THE BLOOD-HOUNDS OF SAN DOMINGO.

THE rise of the Black Empire of Hayti, although viewed by the world as an ordinary succession of triumphs and defeats, interrupted only by the horrors of new and terrible inflictions, and the fury of contending elements-is an event which has, and still may, powerfully affect the condition of the human race. The period of this wonderful revolution has interested a great and polished nation, not merely returning to the barbarism of the earliest periods, but descending to the characters of executioners and assassins, and removing the boundaries which civilization had prescribed even to war, rendering it a wild conflict of a brute and a midnight massacre. The sanguinary and horrible cruelties which the French were guilty of towards the blacks of the island, will always reflect a bloody stain on their annals. As their power became weaker an unnatural ferocity was increased, and apparently a desire to render the white complexion detestible throughout the Antiles; for no means, however extraneous, were left unattempted to annoy the enemy. Not content with the use of a considerable number of blood-hounds, (some of which they had procured from the Spanish part of the island, but most from that of Cuba,) which they sent in pursuit of small reconnoitering parties that Occasionally ventured within their lines; when they were taken (the pen shrinks from the task of describing it) they were thrown to those animals, less brutal than their barbarous owners, to be devoured alive! All the arts, which invention worse than savage could devise in the people, who continued to inspirit these animals with a ferocity not often known, were employed, to render them more terrific to the blacks, and more effective in the war. Such is the deteriorations of the human mind, under a pressure of circumstances. On the subject of ferocious animals being employed by the French, the following interesting particulars, extracted from Rainsford's History of Hayti, will be found of great interest.-Among the numerous rude inventions of barbarous ages to attain a superiority in war, was that of the use of beasts in

a variety of ways, in conjunction with their regular armies. In Virgil the effect of bulls sent in terrible array against an opponent is recorded, and Moses affords a ludicrous employment of foxes driven with firebrands towards the enemy's camp. The war-horse and elephant are also represented as taking an active share in the battle at all times. The introduction of dogs, however, is not so generally used, and one which is considered as likely to avail but in a very confined degree. The first particular mention of their use in acting with troops, is by Herrera, the Spanish historian, when describing the first conflict of Columbus with the Indians in 1492; the Sleute-hound of the Scots was in much repute as being early applied to discover the haunts of robbers; and Strabo is said to describe an attack upon the Gauls by dogs of this description. The character of decided enmity to man, however, seems to have been preserved only in Spanish America, and it is thought that the quadruped, which is the subject of the present account, is, though of a similar species to the Irish wolf-dog breed, a native of the South Seas.

Whether or not the dog in a savage state would devour his master, as is asserted, shall not here be argued; it is certain that on the mode of rearing, and subsequent discipline for use, in war, much has always depended, and that (to the disgrace of human beings so employed) their education has been reduced to such a system,as to leave little of their natural character remaining.

There are some facts which are not publicly known as to the rearing of these dogs, as particularly practised in St. Domingo, to which attention is at present confined. For this account the author is indebted to an intelligent friend, who had the care of those animals and their keepers in their troublesome passags from the Havannah to Jamaica.

The general mode of rearing these ferocious animals was in the following manner. From the time of their being taken from their dam, they were confined in a sort of kennel or cage, where they were but sparingly fed upon small quantities of the blood of different animals. As they approached maturity, their keepers procured a figure roughly formed as a negro in wicker work, in the body of which were contained the blood and entrails of beasts. This was exhibited before an upper part of the cage, and the food occasionally exposed as a temptation, which attracted the attention of the dogs to it as a source of food they wanted. This was repeated often. so that the animals with redoubled ferocity struggled against their confinement, while in proportion to their impatience their figure was brought nearer, though yet out of their reach, and their food decreased, till, at the last extremity of desperation, the keeper resigned the figure, well charged with the nauseous food before described, to their wishes. While they gorged themselves with the dreadful meat, he and his colleagues carressed and encouraged them. By these means the whites ingratiated themselves so much with the animals, as to produce an effect directly opposite to that perceivable towards the black figure; and when they were employed in the pursuit for which they were intended, afforded the protection so necessary for their employers. As soon as they were considered initiated into their business, the young dogs were taken out to be exercised in it, and trained with as much exactness as possible. In some instances this extended to a great length, but in general their discipline could not permanently retain them under the command of their leaders, and the consequence is obvious.

The common use of them in the Spanish islands was in chase of runaway negroes in the mountains. When once they got scent of the object, they immediately hunted him down, unless he could evade their pursuit by climbing

up a tree, and instantly devoured him; if he was so fortunate to get from their reach into a tree, the dogs remained about it yelping in the most dreadful manner, till their keepers arrived. If the victim was to be preserved for a public exhibition of cruelty, the dogs were then muzzled, and the prisoner loaded with chains. On his neck was placed a hoop with inverted spikes ; and hooks outward, for the purpose of entangling him in the bushes or elsewhere. Should the unhappy wretch proceed faster than his wearied pursuers, or attempt to run from them, he was given up to the dogs, which instantly devoured him. With horrid delight the chasseurs sometimes preserved the head to expose at their homes, as a monument of their barbarous prowess. Frequently on a journey of any length these causes were, it is much feared, feigned for the purpose of relieving the keepers of their prisoners, and the inhuman wretch who perpetrated the act, on his oath of having destroyed his fellow creature, received the reward of ten dollars from the colony.

If the most dreadful accidents among the blacks were ascribed, and it is apprehended justly, to the troops of blood-hounds on the very spot on which they were reared, what was not to be expected on the seat of war, amidst innumerable prejudices, and the powerful motive of self-preservation? when every one conceived himself justified in attributing an act of barbarity to the common cause, while it arose, perhaps, out of his own cruel disposition. The writer shrinks from the task of description in this place, yet the conceal ment will not excite the detestation he urges against the very idea of again introducing these animals under any pretext to the assistance of an army. But indifferent kept, the dogs frequently broke loose in the vicinity of the Cape, and infants were devoured in an instant from the public way! At other times they proceeded to the neighbouring woods, and surprizing a harm less family of labourers at their simple meal, tore the babe from the breast of its mother, or involved the whole party, and returned with their horrid jaws drenched in the gore of those who were acknowledged, even in the eyes of the French army, as innocent, and therefore permitted to furnish them with the produce of their labour.

PATRIOT FATHERS.

The castle of Corte, in possession of the Genoese, was besieged with great vigour by the Corsicans, commanded by Gaffori. By a strange want of thought, the nurse who had the care of Gaffori's eldest son, then an infant, wandering some distance from the camp, was seen by the Genoese, who making a sudden sally, seized the nurse and the child, and carried them into the castle. This circumstance cast a great damp over the Corsican army, and the Genoese thought they might demand any terms from Gaffori, while they retained so dear a pledge. When he advanced with his cannon against the castle, they held up his son directly over that part of the wall against which his artillery was levelled. The Corsicans stopped, and began to draw back; but Gaffori, with the resolution of a Roman, stood at their head, and ordered them to continue their fire. Fortunately his firmness was not broken by losing his child, as it escaped unhurt.

Gaffori, previous to the revolutionary war under Paoli, was once informed that a band of assassins were coming against him. He went out and met them

with serene dignity, and begging that they would hear him, if but for a moment, he gave them so pathetic a picture of the distresses of their country, and roused them to such a degree against the authors of their oppression, that the assassins threw themselves at his feet, implored his forgiveness, and instantly joined his banners.

In the struggles which Corsica made to shake off the yoke of the Genoese, two sons of Count Domenico Rivarola were seized, though in a Tuscan vessel with a British passport, and carried to Genoa. The republic thought this would certainly prevent the Count from continuing with the patriots. They offered to restore him his possessions, release his two sons, and make him general of the Corsican troops in their service, if he would desert the patriot army. He answered with resolution and magnanimity, No: : my sons they shall be obliged to give me; and all their other offers I consider as nothing in comparison of the just enterprise in which I am engaged, and in which I will persevere while I have life."

66

SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION OF THE HUMAN BODY.

The Countess Cornelia Bandi, of the town of Cesena, aged sixty-two, enjoyed a good state of health. One evening, having experienced a sort of drowsiness, she retired to bed, and her maid remained with her till she fell asleep. Next morning when the girl entered the room to awaken her, she found nothing but the remains of her mistress in a most horrid condition. At the distance of about four feet from the bed was a heap of ashes, in which could be distinguished the legs and arms untouched. Between the legs lay the head, the brain of which, together with half of the posterior part of the cranium, and the whole chin had been consumed; three fingers were found in the state of a coal; the rest of the body was consumed to ashes, and contained no oil; the tallow of two candles were melted on a table, but the wicks still remained, and the feet of the candlesticks were covered with a certain moisture. The bed was not damaged, the bed-clothes and coverlid were raised and thrown on one side, as is the case when a person gets up. The furniture and tapestry were covered with a moist kind of soot of the colour of ashes, which had penetrated into the drawers, and dirtied the linen. This soot having been conveyed to a neighbouring kitchen, adhered to the walls and utensils. A piece of bread in the cupboard was covered with it, and no dog would touch it. The infectious odour had been communicated to other apartments. The Annual Register states, that the Countess Cesena was accustomed to bathe all her body in camphorated spirit of wine.-This surprising fact was confirmed to the Royal Society of London, by Paul Rolli.

An instance of this kind is preserved in the same work, in a letter of Mr. Wilmer, surgeon,- Mary Clues, aged fifty years, wes much addicted to intoxication. Her propensity to this vice had increased after the death of her husband, which happened a year and a half before; for about a year a a day scarcely passed in the course of which she did not drink half a pint of rum or anniseed water. Her health gradually declined, and about the beginning of February she was attacked by the jaundice, and confined to her bed. Though she was incapable of much action, and not in a condition to work, she still continued her old habit of drinking and smoking a pipe of tobacco. The bed in which she lay stood parallel to the chimney of the apartment, the distance from it being about three feet. On Saturday morning she fell on the

floor, and her extreme weakness preventing her from getting up, she remained in that state till some one entered and put her to bed. The following night she wished to be left alone; a woman quitted her at half-past eleven, and according to custom shut the door and locked it. She had put two large pieces of coal, and placed a light in a candlestick on a chair at the foot of the bed. At half-after five in the morning, a smoke was seen issuing from the windows, and the door being speedily broken open, some flames which were in the room were soon extinguished. Between the bed and the chimney were found the remains of the unfortunate Clues; one leg and a thigh were still entire, but there remained nothing of the skin, the muscles, and the viscera. The bones of the craniun, the breast, the spine, and the other extremities were entirely calcined, and covered with a whitish efforescence. people were much surprised to find that the furniture had sustained so little injury. The side of the bed which was next the chimney had suffered most; the wood of it was slightly burnt, but the feather-bed, the clothes and covering were safe. I entered the apartment about two hours after it had been opened, and observed that the wall and every thing in it were blackened, and that it was filled by a very disagreeable vapour; but that nothing except the body exhibited any strong traces of fire.'

The

This instance has a great similarity to that related by Vicq d'Azyr in the Encyclopedie Methodique, under the head Pathologic Anatomy of Man. A woman, fifty years old, who indulged to excess in spirituous liquors, and got drunk every day before she went to bed, was found entirely burnt and reduced to ashes. Some of the osseous parts were only left, but the furniture of the apartment had suffered very little damage. Vicq d'Azyr instead of disbelieving this phenomenon, adds, that there have been many other instances of the like kind.

We find also a circumstance of this kind, related in a work entitled, Acta Medica et Philosophica Hafniensia,' and in the work of Henry Bohanser, entitled Le Nouveau Phosphose enflammé.' A woman at Paris, who had been accustomed for three years, to drink spirits of wine to such a degree that she used no other liquor, was found one day entirely reduced to ashes, except the skull and the extremities of the fingers.

The transactions of the Royal Society of London present also an instance of human combustion no less extraordinary. It was mentioned at the time it happened in all the journals; it was then attested by a great number of eyewitnessess, and became the subject of many learned discussions. Three accounts of this event, by different authors, all nearly coincide.- Grace Pitt, the wife of a fishmonger of the parish of St. Clement, Ipswich, aged about sixty, had contracted a habit, which she continued for several years, of coming down every night from her bed-room, Half dressed to smoke a pipe. On the night of the ninth of April, 1744, she got up from her bed as usual; her daughter, who slept with her, did not perceive that she was absent till the next morning when she awoke, soon after this she put on her clothes, and going down into the kitchen, found her mother stretched out on the right side, with her head near the grate: the body extended on the hearth, with the legs on the floor, which was of deal, having the appearance of a log of wood, consumed by a fire without flame. On beholding this spectacle, the girl ran in great haste and poured over her mother's body some water contained in two large vessels, in order to extinguish the fire; while the fetid odour and smoke which exhaled from the body, almost suffocated some of the neighbours who had hastened to the girl's assistance. The trunk was in some