The Sun.
London, England, 1821-01-05 00:00:00

MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR.

A Dublin Paper contains a long letter, signed
James Ewen, dated Coolbeg, Gorey, Decem-
ber, 1820, from which we extract the following
particulars :
The writer states, that in the latter end of Au-
gust last, he, in company with a friend, was shoot-
ing grouse on the mountains in the county of
Down, when being in the vicinity of a savage and
desolate spot named Slieu Doule, or the Devil's

Mountain, they determined to view it. After a
scramble of three hours, they found themselves
in a small glen, encompassed on all sides by lofty
rocks : They discovered smoke rising- from one
corner of the glen, and, advancing, arrived at the
mouth of a small cave, in which they perceived
a human figure. The man turning suddenly
round, uttered an exclamation of terror, and sunk
down deprived of sense. After coming to him-
self, he evinced extreme agitation ; and said he
would place confidence in us, if we wouldsrornise
not to mention any circumstance relating to him

till'after his death. lie said he had lived in a
remote part of Ireland; that a certain circum-
stance, which must affect his life if he was disco-
vered, compelled him to abandon his house ; he
conceived that by prolonging his existence he
might expiate his crime by seclusion and peni-
tence ; he had wandered through the most se-
questered mountains in Ireland, for many
months, and at last happened on " his pre-
sent abode; he had not shaved his beard
from tale time he had left his home, and in
the character of a beggar had passed undetect-
ed. In his new habitation he had water at hand,
and a little portion of ground under culture; he
took the advantage of moon-light i•n going and
returning at night from the inhabited part of
the country, where he procared such things as
were absolutely necessary for his existence ; his
provision of meal he had in a number of small
bags. From his manner and language, he must
have ranked as a gentleman, and was unques-
tionably an Irishman ;' he had collected a quan-
tity of small silver preparatory to his pilgrimage,
which he had hid among the rocks. After re-
newing our promise of secresy, we took leave.

The writer continues to state, that being again
in that part of the country, he wished to learn
what situation the unfortunate man might be in
at this season. He left his horse at a cottage

in the mountain, and proceeded on 'foot to
the spot.—'• But, good heavens! what a hideous
spectacle! his remains lay on the floor, his shoes
on, the tattered fragments of his garments lying
about, which, with the flesh, had been torn almost
entirely from the bones, evidently by birds of prey.
I precipitately retreated, glad to escape from a
scene so awful, and rendered indescribably terrifi -
from the ghastly silence and horror of the sure
rounding scenery." The writer proceeds to say,,
that he has been indisposed ever since (about
eight days), but that he purposes bringing the co-
roner and assistance to inter the remains, and
make diligent search to find out some clue by
which this mysterious affair may be developed.—
The unfortunate man was about five' feet seven

inches, well proportioned, but extremely ema-
ciated and pale, and appeared to be about 50;
his hair had been light brown, and his eyes were
light grey ; the time when he left his residence
was not ascertained.

ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY:—It having been sug-
gested, that the Royel Dublin Society had taken.
no notice of his Majesty's gratuitous promise of pa-
tronage and protection, a motion was made,
and carried unanimously, to present a Loyal
Address at the extraordinary Meeting yester-
day. A Committee of five having retired, and
shortly returned with an Address of attachment
and thanks for his gracious condescension5 it was
adopted unanimously.—(Dublin Journal, Dec. 29.)

BILL-TAXING EXTRAORDINARY.—A solicitor
in the neighbourhood of Leeds, having offended
one of the select vestry of the township, they de-
termined to tax his bill for business done at the last
Leeds sessions. It was accordingly sent to town.
for that purpose, but was found so reasonable,
that the Master, instead of meeting the expecta-
tions of the inhabitants, made additions to the
bill, which exceeded the deductions by 10s. and
left the township to pay the expences, amounting
to nearly 101. more.
So indispensihle is a newspaper become in all
situations, and to all ranks of the people of Eng-
land, either afloat or ashore, above ground or in
mines below ground, that even the crews of the Po-
lar vessels could not dispense with this necessary
of life, when immured in utter gloom for 83 days,
and with the glass at 50 under zero. A News-
paper was actually composed, printed, and distri-
buted for the information of the people. Capt. SA-.
BINE was the Editor, while Captain PARRY
wrote and prepared Dramas, which were regu-,
larly performed for their amusement.
A remarkable circumstance lately occurred at
Paris :—The time for which 400 of the Royal
Regiment of Swiss Guards had enlisted having
expired, the General commanding them used all
his influence to induce them to re-enlist, but not
a single one would consent. _ _

Bihop 8.0 R,NET, whose absence of mind is well.
known, being one day in company with the
Duchess of MAar,Boaou-on after her husband's
disgrace, was comparing the General to BEM-
SARILTS. " But,"-said the Duchess eagerly, " how
came it that such a. man was so miserably and.
universally deserted ?" " Oh, Madam," exclaimed•
the absent Prelate," he had such .a brimstone of
a wife."

Tie High Sheriff of the County of Kent, Sir
Tlco3iis DYKE, has refused to call a Meeting of
the County for the purpose of addressing the

QUEEN.

An old veteran soldier, named JOHN BARRY,
is now liVing at ltathcor►nack, in the county of
Cork, who is in the 108th year of his age. He
distinguished himself in several severe actions in
the reign of GEOROE I 1., and in the early part
of that of his late MAJESTY, in one of which he
received a desperate wound which rendered him in-
capable of further service, and he was invalided
with a' pension of 9.0 guineas per annum, and up
to this period has received one thousand three
hundred and eighty guineas at the above yearly
rate, and is likely to increase it.
By the last accounts from the island of Ceylon,
a General Court Martial was sitting at Kandy, for
the trial of the Chief who was supposed to be con-
cerned in the attempt tocreate insurrection in the
colony, and on which occasion the mails going
across the island, from Colombo to Trincomalee
were intercepted, and the bearers-thereof killed.