MISCELLANEOUS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 486, 30 March 1850, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

Death of Admiral Collier. — We regret to have to record the death of Rear* Admiral Sir Francis A. Collier, Cotnmander-in-Chief in the East Indies. His Excellency died suddenly of apoplexy yesterday morning at the residence of Judge Hulme, with Whom he had been on a visit. He had been in very bad health for some time, and his physicians entertained scarcely any hope of his permanent recovery, but as he was sufficiently well the evening before his death to take a carriage drire with the Judge, his Excellency's friends were quite unprepared for the sudden

announcement of his decease. He came on to China, purposely to enjoy the benefit of the cold bracing winter of Shanghai, to which place he was to have proceeded immediately upon the return of the Fury from the West Coast. It was only on the 22nd instant bis Excellency received a complimentary address from the merchants of Hongkong on the energy displayed by him in the extirpation of piracy in these seas, and the security thereby afforded to the peaceful prosecution of commerce. — Hongkong Register. 3 A testimony in favour of ragged schools was received from a remarkable quarter. One of the greatest thieves of the metropolis visited a school and asked to be shown over it : after seeing it he said, " I approve of this very highly, and I shall subscribe a guinea a year." The answer was, " How can you do so ? we know what you are." To which he replied, 11 It is perfectly true; I.know what I am: but if such institutions as this had existed, when Xt was a boy, I never should nave ccme to my-present disgraceful state."

Sir Robert Peel's Portrait Gallery, Drayton Manor. —lt is about twenry years since Sir Robert Peel took down the old house at Drayton Manor, occupied by bis father, and built the present mansion, from the designs of Sir Robert Smirke, on a site rlosely adjoining the previous building. It is a quadrangular stone mansion, in the Elizabethan style, of very considerable extent, but without any ostentatious display of architecture, either internally "hr externally. The taste and fondness for the fine arts, which forms so marked and agreeable a feature" in Sir Robert's character, exhibit themselves plainly at his residence. A large coiridor or gallery, in thecentre of the buildiing, has its walls entirely covered with fine works of art, as well as almost every available space on the staircase and elsewhere : and to his high credit be it said, that almost every picture at Drayton Manor is by some artist of the present day. Sir Robert's collection of pictures having far outgrown the means at his disposal for suitably hanging them, a gallery was erected in 1846, from the designs and under the able direction of Mr. Sydney Smirke, A.R.A. It forms awing, appended to the north-west angle of the mansion, and extends westward about 100 feet. It is built of a fine grained magnesian limestone, and is designed in the style of the English renaissance, so as to harmonise with the rest of the building. The exterior is «mbel!istted with colossal statues of Rubens, Vandyke, Sir Joshua Reynolds, and Sir Thomas Lawrence. The gallery within is 90 feet long by 22 feet wide, and 21 feet high being subdivided into three compartments by columns and pilasters of Italian and German marbles. The parquet flooring, and all the wood fittings, are of waiascot and walnut tree. The walls are paiuted of a strong neutral green colour. The ceiling is coved, and elaborately ornamented with corbels and pendents. The pictures are lighted by skylights in the flat central part of the ceiling. The pictures on the walls of this unique gallery almost entirely consist of Sir Robert's contempories, eminent either as statesmen or as men of science or literature and comprise some of the chefs-d'oeuvre of Reynolds and Lawrence. —Buildings and Monuments.

i Unexpected Termination of a Voyage. — We copy the following singular narrative | from the Dublin Evening Mail : — " The colliers which lrequent the southern ports of Ireland frequently take passengers to England or Wales at a very low rate — such as balf-a-crown a head. In April last one of those vessels took in sixty passengers in a small southern port, and fortunately for them, took in a large number of sheep. Shortly after the vessel had sailed she encountered heavy adverse gales, which drove her down the Channel and into the Atlantic, where she was tossed about for several days, steering away at random, the worthy skipper being in utter ignorance of his position. The sheep were slaughtered to save the crew and passengers from starvation. At length the wanderers fell in with a ship, and, like the celebrated navigator who sought tingal, they discovered where they were. They were informed that a perseverance for two days, not in a nor- east but in a nor-west course, would briqg them to New York, and there they arrived with all the passengers, save the-sheep, safe. The half-crown men were delighted to find that their voyage terminated under the star-spangled banner. The families of those who thus unexpectedly crossed the Atlantic gave them up as lost, but have lately received letters informing them of their safe arrival in America, and that they would shortly send money to enable their friends to join them in a country as yet — happily for themselves — unskilled in the science of political econdmy, and so selfish as to deem it better to support their own citizens than encourage and reward the industry of foreigners. Awaiting the expected remittances the several families retired into lodgings in the — Union Workhouse."

I Singular Circumstance. — In the middle of the month of August the cholera ap-

pea red in a village in the district ,of Madge* bur"-, and caused great alarm from 'the fatal nature of the attacks, the number of deaths being disproportionately high compared with the number of the population. While tl c disease was at its height, a fire broke out and threatened the whole place with destruction ; it required the exertions of nearly all the inhabitants to confine it to the house where it originated ; three persons lying ill of the cholera had to be carried out through the flames. It was expected that the terror, would increase the disease ; but it is a singular fact that the reverse occurred ; there has not been a single case since, and the perions rescued from the fire recovered. Military surgeons state that the number of sick in an army always decreases if there is a near prospect of a battle. — Times,

An Eccentric Traveller. — A gentleman named Randall, a solicitor in Southampton, • was in the habit of taking '*. tour every year which him between two and three months. He would leave Southampton suddenly, scarcely acquainting his confidential clerk ibat he was going, and no one would know anything about him until bis clerks would receive a letter from him dated St. Petersburgh or Vienna. .About two months since be left Southampton suddenly arid secretly, according to his usual practice, and no one knew of 'his whereabouts until his clerks received , a letter, about a fortnight since, from him in . Canada ; since which, information has been received that Mr. Randall was taken ill of cholera, died, and was buried in 12 hours in America. Had he died a day before, no one in this country, Enghnd, would probably have ever heard anything about his decease; but he happened to be introduced to some one about a day before he was taken ill, which person attended him in bis illness, and has written to Southampton the particulars of his death. Mr. Randall was one of the most talented men in his profession in the south of England. He was unmarried, and about 45 years of age. He was a great connoisseur in pictnres, and his collection is said to be worth £20,000. Mr. Randall has died wealthy, and has left a large portion of his property to charities I and schools in Southampton. He w«s much respected in the town, and the news | of his death has caused a great sensation there. — Globe. Deeply wer« we affected, on reading the other day of a beautiful young lady, who being told that her lover was suddenly killed, exclaimed — * Oh ! that splendid gold watch of his — give me that — give me something to remember him by !" » The Louisville Bon Ton speaks of a lady who entered her carriage with so much powder on her face that she blew up the driver.

A Serpent Flower. — The following is an interesting example of the identity of animal and vegetable existence : — Some Italian journals mention that a new organized being has been discovered in the interior of Africa, which seems to form an intermediate link between vegetable and animal life. This singular being has the shape of a spotted serpent. It drags itself along on the ground, and, instead of a head, has a flower shaped like a bell, which contains a viscous liquor. The flies and other insects attracted by the smell of this liquor, enter into the flower, where they are caught by the adhesive matter. The flower then closes, and remains shut until the prisoners are bruised and transformed into chyle. The indigestible portions, such as the head and the wings, are thrown out by two lower spiral openings ; this vegetable serpent has a skin resembling leaves, a white and soft flesh, and, instead of a bony skeleton, a cartilaginous frame filled with yellow marrow. The natives consider it delicious food. — Dr. Darwin,

A Hot Bath. — A couple of gentlemen, John Smkh and James Brown, were seated in the ante-room of a bath-house, awaiting their turns for a bath. "After they got tired of twirling their thumbs, Smith asked Brown whether he preferred a hot or cold both. Brown, who was remarkably fond of running a rig on any one, said he was so partial to hot baths; and enjoyed them so frequently, that he did'nt think there was any other man in creation that could remain in water at the temperature he ordinarily used. Smith was one of those kind of men who nerer ftgnnit themselves to be outdone in anything^ and one word led on to another, until at length Smith proposed the following wager, to which Brown agreed at once, — Two baths, in rooms adjoining, were to be prepared. Cold water to the depth of six inches to be let in. They were to enter at the same instaot, the hot water tap then to be turned, and the one that first cried "epough" was to pay for a supper and "fixins." Sm\ib. 'went honestly to work, entered the bath, tnd turned on the hot water, taking special good care to draw up his legs as far as possible. Brown turned the hot water tap, but instead ! of permitting the hot water to remain in the ' b»th, ht let it out by means of * coStrivanco

.he managed to r^g up. The tap was to be "turned," bat there was nothing said about where the water should go. Brown said to iimself, J'if I dou't boil that Smith, it will not be my fault. Presently Smith found the water too hot for comfort, and said, "how is it with you, Brown ?" "Hot enough," was the reply, "I shall have to give it up right off, if you don't," he continued, as he lay cool enough at the bottom of the bath. Smith was thinking about giving in beat, but Brown*s words encouraged him to hold out a little longer. " I'm perfectly cool, yet," said Smith, as he writhed and twisted about, " and can stand out two minutes longer, so you'd better give np, Brown." ** The water is 'tarnal hot, you know, but I shall hold out a few seconds logger," said Brown. Smith could not. With a half suppressed cry of pain, he sprang from the hot water literally, parboiled. Hastily drawing on some of his clothing, he entered Brown* room, and saw him- lying very comfortably at the bottom of the empty bath, smoking a cigar. He found that he had been done brown as well as boiled, when Brown insisted that his tap was turned fairly, but as not a word was said about where the water &hould go, be preferred passing it through the plug-hole. Smith promises to pay for the suppei as soon as he congeals, which will not be just yet. Mr. Pips out a Shutynge. — Monday, October 1, 1849. — Up mighty betimes, and to Brushwood for a Day's Shooting, by Invitation'from Mr. Tibbitts, whose Father, the rich Furrier, did die the other Day, and leave him a Fortune, and now he hath rented Brushwood Manor to shoot over* for the season. But Lack, what a set of young Rogues j I found there of Tibbitts his Acquaintance, a smoking of Cigars and short Pipes, and a drinking of Ale and bottled Stout at 10 o'clock in the Morning ! Mighty ashamed of, though diverted with, jny Company, to hear their loose and idle Conversation, and how none of them could pronounce the letter H, and to think what an unlettered vulgar Fellow Tibbitts is, and that I should demean myself to associate with such a Companion only because of his Riches, and Wine, and Dinners. One of the Party, Wiggyns, did tell me we should have a prime Lark, which, this being the first Day of Pheasant shooting, I did think droll ; but divers Larks, indeed, were shot before the Day was over. So we into the Fields, and a Keeper Following us with the Dogs, and whenever I did look over my Shoulder, did catch him grinning and making Faces behind our Backs. But strange to see how much better the Rogues did shoot than I expected, though firing at Tom- Tits, or anything almost, and do understand they got this Skill at the Red House, Battersea, through popping at Pigeons and Sparrows let loose from a Trap ; which do seem but a cruel and barbarous kind of Sport. But little Birds were not all they shot, for one Higges aiming at a Hare did miss, and instead of the Hare hit one of the Dogges, and sent him yelping and limping Home. But good Lack, to see how careless the Fellows were with their Fire-Arms, carrying their Guns, full-cocked, pointing right in one another's Faces, and one, dragging his Piece through a Hedge after him, but finding it had only carried off the Skirt of his Shooting-coat, we had a good Laugh at it. Another, with a double-barrel-led Gun, having shot off one Barrel at a Blackbird, I did see reloading, the other Barrel being still loaded and at full Cock. He, forcing down the Ramrod with all his Might, 1 did catch him by the Elbow, and pointing to the Cock of the Gun, and metbinks I did never see a Man on a Sudden tremble so terribly, or grow so pale. Getting beyond Brushwood, into a Field hard by Mr. Wiggyns did let fly at some Ducks, for one of those Larks, he had been talking of, which did bring down upon us the Farmer, with Bull-Dog, and cause us to make off with all the speed we could. lin mighty Dread of being seized as an Accomplice in Shooting Duck, fearing the Farmer, who is horridly enraged with the Game-Preserving, at Brushwood, for that the Game did eat up his Crops ; and, truly, the Game Laws are a great Nuisance. Home from our Shooting, with our Bag, carried by Tibbitts his TigerBoy, very full, with a Brace or two of Pheasants and Partridges, but many more Brace of Chaffinches, and Yel ow-Hammers, and Robin Redbreasts, and so to Dinner, where all very merry, and ao to bed. — Punch.