The Sun.
London, England, 1829-06-11 00:00:00

LORD BYRON'S FATHER.

(From a Correspondent in the Inverness Courier.)
Since the late Lord Byron distinguished him.
self by his writings, an interest attaches to his
name and family which may render the following
anecdote of one of his predecessors not unaccept-
able to the public. I give it in nearly the words
of the relater, George Hossack, a clear-headed
old fisherman, who had been a minute observer
of both men and things, and who, fifty years ago
was reckoned the strongest and most daring man
in this part of the country.
In July, 1773, Lord Byron's pleasure-yacht,
a vessel mounting 12 guns, well manned and
fitted out in the most elegant manner, cast an-
chor in the bay of Cromarty. She had lain
there for several days, having, according to re-
port, a dying lady on board, when my informant
rowed his skiff alongside, bringing two fine sal-
mon to dispose of. No sooner had his boat
touched the vessel, than a man who stood sentry
at the gangway seized a boat-hook to shove her
on, and struck the stern so forcibly as to split the
plank. The fisherman, vexed at the injury, laid
hold of the pole, wrenched it out of the fel-
low's grasp, and threatened to strike him down,
Some one aboard cried out, " Sink the rascal !"
The cry was echoed by others, and Hossack,
considering that the odds were sadly against him,
used the pole, not in carrying his threat into
execution, but in propelling his boat from the
side to under the stern of the yacht, where he
lay beyond reach. In a few seconds, however,
the captain, who, as he afterwards learned, was a
Mr. Douglas, a native of Orkney, called on him
to come alongside. He did so ;an apology was
tendered him for the injury done his boat, and
he quietly disposed of the fish.
Lord Byron, a good-looking man, but rather
shabbily dressed, was pacing the quarter-deck.
Two gentlemen, Sir Hector Munro, of Novar,
and Sir George Munro, of Poyntzfield, who had
come on board on purpose to see his Lordship,
their old acquaintance, as would appear, were
seated on chairs near the stern. The party
seemed an unsocial one. There was scarce any
conversation. Byron did not invite his visitors
to go below, but continued to pace the deck, re-
garding them from time to time with an expres-
sion of countenance singularly repulsive, while
the two gentlemen had the blank look of men
who, expecting a kind reception, are chilled
by one freezingly cold. In explanation of a
conduct so singular my informant was told by
one of the crew that his Lordship was unsettled
in mind, and had been so from the time he had
killed a gentleman in a duel ; but that his mad-
ness was not without method. He learned
afterwards, however, that prudence, not insanity,
dictated the measure of his courtesy on this cc-
casion ; for the cabin at the time was occupied
by three young women, who accompanied him
in all his voyages, and to an acquaintance with
whom he did not choose to introduce the visitors.
Hossack was likewise informed that the sick
lady, a Miss Moody, had expired that morning ;
that she had no connexion with his Lordship,
but was a relative or acquaintance of the Captain,
and a native of Orkney ; that she had gone to
Inverness for the benefit of her health ; and, that,
becoming worse, and no more eligible conveyance
presenting, she had taken the opportunity of re-
turning by Lord Byron's yacht. A Cromarty
woman, who went on board to dress the corpse,
described the cabin in which it lay as the finest
she had ever seen. The sides were panelled
with mirrors, and the belts between embossed
into finely-coloured wreaths of flowers. The
waist of the yacht was divided by a passage-,
lighted from above, and there were cabins on each
side finished in as rich a style as the one occu-
pied by the dead body.
"The strangest part of the narrative is yet to
come. After disposing of his fish Douglas gave
Hossack a dram of excellent gin, told him he
Would scarcely get any such ashore, and, with a
knowing inclination of the head, asked hint
whether he would not be for a few ankers
Lord Byron's a smuggling yacht ! thought
Hossack. He replied, however, in the affirma-
tive, and was brought to the peak of the resSel,
when he saw a great quantity of kegs strapped
and loaded, that bound together b) pairs, and
having weights. attached to them to facilitate
their sinking, in case of their being thrown over-
board. He closed a bargain for forty, left the
vessel, and returned for his purchase at niitit 4rht .
After stowing it in his boat he was brought be~
low by Douglas, and saw his Lordship and "(-he
three women already mentioned. The latter
were young and good-looking, but, from the
freedom of their manners, apparently rai characters
worse than doubtful. His Lord.,;hip said scarce
,
anything. He appeared to 'oe a dark reserved
man, of singular habit;: and unsettled mind,
deepen the shades of
seemed of that sort which,
the
After paying Donglas far
nHaitsurianlsancihtyr,s,a7tewr.eve:4.)
sifinaiagn't was presented with a bag
itnhset of
my c
excellent coffee. A few weeks afterwards the
yacht left the, place. Hossack, on his going to
the Caithness fishery, which he did. a fOrtnight
from this time, saw her riding at anchor in
Sinclair's Bay, and heard from some of the
country people, that she had lately unladen a
cargo of smuggled goods.

IT.‘7S/AF,ASE OF ATTORNEYS.-+-Tlle folloiVing
.statenient will show the progressirp,
increase of Attorneys
ac the under-meWieneil places ':iring the last ten years:-
y
Isis. 1822. 182:1.
At I.3.k`igtol ..
Liverrel •
95 121 153
...
&11cl...ester 92 113 153
-
• Norwiel, ..
York

All the counties of Ireland are now engaged
in the registry of freeholds, and were a judgment formed
from what may be observed in this our southern district,
we should calculate with every degree of confidence that
not even one-third (and we concede a liberal moiety) of
those who served notice of registry, will succec:l in their
view of becoming freeholders. We count on the data
already exhibited in the counties of Limerick, Clare, and
Cork,—no mean criterion, either, in a province where the
forty-shilling freehold interest has been so eminently
powerful. It may be very fairly presumed that hence-
forward the 501 and 20/. electors will be fully equiveent
to meet the'lo/. freeholders in the political area I,- con-
flicting parties will be more nearly balanced, and lark
propel ty, and intelligence will have a proportionately ju t
influence in the struggle of contested elections,—Limeriek
Chronicle.