The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-11-18 00:00:00

AT MIRAMICHI.

" On Friday, the ith instant, a most calamitous visita-
tion befel Miramichi. On that day a dense smoke spread
every where around us, which we knew proceeded from the
woods being on tire ; but until about eight o'clock at night,
when the wind suddenly shifted, we apprehended no dan-
ger; then the scene became horrific; volumes of smoke
rolled over our heads, and brands and large pieces of fire
were flying in all directions, and the difficulty of saving
property greatly increased by the tremendous gusts of wind
hurling along dense clouds of flaming particles, and filling
the eyes with ashes or nearly blinding with smoke. Every
one was obliged to seek for safety in the best way he
could, and the calling for children and relatives was truly
heart-rending. The darkness, hurricane, and occasional
showers of tire, rendered it extremely difficult to escape,
and some of the ships being on fire, rendered them a very
dangerous refuge; most families were conveyed across the
river in boats, on floats, and others ventured on single logs.
The Settlement at the Court-house, and downward for ten
miles, is entirely consumed, together with the extensive
stores of the principal merchants; also all the Hartibogue
Settlement. On the south west branch the greater part of
the buildings, crops, and cattle are burnt; also on the
north west branch all the meadows, 500 tons of hay, and
all the buildings thereon; a great number of families
perished in the flames, and every hour brings the most
appalling accounts of the extensive and general devastation,
How the inhabitants are to subsist is unknown."

BARON MU.VCHAUSEN AND TffE TIGEII
AND ALLIGATOR STORY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE BRITISH PRESS,

Sia—ln the British Press of yesterday you extract
following wonderful story from a Dutch paper, iun
calved, which you say rivals the best of its kind that er.. travelled across the Atlantic. The Dutch Editor, it seen.,,'
asserts gravely that he " can answer for its authenticity
He states that the scene of the " extraordinary cont,;:
was BANTAM, in the East Indies:•
" A man fishing on the banks of the river Tydirsan he,..
something splash in the water, and perceived a tiger at no,rt:
distance, swimming from the other side of the river. The titha man thought he should best provide for his safety by thou),"
high tree, and had scarcely effected this when the tiger, reuen::
tree that hung over, attempted to get upon it. At that morritnik
alligator of the largest size darted out of the water, seized the • and dragged him hark. This gave the fisherman courage led; ,
at this strange sight, and be witness of a combat between the
I.
most rapacious animals of these countries. Six times the tem
tot batants appeared above the surface of the water, exerting their e.
moat efforts. The water wait dyed with blond, and the tiger,
was seized by the alligator across the back, became at length
prey of dos latter."

. .
" We recognise this," you say, " as a new version it
very old tale which owes its origin to the veracious BAP
MUNCHAUSEN, who, nearly in the same terms, relate/
It
own escape from the jaws of death." The marvellous tst,
which Mu NCIIAUSEN, if I recollect right, relates hir,„:
to have had was, that just as an alligator had opened
wide mouth for the purpose of devouring him, a tigers%
denly sprung forward, and jumped down his throat!
while the alligator was busy in contriving to gulp 1,
down—for be was rather an awkward morsel, the
rageous BARON, in the nick of time, cut bim in two,/
Such is the tale of wonder, as related in the first
iitte
by the renowned traveller MuNCHAUSLN. his n 04,1,
a little singular, that a Dutch Editor, a phlegmatic ante
animal in general, should record the same sort of an eiv.,
ordinary event as coming within his own experience: 6
the fact is, a lie, when it once begins to run, rune 4,
wildfire. Would you believe it, Sir, this barlenise
is
ventkro of MUNCHAUSEN'S is worked up into a miraeoLt:
conversion, and dressed out in due form, with names es
dates, for the more effectual seducing of our British to
men into the fold of Methodism ?
In the Sailors' Magazine, the profits of which work es
devoted to the Bethel Union, you will find the foliose.,
edition of Mere lIAL,SEN; the Dutch Editor, you will pet
ceive, is beaten out of the field by the new convert
a The
he"
seTnlEefAtlshLeleeeGAeTnOßwteAexNtDremTellyoEtreß.equil,
et
the heat, which was intolerable, had made us so langusl
that almost a general wish overcame us, on the approach o
the evening, to bathe in the waters of CONGO. Howere:
myself and JOHNSON were deterred from it, from the ap
prehension of sharks, many of which we had observed LI
the progress of our voyage, and those enormously lam,
At length CAMPBELL alone, who had been making toots,
with his liquor case, was obstinately bent on going cree.
board ; and although we used every means in our porn
to persuade him to the contrary, be dashed into the warn
element, and had swam some distance from the vessel,obt;
we on the deck discovered an Attioaroa making totrao
him from behind a rock that stood a abort distance fronds
shore. His escape I now considered impossible—bide,
struction inevitable ; and I applied to Jonxson hos re
should act, who, like myself, affirmed the impossibility)
save him, and instantly seised upon a loaded carbine o
shoot the poor fel lo w be fore &Jell int the jaws of the molar.
I did not, however, consent to this, but waited with berm
the tragedy we anticipated; yet willing to do all in on
power, I ordered the boat to be hoisted out, and we tired
two shots at the approaching Alligator, but without effect;
for they glided over his scaly covering like hail-stones on a
tile-pent house, and the progress of the creature was by no
means impeded. The report of the piece, and the noire
of the blacks from the vessrl, soon made CAXPRILI
acquainted with his danger: he saw the creature main;
for him, and, with all the strength and skill be was wawa
of, made for the shore. 'lad now Me moment arrired
which a scene was exhibited beyond the power of my Ina
pen perfectly to describe. On approaching within a
short distance of some canes and shrubs that covered
bank, while closely pursued by the ALLIGATOR, a
and ferocious TIGER sprang towards him, at the init.
jaws of his first enemy were extended to demur him.
this awful moment CA3/PBELL was preserved! The
itca.emnph,
ibybiousOVERLEAPING
ehoilmfl,ictentcheounn
et
niered ua_thethgne 4. I
was coloured with the blood of the Tiger, whose effort'
wtehairilethteheselaeltytecoe
had
ding of
also
versary under the water, by which the victory waspresen,
thteheadAylelingteatgoer
ofw ere
puiegnarhaisiiirm
obtained, for the TIGER'S death was now elf r
both sank to the bottom, and we saw so moat 07'
ALLIGATOR. CAMPBELL MS received, and instantly
veyed on board. He spoke not while in the boat,
the danger had completely sobered him ; but the
he leaped on deck, he fell on his knees, and sets
thanks to the Providence who had so protected him: s
what is most singular, from Mat moment to the time I
lienler:tinta rdh ttoneuvterer b:1
ftetly-rehrmed being in the universe, CAMPBELL G
esningseleenoatthhe.leausteionetraicearteedicas, 110t4
man. "--Sailors' Magazine, June 1821, p. 216.

Now, Sir, I consider BARON MuNcususzn's
nothing compared with this. The tiger there very qu,
jumped into the jaws of the alligator, but CAMPIII
tiger actually, in his eagerness to seize him, springs.
his head. He is, to use a fine simile of SHAWL ARE
6' Like vaultirig Amu. r cox ohat overleaps iisrlf,
And falls on t'other side."
And he there encounters " the amphibious master,"
had placed himself, most apropos, just behind Camal
who was thus "in a strait between two," but ■im,
advantage of this harlequin's leap, very prudently,
aside from his ferocious pursuers, and leaves than
battle it out.

Can the Church produce a miracle like this? NL
Tigers and Alligators I am satisfied, never fight but
the benefit of the Tabernacle. Did the preachers ol
Establishment ever produce such a eonuersios asth
Never. Commend me then to the Conventicle. for I
convinced that while Methodism flourishes Iniracko
never cease. I am, Sir, yours, &e.
A LOVER OF THE WONDERRIA

It is at all times gratifying to meet with inststets
disinterested liberality, and, fortunately for the her
human nature, the record of such is not acanty.
Mrs. Sheridan, the mother of our great &aiming, e
eminently successful author of The Discovery,'
her comedy of the The Dupe, it was destined, -
the cabals of Mrs. Clive, an actress then at the asap
her fame, to experience theatrical condemnation.
play, however, was published, and Millar, the 10b.%
by whom it had been purchased, soon afterwards rent
Sheridan, in addition to the price of the copyright, thew
1001. inclosed in a most polite letter. This anecdote is reh
in the Memoirs of the Lip and Writings of MU. Fri
Sheridan, author of Sidney Biddulph,
by her grandaughter, Alicia Lefanu ; a work which: it
the fund of information which it contains respecting
Sheridan family, forms a moat suitable cempreo.
Moore's splendid biography. It possesses the rare wee
being written with great delicacy, taste and jutignall‘
New &runts/Ga.—The improvements preiefr"
London and its neighbourhood, and to be sullmittoe
Parliament in the next Session, are as considerable arr
that have been produced in any one season. 'lhe pt
street from Charing-cross, and the alterations at the kr
.
place, the opening from Picket t-place to Liocole a ,
fields, abridge from the Horseferry to Lambeth church'"
a new bridge at Hammersmith, are among the nee:
Among the lesser changes is to be a widening d the
end of Threadneedle-street, to be effected by the per'
e
of the Bank of England, who are to purchase and
down a few of the houses, and to carry a footway thro
the tower of St. Bartholomew's church. If we I'l.l',
.
these the removal of Fleet-market, anti the great tbororn'
fare to be opened from Blackfriars-bridge to the nir
o
roads, the buildings in progress near Whiu hall, !n_
molition or restoration of Buckingham House, ine2e
provementa in Hyde Park, and the rapid extensorot;
ff
buildings about the Regent's Park, we may cot'
`
change which will probably be effected in thy aeerall
the metropolis in a short time.