The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-16 00:00:00

Phrenology.

TO THE EDITOR OE TIIE SUN.
SIR,—Judging from the statement of Dr. Dono-
van, published in your journal of the 10th inst.,
this science is likely to obtain fair play at last, after
having been unfairly treated by open enemies and
indiscreet friends.
As long ago as the year 1849 I was informed
by the late Dr. Conolly, consulting physician to the
Ilanwell Lunatic Asylum, who showed me the wards
and premises, that in the treatment of lunacy
the science was calculated to be useful ; and the
prior governor of the asylum joined in a memorial
to that effect in the year 1836, which was presented
to the then Government. Since that time numer-
ous medical men in various parts of the country
have confirmed these statements, and it is gratify-
ing to find that there is on the part of the officials
generally a desire to assist those who wish to further
the cause of cerebral physiology, thereby benefiting
the human race.
The case of the late criminal Jefferys showed the
sad consequences of an indulgence in intemperance,
and also the inutility of public executions as an
example to the multitude. Jefferys was a moral
lunatic, if not legally one, and as such he ought to
have been treated.—l am, &c.,
London, Oct. 13.

CIIR. COOKE.

The Fatal Rifle Accident in Mar Fores

The following from the Inverness Courier is sent
;o us as a more correct version of this sad event :

" On Friday, the sth inst., a fatal acci lent hap-
pened in Mar Forest, by which George Urquhart,
the head forester, was killed. It appears that in
the morning Mr. Powell, with Urquhart and another
forester, named Peter Macintyre, went out deer-
stalking on the face of Cairntoul, one of the highest
of the Grampian range, on the ridge overlooking
Glenglusechan. Mr. Powell, at 2 o'clock in the
afternoon, shot at and wounded a fine stag. Fear-
ing he might escape by the pass he sent Urquhart
with a rifle, round the head of the glen, and the
latter fired at the stag and again wounded him.
John Grant, another forester, joined him, and they
followed the stag, which was only able to go at a

slow pace for about a mile down into a very steep
burn, the sides of which rose precipitously for 200
or 300 feet. Being desirous to get the stag into
more open ground before he killed him, Urquhart
tried to drive him down the burn, pushing him with
the butt end of the rifle. The stag, in his struggles
kicked the locks of the rifle, which were downwards,
breaking the hammer of one lock off and striking the
other hammer on to the cap, breaking the catch of
the lock, and so exploded the rifle. The muzzle being
pointed towards Urquhart's chest, the bullet went
right through his side. The poor fellow stood for
" I am shot," fell back
a into moment,
thearms
then,
of
(want,xclaim i n
was with him in the
burn. Grant laid him down and did what he could
exclaiming,
who
to stop the bleeding ; but Urquhart himself said he
felt he was dying. Grant then ran to Glenglusechan
to get the assistance of Mr. Powell and Peter
Macintyre, who had in the meantime cone round
the head of the glen, and were waiting at the top of
the ridge, unable to find out where Urquhart and
Grant bad gone to. They immediately went to
where poor Urquhart lay, and Grant ran to the
Geldie shieling, one of the outlying lodges in Mar
Forest, about seven or eight miles distance, for fur-
ther assistance, and thence sent a messenger to
Braemar, about 16 miles distance from the Geldie,
for surgical assistance, and returned himself with
the only other man at the lodge, Donald Fraser,
taking with them a deer pony. In the meantime
Mr. Powell and Peter Macintyre had been doing all
they could to comfort and relieve poor Urquhart,
who when they first came to him was perfectly sen-
sible, and related how the accident happened,
but after they had been with him about an hour
he got much weaker, and died about half-past
five o'clock. The stag which he had followed
so keenly lay dead also in the burn within a
few feet of him. It was about 7 o'clock before Grant
and Fraser returned with the pony, and the
body of Urquhart had to be carried from the burn
to the top of the brae, and was then placed on the
pony. By this time it was quite dark, and a dense
mist came on. Mr. Powell and the three foresters
very soon lost their way. The wind was in the east
before darkness came on, and they hoped by keeping
their faces to the wind to get to the Davy burn, and
so on to the Geldie-lodge ; but after walking for
more than four hours they got into such broken and
mossy ground that it was impossible to proceed
further with the pony. It was perfectly dark, and
they laid the body on the heather, expecting they
would have to pass the night on the hill; but after
proceeding some distance further and getting on to
lower ground they saw a light, which proved to be a
fire outside the Geldie sheiling, about four miles
distant, and soon afterwards they met some of the
other foresters, who had come out in search of them
with a lantern. About two o'clock in the morning
they reached the shciling, where Dr. Marshall, of
Braemar, and Dr. Maclaren, of Allan -a-quoich,
were waiting. The body of Urquhart was taken
borne the following morning, and was to be buried
on Wednesday last. The deceased was universally
respected and liked by all who knew him. He was
a most brilliant deerstalker, prompt in determining
what course to adopt in following deer, and most
successful in getting up to them. He was altogether
as keen a sportsman as ever trod heather. The way
he met with his death was certainly most extraordi-
nary, for he may be said to have been shot by the
stag he was pursuing.

EXETER lIALL—The National Choral Society
will hold its first rehearsal this season to-morrow (Wed-
nesday). Conductor, lir. G. W. Alartin.