LATEST INTER-COLONIAL NEWS.
QUEENSLAND. From Brisbane we have files to the 10th instant. The Gladstone Observer says:—" The drought is telling a tale in the back districts. Stations have been deserted, and stock removed, to travel in search of more favored localities, and the constant passing through of mobs of sheep and cattle has considerably injured runs nearer the coast. We are informed that not less than 60,000 sheep are now within forty miles of Gladstone, travelling to the coast for shearing, and some few boiling-down—-how it can pay to boil such scarecrows we cannot see, except on the principle of making the first loss the least. Even the draymen about town can hardly keep their cattle at home, and horses must be stable-fed or allowed to wander away, perhaps beyond recovery. Occasionally we have had signs of rain, but only to be disappointed. ' The heavens are as brass,' and bush fires rage around. The loss of stock, unless the drought soon breaks up, will be ruinous." With reference to the Cape River diggings, a telegram from Bowen in the Courier, dated Bth October, states — " It is reported that one party (number not stated) at the Cape River diggings washed out ninety-four ounces of gold in two days. There are twelve reefing claims registered, the majority of which show good stone, but at present there is no machinery on the ground to crush it." A remarkable atmospheric disturbance, described as resembling a waterspout, appears (says the Maryborough Chronicle (to have been noticed by several persons on the evening of the
Ist instant. A correspondent on the Upper Mary, who was returning home by water on that occasion, describes the occurrence as follows. "At about 9.30 p.m., when about half-a-mile above the sugar-mills, and within three quarters of an hour of high water, my attention was attracted by the sudden appearance of a tall column of vapour above the scrub on the eastern or right bank of the river, there running nearly due north, of a peculiarly dense and compact appearance, and travelling north-westward at a rate far exceeding the speed of clouds even in a gale. The sky was in other respects clear and serene, and there was no motion in the atmosphere beyond a very slight westerly breeze, barely sufficient to ruffle the surface of the water. The cloud column, or eddy of vapour, whatever it may have been, was completely overhead, within at most three minutes from its first appearance, on my somewhat confine I horizon ; and having partially obscured the moon, its impetus seemed to be en Ml Idenly checked by the. westerly breeze at right angles to which it was travelling ; it gradually dissolved, and in less than a quarter of an hour a few faint streaks on the north-eastern horizon were the only remnants of the phenomenon which at one time had prestnteJ quite an alarming appearance. It was succeeded, however, by a sudden gale from the south-east, which burst out as we reached home, and blew with great violence for some hours. Judging from the comparative calmness of the atmosphere previous to the occurrence, I am disposed to regard it as one of those eddies which are liable to be formed, in the space intervening between contending atmospheric pressure, which interval being in a state of unstable equilibrium, is apt to present a deceptive appearance of calm. Such an eddy might have condensed moisture sufficient to account lor the sudden formation of the vapour column just described, or it might have absorbed water mechanically from surfaces that it passed over in its progress.
With regard to mining items, the Bulletin, of the 6th inst, says : —" We hear that a lot of miners are passing through Crocodile Creek, bound for the Dee neighborhood ; there are a number at work at the Three-mile Creek at the alluvial sinking, and are making tucker.' Messrs Gannon, Hinchcliife, and Tudhopeintend starting a crushingmachine on the. Crocodile. The site has already been marked out. and two of the firm left by the Balclutha for the purpose of purchasing the requisite plant. The reef reported to be one mile from town has not yet been dropped on by many anxious searchers, and the existence of the reef itself is questioned. A party out on the search on Sunday came acros . one or two men at work in the gullies, who are stacking washdirt, determining to have a washup when the rain comes. It is said that there are several men at work in this way, but the prospects are looked on as not very bright. The men, we hear, at first tried carrying the stuff to water, but the distance was too great to pay."
VICTORIA. It is officially announced that the Prussian Government, the Senate of Hamburg, the Senate of Lubeck, and the Senate of Bremen have withdrawn their commissions from their consuls in Melbourne ; and that Mr W. A. Brahe has been recognised by his Excellency the Governor as consul at Melbourne for the North German Confederation.
A determined attempt at self destruction is thus noticed by the Ballarat Star. A man named Chamberlain, who has been for some days in custody at the western lock-up, attempted to commit suicide, on Thursday by strangling himself. The strait-jacket had been removed for a short time, to enable him to eat, and availing' himself of the opportunity, he tore up his blankets into strips and tied the ends firmly together. Having made a noose he placed it tightly round his neck. He then secured the other end to the bars of the small grating in the door of his cell, and endeavored by tugging fiercely to produce strangulation. He was observed, however, by a watch-house keeper intime to prevent the execution of his design, and having been induced to submit to the straitjacket being replaced, measures were taken to prevent the possibility of a second attempt at self-destruction. On Thursday afternoon (according to the Argus), soon after 3 o'clock, a young man, whose name is at present unknown, but supposed to be Bailey, hired an outrigger boat from Mr Edwards for a pull on the river. It was evident, almost as soon as he started, that he was quite unused to the management of such ticklish craft, and before he had proceeded 200 yards he was capsized. There were several
persons on the spot ready to render him assistance the moment he reappeared upon the surface, but he sunk like a stone, and did not rise even for an instant. Efforts were at once made for his recovery, and in a comparatively short space of time his body was got out of the water. Life was then quite extinct, and no amount of exertion could restore animation. Deceased is said to have arrived by the Great Britain on her last trip to this colony. He was not engaged in any occupation, and, so far as is known, has no friends in Melbourne.
A miner named Bergen was killed on the 9th instant (says the Age) in a shaft he was sinking in Mr Kerr's garden, Buninyong. A bucket, filled with water, fell from a height of 33 feet on his head, and killed him on the spot. Another man, a mate of his, was also at the bottom of the shaft at the time of the accident, but he escaped without injury.
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Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 389, 29 October 1868, Page 3
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1,231LATEST INTER-COLONIAL NEWS. Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 389, 29 October 1868, Page 3
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