AUSTRALIAN EXTRACTS.

Southland Times, Volume 1, Issue 8, 5 December 1862, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN EXTRACTS.

At Imkfant Prodigy. -Among the distinguished arrivals in Geelong during the last few days is a very young lady called the 'Victorian Infant Giantess." She was, as per certificate, born at Bulla Bulla, in Sept., 1861, and is therefore now 14 old. She weighs a little over half a hundredweight; is 2 ft 6 in. rounc the shoulders, 2 ft. 4 in. round the waist, 1 foot around the arm, 1 toot 5 in. around the leg, 2 f eeet.9 in. . in height. The child seems in perfect heaith, and can just toddle about. She was "weaned about three months ago, and after that event was fed upon bread and milk — the milk poured boiling hot npon the bread. Latterly less attention has been paid to her diet, as she thrives just as well on a little of whatever may be on the table. Her flesh is firm and skin very smojth 'O the touch. Ti.e little lady does not seem to be at all incommoded by her stoutness. Sh is well proportioned, aiid is apparently a strong healthy child. Her seances are held at the Prince of Wales Hotel, Market Square. — Geelong Advertise)-. Monster Eel. — As some parties were fishing for cray fish on Wednesday evening last on the west side off Point Pickering, a conger eel was caught in one of the nets, weighing twenty pounds and measuring over five feet in length. — Warnambool Examiner, The Warnambool Exatniner gives this shark story : — " Some parties who were on the west side of Point Pickeri g fishing for era fish on Wednesday evening, had the bait taken holus bolus out of their nets in rather a singular manner. Two hours afterwards, the sailors of the Peveril caught a large shark in the Bay with the identical piece of meat in its stomach. In thi3 instance tho shark must have either swam round in rhe open sea and thus entered the bay, or got in through the many subterraneous passage in the rocks between the lighthouse island and the mouth of the river." Eyre's Cache. — Our correspondent at Fowler's Bav, mentions in his letter under date October 24, an incident deserving of notice. Readers of Mr Eyre's " Discoveries in Central Australia" -will remember that before making his final start from this side of the Great Australian Bight to Western Australia, he buried his suiplus stores, with a view of falling back upon them if necessary, or of leaving them to he recovered by the Government at some future time. This was in February 1841, or more than 20 years ago, and from that time to this the stores have remained buried in the earth. They have jnst now been discovered by a shepherd exactly in the same state as when left by Mr Eyre before setting out on that memorable journey which nearly cost him his life, and in the course of which his only white companion was murdered by a treacherous native. Our correspondent, describing those stores, says : — " Amongst them are wax candles in excellent preservation, horseshoes, tea, tobacco, leather, a large quantity of salt pork, in tolerable order, and a number of other articles. The caie with which they, weie buried may be judged of by the fact that although the i,atives are numerous in the neighbourhood they had failed to discover the hidden freasure. The salt pork and wax candles would have been luxuries for them. S. Australian Register. Howitt's Pa tt. — A letter, dated October 24, received from Mr Baker's station, Blanchewater, and kindly handed to us for perusal, contains the following interesting information : — " Mr. Howitt and party arrived here from the depot on Cooper's Cteek, bringing in the remains of Burke and Wills, en route for Melbourne. The party left here this morning£for Billy's Springs, where they intend staying a few days to recruit the horses and camels. The feed appears to be sprining since the late rains, but should we have hot weather it will soon be withered up again. Mr. Howitt, J. Cummyers, J. Coulls, and myself propose going out to the eastward of Malagar, if we can manage to cross the lake. I hear that there are cattle there." — Ibid.

Jattve Tobacco. — A sample of indigenous tobacco has been left at our office by Mr. Field, sheepfarmer, who informs us that immense quantities of it are growing to the north of Mount Remarable. Mr. Field says the shepherds at his stations and at the stations in the neighbourhood have been iii the habit of crying it and smoking it for some time past. — Ibid.

Mubkay Rrvßn Traffic. — We have been informed by a gentleman connected with the North-eastern District, that within the last fortnight 300 hales of river-boine wool -were landed at the Thirty-nine Sections and carted via Gumera< ha to the Port ; also that not less than 80 <on< of goods have gone up the same road for up-river settlers. — Ibid.

Want of Rain in the Paterson District, N. S Wales. — The correspondent of the Maitland Mercury writes to that journal as follows; — The weather continues very hot and dry, and notwithstanding the recent thunderstorms the feed for cattle remains very short, but harvest operations will commence iu a few days. From all accounts received from the various paits.of the district, the wheat crop promises an average yield. A large quantity of maize is. being planted. The recent dry weather has materially retarded many from preparing their land ''efore. consequently our farmers are now very busy. Since the late rains settlers are naj-injr considerable attention to the proluotion of the tobacco plant, every available spot suitable for its growth is being eagerly ought after, even the gafdens in the vicinity <f the town are being planted with tobacco ; ind should the high price which the leaf tobacco attained last year be maintained during he present year, many of our settlers will realise a golden harvest. A Consul Absconding.— The Shipping Qaz' ette states that Mr Calvert, Her Majesty's Consul at the Dardanelles, has absconded, a warrant for bis apprehension having been issued by the Consular Court at Constantinople. He is accused of having insured a cargo of oil for £12,000, and of haying endeavoured to defraud the.underwriter* by stating that the ship had been deitrbted by ore,' the fcet being th«t *he ojj h»d Berwbetii shipped. * ' '