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EDITED AND Pl'Bl .ISIIF.D WEEKLY, BV
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[CUKKISPONDEKt K OK THE SOUTHERN MINI! M.|
Millkuof.vh.le, Ucc. 14, 1549.
1 herewith send you the Report of the
Finance Committee, by which you will
perceive that there was a balance in the
State Treasury on the 22 J November,
1549, of $503,164 70.
In the House this morning a Resolu
tion was passed providing fora recess from
the 2Cth of December until the second
Monday in January next —yeas 70, nays
49— and was forthwith sent to the Senate
for its concurrence—its fate there is con.
sidered doubtful. Up to the present time
463 bills have been introduced in the
House and about 160 acted upon. \ou
will thus see the business that is before th e
Legislature, and the prospect of an early
adjournment.
The bill creating anew Judicial Circuit
in Cherokee is lost.
The bill to repeal the 3d section of an
act to authorize the connection ol the Rail
Roads at Macon, approved 291 h Decern
ber, 1847, has passed the Senate by yeas
28,nays 6.
The Resolution of the House to request
the People at the next election for Gov.
ernor, &c. to endorse on their tickets, so
as to determine how the Judges shall
hereafter be elected—*l3y the Legislature’
or ‘By the People.
BILLS TASSED.
To prescribe the manner of creating
Trustees in personal properly.
To declare the lien of Judgments upon
equitable property.
To regulate the certifying of bills up
on causes for the Supreme Court, where
the presiding Judge and Counsel or party
cannot agtee as to what transpired, and to
prescribe a remedy—with amendments.
To prevent Judges of the Superior
Courts within this State, from making cer
tain charges or giving their opinions to de
fine the same as error—with amendments.
To change and point out and regulate
the maner which the returns of the sever
al Banking Institutions of this State shall
hereafter be made.
To define the rights of complainauts in
Equity, in certain cases.
To prohibit the Reporter of the Deci
sions of the Supreme Court of this State
from incorporating into such reports the
arguments and briefs of counsel, further
than a statement of the poin's made and a
brief of the authority referred to by said
counsel.
T authorize the legal representatives
of intestates, and testators of other States
to sue in this State.
To regulate the testimony of Attorneys
at law.
To regulate the fees of Attorney and
Solicitors General.
To amend several Acts, in relation to
the Georgia Rail Road & Banking Com
pany .
To provide for safe custody of persons
convicted of any capital offence after being
respited by the Governor.
To amend an act to incorporate the
Louth Western Rail Road and for other
purposes.
To revive and m ake of force an act to in
corporate the Thomaston and Barnesville
Rail Road Company, with power to con
struct a Rail Road from some point on the
Monroe Rail Road, at or near Barnesville
in Pike county, to the town of Thomaston
in Upson county, and to punish those
who may wilfully injure the same, and to
confer all corporate powers necessary to
effectsaid object, assented to Dec., 23,1539.
To compensate Petit Jurors in the coun
ty of Houston.
A bill to be entitled to an act, to amend
the 11th and 13th sections of the 6th divi
sions of the penal code.
A hill to protect the people of this State
from vexatious prosecutions, in cases
where Grand Juries may hereafter refuse
to find true hills.
BILLS INTRODUCED.
By Mr. Fish of Bibb, a bill to provide
for the encouiagement of the arrest and ap
prehension of persons committing Homi
cides in this State.
A bill to revive an act incorporating the
Madison and Macon Railroad.
By Mr. Nelson of Cobb, from the com
mittee on the Penitenciary. A bill to re
move a portion of the convicts to Atlanta
to be employed on the Western and Atlan
tic Rail Road.
Also, a bill for tire better government
of the Penitentiary.
By Mr. Woffmd ofCass, a bill to regu
late the action of Magistrates upon peace
warrants.
Also a bill to appropriate 2290 dollars
to the county ofCass, for services rendered
the State in preventing the spread of the
small pox.
By Mr. Riley of Lumpkin, a bill for the
construction of a road from North Caroli
na line to Atlanta.
Also, a hill to prevent careless shooting
towaujs the highways and other roads in
this State.
A bill has been introduced to add the
county ofScriven tothe First Congression
al District; and Butts, Jasper, Jones and
Wilkinson, to the Third; Harris and
DeKalb to the Fouitli ; Luiion and
Lumpkin to the Fifth ; Newton to the
Sixth ; Hancock, Washington, and Lau
rens, to the Seventh ; and Elbert to the
Eighth.
A hill has been introduced to organize
in part the Senatorial Districts as follows :
2d District—Liberty and Tatnall.
7th District—Bulloch and Scriven.
Stli District—Effingham and Bryan.
9th District—Burke and Jefferson.
13th District—Early and Randolph.
14th District—Stewart and Muscogee.
15th District Lee and Baker.
l*itb District—Troup and Harris.
17th District—Houston and Pulaski.
18th District—Marion and Macon.
19th District—Dooly and Sumter.
20lh District—Twiggs and Jones.
2Lst District—Washington and Emanuel.
25th District—Putnam and Jasper.
26th District—Monroe and Bibb.
2Sth District—Meriwether and Talbot.
29th District—Heard and Carroll.
30th District—Campbell and Coweta.
31st District—Fayette and DeKalb.
32d District—Butts and Pike.
33d District—Newton and Henry.
36th District—Franklin and Madison.
37th District —Oglethorpe and Elbert.
38th District—Clark and Walton.
39th District—Gwinnett and Forsyth.
42d District—Hall and Jackson.
The above bill was made the order of
the day for Tuesday next.
Postmaster General’s Report.
The report of the Postmaster General
has been published by the Ledger, of Phil
adelphia, in advance. It is an able docu
ment, but the details of it would not inter
est out readers. We append the follow
ing synopsis of it.
The report states, that the whole num
ber of Post Offices in the United States,
June 30, 1849, was 16,747 ; 921 new
ones having been established and 333 old
ones discontinued, within the present year.
There were 6,333 Postmasters appoint- j
cd within the same year.
The effect of the Post Office laws of
1545 have been such as to reduce the ex
penses of the service, though greatly in
creased, within the income derived from
postages.
The cost of the Mail service previous to
1845 was 8 cents 1 mill per mile ; now it
is 5 cents and 6 mills per mile.
There were 4,943 mail routes, compri
sing in all 167,703 miles, up to Ist July,
1849, and 4,190 Mail Contractors. The
whole cost of transportation on these
routes was $2,428,515. The mails by sea
cost $255,692 additional.
The gross receipts for the year to 30th
June, 1849, were $4,705,176. To this
add appropriation by Congress of $200,-
000, and we have the whole revenue $4,-
905,176. The gross expenditures were
$4,479,049, leaving an excess of revenue
of $426,127, to which add the amount of
appropriation by Congress not used $265,-
555, showing the sum of $691,682 balance
unexpended of the revenue of the past
year.
The estimates for the coming year are
thus set down.
The probable revenue from postages,
&c., will he, for the year ending June 30,
1850, $4,592,176. Add to this the pre
vious balance on hand, $691,682, and the
appropriation for free mail matter, and we
have a gross receipt of $5,753,545. The
probable expenditures are put down at
$4,750,138. This will leave a balance to
the credit of the Department, June 30,
1850, of $1,033,710. So that, even at
the present low rates of postage —rates
that, it was thought, at first, would bring
the Department in debt every year, there
is a rutt profit to be expected of a million
per annum.
The carriage of the mails on railroads
and in steamboats, averages a cost of nine
cents per mile. Where it is carried on
horseback and in coaches, the cost ave
rages three cents per mile.
The increase of lettei postage last year
was 15 2-10 per cent., and the whole in
crease was 14 1-5 per cent. It is not
thought that such an increase will occur
every year. Only 9 per cent, is consider
ed the natural increase.
The number of letters paying postage,
last year, was sixty-two millions ! This is
an average of over three letters to every
man, woman and child in the country !
The postage collected on these letters
was $3,882,762. On newspapers and
pamphlets, $819,016. The letter postage
lias to pay not only its own expenses, hut
most of the expense of carrying the news
papers, &c.
The franked or free matter that goes
through the mail is enormous. For the
year ending 30th June, 1849, the free
matter received by the Public Depart
ments, would have paid $250,353. The
amount sent was, at least, equal, making a
sum 0f5500,767. This does not include
the franked letters and documents, and
speeches of the Houses of Congress.
The extra number of pub. docs, of the
two last sessions of Congress, was 370,350,
weighing 467,762 lbs.; printed speeches,
6,682,500, weighing 411,511 lbs! And
this does not include the letters sent or
received by the members of Congress.
The whole amount of free, written and
printed mail matter sent and received by
Congress, during the year ending June
30, 1849, is put down at 5,320,08, which
should have paid a postage of $792,700.
Besides this, $95,161 has to be paid to
postmasters to deliver this free matter.
And this year all the blanks, returns, and
correspondence used in taking the census
of 1850, will travel free also. Three thou
sand reams of blanks are already engaged.
Congress appropriates $200,000 per
annum, to pay for the whole of this extra
expense, leaving the post office to pay the
other half million and more outof its pro
fi s ! This is unjust.
The Report intimates that it is good
policy to keep the newspaper and pam
phlet postage at their present low rates,
and ud\iaeo a reduction of letter postage.
Five cents for all single letters, whether
within or over 300 miles, is suggested
as a fitting price.
Os the fifty-two millions of letters trans
ported last year, fifteen millions are sup
posed to have paid the double price often
cents. Had they been carried at five cents,
the post-office revenue would have been
diminshed $775,000. The profit of a mill
ion last year, will more than justify such a
reduction.
The railroad mail routes, this year, are
6,13S miles, an increase, within two years,
of 1,149. On these routes the mail is now
transported 5,749,040 miles annually.
The railroad managers refuse to subject
the time and departures of the trains to the
order of the Department. This occasions
trouble.
The foreign mail service does not look
so well. The receipts for postage to and
from Europe was, from June, 1847, to
October, '4S, $29,082 ; from October, ’4B,
to October, ’49, 871,114. The cost is
$200,000 per annum.
The mail from Charleston, via Savanah,
to Havana, has cost, since October, 1848,
$35,086.
The mails between New York and New
Orleans, via, Chailest'-n, Savanah, and
Havana; that between Havana and
Chagres ; that between Panama and Cali
fornia, Aracross the Isthmus of Grenada,are
alluded to. The latter are said to be not
under the control of the Department and
very badly managed. The Postmaster
General objects to this service being called
mail service, and states that if the immense
expense be put upon the Post office, it will
seriously embarass the Department.
At present, the sea-postage between
here and Europe is due almost entirely to
England; and though it swells our receipts
here, has to be paid over annually,
when demanded. The American mail
steamers being built, will soon alter this
state of the accounts.
A Postmaster was appointed at San
Francisco. The income being insufficient,
he resigned. Other agents have been ap
pointed and promise to regulate mail mat
ters there in a short lime
Provision must be made, it is thought,
for mail accommodations in California,
Oregon, and New Mexico. Present ar
rangements are wholly outof the question.
The expence is vast —the reciepls tri
fling.
The report insists on the necessity of
having additional Clerks allowed the De
partment, by law. Delay embarrassment
are occasioned, it asserts, by the increased
business and the insufficient number of as
sistants.
In the Dead Letter office 2,100,000
dead letters were opened anil examined
last year, of these 4,964 contain $32,069,
and 998 inclose other articles of value.
The number of supposed depredations
for the year is put down to 1226,supposed
to include 8169,107. Twenty-nine depre
dators were arrested, and $77,779 were
reclaimed or accounted for.
To show the great increase of service,
and the consequent damand for the in-
I crease of the foice in the Department,
l the following comparative statement is
made.
In 1537, the number post-offices 11,707
now 17,164 —471 have been made since
June last. Numbar of dead letters in 1837,
900,000 now 2.100,000. Number of
quarterly returns in 1837, 48,000-now 73,-
000. Number ol mail contractors in 1837,
1682—now 4,190. Length of routes it!
1537, 141,1-42 —now 167,703. Annual
mail transportion in 1837, 32,597,0uG
—now 42,544,069,
The Repott then alludes to the duties
of the Auditor of the Department, and
praises the energy and success of the sys
tem pursued.
An Unlucky Gun. —Several years ago, says
a Virginia paper, Mr. Benjamin F. Miller, who
resides near Washington, in Rappahannock
county, had a favorite negro boy with him in liis
hunting excursions. On a certain occasion lie
took his gun out to shoot birds near Ins father's
house ; the boy followed him as usual ; and ci
ther forgetting ornot observing the boy, between
whom and his master were some thick bushes,
he shot the bird and killed the boy at the same
time.
“In November last, a manby the name of
Johnson, also of that county, had baited some
wild turkics, and bad concealed himself amid
the limbs of a fallen pine tree near the place to
await their arrival. Another gentleman, named
1 letcher, who bad by some means possessed
himself of Johnson’s gun, was bunting turkics
in the same neighborhood, and passing near
the tree under which Johnson was concealed,
and attracted by a noise among the branches,
catching a glimpse of Johnson’s head, on which
was a black fur cap, lie fired and the unhappy
man fell, exclaiming Lord have mercy on me !
and immediately expired.
“The unlucky gun was purchased from Mr.
Fletcher by a gentleman named Curran, who
resides near Flint Hill, Rappahannock county,
and a few weeks ago it was again the instrument
of death to a human being. Mr. Curran was
hunting turkics near the dwelling of his broth
er-in-law, Mr George W. Compton, and com
ing to some thick bushes, among which were
grapes, and seeing something which lie supposed
to he a turkey, without taking a closer observa
tion, he fired, and the unfortunate object proved
to be the daughter of Mr. Compton, aged nine
or ten years. She lived until the next day and
expired.
(FP Anew calculating machine, invented by
Colmar twenty years ago, and to the improve
ment of which the inventor has devoted his
whole time, is now exhibited at Paris. By
means of pegs moved back and forth, any calcu
lation on the simple rules of arithmetic can be
performed. Mr. Colmar has taken out a patent.
Hard up. — Mr. D’lraeli says, on the author
ity of a London attorney, the amount of the
mortgages of England is £400,000,000, produ
cing at four per cent., £16,000,000 a year. The
landlords of Scotland are at least as deeply mort
gaged as those of England, and undoubtedly
squires are in a still worso condition.
M ACON, GA,
SATURDAY MORNING, DEC. 15,1849.
Important Telegraphic Intelligence.
We received last evening at 6 o’clock, the fol
lowing interesting intelligence, dated
Montgomery, Ala., Dec. 15,4 j o’clock, P.M.
—At 45 minutes past 1 o’clock to-day, the State
House was discovered to be on fire, and the
flames spread with such rapidity, that all at
tempt to save the building proved unavailing,
and it was burnt to the ground, lenvingonly the
walls standing.— A few years ago, when this
building was being built, the plastering fell and
killed several persons. It is strange, how this
fire should have occurred, as the Legislature of
Alabama is now in session.
Washington Citv, Dec. 14, 54 o’clock, I’. M.
—Previous to the adjournment of Congress this
afternoon, a Resolution was adopted closing all
debate until the Speaker should be elected. On
the last ballot Lynn Boyd received 82 votes;
Stanly 49; Winthrop 27 ; and Potter 22.
The Masonic Journal. —We have received
the December number which closed the first
volume of this interesting work. The editor
Dr. J. B. Randall, says that each number of the
next volume, commencing in January next will
be one,-third larger than those of the present
year, and the price of subscription will be $2
per annum. It is neatly printed, and we re
commend it to the patronage of the Fraternity.
Published by Messrs. Hunt & Campbell, Ma
rietta, Ga.
Acquitted. —Talbot Combs, mentioned in
our last as having killed Patrick Barrett, under
went an examination on Saturday last before
Justices Brown, Wood and Reid, and was ac
quitted.
Another Homicide. —On Saturday last, a
difficulty arose at Mr. Brown’s in Rutland’s Dis
trict, about eight miles South of this City, be
tween Brinkly Bishop and Turner Smith, when
the former shot ihe latter with a pistol, which
caused his death immediately.—An Inquest was
held on the next day and a verdict rendered that
the deceased came to his death from the effects
of a ball fired from a pistol in the hands of
Brinkly Bishop. An examination took place
before a Magistrate’s Court in this city on Turs
day, when said Bishop was committed to jail to
await iiis trial for the offence at the Term of
Bibb Superior Court in January next. On Thurs
day Thomas Smith, a brother of the deceased,
whoso pistol was used in the killing,was examin
ed and also committed to await his trial at
said Court, as an accesory to the crime.
Counterfeiter.—Hardin Hopper was ar
rested and committed to jail at Augusta a few
days since, for passing counterfeit money. He
had ,SBO in S2O bills on the Commercial Bank
at Columbia, and slo's on the Bank of Charles
ton. A hill of the latter description was detected
at one of the Banks in this city recently—tlicv
may be distinguished from the genuine notes bv
the obliteration of the letter A in the word
Charleston by the head of the female figure.
From California. —The ‘"Crescent City’’
has arrived at New York, from Chagres, bring
ing dates from San Francisco to 2d ult., and 160
passengers, and $1,400,000 in gold.—Bo,ooo per
sons were at the mines. The Constitution of
the State of California had been adopted.
Fires. —The extensive Pork Packing F.sl?.b
lishmcnl of Messrs. Stagg & Shay, at Cincin
nati, was recently destroyed by fire. Their stock
of hams was heavy, but insured. Puga &. Cos.
lost 3,000 hogs.
A great fire broke out on Saturday, 24th ult.,
at Baton Rouge which destroye property to the
amount of $75,000.
The new paper iniii of Messers. Robertson &.
Rinhart, at Delphi, la., was destroyed by fire on
the morning of the 9th ult. It was insured for
$25,000.
ff~P Dr. Parkman has left, it is understood a
fortune of some $700,000 nr SBOO,OOO ; and the
timely discovery of the body will enable his re
latives to administer to the estate, which other
wise might have been kept in abayance, proba
bly for years.
Scientific. — Professor Kollcnati, of Berlin,
has propounded a theory that men shed their
skins as animals do their coats, and that, like
them, they assume a thicker or a thinner cov
ering (a natural skin) according to the climate
in which they- reside. When this change is ef
fected, a man is said to he “acclimated.”
IT’ The Presbyterian Church at Bethesda,
Montgomery county, Md., was destroyed by fire
a few days since.
Baltimore. —The Cumberland (Md.) Civil
ian says, that from the sth of November to the
6th of the present month, 52,472 hogs were car
ried to market from this place over the Balti
more and Ohio Railroad.
Steamships.— The New York Commercial
Advertiser says : “Wm. 11. Webb will lay the
keel of a steamship in a week or ten daps, and
a second some time in January, to take the place
of the steamships Savannah and Tennessee, re
cently sold from Sam’l L. Mitchell's Savannah
line to Messrs. Howland and Aspinwall, for the
Pacific mail line. One will be launched on or
before the Ist of April next, and the other about
the Ist of June. Then are to be built in a su
perior manner, at an estimated cost of $175,000
each. In their dimensions they will he similar
to the Tennessee, viz : 212 feet on deck, 35 feet
beam, and 214 feet deep. Their model will
also be precisely similar. The aprons, night
heads, inner sternposts, counter tables, and ends
of kelsons, arc to be all of live oak. The latter
will be coaged to the timbers, and bolted edge
wise. In these and other respects, the con
struction of these vessels will bo such as to
place them among ths first in pointofexcellence.
“Wm. Collycr lias commenced building a
steamboat to be placed on the route between
New York and Keyport, in place of the John
Hart, which is to be removed to Southern wa
ters. She will be 170 feet long, and 28 broad.”
Terrible Affair in Boston.
We are indebted to Scott’s Weekly Paper,
published in Philadelphia, for the following
synopsis of the lamentable tradedy in Boston :
The disappearance of Dr. Parkman, well
known in Boston for his wealth and eccentrici
ties, and which was mentioned in the papers
about two weeks since, has resulted in the sup
position that lie was cruelly, brutally and
wantonly murdered, and his remains, or a por
tion of them destroyed. The good city of Bos
ton lias been harrowed by the details of the sup
posed murder. Up to Friday, of last week, the
most frightful rumors were circulated. All sorts
of reports had been flying from tongue to tongue,
and the police were dragging rivers and scour
ing woods in search of him, when of a sudden
it was asserted that he had been murdered by
Professor Webster, of the Medical College, and
his remains partially burnt. The high standing
of the parties—their social position, moving in
the most fashionable circles of Boston—their
advanced age, the victim being 60, and his sup
posed murderer 55 years of age—all tended to
increase the excitement.
Suspicion had rested upon Professor Webster
by persons employed at the College, owing to
the fact that Dr. Parkman was known to have
called there about a note of the Professor’s, for
$425, which he held. Dr. Parkman was not
seen to leave the College, and a Mr. Littlefield
stated to the other professors that Mr. Webster
had been locked up in his own room fora length
of time that aroused his suspicions. A secret
plan was laid to search the apartments, which
was commenced by breaking through stone and
brick walls under the chemical room, occupied
by Professor Webster. There, in the well of
the water closet, was found part of a human
body—the intestines having been taken out.
The search was continued, and parts of two legs
wer* discovered. The head, hands and feet
were gone. In the ashes in the fire-place, par
tie'es of gold, teeth, &.c., were found, which
were identified by the dentist, as those belong
ing to I)r. Parkman ; this was confirmed by the
discovery of a jaw bone. A pair of trowsers
belonging to Professor Webster, with blood upon
them, was also found, and in a tea chest, cover
ed with minerals, other mutilated remains; a
saw with which it is thought the head was rut
from the body, was alsofunnd. Os course, these
evidences being found in the apartments op
Prof. Webster, to which only himself had ac
cess, were sufficient to cause his arrest. The of
ficers of the law proceeded to his house at Cam
bridge, and there found him bidding adieu to a
gentleman who had been visiting there. The
officers told him they wished him to proceed to
the College and aid in searching for the remains
He complied readily, hut instead of conveying
him to the College, the carriage in which he
was placed, proceeded direct to the Leverett
street jail. This seemed to surprise him, and
he asked the officers the meaning of it.— lie was
informed of what had transpired at the College,
and the effects upon him is described as appall
ing. The next day he was conveyed to the
College, to witness the putting together of the
mutilated remains. Various stories were pub
lished of his manner on that occasion, hut the
truth is, he was perfectly calm, though quite fee
ble from the effects of his arrest, and having
passed the night in jail.
In addition to the foregoing, we find in the
Boston papers of Monday, Tuesday and Wed
nesday, long accounts of the state of things
there. They do not, however, contain any ad
ditional particulars, further than that the family
of the late Dr. Parkman had taken the mutila
ted remains found in the College, and had them
buried with due ceremony—satisfied of their
identity. Professor Webster was arraigned on
Monday, and committed by the Court to await
the decision of the Grand Jury for the January
term. He was attended by iiis counsel and
triend, franklin Dexter, Esq. He is represen
ted to have regained his equanimity, and to con
verse quite freely with his friends. II is family,
at his residence in Cambridge, consist of a wife
and three daughters, the youngest of whom is
16. His eldest daughter, aged 23, is married to
M. Dabney, the present Counsul at Fayal, and
is abroad with her husband. Those at home
are merged in the deepest despair, at the posi
tion in which the father and husband is placed.
Those who best know I’rofessor Webster, do
not believe him guilty of the crime, and suspi
cion has occasionally rested upon others, but
upon examination it proved to be unfounded.
Others assert that if the remains were those of
Dr. Parkman, they were placed where found for
the purpose of entraping Professor Webster
Hehas not, however, attempted an explanation
and we confess, from all we have seen, appear
ances are strongly against him.
The supposed remains of Dr. Parkman were
buried from the residence, No. 8 Walnut street,
on Thursday morning. A large concourse of
persons were present, mostly attracted by curi
osity. The funeral proceeded to Trinity Church
Cemetery, where the remains were deposited in
a vault.
Danger of using Chloroform. —A melan
choly accident, which occurred in Glasgow,
Scotland, from the use of chloroform, is related
by the London Medical Times. Dr. Adams,
resident physician to the Clyde-st., hospital,
having occasion to use chloroform, inhaled it
himself, to try its strength, but with any serious
consequences; repeating, however this experi
ment, and incautiously increasing the dose, the
effect was fatal; he fell back and immediately
expired.
Telegraph Plough. —The New York Ex
press says : “ This is the age of invention, and
when there is a necessity, there is an invention.
We have just been shown a species of a sub
marine plough, which will plough a furrow un
der the bed of a river, to put the telegraphic
wire in, and cover the furrow. The wire, so to
speak, is sowed in the furrow by an ingenious
movement in machinery. All looks practica
ble, and if it works, there is a way found out to
put telegraphic wires under rivers, safe from an
chors.
Gold. A gold mine, yielding fifty per cent,
has been found in Columbia county, Ohio.
THE ICE-BOUND VESSEL.
One day, as we were speaking of the North
seas, of the third expedition of Captain P a '
and of the dangers of polar navigation, oia
Capt Warens, who had passed the greaterp art ,
his life in the whale fisheries took his pjp e ffo °
his mouth, and placing it on the table, said
“l found myself, in the month ofAuj u ,
1775, sailing towards the 77th degree of nor( |'
latitude, when, one morning, about a mile f r -
my vessel, I found the sea entirely closed t
ice. Nothing could be seen, as far as the
could reach, except mountains and peaks eovf
ed with snow. The wind soon abated, and I,
mained two days with the continual prospecib
fore me of being crushed by that frightful m JS
which the least wind could drive upon us
We had passed the second day in alarm,
towards midnight, the wind rose, and we hear'
the horrible cracking of ice, which broke up
and crashed with a noise resembling claps of
thunder. That was a terrible night for us, b ol
in the morning, the tempest becoming allayed
by degrees, we saw the barrier of ice that was
before us, entirely broken, and a broad channe
extending to the horizon, between its twosidea
the sun shone brilliantly, and we were propell ei f
by a light breeze from the north.
Suddenly we saw appear the masts of ares
sel; but that which astonished us still more *„
the singular manner in which her sails
posed, the dismantled aspect of her canity
the strangeness of her manoeuvres. She cod
tinued to advance for some time, then coming
in contact with a mass of ice, she remained mo.
tionless.
I could no longer resist my curiosity; | das.
cended into a boat with a few of my sailon
and directed our course toward the singularaliip
We saw, as we approached, that it was greatlv
injured by the ice. No men appeared on iW
deck, which was covered with snow. We hail
ed it, and no one answered. Before goingon
board, I looked through a port hole, and saw a
man seated at a table, on which were all the lie.
cessary articles for writing.
Gctling on deck we opened the hatch and
went down into the cabin, where we found the
purserof the vessel, seated as we had seen him
at the port-hole ; but what was our astonishment
and our terror when we saw that he was a
corpse, and that a green and moist foam had
gathered on hischeeks and forehead, and veiled
his eves, which were open! He had a pen is
his hand, and the log-book before liim. The hit
lines lie had written were these;—“Nov. 14,
1762. It is seventeen days since wc have been
inclosed by the ice. The fire went out yester
day, and our Captain h*.s tried to relight it, but
without success. His wife died this m ruing
There is no more hope ”
My sailors fled, affrighted, from that corpse,
which appeared to be alive. We then entered
the ladies' cabin, and the first object we noticed
was the body of a lady lying upon a bed man
attitude of anxious and close attention; one
would have said, seeing the fresh ness of her
complexion, that she was living; only the con
traction of her limbs showed us that she was
dead.
Before, her was a young man, seated on the
floor, holding a steel in one hand and a flint in
the other, and having before him many hits of
tinder.
We then passed into the forecastle, where we
found several sailors lying in their berths, mail
dog stretched out at the foot of the stairs. It
was in vain that we sought for provisions and
firewood ; we discovered nothing of the kind.
Then my sailors began to say that it was an rn.
chanted vessel, and announced to me that they
would remain no longer on hoard We left af
ter having taken the log-hook, and came back
toour vessel, smitten with learnt the thought of
so melancholy an example of ‘.lie danger of |»-
lar navigation, in so high a degree of northern
latitude.
When I returned to Hull, I made my report to
the Admiralty, ami from the documents I had,
showing the name of the ship and the captain,l
learned that the vessel had been lost thirty years
before, and had consequently been ever since
enclosed within ice.”
Alter Captain Warens had censed speaking,
we still continued to listen, such was the pi"-
found and terrible impression that bis recital
bad made on us.
Remarkable Fatalities. —The Montro#
Standard furnishes us with the following'*-
markable circumstances : Ahull belonging to
Mr. Campbell, farmer, Nether Obnie, Auditor
gaven, died a few davs ago ofpleuro-pneumoniii
as was supposed. A neighbor was sent fur to
skin him, and whilst engaged in this work be
scratch his arm a little with the hones of tbo
animal. Mrs. Campbell, who was assisting/
a little scratch on her chin before engagingm
what has turned out to be a most uuforlunat''
business. In a few days the scratched arm b o '
came swollen and inflamed, and the most ener
getic medical measures were requisite to d'
the progress towards mortification. It is r lo *
hoped that the arm may he saved; but we haw
to odd that Mrs. Campbell has fallen a vic“" ,ll>
the strange poison of the dead carcase. She
hud touched the scratch on her chin whilst as
sisting her neighbor to skin the hull, and i" 3
sow day-R inflammation set in, and medical skill
was powerless to arrest the fatal progress of il' e
disease. A dog, cat, and a pig, which had ea ‘
ten of the offals, have all died.
Germans going to Nicaragua. —The G*‘
man Colonization Society is at present active!
engaged in collecting emigrants for Nicaragua
in South America. A pamphlet, just publish?
by its president Mr. Benlow, says that cosk e
and indigo can ho cultivated there with g ri “ !
success, and offers this among other induecin enl! '
for emigration. The Germans have been
grating in groat numbers to different p orls .
the world, for the last ten years. About <W>
have gone to Australia, 60,000 to South An» crl
ca, and innumerable hosts to our country-"-
to Europe, one can scarcely find a village ! '‘
France, Greece, and Southwestern Russia * lll
Turkey, when German emigrants are not sc
‘led.