The Sun.
London, England, 1839-09-27 00:00:00

THE HARVEST.

Our latest letters and papers add but little to the
intelligence on this subject which has been before com-
municated through our columns. The reports from
some districts are much less disastrous than those re-
ceived from other parts of the country, but all the ac-
counts are more or less gloomy. Hertfordshire, Essex,
and the home counties appear to have suffered least.
In Sussex, as elsewhere, the weather still continues un-
favourable ; the Brighton Gazette of yesterday says—
After a fortnight of almost uninterrupted rain, there
was on Monday a show of change, and for a few hours
on that day the weather was bright and pleasant ; but
on Tuesday the rain again commenced falling. The
effect of these continued rains has been to bring out the
floods on the lowlands and levels adjacent to the rivers
in many parts of the country, which are inundated to a
great extent. During the gales of last week, several
large trees on the road to London, at Southover, and in
Lord Gage's park at West Firle, were blown down ; and
considerable damage was also done to the ricks and
stacks, and to the chimney-pots in various localities.

The Worcestershire Chronicle states that the barley
crops have suffered most materially from the conti-
nued rains, and we fear little barley has been housed
in good condition. The wheat, though it has not es-
caped serious injury, has not suffered to the same
extent, and a little fine and dry weather will help in
some sort to repair the mischief. All the crops, in-
deed, have suffered more or less from the late protracted
season of wet, and should not this visitation speedily
be averted, the consequences that must ensue during
the approaching winter, are frightful to contemplate.
From Ireland the reports are of a mixed character—
the bad preponderating.

A WHALE CAPTURED ON THE LIVERPOOL
BANKS.—Tuesday last the attention of some fishermen at
Hoylake was attracted by the struggles of a large fish
left by the receding tide on East Hoyle Bank ; they suc-
ceeded in capturing it, towed it to Monk's Ferry, Wood-
side, where it was exhibited until Friday night, when,
from exposure to wind and rain, its enormous carcase be-
came too offensive to be approached. From examination,
the whale is strongly supposed to be the rare species, Hy-
peroodon Honfloriensis, figured in vol. vi., plate xiii. of
the Naturalist's Library. Is length is 24 feet ; its girth
round the centre of the body, 13 feet. It has hitherto
been doubted whether this species possesses teeth in either
jaw ; the specimen now alluded to appears to have a hard
surface along the sides and roof of the mouth; but no teeth
could be discovered, nor any appearance of the tubercu-
eulous teeth, which arc sometimes mentioned as a peculiar
characteristic of the genus. The situation and size of
the fins, together with the striking prominence of the
forehead, seem, however, decidedly to fix it as a specimen
of the above whale. It is quite smooth in the skin, and so
exceedingly fat, that it is said it will yield above two tons
of oil.—Liverpool Albion.
A DEAD SHOT.—Sheriff Taylor is determined
to have a shot, if possible, at Alderman Perrin, who has
been arrested by Sheriff Grant. It is supposed that the
belligerents have crossed the Channel to fight in Wales.
Mr. Champion, the sub sheriff, acted very laudably in en-
deavouring to prevent a duel. As the law stands it is
perfectly possible that one Sheriff may have to perform the
unpleasant task of hanging the other. A contradiction
amounting to " You lie," was the cause of quarrel
Dublin Paper.
ROB ROY'S VIOLIN.—A gentleman in the
neighbourhood of Kinross has an old violin, which, there is
reason to believe once belonged to the far-famed Rob Roy.
It was long in the possession of a Highland gentleman of
Perthshire, well known in his day for his musical talents,
and for his collection of musical instruments On the
inside is written, " Robert Roy Macgregor, 1660," which
corresponds with the youthful period of this celebrated cha-
racter.— Caledonian Mercury.
FREQUENCY OF SUDDEN DEATHS.—IO the
course of an inquest held on Wednesday before Mr. Wakley,
M. P., on the body of a child aged five months, in which
it was proved that the deceased was put to bed well on
Sunday night and found dead in the morning, and in
which a verdict of " Natural Death" was recorded, Mr.
Wakley, observing the parents of the deceased much
affected, said it was not to be inferred because that
inquiry was instituted that any imputation was
sought to be thrown on them, but it was the law of the
land that an inquest should be held upon all persons dying
suddenly, let their eireumstaii, es be what they might. If
it was supposed for a moment that he causes inquests to be
held with a view of attaching suspicion or blame to any
party be would not on any account hold the situation of Co-
roner forty-eight hours longer. A finer child than the de-
ceased he never saw. and its loss no doubt was a very
grievous one; but still its death was perfectly natural.
Sudden deaths were of very frequent occurrence. He had
already since Sunday held inquests on eight persons who
had died suddenly, and whore deaths were strictly natural.
SWALLOWING MONEY.—A voung man, named
Sweetman, a native of Pulborough, hung himself in the
gaol, at Petworth, last week. He bad been committed
for robbing a man at the White Hart public-house, at
Stopliam.bridge, of 21. and a handkerchief. The hand-
kerchief was found on him, but no money, and as he was
not permitted to leave the room till he was searched, it was
conjectured he must have swallowed it, which has proved
to be correct, as, on a post mortem examination taking
place, a sovereign and two half sovereigns were found in
the body.

DREADFUL ACCIDENT.—A poor orphan bov
of the age of ten years, named Williams, was playing with
a cannon, which when loaded he imprudently held upright,
and in that situation applied a red hot iron to the touch-
hole, the piece exploded, and the poor fellow's eyes were
so much injured that his sight is irrecoverably lost.—
Cheltenham Examiner.

FATAL STEAM •BOAT ACCIDENT.—On Wed-
nesday an inquest was held before Mr. Cantu. Coroner for
Surrey, and a highly respt!otablc. Jury, at the Albion public-
house, Albion-street, Rotherhithe, on view of the body of
Henry Geo. Hall, the:master of an oyster-smack belonging to
Queenborough, who was drowned on the 14th inst. by the
wherry he was in being swamped by the Naiad Woolwich
steamer. It was given in evidence that the steamer was
going at the rate of nine miles an hour when the boat was
swamped, and by Act of Parliament steamers are con-
fined to either five or six miles an hour. The Jury, after
about half an hour's deliberation, returned a verdict of
" Accidental Death," with a deodand of 201. on the steam-
boat.

THE ADVANTAGES OF OFFICE.

The following letter might have been written by a
young man in Arkansas to his mother in New Hamp-
shire, and might not. We do not endorse it. It
seems that the young Yankee had lately received the
appointment of Postmaster in that State, and that he
presumes a good deal upon the strength of it.--New
Orleans Picayune.

" Wildeatsville, Rattlesnake Co., Ark.
" Dear Alarm,—You haint the least idea in the
world how I'm a gitting along here in this Rackansack
county. They've lately pointed me postmaster in
this town, and I'm expecting to get the office
of justice of the peace afore loom. I've had
three cases left out to me already. One on 'em was
where a feller had gouged out another chap's left eye,
and neither on 'em was sartin shure whether he was at
the top or bottom when the thing was done. I knew
all about it just as easy, 'cause I was watching all the
time, so I decided the case accordin. This is a
great country ! Why, marm, the corn here crews as
high as witch hazels, or cherry trees, and cotton and
other fruits heats all calculation. I'm makin' my eternal
fertin here just as fast as I can. I can do anything a
little smarter than any of 'em, 'cepting play-
ing cards, but I du think they rather go ahead of
me, playing lu and poker, 'cause they almost always win
my money. You know them shirts you said you'd
male for me and didn't know how to forrid them ; you
can send 'em by mail now, as I don't have any postage
to pay in consequence of the virtue of my office. If
the weter-melons are ripe, I wish you would send on tu
or three ; also them tu pair of nankeen trousers I hadn't
room for in my trunk when I stated. You'll find a
button off one pair unless you've sowed it on since
I left, and while you are about it, you might as
well let out that gather in the bottom of 'em—l expect
I've growed a little since I left hum. Send 'cm all
by mail—they won't cost me the first red cent. I've now
been here nearly nine months, and my health has been
the bilious fever twic't, the congestive fever onc't, the
fever and ager occasionally, and the dumb ager all the
time. Alarm, I wish you give my luv to Eunice Homes,
and ask her if she recollects that time we went toHepsey
Stearns within. I wish Eunice was out here now. If
you see Zack Stearns tell him he may keep that knife
I cum away and forgot, as one blade was broke out, and
it aint of no great account. I feel as though I had a
shake a comin on, so I must stop writin. Don't forgit
the shirts and trousers. Your luvin sun,

" EBEN PETTINGHILL.

I would
" N. B. Apples is scarce out here.
ask you to send on a barrel by post, only I'm afraid
they'll lumber up the mail. You can seni a peck any
how."