The Sun.
London, England, 1838-12-07 00:00:00

ANECDOTE OF A SEAL.

(From the Inverness Herald.)
About forty years ago a young seal was taken in Clew
Bay, and domesticated in the kitchen of a gentleman,
whose house was situated on the sea shore. It grew apace,
became familiar with the servants, and attached to the
house and family ; its habits were innocent and gentle ; it
played with the children, came at its master's call, and as
the old man described him to me, was " fond as a dog,
and playful as a kitten."
Daily the seal went out to fish, and, after providing for
his own wants, frequently brought in a salmon or turbot to
his master. His delight in summer was to bask in the
sun, and in winter to lie before the fire, or, if permitted,
creep into the large oven, whieh at that time formed the
regular appendage of an Irish kitchen.
For four years the seal had been thus domesticated,
when, unfortunately, a disease, called in this country the
crippawn,—a kind of paralytic affection of the limbs, which
generally ends fatally,—attacked 'some black cattle be-
longing to the master of the house ; some died, others be-
came infected, and the customary cure produced by chang-
ing them to drier pasture failed. A wise woman was con-
sulted, and the hag assured the credulous owner that the
mortality among his cows was occasioned by his retaining
an unclean beast about his habitation,—the harmless and
amusing seal. It must be made away with directly, or the
crippawn would continue, and her charms be unequal to
avert the malady. The superstitious wretch consented to
the hag's proposal ; and the seal was put on board a boat,
carried out beyond Clare Island, and there committed to
the deep, to manage for himself as he best could. The
boat returned, the family retired to rest, and the next
morning a servant awakened his master to tell him that
the seal was quietly sleepinc, in the oven. The poor ani-
mal over night came back to his beloved home, crept
through an open window, and took possession of his fa-
vourite resting-place.
Next morning another cow was reported to he unwell ;
and the seal must now be finally removed. A Galway
fishing-boat was leaving Westport on her return home, and
the master undertook to carry off the seal, and not put him
overboard until he had gone leagues beyond Innis Boffin.
It was done ; a day and 'night passed ; the servant was
raking the fire for the night ; something scratched gently
at the door—it was, of course the house-dog—she opened
it, and in came the seal! Wearied with his long and un-
usual voyage, he testified, by a peculiar cry expressive of
pleasure, his delight to find himself at home ; then stretch-
ing himself before the glowing embers of the hearth, he
fell into a deep sleep.
The master of the house was immediately apprised of
this unexpected and unwelcome visit. In the exigency,
the beldame was awakened and consulted ; she averred
that it was always unlucky to kill' a seal, but suggested
that the animal should be deprived of sight, and a third
time carried out to sea. To this horrid proposition the
besotted wretch who owned the house consented ; and the
affectionate and confiding creature was cruelly robbed of
sight on that hearth, for which he had resigned his native
element ! Next morning, writhing ;n agony, the mutilated
seal was embarked, taken outside Clare Island, and, for the
last time committed to the waves.

A week passed over, and things became worse instead of
better ; the cattle of the truculent wretch died fast, and the
infernal hag gave him the pleasurable tidings that her arts
were useless, and that the destructive visitation upon his
cattle exceeded her skill and cure.

On the eighth night after the seal had been devoted to
the Atlantic, it blew tremendously. In the pauses of the
storm a wailing noise at times was faintly heard at the door
The servants, who slept in the kitchen concluded that the
Banshee came to forewarn them of an approaching death,
and buried their heads in the bed-coverings. When
morning broke, the door was opened—and the seal was
there lying dead upon the threshold.—Wild Sports of the
West.

Dr. Butini, the eminent physician, died a few days
since in Geneva, at an advanced age.

On Tuesday an inquest was held at the debtors'
side of Horsemonger-lane Gaol, on the body of Sarah
Cay, a widow, aged 43 years. Verdict—" Natural death."
The deceased was committed for sixty days, under an
execution from the Court of Requests, for neglecting to
pay a debt and costs amounting to 2/. 13s.
On Saturday.forenoon a man named Charles Hill,
at Meanwood, near Rochdale, was at his work as usual
when he fell down and soon after died. He was never
married, and has worked for a number of years in Mr.
Gibson's dye house. He has for a long time been in the
habit of sleeping amongst the woollen pieces in the stove
house ; all the furniture he had consisted of two large
boxes which he had with him in the stove house : in one
of the boxes was found a new pair of blankets, a chine
box containing 144 half-crowns and one eighteenpenny
piece ; at the bottom of the box were 80 sovereings, each
wrapped in a separate paper, also one check of 501., one of
301., and one of 201., and a receipt for 251., which he had
lent a person. He never could earn more than from 10s.
to 12s. per week. He was interred at Rochdale Old
Church on Tuesday. He had one brother and a sister,
his property has been divided between them.—Bolton Free
Press.

Last week Thomas Cole, a lighterman, aged
thirty eight years, residing at No. 8, Brownlow-street, Step-
ney, returned home with his son, a boy of 10 years of
age, and both being in a state of intoxication his wife spoke
sharply to him. Cole sat down to smoke his pipe, and his
Rife continuing to abuse him for letting his child get in-
toxicated, he hurriedly left the kitchen and went into the
yard. The wife finding that he was stopping rather long
went after him, when she found him with his head im-
mersed in the water-butt, and quite dead.
THE ROYAL HUN T.—After making two ineffec-
tual attempts to hunt at Uxbridge last Monday and Tues-
day week, the Royal hounds were taken for the third time
on Wednesday, when the deer, which had been left at Mr.
Morton's farm, was turned out, and showed a most splen-
did run over a fine galloping country, as follows :—Leav-
ing Ickenharn on the right, he ran to Harefield Church,
thence to Park-wood and Pinner-common, passing Moor
Park away to Oxey, and then crossed the Birmingham Rail-
road, that abominable nuisance to hunting, which proved
a regular stopper, the bank being composed of clay and
of an immense height. This difficulty being surmounted,
put the nags and their riders into great anxiety to overtake
the hounds, which had kept on at a rattling pace over
St. Mary's-hill towards Alderham, but the deer (a young
one) heading back re-crossed the railway, and was taken
at Oxey Farm, near Watford, after a most satisfactory run
of one hour and forty minutes. It is proverbial that all
our pleasures are taxed—in this case the penalty was severe
indeed to all who had a great distance to return home ;
the hounds, for instance, had upwards of 23 miles to reach
their kennel, and in such weather that has seldom been
witnessed for many years.—Windsor Express.
An inquest was held on Wednesday at the Waterman's
Arms, Lambeth, on the body of William Grant, late a Go-
vernment messenger. It appeared from the evidence that
about ten days ago deceased was passing into St. James's
Park from the Duke of York's column when he slipped
upon the asphalte pavement recently laid down there, atiA
falling upon his face, some superficial wounds were infli.e,ted.
These were not considered dangerous at the time, but ery-
sipelas supervened and proved fatal. Verdict---." Acci-
dental Death."

A GREAT BLESSING !—Prance has three times
more ships of war afloat than England has! Russia is in
a still more formidable position—in fact, in a menacing one.
There is nothing to prevent either of these Powers from
entering the Thames, and, after a surfeit of plunder, laying
half of London in ashes ! Perhaps it would be the best
thing they could do for our future welfare. It would send
the bill-men, the usurers, the money johbers, the alley
hunters, the guinea sweaters, and an immense fraternity of
rascals, to their future destination, some years or so before
their time. That would be a great blessing. It would sink
the Three per Cents. from 94 to 72 in one day, and to any
price for twelve months after. In short, it would cause
such a convulsion as never was seen in the kingdont, shake
public credit to its foundations, suspend manufacturing in-
dustry, and stop the spinning mills ; and, indeed, might
overturn the monarchy, or change the dynasty.—Liverpool
Mail.

A man and his wife named Wyatt were on Wednes-
day charged at Lambeth-street Police-office with having
committed a robbery under extraordinary circumstances.
The
prosecutrix stated that she had sailed from New York
with the prisoners in a vessel which arrived in the London
Docks on Sunday. During the voyage the prisoners, whom
she had accidentally met at a boarding-house in New York,
had persuaded the other passengers that she (prosecutrix)
was a lunatic, and, under pretence of having her in care,
had robbed her of a gold watch and a variety of other
valuable articles. On landing they had pursued a similar
course, and it was only by accident that she had been able
to make her case known to the landlady of the house in
which they lodged, during the absence of the pr loners.
-
The prisoners were not found without
,con diffi
culty, and it was proved that they had ;;feared the baggage
of prosecutrix as well as their owl:: at the Custom House,
and that articles belonging tg 'tier were found in their boxes.
They said the Prct::ecuirix was decidedly insane, ana that
they had taken eare of her out of compassion. They
denied having robbed her, and said she had accused va-
rious persons in New York of a similar offence. They
were remanded.

An inquest was held on Wednesday in Green-street,
Bethnal-green, on the body of a man named Williams.
It appeared that the deceased had accidentally received a
wound upon the head of so trifling a character as scarcely to
be discernible, but which had brought on lock-jaw, of which
the patient died in great agony. Verdict—Accidental death.

THE MARKETS

COUNTRY CORN MARK" TS DURING THE

Wheat. Barley,! Oats. I Bea..s,

WEEK

i,ea 3e.

;-*. ;2

S. to 6

Per Quarter. s. to s. Is. s. a. to s. a. to s
Blandtord ................ 66 72 29 32 i 2 25 37 42
8rigg..........—...„...., 66 74 24 25 24 3) 42 41
Cambridge — 75 31 25 40
Chard 68 84 28 34 20 22 42 44
E1untingd0n„,,,,....... 56 70 34 38 24 29 38 4:2
Long Sutton...—. 58 78 16 20 30 34
Louth ...........—........ 58 68 26 32 20 24 35 42
yon 56 67 22 31 16 20 30 32
Newark ~................. 62 72 24 31 19 28 31 4:1
Nottingham ..—.... 64 79 28 31 19 28 35 42
Peterbormigh —. 59 72 35 42 22 29 38 43
Plymouth —........ 58 70 30 34 20 23
Pontetract—........ 67 43 27 43
Sleafonl ....... ~..... 65 70 36 38 22 28 41 43
Uppingham .......... 6.3 74 24 30 18 28 32 44
Wisbech ...........„,..... 63 '72 20 30 32
DEVIZES CORN MARKET.—Dec. r; d.
Per Sack. s d. a. d. Per Quarter. a. el. L 0
First Wheat 43 0 to 45 0 Barley 30 oto 299
0
Second '47 0 39 0 Oats 23 00
Third
38 2
1263 Sacki of Wheat sold/ Flour (per bag) 5B "6u 0
at the average of Bread (per ga11.)... 14 8
LEEDS CORN MARKET. —Dee. 4.
Wheat, Norfolk and stitlidk, 601 b.
York. and Lincoln. 601 b. 603. to 823. 3
Barley, Norfolk and Suilblk
Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
--- Grinding
Beans (Bib.
Oats, Potatoe 27s. to 283,
—Mealing, For. Ild. tol 1 l4rl • Eng. 123. to 13,1. per stoo,
Shelling 3O: to :335. per lea.'
Rapeseed, English, 30'. to 321 ... Foreign, 30. to 221. per las.•
LIVERPOOL CORN MARKET.—Dec. 4.
WHEAT, English, White, per 701 b.
-- Red
-- Scotch, Welch, and Manx .............. 11210;* 14 I
---; Irish, White lO 9 11 '
-- Red 9 0 11 0
Foreign
°yrs, English, Welsh, and Scotch, per 451 b 3 8 . ,
Irish
"'. n 0
Foreign
C96d togloa
BAXLEY, English, Malting, per Imp. quarter 42 0 49 00
Sate!) and Irish, per 6011 a.
Feeding 4 9 .' a
BEANS, English, per Imperial quarter 46 0 5,?, "0
Irish, &c.
Foreign
PEASE, Englisn, per Imperial quarter 4B 0 ill °0
Foreign
FLOUR, English, per 2301 h. os o 70 "0
lrish
OATMEAL, English and Irish, per 24nib, si, 0 37 P.
INI,IAN CORM, pc r 4401 b. -.. 3g 0 42 0
RYE, per Imperial quarter 96 0 10 0
MALT, per Imperial quarter
IMPORT OF GRAIN for the Weak ending Dec. 3.
Wheat. 1 Oats. I Barley Flour.
Qrs. Qrs. Qrs. IForeign, Brls.llrish,&c. gall °31.t:1311.:1.
26, ?26 12,2-23 5,706 4,920 1 3,788 11,75;

39 "'"'
38 4°

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