The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

RICHMOND, (Virginia) May 25.

To the Printer of the Virginia Gazette.

SIR,

As you were pleased, in your address to the public in the first numbers of your Gazette, to say you would give a place in your paper to any pieces that might be sent you, which you should think would be either useful or entertaining to your customers. I have presumed to acquaint you with a circumstance that has lately happened in this country, of so extraordinary a nature that I conceive you will suppose I deal largely in the marvellous: It is true I was not an eye witness of it myself: but I have had it affirmed to me as a matter of fact by several gentlemen of undoubted veracity, and therefore have not the least reason to question the truth of it.

A gentleman in the neighbourhood where I lived had a valuable dog, which for a considerable time appeared to be distempered, and at last was so extremely restless, that, to put him out of his pain, he had him killed; and as to the distemper under which he had laboured was very different from any which he had observed in that kind of animal before, he caused him to be opened, and on taking off the skin which covered the heart, he, to his great surprise, discovered therein thirty six snakes from 12 to 14 inches long, which had nearly destroyed it; besides which there were several more lodged in the intestines of the dog. It may not be amiss to observe, that this dog was remarkable for killing all the snakes he met with.

This very singular case I submit to the gentlemen of the faculty, whose sentiments thereon I should be glad to see in some of your future papers. Should you think the above worthy the notice of the public, your inserting it as soon as you have room will oblige, Sir,

Your humble servant,

PHILANTHROPOS.