The Carmarthen Journal and South Wales Weekly Advertiser

PERILOUS QUICKSANDS ON THE WELSH COAST. The Rev. George T. Palmer, rector of N ewington, writes from Penmaenmawr to draw attention to a sea-side danger, of which many are too unmindful when they are enjoying a walk or ride upon the sands. He says: My son and daughter were riding on Monday morning upon the apparently trustworthy sand which stretches from Penmaen- mawr to Conway. They wished to reach the Volunteer encampment. As they drew near to it, as the ground looked wet, they fortunately pulled up from a canter to a walk. They bad hardly done so when both their horses sank to the saddle girths. My son, who is a cavalry officer, and has ridden upon all sorts of ground, at once realised what bad happened, and its danger. He jumped off and ran to the aid of his sister. A Volunteer who saw their difficulty was also prompt to render assistance, and thus, after much exertion, my daughter and her horse were rescued. Upon this horse the Volunteer was dispatched to the camp for further aid. Meanwhile my son's efforts to rescue the other horse were fruitlesp, the poor brute sank so that his saddle was hardly to be seen. When the relieving party arrived my son had to be dragged out, and finally, with the aid of the ropes which the Volunteers brought, the horse was rescued.

A REMARKABLE PRIZE FIGHT FOR £ 4,500. South African papers bring details of the fight which took place on Friday, the 26th ult., at Johannesburg, between Woolf Bendoff, of London, and J. R. Couper, of Johannesburg, for the Championship of South Africa and £ 4,500. From all accounts it was what is termed a merry mill." There were more early breakfasts in camp that morning than had ever been partaken of in Johannesburg before. The battle lasted for about forty minutes, twenty-six rounds in all being fought. Couper never hesitated to go down before a blow but it was only to come up again smiling, and to plant a severe blow with his left hand, which did not fail to leave its mark behind. Bendoff concentrated every nerve upon the endeavour to knock his man out of time, but Couper could have taken punishment. Bendoff's backers had been confident that the superior weight of their man was so great that it would be a murderous business, perhaps not more than a couple of rounds. If, however, Couper should live through tho first ten minutes, they granted that he might have a chance. Live! exclaims an enthusiastic journalist. Why, he danced about like a kitten; his temper visibly improved as the fi5ht proceeded, while his rival's spirits, after the twelfth encounter, become proportionately depressed. It is said that an accident happened in the last round which broke, or nearly broke, Woolf Bendoff's arm but accord- ing to the reports to hand it was patent to all observers that something else had broken too. The man may have the frame, but he has not the "heart"—as distinguished from courage—which would enable him to last out a well-stricken field." Couper is not only a stubborn fighter, but he is just as hard as nails, and his condition may be judged from the fact that after Bendoff threw up the sponge he was just beginning to dauce a hornpipe when the crowd broke in upon the ring and bore the champion away.

MISCELLANEOUS. THE MYSTERIES OF MUMMY CORN. The members of the International Botanical Con- gress have, at a sort of informal congress, been dis- ensbing the question whether the grains of corn found in the Egyptian sarcophagi had any seminal virtue left. It appears that most of the so-called mummy corn remarkable for streaks of tar on the surface, and sold to travellers in Egypt at a rate of about a dollar per 25 grains, is a gross imposture. A gentleman who received a few grains from M. Maspero himself planted them in various soils and positions. A good many sprouted, some even grew about two feet, when they looked like ordinary spring wheat, and then rotted away, but none ever came to maturity. M. Vilmorin once tried the experiment, but with no result. He said one should be slow to accept stories of the growth of mummy corn; it was generally found on investigation that the wheat alleged to be grown from it belonged to the prevailing variety in the neighbouring coun- try. A RUSSIAN GIANTESS. A wonderful young Russian giantess is now in Paris. Her name is Elizabeth Liska. She is only eleven years of age, and is already six feet six inches in height. Her parents are of ordinary stature, and her brothers and sisters, of whom she has five, are not ibove the average height. Her abnormal growth only began when she was four years of age, but the doctors say she will continue to grow for some time. Her development is in keeping with her stature. She measures 3 feet If inches round the waist and 3 feet 11 inches round the chest. A COACH SUSPENDED OVER A RAVINE. News of an alarming accident which on Monday last befel the four-horse coach that runs between the Trossachs and Aberfoyle has just been permitted to come to light. On that day the coach left the Trossachs at the usual time, and arrived at Aberfoyle without mishap. The return journey was started upon about half- past twelve, the coach containing a gcod comple- ment of tourists, among whom was a company of American gentlemen on a visit to this country. All went well until half of the journey had been accomplished, when the horses shied at two bicycle riders who were seated beside their machines on the side of the road. On the opposite side of the road from that on which the men were seated there is a ravine some twenty or thirty feet deep. The driver of the coach endeavoured to pacify the animals, but they grew more restive still, with the result that the coach was then backed by the struggling horses over the side of the road, and, bad it not been for a projecting branch of a birch tree, coach and horses, if not some of the passengers, would have gone to the bottom of the ravine. Three of the American gentlemen were injured, as was also the driver, but non of them seriously. Aided by the passengers, the diiver managed to get the coach on the road again, where it was righted, the passengers re-embarked, and the coach proceeded on its way. The part of the road at which the accident occurred is somewhat narrow and curves. It was the coming suddenly in view.of the bicyclists that caused the horses to shv. The injured gentlemen were attended to at the Trossachs Hotel. It may added that one report has it that one passenger had an arm broken, and a number of others were badly bruised through being thrown off. THE GREAT SEA SERPENT KILLED AGAIN. A telegram from Panama says — Captain William F. Smith, of the barque Nautilus, reports that when off Cape Berkely, Galapagos Islands, the sea serpent was seen about thirty yards from the vessel. Captain Smith estimated the serpent's length at eighty feet, and he was about as large around as a barrel in the thickest part. The head was shaped like a snake's, only on the extreme end of the upper jaw there was a ridge or bunch. The haad was about three feet in length and about two feet back of the bead was a mane of hair. No fins were seen. The tail was long and tapering, and shaped like that of an eel. They all had a good view of him, they said, while he was slowly coming toward the ship. The captain and mate loaded two bomb guns and banged away at him, and for about fifteen minutes there was quite a circus, the serpent lashing the water with his tail, and running his head out four or five feet. At last he run out his head, whisked around, and sank, dead. Both bombs hit him. When he went down he was not more than twenty feet from the ship. They spoke the barque Bertha, Captain Jenkins, a few days later and he told the Captain of the Nautilus that a large serpent was seen off Redond i Rock by Captain Jones, in the Camilla, several years ago. A RECORD-BREAKING BICYCLE RUN FROM EDINBURGH TO LONDON. 394 MILES IN LESS THAN 55 HOURS. On Sunday, August 11th, at midnight, Mr A. M Donaldson, of the Edinburgh Amateur B.C., started from the General Post Office of the Scottish capital with the intention of creating a new bicycle record between Edinburgh and London. The previous best performances were a bicycle record made some four years ago from outside of London to Edin- burgh, when the distance was said to have been done in two days nine hours; and again, a little over a year ago, when Mr Alfred Nixon, of London, rode from Edinburgh to Barnet, eleven miles from London, in slightly over two days nine hours. These performances, on account of the meagreness of the proofs, were never pissed as record:?. During the week before- last so much rain fell that it looked as if the ride would have to be postponed but as arrangements had been made at many parts of the route for guides, a start was resolved on, and Mr Donaldson accomplished the full distance in two days six hours, fifty minutes, while to Barnet his time was exactly two hours less. DESPITE OF VOMITING FITS, THE RIDER PROCEEDS. The Bicycling News records the run at length :— The record breaker' was mounted on the Rudge' safety bicycle presented to him by the Scottish Cycling Meet guaranteeing clubs six weeks ago. Up to Dunbar so far the road was a regular quagmire, and the twenty-eight miles took exactly three hours. The roads then improved slightly, and from Berwick to Belford the road was in decent order; but immediately after there was a change, and the thirty-four miles to Morpeth was a repitition of Edinburgh to Dunbar road. Near Alnwick there was an incident which very nearly put an end to the ride. At the foot of a steep hill, which Donaldson was rushing at full speed, there was a herd of cows, and these were only noticed when fifty yards off. Almost by a miracle the rider got through safely, although he grazed one of the animals with his handle bar. After dinner at Darlington (155 miles), Mr Donaldson had a vomiting fit, and for the next twenty-four hours his stomach would retain no solid food, and he could take nothing but soup and custards, most of which was ejected in teH or fifteen minutes. This was terribly trying. TAKES SLEEP IN TEN MINUTES' SNATCHES IN DAMP HEDGES. With a ten minutes' stop at Boroughbridge (190 miles) Donaldson was off at 10.55 intending to cover, if possible, 200 miles in twenty-four hours. Unfortunately, a wrong turning was made, and a mile and a half bad been traversed before the mistake was discovered. Three miles' riding was thus thrown away, and the 200 miles was an impossibility. Regaining the main road, the rider sat down by the road-side for a five minutes' rest, fell fast asleep, and awoke in an hour and a half, so that it was 1.45 ere Wetberby (202 miles) was reached. About three o'clock it seemed as if the ride would have to be abandoned. No fewer than seven times before Doncaster (234 miles) was made a ten minutes' sleep was indulged in on the damp grass by the wayside, while the pacemakers kept watch, and the pace degenerated into a mere crawl. However, Doncaster was reached before eight o'clock, and left at nine. For nine miles the road was like a billiard-table, and Donaldson coming round again, the nine miles to Bawtry were done in forty minutes. The road thence to Grantham was indifferent. Again there was a spell of fifty miles alone, and the temporary return of form soon disappeared. r HE PLUSES HIS HEAD INTO EVERY WATER- TROUGH. "Grantham (280 miles) was reached before three o'clock. Barely had he started when Mr C. W. Brown, of London, rode up. Mr Donaldson had accompanied him from Edinburgh to Berwick ten months ago when he was on a similar errand, which had proved futile on account of adverse circumstances, and he reciprocated by accompany- ing the Scotchman for the last 113 miles of his journey. Without his assistance the Scotchman would not now have held this record. After passing through Stamford tea was waiting at Norman Cross (316 miles) at half-past seven. For the following sixty-five miles the roads were in magnificent order. Freshened up by the tea, and feeding well, Donaldson rode the first six miles from Norman Cross in the remarkable time of 2H minutes. Buckden (331 miles) was reached before ten o'clock. Some soup and rice pudding were taken, and a start was made at 10.15. With the darkness an almost unconquerable sleepiness came on. Twice Brown had to let Donaldson sleep by the roadside for ten minutes, and at every water trough they came to his head was plunged in. Five miles from Biggleswade (347 miles) a ten minutes' sleep on the road was indulged in, and a local man who had joined the company 'was despatched to the Ivel Hotel to order food. So fast was the pace for these five miles that the messenger was all but caught. HIS FRIENDS HAVE TO SHOUT TO KEEP HIM AWAKE. After a tepid bath and more soup and jelly, at a quarter past twelve (Wednesday morning) Brown and Donaldson restarted The effects of the bath soon wore off, and the awful drowsiness returned to Donaldson, so much so that Brown had to keep close to his charge, and whenever he began to swerve-an indication of his falling asleep—shout to him. Hatfield (373 miles) was reached at 3.40. The Coffee Tavern people were wakened up, and a cup of that beverage about as thick as porridge kept the eyes open to Barnet (381 miles). Mr R. Oakley was there ready at five minutes' notice to ride to the post office on a tricycle for the purpose of better clearing the traffic to London. The road thither was indifferent macadam, but once there the streets afforded splendid going, and the Post Office was reached at ten minutes to seven on Wednesday morning. The distance was at least 394 miles. HE LOSES HALF A STONE AND SLEEPS FOR TWENTY- THREE HOURS. Mr Donaldson took the precaution to thoroughly prove his ride, and in addition to the testimony of his partner, had his proof-book signed twenty-seven times on the route, many of the signatures being obtained at out-of-the-way places, 30 that it was a simple impossibility for him to have taken the train at any point. His tendency to sleep was partly owing to his having but three hours' sleep on Saturday night, intending to sleep all Sunday y afternoon. On Sunday afternoon he went to bed, but was unable to sleep. This, combined with the terrible ploughing through mud for about 150 miles, and his stomach going wrong, told sadly against his time, and he is confident that he may yet do the distance inside of two days, but will not try till somebody has lowered his record. He lost half a stone in weight on the journey. His average day's work was 170 miles, and the roads for nearly half the distance could not possibly have been worse. At the conclusion he slept, save for a break of two hours, from nine on the Wednesday morning till I eight the next morning." I A novel mode of advertising for a wife has been adopted by an inhabitant of a provincial town. A photograph of the gentleman is placed in the window of a shopkeeper, and underneath is the following notice Wanted a female companion to the above. Apply at this office," The linguagraph," or steam shouting machine, is the last outcome of Mr Edison's inventive genius. Locomotives may be animated into calling "all change here" or the name of the station with a voice that can be heard some miles off. A correspondent writes:—The well-known Dr T. L. Nichols writes in his Herald of Health that "Paris is a very cheap place if you o-ily know the ropes." At the last Exhibition there be found a large, plain hotel near the students' quarter which had not dreamed of raising its prices, and where he got comfortable room and breakrast for a little over a shilling a day, taking his other meals at the Exhibition. Dr Nichols naturally does not give the name of this attractive hotel. My own experience is very different; I paid five times as much, and was heavily fined as well in the whole- some nutriment I afforded to hideous hordes of nameless creatures the livelong night. On my next visit I naturally tried another hotel, and was charged three francs for a bed in a pantry, the bedroom door having neither lock nor bolt. Yet no doubt Paris is a cheap place if you only know the ropes. The grim joke perpetrated by a burglar at Swansea many years ago on a Sunday night is possibly in the recollection of some of my readers. The premises were the old Glamorganshire Bank in High-street. It seems that all the household had gone to church, and in their absence a burglar bad effected an entrance. On the good folk returning they found the premises had been entered, and upon getting into the bank office they found that the wag of a burglar bad inscribed large letters in chalk across one of the desks—" Watch and pray." At any rate this burglar had some knowledge of Bible phraseology, if not of piety. A Sittingbourne correspondent tells a wonderful story about an unusually large number of vipers infesting Wardnell Wood. There have been killed ten vipers, including one or two snakes," what- ever that may mean. It is added that the cottagers who live in the neighbourhood eagerly seek after the vipers when dead. "From them they extract oil, which they declare to be a sure antidote to a bite from a viper. Snake-fat frequently appears in the old pharraacopasia, and is supposed to be good for sores." Great results are hoped for from a new gun- powder, the invention of Mr Hengst, which has recently been tested, and which is considered as a promising substitute for black powder for military and sporting purposes. The new powder is pre- pared from straw, which is pulverised, chemically treated, and finished in granular form for use. It is claimed for this powder that it is smokeless, fiamele^s, practically non-fouling and non-heating, and that both the recoil and the report are less than those of black powder, with superior pene- trative power. FrJtn the powerful character of this explosive, which, weight for weight, is 150 per cent. stronger than gunpowder, and is not explodable by concussion, it is hoped that in a compressed form it will be found to be applicable to blasting purposes. padre Agostino, of Montefeltro, whose marvel. lous preaching is the talk of Italy—many people going two hours before the sermon to obtain standing room in the church of San Carlo during Lent—has bad a most romantic career. When he was quite young he fell in love with a lady of noble birth, who was also very rich, whom he could not marry because he was not equally well born. This love made his life a continual torment, and in a momeat )f youthful enthusiasm he joined the army of Garibaldi, fought bravely, and was seriously wounded. In consequence of his good conduct and valour he was raised to the rank of captain, and returned to again seek the girl he loved. In the meantime the parents wished the lady to marry a noble from Piedmont, and she, rather than be unfaithful to Agostino, took poison and was found dead in her wedding attire. Some say she died of a broken heart. The young soldier was in despair when he heard the awful news, and full of hatred and sorrow he flew to Turin and fought a duel with his rival in the American style. The rival died. Afterwards Agoitino's remorse was so intense that he took no more interest in lift-, turned religious, and began to preach. His success has been phenomenal. He writes his sermons and learns them, like the Bishop of Ripon, so that when he is preaching they appear improvised at the last moment. He made his mark in the pulpit late in life, for he is now about sixty years old. A certain palm-tree, native to Ceylon, grows to an immense height, and blossoms only once in fifty years, when it forms one large bud, which, bursts with a loud noise that can be heard at a great distance like the report of a gun. There is revealed a lovely flower, and when in course of nature this blossom dies, the tree dies also Two young ladies, dressed in light white dresses were sitting on the seats upon the Middle Parade at Eastbourne, when a young man who was passing threw down a lighted match with which he had lit his cigar, and the match set the dress of one of the ladies on fire. The dress burned quickly, and although an attendant tore the lady's dress almost to ribbons to put out the fire, she was severely burned.

WOMAN. HER INFLUENCE ON MAN FOR GOOD OR EVIL. There has seldom been a wiser or more timely address on education than that given by the head- master of Clifton College at the inaugural meeting of the Skipton Endowed School for girls. Of late we have had a somewhat heated controversy on the subject in various directions, and the Rev J M Wilson did well to point out that the work of the elementary or technical school, which was intended to give every Yorkshire girl a chance of holding her own in life and earning her own living if necessary, was supplemented by the liberal education which aims at developing individual nature and ability, and seeks to widen the interest and sympathies by overcoming the fatal prejudices of ignorance. After speaking on the personal benefit to be derived from a taste for good literature, and how a liberal education shows everyone "the real interests which surround them wherever their lot is cast, he dwelt, for the special benefit of the girls in that influential audience, on the part that each one might have to play as sister, wife and mother, and told them how men were either helped or hindered in their work by the women of their household. Few men, he remarked, could withstand the depressing influences of the uninteresting amiability or the small frivolity of women incapable of true public spirit and generous, noble aims, whose whole sphere of ideas were petty and personal. It is not only that such women do nothing themselves, but they slowly asphyxiate their brothers and husbands. It was a happy thought to illustrate his meaning by calling at- tention to tho sketches of two girls in a woman's novel. Rosamond Vincy, the rich, the pretty, the admired, but the shallow, the showy, the selfish, who unconsciously spoiled her own home life by her egotism, and ruined the life of a really noble husband, Lydgate, by her wilfulness and ignobility and want of outlook into any higher aims and thoughts than such as centred in herself. Maiy Garth, the poor and the plain, with the charm of good sense and kindness andcultivated intelligence, the delight of her father and mother, an eager student in Latin and Euclid and such subjects, and growing thereby in power of mind and judgment day by day, enjoying in these studies the helpful sympathy of her parents; and finally the salvation of the pleasant but weak Fred, who was stirred to a worthy life by the mingled serenity and sweet- ness of her love. Rosamond Vincy, with all the interests of town life and cultivated society, yet too poverty-stricken and dwarfed in mind to enjoy or profit by them and Mary Garth, filling a humble country home with the interests and sympathies that come with really good education.

HOW TO DEVELOP HER PECULIAR GIFTS. It is to make more Mary Garths and fewer Rosa. mond Vincys that institutions like the Skipton High School are founded, and such influences will help to make the women of the twentieth centuiy wiser, better, and happier than the women of to- day. The defects of women can only be remedied, as Miss Frances P Cobbe pointed out years ago, by developing their strong points and supplementing their weak ones. Their peculiar gifts their affectionateness, piety, modesty and conscientious- ness, their quick apprehension and brilliance of intention, their delicacy of sentiment and natural love for poetry, music, and all things beautiful- are qualities drawn out by the education usually received, to the very utmost of the teacher's powers. But the equally ordinary defects of women, their bigotry and superstition, their hastiness and superficialness of judgement, their slovenliness of acquirement, their morbidness of sentiment, their lack of sustained ardour for solid study or abstract thought—all these shortcomings have hitherto been left, after the so-called best education," very much as they were in the begin- ning! Half of the weaknesses of women are the results of their imperfect physical health and vigour, and the movement now in favour of physi- cal development, even if it takes the direction of aricket, lawn-tennis, boxing, fencing, and gymnas- tics are steps in the right direction. We cannot expect the mens sana without the corpore sano. A well-constituted woman would not be more preju- diced, crotchety, or vehement about trifles than a healthy man, and one of the greatest benefits which may come to the rising generation will probably be derived from the medical women" who will teach their sisters what must be expected from tight-lacing and narrow chests, and who will encourage them to strengthen their bodies as well as their minds. The present fashion of dress is still the great stumbling block in the way of exercise; long trailling skirts, boots that pinch the feet into Chinese dimensions, high heels that for- bid brisk walks, lives which have no object save the amusement of the present hour, are not con- ducive to thoroughly healthy womanhood. TO LEISURED SPINSTERS WHO WISH TO DO GOOD. My attention has been called to an effort which is being made by Miss Adela Brooke, of Combe House, Woodstock, to secure a reading-room in that little Oxfordshire village on the principles ad- vocated by the Dachess of Rutland. The plan is such an excellent one, and could be carried out with such advantage during the coming winter by ladies who have the welfare of those around them at heart, that I think if they hear how Miss Brooke began, it will inspire some of my readers to follow her good example. She commenced by giv- ing out some books in the harness room of Combe House one December Sunday afternoon last year after the service. Fifty-seven men, some young and some old, came that day and asked, much to her astonishment, for all kinds of interesting books. She had managed to select X5 worth, thanks to the generosity of a kind friend-travels, biographies, and histories of wars, as well as tales of adventure. Before long she found the applicants -had increased to ninety-three; she found she could not afford to include children in her plan, owing to want of funds to purchase suitable books. The men who came to her were gamekeepers, old soldiers, woodmen, and farm labourers, and she always asked the kind of books they liked, and found the young men very shy at asking for any of the religious ones unless she was alone. They were all eager for the Victoria Cross series, Gordon's Life, Eminent Soldiers, and there if al- ways a run upon Booties' Baby," and Lady Brassey's Three Voyages in the Sunbeam." The men walked miles through the snow to change their books, and took great care of them, wrapping them up to keep them clean. Books on the Queen are greatly appreciated, so there is more loyalty than some people wish us to believe among the working classes for Her Majesty and family. Miss Brooke has been collecting money towards the building she hopes to open in the village by the end of this year, which will keep the men effec- tually out of the public-house, which at present offers them the only shelter during their leisure hours. Lady Mary Somerset, the Duchess of Rutland, and Mr Smith, M.P., are among the. contributors. THE SMALL FEET OF FEMALE CELESTIALS According to a recent issue of the Hu Pao, it is not certainly known when the origin of the Chinese women's custom of foot-binding originated. Some say it arose in the time of the Five Dynasties, in the tenth century. Jao Niang, the beautiful concubine of Li Yu, the last of one of these dynasties, called the Kiang-nan, or Southern T'ang, tied up her feet with silk into the shape of the crescent moon, and all the other beauties of the time imitated her. Indeed the poets of previous dynasties do not allude to such a custom as existinc, in their days; thus Sie Lin Yun, of the sixth century, A.D., and the great poet Li Tai-peb, who I flourished in the eighth century, under the T'ang dynasty, both sing of the beauty of the snow-white feet of the women of their times, in which when any foot-gear at all was worn it was square-toed for men and round-toed for women. Probably they would have mentioned such a custom had it existed. Yang Kwei fei, the lovely secondary consort of the voluptuous T'ang Emperor Huan Tsung, is said to have worn shoes three inches long, in the middle of eighth century A.D., but we are inclined to disagree with the theory that assigns an earlier origin to foot-cramping namely, about 500 A.D., "when Plan Fei danced before the last of the sovereigns of the Tsi dynasty, and every footstep made a lily grow." Probably the custom was progressive, and only gradually attained to its present pitch. In Kuangtung and Kuangsi it is universal at Soochow the women affect the practice, but outside the walla one sees countrywomen at work in the fields with feet of the natural size. During the third year of Kang Hi (1664 A.D.) an edict appeared forbidding foot-cramping, under a penalty of blows, cangue, and banishment, the tipao and local officials being also held responsible in some degree for violation of the law by people in their district; but in 1668, at the instigation of the Board of Ceremonies, this edict was withdrawn, and the people were allowed to follow their own taste.

ROUND THE WORLD.—XII. A few more facts and we shall leave the statistical side of Tasmania. In 1887 the population was a little over 142,000, and there were about 10,000 less females than males. The city of Hobart has 27,000 people, There are very few poor, pauper immigration being restricted by an Act of Parliament passed in 1885. Tasmania has a Governor appointed by the Crown, usually for a term of six years, and a Parliament consisting of two Houses, the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly. The Parliament is invested with plenary legislative power, subject to the assent of the Crown, signified by the Governor. The members of the Legislative Council are chosen by electoral districts, and each member sit for six years from the date of his election this House not being, like the Legislative Assembly, subject to dissolution by the Governor. In the early days of the Colony, when the choice of good men was more limited than at present, some very ordinary men were returned as members of the House of Assembly, and the liveliest scenes were some- times witnessed. It is said of one of them that, while engaged in a violent war of words with another honourable member," in the heat of the moment, he made use of the most unpar- liamentary language, and said that the honour- able member was not fit to carry food to pigs." Of course, the chair now thought it was time to interfere, and the honourable member was told that he really must with- draw that remark. Whereupon he replied, Then I say the honourable member is fit to carry food to pigs, and ought to stick to his business All this, however, is now changed all the members of Assembly that we met were gentlemen and their discussions in the House arc now carried on with that degree of dignity and decorum which used to characterise our own House of Commons. The laws are substantially the same as in England. The Supreme Court has, as regards the Colony, all the powers that are vested in the Superior Courts in England. Laws are said to be created by offences; and if the Tasmanians are free from the many evils which trouble us, they, too, have their anxious problems. On picking up a local paper, we read that the House had just been sitting in solemn con- clave and gravely discussing the best mode of reducing, or, at least, checking, the numerous and ever-increasing progeny of the cock sparrow. Some well-intentioned gentleman, more patriotic than far-sighted, had brought a few sparrows—only about half-a-dozen (of the wrong kind of sparrow) from home and let them loose in Hobart, so thankful that he had been able to bring them safely. Cock-sparrow liked his new home, climate and all, and thrived wonderfully. He is seen everywhere now, chirping cheerily, quite unconscious of pending legislation and the destructive de- liberations of the House of Assembly. The soil and climate of Tasmania are favourable to the cultivation of all the English cereals, fruits, trees, and plants, and on account of the mildness of the winters, and the greater amount of sunshine, their growth is more rapid, and the production of fruit especially is much more certain and abundant than in England. Many plants, such as the geranium, which would not survive a winter in England, grow luxuriantly without any protection. First class cleared arable farms with build- ings cost from £10 to £15 per acre, and generally range from 100 to 300 acres; the capital required to stock and work them is about £300 for every 100 acres; this land may also be rented at rates up to 20s an acre. But farmers are always strongly advised not to invest their capital till they have gained experience in the Colony. First, let them work on a farm, learn all about the soil, climate and seasons, which will all be new to them; then let them invest their money and buy land for themselves, and with pru- dence they are bound to succeed.

AN EISTEDDFOD SERMON. The Brecon Eisteddfod gave rise to a new phenomenon in the history of these gatherings in the shape of a sermon, delivered on Sunday morning last, by the Rev. Glanffrwd Thomas, from which we make the following extracts. The rev. gentleman took for his text Acts xvii., 20, We would know, therefore, what these things mean," and said :—" In speaking of the Eisteddfod we must bear in mind that we are speaking of the Principality in connec- tion with circumstances which are looked upon as distinguishing Wales from other parts, and the Welsh nation from the inhabitants of all other parts of the kingdom. We must look at the Eisteddfod as the outward expres- sion of the nation's belief in the distinct nationality which it has of its own, in relation to religion, science, and literature. I have seen literature defined as the record in written language of human thought, and science defined as the record of facts concerning inani- mate nature. If the definition is right, it follows that literature is wholly distinct in its idea from seience. On the other hand, it is plain that religion is necessarily and intimately connected with literature, for as religion occupies a large space in man's thought, so it must in literature, which is the expression of that thought. One writer has pointed out that the first relationship between religion and literature is one of material. In all literatures a large proportion of the books written owe their origin to religion. It has been pointed out that the only pure Hebrew which remains is to be found in the Old Testament, and almost the whole of the Sancrit literature consists of the sacred books of the Veda. The Koran is the standard of classical language and literature among the Mahommedans. It may be said that their literature is the product of their religion. But we go back into the mist of far-off ages. We trace our literature to a time when the great English nation was not born, and we find there that kings' children and subjects were instructed by Druids. We know that Druidic literature was religious and sacred. We can trace the Eisteddfod literature back to Druidic time; and the Eisteddfod of this day will be opened soon amongst us by appealing to Almighty God for blessing and protection in that beautiful prayer, the words and form of which have come down to us from Druidic lips and Druidic time, and the prayer ever since has been the formula used in that part of the Principality called Glamorgan "God, grant Thy protection, and In Thy protection strength, and In strength judgment, and In judgment justice, and In justice love, and In love God, and In loving God to love all things. God and all goodness/" No special reference is made in this formula to our blessed Saviour, which may be taken as a proof of its Druidic origin. The language of the Druids is still spoken. It has a grand literature, and whether you look at it as Druidic or Christian, it is always the product of religious spirit and sentiment; and there is a prophecy:— Eu Ner a folant, Eu iuth a gadwant, Eu tir a gollant ond Gwyllt Walia. That is They will worship God, They will retain their language, They will lose their Motherland all, except wild Wales! We assert that Welsh literature is eistedd- fodic, and the authors have derived their material, as well as their significance, from religion. We have seen another relationship pointed out as existing between religion and literature, which may be termed influence. This is especially a feature of Welsh eistedd fodic literature." The preacher then at length showed that there might be works of literatun which do not owe their origin to religion, yel that their character was influenced by religion more than by anything else. Speaking oi novels, the preacher said Some people object to novel reading. It might seem absurc to talk of novels being true, but fiction, aftei all, is very different from falsehood. The besi novels are true in the same sense that drama: are true. Now, just as it is the highest geniui which produces the truest pictures of hurnar life and character, so the highest taste delightl most in the study of such works, and despise: the false, the sliam, the counterfeit, rightly judging that what is most true is aso the mosi beautiful. I believe that as the literature ol Eastern nations is the reflex influence of theii religicns, so is our Welsh literature, as it i: represented by the Eisteddfod, the refle, influence of ours. The same must be said o: our native music. The Welsh nation is to b< seen here in all its glory, for as the dull leaden, gloomy colour of the cloudy religious sky of the Chinese has made blacki ess anc dlearines to colour the flowers and leaves o: their fields of literature, so are the beauty joy, and glory of our religion colouring the flowers of our literature, especially since tlii restoration of the Eisteddfod amongst the Welsh people." There was also anothei connection between religion and th< Eisteddfod. It was the fact that the chie: principles of the religion of the nation wen shadowed forth and expressed in its literature Those who were able to read the literature o Wales peculiar to the last two centuries couh construct a definite religious creed from it and gather an accurate account of the state o the nation's mind at the difterent times ii which it was written. The poetry of nations the praise of their national heroes, thei hymns and patriotic songs, were made to b direct vehicles for advancing their religiou tenets. In concluding his discourse, the rev gentleman said It is quite as true to sa: the eisteddfodic literature, in its measure an degree, is the inheritance of ChI istian thought and that it expresses the feelings, the yearr ings, the faith, and the hope of the Christia people of this land as regards the future life c man as vivid and as real as our most sacre hymnology. Here we answer the question i the text, 'What these things mean.' W know that the Eisteddfod is an institutio which aims at doing1 infinitely higher thing than produce ballads and provide amusement and diversions for the people. It has provide means of culture, and it helps us also to mes sure and register the progress which we hav made in this respect during the centuries i which the music and literature of Wales hav been influenced by it. On this ground it i we appeal for public sympathy and support ii maintaining what is unquestionably one of th most venerable institutions of the ci vilise, world. We freely grant that it is no without its imperfection, the natural result c the wear and tear of time and of evei changing circumstances; but we contend tha in the Eisteddfod we have that which suit the genius of our Celtic race, and, what i more, that which is calculated to give nurture to our Christian nationality. Th Eisteddfod represents no mere negation, bu the most positive belief in the great veritie revealed to us in the Saviour of the Worlc The patriotism which streamed from the ey of Him who wept over the approaching dooii of His nation and its capital may, and shouli still be found inspiring the hearts of al whose faith and hope cling to our adorabl Redeemer, and never do we feel we are stand ing on firmer ground than when we proclain in the face of the sun, the eye of light,' ou loyalty to Him, who is the Truth in the ol< eisteddfodic maxim :—' The Truth agains the World. 0

FISHGUARD REGATTA. The annual Fishguard regatta, the mos popular out-door amusement in connectioi with the place, was held on Friday, and, a: usual, attracted a large concourse of people A fresh and somewhat chilly breeze prevailed The arrangements were carried out by a com mittpe consisting of Mr W. C. Owen, Mr D Vaughan, Mr R. Haggerty, Captain W Williams, Captain C. Bowen, Captain W. G Evans, and Captain G. Richardson, togethe; with Mr P. Lewis as judge, and Mr E. B Jones as secretary. The Pembroke brass bam was in attendance, and a display of firework: in the evening closed the day's amusements The competitive results are appended Half-decked or open sailing boats of 20ft. anc upwards. First prize, £ 5; second, R2 third £1. Distance, six miles. Three boats started- the Maria, 26ft. long, owned by J Lewis Blodwen, 19ft., D. Roach Lily, 21ft., Ll. Y Williams. Time allowance, limin. per foot, The boats arrived in the following order Maria, lh. 14m. Lily, lh. 22m. Blodwen, lh. 23mi The first prize was awarded to Blodwen, and the second to Maria, the third being withheld. Half-decked or open sailing boats under 20ft First prize, 24 second, 21 15s. third, 15s. Four boats started The Vendome, 15ft., J Lewis Annie, 16ft., F George Blodwen, 17ft., T Lamb Jinks, 15ft. 5in., J Jones-I, Vendome, 3h. 28im. 2, Annie, 3h. 31m. Four-oared rowing boats-First prize, 91 10s second, 15s. Three boats started The Glance, Mr Meager; Seaweed, Mr H Worthington; Reliance, J Evans—1, J Evans 2, Mr Meager. Two-oared boats-First prize, 21 second, 10s. Five boats started Gladys, Captain C. Brown; Dawn, W J Owen; Anita, LI. Y. Williams Pride, P Oakley Glance, Meager-1, Anita 2, Pride. (Protest by owner of Dawn). Two-oared sculling race -First prize, 15s. second, 7s 6d. Two started Dawn, W J Owen Anita, LI. Y. Williams. 1, Anita. One-oared sculling race—First prize, 10s second, 5s. Six started Dawn, Gladys, Cerena (Capt. George), Pride, Lizzie Annie (D Owen), and Anita. 1, Lizzie Annie 2, Dawn. Duck hunt-First duck, Joseph Davies drake, T Furlong; time, 15 minutes; not caught. Second duck, W H Thomas drake, J H Rees time, 10 minutes. Swimming race-I, D Rees 2, Ernest Jones. Plank race—First race, 1, D Rees second race, first and second prizes divided between H. Williams, W Jones, and J Rees.

Early on Tuesday the steamer Jason, of Glas- gow, while proceeding down tha Clyde, ran into and sank dredger No. 6, about half a mile above Dumbarton. The disaster was due to the steamer striking the mooring of the dredger, which caused her to swing round across the Jason's bows. Of the ten men on the dredger five were drowned, and another who was rescued died shortly after- wards. The Jason is aground with her bows stove in.