Lord Grey, though in general good health, has found it
necessary to leave town for a few days, in consequence of the great fatigue he has had to endure.—Globe. [His Lordship was absent when the Jewish Diabili ties Bill was discussed and rejected by the House of Peers. He did not wish it to be considered a Government measure.] Lord Abercromby took the oaths and his seat, on Friday week, in the House of Lords. Lord King, on the same day, sat in Parliament for the first time since the death of his father.
The Constitutionnel mentions a report that the Dukes of Cumberland and Wellington are about to pay a visit to Paris. A fancy fair was held on Monday and Tuesday at the Surry Zoolo- gical Gardens Many thousand persons, of all ages and conditions, .attendea it. There were bands of music, jugglers, and other means of amusement, besides the collection of animals, which is now very exten- sive. On Monday, Miss Clarke, the rope-dancer, who was to have ascended a rope ctretched across the lake from posts on one side to the top of a very high tree on the other, became alarmed after walking about twelve yards and was obliged to desist. 'rhe Goodwood Racal this year kave proved remarkably attractive. my commence on Tuesday last, and each day the concourse of people of distinction have been very great. The Doke of Richmond has had a large party of supporters of the turf and persons of rank as his guests during the week. The races commenced earlier in the year than usual, in order that the horses entered for the Goodwood stakes might arrive at Doncaster in time for the St. Leger.
Two gentlemen of Jamaica, Mr. Beaumont and Mr. Stamp, the former an advocate for, and the latter an opponent of Negro Emancipa- tion, fought a duel in June last. Mr. Stamp was wounded in the right side ; and, after lingering a week, died. The next day, Mr. Beaumont was again in the field with a Mr. Robertson ; but having received his adversary's tire, declined returning it, saying that he had no quarrel with bins ; so the affair was arranged. The immediate cause of both differences arose out of some proceedings in the Chancery Court of Jamaica:
A short time ago, as the curate of Arromanches, near Bayeux, in Normandy, who is of remarkable rotundity, was preaching at Asnelles, be became so animated with his zeal, and urged his doctrine with such force of action, that he first shook the pulpit from its base, and then, overbalancing it with his weight, fell prone amongst his auditors, doing their bodies as much evil as he was anxious to do good to their souls.— French Paper.
The ship Hibernia, bound for Van Diemen's Land, with 232 pas- sengers, was set on fire on the 5th of February last, in the South At- lantic Ocean, about l,200 miles distant from the Brazilian coast. It would seem frointhe following letter, written by one of the passengers, a millwright of Richmond in Yorkshire, that only .63 persons were saved, after enduring sufferings and terrors worse than death. It adds to the affliction of this distressing narrative, to know that the calamity was occasioned by the gross negligence of one of the officers of the ship.
" On the 5th of February, 1633, about eleven o'clock A.bf..an alarm of fire was given, which was soon ascertained to be but too true- The second mate, who acted as steward, had gone into the state room, and, while in the act of drawing a bucket of rum, let a lightest candle fall into the spirits; and instead of giving the alarm, endeavoured to extinguish the flames by throwing about the store-room the blazing spirits, which. dreadfully burnt his legs and arms, and set fire to a quantity of tar, pitch, spirits, straw,.
&e. As soon as the alarm was given, the decks were scuttled, and water poured in ; every exertion was used to arrest the progress of the all-des-miring element, but to no purpose ; in less than two hours all hopes of saving either ship or property were aban- doned, as the between-decks and lower holds were full of smoke, and the flames were breaking through between the decks. The Captain now ordered the boats to be launched, which was done. Giving me some books, charts. &c., he ordered me to get into the long boat, and take care of the few provisions which were saved from the sailor's forecastle and cabin. Oh ! what a scene of horror now took place ! Some were seen dressed up in their best clothes as if going to a ball—others were profaning God's name with the most awful execrations—while some were on their knees, supplicating. his mercy.
" ' Now shrieked:the timid. And stood still the brave.'.
" There were 232 souls on board, and the boats would not hold more than a third of the number ; they were filled in a moment, and dropped astern. As the ship was Still going, we drifted away, picking up a few who swam from the ship, or floated on piecew of timber. The whole of the sails and masts of the noble Hibernia were now in flames, and in a-few minutes fell into the sea. And now a most dreadful scene presented itself —all endeavouring to get upon the masts, with the expectation of being picked up by the boats, there being only the sad alternative—the flames or a watery grave. Those who got upon the rafts had neither water nor previsions; and, if not picked up, would linger out a painful existence, and at last be starved to death, there being little chance of any ship cornice, that way. We were now in 5 degrees South lat. and 20 West long. in the Sonth-east trade winds, having a fair wind for Pernambuco, on the Brazilian coast. We all met—that is, the boats—and determined to make, if possible, Pernam- buco, though at a distance of 1.200 miles, and having very little provisions, and.no water. It was a most heart-rending sight to see so many in distress, and unable to re- lieve them, the boats being quite filled, and the long-boat in a leaky state, requiring eight men to bale the water to keep her afloat. We rigged out a jury mast, and, with the aid of a top-gallant studding sail, were enabled to make good way. The Hibernia was not more than one mile from us to windward; many poor creatures clinging to the bowsprit to keep them from the flames as.long as possible, waving their hats for us to go and relieve them. The doctor and four sisters were clinging to a rope at the stern of the ship. We would fain. have taken them in, but the Captain told us it would be at the expense of ourown lives ; so we abandoned all hopes of saving them. By the help of an old bed-tick we lengthened our sail, and in a little time lost sight of the Hibernia, and all our property, and all our hopes. Next morning the chief mate in the pinnace left us, and we saw him no more, he having on board 17 souls. We had given him charts, compass, and sextant to navigate with. We had nothing I. eat from breakfast until the next day at twelve o'clock, and then only two table spoonsful of brandy, and two ounces of preserved beef night and morning for seven days. On the night of the 6th, a man died from hunger and fatigue. On the Captain taking his observations at twelve o'clock, he informed us that we were 490 miles from Pernambuco, with a light breeze.. We had no water the whole time, and gave up all hopes of ever again setting foot on land. On this day we killed one of three small pigs which we had on board, eating it raw, and supping the blood with as much eagerness as if it had been wine Hunger is fine sauce, but our hunger was nothing to our thirst. Had I been possessed of a thou- sand worlds. I would v. illingly have givenup all for a drought of water. Many drank sea water, though warned against it ; several of them became delirious. There were 52 souls on board. besides 11 in the Captain's gig, which we had in tow. " At twenty minutes past three o'clock the man at the helm, to the joy of all, cried out, • A sail a-head.' We stood down upon her, after hoisting a sailor's red shirt as a signal of distress; but all hopes were again lost, as the ship had not seen us, when we completely despaired ; but to the great joy of all, we perceived lier mizen-topsail cached, and her mainsail hauled up. We then shouted for Joy, and in twenty minutes. we spoke her. She was the Lotus of Whitby, from Portsmouth, with convicts and soldiers for Van Diemen's Land. They took its on board, gave us some grog, water, and provisions; but a— oldltlajor ordered us into our boat again ; we made a stand to a man, and declared we would rather the soldiers run us through than go to sea again in so leaky a vessel. The Captain of the Lotus ordered the carpenter to inspect her, and he deelared.her not seaworthy ; he then sunk her, set the gig adrift, and we on board a good ship. The sailors were kind to us • the carpenter gave me his bed and some clothes, as all I had on at the time the fire happened, were a cap, shirt, trousers, and shoes. I saved my watch, and this is all the property I am possessed of. The Lotus landed us at St. Domingo, to the care of the British Consul, who, I am happy to say, is a good man ; he ordered us plenty of meat, and a pint of wine after dinner ; God knows we had much need of it. The Consul has chartered the brig Adelaide of Dun- dee, to take us forward to Hobart Town, at Government expense. There is now a sub- scription on foot to be paid to us on our arrival at Van Diemen's Land by the Governor. There is also a subscription set on foot by the English merchants. The Methodists have also behaved handsomely to us. " I have heard, since writing the, above, that the fire in the Hibernia arose from the second mate being intoxicated, and that be was a very unfit person to hold such a situ- ation ; but it is of no use complaining.
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