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The Adventures of Timothy Peacock, Esquire; or, Freemasonry
Practically Illustrated
CHAPTER XI
Daniel P. Thompson
"Lobsters are not fleas, damn their souls."
--Peter Pindar, for Sir
Joseph Banks.
New-York!—London of America—vast depot of the agricultural riches of the
West, and the proud haven into whose open and welcoming bosom the winged
canvass, laden with merchandize, comes drifting from every clime before the four
winds of heaven! City of fashions!—whose hundred sacred spires rise over
congregations there weekly assembled, punctual to the dictate of this fickle
goddess, who is even there presiding mistress of the ceremonies! Congregations
whose devotions would be disturbed by the appearance of one coat out of
date—whose feelings would be shocked by the sight of one ribbon too much or too
little in a dress, and whose sensibilities would be thrown into agony by the
daring intrusion of one unfashionable bonnet! City of puffs and exaggeration!
where there is no medium— where every thing —"Is like to Jeremiah's figs,— The
good were very good—the bad not fit to give the pigs." Where literature, if
fashionable, is celestial—if not, damnable.— Where an author becomes at once a
Magnus Apollo , or a dunce.—Where every thing is cried up to the clouds,
or hissed into infamy.—Where every performance or exhibition, of whatever kind
or character, is all the go, the rage, the roar; and the exhibitors or
performers are received with shouts of applause, clapped, encored, honored,
worshipped; or spurned, hissed, spit at, and mobbed from the city.—Where every
thing, in short, goes by steam on the high pressure principle.—Where every thing
is done in a fury, a whirlwind; and where those who would succeed must raise the
wind to the same pitch and power of the surrounding tempest, and ride fearlessly
on the gale; for if they fall short of this, or pause one moment to resist the
current, they are overthrown and trod and trampled under foot by the rolling
mass of life, and lost forever!
Jenks had several times before been in this city, and having noticed the
peculiarities of the place, and learned how things were done there, and
concluding withal that whatever was done, "it were better if it were done
quickly," now shaped his course accordingly. Near the centre of the city stood a
livery stable with a capacious yard which the owner, whom I shall call Stockton,
had been accustomed to let to the keepers of caravans for the exhibition of
their animals. This Stockton being a masonic acquaintance of Jenks, the latter,
on arriving at the city, immediately drove to his stand, and as his yard was
then luckily unoccupied, found excellent accommodations for the intended
exhibition of Boaz. Having for a reasonable sum obtained these accommodations,
and seen Boaz safely locked up in the high enclosure which constituted the
exhibition room, Jenks immediately went in search of a painter to take a full
sized portrait of his Bruinship to display for a sign, while Timothy was
despatched to a printing-office to get a hundred or two of handbills struck off
describing Boaz as the new and wonderful animal lately caught in a cave among
the Green-Mountains, and setting forth the time, place and terms of his
exhibition. The painter with his implements, and a large piece of canvass, was
soon on the ground, and after wondering awhile over this strange subject for his
pencil, diligently proceeded to the task of taking his likeness. While these
things were doing, Jenks and Timothy took the opportunity of dressing before
they made their appearance before the public, and of taking their dinner. After
which, at the suggestion of their friend, Stockton, they employed an old
ex-officio crier, remarkable for the power of his lungs, and the aptitude of his
hyperboles,to distribute their handbills and cry up Boaz in such manner as he
thought best calculated to catch the attention of the multitude.
By three o'clock in the afternoon, every thing was prepared for this
wonderful exhibition. The painter had completed his task, having given a rough,
but striking picture of Boaz standing on the limb of a tree, about to spring
upon a deer that was making his appearance in the bushes below; and the
handbills having come, `Thundering Tom,' as their new crier was called, had
already begun his work of distributing them, making the very pavements tremble
as he passed along the streets, crying with stentorian voice the exhibition of
the "new! strange!! wonderful!!! and unknown animal!!!! caught in the
Green-Mountains!!!!!"
"Now Brother Tim," said Jenks, "it is neck or nothing with us. It will be no
half-way business here. Our pockets will be filled with cash before to-morrow
night, or our backs will be tarred and feathered, just according as how the
thing takes; but we must act our part well or all is lost to a certainty.
I have done the contriving, and you must do the talking, Tim: You have learning,
and can philosophize and explain to the visitors. But mind you, Tim, if you get
up any wonderful stories about Boaz, be careful not to cross yourself by telling
different ones, especially till a new set of visitors come in, and you are sure
that all those who heard your first story are gone. And above all, Tim, be very
careful that you don't let the cat out of the bag."
After these hasty injunctions, Jenks, with a heart palpitating with the
mingled emotions of hope and fear, went out and took his station at the door. It
was obvious that public curiosity had been awakened, and that the wind was now
fairly raised. A crowd was already collected round the door, gazing at the
picture, and listening to the marvellous stories that Thundering Tom, who having
gone the rounds in distributing the handbills and returned, was now
administering to them by wholesale. As soon as Jenks made his appearance, they
became clamorous for admission— when he nothing loath, though trembling at the
uncertainty of the result, threw open the door, and, as fast as he could pocket
the half dollars, (fifty cents being the terms of admission) let in the eager
multitude. This was a moment of intense anxiety to our travellers, wholly
uncertain as they were, what impressions would be produced by the first sight of
Boaz—whether he would maintain his assumed character, or whether detection and
its supposed consequence, a mobbing, would immediately ensue. They were soon
relieved, however, from all apprehensions of any trouble at present, by the
concurrent voice of the visitors, who after carefully examining the monster
round from head to tail, all broke out in exclamations of wonder and admiration
at the appearance of this singular animal, and declared themselves highly
gratified with the sight. Timothy now believing it was time for him to take a
part in the scene, proceeded to relate to the gaping crowd the manner of taking
the animal, which he said was effected by a steel-trap that he and his companion
had set near a small lake surrounded by woods and mountains, where they had
observed the creature's tracks, which they took for those of a catamount. And on
going to the trap the next day, they found it was gone, and the stone to which
it was chained, weighing about five hundred pounds, had been dragged off with
it. Following the track which was plainly marked by the trap and stone, they
pursued on, and soon came to a young deer with his throat torn open, lying dead
beside the way; and knowing that the animal must have caught this deer before he
got into the trap, and carried it so far where he had dropped it owing to his
failing condition, they followed on now certain of soon overtaking him. After
going about half a mile, they found he had gone into a dark and frightful cavern
in the side of a steep mountain. They then raised a band of hunters, and went in
with torches, and after incredible difficulty and danger, they succeeded, with
ropes, in taking the monster alive, and tying and muzzling him so securely that
they got him home; and after taming him as much as his ferocious nature would
admit of, they had now brought him to the city to let the people see him and
find out from the learned men what animal he was.
This account still increased the general wonder, and the ferocious character
which Timothy had given to Boaz was now confirmed by his present appearance; for
owing to the soreness produced by the shaving, and the jolting of his rapid ride
immediately after, he was unusually cross and snappish, and kept in one
continual snarl as the visitors punched him with their canes through the railing
within which he was chained.
Various were the conjectures as to what kind of animal he could be; and many
the sage remarks that were uttered on the occasion. One thought he must be some
relation to the elephant—a kind of Tom Thumb elephant, he said, since he knew of
no animal of the four-footed kind but what had hair except the elephant and this
monster; and asked if there were not a small kind of elephants somewhere in a
country called Lilliputia, where, as he had read in some history, all the
animals were excessively diminutive: Another said he had been to see all the
caravans that ever came into the city for twenty years, and he had seen all the
animals in the world, he believed, except the unicorn, which he never could
happen to come across, and according to the idea he had formed of that animal,
he thought it must be very like this monster, and he rather expected the same
thing: And yet another, a spruce and intelligent clerk from Broadway, observed,
that he was perfectly satisfied what the creature was—it was one of that class
of animals called non-descripts, found in great numbers in Siberia and other
parts of the torrid zone: he had often heard Doctor Mitchel, in his lectures,
speak of the animal; though he did not know before that any of this class were
ever found in America; but he was not at all surprised that they should be
discovered in such a cold, rough and desolate wilderness as the
Green-Mountains.
These and a thousand other observations of the kind were made by this, and
each succeeding set of visitors that were continually coming and going in great
numbers for the whole of the afternoon and evening—during all of which, Boaz
maintained his character of an unknown animal unimpeached; and notwithstanding
the most rigid scrutiny and learned inspection, which he was constantly
undergoing, all except the learned Broadway clerk, gave up that they had never
seen or heard of the like of him before, and that he was truly an unknown
animal, and a great curiosity.
Thus went matters gloriously on for our travellers till nine o'clock in the
evening, when, although the crowd seemed rather to increase than diminish, they
were forced to close the exhibition and shut up for the night. As soon as they
were alone and all still without, they fell to rejoicing over their good
fortune, and counting their money, which to their agreeable surprise amounted,
from the receipts of the exhibition alone, to something over three hundred
dollars. Jenks' eyes glistened like stars in a frosty night: and Timothy snapped
his fingers and capered about the room like a mad-man, uttering a thousand
extravagancies. Concluding to sleep on blankets in an apartment in the building
adjoining the exhibition room, and communicating with it, that they might better
see to the safety of Boaz, it was arranged that Timothy should now go to some
neighboring victualling-cellar for some provisions for their supper, while Jenks
went to one or two printing-offices to get a notice of to-morrow's exhibition
inserted in the morning papers. This business finished, and the parties having
returned, they now sat down to their meal spread on the lid of their
travelling-chest, and recounted, with great glee, the many little incidents that
had fallen under the observation of each during the hours of exhibition. "But
Timothy," said Jenks, after they had indulged a while in dwelling on the scenes
of the afternoon, "Timothy, I fear me that this run of luck can't last long:
This afternoon and evening we have had scarcely any to see Boaz, as I observed,
but the more ignorant class; and although many of them were dressed so neat,
they were mostly lounging dandies, and merchants' clerks, that havn't three
ideas above a jackass, except it is about the business behind their counters.
But to-morrow, as this thing gets more noised through the city, we may expect
more knowing company. And when those prying lawyers, and doctors with their
glasses, come examining and squinting about Boaz, then we may look out for
breakers. And at the best, I have little hope of keeping up the farce beyond
to-morrow night, as the hair on his back will begin to start so as to be seen by
the next day at farthest; and I don't suppose that he would let us shave him
again, as he is so sore and cross with the effect of the last operation. Now I
have been thinking that we had better be prepared for the worst; so if a blow-up
should happen, we shall have nothing to do to prevent our leaving the city at a
moment's warning. I think we had better sell our horse and waggon if we can do
it to advantage; for if any thing should happen, we can get away better without
our team than with it; and if there should not, we can never do better with
Cyclops than here; besides, if we sell out and go home by water, we shan't have
to pass through that blackguard village where they made such a fuss about that
bill. And as to Boaz, we can leave him with Stockton to sell for us."
Timothy agreeing to these propositions, it was decided that Jenks should go
out next morning before the hour arrived for opening the door to visitors, and
taking Thundering Tom along to assist him, should try to find a sale for the
team. This being settled, they began to prepare for sleep. The cautious Jenks,
however, did not lay down till he had searched round the yard and building and
found a window through which they might retreat into a back alley and get off,
in case a mob should attack them. After this, they wrapped their blankets round
them, and laying down on the floor, with their coats for pillows, were soon lost
in slumber.
Bright and early the next morning our travellers aroused themselves from
their golden dreams, and harnessing up old Cyclops, and going out and getting
Thundering Tom, the latter and Jenks drove towards the lower part of the city to
find a sale for the establishment, leaving Timothy to feed Boaz and prepare for
the coming exhibition. As luck would have it, while on their way they came
across a man whose horse had just taken fright, and, running against a stone
post at the corner of the street, had dashed the waggon to which he was
harnessed into a thousand pieces, and broke and torn the harness so as to render
it wholly useless for the present purposes of the owner, who now stood over the
ruins, lamenting his misfortune, which was the greater he said as he was
compelled to return immediately into the country with a small load, while he had
not enough money to pay for a new harness and waggon, and he did not suppose he
could get any other without considerable delay. Jenks having halted and heard
the man tell this story, at once offered to sell his own waggon and harness on
the most reasonable terms; and as the man was as eager to buy as Jenks to sell,
a bargain was soon concluded to the satisfaction of all parties. It now only
remaining to dispose of old Cyclops, Jenks then proceeded onward, leading him
with a halter, while Thundering Tom took a parallel street for the purpose of
inquiring out a purchaser. In a short time, however, the latter came puffing
along after Jenks, and overtaking him told him he had just learned that the
master of the Jersey horse-boat wanted to purchase a horse, and he had no doubt
but old Cyclops would suit, as eyes or no eyes it was all the same for that
business, provided the horse was stout enough. "But," said he, "I think you had
better leave the management of parleying with the old fellow to me: I know him
well, and what is better he don't know me,—a free, bold speech, and a price that
will do to fall upon, is all that is wanting for your success."
With quickened pace they then took their route to the ferry. They no sooner
had arrived at the landing than they called out for the master of the boat,
which had not yet commenced its trips for the day. Presently an old thick-set,
rough-looking fellow came swaggering along towards the stern of the boat, and
demanded what they wanted.
"A horse to sell, your honor—just from the country— dog cheap!" replied
Thundering Tom.
`What are his points and bottom?' asked the master.
"He will trot you," said the other, "he will trot you, Sir, to the New
Jerusalem in three hours!"
`But I want one,' said the master, `that will trot slow— not fast.'
"Well then," replied Tom, "my horse will trot as slow as common horses will
stand still!"
`You are a musical fellow,' said the master—`I will come out there and look
at your horse—Sound?'
"As a roach," replied Tom, "except an eye that he let a catamomount have one
day to pay him for a broken skull."
`You lie like the devil,' said the other—`nevertheless, I like your horse:
What is your price?'
"One hundred dollars," replied Tom.
`Hundred satans!' exclaimed the master: `however, put that red-headed
woodpecker of yours on to him,' he continued, pointing to Jenks, whom he
evidently took for a servant of Tom's, `and let us see him move. I will give
seventy-five if I like him as well as I think I shall.'
Jenks now biting his lip in silent vexation at this taunt on his personal
appearance, mounted old Cyclops, and rode back and forth some time,—after which,
and considerable bantering, the bargain was struck at seventy-five dollars, when
Jenks and Thundering Tom returned to their lodgings, chuckling at the thought of
their good bargain; for the former had instructed the latter to take fifty
dollars if he could get no more. Jenks now giving his companion ten dollars for
the great assistance he had rendered him in this sale, and in getting Boaz into
notice, now dismissed him, and returned to Stockton's to tell Timothy of his
unexpected luck in disposing of their establishment so well and so quickly.
At nine o'clock, Boaz having been well fed, and then switched into a suitable
degree of soreness and ferocity, and Timothy instructed to keep a bright
look-out for squalls, Jenks took his post and opened the exhibition. The morning
papers had been distributed over the city, and given notice of the exhibition to
the more domestic and retired citizens. And this, with the floating rumors that
they had heard the evening before from the rabble in the streets concerning the
strange animal for show at Stockton's, so inflamed their curiosity, that they
soon came flocking to see him. Among these, a band of that class which is called
the cream of society, being made up of the wealthy, and those at the same time
distinguished by family, having made their appearance with their wives and
daughters, one of them, after examining the animal a few minutes, asked Timothy
if Dr. Mitchel had been to see the monster. And being answered in the negative,
he, with several others, proposed going after the Doctor immediately, as he
could at once settle the question whether the creature was an unknown animal or
not. So saying, two of the gentlemen went off in quest of the great walking
library of New-York, leaving their daughters to remain till they returned. The
latter, freed from the restraint which they felt in the presence of their
fathers, soon manifested a disposition to make the most of their liberty, and
began to quiz and question our hero, whose good looks and ruddy cheeks seemed to
attract their notice. One asked him whether his sweetheart did not cry when he
came away—another whether the girls in the Green-Mountains rode side-ways when
they rode horseback; and whether they worked in the field with the men ploughing
and reaping: And a third asked him whether they had meeting-houses and
state-houses in Vermont. To all these questions Timothy made gallant answers,
lugging in some compliment on every occasion. One of these fashionables of the
cream at length seeing an opportunity when the rest had moved off to one side of
the apartment to listen to some discussion going on there, approached close to
our hero, and asked him in a half whisper if he should know her in the dark.
"Only by that breath of Arabian perfumery," he replied. `O you rogue, you must
not know me by any thing; so you wont find me to-night at Mrs. — assignation
house, — street, No. —, precisely at 8 o'clock,' said she, tipping him a wink,
as she twirled off talking loudly about the strange animal. In a few minutes
more another made a kind of circuit round the room, and passing near him,
dropped a small piece of paper into his hand, and scarcely had he put away the
first before another billet was dropped at his feet as a gay lass brushed by
him, saying she was going to peep out the door to see if papa was coming.
Timothy was rather at a loss what to make of all this; and he took the first
opportunity to inspect the billets; and on reading them, he found to his
surprise that that they both named places and a time of meeting him. "What can
this mean?" thought he—"a second act of the play of that Dutch trollop on the
road? or have I at length got among ladies that are capable of appreciating my
character?" Every thing, as he looked round on the rich and fashionable dresses
of these ladies, conspired to tell him that the latter must be the case, and he
pulled up his cravat and stepped about with an air of manly dignity which showed
that he considered justice was done him. While Timothy was absorbed in these
pleasing reflections, the citizens returned in company with the Magnus
Apollo of the city. Jenks, who had over-heard enough to learn that some one
had now come who was a great critic about animals, felt rather uneasy when the
Doctor went in, and even Timothy was not altogether without apprehensions when
he saw the learned man scrutinize Boaz so closely. Taking out paper and pencil,
the Doctor proceeded to make minutes—speaking or humming over to himself as he
wrote, "Strange animal—caught among the Green-Mountains.....Appearance—entire
destitution of the capillary characteristic, short, thick and swinish.....
Habits—cynic and irascible.....Food—`what does he eat, Sir?' said the Doctor,
looking up at Timothy— `Flesh and fruit,' replied the latter, somewhat overawed
by the presence of the great man—`He was caught when he had just killed a deer,
and we have fed him on apples and such kind of viands'—"Apples, viands! "hastily
interrupted the other—"The carneous and pomaceous are distinct and disconnected;
but ah! I understand now—it was the deer that you meant by the appellative of
viand; but to the animal—wonderful! carniverous and pomiverous," &c. &c.
He then examined Boaz over, and asked Timothy a thousand questions about
him—after which, he recapitulated his notes, and pronouncing the animal a
non-descript in natural history, he gave his cane a twirl, and saying "I will
drop a line to my friend of the Journal at Albany concerning this valuable
discovery," bowed gracefully to the company and departed.
No sooner was the decision of the great oracle of the city promulgated, than
hundreds came crowding to see the non-descript, as he was now termed. Among the
rest the Broadway clerk came in to boast of his sagacity in discovering the name
of the animal even before the Doctor had seen him. Nearly all day nothing was
heard or talked of in the city but the non-descript at Stockton's. The street
leading to the place of exhibition was thronged by one continual stream of
visitors, eager to get a sight of the lion of the day. Timothy and Jenks
pocketed the money in handfuls, and began to think they were made forever. But
alas! who can count on the continuance of the favors of the changeful goddess of
fortune! Our travellers were now doomed to experience in common with all others
the effects of her fickleness and caprice. Towards night, while yet reaping the
golden harvest, and now lulled into security by their unexpected and
unparalleled success, all their prospects were ruined in a moment by the
sagacity of a New-England drover, who, having been a hunter in early life, and
now being in the city and hearing of the wonderful animal, had stepped in to see
what it was. After this man had leisurely surveyed Boaz awhile, he all at once
started up and exclaimed, "a shaved bear, as I live!" The words no sooner struck
the ear of Timothy, who happened to be standing near, than he sprang before the
man, and made a masonic sign—the drover luckily was a Mason, and returned the
sign. Timothy then very appropriately made the sign of the Secret Monitor's
degree: This was also understood and heeded; for the man curling his lip with a
suppressed smile, left the room in silence. Timothy immediately stepped to the
door where Jenks was still keeping his post, and taking him aside informed him
of the occurrence, and its fortunate termination through the instrumentality of
their beloved institution.
"O blessed masonry!" exclaimed Jenks.
`Yea, blessed—thrice blessed and celestially glorious!' responded
Timothy—`without this sanctified salvation of savoring salubrity, we should have
been twice disembogued since we left the land of our depravity; but we have
triumphed over all, and are now safe.'
"Be not too confident of that, Brother Timothy," said the other—"are you sure
that no one of the visitors heard this man's exclamation of shaved bear?"
`I declare!' replied Timothy, dropping the elegant, for the more common mode
of expression, as he was wont to do on most business-like occasions—`I declare,
I never thought to see to that.'
"Go in immediately then," said Jenks, with much trepidation— "see if you can
discover any symptoms among them that look like trouble— any winks and
whispering. Tim, I am afraid we are ruined after all! I am glad it is almost
night. O, if we can get through this day!" he continued, letting his voice fall
into a low ejaculating kind of soliloquy, as Timothy hastily left him for the
exhibition room—"If we can outlive this day, they shall never catch me in this
hornets' nest again till the day of pentecost."
On Timothy's return to the show-room, he soon perceived enough to convince
him that Jenks' fears and apprehensions were not altogether groundless. A
midshipman, it seems, had overheard part of the drover's exclamation, and,
having closely inspected Boaz with his quizzing glass during Timothy's absence
from the room, and discovered the hairs just beginning to start through the
skin, came to the same conclusion that the creature could be nothing but a
common bear with his hair shaved off. And keeping the discovery from the public
for the purpose of reserving the frolic of punishing the hoax to himself and his
companions, he was now, as Timothy came into the room, whispering with one of
his fellows to whom he had just communicated the secret, and conferring on the
best mode of kicking up a row on the occasion. The wicked looks of the two
fellows as they stood in one corner engaged in a close conversation,
occasionally glancing their eyes from Boaz to Timothy, at once convinced the
latter that they had mischief in view which was intended for himself and Boaz;
and accordingly he kept a close watch of their movements.
After whispering awhile, these two fellows went out, and Timothy began to
hope he was mistaken as to their intentions. But he was not long left to console
himself with such reflections; for they soon returned with two other companions,
when all, as if to remove all doubts as to the identity of Boaz, fell to
scrutinizing him anew with their glasses. While they were thus engaged,
Timothy's quick ear caught parts of sentences, as one of the two who came in
last was whispering to the other—"D—n me for a lubber, if Tom an't right—I've
seen many a bear in cruising— no mistake—let's get under weigh—no time to lose,"
&c. Soon after this they all four stole out of the room as slyly as
possible, and went off into the city.
Timothy lost no time in informing Jenks of all he had seen. The latter on
hearing this account, was at no loss in coming to the conclusion that these
fellows, whom he had himself noticed with suspicion, had gone off to raise a
band of their companions for a mob. And he told Timothy that their only chance
now was to clear out all the visitors as quick as possible, and lock up the
exhibition-room. This measure being concluded on, Timothy went in and informed
the company that they wished to close the exhibition for a short time, and that
those who wished to examine the animal any further could have an opportunity in
the evening. But the company were slow in obeying the order—some said they could
not come again—others they had paid their money and had a right to stay as long
as they pleased; and all seemed to think that no harm would be done by a little
delay. What was to be done? Any appearance of impatience on the part of the
keepers might create suspicion. Jenks stood on thorns as he witnessed the
dilatory movements of the company dropping off one by one at long intervals. He
could have pulled them out by their necks in the agony of his impatience to see
them gone; but he was afraid to manifest the least uneasiness. As no new ones,
however, were now admitted, the number of those within gradually diminished; and
finally, all but two or three took their departure. Just at this time Jenks
heard a distant hum like that of an approaching multitude. He instantly called
Timothy and told him to clear the room with the utmost despatch. It was some
time however before the latter succeeded in getting the two remaining visiters
started, as one was telling a story in which he did not like to be interrupted
till he had got through. Meanwhile the clamor and noise appeared to be rapidly
approaching; and the yelping of dogs could be distinguished among the other
sounds that now began to swell loudly on the breeze. Jenks could stand it no
longer, and was about rushing into the exhibition-room to drive the remaining
loiterers out by force, when he met them coming out. No sooner had the feet of
the hindmost of these passed out of the reach of the door, than, swinging it to
as if he considered life or death depended on the act, he hastily locked it, not
however till he had caught a glimpse of the enemy in full force rushing into the
yard. In a moment they were at the door thundering for admittance. Our
travellers paused an instant to listen to the exclamations of the besieging
multitude. "Is the tar and feathers come, Jack?" said one voice. "Send off for
more dogs," said another. "Bring along the rail," cried a third. "Beat down the
door—what's the use in puttering?" exclaimed a fourth.
Timothy and Jenks waited no longer, but hastily tying up the contents of
their chest in their pocket-handkerchiefs, they began their retreat through the
window in the rear, which, as we have before mentioned, the prudence of Jenks,
had provided as a retreat from danger. They had scarcely let themselves down on
the other side before the door of the exhibition room flew from its hinges
before the bars and axes of the assailants, who now rushed tumultuously into the
room. "Damn my eyes, Tom, the knaves have escaped!—but here is the bear,"
exclaimed one. "Let him loose! turn him into the street! call up the dogs!" said
several. "Look in that back room," cried the first — "the fellows can't be far
off, for I saw one of the damned rascals just retreating into the door as we
hove in sight." Such were the consoling sounds that fell on the ears of our
travellers as they were making their way with all convenient speed over fences,
through back yards, gates, &c. into a dark alley that led out to a street on
the opposite side of the square—still pursuing their way with hot haste they
paused not til they had got two squares between them and the scene of action.
Here, just as they came out into a long street, their ears were saluted by the
mingled din of the voices of dogs and men, and looking in the direction of the ,
they saw Boaz crossing the street but one square from them upon the keen skip
with a troop of dogs of all sorts and sizes at his heels, filling the air with
the discordant cries of pup, cur, bull and mastiff, commingling with the shouts
of the mob pushing on hard behind them. All at once Boaz made a halt in the
middle of the street and turned with terrible fury on his four-footed pursuers.
Immediately the last dying yelp of some luckless cur sent up quivering in the
air by the teeth of the enraged Bear, the bass groan of the bull dog coming
within reach of his loving embrace, and the death screech of others, announced
to his old masters that their ursine companion was not idle. While Jenks and
Timothy stood witnessing with exultation the gallant exploits of Boaz, the whole
pack of dogs, as their masters came up and encouraged them by their presence,
sprang at once upon the poor animal. A tremendous struggle now ensued, and many
a dog paid for his temerity by the forfeit of his life before their dread
antagonist yielded up his breath and fell beneath the overpowering numbers of
his foes.
"There is the last of poor Boaz!" said Jenks with a sigh; "but he has died
like a hero!"
In ten minutes from this time our travellers were on board a sloop which they
fortunately found at the wharf getting under weigh for Albany. The breeze sprang
up, and with the fading twilight the sight and sounds of the receding city
slowly melted in darkness and silence.
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