, 1892-09-10

Russians feel about Prince ferdinand as a rich
man feels about a beggar who sits at his gate
and defes him every time he goes out. The
more the rich man ia in the wrong, the greater
his rage and his determination to drive away
the beggar.
On Tuesday, Lieutenant Crichton- Browne
gave to the Geographical Section of the Bri-
tish Association q spirited account Of his
journey across the veldt in MatabelelaDd. His
description of an encounter with q party of
Matabele warriors might have been taken
straight out Of a novel by Mr.. Rider aggard.
While passing through a piece of fertile terri
tory, Lieutenant Critchton- Browne suddenly
heard yells and shouts, and, turning round,
saw fully a hundred natives rushing straight
at him. in a moment | was on my horse,
and then stood still as a rock. On they came,
with a free, swinging movement, and it
was a fine sight, even with all its peril. They
were stalwart fellows, tall. ebony savages,-
the finest specimens of African natives | have
yet seen,-and they displayed a sort Of fend-
lsh energy as they ran along, hullabalooing
at the top of their voices, and rattling their
assegais against their shields" Specially
fierce was an Induna with a black ring on his
head. On this mighty captain Lieutenant
Crichton- Browne fixed his eye and smiled.
when | first smiled on this Ring.kop Malta
belle, he was the picture of savage rage as
l went on smiling he Modified, and as | smil-
ed again and again be broke into hoarse
laugh. 1t was a hoSrso laugh, but | think
never heard a l|olller one, and Immediately |
followed up my advantage. Still smiling and
noddlng at him, | said in loud but conciliatory
tones. The compliments of the season to
you Mr.. Ring kop; | hope l see you very we'll
Though they did not understand it, this salu-
tatlon amused the Matabele, and they soon be-
came friendly, and conducted the white men
to their kraal,-not as prisoners. but as guests.
Lieutenant Crichton- Browne was evidently
greatly struck by the beauty and fertility Of
Matabeleland. AS long as Lobengula lives, he
thinks, there is no danger of war.
On Tuesday, the House Of Lords dismissed
the appeal of Lord Henry Bruce and others
who desired to prevent the sale Of the mansion
house Of Lord Ailesbury and the pleasure.
grounds-including Savernake Forest-''usu-
ally occupied in conjunction herewith" Lord
lveagh therefore becomes the possessor Of the
most beautiful piece of woodland-scenery in
the world, plus q ~rent-roll Of some &20, 900 a
year, for ESQ, 900, or only three times the
price OF the Althorp books, which are hardly
as good as oaks that can remember the
Romans and the Druids. The decision is as
sound in reason as in law, for had the sale been
forbidden and the estate passed, as it would
have done for Lord AileSbury's life, into the
hands of the money-lending creditors, it would
have meant something like ruin for the five
thousand people who live on the estate.
It has become known that the purchaser of
the Althorp Library is Mrs. Rylands. the
widow of the millionaire of that name who
died in 1879. and that she intends to present
it to Manchester. During the last two years
Mrs. Rylands has spent some &c, 600 in buy
ing books with a view to founding a great
library, and these added to the Althorp col