The Register of Pennsylvania : devoted to the preservation of facts and documents and every other kind of useful information respecting the state of Pennsylvania, Vol. III, Part 73

Author: Hazard, Samuel, 1784-1870
Publication date: 1828
Publisher: Philadelphia : Printed by W.F. Geddes ;
Number of Pages: 440

USA > Pennsylvania > The Register of Pennsylvania : devoted to the preservation of facts and documents and every other kind of useful information respecting the state of Pennsylvania, Vol. III > Part 73

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

And I do further grant to the said Burgesses and In- habitants of the aforesaid Town and Borough of Ches- ter, That they and their Successors shall and may, for "ever hereafter, hold and keep within the said Town in every Week of the Year one Market on the fifth Day of the Week called Thursday: And also two Fairs there in every Year, the first of them to begin the fifth Day of the third Month, called May, and to contin- ue that Day and two Days after; and the other of the said Fairs to begin the fifth Day of October, and to con- tinue till the seventh Day of the same Month in such Place and Places in the said Town as the Burgesses from time to time shall order and appoint.

.And I do further grant, That neither I, nor my Heirs or Assigns, shall or will seize any of the Liberties or Franchizes hereby granted, nor take any Advantage against the said Borough for the non-using or waving the present Execution of any of the Powers or Privile- ges hereby granted.

IN WITNESS whereof I have hercunto set my Hand, and caused my Great Seal to be affixed. Dated the One-and-thirtieth Day of October, in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and One. 1701.

WILLIAM PENN.

Recorded Pat. Book, Vol. 2. p. 138. VOL. III. 34

CAVE AND SPRING NEAR CARLISLE.

The following is an extract fo a letter published in the "Port Folio" in 1811. In the remaining part of the letter a cursory view is given of the Town of Carlisle and the surrounding country-but as so many alterations and im- provements have taken place since, we hope some gentleman will furnish us with a more accurate and de- tailed description of Carlisle, its College &c. at the pres- ent time. We have not yet been furnished with an ac- count of Cumberland County-our wish has been fre- quently expressed to be furnished with information re- specting each county and town in the state and we have already published accounts of several-but many more are still wanting.

The next morning, notwithstanding the fatigues of the preceding day, we quitted our beds at an early hour, for the purpose of examining the cave. We left the town nearly in a north-west direction, and took the bar- racks in our course. These buildings are of brick, and sufficiently large to lodge a considerable force-They are old, and, at present, very much dilapidated, particu- larly such as are not inhabited: two are, hotvever, ten- anted, and these had some indicia of comfort in their ap- péarance.

Leaving the barracks, we crossed two or three fields, and at length reached the banks of the Canadoguinnet. This creek is distant from Carlisle, one mile and a quar- ter. There is a house at the place where the road ter- minates, at which we procured fire for our candles, and then, torch in hand, marched towards the cave.

After clambering over a rock, which juts from the steep bank into the creek, with some inconvenience and danger to our shins, we reached the object of our excursion. As a necessary precaution, we then sat down to rest and cool ourselves, before we ventured in- to its damp and chilly atmosphere. The opening of the cavern is in a perpendicular limestone rock, of about 20 feet in height, and has, itself, seven feet of elevation. It is nearly semi-circular, and this, joined to the smooth surface of the rock, gives it a singular and striking ap- pearance. From the turn of the arch we were led, on first looking at it, to think that art had contributed some- what to its regularity. It approached, so closely, to a circular arc, that although no vestiges of chisselling were perceivable, except some trifling ones of a late date, we were strongly impressed with this idea. And, indeed, it is, in some measure, corroborated, by the smoothness of the roof, which, for some little extent, though irregular, is not jagged; but wherever there is a projection or a chasm, its edges are generally even.

The shores of the creek and the surrounding scenery are romantic, and a foot-bridge, thrown over the water, a little above the place were we sat, with some build- ings, prettily situated, made the view, though confined, very interesting. Something, also, of sublimity is con- tributed by the mountains which bound the prospect- These are high, and the day being heavy and cloudy, they had a sombre and almost grand effect. After tak- ing, to guard against the disagreeable consequences of the damp, a draught of aqua vitae, diluted with a reason- able portion of aqua putei, we commenced our search. Some sensations of awe were pretty generally felt by the party on entering the cave. Our footsteps were echoed with a heavy dead reciprocation of sound, and the gleam of the candles through the thick, moist air, gave a pallid and melancholy hue to the countenances of cach, that, for a few moments, prevented us from in- dulging in any thing like merriment. Feelings of this kind were, however, soon dissipated; mirth and jollity quickly succeeded, and our scrutiny was enlivened by the liveliest sallies of humour, and the brightest effusions of gayety and wit.

The larger part of the cave extends ninety yards, and then branches off in three directions. The passage to

266

CAVE AND SPRING NEAR CARLISLE.

[ÁPRIL

the right is broad, but low, and, from the moisture of the stones, was very difficult of access. After passing this opening, the cave is enlarged to the dimensions of its first division, and we were, in some places, able to stand upright. A very minute search was made to see if there were any other passages from this part, but our scrutiny was unsuccessful. We were incited to use con- siderable pains in this examination, from learning that some time before a stranger had visited this curiosi- ty, and, in one of the compartments, discovered a chasm sufficiently large to admit the body of a chikl, and, to all appearance, of considerable extent. From the descrip- tion given of this gentleman, we were led to think it had been Mr. Wilson, the ornithologist-Should we have found the opening, we were told he had discover- ed, we would have spared no labor to render it accessi- ble, but we were disappointed. One difficulty in our way was, the ignorance we were under as to the divi- sion where Mr. W. had noticed the opening. Had this been known we might have recognised it-but our searches were directed at random, and on that account, alone, perhaps were unfortunate. All we could per- ceive, was a small round hole, near the ground, not quite a foot in diameter, and two and a half feet deep, in the solid stone.

After a very attentive and anxious investigation, we quitted this compartment, which is called, very ele- gantly, "the Devil's Dining Room," and proceeded to the centre passage. This is very narrow, and, in direc- tion, somewhat similar to a winding stair. The ascent is steep and irregular, and, after a tedious and ineffec- tual endeavor to ascertain its precise extent, we desist- ed from pursuing it. It is inaccessible after proceeding little better than nine yards, and ends in a perpendicu- lar excavation, the height of which we were without the means of determining.

The left hand passage next claimed our attention .- At first view, it seems to extend not farther than three or four feet, but it takes a sudden turn to the right, and would measure, in length, near thirty yards, with suffi- cient breadth and height to enable a boy to creep along it; but after this, it becomes so narrow as not to be pen- etrable, except by very diminutive animals. The floor of this passage, owing to the rain which had fallen for two or three days before, was entirely covered with mud and water, to the depth of from one to five inches, so that we had, by no means, a cleanly appearance on issuing from it. About seven feet from the entrance of this minor excavation, there are five or six little pools of water in the rock, formed by drippings from its roof and sides, and which are sufficiently large to contain a quart, and a little better, each. I had the curiosity to taste this water, and found it not unpleasant; filtration seemed to have deprived it of any bad taste it may have originally had. Many in Carlisle, are ignorant enough to think that there are seven springs here, and a num- ber of curious tales were told me of the water they con- tained. The slightest observation is sufficient to show, that they are but stagnant pools of water; only full du- ring wet weather, and, when not replenished with rain, sinking through the small fissures of the stone, and re- maining dry. As it would require a long spell of dry weather to effect this dessication, the vulgar find somne countenance to their conjectures in the holes being almost always full.

At the farthest extremity of this branch, I found, on a small projection, three bones. One seemed to be a piece of the thigh bone, and the others of the vertebra, but whether of a brute or human being, my knowledge of anatomy was insufficient to the determination. The ledge, on which these bones were lying, was ten inches from the floor, and extended in length about four feet. There appeared to be a cavity between the ledge and the ceiling, six inches in width; but I was unable to thrust my arm farther in than to the elbow, though it seemed to be rather deeper.

Having now given a very close examination to cvery

accessible compartment of the cave, and fully satisfied ourselves, that no penetrable outlet would have been discovered had our search continued for years-we made our exit, after having been deprived of the light of the sun for two hours and more. The change of tem- perature was so sudden and so great, that most of us dreaded the effects of our excursion would terminate in troublesome colds-but fortunately all escaped.

In company the next day, our conversation, at one time, took a turn toward the place we had visited in the morning. One gentleman told us, an opinion very ge- nerally prevailed, that formerly, the Indians had made it a place of temporary deposit for their spoils of war, and, sometimes, a kind of sanctuary for personal con- cealment. Many too, he observed, thought it might once have been used for the sepulture of warriors who had died in battle-This idea, he remarked, was strengthened by the discovery, some years back, of skeletons and scattered bones of human beings, in va- rious parts of the cavern. He did not, however, re- member ever having seen any weapons, or remains of military habiliments, to indicate that there had been any thing either sacred or honorary attached to burials there-And, independently of this want of essential circumstance to corroborate the supposition, the ap- pearance and structure of the cave militates against it. The Indians would not be likely to turn a place of the kind into a receptacle for the deceased warriors of their tribes, (whose funerals were always accompanied with considerable, though rude pageantry) without attempt- ing to bestow on it, an air of artificial grandeur, by sculptures, or similar ornaments .. But no appearance of there having ever existed magnificence of this kind, is at present to be perceived, so that the notion seems en- tirely unfounded. The most rational idea is, that -an- ciently, it was used as a habitation, when either the weather or season, or perhaps natural indolence inter- fered to prevent the construction of more commodious dwellings; and, that such members of families as died, were carried to the inner apartments, and consigned, without any other ceremonies than those which natural affection dictated, to some nook or ledge, and slightly covered with earth. When one family became tired of their place of residence, they resigned the possession to the next who was willing to accept it,and, from this cause, it is likely,it was constantly occupied.

Before the company separated, we agreed to meet in the morning, for the purpose of proceeding to ano- ther natural curiosity, called the "Hogshead Hole," or "Hogshead Spring." This is situated a mile and a half north of the town, in the middle of a large field, and about a quarter of a mile from the road. It is an excavation in the ground, nearly conical, and presents to the eye, on one side, a face of limestone rock, luxuri- antly fringed with flowering vines, where

-" creeping shrubs of thousand dyes, --

" Wav'd in the west-wind's summer sighs;"

On the other, a regular, beautiful descent, covered with long, soft grass. At the top it is circular, and, as near as we could determine, by stepping round, fifty- four feet in circumference. In the rock, and six or eight feet from the summit, there is an opening, hand- somely arched, with a descent of near forty degress, sufficiently large to admit a man stooping, and ten feet in depth. With some danger, from the slippery ground, we got to the bottom of the cavity, where we found a pool of delicious water, to all appearance stag- nant, yet sweet, cool, and refreshing. For these quali- ties I was told the water is always remarkable, though there are no visible apertures by which it either enters or runs off. When this wonderful account was first gi- ven us, we felt disposed to laugh, and to satisfy ourselves that there was deception of some kind-with a little trouble we cleared out the spring from the leaves and dirt which had collected in it, and subjected every part to a rigid scrutiny. We were unable to discover any outlet.

267

PROGRESS OF LITERATURE.

1829.]

I was much better pleased with my visit to this re- markable spring, than with the search in the cave. Here, after walking half an hour, under a scorching sun, we were gratified by finding a spot, attractive both for its shade and its intrinsic beauty, and refreshed by a draught of water, more preferable to us, at that time, than the purest chrystal of Helicon. We enjoy- ed the voluptuous breezes which played around us at this delightful place, for almost two hours, and were only drawn from it by the approach of the dinner hour. H. C. O.

PROGRESS OF LITERATURE IN PENNSYL. VANIA.

Prior to the revolution an American version of the entire lyric works of Horace was in progress, which ap- peared in an octavo volume in 1786, from Oswald's press, in Philadelphia. This volume, which on the ti- tle page is said to be by a native American, contains a number of original poems. The name of the author was John Parke, who says, in his dedication to General Washington, "many of these translations which I have the honor of addressing to you, were the work of my youthful days, when I scarce numbered fifteen years in the scale of my existence: others were written at a more advanced period of life; some in the retirement of a winter cantonment, and others in the accidental quietude of a camp." Concerning Mr. Parke, we have been able to learn but very little. It is supposed that he was born in the state of Virginia, and that soon after the publication of his poems, he left Philadelphia, and returned to Arundel, in Virginia. That he was a- student at the Philadelphia college, in 1769 and 1770, may be inferred from the fact of several of his odes be- ing addressed to different professors in that institution, and dated college. Presuming his age to have been nineteen at this time, he was born about the year 1750. He was an officer in the army; but of what grade we have not learnt. Many of his odes are addressed to his fellow soldiers. : He appears to have served in various- quarters, one of his odes being dated, camp before Bos- ton, 1775, some from other head quarters, but from the dates of others, we conclude that he was with Wash- ington's division from 1775 to 1779.

Among the miscellaneous poems, translations and original, which compose part of this volume, are seve- ral from the Greek and Latin, which, Mr. Parke in- forms us, were " written between the years 1720 and 1730, by the learned and facetious David French, Esq., late of the state of Delaware."

These manuscripts were found in an old trunk. Who David French was we have been unable to discover; but he was unquestionably a scholar, of correct taste, and possibly might have been a better poet than many who at this day are better known. "A Mr. Prior, a young gentleman of Dover," also contributed several copies of verses; but he belonged to that class of versi- fiers who aim at immortality by writing "sonnets to their mistresses' eyebrows."

that allegiance which he owed at the time of his birth. From this it would appear that the amor patria with Mr. Malcolm, consisted more in the love of political institu- tions than of the natale solum. Many were of the same way of thinking; but the year 1788 was rather too late a period to put such a determination 'into execution. Malcolm was of diminutive stature, had a remarkably squeaking voice, and was effeminate in his manners.

That "honest chronicler," Robert Proud, was born in England, in 1728, which country he left in the latter part of the year 1758, and in the beginning of the fol- lowing year landed in 'America, where he was kindly received, but having no employment, spent several months in travelling, principally among friends, in the eastern provinces. Returning, towards the close of that year, he commenced teaching Greek and Latin, in the Friend's School in Philadelphia, and continued in that employment until 1770, when he entered into mer- cantile business with his younger brother, John, which was continued, until interrupted by the revolution, when, reduced in his circumstances, by the stoppage of trade and depreciation of continental money, he under- took to write a history of Pennsylvania.

In the year 1780 his necessities compelled him to re- sume the duties of a teacher, which he continued to perform with undiminished reputation, until 1790, when increased years induced him to relinquish his arduous occupation, and he now devoted his time to the com- pletion of his history, which was published in Philadel- phia in 1797. He continued to reside in that city until his decease, on the 4th or 5th of July, 1813, in the 85th year of his age. Ile retained his mental faculties un- impaired until his last illness, and suffered less from bo- dily infirmity than is usual with those who arrive at so great an age. He was never married. His figure was tall, erect and slender; his countenance strongly marked and expressive; his dress neat, and though not remark- able for its plainness, conformable to that of the Society of Friends, of which he was a member. His general appearance was venerable and commanding; his man- ners were polished, mild and conciliatory; his moral conduct through life was pure and irreproachable; and his classical attainments were unusually various, accu- rate and extensive.

"There is no American poet so purely national as Philip Freneau. His writings are characterized by ro- bust energy, suited to the times in which they were pub- lished. Devoid of the ornament of language, and the flowers of imagination, they depend upon genuine wit and good sense, clearly expressed, to secure the favor of the reader. Freneau was alnost destitute of pathos, not very nice in the selection of his rhymes, and he wrote principally upon occasional subjects; yet the sub- jects chosen were of such a nature, that his poems have lost but little of their original interest, by the lapse of time. He commenced writing during the revolution, and his songs were popular among the soldiery. He contributed liberally to the newspaper press, both in prose and verse, and his communications were eagerly and beneficially circulated throughout the different states. The name of Freneau was generally known, and we frequently meet with complimentary reference to his writings.

Prefixed to this volume there is an odd looking em- bellishment, by way of frontispiece, which was design- ed by Peter Markoe, and drawn and engraved by James Peller Malcolm. It is a very unfavorable specimen of the state of the fine arts in Philadelphia, at that time, Freneau published a volume of miscellaneous wri- tings in 1786, another two years afterwards, and a third in 1795. In 1809 he published two volumes of poems, selected from the foregoing, to which original poems were added. In 1815 he gave to the public two small volumes more, which were published in New York, all the others having been printed in Philadelphia. Ou author was at one time a captain of a vessel 'n the coast- ing trade, and for two years the editor of a newspaper. He commenced the National Gazette in Philadelphia, on the 31st of October. 1791, and it was continued, twice a week, until the 26th of October, 1793. Ile dis- played considerable talent in this arduous and responsi- and is now noticed only on account of the engraver. Malcolm was born in Philadelphia, where he served his apprenticeship with David Terr. For about two years after the expiration of his term, he exercised his trade in his native city, and removed to London in 1788, where he acquired some celebrity as an antiquarian and engraver. He published several volumes of antiquities and other subjects, and died in the year 1815. In the Gentleman's Magazine, for June of that year, is a sketch of his life, written by himself, in which he states, with an air of great self-satisfaction, that he no sooner became his own master, and was at liberty freely to exercise his own judgment, than he crossed the Atlantic to pay / ble station, and in his latter years did not escape the in-

268

PROGRESS OF LITERATURE.

[APRIL

variable fate of the votaries of the Muses, poverty. We I:ave been unable to learn the events of his protracted life, and trust that those who may be familiar with his career, will not withhold an account of it from the pub- lic. He was born in New Jersey.

Hugh Henry Breckenridge, the facetious and satiric- al author of Modern Chivalry, maintains a conspicuous place in the literature of Pennsylvania. His public sta- tion, eccentricity of character, and literary productions render him a subject for the pen of the biographer, and no time should be lost in preparing such a publication, for if a few years more are permitted to elapse, without collecting the materials, instead of the vivid and graph- ic picture of the man, nothing more than a rude and imperfect outline will be presented. There is still an abundance of anecdote, illustrative of his character, and he possessed so many striking features, that the artist must be unskilful indeed, who could not endue. his sketch almost with vitality. Our author was by birth a Scotchman; educated to the bar, and appointed to a seat on the bench of the Supreme Court of Pennsylva- nia, in 1799. Ile resided at Carlisle, in the interior of that state, and died in the year 1816. The romance of Modern Chivalry is his masterpiece; and the pungency of its satire reminds us not unfrequently of both the strength and coarseness of Rabelais and Swift. The second part of this work appeared in 1792. A small volume, entitled Gazette Publications, which appeared at Carlisle in 1806, contains much sportive wit. This volume is simply what its title promises; a number of essays, which he had given to the public, in the cphe- meral columns of newspapers, collected into a more permanent form. His Law Miscellanies contains more speculative entertainment than solid instruction; and his Epistle to Walter Scott will not place him, as a ver- sifier, above mediocrity. We are not familiar with any other of his productions, except the opinions delivered in his judicial capacity. These develope great resources of mind, if not much profundity of legal acquirement. He appears to have been fond of dissenting from the decision of his fellow judges, which collision of opinion elicited much ingenious argument, and affords the practitioner of law an opportunity of viewing many im- portant points of his profession in various aspects. Breckenridge was entirely too speculative for the thorough-paced lawyer, who. if he take a step without precedent, is immediately lost in a labyrinth of confu- sion. There are many in the profession who exclaim ita lex scripta est, and there is no departing from this maxim; who, on every occasion, confidently cite a case in point, without dreaming that every case has its shade of distinction. Breckenridge was unwilling to travel in the beaten track, merely because it had been travelled before; and if, after investigation, he discovered another to be the right path, though from long disuse over- . grown with briers and brambles, he would endeavour to force his way through it, regardless of the difficulties which he miglit encounter in the undertaking.

About the commencement of the present century, several writers of a superior order of intellect appeared in Philadelphia. It strikes us that at no period, before or since, has that city contained so many, qualified to shine in the department of polite literature. The Port Folio called into action talent, which otherwise would have lain dormant; but the literature of that paper was tainted with the asperity of the times. The muscs were made subservient to politics, and more so in Phila- delphia than in any other city in the union; for, being the seat of government, it appears to have been im- practicable even to breathe the atmosphere that sur- rounded it, during that turbulent period, without par- taking of the contagion.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

The Register of Pennsylvania : devoted to the preservation of facts and documents and every other kind of useful information respecting the state of Pennsylvania, Vol. III, Part 73

Author: Hazard, Samuel, 1784-1870 Publication date: 1828 Publisher: Philadelphia : Printed by W.F. Geddes ; Number of Pages: 440

Author: Hazard, Samuel, 1784-1870
Publication date: 1828
Publisher: Philadelphia : Printed by W.F. Geddes ;
Number of Pages: 440