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VOL. 5. The Comet. BY OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES. The Comet ’ lie is on his way, And binging as he flies; The whizzing planets shrink before The spectre of the skies; Ah! well may regal orbs burn blue, And satellites turn pale, Ten million cubic miles of h*a3, Ten million leagues of taill tin,on by whistling Spheres 6T light, He flashes and he flames; tie turns not to the left nor right, He asks them not their names; One spurn from his demoniac hee? Away, away they fly. Where darkness might be bottled up And sold for “Tyrian dye.” And what would happen to the land, And how would look the sea, Tffh\fee fearded devil’s path Our earth should chance V) be? Full hot and high the sea would boil, Full red the forests fleam; Methuught 1 «Aw and heard it all Jo a dyspeptic dream ! J saw a tutor take his tube * The Comet's course to spy; T heard a scream—the gathered hiya Hal stewed the Irt.ioV'a eye; ] saw a fort—the soldiers all Were armed with goggles green; Pop cracked the guns*! whiz Hew the balls! Bang weal the magazine! I saw a p<»et dip a scroll Each moment in a tub, 1 read i:pou the warping back, "The dream of Belzebub;” He could not see his verses burn, Although his brain was fried, And ever and anon he bent To wet them as they dried. I saw the raiding pitch roll down The crackling, sweating pines, And streams of smoke, like water spout Burst through the rumbling mines; 1 asked the lire men why they made n»>ise about the town; TlleyAnswered not—but all the while The brakes went up And down. 1 saw a roasting pullet sit Upon a baking egg; 1 saw a cripple scorch his hand Extinguishing his leg; I ?aw nine geese upon liie wing Toward the fru/.eu tiole, And every mother's gosling felt Crisped to a duckling coal. ] saw the ox that browsed the grASB Writhe in the blistering rays’, x he herbage in his shrinking Jaws War all a fiery bl.<ze; ] mw huge lishe*'. boiled to rags. Bob through the boiling brine, And thoughts of supper crossed my soul— I had been at mine. (strange sight! strange sounds! O fear ful dream! fls memory haunts nie stilt, *1 be steaming sea, the crimson glare That wreathed each wooded hill; Vurafiger! if through thy reeling brain Such midnight visions sweep-, tynire, ftfkre, 0 spare thine evening meal, AOd sweet shall bo thy sleep ! from A Byzantine Historian. tov. and Friendship; or tft? Story of Al can ler and Septimins. AI bens, even fdtig after the decline of the Roman empire, still continued the seat of lear politeness, and Wisdom. Theddoric, the I Islrogo h. re|uired the schools wide?! Oarbar ity wa-> suffering to fall into decay; and contin ued those [(elisions to men of learning I ’, wli’ch avaricious rs had monopolized. In this city, and about this period, Alcan d -r and Seplimius were fellow students logfelh rr: the one, the most subtle ivasoner of all the Lyceum; the other, the nlost eloquent speafter in the Academic prove. Mutual admiration soon begot a friendship. Tliclr fortunes were ‘nearly equal, and they were halives ot the two most celebrated cities in the world; for Alcaff. 'der was of Athens, and Septimius cama froiri Home. In this state of harmony they lived for some time together, when .Meander, after passing the first part of his youth in the indolence of philosophy, thought at length of entering into the busy world: am! Is a step previous to this, placed ids affections on IlypiUia, a lady of ex quisite beauty. The day of their intended nuptials were fixed; the previous ceremonies were performed; and nothing now remained but her being conducted in triumph to the apart taent of the intended bridgroom. Alcander's exaltation in his own happiness, 'tr being arable to enjoy any satisfaction with <ut making his friend Septimius a partner, prevailed upon him to introduce Hypatia to his fellow-student; which he did, with all the gaiety of a man who found himsesf equally happy in friendship and love. But this was an interview fatal to the future peace of both; for Septimius no sooner saw her but he was Smitten with an involuntary passion; and though he used every c*cfl!dh to Suppress de : sires at once so imprudent and unjust, tbeemo l.om of his mind in a short time became so strong, that they brought on a fever, which the physicians judged incurable. During this illness Alcauder watched him with nil the anxiety of fondness, arid brought his mistress to join in those amiable offices of friendship. The sagacity of the physicians, by these Cleans, soon discovered that tbe cau?e bf their patients disorder was love; and Alcau ‘der being apprised of their discovery, at length fcxtortcd a confession IVobi the reluctant dying lover. It would fint delay the narrative to describe the cooliict baUveen love and friendship in the breast of Alcauder on this Occasion; it is enough to say thal the Athenians were at that lime arrived in sucJi refinement in morals, that every virtue was carried |to excess ;in short, forgetful of his own felicity, he gave up his in tended bride, in all her charms, to the young Roman. They were married privately by his connivance, and this unlocked for change of fortune wrought as unexpected a change id the constitution of the iiofc happy Septimius. In a few days he was perfectly recovered, and set out with bis fair partner for Rome. Here, by ku exertion of those talents Which he was so eminently possessed of, Septimius, in a few years, arrived at the highest dignities of the slate, and was constituted the city judge, or praetor. la the mean time Alcander not only felt the pain of being separated from his friend and his mistress, but a prosecution was commenced kgaiust him by the relatifms of Hypatia, for having basely given up his bride, as was sug gested for mouef," His innocence Otthe crime laid to his charge, and even his eloquence in his own defence, were not able to withstand the influence of a powerful party. He was gast, and condemned to gay an cnormoas fine. However, being unable to raise to large stum THE WEEKLY BUTTE RECORD. at the time appointed, hie possessions were con fiscated, he himself was stripped of the habit of freedom, exposed as a slave to the market place, and sold to the highest bidder, A merchant of Thrace becoming his purcha ser, Alcander, with some other companions of distress, tvas cairied into that region of desola tion and sterility. His stated employment was to follow the herds of an imperious master, and his success in hunting was ail that was allowed hife'fo supply I is precarious subsistence. Eve ry morning awaked him to a renewal of fam ine or toil, and every change, of season served but to aggravate Ids unsheltered distress. Af ter some years of bondage, however, an oppor tunity of escaping offered; he embraced it with ardor; so that traveling bv night, and lodging in caverns by day, to shorten a long story, he at last arrived in Home. The same day on which Alcander arrived, iSoplindus sat admin istering justice in the lorum, whither our wan dercr came, expecting to be instantly known, and publicly acknowledged by Ids former friend. Here he stood the whole day amongst the crowd, watching the eyes of the judge, and ex pecting to be taken notice ot ; but he was so much altered by a tong succession of hardships that he continued unnoticed amongst the rest; and in the evening, when he was going up to the praetor's chair, he was brutally repulsed by the attending lictors. The attention of the poor is generally driven from one ungrateful 'object io ai other; for night coming on, he now ‘found himself under the necessity of seeking a place to he in, and yet knew nut where to ap ply. All emaciated, a il in rags, as he was. none of the citizens would harbor so much w'C.t'clfedness; and sleeping in the sir* els might h r ; attended With interruption or danger; in short, he was obliged to take up his lodgings in one of the tombs without the city, the usual retreat of guilt, poveily air’, despai:. In this mansion ol horror, laying his head upon an in vert'd urn, he forgot ids miseries lor a While in Ids sleep, and found on life flinty couch more ease than beds of down cin supply (6 the guilty. As he continued here about midnight Vvo robbers came to make this their retreat, but happening to disagree about the division ol their plunder, one of them stabbed the other to the heart,and left, him weltering in blood at the entrace. In these ciicimistuuces he was found next morning dead at the moult of the vault. This naturally inducing a farther inqui ry, an alarm was spread; the cave was exami ned; and Alcander being found, was immedi ately apprehended, and accused of robbery and murder The circumstances against him were strong, and the w retchedness of his condition CCtiSnmd suspicMn. Misfortune and he were "now so long acquainted, that he* at last became regardless ot life. He detested a world where he found only ingratitude, falsehood, and cru elty; he was determined to make no defence; and thus, lowering wish resolution, he was drugged bound with cords before, the tribunal ot .SepUinius. As the psoofs were positive ughin’*' bini. and he offered nothing in disown Vmdfunt'nm, the judge was proceeding lo doom hint to a most cruel and ijr.oiueniouS death, when the attention of the multitude was soon directed by another object. The robber, who had been really guilty, was apprehended selling his plunder, and. struck with a panic, had con ies-ed his crime. He was brought bound to the same tribunal, and acquitted every other person of any partnership in his guilt. Alcan dor's innocence therefore appeared; but the sul len rashness of his conduct remained a wonder to the surrounding multitude; out their aston ishment was still larther increased when they saw their judge start from his tribunal to em brace the supposed criminal. Septimius re membered Ins friend and forbler bei efactor. and hung upon nis neck with tears of pity and joy. Need he Sequel be related? Alcander was acquitted, slewed the friendship and honors of the principal citizens of Home, lived aftei wards in happiness an! ease, and left it to be engraved on his tomb, that no ciicnnistances are so desperate w hich I’rovidence BViy not rcl ieVe.— GoliUm ith AwSward.nkss of First Experie.nuV..— Mr. McCreery. of Kentucky, said numberless good tilings in his recent speech before the West Point Cadets—among others the following ; ‘■l stand to day upon a strange theater : 1 occupy a new pos lion—and there is nothing il'.tVe embarrassing io a mart or Woman than a new position. 1 lie boldest mariner that ever struck a tnrrow across the bosom of the deep, felt bis spirits sink vVithin him when the angry trliisic (it the ocean first broke upon his ear. The truest knight that ever drew the sword or shivered a lance, was not an indifferent specta tor to the first conflict of a ms. Tne most heartless coquette that ever poured the con suming venom of her falsehood and treachery around the vitals of a confiding lover, stood herself appalled when site met the first eager glance ol an admiring suitor. The girl Who i 5 just bl'Miming into womanho"d, and whoSe mind is filled with strange fancies of love and marriage, prepares herself with the most assid uous care lor tier first descent into the parlor, lit her efforts to be easy she becomes very un easy ; her exertions to be graceful render her decidedly awkward ; Iter vngiit modesty mag nifies her itirtocctit mistakes, and she retires overwhelmed with mortification at Iter failure in her new position. A new position, what rer it may be, clouds and bewilders the un derstanding.” Messages Extraordinary. — The subjoined Mich are undoubtedly genuine, we find iri the ITew York Post: It is not generally known that the following was one of the first dispatches transmitted by the ocean telegraph. The Queen entertains a cordial feeling toward the President, a* her dispatch Jiutended to have been strictly pri vate) will show : Windsor Casti.e, Aug. 6. President Buchanan :—As you will not allow me to ‘ visit" you, allow me to drop you a line. Faithfully yours, Victoria. [tAk president's beplt.] WasuingTon, Attg. 6. Mr Bear Jf a»am !— lt is my impression that vou lave dropped enough of your line al ready, and that* you are running the thing into the ground. Yeurs. faithfully.. Jas. Buchanan. Interesting Fejlaus.—ld England, lately a young lady, with a torelgo accent and rather eccentric manners, dressed all tr, white, with yellow boots, a'iphtcrf at Peterborough rail way station. Her luggage was addressed as follows : "Her Divine Majesty, the Zion Holy Ghost. Empress of the Universe, Belov ed Bride of Heavenf passenger to Silverdale, near Lancaster.” Hue Stated that she was angel from Heaven, and presented one of the clerks with a tract, written partly tn Latin, {tartly in French, and partly in English. A Man Caught by a Fish. —The Eastport Sentinel gives a report that a deserted boat, in the vicinity of West Quoddy, having been boarded, was found apparently anchored “by a fishing line, which, when hauled in was found to have two hooks, to one of which was at tached a large haTlibnt and to the other the body of a man. It is supposed that the hali but was hauled to the surface when by some accident the other book caught in wrist of the mao, who was by the ot the halibut pa'ltd overboard, oeovillb, jyqbuismsrG, October a. isss. The Victoria correspondent of the Alta fur nishes the following items: W. Bausraan of the Northern Light news paper, of Whatcom, arrived here on the 20lh, en route for San Francisco, with the press and materials of his journal, which has been discon tinued. Perhaps nothing could more elegant ly depict the utter prostration of affairs at that point. The press is generally the last to desert its post, and, in most instances, stands by the wreck while a plank remain's. But not even the interest of the property holders there could warrant business enough to support one pa per. Gov. Douglas is still up the river, making arrangements for Winter operations. On his way up in the steamer Umatilla, he had for fellow-passengers, among others Ned McGow an some of his confrere*. Opposite the mouth of Harrison river, night came on, and the steamer was detained until the next morning-, owing to the dangerous navigation. There being a small station there, his Excellency went ashore to sleep, and just before his dtp parlure. on being informed that the boat would slarl at six in the morning, he intimated that lie could not get up, eat breaklast and be ready before nine. The captain did not think prop er to enforce punctuality, and the boat was to have been detained. Early nest morning, Mc- Gowan and his friends went on shore, and the former entering his excellenciy’s tent, aroused him with something like the following familiar address: •’Hallo, Gov.! steam's up, and the boiler’s humming, old fel. Oh, Gov ! wake up, here!” 1 etc., etc., milil the Governor, not choosing to notice the insult, arose and pro ceeded on board the steamer, when Ihe trip was continued. Several gentlemen, who were along us a suite, were justly indignant at the proceeding, but the number of McGowan’s party prevented any retaliation. But a short time previously Mh-V/waii assaulted Jules Da vid, of Fort Jaingley. The arrival in the in to interior, of such a party will scarcely tend to improve the social aspect there. \\ MATCoM. — A gentleman just returned from Fort Langley, informs us, says the Northern Light, that a lew days ago, as Samuel McCul lough, for’fcrly of Sacramento, was ascending Frizcr river, with his side wheel skiff, he was hailed from a British brig lying in those 'Waters and ordered to lie-to. McCullough paid no attention to the eomorhnd. He was hailed a second time, and kept on his course, w hen a shot was fired across bis bows—of course to frighten him. This decided McCullough to submit to the process of being tleeeed out of the amount necessary to secure a ‘•sufleranc's.” Rm volution ary Ukuos.— One of the most valuable and interesting relics of the Revolu tion is it? possession of John P. Putnam, Ksq., of White creek, Washington county-, N. V.. so states tlie Albany Evening Journal. We allude to the brace ot pistols belonging to his grandfather. Is ael Putnam, the Revolu tionary hero. The Insti ry is remarkable.— They originally belonged to -Maj Pitcairn, of the British army, who commanded the expedi tion to Concord and Lexington. It was at tlie latter place, as everybody remembers, that Pilcai.ui drew them from bis bolsters, with the insolent words, -throw down your arms, ye rebels and disperse," and tired upon the mili tiamen the first shirt of the Revolution, in the subsequent retreat to Boston, while his command was harrassed by the American ■•sharp shooters, ’ Major Pitcairn's horse was shut, under him and left on the road. The sad dle ami pistols of coarse tell into the hands of the “Rebels,” and Were carried to Gen. Put nam, then in command of the American forces. They were used by hint during the war, were borne upon his coffin at ntk funeVal. and were handed dovrtt a family heir-loom to his son and grandson. They were wholly of metal, steel, and silver mounted, and ot elaborate workman ship. Mr. Putnam has them preserved in a mahegny case, accompanied with a ceitificate in the hand-w riting of Aaron Burr, that they were the pistdls used by Gen. Putnani, While in active service. Another certificate from a soldier named .Monroe, who was present when they Were taken from Pitcairn's horse, places their genuineness beyond a doubt. Mr. Put nam s lys he remembers the pistols in the pos session of his family over G 3 years. Kg' The Savannah Nncs says, Ohfl of our city physicians lias handed us the following ex tract from a letter written to him from a pro fessional brother in the upper country, descri bing a somewhat singular case, we believe, of rare occurrence in shrgica! practice; “I must put in a slip, to give you an instance of death from the rapid accumulation of fat. We had a young man residing eighteen miles from this place, who was one of the InirWcles of uatme. At the age of twenty-two years he weighed live hundred and sixty-five pounds; he contin ued gradually to increase in flesh until he rea ched over six hundred pounds; he was able to get about with tolerable ease to himself, and attended to his planting interert. Some weeks ago he commenced increasing in flesh very ra pidl., and gained one and a half pounds per day, then it Was found be gained a little over two pnnrds a day Last week he died sudden ly in his chaise. I think from accumulation of fat around the heart. Three days prior to his death he weighed six hundred and forty-six pounds: and had he been weighed the day of his death, no doubt be would have gone over six hundred and sixty ponuds. I have often seen him, and visited his family a few mouths ago professionally. Jsjf Some years ago. says a North Caroli na Paper, the subject of a State Penitentiary was agitated among us, and candidates for the Legislature was called on to declare their sen timents very distinctly in regard to it, before the election. The lion. Peter Jackson was up lor the House, and in the presence of his constituents stood up and made a speech.— -Fellow citizens!" he said, “in accordance with the time-honored custom, I come to declare my political sentiments. You know I am a Whig, rocked in the cradle of Whiggery, and was never anything else, and never shall be. There are three topics that now agitate the State— the United States Bank, the Tariff, and the Penitentiary. I shall pass Over the first two very briefly, as my sentiments are well known, and come to the Penitentiary; irhere I shall dwell for sorfe time!" It was long before the audience could allow him to reach his destina tion; B**Sw A green-looking chap from the Green Mountain state went over the line and on to Montreal, ‘to look reound a leetle.’ Going in to a large and handsome dry goods store, his verdancy attracted the attention of the propri etor, who attempted to quiz him; but unhap pily having an im-p-p-p-pediment in his speech he had to give ft up, and bis head clerk came fbrward to speak for him. The clerk began: -Mr. Bull wishes to know if you can tell him why Balaam’s ass spoke?” “Waal,”says Jonathan, “1 rayther guess as how Balaam was a stutterin’ cuss, and bad to speak for him ” s@“ A Kinderhook shoemaker once promi sed to have a pair of boots finished on a speci fied day, for Ex-President Tan Buren, but fai led to have them done when called lor. In the mean time the Ex-President started for Eu rope, and was gone three years. Upon his re turn be called lor his boots, and was told they were finished, rcith the exception of treeing out'. From Frazer River. Parson Jlrownlow tJp-Re Gives an “ "pinion as is la Spiniori. ” Parson Brownlow’s last paper contains lt‘e following racy correspondence: War Trace, Tenn., July 28,1858, Mr. W. G. Brownlow—Sir: After consid ering your course through life, as a gentleman and n politician, I aM forced to say you are the grandest rascal, and the grandest liar out of hell. Acknowledge the receipt of this, and you will oblige yours, ket, T. W. Rich. KscxvitLE, July 31,1858. Mr. T. W. Rich :—I have your note of the 2Pth instant, setting f orth your very unfavor able opinion of me. You are the quack Doctor who ran for the legislature in Wilson county, on the Demo cratic ticket, and in consequence of your bad morals, and want of inlegrijy and talents, was unable to Carry the strength ol your own party, loose as their morals arelulow nto be. After this defeat you moved to the county of Bed ford, and settled at War Trace, where you have acquired quite a regulation by your vis its to the “ Grapevine Inn, ” and the nocturnal meeting* you hold wit* your Democratic asso ciates, both male and female It is said you there have all things ■infpwmmon, including your liquor, and that you are carrying out Democratic principles jin ihoreVaysflimn ope. Your custom of not paying yourdebts, of driking mean whiskey to excess,' of keeping bad company, both m*.le and female, and lying upon and abusing your betters, bull induced decent men to avoid you. 1 urn pleqscd to leant that you make it a daily Stsi'fes to abuse me. I have managed through life to in cur the displeasure of all liars, adulterers, gam blers, drunkards, thieves and low-down scav engers, and by this means satisfied strangers that lam opposed to these classes Of men. I would be very sorry to bear of your speaking Well of me, as it might lead persons unacquain ted with me, to suppose that there is some trait in my character that a scoundrel ad rairtsl In thus acknowledging *he receipt of vonr note, 1 don't want you to infer that 1 will no tice anything else you may say or write, or stoop to hold a conespuudeuce with a man of your character, I am, &c., W. G. Brownlow. A California Wanderer in the Forest of Missour.'.—She St. Louis Democrat is fur nished by a legal gentleman with the following facts: One Stephen Shores js well known m this region as.?, cattle dealei;, gambler and Califor nia udU'tjrer. A few tyceks sines, he return ed . from the mining district near Shasta, in California, to Jctlcrsoq county, in this State, vii Xew Orleans. Lifer still arrived his wife. Still later came the intelligence that Shores hid murdered a man dear Shasta, add was a fugitive from justice. Well certified 'accounts arc received, purporting that Shore’s victim was his own friend, whom he stabbed, with in stantly fatal effect, for interfering in bebalf of one whom ho (Shores) was fighting! The slay er then Bed on horse-back with a dozen pursu ers after him. hud bis horse shot dead from be neath him and was himself wounded in the leg. lie still managed tw escape and hide himself among the bushes, and when Ins hunters had searched for him in vain, ihey trusted, from blood on the saddle, that lie was mortally wounded and returned. Shores is said to be now secreted in a forest near the line of Jeffer son and St. Francis counties, iu the vicinity of Platon township. A large reward is offered iu California for his capture, aud a requisition for his person’will probably-soon be received by the Governor of this Slate. Shores, our readers will remember, is the man who, Some mouths since shot and killed Mr. Caleb Holiday, at Rich Bar, iu i’iumas county. Destroying Kiouty one Tuousaxd Dol lars to Spite His Son.—A correspondent of the London 1 tints, rotates the following story —if story it is—locating the parties in Vien na. Strange things happen frcerpicntly in the ■‘old country,” A few days ago. a Huron Silberstein died here, and after his death no money was found in his house, though he always passed for a wealthy man. Inquiries were made by his heir, and on its being discovered that a bank er had paid into his hands the sum oi 170,000 florins but a few days belore his death, his va let was arrested by a ]>oliceman, on suspicion of having made away w ith the money. As the man said that his master left his bed a couple ! of days before he died, in order to burn some papers in the stove, the bed-room was search ed. Nothing but the remains of documents were found, and the servant was kept in custo dy until i'- 1 ccurred to some one to examine the other st ives, The examination was mad-’ and the numerous remains of hank notes, bf I 1000 florins each, proved the innocence of the valet and destructiveness of his master. The Baron, who was divorced from his wife, o’ten expressed doubt about the legitimacy of his only son; and in order that he should profit as little as possible by his death, he burned the bank notes to the value of 170,000 florins (£16,200). When the door of the stove was opened the word “ thousand ” was distinctly visible on many of the consumed notes, which, ol course, fell to pieces when touched. A Talented SHn.—The son of a worthy deacon, says an exchange, whose father being away from home, undertook to say the family prayers, or rather the prayers be had been ac customed to hear every evening since the days of bis boyhood. He commenced aright, and for a short lime got on swimmingly, quite as tonished his mother, who had no idea she had so tiilenled a son. At Ihst, when he was in the midst of his invocation, his memory for sook him, and be repeated the first part of the prayer over again. This be did several times, till at length the patience of the dame wits en tirely exhausted. “John,” she whispered, “John, do get.thro’ Sometime.” “I would, mdtbfer,” replied the poor boy, •‘but I doh’t know how to wind the darned thing up." Soldier or the Cross, — Havelock was a Baptist His singular devotion drew upon him the scorn of the irreligious at times; and he was tauntingly jeered as a Methodist. His de nominational preferences were never concealed ; I and his labors among the troops of his com ! mand indicated them, while a pare and evan gelical spirit pervaded all bis_ endeavors. We are glad that be was a Baptist. Most happy to record that be was open communion in his practice. How admirable is such a record in the life of such a man! How happily does it contrast with the excltlsiveness to which it stands oppssed! How beautifully does it sa vor of the fragrance of the coming of the day { when there shall be onefold and one shepherd. —Christian Advocate—Methodist. figy* The gfetters-np of a bear knot in Min nesota, invite the ladies to partici(>ate in tbe sport; bnt tbe ladies bad better not do it, es jjeciaily if they are fashionably dressed, Each Of them might chance to be shot from appear ing to be ‘l7 !rtt!e hare.’—Leuitrille Journal. An Indian Mystery. About two vfesterday afternoon, a canoe heavily laden w;tl provisions, and pro pelled by the efforts of fifteen or twenty Indians started from the centre of our town front, and made for the mCuth of the harbor. It was a pretty sight, go see the dripping paddles as they dipped into and sprung- from the water with all the regularity of naval rowing, and despite head wind and tide the canoe made rapid pro gress. Just as the frail craft elided graceful ly past the point on which the Indian Reserve is located, an Indian rushed out from the huts with an old firelock which seemed to have been affected by some coppery cutaneous erupt ion so thickly was it studdied with brass nail beads. He reached the point and raised the musket to fire but observing that he had attracted the attention of some white bystanders, lowered it again, .Meanwhile another Indian had come out from one ot the huts. He appeared to be quite in years but strode away, on the path leading toward the mouth o. the harbor as rapidly as though in the prime of life. Him the first Indian followed, and then there was a great [muring out of squaws, children and dogs, adjoining in an outcry particularly unmusical and characteristic. The canoe still kept on, the navigators paddling away as if their very existence depended on their exertions. Next the report ol two guns was heard, fired from the point beyond that facing thy Indian burial ground. Instantly two Indians fn the bow tlf the canoe rose and returned the fire, much to the indignation of a white boatman whose crait lay in range between the marksmen, who louliy protested against the combatants indul ging in a sport which distance from each other rendered safe to them, but which was iniinent ly perilous to him. By this time another ca noe, similarly loaded, had started and was swiftly pursuing the tvirke of the first, taking the precaution to kedp well over to the south side of the bay. A third and fourth followed it. the occupants of all which seemed very anx ious to make a rapid and safe exit from Hie bay, on one shore. of which the Victoria Indi ans were crowded, indulging in epithets to wards the ftngiivep more forcible than eupho nious, but evidently not disport'd push matters In greater extremities that! had been done. 'I lie whole scene was an exciting one, but (di ther than that the Uuwichun and Saanich In dians hud in some way during their sojourn here excited the wrath of the Songish tribe, we were unable to learn its cause.— Victoria Gazette. The Comet.— ln a little Mexican almanac, published by Simeon Blauquel, in the city of - Mexico, 1857, and shown to us by Philip Roach,we find that the comet raw visible is mentioned and predicted for this year. After announcing that tins very comet would appear in Ib.ib, the writer quotes the following from .1 races demolition uI the Whislou theory. Whiston held that Noah’s deluge was occa sioned by the action of an immense comet, and that the comet ot which we now speak was the one that caused that stupendous event. To this Mons. Arago replied : “There is nothing inadr'tissible in the supposition that the comet of 18C0 (the same now Visible) whs near the earth at the time of the deluge. Rut, from the immense rapidity of its flight, it would not exercise its attlraction long enough over those points to which was most contiguous to cause so mighty and universal a phenomenon. In the second place this famous comet passed near the earth on the Hist November, 16b0, and it has been demonstrated that it was no nearer at the time of the deluge; yet uu deluge was casioued by its proximity 'at that period.” llulley endeavored to explain the presence ot shells and other maj ine substances on the tops of rumntains by attributing it to a terrible concussion between the earth and this comet. Arago, likewise, disposes of this theory as fol lows : The stratification of .marine deposits the extent and regularity of the/r banks their positions, and the state of perfect preservation in which the most delicate shells are found, all exclude the idea of being violently tiansporled from the ocean, while they detnonslra.e a reg ular and steady deposit of these marine sub stances. It will be spen from the above that th«t comet was actually predicted fur tins year, jitid the resell is another of those brilliant sci entific achievements which fill tiic mind with sublimity and awe.— San Francisco lid aid. A New York Regiment Going to Paris. —lt has been announced, says the New York flu aid, that the Seventy-First Regiment, Col. Vosburgh, intend making a trip to Europe sometime during the coming fall. The report however, is premature; for although the mem bers of the regiment have discussed the pro priety of paying a visit to the French capital, the matter has not been definitely settled. It is now reported that a committee, Lieut Mc- Cormick, Col. Hepburn am) private Coulter, of the City Grenadiers, company 11, Second Regiment; departed in the Steamer ol last week lor Kurope, lo make arrangements (or the visit of that corps to Scotland from which country tiiosl ot the members hail. It is said the money is subscribed, and that the committee's report will decide the matter. A trip lo Eu rope is not such a formidable matter altet all, and no doubt but that, before long, some of our city companies w ill undertake it. It would add immensely to the eclat of the corps that would perform the feat. A company or regi ment of our New York uniformed militia in London or Paris would be one of the events of the age, and would create a great excitement. Last year the members ot the Columbian En gine Company, No. 14, se iously determined to visit the old world during the present summer. The members even went so far as to hire in structors in French, but the revulsion of last lall left the “Columbians” so bereft of cq.su that the European trip had to be abandoned for a time. It may take place, however, within a year or two. The Blount Be Riviere Affair, —The Savannah Republican of the 13th says some of our cotemporarics. in writing of this curious romance, seem to think the object of the Zou ave is to marry the subject ot his adoration, Miss Blount. This is a mistake. The young lady asserts unqualifiedly that tney were mar ried before they made their tour to New York and had lived as man aud wife for weeks be fore the separation. The secret of his pertina city, then, is simply to hold on to the prize al ready won. The lact of his having another wile now living in the Btate pf Pennsylvania seems to be, in the present status of the case, the only family obstacle to his success. By the way, we learn that the romantic cap tain grew quite chivalrous on the eve of his departure from Savannah. He remarked on board the steamer that fighting was simply a pastime with him, and if any gentleman desired to be amused in that way, he was always rea dy to accommodate him after breakfast hours, I as he was generally at leisure the remainder of I the day. He would lie over to the next stea mer to oblige a behgerant—meet him half way j or rather than be nice about it, go the whole | distance himself 1 Verily, the Zuuave is a | trump. ggf* A Lawyer in Ireland, who was pleading the cacse of an infant client, took the child up in his arms, and presented it to the jury, suf fused with tears. This had a great eflect, un til the opposite lawyer asked the child what made him cry. “He pinches me,” answered the little innocent The whole court were convulsed with laughter TJn'clk Sam's Grievances. —A corresfon dent of the Bulletin, writing from the City of Mexico, on the 19th 01 August, says;. For fear the readers of your paper may uot be able to call to memory various outrages com mitted by the Mexican Government against the American flag, an,! against the American citizens, I shall here enumerate a few without going into explanations: The imprisonment of Consul rniith at Mazat lan, for what appears, by testimony on file in the United r-tates Legation of the Cby of Mexico, and the State Department at Wash ington, To have been a proper discharge of his duties. The insult given to Co. sul Kice at Acapul co, and the loss occasioned to him by the ar bitrary and dishonest acts Cf the officials of that port, as by the testimony in the Stale Department at Washington. The arbitrary banishment of Consul Forbes from his official residence and place of business at Tepie, on what apjiears. by .Mexican confes sions. to have been false charges, preferred by disreputable parlies. This act was commuted without retaining the exequatur of Mr. Forbes which makes it a most positive insult to the American flag, besides a most glaring outrage upon a highly honorable and much esteemed gentleman The imprisonment lately, of an American at Ban Luis Fotosi, for refusing to surrender a deed to the pni|«rties which be had bought and paid fur according to the laws of the coun try. The America!: refused to gdVo up his deed without some consideration, alter being advised to do so by the Government. The cold blooded murdering of several men at Dunbar’s store, at Arizona, by Mexican of ficials. The banishment of several Americans Tom their busines's in this capital and forcing them to leave the country, because they, with the advice of the American Minister, refused to comply with a decree imposing u force bond upon them. The continued imprisonment Cf Ainsa, after his proving I.imscif innocent, of Ihe charges preferred tguiust him. and'after Ids release,has been repeatedly ashed by the American Min ister. 'J he seizure and Confiscation of several American vessels without any ju>l cause. The arrest am! detention in prison of several Americans without any just cause and the.de nial to have given them trials after months of solitary confinement fa dirtv and Unhealthy ceils. Repeated examples of bad faith on the part cl the Mexican Government in failing to com ply with agreements made with American citizens. Accidentally Killed. —A. J. Taylor the proprietor of the shooting-gallery on Clay street', opposite the Plaza, beVtcr ’known ah “Natchez,” was accideotlally tilled in his ow n store, by his own Weapon in the hands of a oustoii or in the pursuance of business, yester day afternoon, shortly after 4 o'clock. Mr. John Travers, engaged in the livery and hack business, had called at Natchez’s several tithes to choose a pistol knowing nut alone that he kept the best weapons, but that his judgement in the selection of a weapon was of value. He called in again yesterday afternoon, and Taylor handed him, amongst others, a weapon from the show-case, which, it appears, was capped and loaded, although Mr. Travers was una ware thereof, for. standing opposite Taylor, he cocked and snapped it, The report following did not startle him so thuch as the sight of Taylor's lulling lifelchs, the bail having enter ed the face just below tbe nostril, penetrated through the braiu and lodged hear ttm left ear. Death was instantaneous. Mr, Travers sur rendered Mhiself to the authorities. 'Taylor was Iroic Jackson, Mississippi, aged forty-five, a single man, but leaves soffip relatives in that State. Travers was placed ta the county Jail where he will be kept until an examination into the affair can be had. The body of “Nalches” was taken in charge by the monu mental Engine Company, and the lunepil cer emonies will lake place under the supervision of that organization. The u fortunate cause of the accident feels much distressed thereat, and in common with “Natche’s" numerous ac qnaiiitances, deeply regrets his sudden and un expected death. A notice of the funeral will be found in another column.— Call. The New Mechanical CompositorI—We 1 — We have seen, says the New York Herald, the much-talked of type-Sett"dig, and distributing machine, recently invented by Mr. Alden, a practical printer. We cannot, nor will we at tempt to explain it, further than that it has a hbtary motion, and picks the types out of a case and deposilcs them in a projxT position for justification. It, is certainly a great inven tion. but w ill never come into nniversil use. It can only set the type with tlie rapidity of our best compositors, but then it combines one qualification which w ill not be luSt sight of, and that is, it distributes the lype at the same time that the setting np -ralion is going on, or iti oihell words, it keeps the mises full all the time. It might be used to advantage by book publishers, or even on weekly newspapers ; bat on a daily morning journal it would rafher re tard than facilitate the work. It often hap pens, in a daily paper office, that a piece of copy has to be cut up inb> what the printers call “take*” of Ibur or five lines each, and di vided between thirty and forty men. every one of whom could probably accomplish as much in the few minutes that were allotted him a? the machine. The only saving of time or la bor in this hew invention that wo can perceive, is in replacing the types after they have per formed duty. A good compositor will compose and distribute eight thousand eiiis iri ten hours. This machine will do the same work in about six hours, no time being lost in replacing the types; but it just as ninth requires the hand of a practical printer to opperato it as though it were nothing more than a “slick and rule." A daily paper office would require nearly as ntany of these machines as it now does compos itors ; and the cost alone, which is about fif teen hundred dollars each, would bar their en trance into such an establishment, i{ nothing else. There is one other advantage it ha-, which even the printers themselvs wilt hail with joy—itdistiibms pi after being set Up with the same facility it docs ordinary reading matter. A Long Slimef.r.—Lord North was accus tomed to sleep during parliamentary harangues of his adversities, leaving Sir Gray Cooper to note down anything remarkable. During a de bate on ship-build ng, some tedious speaker entered on some histoiic tale, iu which com mencing with Noalb’s ark, he traced the pro gress of the art regularly downwards. When he came to build the: Spanish Armada, Sir Gray i.mdvertuntly awoke the slumbering pre mier, who inquired at what era the honorable gentleman had arrived. Being answered, “we | are now in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. ” , Dear Sir Gray, ” said bg, "why cot let nle sleep a century or two more?” A Weather Itee.—The court was called.: There was a "cloud” upon the brow of the i Judge. Silence “rained.” William Mulligan was “hailed.” but iVilliam was “mist.” The Judge “thundered.” The Prosecuting Attor-! ney “stormed.” Tbe jurys’ labors “lightened,” but >Villiatn Mulligan, the brave, the good, had fled from tbe oppressor into the land of the free and the home of the brere—New Jer i s’” — Piriyune. ISTO. 4=7. Gulp Soundings.—An officer of the United States steamer Walker gives the tollowing re port of deep sea soundings, tending to confirm jbe belief in the practicability of a snb-ocean i; teiegraph to Cuba. We quote from the correspondence of the Philadelphia Exmine Bullet iv. •‘ln my fist I mentioned that it was the in tention of Captain Sands to run a line o f deep sea-soundings from the South West Pass of the Mississippi river to the •Tcrtugas,’ and the result of this work has been so interesting that I eannot resist giving you an outline of it.— We sailed from Atchafalaya on the morning of Thursday, May the 3d, and were off the Soilth West Pass on the morning of the 4.1 b, from which point our work commenced. I havq given you a description of Captain Sands’ sounding apparatus, and its beautiful operation has been most thoroughly tested in this work. From the tar the depth increases rapidly, and before the smoke of the Mississippi tow boat was out cf sight, we were In one hundred and fifty fathoms of water. The soundings were taken every thirty miles, and the deep est cast was eighteen hundred and seventy ta thoms and tbs temperature at this depth indi cated by one of Saxton’s thermometers, was 28 degrees, or four degrees below the freezing point. It has always been snppojed that between the Florida reefs and the coast of Cuba, the depth of water was so great and the current of water so strong, that ii was impossible to gpt correct soundings, tjpveral attempts have bcea made w ithout success. But Capl Funds deter mined, if the weather proved favorable, to give it one more trial, having confidence in the working of his own apparatus, and knowing that if it were possible, ho could accomplish it Well, on crossing the Tortugaa bank, every thing being favo able, we determined to try it, and accordingly shaped our course for 1] avana. " e supposed that we should, after crossing the bank, have at least fifteen hundred fath oms; but, much to our surprise, it was only two hundred and seventy; the next three hundred and sixty; the next five hundred and thirty, and the last and deepest, was within four miles of Havanna, eight hundred and three fathoms. This was at noon on Sunday, May 9th, and we were so near the ‘ever faithful’ island’ that we could see and count the houses in Havana. We, then shaped our course fur Key West, sounding as before, and regulating them so as to come between those ot the first line. The result was perfectly satisfactory, and proved the practicability of a telegraph between Cu ba and the United States. ‘A Scene’ in Coukt.—Yesterday afternoon about three o'clock, in.the United States Cir cuit Court, while Mr. Randolph was arguing the case of the United Stales vs. John Farrott and Others, he made some remarks in relation to the famous affidavit of James Alexander Forbes, in the b\eW Almadeu case. Mr. Farrott a few moments before had come into court, and placing his hat upon the floor, lean ed forward upon a table to hear all that should be said. , As soon as Mr. Randolph referred to the affidavit of Forbes, Parrott cried out, ‘•More perjury,” or ‘-It’s a lie,” or something to that effect. Randolph stopped hie address for a few min utes, and turning towards Parrott, suggested he had better be removal from the Court. At this, the Marshal invited farrott to accompa ny him. and the two walked out.— S’. F. But leUn, Sept. 26th. SST* A Ictfcr from (Md if’oint, Virginia, says ex-Presfaent Tyler, having purchased a farm only two miles from the hotel, spendp most of his time here in social communication with the guests, all of whom express for binf the highest consideration. The old gentleman eschews politics, and devotes his utter.,lion to agriculture, not scientifically, but according tp the old Virginia principles of malting ail you can this year, leltipg t,he next lake care of its elf. His family attended religious worship at the chapel wit&fn the fort, where Mrs, Tyler has her own pew. John Tyler is now in hie 69th year, but lorks as young as when he oc cupied the Presidential chair, and ,is quite as jocular and lull of fun. He expresses thegreat est | confidence in posterity doing his adminis trationjustice. says that time and reflec tion but satisfy him the more with every act of his official,life, not one of Which he would now change had he the power. Amerlcan Enterprises in Europe. —At the central exhibition of Lymoeses, in France among the specimens of porcelain, the best were of American manufacture. A correspon dent of the Eondon Times says : ‘•For a leng time the manufacturers were content with, producing goods which were sent lo Paris to be printed and decorated, but about, .twenty y. ars back some Americans and Eng lish established themselves here, and now con siderable quantities of porcelain are not only moulded and fired, but also decorated for ex portation lo the United States, the Levant', aud other parts of the world. The most im portant decorative works here are those of Messrs. Havilland i Co. of New York, whr, gained a silver meddal, and to whose courtesy J was indebted fer permission to visit their tablishment, where, curiously enough, all the leading bands are from England.” Perpetual Motion.—A correspondent < i the London Builder thinks that the following instances come as near perpetual motion : , any one can desire: In the rotunda ol ti n Woolwich barracks there is, he says, a clou, moved by machinery, Which has been going for more than forty years. He further staler that he knows a gentleman who has had a watch ip. his possession fur more ihaij thill - hermctrically sealed, which there is ; means of wind ng, which tells the days of li b week, the week, the hours,, the mjnuteS, lib seconds, months, and we believe years. in«l tiow far you Walk >0 a day. It costs abeni two thousand dollars, and was made by a French artist in Paris. tIoRSE Taming in Old Times. —The hers bmiker in ‘the good old times of Queen Bess gives the following directions; If your horse does uot stand still, or hesi tates, then al rate with a terrible voyce; ia»' beat him yourself with a good stick upon the head between his cars, and then stick him in the spurring place iii or iih limes together with one legge after another, os fast as your legges might walk; your legges mast go lik two bouebing beetles. faf- The following correspondence is said to hare taken place between a Kew Haven mer’ chant and one pf bis customers; Sir—Tout account has been standing for two yeirs; I must have it settled immediately. To which in reply: Bir—l hingsusuallrdo settle by standing; I regret that my aceon is an exception. If it has been standing 100 long, suppose yon let it run a little while.’ I®* The bail of Billy Mulligan is Mr. Pe trie, (and, by the way, Billy ha* let his bail in) who went security for Billy, probably on ac count ol services heretofore tendered by the latter to the former in the political world.’ H ! friends call Billy a brick—do not the Ikcu. however, show him to belong to the Petnli factioa