and simple. Although he owns the richest mine in the universe, he works it only to the extent of his current expenses-some one million five hundred thousand dollars per annum -alleging as a reason to those who asked why he did not mine it more extensively-" My gold is safer in the mine than anywhere else."
The Little Miami Rail-Road.
The third annual report of the Little Miami Rail-Road Company, of which I lately published a synopsis, ought to be in the hands of every public man in the west. It serves to give some idea of what the products from the great west are rapidly becoming. This is, however, not so easily realised by figures as in other respects.
The Company erected, last fall, an immense depot, as was supposed of sufficient capacity to provide for the reception of the various freight received at this point, and accumulating for two or three days at a time. The building was brick, three hundred feet long and fifty feet wide. The rail-way enters it at the west, running within fifty feet of its entire length. A floor of thirteen thousand five hundred square feet, graded to the level of the cars, enables them to discharge their burthens on a level, whence they are taken to the Front street face of the building and loaded in wagons and drays.
Large, however, as is this building, it has been
Turkies are the general market standard for thanksgiving day, but sometimes a goose is pre- fered. In a neighbouring city, a gentleman in market was attracted by the sight of a plump, extra sized, well cleaned goose. " Is it a young one?" said he to a bonny rosy cheeked country lass. " Yes sir, indeed it is," was the ready re- ply. "And how much do you want for it?" " A dollar, sir." "That is too much, I think; say eighty-seven and a half cents, and here's your money." "Well, sir, as I would like to get you for a steady customer, take it away." The goose was taken home and roasted; but it was found difficult to carve, and when cut up, so tough as to be uneatable. The gentleman went to market again, on the following day, as usual, and there met with his fair poulterer. "Did you not tell me that goose was young, which I bought of you?" " Yes sir, I did, and so it was. Don't you call me a young woman? I am only nine- teen." " Yes I do." "Well, I have heard mother say, many a time, that it was nearly six weeks younger than me."
Mesmerism, Neurology, &c.
It was to be hoped, after the remarkable and authenticated cases I have published of things " most surely believed," in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, analogous to the phenomena exhibited here by various lecturers on these subjects, that the lips of incredulity would have been put to si- lence. But infidels still exist and perhaps will, always.
A friend of mine lately received a letter from a distinguished physician of Kentucky, in which he says: " You need not laugh at Mr. Cist's tes- timonials on the subject of extract of white wal- nut or butter nut. It may all be depended on. They will vomit if the bark be scraped up, and purge if scraped down, as he says. They still do more than this, for they will vomit and purge at the same time, if scraped both up and down, and they will neither vomit nor purge if scraped crosswise from the tree. All this I know from my own experience."
For facts corroborative of certain other points of Pennsylvania faith and practise, I refer to the communication which follows. It is from as in-
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telligent an individual as resides in the county or state, who having devoted much time during a long life, to storing his mind with useful knowl- edge, the fruit of both reading and observation, is now well qualified to employ, with profit to my readers, his leisure hours in the communica- tions for my columns, which he has given me reason to expect from time to time.
Mr. C. CIST,-Sir:
I know not how you will class what follows; you may call it what you please: You have published things much like it, and may do so with this.
It is rather more than fifty years since I began housekeeping in Philadelphia. A good supply of hickory was laid up for the winter; but as it gen- erally happens, towards the spring there remained a pretty considerable assortment of the largest logs left,-knotty, knurly affairs,-the rejected of the pile, while better could be got at; still they must be burnt, and a sort of industrious fit hav- ing come on me, I determined to split them up into sizeable wood myself. Axe, maul and wedges, were had, and things went on pretty well for a time, but one morning-a cold morn- ing-as I was entering a wedge with the poll of the axe, the wedge slipped from my fingers, and the axe came on my thumb. I don't believe it made me faint, as I never did see, nor ever did hear of, any well-certified faint in man or woman, unless there was some other person near to take care of the sufferer. You may have seen, as I have, how utterly helpless a young woman becomes-as limber as a wet rag -on such occasions, when a young man has to lift her up, to lay her on the sofa-and how pret- ily and nicely she will revive after her hands have been duly chafed-what pretty little sighs -and how the eyelids gently unclose, &c. I imagine that about nine and a half times in ten cases, the proper orthography of the word is feint. Your lady readers must not suppose that I am a horrid, hard-hearted unbeliever, for I do think that it may be possible for a lady to come to an actual faint, even when alone. I know that I, even I myself, felt a mighty queer sort of a dizziness as I sat on the cellar steps, and did not remember how I got there; and it may be, had any one been present, a real, downright faint might have been perpetrated. When I went up stairs one of my family-it then was composed of the smallest possible number to constitute a family-doctored the unfortunate thumb with a poultice of salt and vinegar, but without much, if any, good effect. The next day I was in the book store of the late worthy Thomas Dobson: he noticed my little doll-baby of a thumb, and having informed him what was the matter, he told me he could remove the pain. I said he 'horse whether he was corked, which he was not,
could not, for I had no faith. He did not care whether I had or not, and bid me to lay my hand on the counter, which was done. He moved his hands over mine, but I heard him say nothing. In about, perhaps, a minute, he asked if the pain was gone-it had gone-but I told him it was worse than ever. He continued his operations for a short time, and then told me he knew it was gone; and I had to laugh and own it was so.
Nearly opposite the " stone house" of Mr. Dobson, lived Robert Haydock, plumber, one of whose men got burnt from shoulder to wrist by melted lead. The pain could not be allayed by the physician, or the care and attention of Robert and his kind, good lady. They were Friends, " after the most strictest sect." "Robert," said this good lady, " I am much troubled in mind about John; I have done all I can, and the doctor has nothing further to advise but patience. Did thee never hear that neighbour Dobson hath the gift, as it is called, of extracting pain, when all remedies have failed? " Tut, tut, wife, I wonder thee can believe in such nonsense; it is only the effect of imagination. " Nay, but Robert, if it is only the effect of imagination, if John imagines the pain is gone, he will get a good night's rest; and at all events, I do not see that any evil can arise." After a little more opposition the wife had her way-a thing of course,-John went to neighbour Dobson, and in about ten minutes came back-as he imagined-free from pain. This was told me by a " Friend" in high stand- ing in the Society, to whom I had related my thumb business. I asked him what he thought of such things? Well, he didn't know-he had heard of many wonders of the power of imagina- tion, and yet he knew of a strange cure of a. horse, which he could not ascribe to that. He then related that a few years previous he had some meeting-business to attend to in Chester county, and on his way home, three or four miles beyond Darby-you know the little town well,-his horse was suddenly struck lame; after riding a few rods the creature seemed to suffer so much that he got off and led him to the tavern in Darby, which was kept by a friend .- I believe in those days all the inhabitants were of that sect .- The ostler-all ostlers are ex officio horse doctors -was called to see what was the matter, but could discover no cause of lameness, and propo- sed taking him to a " straw doctor" a short dis- tance from the place. My friend, an unbeliever in such things, objected, but as the tavern keeper allowed that the " doctor" had made some sur- prising cures, and as it could do no harm any how, the ostler was sent with the horse, and in about half an hour returned riding him back. The ostler stated that the " doctor" examined the
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and then cut a square sod, with which he rubbed the horse, and then replaced it in the ground. His charge for " medicine and attendance," was a quarter dollar. My friend rode the horse home, and never observed any ill consequences from the witchcraft cure. Others may think as they please; I firmly believe all I have stated; yct I am not so easy of belief as Sancho, who told his master, the Don, that the story was so very true, that any one who only heard it might safely and conscientiously make oath that he saw it; nor does my unbelief equal that of the old Dutch tory, on Long Island, who when told that Corn- wallis was taken, said " it was a tam'd lie just as dat dat was told dree or four years ago dat Sheneral Burgoyne was daken.
All this may be too long for your columns, but if any part will do, you may cut and slash to suit yourself. H.
January 19th, 1846.
Diplomacy of the United States.
For centuries the diplomatic intercourse of the civilized world had been carried on, upon the prin- ciple of deceit and lying, bribery and espionage. During that period all was considered fair in dip- lomacy, as it is now by some in politics. And the only disgrace felt or experienced, was in de- tection or failure. Almost the first public act of America, after we became a nation, was to teach the world that in all things honesty is the best of policy. Franklin set this cxample in France. It has been followed by our various Ambassadors abroad, from John Adams down, and by our department of state under every in- cumbent. And the result is, that our national character for fair and direct dealing stands higher than that of most other nations in the world.
Many interesting incidents have been recorded on this subject. I propose to furnish one which rests on undoubted authority, which has, how- ever, as far as my knowledge goes, never yet ap- peared in print.
During the administration of Mr. Van Buren, George M. Dallas, our present Vice-President, was sent as Minister Plenipotentiary to Russia, to negociate a commercial treaty with that Em- pire. As soon after presenting his credentials and being accredited in that capacity at the Court of St. Petersburg as afforded him, in his judg- ment, a proper opportunity, he addressed a letter to Count Nesselrode, the Russian Minister of State, in which he made known the object for which he was sent, and politely inquired of his Excellency when it would suit his convenience to attend to the business. The receipt of the letter was duly acknowledged, and the assurance given of his Excellency's high consideration of the writer, nothing being, however, said on the
main subject of the epistle. Mr. Dallas, unwill- ling as the representative of the youngest nation on earth, to transgress the laws of etiquette, waited a while and finally wrote a second and a third note, to which he received answers pretty much to the same purpose as had been made to the first. Finding himself unable to progress in this way, he determined to come to the point at once, and despatched a letter stating to the Min- ister, that finding himself unable to accom- plish the object of his mission, and unwilling to remain for any other purpose, he would ask of his Excellency that his imperial majesty might furnish him with the necessary passports for his departure. This brought things at once to a crisis. The Emperor-Nicholas-a man of great energy and directness of purpose,-probably thought the better of the young republican for his frankness, and told his minister, " Ask him what he wants." Dallas, who was prepared for any issue, replied by handing in a draft of the treaty, which being read to the Autocrat of the Russians, he promptly said, " I agree to it-ask him if he wants anything more." Dallas, em- boldened by this gracious treatment, thien added, " I should like to receive the treaty on His Ma- jesty's birth-day." The birth-day, or rather the Saint's Day, after whom the reigning monarch was named, was but a few days off, being St. Nich- olas Day, the 6th December, O. S., by which the Greek Church yet reckons. Accordingly, on that day the usual levee was held, at which all the foreign Ambassadors attended-all but Mr. Dallas in stars, ribbons and embroidery-he in a plain black suit of citizen's dress. They were introduced in the court order of precedence, the Envoy from Austria taking the post of honour, and the British Ambassador next, &c., Mr. Dal- las so far in the rear as to be out of sight, when the Austrian Minister stepped forward to make his compliments. As he advanced, the Emperor called out in a tone which rang through the hall of audience, " Is the American Minister here?" " Yes sire." "Ask Mr. Dallas to step forward." Mr. Dallas made his bow and offered the usual congratulations. The Emperor, in the kindest manner, expressed his thanks, handing Mr. D. the treaty at the same time. The rest of the corps diplomatique stared, and well they might, for the document, with its seals and ribbons, pro- claimed its character, and the whole deportment of the Emperor taught them a lesson, that in diplomacy and politics, honesty and directness of conduct is, as in all things else, the best policy.
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