CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

West Coast Times, Issue 131, 17 February 1866, Page 3

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

(From the Port Louis Gazette, Oct. 18.;

We have received Cape news to the 25th of November. \Ve glean the following from the " Cape Argus " : —

The Free State burghers have suffered a disastrous reverse. The Basutos have assumed the offensive, and attacked two camps, filling several of the farmers, and retaking their lost cattle. What is of more moment in the history of this war is the announcement that another camp is beleaguered. From this it would seem that the Basutos are systematically besieging their enemies, and closing in upon their encampments. Graham's Town, Nov. 24. Disastrous news from the Free States. The Corannaberg camp attacked by a large body of Basutos. Six burghers and two coloured servants killed, and two waggons and half the boers' cattle and horses carried away.

A great many boers wounded, and the camp now beleaguered. It is also reported tliat sixteen boers of the great lager have been killed and wounded by Basutos, and eight men of the Fauresraith and Bloemfontein divisions killed, while cutting wood. The Eastern Province Herald supplies the following :W Port Elizabeth during the whole course of ouv experience, has never exhibited so great a dearth of business and employment as at the present moment. In business hours, and dm ing what is in ordinary times .the most busy part of the day, the Main-street looks empty and desolate. The worst of the matter is that there is no immediate prospect of recovery, but rather the contrary. House and store rents, where the leases have run out, when renewed at all, are renewed on much lower terms. Altogether the, amount of what some would call " genteel poverty," which prevails is something very pitiable, and it shows itself even in such matters as the reduc tion of the stipends of ministers arid others. Port Elizabeth is suffering silently, but severely, and we might almost add, generally ; for while some have little to live on, others have tb eat into capital, or take from the little store laid up against a rainy day. Not even the strictest investigation would suffice to bring out all the quiet suffering which is leing patiently endured in Port Elizabeth, because those who are suffering are not made of the * stuff* to court, 'or even to endure, the advances of chnrity, though they would doubtless gladly profit by the offer of liberal employment, suited to their respective wants." A strange disease is said to have made its appearance among the cattle in Kaffraria. The animals become affected in the shoulder, and on lying down are unable to rise again, and so die.

Tbo Athenaeum announces that "Mr Gavan Duffy, who bas long been a member of the Government of the Colony of Victoria, is engaged in the preparation of a work on Australia."

An aeronaut in New York is making a bridal oar balloon. It is intended that persons so winded oAn \)9 married no 4 make their wedding ♦«wr in ft,

It is statod that an Italian princess, of tho lato reigning houso of Modona, was roceivod into tho Marylebono Workhouso, and bas died thero. Other members of tho family ar^ said to bo living in London in a stato of poverty. JTho medical and other oflicers of tlio workhouß© rendered tbo poor princess overy attention, but no soonor was sbo dead than a valuable chain which sho retained and greatly prized was found to bo missing, and thoro is overy reason for bolieving it was taken by some of .tho paupor nurses by whom she was surrounded.

The President and the Pardon-Seeker — A Tennossco rebel giveß tho following description of how ho obtained his pardon :— - Had a porsonal interview with tho oliiof magistrate, and asked him for a small pardon if ho had any more loft. Chiof mngistrato wanted to know what position I held in the rebel army. The answer was faint, somewhat hesitating, and somewhat shaky — I said, " Quartermaster." Ohiof magistrate chuckled, and turned his lioad to conceal a sardonic amilo. "My ancient and vcnerablo friend," lie said, "if you think that your department of tho rebellion endangered the Union oause, your hmooonco is a pardon in itsolf." — Washington Paper. Adventure avith a Bbae.— Tho Frogres of Lyons relates tho following adventuro "with a bear, which occurred in tho mountain noar Vorcors (Dromo) :—": — " A shophord, when driving his flock to the fold for tho night, was surprised to ]iear his dogs set up a tremendous barking. 'On looking to asoortain tiio causo, ho saw a huge boar standing on its hind legs as if about to climb over tho enclosure The man, who was armed with an old gun for his porsonal dofonce in those solitudes, immediately fired at tho animal, which fell as if dead. Tho report of the gun brought another shepherd to the spot, and they together ventured to approach tbo bear, but scampered away in terror on scoing it make a sudden spring in the agony of death. Thoy, however, soon returned, and find the animal lifeless, carried it it triumph to Vercors, whoro its woigbt was ascertained to bo 152 kjlos (3341 b). Other bears of a largo sizo havo been seen in tho neighborhood."