The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-09-22 00:00:00

STAG HUNT AT KILLARNEY.

Th e last hunt for this season will take plaee on the shores
of the Upper Lake, on Monday, the 97th September. To
such strangers as arc on their way to the Lakes, we recom-
mend to be on the spot at that time, for, independent of
the well-known beauties of Killarney, ;hey.= have r.o
idea of the additional effect given to the scenery by an im-
mense tieet of barges, rowing from point to point, u the
cry of the hounds or the shouting of the huntsmen, who
follow on foot, may direct them. The preparations for the
hunt are aneadell with some difficulty and trouble. The
deer (the large red deer) are by nature so timorous that
they seek the most secluded parts of the mountains, and
are not easily discovered from the almost inaccessible nature
of some of the Killarney hills (which are known to be the
highest in Ireland). Men are out for several days and
nights tracking them, and endeavouring to tind where they
repose at night. When one is discovered he is watched for
days and nights previous to the count, that there may be
no difficulty or de let" in laying on the does. On the morn-
ing of the chases from one to two hundred persona assem-
ble on the mountains, and take possession of all the passes
in the rear of the deer, to prevent his making back to the
fastnesses in the bills. If he should get frightened or
alarmed they keep perfect silence until the signal is given
to lay on the hounds. A man is always stationed on the,
stumnit of one of the hills, immediately over where
the deer lies, to watch his 'novements and to tele-.
graph the signal to the huntsmen to begin the bunt.
The last hunt occurred on the 9th inst. A great
her of strangers waited for some days in Killarney, for the
purpose of seeing it ; the weather, for some days previous,
had been very unpropitious. particularly on the morning
of the hunt; for, a little before nine o'clock, when every
person was preparing to go down to the boats, the sky
began to lower, and the clouds poured forth torrents of
rain. The anxious strangers were not daunted by ap-
pearances, but conuneneed embarking. and aboet ten o clock
the rain passed away, leaving a heavy mass of cloud float-
isle in the atmosphere, which was now and again broken
through by a strong and sultry sun, which, from the light
and shade it cast upon the (lark masses of mountain, gave
an inconceivable effect to the hills, pa-Ocularly Mangerton,
(lima, the Eagle's Nest, Turk Mountain, and, in the
distance, added much to the naturally dark and gloomy
appearance of the Purple Mountain. The boats proceeded ,
rapidly through the lower lake into the channel leading to
the Old Weir Bridge, where they were obliged, from the
fulness of the upper lake, and the rapidity of the current
falling over the rocks under the bridge, to disembark their
company, who proceeded across one of the Islands to meet
the boas, after they had surmounted the difficulty of
passing the bridge. Here one of the most extraordinary
scenes was witnessed by those persons who remained on the
bridge, watching the progress their boatmen made in
passim, this dangerous channel. The flood was so great
that the men were obliged to doff what the Dandies would
call their inexprtaslbles, and jump upon the rocks, covered
more or less with water, and by manual labour haul the
boats through the currents. It was as much as six or eight
men could effect to drag a boat against the stream ; some-
times the rope would break, and the boat be set adrift for
a considerable way down the channel ; oars were lost, and
the men, in endeavouring to resist the torrent, were often-
times pulled into the water. In many instances the boat-
men, despairing of succeeding, got their boats ashore, and
dragged them across the lane.
The hunt was to have taken place at an early hour in the
morning ; but John O'Connell, Esq. who, as an old sports-
man, and the owner of the hounds, had the arrangement of
the pleasures of the day, seeing the difficulty the boats hail
in getting under the bridge, delayed the sport until half-
past two o'clock, by which time about seventy boats had
assembled undo. Ronan's Island, near Lord Brandon's
cottage, at the head of the Upper Lake.
The signal having been made to the telegraph man sta-
tioned on the bill where the buck lay, he immediately sig-
naled the huntsmen, who instantly laid on the hounds,
and in a short time unharbounel him at Derrycarna. The
buck held on by Augrieeh, to near Lord Brandon's Cot-
tage. then in vi, w of the boats along the Upper Lake, into
the wood of Derricumaihy, which be kept for a long time;
he then made a windlass, and was running for home, but
was so hard pressed by the pack, that he was oh/4rd to
take the soil opposite to Ronan's Island, at a full imprime,
with the body of the hounds close at his haunches ; the
light boats of the fleet immediately pulled out to save him.
Lord Kenanare's boat was the first up with him, when one
of the boatmen jumped upon his back and secured him.
He was hauled into the boat, bound by the legs, his eyes
blind-folded, and then rowed round the fleet for the inspec-
tion of the company.
The scene during t' s hunt was one of the most ani-
mating possible; the tongue of the hounds. as they ap-
peared to be distant or near—the shouting of the peasantry
who were following on foot, groups of them occasionally
appearing en the summit of the hills, and disappearing
again with the rapidity of lightning. Among the foot-
men, the most conspicuous appeared Mr. Roger O'Sulli-
van, in his white dress; he was always seen in front of
the run, and pus " halloo" could be heard and distinguish-
ed, by those who knew him, at upwards of a mile distant.
This was further heightened by Mr. John O'Connell,
from his boat, cheering his favourite hounds, as he heard
them occasionally giving tongue. The hunt tenpin. :sal
after a run that lasted two and a half hours, when the
boats began to descend to the Lower Lake, amidst the
music of the bugles, and the firing of patteraros under
the Eagle's Nest, where the well-known echo had a most
terrific effect.

Upon gaining the Lower Lake. after shooting the Ohl
Weir Bridge, which was somewhat dangerous, the com-
pany dispersed amongst the various islands to dine and
pass the evening. Notwithstanding the great danger of
the Shoot, not a single accident occurred.
It is impossible to conclude this cursory account of one
of the most exhilarating scenes in a sublime and romantic
country which it is possible to enjoy, and which would re-
onire the graphic pen of Sir Walter Scott to delineate,
without recurring, with pleasure, to the exertions of Mr.
John O'Connell, under whose directions the hunt was
given. The urbanity and the attention of this gentleman
to the various groups who witnessed the scene, are beyond
all praise. A resident and wealthy landlord, with an un-
limited influence in the country, he spends his fortune in
this wild snd delightful seclusion, secariug the peace, and
contributing, as far as his power extends, to the happiness
and content of the pcople. That the example was
! But better times, we think, are approaching.—
Daldin Paper.

WI:WEST rrt, Starr. 20. We have had 800 pockets of
new hops at this day's fair, which readily sold from lI2A,
to Ws., and one choice lot 117 s. Many of the Famples
are showy, and of thin finality. fluty for this plantation
laid at 13,000 f. The p!anter3 say the hops come clown
very short of expectation. Cattle of every description sold
well; fat beasts av;raged Gd. per pound. Sheep went off
at high r

THE BRITISH PRESS.

BURNET'S HISTUR r.

. In the Lanadown Library tine is a copy of " Burnet's
History of his Own ' . filled with remarks on the
margin in the hand-writing of Swift. They ate, as may be
supposed, distinguished by great acuteness and wit, and
not without some portion of coarseness and malevolence.
Burnet appears to have been no favourite with the Dcan.
We szleet a few specimens.
Prelim; p. 3. Dared. " In:leed, the peevishness, the
ill-nature, and the ambition of many clergymen, have
sharpened my spirits perhaps too much against them ; 60 I
tears my readers to take all that I sty on those heads with
some grains of allowance."—Stryt. " I will t..ke his
warninz."
P. 28. Bwrset. " The Earl of Argyle wit a more
solemn sort of man, grave and sober, and free of all scan-
dalous vim."--Ssefft. "As a man is free of a corporation,
he means."
P. 49. Barnet. " I will not enter farther into the mili-
tary part ; for I remember an advice of Marshal Scholia-
berg, never to meddle in military matters. His observa-
tion was, Some affected to Write those affairs in all the
terms of war, in which they committed great errors, till.
exposed them to the scorn of all commanders, who must
despise relations that pretend to exactness, when there
were blunders in every part of them.' "—Stefft. "Very
foolish advice, for soldiers cannot write."

P. 3. Burnet. " Ilion the King's death, the Scots
proclaimed his son King, and sent over Sir George Wincan,
that married my ;meat aunt, to treat with him while be
was in the Isle of Jersey."—Setif t. " Was That the reason
why he was sent ?"
P. 63. Burnet. (Speaking of the Scotch preachers in
the time of the civil wars.) " The crowds wire far beyond
the capacity of thvir churches or the reach o' their voices?'
" And the preaching beyond the capacity of the
crowd. 1 believe the church had as much capacity us the
M in ister."

P. 163. Burnet. (Speaking of Paradise Lost.) "It
was esteemed the lieeutifullest and win-test poem that -ver
was writ, at least in our language."—.Steyl. A mistake!
for it is in Eneish."
P. 1149. Bernet. " Patrick was esteemed a great
preacher, • • but a little too ssere against those who dif-
fered from him—• Ile became afterwards more moderate."
" Yes, for he turned a rank uhig."
P. 263. Bernet. " And yet, after all, he (King
Charles 11.) never treated her (Nell Gwyn) with the decen-
cies of a mistress."—Suyt. " Pray what decencies arc
those?"

P. 3‘ll. Burnet. "It seems, the French made no great
account of their prisoners, for they released 2.1,000 Dutch
for 50,000 crowns."—Siriff. What ! ten shillings
a-piece! By much too dear for a Dutchman."
P. 483. *Burnet. " I laid open the cruelties of the
church of Rome in Queen Mary's time, which were not
then known ; and I ogzrarated, though very truly, the
danger of falling t.nder the power of that religian."—
Swi 11. "A Be 1. 1.-
P. SYS. liar net. " Home was convicted on the credit
of one evidence.—Applications, 'tis true, were made to the
lhtkc of York for saving his life: but he was not born
under a pardoning planet. —tiv•if " Silly fop!"
P. SSG. Burnet. " Baillie suffered several harihilips
and fines, :or being suppoyed to be in the Rye-house plot ;
yet during this he seemed so composed, and ever so cheer-
ful, that his behaviour looked like the revival of the spirit
of the noblest Greeks and Romans.—Suift. " Take notice,
he was our cousin." _ _

I'. 727. Burnet. "i come now to the year 168 S, which
proved memorable. and produced an extraordinary and
unheard-of revolittion."—Stryt. "The devil's in that !
Sire all Europe heard of it."
P. 752. Burnet. (Doubting the legitimdcy of the Pre-
tender, and describing the Queen's manner of lying-in.)
" All this while the Queen lay in bi d ; and in order, to
the warming one side of it, a warming-pan was brought ;
but it was not opened, that it might be seen whether there
was any fire in it."—Se ft. " This, the ladies say, is very
foolish."

P. 799. Burnet. " When I had the first account of
King James's flight, I revs affected with this dismal re-
verse of fortune In a great Prince, more than I think fit to
express."—Seri/?. "Or than I via believe."
I'. SI G. Burnet. "ft was proposed that the birth of
the ;Pretended Prince might be inquired into, ana
I was ordered to gather together all the presumptive proofs
that were formerly mentioned : it is true these did not
amount to a full and legal proof ; yet they seemed to be
such violent presumptions, that when they were all laid to-
gether, they were more convincing than plain and down-
right evitlente, for that was liable to the suspicion of sub-
ornation, whereas the others seemed to carry on them very
convincing characters of truth and conformity."—Swift.
" Well said, Ilis:pop."
Vol. 11. p. 669. Burnet. (Speaking of the progress of
Lis own life.) " The pleastrrts of sense I did soon nause-
ate."--Swift. "Not so soon with the wine of some
elections."

It is currently said, that on the in.xt General Election
there will be four candidates for the representation of Mal-
low, namely, Mr. Bcelur, the Hon. Mr. Perry, san of the
Marl of Limerick, Mr. Jep'mon, and Mr. John Longficld.
Paper.
A gentleman has ofi!..roil to supply n moat respectable
druggist in this town with mint water, at one farthing per
•lon, which was refuaell.—Kenthil Chronicle.

A correspondent, who travelled through Fife on Tues-
day. by eupar, and returned by Perth and Queensfeiry,
on Thursday to Edinburgh, informs us that in the whole
of that circuit the linty. • t is nearly all lodged in the stack
yards, some of which exhibit more than common abund-
ance.

On Monday evening a Coroner's Inquest was held at the
George, public-house, Itankside, Southwark, on the body of
a man named Joseph Trickett, a carpenter, who bad been
employed at the works carrying on for the erection of the
New London-bridge, and was found drowned in one of the
cufflr damns on Friday morning. Verdict accordingly.

THE DEATH WATCH. Among the popular supersti-
tions which the almost general illumination of modern
times has not been able to obliterate, the dread of the
death watch may well be considered as one of the most
predominant, and still continues to disturb the habitations
of rural tranquillity with groundless fears and absurd
apprehensions. It is chiefly in the advanced state of
spring that this little animal commences its rounds, which
is no other than the call or signal by which the male and
female are led to each other, and which may be consi-
dered as analogous to the call of birds; though not owing
to the voice of the insect, but to its beating on any hard
stil)strince with the shield or fore part of its head. The
prevailing number of distinct strokes which it beats is frem
seven to nine or eleven, which very circumstance may still
add in some degree to the ominous character which it bears
among the vulgar. These sounds cr beats arc given in very
quicksuecession, are repeated at uncertain interval+, and in
old houses, where the insects arc numerous, may ba heard
at almost every hour of the day—especially if the weather
be warm. The insect is of a colour so nearly resembling
that of decayed wood, that it may fur a considerable time
elude the search of the inquirer. It is about a quarter of
3n inch in length, and is moderately thick in proportion ;
and the wing shells arc marked with numerous irregular
variegatiotis, of a lighter or grayer colour than the ground
colour.

The remains of Ann White, whose afflicting case in
having swallowed vitriol has already been noticed, were
buried on Sunday afternoon in Hammersmith church-yard.
The singularity of the case, and the interesting character
of the girl, having been uncommonly pretty, and of good
conduct, drew an immense concourse of people to witness
the funeral. There was a much larger assemblage than
attended the funeral of Francis and Honey ; it was impos-
sible to get near the walls of the large church-yard. The
coffin was attended to the grave by six young femalts
dressed in white ; they were followed by her parents and
Lee brother, who is just recovered from the stabs previously
mentioned ; and they were succeeded by several other
mourners. The young man, Gilt comb, whose thoughtless
conduct in going with another female " to see and to tease"
the deceased, had led her to resolve on the desperate expe-
dient of getting rid of Le by swallowing vitriol, was un-
able to attend the funeral. He is labouring under serious
illness, and there are apprehensions about the recil:.