Another melancholy accident has taken place in Mr. Curwen's col-
liery, at Workington, attended also with loss of life. For some time past, the workings of Lady Pit have been extending towards an old pit, into which there was an irruption of water more than sixty years ago, and which was, in consequence, closed. Many of the colliers have been for years apprehensive of the danger, and some in consequence left the works. For the last few weeks, more water was found in working the coals than is usual. Yesterday week, when both Lady Pit and Isabella Pit were in full work, the water broke through in a torrent, and swept every thing before it. The alarm spread quickly in the town that the sea had burst in, and that every life in the pit would be sacrificed. Crowds flew to the pit-top to ascertain the dreadful reality. In a short time, it was ascertained, that as to the men in 'Lady Pit, in which were twenty-three persons, scarcely a hope was entertained of the recovery of one. In about two hours after the accident, and when the water had run off into the several workings of the pit, two men were dis- covered alive. This discovery, so utdooked for, excited .the greateA joy ; and the exertions of the men to save the remainder, which before had been most praiseworthy, were now redoubled. In the course of the night, they succeeded in getting at the greater part of them, but it was not until Saturday that they were all found. Four, however, perished —two men and two boys.
Yesterday week, an inquest was held on the body of one of the Earl of Bradford's gamekeepers, who was shot the Wednesday night previous, by a poacher, in a coppice on one of his Lordship's Staftbrd- shire estates. The murderer placed the muzzle of his gun close against the deceased's breast. He has not been heard of since.
A fire, lamentably destructive, occurred about two on Tuesday week, upon Great Potton farm, Potton Island, Great Wakering, occupied by Mr. Hickinbotham. It is said to have been first observed by a person in a boat at sea, to break out at the end of the barn ; which was destroyed with its contents, also a granary, stable (with all the plough and cart harness), and a range of sheds; five corn-stacks were also on fire, part of which was saved, but it is not expected to prove of any value; two of the stacks were wheat, of which grain about two hundred quarters were burnt. The wind was favourable, whilst the few inhabitants upon the island gave every assistance, and by their exertions rescued much property' from the flames. The damage dune is estimated at 2,0001. ; which is covered by insurance in the Protector Office. Potton Island contains about six hundred arras, having but two farming esta- blishments; one occupied by Mr. Hickinbotham, and the other by Mr. G. Vanderzee, the proprietor.—Ipswich Journal.
On the 7th instant, as the brig Chester, of Sunderland, was on her passage front Newhaven to Sunderland, the master, John Barnett, in a fit of insanity, jumped overboard, and was drowned. The same day, William Hunter, mate of the Success, of Sunderland, on her passage from Hamburg, committed suicide in the same manner.
A Mr. James Pullem, herald-painter, Southampton, retired to rest rather late on Tuesday night, and about three o'clock was discovered lying on the pavement in the back yard, with an arm and one of his ribs broken, having jumped out of his bedroom-window; to accomplieh which, as the sash was very small and high, he was obliged to get upon the table, having previously removed-the looking-glass. Be accounts for the misfortune by a dream that he was beset in his bedroom by ruf- fians, and thus attempted to escape.
On Monday week, Mr. Wombwell was aroused from his bed by a dreadful noise within the interior of his menagerie, then at Leeds, and, on approaching the caravan whence the sound came, he discovered that the antelope gnu (one of the same class of animals that killed its keeper in the London Zoological Gardens, last summer) had forced the door of the kangaroo's den open ; which, owing to the negligence of the keeper, was left unfastened. Before they could be separated, the fe- male kangaroo received so severe a wound from his horns that she died on the same forenoon.
A singular instance of the ferocity of a boar occurred in the vicinity of Hereford a short time since. A horse having been put into a meadow in which were a boar and some store-pigs, it was at- tacked by the boar, which, it is supposed, instantly inflicted such a wound upon it as to render it incapable of effectual resistance ; the en- trails were torn out ; and the horse whilst in this state being set upon by the whole of the pigs, was partly devoured alive.
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