The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-04-08 00:00:00

CHESTER SPRING MEETING, 1845

HANDICAP for the CHESHIRE STARES, of 25 Sovs. each 15 ft.,
and 5 only if declared on the 17th in, t
9 0 Milton
9 0 Dog Billy
8 8 Agriculture
5 8 8 Patriot
5 8 8 Croton Oil
aged 8 5 Intrepid 4 6 2
5 712 Coal Black Rose 4 6 2
5 711 Babylon
5 710 Ould Ireland 3 412
4 710 Fitzallen
5 7 5 Marrowmat 3 3 12
4 7 5 Secutor 3 4 7
4 Bretwalda 3 4 7
4 Sister to Devil-among-
the Tailors 3 4 4

The Era.

Faugh-a-ballagh.. 4
Trueboy..
Winesour
Aristides
Discord

Semiseria
Phi!ip
Extempore
Red Deer .
Cataract...
Godfrey ...
Portobe.lo.
What 5
The Best-of-Three 4 7 4
The Bashaw 5 6 13
Pride of Rildare 4 6 12

SHIPTON.—The Skipton Steeple Chase and the following
match came off on Friday the 28th March. In the match Mr.
Batty's Single PePper beat Mr. Thornber's Fanny Grey. Single
Peeper was ridden by the huntsman of the Craven harriers with
great judgment. He took the lead from the start, and came in
a long way first; Fanny Grey was ridden by Mr. Hogg, a cele-
brated steeple chase rider from the north ; Single Peeper after-
wards won the steeple chase, beating three others very easy.
Mr. Batty's Miss Queen won the mile race over the flat beating
three others.

FRUITS OF CHRISTIAN MISSIONS.—The Shilling
Magazine (March, 1845,) in a review of an American
" Narrative of an Exploring Expedition," quotes one
passage as " too faithful a tribute of the influence of the
savage race to be passed over." It is as follows :—" No-
thing could be more striking than the difference that pre-
vailed between the natives of Raraka and those of the
Disappointment Islands which we had just left. It ap-
peared as though we had issued out of darkness into light.
They showed a modest disposition, and gave us a hearty
welcome. We were not long at a loss to what to ascribe
it ; the missionary had been at work here, and his exer-
tions bad been based upon a sure foundation ; the savage
had been changed to a reasonable creature. Among the
inhabitants was a native missionary, who had been in-
strumental in this work. If the missionaries had effected
nothing else, they would deserve the thanks of all those
who roam over this wide expanse of ocean, and incur its
many unknown and hidden dangers. Here all ship-
wrecked mariners would be sure of kind treatment, and a
share in the few comforts these people possess. No sa-
vage mistrust or fear were seen here. The women and
children came about us, receiving our trifles. They
showed much joy and curiosity at the sight of us, and
were eager to supply our wants."

TOMBS OF THE KINGS OF THEBES.—The first thing we
visited was the Tombs of the Kings. Setting out at an
early hour, we proceeded across the plain towards the Li-
byan mountains ; where the sun's heat, already very
powerful, was felt to be oppressive, more particularly
when, having crossed the cultivated plain, we touched upon
the Desert, and entered those winding rocky defiles lead-
ing to the Biban el Melook. The transition was most
striking. The eye, which but a few minutes before had
reposed upon verdant plains, palm- woods, and the cool
blue waters of the Nile, now encountered a most desolate
scenery—blasted rocks, huge perpendicular cliffs, deep and
dismal ravines, the seat of eternal silence and barrenness,
the very " Valley of the Shadow of Death." In certain
conditions of mind, however, such places are not unpro-
ductive of delight. Nature, elsewhere robed and concealed
from sight by a thousand magical appearances, seems here
to stand before us, naked in all her majesty. Our ideas
wander beyond their usual sphere ; for the mind, seeming
to have pushed its researches into forbidden regions up to
the very threshold of eternity, feels as if about to solve the
mystery of life and death. Conscious of a firm hold upon
existence, our spirits buoyant with rol ust health, we en-
ter, as if assured of immortality, the pi rtals of the grave,
saying secretly to ourselves, " Death has, indeed, been at
work here; but over us he has no power !" Everything
around us is calm and motionless. No animals bound
along the earth, no trees wave in the wind, no streams, no
rivulets flow, reminding us, by their progression, of the
flux of time. The stainless purity of the atmosphere de-
fends us even from the passing shadow of a cloud. All is
stationary, fixed, immutable, as if prepared for eternal du-
ration ; sunshine and tranquillity brood over the land-
scape, and we participate in the calm of nature.—Library
of Travel.

SENT WRONG, BUT CAME RIGLIT.—A letter, mis-
sent as far as it possibly could be—(that is, to the anti-
podes !) reac,-ed its destination this week, w thout a
moment's delay ! The way was this :—A. letter was
posted at Nelson, in New Zealand, for Wellington, in the
same colony. The Nelson postmaster mis-sent it to tine
other side of the globe : in other words, to England. On
its arrival on Saturday last, it was, for some sufficient
reason (probably to ascertain if it were intended for Wel-
lington in Shropshire), opened in the general post-office,
and found to contain a letter for a lady in Gateshead,
which was to have been posted at Wellington. Now, ac-
cording to strict rule, this letter ought to have been re-
turned to New Zealand ; but the post-office authorities,
thinking the rule (in this instance) " more honoured in
the breach than in the observance," sent it direct to
Gateshead ; and it was delivered to our fair neighbour on
Monday ; so that, although mis-sent about 12,000 miles
it was not delayed a day.—Gateshead Observer.