Litchfield enquirer., 1845-08-07
WILLIS AND VICTORIA.

WILLIS is ini.ondOn writing letters home for the | New York Evening Mirror, with which he is con- l nected. He visited the Opera, paying EIGHT DO1.- LARS for admttance, and thus writes in regard to the presence ofthe Queen:
 No one is admitted to the London Opera except | in full dress, but took my cloak on my arm, fear ul of the draught of cold air which comes over the warm pit when the curtain is lifted. The door keeper stopped me. "You cannot wear your cloak in, sir "-''But am sick man and require it:"- "Against the rule, sr!"-"H is very hard that one who las a stall to himself, and no one to incom- mode, should not be allowed to keep himself from taking cold!"-" Can't be done, sr!" So saying he took off my cloak and charged me shilling for taking care oft Some nice things about England
 As the curtain fell after the first act the men in in the stalls all rose to staiten themselves and take stare over the house; and for the first time 1t cured to me to inquire if the Queen were present. ssYou are looking straight at her majesty, said my neighbor; she is talking to one of the ladies her bedchamber, and Prince Albert is in the back of the box, talking to the King of Belgium" The box was looking into was directly at the end of the stage lights. and of course very near me. had seen the Queen come in without recognizing her, though had studied her face at Court when was presented to William W, some years ago, and of course portraits of her every day Sf looked far younger and prettier than any picture know ofher, and her manner to her maids of honor, and their
 
 greeabie private party. There was no mark to dis tinguish the box she occupied, and the fact is that had insensibly looked more at the Queen than at any body else, thinking her remarkably pretty girl, and feeling more curiosity to know who she was than who were in the other boxes! trust the royal atmosphere forgave my protane admiration.
 Third Exploring Tour to the PaeJic.-The expedition to the Rocky Mountains under com mand of Capt. J. c. Fremont. of the United States Army, being the third exploring tour of that off cer, left Westport on the 26th inst. Capt. Ere mont is assisted by two junior officers of the Topo graphical corps, and employs eighty men. The design of this expedition is to complete the sur | veys of the plains and mountains intervening be- tween the Western boundary and the Pacific, here- toiore partially accomplished by the Exploring Squadron, and the two former expeditions of Capt. Fremont As far as we can learn, this party will proceed to survey the Arkansas rlver to it's source, after completing which, the party will be divided. One division will then return by way of the head of the Rio Del Norte, through the country of the Camanche Indians, on the sources of Red River, and by the lower waters of the Arkansas. The main division under Capt. Fremont, will cross the Colorado, complete the survey of the great Salt Lake, and penetrate by the waters of St. Mary's | river, (which flows westwardly through Upper California, in the vicinity of the 42d degree par allel of latitude, and is lost in lake at the east ern base of the California mountans.) It is be-
 
 days journey above its mouth, the head of the Sacrimento may be reached in two days travel.-- | The Sacrimento penetrates tke main chain of the California mountains, and forms practicable pass direct to the Bay of San Francisco. This is al- ready known. It is also known that practicable route exists from the head of the Sacrimento, in northerly direction, by the heads Of the Klarnet, Chuttes and Willamette rivers on the Columbia The route then by which Capt. Fremont proposes to penetrate to the Pacific. Is the shortest and most direct from the Lower Missouri. Of this, the portion from the head of the Arkansas to the l head of the Sacrimento-about $50 miles in dis tance-s as yet unexplored by the white man, and generally designated the great California des- crt' None of it's waters, excepting the Colorado, reach the ocean they are absorbed, or disappear by evaporation. ag @s
 After passing the winter among the American settlements of Upper California, the exploring party will, if the country be found practicable, pass round hy the lower route from California, crossing the Colorado below the great " Kennion," and return to the Arkansas by the waters of the Gila and St. Juan, large tributaries of the lower Colorado, which have their sources west of the mountains of New Mexico. This sketch contem- plates route of five or six thousand miles. It will probably eventuate in the discovery of a new and straight road to both Oregon and California, passing for the most part through own territo. ry, diminishing the distance some three or four hundred miles, and the time two months. The
 
 it's geography, at present blank, somewhat un- dersood. The importance of these contemplated explorations is very great-every confidence is re- posed in the energy and ability of the command ing officer. We shall hope for their success. and look anxiously for their safe return towards the close of the year 1s46 . Western. (Jsfo) Erpos.
 [Lieut Peck is connected with this expedition. His friends have received two letters from him, since the party left St. Louis.-Enql mr,,a .Ma,riage in FTdnce.--In France. marriages, for the most part, take place more from. interest or to use the French expression c0nvesaGnce, than affection. M. So-and-so tells his friend, M Such-a- one, that he wants to marry his son, and Such-a- one offers his daughter the two old gentlemen then talk over the fortune they give, and, fl they agree on that momentous point. the young people are presented to each other. and shortly af ter married. There are. of course, exceptions, but that is the general way of proceeding. A young French girl has no more idea of choosing her own husband than she has of fying-nay there is not one in five thousand, who ventures to hint that she would prefer another to the indiyid- ual chosen by her parents for her hand. Much un. happiness and immortality are the results of this system, but, upon the whole, it works better than one would expect. Another objectionable thing in the French system of marrying, is, that olG men of sixty and seventy, often wed young girls Of sixteen and seventeen. Indeed, Ftencbmen, for the most part, don't dream of marrying tntil they have attained the age of between thirty-6ye and forty l have been led into these observations by an advertisement m newspaper, in which Q young man. aged g. six feet high, and reu.arka ply handsome,' modestly expresses his desire tc espouse any lady of high rank, maid or widow possessing a good fortune.' Advertisements fol wives are quite matter of course here. and many