The Sun.
London, England, 1836-06-29 00:00:00

" Quebec, May 22d, 1 '36-
" Sir—l regret that it has become my painful duty to' in-
rm you of the loss of the Zephyr. You would rect. ivy
Captain Keighley's letter of the 25th of November, informin q
you of our departure from Quebec. We fell in with a great'
deal of loose ice in the river. We, however, got safe down as
far as Cape Chat, when the wind veered round to the eastward,
with thick snow and sleet, which continued until Sunday even-
ing November 29th, when it again veered to the westward,
blowing a complete drift of wind, and the ship being quite un-
manageable from the quantity of ice accumulated about her, we
hove her to. While in the act of furling the foretop-sail, tire
maintop-sail sheet broke. We clued it up ; but after being
aloft above two hours we were obliged w leave it unfurled, one
man being severely frost-bit and the rest benumbed. In a
little time we made another attempt to furl it, and likewise the
foretop-sail, but, being unable to effect it, they eventually blew
away. After this we had two narrow escape s from getting-on
shore on the south side of the river, in the second of which we
were obliged to loose the foresail to make her veer, and in al
few minutes it blew to pieces. We now laid completely at the
mercy of the winds until Tuesday morning, December Ist,
when, in spite of all our endeavours, she drove on shore on the
Island of Anticosta, and, I am sorry to add, our lamented
captain was first amongst the list of sufferers. As soon as the
vessel struck she hove athwart and fell over on her beam-ends.
Nearly all hands bad got upon the vessel ia broad-side, when a.
heavy sea struck her abaft, carried away tize rough-tree, to
which the yang of the trysail was belayed, aod to which the
atab,ter was clinging for support, and precipiteted him over
board, He struggled for a short time, having ca.ught hold of
the whel, but theleavy sea which rolled in, and tile piercing
coldness of the weather, soon forced him to let go his hold,
and we had the heart-rending sight to endure of seei.ig him
perish before our eyes, and even upon the deck of the vessel,
without being able to render him the least assistance. We
expected every moment i•er share his fate, for we were now
obliged to take to the maintop, which, being under the vessel's
lee, afforded us a little shelter from the heavy seas that broke
over her. -We remained on the wreck until Wednesday morn-
ing, by which time we lost four more persons, who perished
through fatigue and the inclemency of the weather.. Two
more died before we reached a place of refuge—one is since
clesil—and three more have been so severely frozen as to be
unable to mare about all the winter, and are at present in the
hospital at Quebec."
The following is from a letter of Mr. Somercales, mate- of
of the Woodman
" Halifax, May 30, 1836.—0'1 November 26th, we en-
countered a heavy gale, attended wit 11. snow almost in a mass,
and frost, such as you have no idea of in the pleasant suburbs
of Hull ; the consequence was our ship was like an iceberg,
and ourselves like detached pieces moving ,sbout her; pump.
ing incessantly (a very good thing too to Itctep the blood in
circulation) ; but the water poured in too much for us ; not
only this, it poured upon us most pitilessly. Out- master got
his hand frost-bitten ; our cabin was nearly washed away ; but
what did I then care about my rags and pelf? Life itself
began to squeak. However, we escaped ; we bad better
weather for a day, and now commences the catastrophe.
On the 29th we had another hard gale ; it was a fair wind,
but were not able to steer her as we wanted, and being
thick snowy weather, No unfortunately could not see the land
until we were close down upon it--an ugly coast it was—New-
foundland—mountains, bla.'dc, rugged rocks ; but we knew
where and how we were situated, and we found, as our only
alternative, that we had room tt: drive the remainder of the
day and next night up the bay of Sf:- George. I shall not attempt
to describe the nhht. At daylights. we were vtearly at the far
end of the bay, and had some hopt's of.ent to keep out the gaining a harbour
there ; but the pumps having been ins.'n.Fl
water, the ship was now filling fast, ha vs'ng feet water
seven
in the hold, and she would not steer ; the
.encl of it was, we
missed the harbour, and drove ashore ; the. k.
'hock was terri-
ble ; we expected our old ship would tumble to pieces, or
we should be washed overboard, or frozen to death where we
were, any of which was bad enough. Moreon; the waves
!aged so about us that we saw no prospect of PAIN* to the
boats ; in the meantime the ship drove further into the land,
and at length stuck fast—for she had now filled vvt..la water.
We remained in this state two days and one night, but,. having
procured fire, were not frost-bitten. After this, we g-ot our
boats, and, glad to save our carcasses, left the ship; son.‘c took
nothing whatever with them, in their agitation ; I did not- take
much, I assure you. We landed safe after some dabbling, and
found inhabitants ( English settlers), who immediately conducted
us to their log-houses, and we were made as comfortable an
circumstances would admit of. In a few days we got off to our
old wreck again, and saved some provision, clothes, and other
necessaries ; but the residents of the place had been ou board,
and plundered the ship of whatever they could lay their bands
on, and even took away a considerable quantity of our provisions.
Here we built a hut, and passed a dreary winter; our provi-
sions were soon expended, and it was with great difficulty we
procured more; we had even to go upon the mountains and
chase wild deer. On the 19th May, our toaster procured r.
small schooner, and we left the scene of our disas:ers, and, after a
fine passage, arrived at this place (Halifax), May 25th, where I
remain your unhappy, yet fortunate. discontented, yet uncom-
plaining, and not altogether undutiful son."

THE LATE JAMES MILLS, ESQ.—The retuning
of the above lamented gentleman will be removed from his
late residence, Church-lane, High-street, Kensington, at one
o'clock this day, for interment in the burial-ground of Ken-
sington Old Church. The mournful cavalcade will consist Oa
hearse drawn by four horses, and three mourning coaches, each.;
drawn by four horses, followed by a number of carriages be-.
longing to the nobility, &c. Among the gentlemen who have
signified their intention of being present, are Lord Langdale,
Joseph Hume, Esq., M. P., George Grote, Esq., M. P.,..J01in
Black, Esq., C. L. D., Editor of the Morning Chronicle ; Al-
bany Fonblanque, Esq., Editor of the Athenri-unz; Josias die
Pre Ale.eander, Esq., of the India House ; William M'Cul-
loch, Esq., John Austin, Esq., N. W. Senior, Esq., Francis
Place, Esq., and Dr. Arnott. The venerable Vicar the Rev..
Archdeacon Pott, will read the funeral service.
POLITICS AND GALLANTRY.—During a con-
tested election at Stafford, when Sheridan was a candidate, the
Lady of Sir Ralph P— made great exertions to obtain
voters for him. On the morning of the last day's poll, when
her Ladyship's assistance was of the greatest importance, she
declined leaving the house, in. consequence of the death of her
monkey, unless Sheridan would give her an epitaph for him.
" You shall have it instantly," said he ; " what was your fa-
vourite's name?" " Jim," sobbed the afflicted fair one. Her
tears were, however, speedily dried, and succeeded by radiant
smiles, on hearing the ready wit exclaim, in a mock pathetic

" Alas, poor Jilt I
I'm sorry for him 1
I'd rntber by half
It had been SIR IZALru I"
Sheridan was at the head of the poll that eveni,v,

- SCHOOL TYRANTS.—When we were about ten
yea.-' of age (the very time when we love to iic liNe dormice,
and happy), lying in the most sweet sleep, oNivions of
„d,„tm and noun, cape and promontory, troy-weights, penny_
4ighe htg, :dates, and rod,—some big tyrant tore us from bed,
a
ts from beneath, to toss us in them. Neither
the
-f tears nor the flattery of fourpence (all we
d meeknesst hla,7-ike,
were worth) conch soften the ruffians. Up we went, and
thrice did the het and shoulders touch the ceiling, when,
just ,s we were desccoding into the blanket f)r the fourth
time, in came the schooilnaster,•cane in band, and down
came our sweetest infancy, upon the ha.-d floor. That
descent was not seen by the ruthless master. The tyrants
were active, and in bed in a moment. We were out, and the
cane twisting shout the bare and tender limes, without inter-
mission, inflict;og before-unknown torture. It was about
break of day, and. from that hour we connect risit:g at that
time with rising from the blanket and flagellation. —Black-

wood.
Mr. Cruickshank's case stili continues to agitate the
country in this quarter ; ant) from the evidence before us, it is
quite plain that the appointmeot will have to he cancelled, and
the people allowed to exercise their own discretion in the
cSoice of a pastor. Upwards of t. 70 hundred of the commu-
nicants, we are informed, have signed the veto, and, surely, in
the face of such strong demonstration in opposition to Mr.
' Cruickshank, the Crown will at once aside the presenta-
tion.—Aberdeen Herald.
EXTRAORDINARY ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE.--
Al.),..‘ut eleven o'clock on Saturday morning, a gontlettian who
is high7v connected entered the cigar divan of Mr. Romaine,
cut sti in a state of great excitement. fitting per-
sonally known to the proprietor, he was advised, as he op.
peared unwell,. to .'etirO to the garden that is fitted up in the
summer months for the' reoeption of visitors. He did so, and
having ordered some refr,.sh.mont, took a scat at the extremity
of the shrubbery. His agitafic.; was so great as to render hint
y the water to
nearly inarticulate, inarticulate, but this wasattn:
muted b
briation : and as he was seated where .e could bei no annoy_
attendants retired
into the
200. rt of a pistol
'ance to the visitors of the coffee-room, tn.'
and left him alone. In a few minutes the r,
was heard. On the proprietor of the divan runn'r'i
.before
garden, he found the unfortunate gentleman tren. glint vio-
lently, holding . a discharged pistol in his hand, an. 4 with a
paper, enclosing some mineral substance, on the table.
before him. He said he always carried pistols for his pers,lnal
security, and that the one in his hand had been discharged
accidentally. He was then asked what was in the paper, and
he replied they were " salts." The word " poison," how.'
ever, was written upon titt. paper, and on the contents being
taken to a chemist, they were r9nounced to be oxalic acid.
The bullet struck a tree behind a seat occupied by the gentle-
man, from which it is conjectured that he ::!kd pointed it at
himself, but from his extreme agitatioit had discrged it over
his shoulder. Under all the circumstances, Mr. R. dete7mined
on detaining him until his friends could be apprised of his
situation.
gb
tai lengthr
(u) rvi,s.tasi n
accordinglyto tears, aursl e
nmte ;ot iro. n e dN
et ha
relyntar,m
This he resisted, and demanded to be liberat.'d;
oehoofti:

before this relation was found, and then the unfortunate
geotleman Was conveyed away in a close carriage. He ap.
pearci in a dreadful state of nervous debility, conversed in.
coherently, and was frequently in tears. The only motive that
can be imagined for the rash attempt is the effect of some po-
-1:tioal ditTerenees with his relatives. Mr. R., of course,
searched the unfortunate gentleman, to ascertain if he had upon
his person any other means of destruction, and in so doing
saw his purse and pocket book, the state of which precludes
the possibility of distress having induced the rash attempt.