MISCELLANEOUS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 458, 22 December 1849, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

Awful Mortality. — The obituary of the Banffshire Journal contains the following terrible instance of mortality in a single fanvly : — "Died, at Middlehill, Monqubitter, of malignant scarlel fever, on 20th February, Mary, aged 6 ; on 25th February, Helen, aged 14 ; on 27th February, Isabel, aged 12 ; on Ist March, James, aged 4 ; on 7th March, Jane, aged 2 ; on 10th March, Ann, aged 10 ; on 29th March, George, aged 8 : children of Wm. Beaton, farmer there." A nurseryman at Reading is said to have succeeded in cultivating a yellow violet. A gentleman was remarking that the Dutch were very jocular fellows. " I think, on the contrary," said his friend, "Dutchmen ar call stern"

The American Packet- Ship "Constellation." — This gigantic vessel, which is considered the largest merchantman afloat, has been a great object of attraction to the numerous strangers who have visited Liverpool during the present week. The Constellation was built at New York by Messrs. Westervelt and Mackay, from the drawings and under the superintendence of Mr. W. Skiddy. Her length of keel is 195 feet; her length over all, 226 ; her beam, measured from ceiling to ceiling, 43 feet ; and the depth of hold, 28|- feet. Her tonnage, estimated by the Customs' (or new) measurement, is 1950 tons, but she posses capabilities for the stowage of near 3500 tons of ordinary goods. Great attention has been paid to the strength of the vessel ; her bolts and fastenings throughout are all square, and her sides, with ceiling and outer planking, form one solid mass. The stem is adorned with a well-carved figure of Commodore Truxton, the commander of the Constellation, American frigate ; and the stern is relieved with beautiful scrollwork. She has all the modern improvements in rigging, and, from the royal masts downwards, lightning conductors of copper are let into the spars, and carried through the keel into the water, thus almost averting the possibility of accidents from electric fluid. Several excellent improvements have been introduced for the accommodation of passengers. The Constellation has three decks, but in order to give full light and a free current of atmospheric air, she is constructed with eight hatchways of capacious measurement, as well as ventilators fore and aft. The lower deck is appropriated solely to steerage passengers, with the exception of a store-room, which is latticed off. The upper deck is also divided abaft to form a cabin, with permanently erected state-rooms for the more wealthy emigrants ; and though this only occupies a small space, being calculated for eighty persons, it is a great desideratum, as it presents an apartment far more comfortable than the cabins of many first-rate ships. The state-rooms are large, and are each distinctly lighted from the side ; some are furnished with bedding, snd all with toilet ware, wash-stands, &c. The arrangements on the deck are very superior ; each department of the ship has its own cooking- room, besides which there is an ice-house, a boy's room, a carpenters' room, cotl-house, and every requisite convenience. A place is also appropriated for invalid passengers. The captain's and ladies' cabins are elegantly finished, the ceilings being formed into panels by deck beams, finished with neat mouldings, and an architrave of gold surmounts the cabinet work of the room ; the entrance to the state rooms are supported by pilasters enamelled in shell and gold, with veined marble pediments ; the same rich style is carried out in the other parts of the workmanship. She is pumped by a double-action machine, worked with two fly-wheels. To the same shaft a powerful air pump can at all times be attached to exhaust any foul air that may have accumulated between decks. It is also applicable to a fire-engine, and from a jet with hose of 75 feet in length an equal stream can be ejected. This fine vessel is under the command of Captain Luce, and is consigned to Messrs. Spooner, Sands, and Co. On Monday, she was visited by Lord Howard, son of the Duke of Norfolk, in company with Mr. Thomas Sands, Mr. George Brown, and many of the principal Liverpool Merchants. — Liverpool Mercury.

Alligator Fight : an Incident op the Crevasse. — The quarters of our friend

Colonel Claihorue, near Sauve's crevasse, are some four feet under water. The night before last a veteran alligator, from St. Tammany, concluded to pay the colonel a visit in • friendly way, and congratulate him, as a brother democrat, on the nomination of Walker and Planche. Taking his course quietly through the cornfields and pastures, he thought it would be polite to call at the the cabin of the " driver," or head man, and inquire if the colonel was at home. Finding the door closed, he walked under thtf bouse, and bellowed, " Halloo" at the top of his voice. Getting no answer, he commenced a tremendous floundering and thumping, lifting up the flooring, and scattering the little " niggeis" in every direction. The hubbub soon roused the sleepers. They jumped out of bed in a terrible stew, raked up a light, and, at the same moment, were sent bouncing among the rafters, the visitor underneath lifting up one plank, and then another, flinging the whole crowd off their legs as fast as they could straighten them out. Such a scene of confusion was never witnessed. The darkies were completely bewildered, and their outcries soon drew the whole establishment together. The planks were drawn up, and there was not old Nick, but a fellow much uglier, a tremendous alligator, with expanded jaws, shaking his monstrous tail in defiance, and sweeping it round in rapid semicircles. The instant he was discovered two huge dogs leaped upon him, hut the contest did not last a moment. One he struck dead with his sweeping tail the other he cranched between his bloody jaws. But by this time the negroes got their dander up. They rushed upon him with axes, mauls and bludgeons. The monster stood his ground, and " never saiff die," until one of them thrust a burning brand down his fetid throat. He is of enormous girth, and measures over fifteen feet. Colonel Claiborne designs sending the skeleton to Dr. Bennett Dowler, of this city, who has written a most ingenious treatise on the natural history of the alligator. — Nev Orleans Delta.

Lord Dudley's Absence of Mind. — Of his extraordinary absence of mind, and his unfortunate habit of " thinking aloud," many amusing anecdotes have been in circulation. It is a fact that, when he was in the Foreign Office, hs directed a letter, iu tended for the French, to the Russian ambassador, shortly before the affair of Navarino ; and, strange as it may appear, it attained him the highest honor. Prince Lieven, who never made any mistakes of the kind, set it down as one of the cleverest ruses ever attempted to be played off, and gave himself immense credit for not falling into the trap laid for him by the sinister ingenuity of the English Secretary. He returned the letter with a most polite note, in which he vowed, of course, that he had not read a line of it, after he had ascertained that it was intended for 'Prince Polignac, but could not help telling Lord Dudley, at an evening party, that he was " trop fin," but diplomatists of his (Princo Lieven's) standing were not so easily caught. Lord Dudley was afflicted with what may not be improperly termed the disease of thinking aloud ; that is of unconsciously giving utterance to involuntary thoughts, which other men confide to the secret depository of their own breasts. An amusing anecdote of this singular failing of the mind is related of his lordship. Lord Dudley had been invited to the house of a friend upon the occasion of some grand fete, but, being a man of early habits, had ordered his carriage at a certain hour, having some miles to travel before he could obtain his accustomed repose. To his great mortification, after repeated inquiries for Lord Dudley's carriage, it had not arrived, and his lordship, as well as others, imagined that some accident had happened to it. One of the guests, seeing how much his lordship was disconcerted by the event, very politely offered him a seat in his. The gentleman in question had to pass bis lordship's house on his return home, and though he was almost a stranger to Lord Dudley, his rank and position in the county were, of course, well known to him, and the civility was no more than one gentleman would, under similar circumstances, have offered to another. Nevertheless, they had not been seated in the carriage, more than twenty minutes, when the peer, who, being tired, had, up to that moment, maintained a perfect silence, observed in a low, but distinctly audible tone of voice, "I'm veiy sorry I accepted his offer. I don't know the man. It was civil, certainly; but the worst is, I suppose I must ask him to dinner. It's a deuce of a bore !" He then relapsed into his former state of taciturnity, when, after a few minutes, the gentleman, pretending to be afflicted with the same failing, and, imitating his lordship's tone, observed, " Perhaps, he'll think I did it to make his acquaintance. Why, I should have done the same to any farmer on his estate. I hope he won't think it necessary to ask me to dinner." Lord Dudley listened to him with earnest interest, immediately comprehending the joke which he had bimsdf pro voiced, 'of-

fered his band with much hearty good will to ' his companion, making every apology for his involuntary rudeness ; and, from that night, the travellers became inseparable friends. — Burke* Anecdotes of the Aristocracy.

Oxford Commemoration. — This annual celebration of the founders and benefactors to this University has taken place during the past week, and attracted many thousand visitors to the banks of the Isis. Monday was chiefly occupied by the strangers in excursions to various points of interest in the neighbourhood and in visiting the colleges and public buildings. In the afternoon the annual procession of eight- oared cutters on the river furnished- an animated scene, and drew together a vast crowd. A concert at the town hall furnished entertainment for the «vening. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Royal Oxfordshire Horticultural Show was largely attended, as was the ball given on Wednesday night at the Star Assembly rooms, under the patronage of the nobility and gentry of the University and City of Oxford, Every successive day the throng of visitors increased until Thursday, which was appointed for the grand ceremony of the Encomia, usually held on Wednesday, but postponed for a day on the present occasion in consequence of the Ascension sermon at St. Mary's falling on the same day. The Under Graduates' gallery was 'densely thronged, although the long vacation commenced on the previous day, and many members had already quitted the University. Before the arrival of the Dons the occupiers of that gallery enlivened the interval by shouts and hisses bestowed upon various personages and sentiment! upon whom the body of yotyig collegians lavished an enthusiasm of approval or dislike. Amongst those who were most approved of was "The winner of the logic stakes," in reference to the late election of Prelector of Logic, * squib upon it having been written with the above title ; Jenny Lind, the Bishop of Exeter, Miss Sellon and the Sisters of Meicy, and the Wadbam boat crew. At eleven o'clock a voluntary on the organ announced the approach of the grand procession of the ViceChancellor, heads of houses, doctors, professors, proctors, &c. Afterwards a simultaneous shout for the National Anthem was respouded to by Dr. Elvey, who presideJ at the organ, the numerous assembly rising en masse testifying their loyalty by joining in the chorus, which was sung with much feeling throughout. On the conclusion of the anthem, the cheering, which lasted several minutes, was immense. As soon as silence was obtained, the Vice- Chancellor opened the convocation, and alluded to the distinguished persons who were to have the honorary degrees conferred upon them. On his taking his seat, Dr. Bliss, the Registrar of the University, in a lengthened Latin speech, introduced the Honorable George Bancroft, Minister of the United States, and lames Heywood Mark* land, Esq., F.S.A., when the honorary degree of doctor in civil law was conferred upon them amidst immense cheering. The VicePrincipal of Magdalen hall, Mr. Mitchell, then introduced Fletcher Fulton Compton Hayes, captain in the East India service, and gentleman commoner of Magdalen hall. W bile speaking of the captain's service in India in the recent war, the mention of the name of Sir Charles Napier was a signal for most tremendous cheering, and it is almost unnecessary to say that the honorary degree of M.A. was conferred upon him amidst the greetings of the numerous company. George Mitcham, Esq., D.C.L, and the Rev. Philip Freeman, M. A., formerly Fellow of St. Peter's College, at Chichester, were admitted "ad eundem." The Crewtan oration, in celebration of the founders and benefactors of the University, was then delivered by the Public Orator, the Rev. R. Mitchell, after which the prize compositions were recited, when the Vice Chancellor dissolved the Convocation, and in a fe.w hours steam bore away many hundreds of v 1 - sitors and members of the University. — Atlas, June 23.

A Manufactory op Guano. — We are favoured with the following from the Utter of an English gentleman who has recently visited an extensive hacienda, in the department Huasco, Chili : — *' On approaching the lower part of the estate, near the sea, I was struck by the appearance of a long grove of full-grown willows completely bare of leaves, and as white as snow, every fork in their branches containing a cormorant's nest. I counted 67 nests io one tree. It is a complete guano manufactory at home, and it is the guano frdm such an immense number of birds that destroys the life of the trees, and kills all vegetation for «ome roods on each side. We walked along the row of nest trees, on which were ensconced many thousands of huge black cormorants, oot moving an inch for us, but keeping up a continued loud harsh grunt, so that, shutting your eyes, you would fancy yourself in an enormous piggery. The ground all along is strewed with fishbones, some surprisingly large, and on the last tree of the plantation inn seated a congregation of grave vultures ;

sedately writing the departure of the cormorants to finish the iel use of the fish and other offal which should be left. It wai really an extraordinary scene, and I could have watched it for hours.' — Liverpool Albion.

A Prima Donna in Havanna. — The night of Saturday should, and doubtless will, always live in the recollection of the primt donna as her highest triumph over the Havanna public. During the whole opera the enjoyed an uninterrupted series of applauses, crowns, and presents, among which may be particularised a magnificent crown of silver, with golden acorns, and rich jewellery of much weight, presented by Mr. Marti, the owner of the theatre. A beautiful mahogany case, enclosing one of silver, with an exquisite purse, containing 120 doubloons (of recent •coinage) by Mr. Hetetegui. A rich pineapple handkerchief, elaborately embroidered, with a bouquet and two Spanish ounces, from Mrs. C. de la R. A trinket of great value on a pedestal stone, by Mr. G. A beautiful purse, with six ounces of gold, from Mr. A. Another, in many respects similar, from an unknown person. A beautiful ring, with the most costly brilliants, from the Italian consul. A bracelet of chased gold of taste and value, from Mr. C. de la F. A bouquet of gold and precious stones of unsurpassed beauty, from Miss M. A full and costly set of jewellery, from Mr. Marini. A bouquet of silver, from Tedesco. Fans from others. A rich band, with the colours of Spain and allusive descriptions, presented and placed upon her head by Badiali. The crowns presented were more than ten in number. Steffanoni was repeatedly called out, and at the conclusion of the opera, two children, dressed as angels, and mounted upon a car, brought the beautiful crown presented by Marti, with which the prima donna was reluctantly crowned. — El Diario de la Havanna,

Destiny. — One day a man related to me a story of Kismat or destiny, which he solemnly assured me occurred within his own knowledge. Parah Khan, a Bluchi, he said, of the Jamali clan, was a young warrior of much promise. He was considered an unerring shot, and very few excelled him at the use of the sword ; some cause or other induced him to take a journey into Mekran, contrary to the advice of his friends, for a Pir bad told them that he would not return. Pyarah laughed at their remonstrances, and only assented so far as to promise not to expose himself to any peril. He was on his way home when, passing along a grove of palm trees, of which there are great plenty in that country, he heard a fearful cry of distress. He looked up and saw a man who had ascended one of the tallest trees to extract the juice from the top. The fellow was obliged to cling by bis arms and legs to the tree, so that he could not in any way defend himself from a a large snake, which was close upon, and threatened every moment to seize him. Pyarah raise his matchlock, but then came the doubt of striking the man, part of whose body was in line with the enako. The man screamed to him in his agony of fear to fire, and Pyarah discharged his piece with such good aim that it went through the serpent's head, and killed it instantaneously. The climber now descended with alacrity to thank his preserver, but what was his horror, on alighting, to find him dead. Part of the jaw, in which was the poison tooth, had been cut away by the ball, and fell directly on Pyarah's face, which it wounded, and so mortal was the poison, that ere the Makrani alighted, the victim of destiny had expired. " It's a very odd story," I said to my Munshi. "Yes, Saheb, but it was his Kismat ; what more can be said V* — Young Egypt. How Me. Smithson proposed. — Mr. Smithson (an improvement on the name of Smith) wished to take Miss Brownly) another improvement) to the opera. He had been on terms of intimacy with the family for about five years, but " never spoke of love ;" on the contrary, he had frequently declared bis intention of leading a bachelor life. One morning he put his hand on the bell handle and was admitted. " Ob, James," exclaimed Miss Jane, " where have you kept yourself so long V This took Smitbson a little aback, for he had spent the preceding evening with the family. Before he could answer, however, Jane's brothers and sisters (eight or ten in number) had gathered about him. Summoning all his courage, he said, ** I am come to ask you" — "Not here, James — not now — oh ?" " That is," stammered Smithson, "if you are not engaged" — "Oh, oh, water, quick," •■ What's that," inquired her father —"who says she's engaged?" "I didn't mean," said- Smithson, in confusion. "Of couise not," continued Mr. Brownly, "you Couldn't suppose such a thing, when you have always been our favourite." Then advancing and taking poor Smithson's band, he said, " Take her, my boy, she's a good girl, loves you to distraction. May you both be as happy as the days are long." Thereupon mother and children crowded upon Smithson and wished him joy, and company coining in at

the moment, the affsir wu told to them »• » profound secrtt. So Smithson got a wife without popping the question, and almost before he knew it himself. Bat we cannot help thinking he was harried into matrimony.