The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1848-03-22


lRgII 90 1s4 s'ss
[; graphs, s4s will have the adv da ntapsI a
of Witnesstng tile return of ii larfs ind
beautiful GOMEZ, mentf tfoned By his isto,rifisf1s.
and chroniclefs Of! / 1904 and which was
observed in i I556 sby Fabriic:uis. ft Sis
known TINT i1 the month Of March, 1856
@ aingularly Brilliant comet was seen,
equal nnaagpitpde to q hal mppp. It's
tail was rather shortt, il Was. not inYariabies
in IL its lustre and its light, and bore grenti
resembhnre to The flame OF a candle asy-:
itated by the wind. II terrified the En-.
Peror Charles W, who, convinced that
the moment of his death ivas lpproac ching,
exclaimed, it is said, His ergo indiciis'
me mea fota yocant. q ain this brilliant
sign | read my approaching end. % This
panic contributed greatly, five cnn be.
lieye the historians of. the time, to the de-.
sign formed by Charles, and which he
( pitt into execution few months later, Of
abdicating in favor of his brother Ferdin-i
and. 3= q III
The famous HALEY, the friend Of New.
ton, determined the orbit Of this comet,
| which it has been proved was similar, To-
that followed by a beautiful comet which
appeared in 1864. From thence it has
been concluded that the comet Of 1866
was a return Of the comet Of 1854; that
this comet employed 292 years in accom-.
| plishing its revolution round the sun, and
thus it'must appear in 1s4s.. 1t no.s re.
mains to be seen whether. the comet will
conform to human provisions or deceive
them; whether the appearance Of identity
be delusion, or the expression of real
ity. At all events, it is fitting attention
should be excited to an event which, if il
be realized, would be ofvery great astro-
nomical importance.
London Mems.
Annoy, CH1NA.-Rev. H. A. Brown
writes, October 16, that the efforts ofthe
missionaries at their station, to instruct
the people in the truths of Christianity in
the chapel and elsewhere, had been Wig
orously prosecuted. 5;
He mentions an incident which shows
how the knolledge Of the Gospelais carri.,
ed to places which the missionaries them.
selves have never visited: his 4orning
we had o call from FIVE intelligent men,
visiters to the city from district perhaps
sixty miles distant. manifest an
intelligent interest in learning something
about us, especially in reference to books,
not only for themselves, but for their
neighbors. We gave them an assort-
ment, with some extra copies, as they de-
sired. From the sober character and intel.
| ligence of these men, we feel strong con-
fidence that the books will not be neglect
ed"
The Mountain Arabs, on the sides Of
Lebanon, though formerly regaded ms
among ii,oSss.ost unpromising subjects OF
Christian civilization, have recently shown
themselves capable of approaching the
efforts of American missionaries for their
spiritual and temporal good. The labors
of Rev. Mcssrs. Whiting, Smith and Cal.
houn, (brother of the Hon. Senator from
Massachusetts, with other associates,
have resulted in the conversion of many
of these "lshmealtes" to the Christian
faith. "Many fthem may now," (says
Mr.. Whiting in n letter to the American
Board "be seen going out among their
less-favored countrymen, with mule- loads
of Arabic books" real Christian Colpor-
teurs, circulating Bibles and religious
books among the millions speaking their
noble language, many of whom are al
ready prepared 10 read it intelligently.
From the ". o. Picayune Ertra, Nfarch 4.
A Week LatcrffOIn Mexico.
| Col. BIscoE's CONFLICT WITH GuERIL-
LAs.---The steamship New Orleans, Cap
tain Edward Auld, arrived at an early
hour this morning from Vera Cruz, hav-
ing sailed thence on the I'd inst
Our accounts by the ship France left
Lieut.. Col. Biscoe and small command
engaged with party Of guerrilas five
times their number. The issue was as
VIC anticipated; the guerrillas were dis
persed, but not without severe loss on our
part. The gallant Lieut.. Henderson
and twelve men were killed on our side,
and the Mexican loss is supposed TO have
been about the same. Col. Biscoe charged
the guerrillas three several times. His
teams are said to have stampeded, and we
regret to say that the colonel was compel
led to leave his killed and wounded be-.
hind and make his way to Cordova. His
| WAGONS or the greater nort oftbar,, yuara