The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-02 00:00:00

THE HARVEST.

DEnnysninn.—During the past week the weather has
been very favourable for harvest operations, and corn cutting
is going on in all parts of this county. Seldom or ever was
a finer season experienced in this locality for the ingathor-
ing of the crops, and in the south pert of Derbyshire a good
portion of the corn is already safely housed. In the north a
fair quantity of corn has been stacked, bat the greater bulk
is still standing. The root crops, although much benefited
by the late rain, will in nine cases out of ten prove a
failure. The nights during the past week have been very
frosty. This will materially tend to ripen the outstanding
corn in the Peak ; and if fine weather continues no doubt
the whole of the corn will be safely stacked and housed in
about ten days. As regards the wheat crop accounts
vary ; in some places it is pretty good, while in
others there will be a deficiency. The barley crop turas out
better than was expected. Beans vary—in some parts the
yield will be very good, in others very poor. Oats in most
parts of the country are turning out a poor crop, the grain
being poorly fed, and the straw very short. Farmers in the
north of the county are still carting water from the rivers to
keep their cattle alive.
SCOTLAND.—The past week has been unusually favour-
able for harvest operations, and in lowland districts cutting
has been pushed on so vigorously, alike by manual and
mechanical means, that comparatively little now remains
to be reaped. In East Lothian leading has been going on
for a week or ten days, and many stackyards are already
beginning to assume a fall appearance. In Mid and West
Lothians there were a few fields cleared last week, but
carrying did not generally commence until Monday.
Owing to the shortness of the straw the crops are
not bulking so well in the stack, but the heads of the
wheat are on the whole of fair average size, and it is ex-
pected will yield tolerably well on the barn floor. There
is no doubt that barley, as a rule, will, though deficient in
straw, turn out a superior crop. Oats will be a small return,
much under the average over the whole county, but there
are many fields• as strong as any farmer could wish. The
quality of all the grain promises to be more than ordinarily
good, owing to the fine dry sunny weather which has pre-
vailed ever i I
.i
szen arvpat °Jima in. Farmcro aro at CSOLUU
loss just now as to whether they should with for dry
weather or rain. In the eastern districts of Scotland
especially the green crop is suffering much from lack of
moisture ; and, unless rain comes soon, it will be
very small. In the more western and northern localities,
though not so far behind, the turnips are still backward,
and cannot possibly turn out a full crop without
rain coming soon; and, indeed, it is problematical, if the
yield will prove an average even then. As beef and mutton
are so much more valuable than corn just now it is re-
garded as a very serious matter that there should be a dan-
ger of turnips and grass falling short. However, on the
whole, most husbandmen who occupied mixed land—arable
and pasture—would prefer another week or ten days of fair
weather, so that they might get their grain safely under
" thack and rape." The potatoes, though not nearly so
large a crop as last year, are still a fair yield, and the price
is much higher than at this time last season, with the pros-
pect of going up. Beans are generally good. For the last
few days we have had threatening of rain, but nothing
more than a few slight showers, which did no injury to the
grain in stook, have fallen. Rivers and burns are very
low, and in many places great scarcity of water for cattle
and horses is experienced.—Scotsman.

MURDEROUS ATTACK.—By the arrival of ll.M.'s
surveying steamer Beaver we have a full account of
the melancholy but not unexpected murder of Alexander
M`Donald and several of his party while on their vvay through
from Bentinck-arm is Fort Alexandria. On the 17th of
May M'Donald and his party star ed from New Aberdeen,
at the head of Bentinck-arm, for Fort Alexandria, on the
Fraser. They had 4'2, pack animals, 28 of which were
loaded with goods for the mines, valued at between I,OOA
and 5,000 dols. On arriving at Naneootloon Lake, about 75
miles from the arm, the met with a party of Indians, com-
posed of part of the Chilcoaten, Tatla, and Sitleece tribes,
among them being two of the murderers of Mr Wadding-
ton's party at Eute. M'Dougall's squaw,who was a daughter
of one of the Chilcoaten chiefs, here learnt from one of her
old tillicums that the Indians intended to rob and murder
the whole party, and at once informed the packers, who,
becoming alarmed, began to retrace their steps, when they
were attacked by the savages. Two of the number, M'Dou-
gall and Higgins, fell from their horses at the first fire, the
latter shot through the breast; M'Donald's horse was shot-
under him, on which he mounted another, which was also
shot down. He then took to the bush, and when last seen
was standing behind a tree shooting at the Indians with
his revolver. Barney Johnson was badly wounded in the
face and breast by heavy shot, and a ball passel through
his horse's head, killing the animal and tearing open the
rider's cheek. Malcolm M‘Leod was wounded with shot,
and his hand badly torn by a ball. Grant got a ball through
his arm and his side filled with shot. Frederick Harrison
was also considerably cut up. Farquharson was the only
one who escaped unhurt, although his horse was shot un-
der him. He escaped into the bush, where he was four days
wandering about without food, except berries, not daring to
return to the trail for fear of being. seen by the Indians. He
at last made his way ba3k to the head of the Arm. 111‘Dou-
gall's squaw was also shot by the Indians, and all the horses
and property carried off. Grant found his way to Mr Hamil-
ton's ranch, and burst in upon the family, his face and body
streaming with blood, telling them of the massacre. They
at once packed up a few valuables, and taking their arms
and ammunition, hastened down to the river and embarked
in a canoe. They had hardly got afloat when the blood•
thirsty villains appeared on the high bark above them.
They did not fire, however, being intent on plundering' the
house, and the little party fortunately made their escape
unhurt. The New Westminster Volunteers landed at Ben-
tinck-arm on Sunday, the 19th, and started at once after
the murderers. They were accompanied by 30 Bella Coola
Indians, who had been supplied with arms by Governor
Seymour. A force of Marines, probably 60 or 70 in number,
would be despatched by Admiral Kingcome, to follow the
Volunteers and render all the assistance in their power.
Governor Seymour started across for Fort Alexandria on
the following Monday.—Victoria (Vancouver) Colonist,
June 28.
EXTENSIVEEMBEZZLEMENT.—We regret to learn
that the cashkeeper in a large stockbroking concern
in Liverpool has absconded, leaving deficiencies in his ac •
counts to an amount variously estimated at from £lO,OOO to
£16,000. It is said that the books of the concern have been
falsified in the most dexterous maun balances being struck
fortnightly, and nothing left to create the slightest sushi.
cion in the minds of the principals. The absentee is a
single man, about 40 years of age, end it is said that his
extensive transactions on the turf have been the cause of
his ruin. As a proof of the reckless manner in which he
acted, it is said that for the St. Leger he had backed Scot-
tish Chief for £l,OOO, and the horse having been scratched,
he was a loser to the full amount. It is believed that the
defaulter has sailed for America under the assumed name
of Surith.—Liverpool Jlail.
PLYMOUTH, Sept. 1U a.m.—Last night the secolid
officer of the Spanish schooner Sirens,
Captain
Arranda, arrived here from Tor Point. Ile reports that the
schooner was of and from Tarragona, in ballast, hound for
Norway. Oa Monday night, between 10 and 11 o'clock,
she was run down and sunk by a steamship, tarno unknown.
Three of the crew got on board the sleamn*, The orher
escaped in the tong boat, landed in WhilCSand Bay, and
walked to Tor Point.