The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-23 00:00:00

DISCOVERY OF A HUMAN
SKELETON.

A discovery was made on Blackheath on Saturday
last, indicating the commission of some " deed of
darkness," which will probably, from the long time
that must have since elapsed, remain for ever buried
in oblivion. At about thirty yards from the high
road leading to Shooter's-hill, a labourer employed
upon some improvements making upon the heath by
the resident gentlemen, came upon some bones ; he
made the circumstance known to some persons near,
and, proceeding cautiously in his search, discovered
an entire skeleton. It was of the usual stature, indi-
cating a young person ; but all doubt on this head
was speedily removed by finding the hair perfect, of a
light gold colour, and of great length, and beautifully
plaited. At the back of the head was a deep distinct
fracture, of a circular form, though irregular ; the skull
being quite beaten in. These circumstances seem clearly
to indicate a murder, particularly as the remains
were at no greater depth than two feet under ground;
but the length of time since the deed was committed
must be considerable, as not the slightest remains
except the bones and hair could be discovered. Some
speculations might perhaps be indulged in as to the
date of the transaction, and the station in life of the
deceased, from considering the style of the hair, the
period of the introduction or disuse of haio-powder,
of which latter no trace could be found; also as to
the spot itself, which, at no very distant period, was
much more secluded than at present, and the ground
covered with furze; but whatever may be conjectured,
it is quite unlikely that anything certain will ever be
known. At the same time it seems but right that
the discovery, as a mere matter of fact, should be
placed upon record ; and it is probable that some fur-
ther examination will be made of the ground, to as-
certain whether any other remains are to be found.

OTTERS.—A few weeks ago, when Sir Juckes
Clifton's keeper was taking his nightly rounds in Clifton.
grove, accompanied by a large dog of the mastiff and bull
breed (which, from its ferocity, is always muzzled when
at liberty); the keeper was surprised by his faithful com-
panion giving a low growl, and starting off as if scenting
something to which it was unaccustomed ; in a few
minutes the crackling of dry sticks, and the loud rustling
of the leaves, told the keeper his dog was engaged in
contest ; he hastened to the scene of action, and found
his muzzled dog engaged with an otter ; the battle was
short, but severe ; in less than five minutes the otter lay
dead at the keeper's feet. The same night the dog fell
in with another otter in the grove, not far from the spot
where, according to the old legend, the " Fair Maid of
Clifton " was dragged down the steep ; during the fight,
both otter and dog rolled down the declivity into the
Trent, from whence the keeper dragged them both out,
the dog never having relinguished its hold ; the combat
was renewed with increased fierceness, but the
dog was again victorious ' • a minute or two was sufficient
for this high-bred animal to kill the enemy of the finny
tribe. Perhaps there is no animal whose sense of hear-
ing is more quick, or which is more careful in avoiding
the presence of man, than the otter, whom instinct ap-
pears to have taught to regard as its determined enemy;
and therefore, whenever a human being approaches the
haunts of the otter, the amphibious creature retires to its
watery apartments, and remains generally concealed for
hours. On the 3d inst., Mr. Robert Clifton, whilst en-
gaged in duck-shooting, saw one of these solitary animals
emerge stealthily from the. river, and on its reaching the
bank that young gentleman, with a surpassing quickness
and an unerring aim, poured the whole contents of his
piece into his body, and killed it on the spot. It proved
to be a fine specimen, weighing 251 b., and measuring
4 feet 1 inches from the nose to the tip of the tail ; its
condition proved the ravages it had committed among the
finny tribe. The otter was sent to Mr. R. Cutts, Carlton-
road, who is deservedly celebrated as an animal preserver,
to be stuffed, &T.—Nottingham Journal.
FATAL ACCIDENTS ON TIIE RIVER.—Last evening,
at seven o'clock, Mr. Baker held an inquest at the Spotted
Dog, High-street. Poplar, on the body of Thomas Wall, aged
16 years. It appeared by the evidence that deceased was as
apprentice on board the ship Wingrave, lying in the river off
Execution Dock, Wapping. On the evening of Wednesday,
the 20th of December last, deceased was returning to his
vessel, and had to cross a ballast lighter to get to a boat which
he imagined was lying alongside, when owing to the darkness
of the night, he missed his footing, and fell into the water. An
alarm was immediately raised, and one man succeeded in get-
ting hold of him by one of his fingers, but the tide running
very strong at the time deceased slipped from his grasp, and
immediately sank. His body was not found until yesterday
morning, when it was picked up off the Orchard-house, Black-
wall. At the commencement of the inquiry the Coroner had
charged the jury on view of a person unknown, and the in-
quisition of an unknown person found drowned was partially
signed, when a respectable young woman, named Sarah Wall,
residing at No. 102, Old-street, St. Luke's, entered the
inquest-room, and, addressing the Coroner, said she believed
the deceased to be her brother, and, if so, he had the mark of
a small anchor imprinted upon his right arm. That func-
tionary immediately requested the constable to accompany her
to view the body, and although the face of the deceased was so
disfigured that she was unable to identify it by that means, upon
being shown his arm she at once declared that deceased was
her brother. Verdict, " Accidental death."—Mr. Baker held
a second inquest at the same time and place on the body of a
man apparently about twenty-four years of age, who was found
floating off in the river Thames, on Saturday
last. Deceased had the appearance of being a sailor ; but iu
consequence of the length of time he had been in the water
his body was very much decomposed. S. M. were imprinted
upon his right wrist. The jury returned an open verdict of
" Found drowned."

—ALMON FISHERIES IN TEE NORTII.--4H the
salmon fishery in the river Eden, near Carlisle, since the tom-
mencement of the season, the takes of salmon have been very
scanty, not more than about a dozen fish having been takets,
and they only of inferior quality, which have been sold in the
market at3s. per pound. In the salmon fisheries in the Tweed
the unlawful practice of poaching has greatly decreased this
season, owing to the vigilance of the water keepers, who have
taken a large number of unlawful nets and brought the of-
fenders to justice. As yet fish are also very scarce in three
fisheries. The migration of sthreo te the northern coasts is
remarkably precarious, fur last season they were unusually
plentiful, and were sold as low as 4d. per pound, whereas the
present season is likely to be one of great scarcity, and come-
quently that noble fish will be sold at high prices.
A Corrsepondent, who states ghat a great number
of workmen have been induced to come over to
France from England in the expectation of obtaining
employment on the Rouen and Havre Railroad, requests
us to announce—in the hope of preventing a further
influx—that " iu consequence of some difficuitY in tge
Fro-
curing land, &c., the works on the said line
men
yet
" fortnightln g
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starving comepr oceVaedndwfittlhrtitloer,antyh
agtr
ae al
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therefor re
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fully employed,
Tucker, with means benevolently fur-
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itiriasehteodrsboyf
the railroad,
only,fthe
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food and other
means of support upwanls of 120 men, who have been
wandering about the streets of Rouen without bread, op
any prospect of employment for some time to come."--•
Galignani, •