The Sun.
London, England, 1836-10-18 00:00:00

SCOTLAND.

On Thursday last Ben Nevis—the highest mountain in
Britain—was the scene of an accident of a very distressing
and melancholy nature. In the forenoon of that day, Mr.
Samuel Macdonell, a fine young man about twenty years
of age, son Captain A. Macdonell, Fort William, set off
for the summit of the mountain, accompanied by two young
gentlemen from the South, one of whom he had been ac-
quainted with in Glasgow. Mr. Macdonell having been
frequently on the hill, it was deemed unnecessary to engage
a guide, and accordingly the party left Fort William about
eleven o'clock, to task their pedestrian powers upon an ex-
cursion from which they promised themselves much enjoy-
ment—

" Youth at the prow, and pleasure at the helm."
They scaled the gigantic precipices with comparative ease,
and having satiated themselves with the magnificent pros-
pect from the summit, prepared to descend. They
had loitered away a considerable part of the after-
noon, and by the time they returned to the point
opposite the house of Glen Nevis, it was six o'clock,
and the evening was fast setting in upon them. At this
place the party had separated, one being in advance of
Mr. Macdonell, and the other a little behind him. The
grass was wet and slippery, and Mr. Macdonnell amused
himself by sliding down parts of the hill to outstrip his more
cautious companions. The latter remonstrated with
on the danger to which he exposed himself by such:, a prac-
tice, but lie persisted, till at length the unhappy youth lost
the power of stopping himself and his ;got coming in
contact with a stone, he was precip:
headlong down
a deep ravine. The gentlemaa in the rear hurried to
where he lay, and found linri weltering in blood and quite
insensible. He lifted him from the ground, and carried
him to a spot loss dangerous in appearance ; and then pro-
ceeded onwards in search of his companion, whom ha over-
, took at a short distance. He briefly described the melan-
choly accider4 that had occurred, and directed him to
return back to the place, while he himself made his wav
to Glen Nevis to procure assistance. About an hour elapsed
before he got there, but this being accomplished, not a mo-
ment was lost in obtaining torchligbts, and individuals
anxious and ready to render what aid was in their
power. Here, however, a most-painful cause of delay
took place : the young man not knowing the local bear-
ings of the hill, and being otherwise confused and shocked
with what he had witnessed, could not recollect the exact
spot where he left his companions—he wandered about in
quest of them, imagining every fresh turn or ascent would
lead them to the fatal place ; and thus four hours were
spent in the fruitless and heart-sickening search. At last
one of the men heard a faint cry, which the shepherds at
first thought was that of a lamb, but which proved to be
the moaning of the second of the party, who was lying ut-.
terly exhausted, and in danger of perishing from ealrl and
fatigue. He had also been unable to find the spot where
their unfortunate young friend lay, &Atte., ai the party car-
ried this gentleman to Glen tiuvis, where restoratives were
promptly administered, avkti ho again revived. A fresh party,
consisting of
Dv, ()tighten, Captain Macdonnell, and the
Rev. Mr, Clifford, now set out to join those already on the
bill, and after a long and anxious search of several hours,
they discovered the body of Mr. Macdonnell in the place
to which it had been carried by his companion, but every
trace of life had fled. There were several cuts on the
head, particularly one large wound on his left temple ; and
it was supposed that death must soon followed the fall,
the immediate cause being concussion of the brain. The
feelings of Mr. Macdonell's afflicted parents and friends, at
this sad and lamentable bereavement, it is impossible to
describe. The deceased was a young man of honourable
and gentlemanly feelings, and we% qu,4l a universal favourite
in the district, that his c1,r4:41‘ 4as spread a defy and gene-
ral gloom over tlio wit, c town and neighbourhood. Much
praise 'ts dAc to the two young gentlemen who wore with
Al
r,Macdonell on the hill, 411t1 whose endeavours, though
all in vain, to procure assistance, and succour their unfor-
tunate friend, put their own lives in considerable danger.
The kindness and attention of Mrs. Smith, Glen Nevis,
will also he gratefully remembered by those in whose me-
:nodes must long be graven the melancholy circumstances
of this disastrous day.—lnverness Courier Qf Wednesdey.

paid visits to the Earl of m -
The Right Hon. Sir Robert i"1"'
—air, after having
syjournincr fn. - P . ~. ankerville and Earl Grey, is
a4,Threin, Speaker Es
g--
... .ew days with his relative, Charles John
Gl
at Axwell Park, near Newcastle.
Lady have left ' of the House of Commons and his
Castle Howard, the seat of the Earl of Car-
lisle, for the purpose of visiting Lord Dundas, at Aske Hall.
Not only is the death Of Mrs. O'Connell hourly ex-
pected, but Mr. O'Connell's eldest son labours under a se-
vere, perhaps dangerous, malady. Daughters and grand-
children, too, are ill to such an extent, that Darrynane might
be likened to an hospital.—Dublin Correspondent of the
Chronicle.'