Camden commercial courier. (Camden, S.C.) 1837-1838, July 08, 1837, Image 1
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L. M. JONES, & Co. Publishers. "at the public good we aim." M. M. LEVY, Editor. v
VOli. I. CAfli?E.\, SOUTH CAROLINA, SATURDAY JII.Y 8, IS37. jvo. lo. I
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aOMMaS.3IA.Xi OOUSZSS; ,
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v-y ? - ? ? I '
AMARVELLOUS TOWER.
A SPANISH LEO AND*
Tho morning sun shone brightly upon the
cliff built towers of Toledo, when King Roderick
issued out of the gate of the city, at
the head of a numerous train of courtiers and
cavaliers, and crossed the bridge that crosses
the deep and rocky bed of the Tagus?The 1
shining cavalcade wound up the road that i
leads among the mountains, and soon came
in sight of the Necrmnatic tower.
King Roderick and his courtiers arrived <
wondering and amazed, at the foot of the
rock. Here was a narrow arched-way cut
through the living stone, the only entrance
to the tower. It was closed by a massive i
iron gate, convered with rusty locks of divers
workmanship, and in the fashion of different
centuries, which had been affixed by 1
the nredt>cf>ssnrs nf flnn llnrlorirt o.? i
g ? - ? "" """ %WMV" ,v"' v/u I
cither side of the portal, stood the two an- 1
cient guardians of the tower, laden with the
keys appertaining to the locks.
The king alighted, and approaching the 1
portal, ordered the guardians to unlock the 1
gate. The ho try headed men drew back
with terror. "Alas 1" cried they, "what is it
your majesty requires of us. Would you
have the mischiefs of this tower unbound, '
and let loose to shake the earth to its foundations?"
i
The venerable Archbishop Urbino like- <
wise implored him not to disturb a mystery 1
which had been held sacred from generation !
to generation, within the memory of man; 1
and which Ciesar himself, when sovereign '
of Sp:iin had not ventured to invaoc. The '
youthful cavaliers, however, were eager to
pcrsuc the adventure, and encouraged him
ill lii.-i rasli ?uirin?'iu
- 'J '
'Come what come may," exclaimed Don 1
Roderick, ' ! am resolved to penetrate the '
mystery of this tower." So saying, he again '
commanded the guardians to unlock the port
ds. The ancient men obeyed with fear
anu trembling; but their hands shook with
age, and when they applied the keys, the 1
locks were so rusted by time, or of such 1
strange workmanship, that they resisted their
feeble ellorts; whereupon the young cav diers 1
pressed forward, and lent their aid. Still the '
locks were so numerous and difficult, that
with all their eagerness and strength, a great 1
part of the day was exhausted before the
whole of thein could be mastered.
The patience of the king was now exhausted,
and lie advanced to apply his hand;
scarcely, however did he touch the iron gate,
when it swung slowly open, uttering as it 1
were, a dismal groan, as it turned reluctantly 1
upon its hinges. A cold damp wind issued
forth, accompanied by a tempestuous sound.
"The hearts of the ancient guardians quaked
within them, and their knees smote together:
but several of the young cavaliers rushed
in, eager to gratify their curiosity, or to signalise
themselves in their redoubtable enterprise.
They had scarcely advanced a few
paces, however, when they recoded, overcome
by the baneful air, or by some fearful
vision. Upon this the king ordered that
fires should be kindled to disp- 1 the darkness
and to correct the noxions and long imprisoned
ai;; he then led way into the interior, 1
but, though stout in heart, he advanced with
niVP n'rwl liOLiii'niAii
? ?# MMM IIVOIIUllUlll 1
After proceeding a short distance, lie en-1
tered a hall or anic-chainber, on the opposite 1
side of which was a door; and before it, on
a pedestal, stood a gigantic figure, of the
color of brqnze, and of a terrible aspect. It
held a huge inace, which it whirled incessantly,
giving such cruel and resounding
blows upon the earth, as to prevent all farther
entrance.
The king paused at sight of this appalling
figure; for, whether it was living, or a statue
of magic artifice, he could not tell. On its
breast was a scroll, whereon was inscribed
in large letters, "I do my duty." After 9
little while Roderick plucked up heart, and
addressed it with great solemnity: "Whatever
thou be,'* said he, "krtotV that I come
not to violate this sanctuary, but to inquire
into the mysteries it contains; I conjure thee
therefore, to let me pass in safety."
Upon this the figure paused with uplifted
inuue, aim me King ana nis train passed unmolested
through the door.
They entered a vast chamber, of a rare
and sumptuous architecture, difficult to be
described. The wails were encrusted with
the most precious geuw, so joined together
as to form one smooth and perfect surface.
The lofty dome appeared to be self supported,
ai.d was studded with gems, lustrious as
the stars of the firmament. There was neither
wood, nor any other common or base
material to be seen throughout the edifice.
There were no windows or other Openings to
admit the day, yet a radiant light was spread
throughout the place, which seemed to shine
from the walls, and to render every object
distinctly visible.
In the centre of this hall stood a table of
alabaster, of the rarest workmanship, on
which was inscribed in Greek characters,
that Hercules Alcides, the Theban Greek,
bad founded this tower in the year of the
world throe thousand and six. Upon the table
stood a golden casket, richly set round
with precious stones, and closed with a lock
of mother-of-pearl; and on the lid were inscribed
the following words:
"In this coffer is contained the mystery ot
the tower. The hand of none but a king
can open it; bullet him beware! for marvellous
events will be revealed to him, which
>.? I ~ ..i i c L .1 .u i?
uir: iu laivu |iiace ueiure I?IS ueaui.
Kin? Khoderick boldly seized upon the
casket. The venerable archbishop laid his
hand upon his arm, and made a last remonstrance*
"Forbear, "my son," said he,
"desist while there'is yet time. Look not
into the mysterious decrees of Providence.
God has hidden them ill mercy from our
sight, and it is iinpiou* to rend the veil by
which they arc concealed."
"What have I to dred from a knowledgo
of the future?" replied Roderick, with an
^ir of haughty presumption. "If good be j
destined me, I shall enj >y it by anticipation;
if evil, I shall arm myself to meet it." So
saying, lie rashly broke the lock. .
Within the coffer he found nothing hut a
linen cloth, folded between too tables of
copper. On unfolding it, he beheld painted
on it figures of men on horseback, of fierce
demeanor, clad in turbans and robes.of various
colors, after the fashion of the Arabs,
with cunetars hanging from their necks, and
crossbows at their saddle backs, and they
carrird banners wilh various devices. Above
them were inscribed in Greek characters,
"Rash monarch! behold the men who
are to hurl thee from thy throne, and subdue
thy kingdom."
At the sight of these things the king was
troubled in spirit, and dismay fell upon his
lttcndants. While they were yet regarding
the paintings, it seemed as if the figure^ began
to move, and a faint sound of warlike,
tumult arose from the cloth, with the clash
of cymbal and he bray of trumpet, the neigh
of steed and the shout of army; hut all was
heard indistinctly, as if alar off, or in a reverie
or di earn. The more they gazed, the
plainer became the motion, and the louder
the noise, and more distinct; and the linen
cloth rolled forth, and amplified, and spread
out, as it were a mighty banner, and fill d the
hall, and mingled with the air, until its texture
was no longer visible, or appeared in a
transparent cloud; and the shadowy figures
became all iu motion, and the din and uproar
became fiercer; and whether the whole
were an anim ?toil picture or a vision, or an
array of embodied spirits, conjured up by
supernatural power, no otic present could
tell. They beheld bol'ore them a great field
of battle, where Christians and Moslems
were engaged in deadly conflict They heard
the rush and tramp of steeds, the blast of
trump and clarion, the clash of cymbal, and
the stormy din of a thousand drums. There
was the clash of swords and maces, and battle
axes, with the whistling of arrows and
ihfi hnrlimr nI <t:iri< mwl Inncou 'I'lm />tn-io.
liuns quailed before the foe; the infidels
pressed upon them, and put them to utter
rout; the standard of the cross was east
down, the banner of Spain was trodden under
foot, the air resounded with the shouts
of triumph, with yells of furv, and with the
groans of dying men. Amidst the flying
squadrons, King Roderick beheld a crowned
warriflr, whose back was turned towards him
hut whose armor and device were his own,
and who was mounted on a white steed
that resembled his own war horse Orelia.?
In the confusion of flight, the warrior was
dismounted, and was no longer to be seen,
and Orclia gallopped wildly through the
field of battle without a rider
Roderick stayed to see no more, but rushed
from the fato) hall, followed hy his terrified
attendants. They fled through the outer
chamber, where the gigantic figure with
the whirling mace, had disappeared fiom
the pedestal; and on issuing into the open
air, they found the two ancient guardians of
ihe townr Ivinor dead at (hp nortala sia thmirrh
??j w?o ? * r;? * ? ? 6"
ihey had been crashed By some mighty
blow. All nature, which had been clear
and serene, was now in wild uproar. The
heavens were darkened by heavy clouds;
loud bursts of thunder rent the air, and
the earth was deluged with rain and rattling
hail.
The king ordered that the iron portal
should be closed; and the cavaliers were
dismayed by the tremendous turmoil and
the mingled shouts and groans that continued
to prevail within. The king and his
train hastened back to Toledo, pursued and
pelted by the tempest. The mountains
shook And echoed with thunder, trees were
uprooted and blown down, and the Tagus
raged and roared, and flowed above its
banks. It seemed to the aflVighted courtiers
as if the phantom legions of the tower had
issued forth and mingled with the storm ; for
amid the claps of thunder, and the howling
01 the wind, they fancied they heard the
sound of the drums add trumpets, the shouts
of armie9, and the rush of steeds. Thus!
beaten by tempest, and overwhelmed with
horror, the king and his courtiers arrived at
Toledo, clattering across the bridge of the
Tagus, and entering the gate in headlong
confusion, as'though they had been pursued
by an enemy.
In the morning the heavens were again
serene, and all nature was restored to Iran
quility. The king, therefore, issued forth
with his cavaliers and took the road to the
lower, followed by a great multitude, for he
was anxious once more to close the iron door
and shut up those evils that threatened to
overwhelm the land. But lo! on coming in
sight of the tower, a new wonder met their
eyes. An eagle appeared high in the air,
seeming to descend from heaven. lie bore
in his beak a burning brand, and lighting
on the summit of the tower, fanned the fire
with his wings. In a little while the edifice
burst forth in a blaze, as though it had been
built of resin, and the flames mounted imo
the air with a brilliancy more dazzling than
the sun, nor did tliey cea*c until every stone
was consumed, and the whole was reduced
to a heap of ashes. Then there came a
vast flight of birds, small cf size and sable
of hue, darkening the sky like a cloud; and
they descended and wheeled in circles round
the ashes, causing so great a wind with their
wings, that the whole was homo up into the
air and scattered throughout all Spain; and
wherever a particle of those ashes fell, it
was a slain of blood. It is furthermore recorded
by ancient men and writers of former-days,
that all those on whomthisdust fell
were afterwards slain in battle, when the
country was conquered by the Arabs, and
that the destruction of this necromantic
tower was a sign and token of the approaching
perdition of JSpain.
THE BARDEIt AND PASTRY COOK.
In the Rue de la Ilarpc, which is a long,
dismal and ancient street, in the Faubourg
St. Marcell, is a space or gap in tire line
of buildings upon which formerly stood
two houses, in instead of which now stands
? i i.-i? i
?i iiiuiiinciiuiy memorial, sigmtymg that
upon this spot no human habitation shall
be erected?no human being shall ever
reside.
Curiosity will of course be greatly excited
to ascertain what was the reason
that rendered this devoted spot so obnoxious
to humanity, and yet so interesting
to history.
Two attached and opulent neighbors,
residing in some province not very remote
from the French capital, having occasion
to go to town on money transactions,
agreed to travel thence and return
together, which was to he done with as
much expedition as possible. They were
on foot, a very common way even at present,
for persons of much respectability to
travel in France, and were attended as
most pedestrians, by a faithful dog.
Upon their arrival at the Hue de la
llarpc, they stepped into the shop of a
peruquicr to he shaved, before they would
proceed on their business or enter into
the most fashionable streets. So limited
was their time, and so peremptory was
ih.! * -i ~
mcir return, mat tnc lirst man who was
shaved proposed to his companion that
while he was undergoing the operation of
a razor, he who was already shorn, would
run,to execute a small commission in the
neighborhood, promising that he would be
hack before the other was ready to move.
For this purpose he left the shop of the
barber.
On returning, to his great surprise and
vexation, he was informed his friend was
gone; but as the dog which belonged to
the absentee, was sitting on the outside of
the door, the other presumed he was only
gone but for a moment in pursuit of him,
he .chatted with the barber while he waited
his return.
Such a considerable time elapsed, that
mc granger now oecame quite impatient.
He went in and out, up and down the
street; still the dog remained stationed at
the door. .
"Did he leave no message?"
"No."
All the barber know was, that when he
was shaved he went away.
The dog remaining stationed at the door
was to the traveller, conclusive evidence
that his master was not far oft". lie went
in and out, and up and down again. Still
no signs of him whatever.
Impatience now became alarm ; alarm
soon became sympathetic. The poor animal
exhibited marks of restlessness in
yelps and in bowlings, which so afl'ected
the sensibility of the stranger, that he
threw out some insinuations not much to
the credit oF 44 Monsieur." An altercation
ensued, and the traveller Was indignantly
ordered to quit his boutique.
Upon quitting the shop, he found it impossible
to remove the dog from the door.
No whistling, no calling, no patting would
do. S.tir he would not. In his agony,
this aftlicted man raised a crowd about the
<1 >or, to whom he told his lamentable
story. The dog became an object of tini
versa! interest, anil of close attention, lie
shivered and he howled; but no seduction,
no caressing, no experiment could make
i him desert his post.
By some of the populace it was proposed
to send for the police, by others was
proposed a remedy more summary, namely,
to force in and search the house,
which was immediately done. The crowd
now burst in. Every apartment was searched
in vain. There wed nc trace whatever
of the countryman. During this investigation,
the dog still remained'sentinel at
the shop door, which was bolted within to
keep out the crowd, which was immense i
outside. ; i
Alter fruitless search and much altcrcn- j
tion, the barber, who had prevailed upon <
those who had forced ill to quit his house, I
came to the door and was haranguing the I
populace, declaring most solemnly his in- '
nocenro, when the dog suddenly sprung ; I
upon him, Hew at his throat with such tor- jl
rible exasperable, that his victim fainted, |i
and was with the greatest difficulty rescu-ji
ed from being torn to pieces. The dog
seemed in a state of intellect1; \! agony <
and fury. *us? ,
It was now proposed to give the animal ?
his wav, to see what course lie would pursue.
The moment he was let loose, he '
llew through the shop, and darted down 1
stairs into a dark cellar, where he set up ji
the most dismal lamentations. Lights br- t
ing procured, an aperture was discovered
in the wall, communicating to the next j
house, which was immediately surrounded i
and in the cellar whereof was found the 1
body of the unfortunate man who had <
been missing. The person who kept this J
shop was a patissiere, or a pastry cook. <
It is unnecessary to say that these mis- <
creanls were brought up to trial and exe- i
cuted. The facts that appeared upon fur- <
iher trial, and afterwards upon confession l
were these :
The incautious travellers, while in the i
shop of his friend, unhappily talked of
the money they had about them, and the
wretch, who was a robber and a murderer
by profession, as so^in as the one turned
his back, drew his razor across the throat,
of the other and plundered him.
j The remainder of the story is almost !
jtoo horrible for human cars, but is net on
that account the less credible.
The pastry cook, whose shop was so
remarkable for savory pastries, that they
were sent for to the Rue do la Harpe, from
the most distant part of Paris, was the ac- j
complice of the peruqtiier, and those who i
were murdered by the razor of one were '<
concealed by the knife of the other, in i
those identical pastries, by which, inde- (
I pcndcntly of his partnership in those frc-i
quont robberies, he had made a fortune.
This ease was of so terrific a nature, it
was made part of the sentence of the law,
that besides the execution of these mon1
sters upon the rack, the houses in which
1 they perpetrated those infernal deeds
si.ould be pulled down that the spot on
which they stood should be marked out to
posterity with horror and with execration.
?French Paper.
THE DADE MASSACRE.
The Boston Post publishing the following
interesting account of the massacre
of Major Dade's detachment in Florida,
in December, 1835, taken from the lips
of Ransom Clark, the sole survivor of
*!.? ...u~ >
inui uicauiui nnu Id HUW 111 OUS*
ton:
"Our detachment, consisting of 117 men,
under command of Major Dade, started ,
from Fort Brooke, Tampa Bay, on the ,
23d of December, and arrived at the scene |
of anion about eight o'clock on the morning
of the 28th. It was on the edge of
a pond, three miles from the spot where
we had bivouacked on the night previous.
The pond was surrounded hv tall grass,
brush, and small trees. A moment before
we were surprised, Major Dade said to
us?4We have now got through all danger;
keep up good heart, and when wCget
to Fort King, I'll give you three days for
Christmas.*
44At this time we were in a path, or
trail, on the hoi dor of the pond; anil the
first notice that wc received of the presence
of the enemy, was the discharge of
a rifle by their chief, as a signal to commence
the attack. The pond was on our 1
right, and the Indians were scattered
round, in a semicircle, on our left, in the
tui, <11111 in ituvitiit'e?rrurning ai ine iwn
latter points to the edge of the pond ; but
leaving hh opening for our entrance on '
the path, and a similar opening on the
other extremity for the egress of our advanced
guard, which was permiite I to pass
through without being fired on, and of
course unconscious of the ambuscade thro'
which they had marched. At the time of
the attack this guard was about a quarter
j of a mile in advance, the main body following
in column, two deep. The Chief's
rifle was followed by a general discharge
from his men, and Major Dade, Captain
Frazier, and Lieut, Mudge, together with
several non-commission* d oflici fs and
privates, were brought down by the first
volley. Our rear guard had a six-pounder,
which, as soon as possible; was hauled
up, and brought to bear upon the ground
occupied by the unseen enemy, secreted
among the grass, brush and trees. The
discharge of the cannon checked, and
made them fall hack, for about half an
hour. About twelve of us advanced, and
brought in our wounded and flic arms.
I : -t_ _ .1 1 A -- _
n'uviiiif me iicttii. /mhoiijj mc wounded
watt Lieutenant Miulge, who wus speechless.
We set him tip against a tree, and
he was found there two months after,
when Gen. Gainos sent a detachment j
to bury the bodies of our soldiers. All J
hands then commenced throwing up a1
small triangular bteastwork of logs; but,
)t:st as we had raised it about two feet, the
Indians returned, and renewed the engage*
n out* A part of our troops fought with*
in the breastwork, and a part outside. I
remained outside till I received a ball in
my right arm, and another near my right
b'inpic, which came out at the top of my
head. I next teceived a shot in my thigh*
which brought me down on my side, and
I then got into the breastwork. We gave
Litem forty-nine discharges from the cannon;
and while loading for the fiftieth,
Lite last shot we had, our match went out.
The Indians chieflv levelled at the tnen
who worked the cannon. In the meaa
time the main body of our troops kept up
i general fire with musketry.
44 The loss of the enemy must have been
very great, because we never fired until
ivc had fixed on our men ; but the cannon
was necessarily fired at random, as only
wo or three Indians appeared together.
SVhon the firing commenced the advance
nurd wheeled, and, in returning to the
main body, were entirely cut up. The
battle lasted til I about four in the afternoon,
md I was about the last one who handled
i gun, while l)ing on toy side. At the
[ lose I received a shot in my right shoulIcr,
which passed into my lungs; the blood
gushed out of my month in a stream, and
dropping my musket, 1 rolled over on my
face. The Indians then entered the
breastwork, but found not one man standing
to defend it. They secured the arms,
ammunition, and the cannon, and despatched
such of our fallen soldiers as they
supposed still to he alive. Their negroes
then canto in to strip the dead. I had by
this time somewhat revived, and a negro
observed that I was not dead, took up a
mu<krt, and shot me in the top of the
shoulder, and the ball came out at my
back. After firing, he said 'There, d?n
,..u? ?i.? ? ii- -ii
>iiu, turiu in.11. iiu iiii'd oil i jit: ii iiiu Ul
every tiling but mv shirt.
'''The enemy then disappeared to tlie
left of the poncl, and, through weakness
md apprehension, I remained still, till
iboutnine o'clock at night. I then commenced
crawling on niv knees and left
hand. As I was crawling over the dead,
1 put my hand one one man, who felt
di tie rent from the rest?he was warm and
limber. I roused him ur>, and found it
was DeCourcv, an Englishman, and tho
son of a British officer, resident in Canada.
f told him that it was best we should
attempt to travel, as the clanger appeared
to be over, and we might fall in with some
assistance. As tie was only wounded in
the side and arm, he "ould walk a little.
We got along as well as we could that
night, continued on till next noon, when,
on a rising ground, we observed an Indian
ahead, on horseback, loading his rifle.
We agreed that he should go on one side
o( the road, and I on the other. The Indian
took rfter De Courey, and I heard the
discharge of his rifle. This gave me time
to crawl into a hammock, and hide away.
The Indian so ?n returned, with his arms
and legs covered with blood, having, no
doubt, according to cns'om, cut DcCourcy
\.\j CI I ci 1/I I II ii I II IIIIII IIUW II W I III
his rille. The Indian caine riding through
the brush in pursuit of mc, and approached
within ton tcet, hut (rave up the search.
1 then resumed my route hack to Fort
Brooke, crawlc I and limped through the
iti??hts and forenoons, and slept in the
brush during the middle of the d iy, with
no other nourishment than cold water.
I got to Fort Brooke on the evening1 of the
fifth day; and in five months afterwards
was discharged as a pensioner, at eight
dollars per month. The doctor attributes
my not dying of my wounds to the circumstance,
tliar I bled a good deal, and
did not partake of any solid fjod duting
the five first days.
" Two other soldiers, by the name of
Thomas and Spragne, also came in afterwards.
Although hadly wounded, they
ascended a tree, and thus escaped the enemy,
an the evening of the battle. They
joined another expedition, two months
after, but before their wounds were healed,
and they soon died of them."
MOUNT SINAI.
From incidents n{ trnrrls iti F.rrtm* -% /
? -"6 */'*! 1 "
BY AN AMERICAN.
* * # Ai eight o'clock I was breakfasting
; the superior was again at my side,
again offered nil that the convent could
give, urging me to stay a month, a fortnight,
a week, at least to spend that day
with him, and repose myself after the fatigues
of my journey ; hut from the door
of the little room in which I sat I saw the
holy mountain, and I longed to stand on
its lofty summit. Though feeble and far
from well, I felt the blood of health again
coursing in my veins, and congratulated
myself that I was not so hackMeved in
feeling as 1 had once supposed. I found,
and I was happy to find, for the prospective
enjoyment of my farther journey, that
tli(> lira! t?nnil?lo I? .V.-. 1.1-..
- o'mniiiiriii ui ihc nismry
of the Bible, the first spot that could be
railed holy ground, raised in me feelings
hat had not been awakened bv the most
classic ground of Italy and Greece, or the
proudest monuments of the arts in F.gvpt.
* * * Continuing our ascent, the old
i monk stiU leading the way, in about a
' quarter v.: Vo-.tr we came to the table