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By this method of forming locutions, our Indians contrive to express, in a few words, a great variety of ideas. Their speech is of course distinguished in general for length, but it is likewise very remarkable for richness, modulation, and energy. Such regularity and order prevail in these varied compositions, that one would suppose, according to Du Ponceau, that the Indian languages were formed by philosophers in their closets, rather than by savages in the wilderness. It can readily be conceived that, in the absence of great order and strict regularity in these polysynthetic or polysyllabic constructions, irremediable confusion would soon be introduced.

the locution "I will not," or I am not willing, by "nolo;" the verbal form, I will go, by "ibo," &c. The third class, denominated synthetic, consists of those languages in which one word, by a synthetical operation of the mind, frequently conveys several ideas. Such are the Oriental, Latin, Greek, Slavonic, and other languages of that description. The French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, with their various dialects, form a fourth class, which he calls mixed, since conquest and other causes, by intermingling the peculiarities of the second and third classes, have rendered their modes of speech a little heterogeneous or compound.

The languages of our aborigines are thus characterThe Mithridates delineates the grammatical characterized by this philosophic linguist: "In these various of thirty-four of the Indian languages, and among them classes I have not found a place for the Indian languages, all, Du Ponceau avers that he has not discovered a sin- which richly deserve to form one by themselves. They gle idiom which does not partake more or less of the po- | are synthetic in their forms, but to such a degree as is lysynthetic structure. With other aid than that derived not equalled by any of the idioms which I have so defrom Professor Vater, he has been able distinctly to in- nominated, and which are only such in comparison with stance the Iroquois or language of the five confederated others where analytic forms prevail. That they deserve nations, the Chippeway, the Cherokee, the Chickasaw, to form a class by themselves, cannot be doubted. They and the Wyandot, or Huron, as eminently polysynthe-are the very opposite of the Chinese, of all languages tic. It is true, Du Ponceau does not allege that excep- the poorest in the world, as well as in grammatical forms, tions may not exist among those Indian idioms which are while these are the richest in both. In fact, a great vaunknown, but the assertion is several times repeated, riety of forms necessarily implies a great multiplicity of that, whenever he possessed sufficient data to form any words; I mean compound forms like those of the Inopinion of the structure of the grammar, the polysylla- dians, compound words in which many ideas are includbic combinations were discernible. Two wonderful in- ed together, and are made to strike the mind in various stances of this similarity in grammatical form, are ad- ways by the simple subtraction or addition of a single duced. One is selected from the Araucanian language, letter or syllable. In the Chinese much is understood which is spoken by a tribe residing near the southern or guessed at, little is expressed; in the Indian, on the extremity of South America, and the other from the contrary, the mind is awakened to each idea meant to Delaware language, prevailing among the Lenni Le- be conveyed, by some one or other of the component napes inhabiting the banks of the river Delaware. In parts of the word spoken. These two languages, therethe former idiom, the word "iduancloclavin" is trans-fore, as far as relates to their organization, stand in dilated, I do not wish to eat with him, and in the latter, the rect opposition to each other; they are at the top and term "n' schingiwipoma" is rendered, I do not like to bottom of the idiomatic scale; and, as I have given to eat with him. Such a coincidence in verbal combina- the Chinese and its kindred dialects the name of asyntion, between people separated by an immense distance tactic, the opposite name, syntactic, appears to me that from each other, and so many warlike nations, is most which is best suited to the languages of the American remarkable and striking. From the numerous exam- Indians." ples adduced, we may assume it as a fact passing almost the propriety of a question, that the Indian dialects, from Greenland to Cape Horn, are constructed upon the same model.

These tongues, thus identified as belonging to each other, or as displaying a family likeness, do not appear to bear a very strong analogy to many of the languages of the eastern hemisphere. Du Ponceau has divided these into five classes, for obvious reasons, which we shall endeavour very briefly to disclose.

It is well known, that, in the easternmost parts of Asia, there prevails a class of dialects very similar, in construction, to that which was spoken in China before its conquest by the Tartars. This language is very meagre in words, is composed entirely of monosyllables, and is very deficient in grammatical forms. As far as a judgment can be formed, by means of the excellent grammars of this idiom in our possession, its phraseology conveys to the mind merely the prominent ideas of a discourse, either leaving the accessary ideas to be interred by the person to whom it is addressed, or rendering necessary auxiliary modes of explanation where ambiguities occur or precision is desirable. According to Du Ponceau, this language, which is the type of many others prevailing in its neighborhood, is so distinguished from its kindred idioms, that he thinks it entitled to form a genus in his general classification, by the name asyntactic. The Icelandic, Danish, Swedish, and even the German and English, are placed in the second class under the title analytic. These languages vary from the former in their possessing sufficient grammatical forms for all the purposes of connexion and intelligence, but so organized that each distinct idea, and each shade of an idea, requires a separate word for its expression. Thus are instanced the phrase "of the man," which is expressed in a single word by the Latin "hominis;"

Professor Vater, whose philological acumen and extensive lingual acquirements eminently fitted him for the task, undertook to compare almost every known language with those of the American aborigines. His inquiries terminated in the belief that the grammatical systems of the Basque of Europe, the Tschukstchi of Asia, and the Congo of Africa, presented points of closer approximation to the Indian than any others. Du Ponceau has clearly demonstrated that, between the Indian and these languages, there prevail the most decideď characteristic differences. The Basque is very peculiar, and entirely unlike the dialects around it. He selects a single trait of the Indian idiom, to prove their separate and independent character. The Indian languages do not possess any words that abstractedly express the ideas for which the verbs "to have" and "to be" are employed, while the Basque uses these auxilia ries in an almost endless multiplicity of forms. Of the Tschukstchi there are two distinct nations; the one is called the settled or sedentary Tschukstchi, the other the wandering or rein-deer. The former speak a dialect of the Karalit or Eskimaux; and as they inhabit the northeasternmost peninsula of Asia, which is divided by a narrow strait from the American continent, they may be considered as an American colony. Their nomadick neighbors use a dialect of the Koriah Tartars, and as far as we are acquainted with the idioms of the Siberian Tartars, and Samoyedes, inhabiting the northern parts of Asiatic Russia, there appears nothing to warrant the presumption of approximate affinity between their lan guage and those of the Indians. The Congo dialect is too imperfectly known for the purposes of satisfactory comparison. The synthetic forms, it it certain, exist to certain extent; and it would be a strange and curious event, as Du Ponceau observes, if the languages of the red and black races of mankind, were found to be con

a

1832.1

LIFE OF CAPTAIN SAMUEL BRADY.

structed upon similar principles. The Congo indeed possesses the transitive form of the Indian verb, but it is susceptible of too many variations or anomalies to induce the supposition that a general similarity prevails. The Congo expresses the cases of substantives by inflexions of the article, whereas no article is employed in the American languages. They differ too in regard to adjectives, the former using the genitive case of substantives, as water of fire for hot water, while the latter are surprisingly copious in epithets. Other marks of fundamental differences exist, but they need not be indicated.

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ing traits of both. The extent of this similarity, if it be carefully examined, will be found almost without a parallel in the history of nations. As it can be ac counted for upon other principles than those of descent from the same line of ancestry, it is certainly inadequate, considered in the light of demonstrative reasoning. But, without losing ourselves in a knotty disquisition, it may be enough to observe, that it is a fact well established by history, and too universally known to render elucidation necessary by particular examples, that local circumstances and political institutions have a potent influence in assimilating the manners of different nations, however distant from each other in situation, or existing in ages however remote. In all probability some new light will be shed upon this obscure subject, by a promised publication of Professor Rafn, of Copenhagen. He has made, it is understood, a complete collection of all the ancient MSS. relating to the knowledge possessed by the Scandinavians of North America prior to the time of Columbus. They will be published with a Latin translation. What these MSS. will elicit, we cannot now conjecture; but the accounts of the old Scandinavian voyages have received a new confirmation in the recent discovery of a Runic stone bearing the following inscription: "Erling Sigvatson and Bijarne Thorderson and Endride Oddson Saturday before Gagnday (the 25th of Fourth month,)erected these heaps of stone and cleared the place 1135."

From what has been said it seems evident, that, though the analogy pervading the Indian languages authorizes the belief of a common origin, yet in the present condition of our knowledge, it would be improper to assign them a particular genealogy. It is indeed true, that so far as Fred. Adelung, in his additions to the Mithridates, has described the language of a people of Asia, called the Grusianians, a surprising resemblance has been discovered in the forms of its verbs to those of the American Indians. The language is too imperfectly known for the purposes of full collation, but should the likeness continue, upon further examination, it would be most remarkable. The Grusianians reside in that part of Asia which has always been considered as the cradle of the human race!

[To be Continued.]

J. R. T.

With regard to the derivation of the Mexicans from the Chinese or Japanese, so confidently asserted, by Du Pratz, very little can be found to sustain the notion, on the score of grammatical analogy. In truth, he seems to beg the question instead of proving it. "It were greatly to be wished," says he, "that the first conquerers of this new world had preserved to us their (the Mexican) drawings; for by comparing them with the characters used by other nations, we might perhaps have discovered the origin of the inhabitants. The knowledge which we have of the Chinese characters, which are rather irregular drawings than characters, would probably have facilitated such a discovery; and perhaps those of Japan would have been found greatly to have resembled the Mexican; for I am strongly of opinion that the Mexicans are descended from one of those two nations. In fact, where is the impossibility (!) that some prince in one of those countries, upon failing to raise himself to the sovereign power, should leave his native country with all his partizans, and look for some new land, where, after he had established himself, he might drop all foreign correspondence? The easy navigation of the South Sea renders the thing probable; and the new map of the eastern bounds of Asia, and the western of North America, lately published by M. De Lisle, makes it still more likely. This map makes it plainly appear, that between the island of Japan, or northern coast of China, and those of America, there are other lands, which to this day have remained unknown, and who will take upon him to say there is no land, because it has not yet been discovered? I, therefore, have good grounds to believe, that the Mexicans came originally from China or Japan," &c. He then adduces, by way of corroboration to this splendid theory, the fact of the Chinese MS., which, in truth, is the only argument brought to support the hypothesis. If it be necessary to combat reasoning so flimsy, we may repeat, what the quotation from Du Ponceau has already exhibited, that the Chinese and Indian idioms are Of the Life, and Military and Hunting Adventures of directly in opposition, and bear no sort of resemblance. The account, we may just observe, which that learned gentleman gave in his correspondence with Heckewelder, in 1819, of the monosyllabic structure of the Chinese language, has been lately iterated or confirmed by himself in his admirable letter to Captain Hall, originally published in the London Philosophical Magazine. Our acquaintance with the Mexican hieroglyphics, all must acknowledge, is too limited to justify a determinate conclusion. But, conceding a general similarity between the two people in manners, customs, religious rites, and pictorial illustrations, does that furnish sufficient basis for an inference that the one is derived from the other? These are ever undergoing perpetual changes; and it is scarcely probable that the Indians, after a residence of so many centuries in America, should preserve many of the customs of the country from which they descended. A stronger similitude, in point of manners, is observable between them and the ancient Germans, as described by Tacitus, than between them and the Chinese; and who has ever contended that we should look for their origin there? A rude aristocracy in the form of government-eagerness for military enterprizes-political and personal independ- *See Appendix to Robertson's History of Charles ence-neglect of the useful arts-implacability in re- V. for an extended comparison of the ancient Germans sentment, and desire of vengeance-are the distinguish-with the Indians.

From the Blairsville Record.

SKETCHES, No. V.

CAPTAIN SAMUEL BRADY.

(Continued from page 207.)

The incursions of the Indians had become so fre

quent, and their outrages so alarming, that it was thought advisable to retaliate upon them the injuries of war, and carry into the country occupied by them, the same system of destructive warfare with which they had visited the settlements. For this purpose, an adequate force was provided, under the immediate command of General Broadhead, the command of the advance guard of which was confined to Captain Samuel Brady.

The troops proceeded up the Allegheny river and had arrived at the flat of land near the mouth of Redbank creek now known by the name of Brady's Bend, without encountering an enemy. Brady and his rangers were some distance in front of the main body, as their duty requiring, when they suddenly discovered a war party of Indians approaching them. Relying on the strength of the main body, and its ability to force the Indians to retreat, and anticipating, as Napoleon did in the

battle with the Mamelukes that when driven back, they would return upon the same route they had advanced on, Brady permitted them to proceed without hindrance, and hastened to seize a narrow pass, higher up the river; where the rocks, nearly perpendicular, approach the river; and where a few determined might successfully combat superior numbers.

In a short time, the Indians encountered the main body under Broadhead, and were driven back. In full and swift retreat they pressed on to gain the pass between the rocks and the river, but it was occupied by their daring and relentless foe, Brady and his Rangers; who failed not to pour into their flying columns a most destructive fire.

"At once there rose so wild a yell
Within that dark and narrow dell,
As if the fiends from heaven that fell,
Had pealed the banner cry of hell!
Forth from the pass in tumult driven
Like chaff before the winds of heaven,
The Indians appear:

For life! for life! their flight they ply-
And shriek, and shout, for battle cry

Are maddening in the rear."

Indeed I have been told by an officer in the American army, who is no stranger to Indian battles, that, Walter Scott's description of the battle of "Beal An Duine," from which I have ventured to make the above extract, would suit very well for that of any battle with the Indians, by changing a few names, and substituting plumes for bonnets, bayonets for spears, and so forth.

stream,

Our aged friend Cornplanter, chief of the Senecas, then a young man, saved himself by swimming, as did

several others of the party.

lighter description;-with this view, I now send a piece of poetry, written by a lady of Pennsylvania, about the year 1766.

THE MAID'S HUSBAND,

VERSIFIED AT THE REQUEST OF A FRIEND.

From the "World," Vol. 2d, No. 80.

To SOPHRONIA.

Sophronia, here behold the perfect man!
Such be your lot,—and find him—if you can!
The maiden's whim, dres't by poetic art
To charm the fancy, and engage the heart.
HIS PERSON.

To fix it lasting thus, in him be seen
The graceful gesture, and the noble mien,
His sparkling eye the ray of beauty wear,
And on his cheek the glow of health appear;
O'er his whole face, the lively lines dispense
The cheerful lustre, and the striking sense,
His manly form, the better mind reveal,
His motion easy and his step genteel,
Far from the giddy Coxcomb's fluttering air
Or from the solemn Fop's affected leer,
His thoughts refined, and every action free
From stiff reserve,-or wanton levity.

HIS MIND.

Be that as it may, the Indians on this occasion were broken, routed, and forced to jump into the river. Ma-To this bright form,-unitedly be joined ny were killed on the bank, and many more in the The rich improvement of the worthy mind. Each innate feature glow with decent pride, His genius sprightly-and his knowledge wide, Nor only books the pedant's thought engage, But study nature in the instructive page— Whose forming hand in him shall pleasing blend The soft companion and the improving friend. Cheerful, not vain, each well bred action be, Learned without pride,-and without folly, free; His converse charm, and every turn display The happy mixture of the grave and gay; Free flow his thoughts, not deep by study gained, Nor loosely wild by reason unrestrained; Simple as nature in her first estate, And formed by culture, delicately great.

After they had crossed the river, Brady was standing on the bank wiping his rifle, an Indian, exasperated at the unexpected defeat, and disgraceful retreat of his party, and supposing himself now safe from the well known and abhorred enemy of his race, commenced a species of conversation with him in broken English which we call blackguarding. Calling Brady and his men cowards, squaws, and the like, and putting himself in such attitudes, as he probably thought would be most expressive of his utter contempt of them.

When Brady had cleaned his rifle and loaded it, he sat down by an ash sappling, and taking sight about three feet above the Indian, fired. As the gun cracked the Indian was seen to shrink a little, and then limp off. When the main army arrived, a canoe was manned, and Brady and a few men crossed, to where the Indian had been seen. They found blood on the ground, and had followed it but a short distance till the Indian jumped up, struck his breast, and said "I am a man. It was Brady's wish to take him prisoner, without doing him further harm.

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The Indian continued to repeat "I am a man.' "Yes,'said an Irishman, who was along,-"By Jyou're a purty boy"-and before Brady could arrest the blow,sunk his tomahawk in the Indian's brains. The army moved onward, and after destroying all the Indians' corn, and ravaging the Kenjua flats, returned to Pittsburg.

KISKEMINETAS.

Communicated for the Register of Pennsylvania. The editor of the Register of Pennsylvania, to whom (in the humble opinion of his correspondent) the state is much indebted, will probably be pleased to have his pages of historical document, and important, though dry, statistical details, relieved occasionally by articles of a

HIS SOUL.

So charm the mind-and on his soul impres't,
(If such distinction critics can digest,)
reside
Smile every virtue, every grace
With lustre glow,-and by example guide
Triumphant reason, mark the instructive plan,
And sway the just, humane, and generous man.
Generous, without the wild profusive scene,
And without weakness of the inind, humane.
Kind without folly, just-but not severe,
And every passion reason's signet wear.
To the fair partner of his heart express
The generous care and manly tenderness,
Each social duty cheerful to perform,
To man benevolent-in friendship warm,
Reason and Nature thus uniting here
Shall guard the open heart with prudent care:
Diffuse-without the wild luxurious waste,

1832.1

ANTIQUITIES OF PHILADELPHIA.

Nor yet with avarice curse the human breast,
And due respect, his passion still restrain,
Nor lose the lover in the husband's name;
His tender care with soft complaisance join'd,
Shall win the affections and engage the mind,
Guard every act—and every thought improve,
To fix the conquest-as he gained her love.
Some vulgar minds in nuptial bands allied,
Support their title by tyrannic pride,
The soft address, and well-bred grace exclude,
In morals brutish, and in manners rude;
Not so the man be formed that shall command,
The gay Sophronia's gentle heart and hand;
By education taught, and reason's light,
Tho' free as friendship, yet as courts polite;
And what in others, is but fancy blind,
In him be judgment, solid and refined.
HIS RELIGION.

But incomplete, my friend, the man appears,
Unless his soul religion's lustre wears;

This heavenly flame shall from the dross divide,
Guard every thought, and every action guide,
Direct, illumine, warm the human span,
And glow with love to God, and love to man:
Genuine and pure his whole devotion be,
From bigot's modes and superstition free,
His pious mind in bright example wear,
The cheerful spirits and the engaging air,
And tell the world 'tis blest religion's soil,
That gives the christian legal right to smile.
No sour moroseness on his brow be seen,
In stiff reserve and discontented mien,
Let him disown such ties-disdain to wear
The soul untaught by charity-severe,
Nor fly his species, quit the social road
And in the gloom of darkness seek his God.
His nobler mind, (a more enlighten'd scene)
Shall paint th' Almighty, 'midst the sons of men-
Nor seek his God in vain-diffusive here
His active goodness-providential care,
Thro' all his wide extended empire seen
In goodness perfect and in power supreme.
While thus, religion's flame his soul shall warm,
Reason his conduct regulate and form,
Nobly consistent every act shall prove,
That claims devotion-or demands his love;
Secure salvation's grand important plan
And wing each duty that relates to man.

FIDELIA.

-ORIGINAL LETTER
From Peter Collinson to Governor Thomas Penn.
LONDON, SEPT. 20, 1733.

Dear Friend-THOMAS PENN:

"Many are the acts of Government, which I shall not pretend to enumerate or to dictate to thee, I shall only beg leave to offer a few hints, which have occurred from the observations I have made in various readings.

"It is a received general maxim, that religion awes, and civilizes the minds of the populace, more than cor

239

poral punishments. This was prudently foreseen by all the wise and eminent legislatures, that have been in the world. Amongst the Jews, Greeks and Romans, this maxim was principally cultivated. In the first institutions of their governments, whilst this obtained, all the moral virtues nourished, and the people were kept within the bounds of government, with ease and tranquility.

"But when their Principals and Chiefs fell from their religious duties, the people too, soon followed their example-piety and virtue took their flight, and left them at large, (like a ship without a rudder,) to their unbridled lusts and passions; the fatal consequences were, tyranny and oppression which soon raised factions and parties to the ruin of the State and Government.

"Thee art now happily placed Principal and Chief of a religious and industrious people, rendered so in great measure by the pious example of thy illustrious Father, and by the excellent laws he gave them—thy treading in his steps, will be an undoubted means to continue your felicity.

"Thee art now to consider thyself no longer as in private life; but in thy public exalted station, the eyes of all the people are on thee, and thy example will influence them either to virtue or vice. But to keep them in their love and duty to thee, and in unity and peace one with another, I recommend to thee a strict religious decorum, and as example is beyond precept, thy constant frequenting our religious meetings, on all appointed days for worship, will be very commendable, a good example, and very much contribute to beget religious sentiments, civilized principles, and an awful regard in the minds of the people of all persuasions, and tend to increase the public tranquility and lasting peace.

"I doubt not of thy concurrence in a political view, but I persuade myself of it, from more excellent motives, a real conviction in thyself of the reasonableness of our system, which is very happily your national church, and that thee will not only find it thy present but future interest to support it. If thee have any doubts (which I have no reason to think) consult coolly and without prejudice, Robert Barclay and thy own good Father's works, who were both men of great integrity, good learning, and deep penetration, who have given a very reasonable account of our Faith, supported by more scriptural authority and sound arguments, than any system of religion in the world; the example of so great and good a man as thy Father, I must confess would have a great weight with me, whose sufferings for his early pious sentiments is enough to enforce the reasonableness of them.

Dear Friend-Please receive these imperfect hints in good part; I only tell thee my own private sentiments, divulged to none but thyself, and submit them to thy serious consideration-I beg of thee, lock them up in thy own breast, and be assured that none wishes more thy happiness and perfect harmony in thy province, than thy affectionate friend, P. COLLINSON.

ANTIQUITIES OF PHILADELPHIA.

A SINGULAR GEOLOGICAL FACT.-In digging out the foundation of the projected Exchange Coffee House, in Dock street, in this city, the workmen came to an old tan yard, with a pair of their former vats in place. There appears to have been a natural spring and a run of water, upon the ancient banks of which the vegetable remains are converted into a black combustible substance, resembling PEAT. Some persons were astonished to find the planks of the vats in such a state of In the B. Philosophical transactions for 1734, there is a preservation, but this is one of the properties of peat. letter from Dr. Balguy, giving an account of the preservation of two human bodies in peat for 59 years. hair of his beard was short, and his skin hard, and of a The one, a male, was perfect, his beard was strong, the tanned leather color, the joints of his legs played free

240

ly, without the least stiffness. The other, a female, was more injured, but her hair was like a living person's.-U.S. Gaz.

AN OLD TOMBSTONE.-In digging a cellar for a house, about to be built in Second street, a few doors below Chesnut, some human bones were discovered, and afterwards a tombstone, bearing date 1715. Above these relics of another century, there was apparently "made ground," inducing the inference that the site, in former times, had been occupied as a grave-yard. The tombstone bore the record of the decease of

" M Fane,"

The Tan-yards, appear, from the following extracts, to have occupied most of the ground in the neighborhood of the Dock; in 1739 they occasioned some considerable discussion; and in fact, an appeal to the Assembly, to cause them to be removed from the city, unwho departed this life at the age of 64. Some of our der a supposition that the health of the citizens was antiquaries may probably be enabled to furnish some inprejudiced by them. By a reference to the acts of As-teresting reminiscences upon this subject.—Inquirer. sembly, it appears that the decision of the question was referred to the city authorities-whether they came to any determination at that time, we have not ascertained, but it is a fact, that the last tan-yard in that neighborhood, was closed only a few years since, when the new buildings immediately below Girard's Bank, were erected on the spot which the tan-yard of S. Smith had previously occupied.

READING, APRIL 7.

Yesterday after the whole fabric had been razed to the ground of that ancient stone place of public worship, the German Reformed Church, which withstood the blasts of between seventy and eighty winters, the cavity of the corner stone was exposed to public view. Our business prevented us from being present at the interesting sight. We hastily gleaned the following: Its contents consisted of a leaden plate, upon which were stamped brief memorabilia of the founding of the building, together with a decayed manuscript, and the holy scriptures so much in a state of decay as to render illegible a single letter. In fact, a portion that we saw, resembled in our estimation, thin pieces of shavings in a rotted state.-Journal.

NORRISTOWN.

On the condition and prospect of the town, the Her

From the PENNSYLVANIA Gazette, No. 556, A. D. 1739.
In the year 1699, a distemper broke out in this city
which swept off great numbers-It was of the malignant
kind, and raged with extraordinary violence at that
time there were but two tan-yards on the Dock street, or
even in the city, viz: Hudson's, and Lambert's, and but
few houses in the neighborhood; Lambert was seized
with the distemper in a very violent and uncommon man-
ner, he sickened, died, and was buried, in less than two
days, thus one tanner died out of two; and from the hou-ald of yesterday says:
ses nighest the dock; a great many died, whose names and
placesofabode were well known to some now living; and
though it is not said, the violence of the distemper on Lam-
bert, or that the numbers who died out of the nighest hou-
ses to the tan-yards were increased or occasioned by the
stench of the pits, yet the probability is strong, and the
experience of our neighbors at New York, and their
proceedings thereon amount to what the tanners would
call a full proof.

The Mercury, Sept. 13, 1739-says, "Almost all the ground between Walnut Street bridge and Third street on both side the dock is in possession of the tanners."

From the United States Gazette.
ANCIENT GRAVES DISCOVERED.

A brief Notice of some singular appearances of ancient
graves, discovered in the diluvial gravel of the site of
Philadelphia.

The workmen employed to dig out the ground for the foundation of an addition to the oil cloth carpet manufactory at Bush Hill, belonging to Mr. James M'Calla, discovered some singular appearances of ancient graves. They were about 30 in number situate above 2 feet a-part, arranged in two parallel rows running north and south, commencing on the south side of Fairview street, about 10 feet east of Schuylkill Fifth street. They were all exactly of the same dimensions, namely : 5 feet in length, 2 feet in width, 1 foot 6 inches | in depth, from the surface of the earth to the place where the remains were found, and thence 2 feet 6 inches more to the bottom of the deposite. The ground between the surface of the earth and the deposite was gravel covered with a thin soil, and its compactness and consistency was such that no one would have conjectured that it had been disturbed. The spaces containing the deposite were bounded by straight lines at right angles, as if these had once been boxes, or coffins, but no vestige of wood or nails could be traced. Each space contained a grey earth in ashes, which, when examined, proved to be animal remains. They were all, except two, full of this substance, those two were half full; no bone or tooth was discovered.

|

The unusual demand for small houses this spring, in this borough, we suppose will be a sufficient inducement for those who own property to erect a large numSeveral families have been ber the present season. obliged to leave the place for want of dwellings, and a large number of applicants have been unsuccessful. The increase of business of every kind, and the remarkable healthiness of the borough, are strong inducements for strangers to establish a residence amongst us, which if properly encouraged would in a few years, increase our business, population and town.

It is worthy of observation that part of this borough, which in our recollection was chiefly enclosed with post and rail fence, and produced fine crops of grass and grain, is now the business part of the town. We allude to that part between Swedes street, and De Kalb street, in which there are now four taverns, three stores, six lawyers' offices and a magistrate's office, two printing-offices, a post-office, an apothecary shop, a marbleyard, a bake-house and cake shop, a clock and watchmaker shop, a hatter's shop, an oyster house, lottery of fice, confectionary and fruit store, a currier's shop, a tailor's shop, a cabinet maker's shop, a saddle and harness maker's shop.

BEAVER, APRIL 6.

NEW PHILADELPHIA.-The seceding portion of the Harmony Society have purchased from Messrs. Phillips & Graham, the town of Phillipsburg, opposite this place, for the purpose of forming a community under the title of the "Philadelphia Society." Their town will assume the name of New Philadelphia. They intend entering largely into the manufacturing business. We wish them success.—Argus.

Printed every SATURDAY MORNING by WILLIAM F. GEDDES, No. 9 Library Street, Philadelphia; where, and at the PUB

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