The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-06 00:00:00

TRAVELLERS IN 2.11 E INTERIOR OF

AFRICA.

Mr. Arthur C. Pelson and Mr. George H. Poison,
two gentlemen who left Cape Town about seven
months since to explore in the interior of Africa,
returned by the Prince Edward on Sunday. Since
they left they have been in company with Mr. T.
Baines, the Zambezi traveller, Mr. Chapman, Mr.
C. Bell, and indeed a number of other travellers.
Mr. Baines they left at Amral's Kraal, the chief
Namaqua of that part of the country. This is about
half-way to Lake Ngami. Mr. Baines was quite
well, and in great spirits, although he, as well as
the others, had great difficulties to contend with,
owing to serious losses in cattle from lung sickness.
He left Amral's Kraal about four months ago. Mr.
Chapman was ahead of Mr. Baines, but his cattle
were dying so fast from lung sickness that he had
resolved to wait at some watering-place between
Amral's and Lake Ngami until the arrival of his bro-
ther with fresh supplies of stock and provisions. His
provisions were nearly all used up when Mr. Poison
last saw him. Mr. C. Bell is with Mr. Chapman, on
on his way to join Mr. J. Chapman. Mr. Palgrave
is in Ovampoland, and has had some sport, but has not
been so successful in securing ivory as Mr. F. Green
has been. Mr. Green is said to have shot, with his
brother's help, four waggon loads of ivory. Mr.
Green a short time since met with a very sad acci.
dent, which was attended with disastrous results to
some of his party. The party consisted of Mr.
Frcnerick Green, two servants (Bonfield and Smith),
and a woman. While crossing a large river in a
boat the party were attacked by wounded sea cows.
The boat was immediately capsized and stove in,
and the entire party were thrown into the river,
which literally swarmed with crocodiles. The ser-
vants swam for shore, which one reached safely ;
the other (Bonfield) was eaten up by the alligators.
The boat floated keel upwards, and Mr. Green, who
succeeded in getting hold of the woman, endea-
voured to save her by getting on the bottom of the
boat. He had hardly reached it when he was
dragged under, the woman clinging round his neck.
Mr. Green never expected to rise again, but while
under water he felt the woman suddenly dragged
away from him, no doubt by one of the many croco-
diles surrounding them, and never saw her more.
Again floating, Mr. Green made for the shore, and
was at length rescued by some Damaras. Smith,
the servant who was saved, had a narrow escape;
and poor Bonfield was within a few yards of the
shore when he was seized and carried away. Mr.
Green searched the river for a whole week without
being able to find either of the bodies, so that there
is little doubt that they were eaten by alligators.
It was owing to no want of exertion upon the part
of this brave man to save the woman and his ser-
vants that they were lost. He risked his own life
on their account. He was in the water three hours,
swimming about, hoping to got hold of them. All
this time he had a tremendous belt of bullets round
his waist. One would think this man bore a charmed
life. Men get killed all round him, sometimes are
a prey to wild beasts, and at others are drowned or
swelled by alligators, while he swims in their midst
and escapes.—Cape Argus.

MARRIAGES OF AFFINITY BILL.—On Monday a
public meeting /vas held in Freemasons'-hall, Edinburgh,
for the purpose of petitioning Parliament against this bill,
which, for the first time for several years, it is proposed to
extend to Scotland, The chair was occupied by Bailie
Blackadder, acting chief magistrate, and the meeting was
addressed by the Rev. Professor Stevenson, Rev. D. F.
Sandford, Rev. Dr. Candlish, Professor Swinton, Sir John
M'Neill, G.C.8., Rev. Dr. Begg, &c., the speakers repre-
senting different denominations, Presbyterian and Episcopa-
lians. The resolutions represented that the will of God is
revealed in holy Scripture with sufficient authority and
clearness to prohibit the marriage of a man with the sister
of his deceased wife; that the contemplated change in the
law is at variance with the standard, and would be subver-
sive of the discipline of the Presbyterian churches, and it
is believed also of the other branches of the Christian church
in Scotland; that to sanction it by an act of the Legisla-
ture would be a violation of the settlement upon which the
Treaty of Union between England and Scotland proceeded
in a matter affecting the religion of the country, and that
the proposed change is viewed with the utmost alarm in its
bearing on the social relations of life and the peace of fami-
lies, and is repugnant to the moral feelings and convictions
of all classes of the community in Scotland. A general
movement against the bill is being made among the local
presbyteries in Scotland, Established and Dissenting, and
already numerous petitions have been sent up.