THE CRUISE OF THE WAIRARAPA.

[By Our Special Co_iu*.s.onden't.]

General Couolusions-Tho Issues Between tho Settlors- and Government.

(Continued from "Star" of June 20J Levuka, Juno 12. It will bo convenient hero to set down my general impressions of the issues between the settlers and the Government. With many opportunities of talking to Fijian settlers who visit the neighbouring colonies> supplemented by some glimpses as I was able to get of the condition of the popula tion here, added to an intimate knowledge of the difficulties of governing an aboriginal race in oontact with civilisation in New Zealand, my observations aro based on a wider experience than the Wairarapa's cruise would afford. They are, besides, free from the bias of association—to neither planter nor Goxernment officer do I owe the valuo of one cup of cold water. The notes of my interview with tho Hon. Mr Thurston give a very fair outline of the feeling of political discontent with the Government that porvades the islands, and which is dinned into one's ears at every street corner in Suva and Levuka; which has made its noise heard across the Pacific to the shores of New Zealand and New South Wales in prayers for annexation. The questions come—ls the constitution of the Govern ment as " a Crown colony of a severe type" wholly responsible ? Might it bo remedied ? Would annexation to one of the neighbouring colonies, if practicable, be the right remedy? Now is it perceptible enough, on the most cursory examination, that the system of a Crown colony exaggerates tho objectionable prominences, inseparable from, all official isms, and which under the most favoured democracy are o never-foiling souroe of popular complaint. One or two examples of this will suffice. They commence in Fiji, at tho very top of tlje service—tho Governor of tho colony is permitted to introduce whatever articles he requires for his own consumption duty free. This old feudal privilege, which would never be tolerated under any representative system, because of its obvious injustioe to the general population, its openness to specula on, jobbery, and special privelego to the little coterie around the Governor, is one sample of the results that flow from a personal rule, where individuals have the opportunity of making laws specially favour able to themselves. The big fish having his dais privilege, tho little fish in the offioial feeding ponds enriches and fortifies bis own little grotto. Some officials in Fiji are exempted from paying certain kinds of taxation levied on the general popula tion, some lay claim to house-allowances, and so the game goes on—Opportunity flaying the part of Master of Ceremonies, atronago is abused, and where the natives are under bo strict a paternal Government, that is very considerable. Tbe Government give large orders to local tradesmen with out tenders ; this would never be tolerated in a colony with a representative constitu tion. I have no deubt there are officers Cn\ the Fijian Government service, as there are honourable and high-minded •men in every department of Govern ment under the British Crown, whose iioul» abhor these little meannesses And wrongs, and who would like to see Ahem abolished; who are, in fact, victims at the system they administer. As for the gentlemen composing General dcs Voeux's Legislative Council, the only two members of it wbom I have met impressed mo favour ably in the very highest degree. The Hon. John B. Thurston, C.M.G., Administrater ing the Government, and who has been the chief acting force in the colony from the be ginning, is one of the most favourable types of those active, enlightened, far-seeing Englishmen who have been born of our race {_ every period of history, and whose rest less enterprise has built up the Anglo-Saxon Empire. Men of his stamp are^the pre dominating mindsand real rulers in all the Australasian colonies. > There is nothing of officialism about him; from an education eon _)isting in wide experience of the world wo get practical results; and half-an-hour.s conversation with him assures anyone who has a knowledge of colonial politicians that Mr Thurston would hold his own in the political life* of any colony. It modifies one's views of the "ser/.re type" con siderably to find such ft. man its Administrator; we may be sure that the rule will not bo one of unlimited red tape. The Acting Colonial Secretary, the Hon. W. McGregor, M.D., C.M.G., further improves the impression. rln the course of something like six teen years of journalistic life, I have, It need scarcely be said, met mony public officers. Dr. McGregor is an excellent ..penmen of the best of them-evidently an ieSueated, genial, liberal-minded gentleman -a different kind of man altogether from Mr Thurston, differently trained, not so free itrom red tape, with more respepti for the traditions' U ■# cc .and ?® cial- t ? sT_ essentially Gwsopyative, but with too broad a mind, a&d feo strongly imbued Sitb the instincts of a gentleman to tolerate _nv_htnf_ like pettiness. I ps-snot tomk mm administratively can be of the Merest *£» whilst these men have any S direction to its public service. Oi! the tithef officers I cannot speak personally, _mol these notef must be read as-purely rarsonal impressions. Tho administration S> in tho highest Conrth presided over by an English judge; the present .-.Ms.cc is Sir Henry - Wrensf ordsley, J. -«rfy of Western Australia, and the forl _ _ ' -» Of the Judicial Bench of England traditß «_. established fey one to doubt are too fa. /^ jgpensed without partiality that the law _f. ftJ __ w _thout error, or corruption,. jjjjj ex ist in the The imperfec.. ..^ as are insepar- Fijian Government, system, able from the non-re* ~jKZ_iM by intro and the mode of correcting wg» jfc. I dis ducing the »f*^**Jt:r*SS opinion sent in toto from Mr .hurs. fe rg nff 0 f .hat this would not improve g^gflS irritation among Pmm&Sifi ttKSSfS E^tor«t th P Contact with savage !S?i£3r«perfect a contempt for StSweareV taiej* they>ve tf nd, as is *»» n ] nn :_i Sugar Company's UTZ± n£ is Z ot tie best/work r'i 1 Sirs a day, with only two one-hour twelve hours fW'jL £_ \ n the temper ate 4^f£___f_% factory proprietor vernment of England any iac y f £ f » Crthl dying in that year, largely ; (one-fourtli) ay B food and through the want °g I t _ CaU .V°TtL superv'iou oyer native labour agt^teoseve P re While we were at F is _n 0 ..£ mechanics employed at the mill the white raectmn a £ att tto mak6 -were on ma a day. I must say, \ h6mr e thTi^thstanding the outcry therefore, that,w <* Government, the of the planter again^pn settlers would be > >^ Parliament better ai the h 4 ?"„ „„ would any colony »nder anno, ation. jn°v wo w ca ro much te-Wteg^Si for them. | me ss of proTjdH.^S?st government;' X Crown^#S of the severity; for Fiji, but with so vmfi colonißt | of the type iela»**"£*% fto n-o_icial **8 rfg .Vlfoi°thf Legislate Council, j repr6Se^ted by the Governor, His Ex-, noW nommated_Dy ™« absolute ceuleney re^,n^ H^ Sfeotine-injuriouslyj v^to on any te(»Sr§tive people! m welldoing.of Ac IJS£P« « ,y d . a*e wholly «"S a^t 7 0 * { th. British | t^S Sw™e, yo_the Uol_ a; Gor%°^l abiding and docUe race. | vW>™£Z£k%s* *■ Mr Thurston's re-1 There * flutters, dwelling very much mark abou. Tj distressing themselyes about in the past, an jfoy say a great deal bv-eone grievan^ has not done i about what the Go -^ aboufc w h at it has for them, but very.l^ fr olps into an accomplished, .""en guva nd S. busy, thrill toj. Jl dfty long in | hears the hammer going t * WlthtW shipbuilding and other inauß^ gub . stantial whart; JS„ vaticinations w-o»ld .ettlers, whose gloomy^vatic -_ m ake one almost Wto* n g was gomg to the oo|. . f b , < c*a«"*** iefflclm*.* dll

ministered; and when, after looking &t all this, ono is told that two yec.-. a^o fhere were not above twenty housesiii the mace ; and that the security of tho British Crown and British flag is chiefly responsible forth© change; when opetakea upthe morning paper and finds it abusing the Govern ment wi bh in temperate vehemence, and the editor talk ing the beach to receive the congratulations of tho oppressed subjects, the visitor who has como with the notion that a " Crown colony of a ssvere typo " must be a sort of Anglo-Saxon Siberia, rubs his eyes, feels for a moment dazed, and then finds vent to his feelings in a terrific outburst of language. Ashore at Levuka. Ere the heavy slumbers induced by the exertions of the night before had released tho eyelids of the weary dancers, the Wai rarapa was undenveigh for Lovuka. In passing the mouth of the Rewa River, we saw the unfortunate ship Syria piled high and dry on the reef, brokon in two. She arrived about a month ago with coolies, and the captain, being out in his reckoning, ran upon tho reef; forty of the wretched pas sengers were drowned. Opera glasses wore turned upon this melancholy reminder of tho dangers and terrors of the ocean. She lay full upon the broad platform of the reef between two seas, her bows, which had been torn oil' about tho main hatch, lying at a different angle from tho rest of tho ship. Waves dashed up against her per pendicular decks, and tho breadth of these reefs may be inferred from her maintaining a secure position, notwithstanding the forces directed towards her dislodgmont over into tho sea on the landward side of the reof. About noon the pilot boarded us outside tho reef at Levuka, and safely navigated the vessel into the smooth and commodious harbour within. The reef is closer inshore than at Suva, and affords a perfect sholter. H.M.S. Espiegle and threo Now Zealand steamers—the Hero, Penguin, and Suva, had preceded us here, and wero safely moored. Tho entire island of Ovalau is only eight miles long by seven broad, and it is very mountainous, only ono valley, on the other side from Levuka, being arable. The town itself is one long street on the beach frontage, with other terraced streets on the slopes of thehills,which rise abruptly, in somo places running down to the water's edge. The general aspect is exceedingly picturesque. There is the same profusion of green, with the wavy cocoanut trees predominating, as at the other islands, and tho place has a healthy look. Suva, lying on tho weather side of a hilly shore, is in an almost perpetual and unhealthy calm, while at Levuka the bracing trade winds blow straight in upon tho town nino months out of tho twelve. Guardians of tbe law. Aftor lunch tho passengers embark for the shore in tho ship's boats. As they near tho wharf a solemn, dark-complexionod gentloman In the regulation policeman's suit of white duck, with sergeant's stripes, is observed on the pier eoutemploting us with interest. Wo are just speculating as to what race, among the many-coloured peoples who inhabit these very mixed islands, the stately personage before us may belong, when he obligingly sottles the point himself: " Begorra, she's a foino vessel, thin !" Shades of St. Patrick ! is this tho colour which a respectable Irish gentleman will be brought to by long residence in this sweltering country! On mounting the stops another highly imposing officer in gold laco is accosted with a civil " Good day," when he reveals himself as the guardian of Her Majesty's Customs. And now we know we aro safe. Here, supervising these spalpoens of savages, who are already besieging ub te buy large baskets of coral at a shilling a kit and many shaped shells, is a truq boy from the ould country, in his favourite national occupation; and standing con veniently by we havo Her Majesty's excise man, ready to pounce upon stray plugs of tobacco. Yet the Fiji planters tell ua thoy want a civilised Government!

Tho resources of Levuka to the tourist aro soon exhausted. Our big black-board, on which the notices for the day are posted, indicates' an excursion to Waitova Water fall. We walk along the bench road about two miles, ascend a gully between two vol canic hills, and see a few hundreds of gallons of water pouring down tho faco of a not very precipitous rook into a pool. Thirsty with exertion, a tempting bribe of a pocket knife is offered to a white boy about ten years of age if he will emulate tho "exploits of his coloured brother and climb a big cocoanut tree in order to throw us down some green nuts. He jumps at the chance', .lips a loop of rope round his feet, and shins it up the branchless stem like a cat; trust a young shaver of a colonial lad to follow where any woolly headed Fijian can climb 1 It is astonishing how much water those trees secrete; one nut often contains about a pint when the rind is green and soft, before the formation of the shell. To cut the top off with a knife is a few minutes' work, and then n splendid goblet of refreshing drink is ready to one's hand. , The weather being ratbor too molting for an ascent of a mountain 2,300 feet high, thero is no alternative but to rptrace our steps in the direction of the wharf. Look ing nt the impossibility of extension for this town, and its lack of back country, one cannot question the wisdom of tho removal of the capital to Suva. Levuka, however, still maintains a good trade; it is the moat convenient transhipping placo for a majority of the islands, and will always bo a place of commercial importance. A few vacant shops indicate some decline from past glories, but business m.en speak cheerfully of the trade of the place, aijd there is every evidence of prosperity. The town having been much longer settled, the residences are of 0 IP 01*8 substantial class than at Suva, and the gardens tastefully laid out. Our notice board shows an amateur per formance of " H.M-S, Pinafore "to-night; tickets four shillings. A rsndent of saga cious appearance confides the information that the thing is sure to be worth heaving, their prfina donna being the possessor of a voice of most rare quality. _k, is evidently so firm in his fait), that the Levuka Glee Club or Harmonics will osftinguish all other " Pinafore" companies that hay. ever been thatargument would be futile. These Fijian colonist* are not to be sneezed at, even when it comes to o matter of physical exer rioT Dr. Vacgragor, tho Acting Colonial .nnr-fitarv adroitly nested a notice on our S-boardl when at^Suva .cMlenging^the l^wn tennis players of the.sHp to combat, andiwhena party, comprising some broAd » fv% bucks in flannel suits went down to tako the conceit of these pre rumptuous Fijians,thoy found themselves completely out-matched and beaten at S point. These lusty fellows foiock about cricket ball* with tbe thermometer at 90 degrees, as though the^ frame of an MSSawm could be turned at will into a- Sanders they were actually complain ing of the cold with the thermometer at 78, while the perspiration was dropping into o,Howbrit,Naturehad greater chams for me on this glorious tropical night thanthe™ „„«*« ol Levuka. To sit on deck and see KeS sun descend in gfo wing hue. behind those- hills; the stars leap out and bbSn&ed. ar air, then palo before the roundSf Which, slowly rising from the waters tips with silyer wand the rippling Mof %aei ng W tfl* m supreme : —■ How beautiful is night 1 . A dewy freshness fills the silent air { VT 0 mist obscures, nor cloud, nor spec, nor star, " Breaks the Borene of heaven. In lulL-O!'bed glory yonder moon dlvlno Bolls through tho dark blue depths.

Ifature's grandest and most impressive forces are felt on nights like this at sea, and the seats on deck, 'wellVfiUed, yet with scarce a sound of conyersation, and the deserted social hall, tell of the pervading disposition to drink great draughts from the clear stream, and give one's soul up to thsoe contemplations, too deep for words, which such a scene excites. ■

Native Villages.

On the morning following tho representa tion of "H.M.S. Pinafore" the shore TOitors drop in.rather late for breakfast. It transpires that after, the performance Josephine and Little Buttercup, with the sisters and the cousins and the aunts, de fended from the dock of the vessel and ioined the audience in a jolly danoe, which extended till two o'clock. Our musical critic* pronounce the solos and choruses very good for amateurs. There was no orchestra, the music being supplied by one piano. To-day the notice-board sayg .pas- Angers are to spend their time as tney Se, boats plying regularly between shto and shore. I may mention that t fas been thought advisable not to berth Llur-lda in these ports, because the 3 S, is planter and the ship not anchorage is pwwg Mogt 3£W*^*B* «• >r h r a d of toe paruy T iUaeeß about Levuka. .examine JhemiUve ju gg^ ftbout 5. her 9 -n_3ST The dwellings are all open cr_n'i_Btely about the Wkm^M i O w S no -fame, .ggj-'-syrfi The mania for l_»pi»B . ""p proved* mist disastrous to thei more ■JSTdomestic animals, and in his

address to the Boso Vaka Turaga, or Native Council, at Viti Levu Bay this year, Mr Thurston appealed to the natives to Eut down the nuisance. Ono chief, he 6aid, ad 200 mongrel ours. Want of sanitary knowledge also leads to great mortality among tho natives, the diseases being chiefly dyssentery and low fevor. As a con sequenco, although there are as many children born in proportion to tho popula tion as with the whites, yet the native population is stationary or decreasing. In order to bring about a better state of things, Dr. Macgregor, acting Colonial Secretary, has undertaken to drill a number of Fijiansin nursing and health laws, at tho Suva Hsapital, and these will be distri buted throughout the native villages. The bad treatment of tho women by over-work and insufficient food is also a cause of the neg lect and death of the children, and Mr Thurston rated the young men soundly for idling about and not planting food and looking after thoir houses as their fathers did. It is very creditable to the Govern ment that drink has no part whatever in the degradation of tho people. Tho £50 penalty, which the Government rigidly en force for supplying a nativo, is a strong deterrent, and the people arc all sober.

Kava—tho Native Intoxicant.

Their own stimulant, kava, however, they continue to use in great quantities, and many of the Europeans have contracted a liking for it. All the Wairarapans have a taste of it, and marvel that any white man can acquire a penchant for such stuff, Its flavour resembles soap-suds more than anything else one enn oomparoit with. The root usod is botanieally known as that of the piper methisticum -. it is hard and woody, hence the object of the chewing, which liberates the juices of the root more freely than any other prooess. Europeans grate tho r( ot and pound it, but admit that the liquor is not equal to the chewed. In Samoa, the preparation of tho kava bowl is attended with very great ceremony, only tho young unmarried girls being allowod to chew it. The root is cut up into fino pieces, and tho girls, who are directed by the prettiest of thorn, first rinse thoir mouths, take up a piece, and when sufficiently masticated and formed into a ball, spit it into the bowl. The chief girl then oalls for water, and after washing her hands directs one of her com panions to pour on the water while sbo Btirs tho root with her hand. When enough water is in and the balls are properly mixed with the ingredient, she takes up a strainer made of fibres of the hybiscus, and passes it from side to side of the bowl. When the strainer is saturated she lifts it high above tho bowl and squeezes tho balls through the strainer in her hand. This is continued until the kava bowl is ready. It is con tended by some of tho Europeans who use chewed root that tho mastication is perfectly dry, and is a mere crushing process, but of course an amount of saliva must got in corporated in the process. The medicinal properties of kava are tonic and nervous sedative, and it is to those effects, and not to its flavour, that tho taste for tke drink arisos. "Except with a very strong description used in some islands, it takes a very large quantity to produce intoxicant effects, and, curiously enough, the liquor never effects the head. A Euro pean explained the feeling to me iv this wise : I had gone into a native houso at Rotourah, and drank one largo measure of kava. A friend said I had better not try an other, as it was vory strong, but boing usod to take any quantity of the stuff at Suva, I tossed off another flagon, and seemod to have suffered no evil offects. On rising to go, bowever.'my legs gave way beneath me, and wore affected with a sort of paralysis and tremors ; otherwise I could experience no disagreoable effects With tbo aid of my friend, I staggered safely but most erratically home. Thero are, however, regular kava drunkards among tho natives, and their appearanco is not unlike that of tho alcoholic toper. Thoy ore generally despised by thoir own peoplo.

Coral: A Few Popular Delusions.

Nothing is so intimately associated in tho popular mind with these islands as coral, and a hazy sort of notion is entertained that lovely corals flourish by tho sea shore, and pooplo stnll along its alabaster walks and gather lovely shells. Yet there aro dozens of white men in Suva and Levuka who havo never seen ono flower of growing coral, though there aro many miles of mag nificont reefs at both places. Tho mud bank appearanco described on our ontranoo into Suva harbour is nil that is visible unless one takos a boat and goes off to tho reef, which ot Suva is threo miles from tho shore. It is well worth whilo to do that, however., on a still, clear day. Landiug upon the reef at low tide, ono finds » broad platform of brown-looking rock, a little above tido lovol, oovered with seaweed of many kinds and stray shells. The rock itself, whon broken, as it is for road metal .on most of tho streots, consists of a porous limostono, somo scarcely bearing a trace of tho original coral. To got a view of growing coral, ono has to pull off a littlo from the slopes of tho rcof seaward, or inward, towards tho shore, or to drift "over one of the submerged patches and peer through the clear, still wator. Then forests of lovely growing corals may be seen—great trees of coral, _)e modrojoores attaining as much as sixteen foot in height, Between the trees and shrubs thero ore quantities of coral sand and other detritus of the coral forest, vari-colourod starfishes, sponges, and shells of many sorts. Curious and brilliant fishes dart in and out of the deep hidden recesses, and becbe-de-mer pro trude their coloured rosottes. The growing corals areofmanyshapesandcolours, some in the madrepores like flowering shrubs, with wide extending arms; others—the astraeas and malandinas, which produce tho familiar bomispherical globes of bram coral, flourish detached. The foliage, like the rich vego tation of a forest, is varied—shrubs covered with lovely rainbow - tinted flowers, and tufts waving with the motion of the sea orange, purple, lilac, and all the shades from white to rich brown.

I engaged a couple of natives at Levuka to pull mo over the reef aboutlowtido. The shallow line is clearly marked on the inner side by tbe transition from deep blue to light green in the colouring of tho wator. On the outer side the ocean breaks in a cirole of roaring waves. There was just enough water on the reef to skim over its surface, Tbe colour, where clear of the accumulations of seaweed, was a whitish frey. Here and theire were seen bright lue starfishes.ahd myriads of little blue and Btriped minnows. The water varied in depth—insome places huge solid coral heads rising }n great blocks, on which the boat grounded," closo beside it, the bottom too deep to be touched with the oar. Little treos of coral, suoh as are sold in the markets, were seen rooted to the ground, but thp colour is a dingy brown, though the points o*."e luminous. The boatman readily jumpe.d'overboard for anything indicated, but until 'tji.ese corals are bleached they smell so strong of the clinging soaweed and dead fish as to be unfit to carry. The natives go off in canoes with out riggors almost evejy low tide npd gather shell $ thrown up by tjjp sea, and coral branches. When taken out of tho water these present a much loss lovely appearance than when in it, and tho shells have to be buried and the coral bleached before they are ready for sale. The oommon price in Levuka for a basket of coral is ono shilling. The popular idea of the coral-producing auinial ;.. as vague as of the reef itself. Some harbour a potion that the beautiful bleaohetl cbrals'eoldfn thp colonial markets have been built . P hko' a fe<}p.fy-pomb, by some marine insect, »nd one of oifr most familiar poetical lines on the subject ex claims :

Toll on I Toil on! Ye ephemeral train, asthoughtheses-ngular creatures were build ing up these walls; to save the future in habitants from harbour loans and ship wrecks. The polyp no more toils for the building of reefs than the animal toils in forming its bones. The reef-building polyp is simply a sea-anemono, which has an organisation that secretes carbonate of lime. Most peoplo aro familiar wit}} the shape and appearance of the sea-anemone, which has been aptly compared to an aster flower. In the centre is a round oponing leading into a simple stomach divided into a number of partitions. These walls extend through the surface of the disk, producing ridges pound the mouth; all around the disk are wary arms ar tentacles, f urrtished in their ends with little thread-Hkp spears, which shoot out and poison the animals' prey; the disk then bends inward, and the little shell-fish or crab is sucked into the stomach of its captor, and absorbed. Many spears of polyps have the power of locomo tion by muscles at the bottom, and do not secrete coral. The reef • building species is of course fixed—the carbonate of lime settling in its sides and bottom, until they become stone; thus the process of life and death goes on in the animal simul taneously ; its progeny fastens on to the sides or top of the parent, or the disk sub divides and forms twp complete animals, and so tho coral growing, every new animal secreting more carbonate of lime, and form ing an extension of the original base or centre. The' method of propagation or growth deteo-nii^B very much the variety and appeara_cb.of tiw floral $*rub. Tben cojnga' the action'of the waves-upon these forests, grinding' them "down; into snnd.dfS.JW^oUeste from marine animals

and shells, and all this material is cemented together, nnd in the course of countless ages has built up the solid walls, some of them 2,000 feet thick, or deep, which constitute the great barren reefs to day. The great Australian barrier reef extends along the coast of Northern Aus tralia for a distance of 1,250 miles. As the growth of a coral tree does not exceed throe inches a year, one can guess what ages were occupied in the formation of these reefs. The polyp requires for its proper development perfectly clear water ; hence it grows most luxuriantly in the full wash of the ocean. Mud settling upon the disk would fill the mouth and destroy the animal functions. This fact accounts very much for tho position and openings in the reefs, and the absence of coral in some parts contiguous to growing patches, but many theories wero hazarded to account for the great distance of barrier reefs in a con tinuous line off the shore, when fringing reefs grow just as luxuriantly close in. Ex tensive dredgings show that tho polyp will not live at a greater dopth than about 120 feet, and Darwin, during tho cruise of the Beagle, propounded tho theory that the barrier reefs were orice ordinary fringing reefs near the shore ; that in the course of geological periods there was a low subsi dence of tho land. The sea widened tho channol betweon shore and reef, but tho reof-builders kept pace with the sinking bottom, and raised the structure continuously to sea level. Tho action of tho waves in wearing down and consolidat ing completed tho work. When the roof builder gets to the surface of the water, it of course dies off, and only the dead coral or skeleton remains. Darwin's theory has heretofore boen generally accepted by scientific mon, and it accounts perfectly for lagoon islands, which aro simply a reef enclosing a lake. The land in such cases had sunk beneath tho wave, tho encircling reef only being kopt above tho surface by the growth of the coral. It has been announcod recently that lieut. Murray intends to combat Darwin's hypo thesis, basing his objections- on tho Chnl longoi^drcdgings. His work will bo awaited with interest. Fijian "At Homo." Our bullotin board announces for the last night at Levuka " A Fijian At Home," at tho invitation of His Imperial German Majosty's Consul in Fiji. Everybody of course moans to go.

A BIG SWINDLE.

Tho Eorgerloa of Henry Fauntleroy, tho Banker.

Ttb fathor of Henry Fauntleroy, with a Mr Marsh and other gentlemen, established in 1702 a banking houso undor the nomo of Marsh, Sibbald, and Co. The affairs of the houso were never in a prosperous condition. The partners, with the exception of Mr Fauntloroy, knew comparatively nothing about the business in which thoy wero on gaged. In addition to this, there was a want of that most nocossary commodity — capital. The business had been established in haste, and by men incompetent of con ducting it. Somo of the directors, antici pating that tho ultimate result must be a collapse, withdrew When thoy had been in tho concern but a couplo of yoars, and this occasioned a loss in the accumulated capital of £20,000. Thoir places were, however, filled by other gentleme ~ a Mr Stracoy among the number, but tho amount of capital thoso gentlemen brought in was in sufficient to balanco tho loss.

Henry Fauntloroy, who seoms to havo been well known for bis keen wisdom and superior intelligence in monetary mutters, became a clerk in tho house in ISOO, and continued so until JBOG. During this timo Henry gave his services gratuitously. He received no standing salary, but tho firm wore so woll satisfied with his indofatigablo e_crtions on their behalf, and so anxious that Ids sorvicos should bo retained, that thoy gavo him handsome presents. ■ In 1807 his father died, and Henry had impressed himself so favouraby in the oyos of tho directors that tho management of tho business was confided to his caro. Although thon only twenty-two years of age, ho had a perfect and comploto knowledge of the rudiments of banking, and ho would un doubtedly have left a far different name had his talonts boon used in the propor di rection.

But tho bank was in an almost hopoless condition whon young Fauntloroy took the lioavy responsibility of its mnnagemont. That ho did takfe such steps as ho thought advisable to recover tho lost ground is ovi dent, but without success. Tho loss bc cnino greater and greater. After throe years' management on his part tho firm was found to havo lost over _ 100,000. This. however, was only known to Fauntleroy himself. The members of tho firm placed tho fullost confidence in him, and did not for ono moment think that thoy wore in such a dangoroua position. Thoy wore under the impression that tho businoss was ruuningsmoothly, and that it was in a moro prosperous condition than it had over been before ; and tho Mr Stracey already men tioned, and who was now ono of tho prin cipal directors, even retired from tho busi ness for a couple of years, and went to France, there to look after hia own private affairs. Fauntleroy'e clients admired him for the cool and successful manner in which he had got the company out of their difficul ties, and marked respect was shown by all. Noblemen were proud of bis acquaintance ship, and ho could number among his friends such distinguished individuals as the Earl of Ossory, Lady Nelson, and Lord Arboyne. The real facts of the caso were that Henry Fauntleroy falsified the books, and with such minuteness and artfulness was this done that subsequently when the ac countant came to examine his entries, al though aware of.tho falsifications, ho could not for some time detect whore the imposi tions had been made.

Instead of getting bettor, things got worse. But Fauntleroy had no intention of making his position known. Ho kept on and on, falsifying the books, and hoping that some scheme "woiijd' present'itself whereby he might raiio money sufficient to pay the calls which were ineffectually made on his own till.

And a scheme did present itself. In 1814 he was appointed a trustee to a Miss Frances Young, of Chichester. Miss Young had a large sum in the threo per cent, consols in the Bank of England. This presented an opportunity to Fauntleroy of raising* the money of which ho was so much in need. In May, 1815, he presented a power of at torney at the Bank of England, purporting to bear the signature of Miss Frances Young. He said he had been instructed by Miss Young to sell ££,000 three per cent, consols. The signature was a clever forgery, as were also the signatures of the attesting witnesses, John' Watson, and James Tyson, clerks in the employ of Messrs Marsh and Co.; hpwpypr, they passed the bank examinations, and the money was accordingly handed over to Fauntleroy.

Miss Yo«ng was not the only porson for whom Fauntleroy was a trustee, whose signatures had been foi*god, and whoso moneys appropriated, The crash camo at last—in the spring of 1824. At that timo Henry Fauntloroy had been head of the firm of Marsh & Co. for seventeen years, and bankrupt for fourteen. The other trustees of the Young estate de cided, as somo difliculties had arisen in the management, to throw the affair into Chancery. To this Fauntleroy strongly ob jected, and for very good reasons. But the other tfusteps had clepidod that the matter should be thrown into Chancery, fmd this was immediately done. It would seem that gome suspioion had been entertained that Fauntleroy was noi; dealing fairly, for the Court made an order that the whole of the property should be paid over te the Ac countiinfcGeneral in the month of November. This order wits< uQuiinupicffted to ono of the otber trustee^ and Fauntleroy |ep*. iii com plete ignorance of it. No soqner was the order made out than ono of tbe trustees weflt tp tbe bank. There be was informed that tho whole of the stock bad been sold out. The matter was at onoe put into tho hands of the polioe, and on the 10th of Septombor of the same year, a Bow-street officer named Plank arrested Fauntleroy in hie banking-house in Berners street. On Plank entering the room, and before he had time to secure his prisoner, Fauntlerpy hurriedly locked a desk, tfoekey of which was attached to h}s '■wat'cbrqhaln. Plank afterwards took possession of this key, and on searching the desk discovered a private drawer, from which he took more keys. He also found a great number of private letters and official documents, to gether with the following most extraordin ary memorandum in the prisoner's hand writing, and from which it appeared that Fauntleroy had kept a regular aooount of the forgeries he had committed, amounting in all to over £100,000 :—

Consols, £11,151 standing in the name of my trusteeship; £3,000, E. W, Young; £6,0(30 Consols, General Young; £5,000 long annuities, Frances Young ; £6,000 ; Lady Nelson, £11,595 ; Mrs Ferrer, £20,000 Fourper-Cents; Earl of Ossory, £7,000; T. Owen, £9,400; J. W. Parkins, £4,000; LOrd Arboyne, £6,000; P. Moore and John Marsh,'£2l,ooo. In order to keep up the credit of our bouse 1 have forged

powers of attorney, and have therefore fold ?out all these sums without the knowledge of my partner.. I have given credit in the account for the interest when it became duo. (Signed) Henry Fauntleroy. May 7th, 1816. The bank began first to refuse our accept ances, and thereby to destroy the credit of our house; they shall therefore smart for it. On the 30th of October, Fauntleroy was brought up at the Old Bailey charged with having "forged a power of attorney for the transfer of stock belonging to Miss Frances Young, and for uttering such power of at torney knowing it to be forged. ' The court was crowded by people of_ all classes. The news bad spread far and wide. "Hardly anything else is talked about," says a London paper of the period. Faunt leroy's portrait was exhibited in every shop window ; his name was in everyone's mouth, and people flocked to the Old Bailey in hun dreds, hoping to get a glimpse of him. As for Fauntleroy himself, he seemed , deeply affected during the progress of the trial, and at times wept bitterly. In ex tenuation of his crime, while admitting that he had forged the powers of attorney, he contended that it was not done for his own personal gain, but simply from a " feeling of honour " and the wish to pre serve the credit of his tottering firm. " I ' alone," ho pleaded, " have been doomed to : suffer the stigma of all the transactions ; but, tortured as I have been, it now becomes an imperative duty to explain to you, * gentlemen of the jury, and through you to the world at large, that the vile accusations heaped upon me, known to be utterly false , by all those who are best acquainted with . my private lifo and habits, navo been so , heaped upon me for the purpose of loading , me with the wholo of tho obloquy of thoso transactions, from which, and from which alono, my partners were preserved from J bankruptcy." After a deliberation of only twenty minutes tho jury found him guilty, and at tho conclusion of the sessions—Novomber | 2nd—sentence of death was passed in the usual manner. ,

In thoso days forgery incurred tho high est penalty of the law, but that tho sentence in Fauntleroy . case would ever be carried into execution none for a moment believed. His high social position—his intimacy with so many great personages, many of whom had petitioned the Crown to interfere in tho matter—all seemed to point in tho dfroo tion of his being reprieved. The pooplo wont wild with excitement. AVould tho authorities hang liko a common criminal a great bankor, and whose only fault was forgery? Horo was nn opportunity of practically testing the forco of tho saying : " One law for tho rich; another for tho poor." But tho petitions presented failed in thoir object, anil on tho 30. i of Novombor, 182-1, Henry Fnuntloroy, the great banker of Bornors-street, was lod to tho placo of execution.

Newgate presented an oxtroardinary ap- Eoaranco. Hundreds of thousands of peoplo ad congregated to witness the execution of this man. Tho streets were blooked with people and with vehicles. Tho roofs of the houses wero orowdod, and the windows let out on hire. Balconies wore oroctod, and most exorbitant prices were asked and paid for admission to them. The scone looked more liko that of an audionco waiting for tho commoncomont of a thea trical performance than of a multi tude eager to see an unfortunate follow-being launched into eternity. Many doubted oven to the last moment that the dreai sentence of tho law would be carried into offoct. But those doubts wer,c

ill-founded. Guided, or rather carried, the' wretched man was placod on the fatal spot, and a fow minutes later Henry Fauntloroy had ceasod to exist.

A STRANGE DIVORCE.

Ensnauement of an Australian Heiress,

The 'Frisco " Chronicle " of May 5 says :— It was in 1872 that a well-known nttornoy of San Francisco was waited upon in his offieo by Mrs EJiza Chapman, a dressmaker, who, after inquiring if ho was Mr , at onco stated her business. Sho had been desorted, shamofully and without warning, sho said, by William Edmonds, who was woll known bore. She know that the at torney was acquainted with Edmonds and thought ho could best bring tho recreant to terms. Sho stated that she was not Mr Edmonds's wifo, but that thoy had lived to gether for four years, and sho had supported him during that period. Ho had a day or two boforo abruptly left her, without pro vocation on hor part, and married a rich woman. Sho vowed sho would be a thorn in tho unified flesh of tho nowly wedded twain if they did not pay her a sum of monoy sufficient to covor all that sho had squandered on her recreant lover. The lawyer had not hoard either of tho marriage of Edmonds or of his illicit relations with Mrs Chapman. He saw that tho latter meant mischief, and had it in hor power to do mischief if h6r story was true. The interview resulted in this understanding : The lawyer was to address a letter to Ed monds and acquaint him with tho woman's statements and demands, and Mrs Chap man was not, under any consideration, to seek or permit an interview between her self and Edmonds pending the campaign which the lawyer was about to open.

THE RIVALS MEET.

She withdrew, and tho 1/iwyer, boforo tho day was over, sent the letter as agreed. But tho woman, furious) under the scorn which she felt hud been put upon her by her late companion, betook herself on the same afternoon to the lodgings of Edmonds, with the purposo of making a sceno. She found the bride alone, and instantly asked:

" Are you Mrs Edmonds ?" On being answered " I am," she said, " I also bear that title."

•J Explain yoursolf, please," said the wife.

"I am known as Mrs Edmonds," per sisted tho other.

"Do you mean that you claim to be the wifo of Mr Edmonds, whom I have married t" asked the brido.

'?Oh, no," replied the other. "Do you think I would marry a man who has a wife and two children living t But I have been supporting'him' for years' all the same." And Mrs Chapman, throwing a look of pity at ber agitated victim, walked out with the air of a person who thinks he has done something great. She evidently folt that -sbe had just entered upon a career of con quest and glory. She will be seen presently in Of less fiaugj-ty fole. However often Edmonds may nave stayed out late of nights when Mrs Chapman expected his presence, his new wife oeuld not charge him with that dereliction, Mrs Chapman bad not long beon gone when ho rushed into his wife's presence, expeoting to be received with open arms. He found it, however, rather a costly rush. There was then sceno number two. It may be Imagined. Ho finally ob tained an opportunity to say,''l did have a wife and two children in Victoria; but I haven't hoard of them for soven years, and under the laws of California I was entitled to marry again."

"Is that the law hero?" asked the offended and excited woman.

He assured her yes,

" Well, I will consult a lawyer the first thing to-morrow," she said ; " I want to know my position at once."

ALONE IN A STRANGE LAND,

He told-her he was perfectly willing; that that was very right, &c,, and said he would give her a letter to a lawyer who would give her sound advice. She took the letter. After a sleepless night she repaired to the office of the lawyer addressed. It was the same attorney whom Mrs Chapman bad cqiisijltefh Edmonds }iad npt yet re ceived' thp note mailed tp him by that individual. Tho i-owly-mnde wife now told hini hor story. Aft©** hearing it, and knowing thp character of Edmonds, ho told her that tboro was only Edmonds's word for it that seven years had elapsed .since he heard from his wife; that no matter if 70 years had passed he should have made the fact known to any lady with whom he con tacted a second marriage' before the marriage took place, and that having deserted one womajli Edinonfis cpuld not takead'yaiitage" of Jn's qwn wrong by marry ing another. On being thus advised the lady betrayed great alarm and exclaimed : " I wish I had known this yesterday." She tben stated that her name was Ellen Swanwick, and that she had married Edmonds against the consent and without the knowledge of her father, and that tho latter had left the day before with an ach ing heart on the steamer for Australia where he lived. She had left Australia, some two years before with hey father, who was quite wealthy and wholly devoted to her, and who designed to take her to Europe to spend a couple of years. On the steamer from Australia to this port she became ac quainted witb Edmonds, who was purser. He was a handsome fellow of 30 years, j. blonde with "ambrosial locks" and the general endowments of an Adonis.- He learned of the young woman's station and prospective riches, and gradually, but

surely and insiduously, coiled himself around lies* affections. The father observed his-bearing, and warned his daughter to avoid him, but after the landing of the steamer at this port, and before ,the over land journey was commenced, a secret meet ing took placo between the lady and Edmonds, at which they mutually pledged their love, the former promising that she would remain single during tho perioH of her'travels, nnd that upon her return here two years thereafter she would become his wife.

THE SEBRET MARRIAUE,

When the timo t had rolled by, and she reached San Francisco with her father on her return trip, the Australian steamer had just sailed, and they were compelled to wait here a whole month. The old man put up at a hotel, but took his daughter to the dwelling of a friendly family in the suburbs. His caution was of no avail. The love that laughs at locksmiths easily over came such difficulties as there boset her. She dropped a letter to Edmonds ; he was soon by her side, and an Episcopalian clergyman pronounced them man and wife. Then Edmonds, still on the wings of not lovo, but cupidity, went to the hotel where tlie father was stopping, found him and said: ; " Behold your son-in-law !" The father roeled under the cruel blow. "Is it true," he said, "that you have married that girl?" Ho at once sought out his child to hear from her lips confirmation of the dreadful story, There are some griefs too deep and sacred for the pen to touch, so let a veil bo thrown over the heartrending scene. When tho tempest had passed ho calmly told his daughter that she had made n mistake ; but ho would not seek to interfere with fate. Me said ho feared that Edmonds would prove untrue to her, and that she was liable to bo loft an object of charity at any timo. Ho bought her a fine sewing mftchino, and told her in caso sho came to want to support herself by means of it untill sho could hoar from him. Ho bade her an affectionate but sorrowful good-bye, and de parted on the steamer for Australia. This was on tho very day before sho had been visited by Mrs Chapman. Had tho latter brought her bad tidings ono day earlier sho would now be with her father on tho high seas. But, instead, she was helpless among strangers. THE FATHER'S RETURN. Tho lawyer concluded that it wag his duty to oxtend a helping hand. Ho know tho proprietor of the hotel at which tho lady's father stopped, and called upon him, stated tho circumstances, and guaranteed pnymont of her hotel bill for two months. It was satisfactory, and without delay the forlorn woman and her porsonal effects were under tho sbolter of the caravansary. ' She was seated in tho public parlour waiting to bo shown hor room when, like one revived from tho dead, there entered a man whom sho loast expected, but most longed to see— whom she know to be her beat friend on earth . —her fathor. It was too joyful a mooting for so public a place. The steamer for Aus tralia had been partially disabled a short distanco out of port, and had returned for repairs At 9 o'olock that night.the father visited the attorney before referred to'at his rosidoßoe. An earnest consultation fol lowed over the serious situation. It was determined to file a bill in equity to obtain a docreo declaring tho marriage void. A comfortable retainer was put in the at torney's hands, tho complaint was written and signed tho next day, and on the day fol lowing tho steamer for Australia again went out of harbour, having on board the re united parent and child. SLIPPING THE KNOT. After the steamerhad sailed bearing away his clients, the attorney further pondered upon tho curious caso. He concluded not to file the bill to set aside the marriage un til ho hoard from Victoria ; bo, inclosing an adequate fee, ho communicated with a lawyer of that place, requesting him to mako a soarching inquiry and ascertain if Edmonds had left a wife in Victoria, and if he did, what became of her. It was not long before ho received a reply stating that Edmonds had left a wife who was still re siding there, but that she had recently ob tained n divorce. He gavo tho dato of the decree, which showed that it had been ob tained about a month previous to Edmonds's last marriage. Here was a dilemma. Tho lawyer began to fear that the clergyman who last married Edmonds had tied a Gerdian knot,

Edmonds got wind of the situation and was exultant. Ho boldly proclaimed that he would take the next steamer for Australia and claim his bride.

"I'll got even on tho old man now," he said with an oath.

A day or two later the lawyer was seen emerging with v complacent air from the little tenement of Mrs Chapman. Ho had a nico, quiet, and very satisfactory talk with her hired girl. Mrs Chapman had entered heartily into his scheme, and tho girl had been promised a brand-new dress for keep ing hor oyes open. The lawyer knew his man, and said to himsolf : " The next time he gets drunk he will strike out for Mrs Chapman's," He was right. A few weoks later a complaint was filed in the Twelfth District Court, in which tho Australian lady was plaintiff, and the aforesaid Edmonds defendants, praying for a divoroe on the ground of adultery. He made no answer; his default was entered, and tho case was proved up before a commissioner. Edmonds at once enlisted in the army, deserted, and shipped as a sailor on an English vessel. An ugly snag threatened to play mischief at the last. It was necessary to establish to the satisfaction of the Court that tho lady had resided at least six months in California immedi ately prior to the commencement of the suit. Witnesses swore that thoy saw and knew ber here about two years before; and others that they saw and know her here during the few weeks next prior to the suit. This looked all right on the record ; at any rate it slipped through, and a degree of divorce was granted. A certified copy was at onco mailed to the anxious father, who re mitted a handsome fee. A year afterwards tho attorney received a neat letter from his fair client, informing him of her marriage with a leading banker. It may be added that her sewing machine before referred to, which sho never set m motion, was de livered at her attorney's house with her bom pliments just before her return homo, and is still doing good service in bis family.

A HORRIBLE MURDER.

Woman's Corpse Found Near Adelaide.

Adelaide, June 15. A horrible murder, the effect of drink and lust combined, has been discovered in Nairno township, near Adelaide. Accord ing to tho details furnished by the witnesses attheinquest, Margarpt Buiftot), whosedead body was found last Wednesday morning, was drinking in the Millers' Arms, Nalrne, on the previous evening, in company with a railway labourer, named John Woodhead. Tho deceasod was 65 years old, and was locally known as '' Peggy " She and Wood head sat in tho bar until between 1 and S o'clock in the evening, when tho landlord told her to go home, as sho was much the worse for liquor. Woodhead had been sitting beside ncr with one arm round her nock, and took other liberties in a disgusting way. When she started for homo Wood head accompanied her. A few minutes later they were seen staggering along the road, Woodhead having both his arms round her. Tho woman was heard to ex claim, "Oh no, don't I" At about 9 o'clock Woodhead re-entered the public-house with his eye cut and bleeding, and both sides of his face damaged. He accounted for his in juries by saying that he had fallen down near a wator trough. On the. next morning the unfortunate woman's body was dis covered lying inside the fence of a garden not far from the hotel. She was quite stiff and dead, and her clothes were torn and * disarranged. The struggle must have bepn a fearful one, as the tap rail of the fence was broken, and it i 3 thought probable that the wretched woman had been clinging to it. The ground near tho sceno of the out rage was torn up, and her fingers were found clenching a handful of black soil. Her face was fearfully scratched. A sur veyor, who happened to be camped near the spot on the night in question, which was a very dark one, heard a noise at about' 8 p.m. proceeding from the place wheye, tl*e. b°dy was''found. At the time' he thought that two cats were fighting, but upon being informed of tho circumstances he considers that the noise was caused by a person who was being suffocated. A post-mortem examination of the deceased showed that ail the organs were healthy, exospt the lungs, which were filled with blood. There were bruises on the hip and the lower portion of the right thigh. A handkerchief pressed over the mouth would account for the state of the lungs. The supposition ip that the deceased would not consent to improper overtures made by Woodhead, and resisted him, and that he murdered her in order to prevent her cries being heard. He has been com mitted for trial, bail being refused_ *"~

Summer Cordials.—Those who use-Self ••ogoncs should try Aicim's Genuine Fruii Syhuj'S —. Buaranlccd free from artificial "c_;enruß -I'li-yb.r.y, Nectar. Black; Currant bunion, .Uinp.r, _c. (in muirl ~ a. 2s (id each. Address:''' The 1 .iarmuc}-,"yueen-street,*' '"

England and France-A Contrast; Or Tit for Tat.

A Saxon who calls himself "brutal," and who is certainly savage, retaliates upon the author of " John Bull and His Island " (a writer who signs himself Max O'Kell), for his keen satire upon the character of John Bull, by an equally keen criticism of the manners and customs of Frenchmen. The book is entitled " John Bull's Neigh bour in Her True Light," and is one which, while writon in a mood too serious to be called playful, is nevertheless very amusing. The author does not exaggerate; he is too matter-of-fact for that; and there is no deny ing the book is a good counterblast to the clever brochure in which "John Bull is hit off to the life," as the advertisement of " Jobn Bull et sonile " states. " Brutal Saxon " classifies Max O'Rell with Mark Twain, who once declared that he had such a sacred regard for truth that he never ut tered it. But "Brutal Saxon" takes up tbe subject, we think, in far too matter-of fact a style. '" John Bull and His Island "is a palpable burlesque, which " Brutal Sax en " gravely treats as an indictment likely to be taken for a serious attack upon the English character. The writer of '•' Jobn Btfll's Neighbour" does not forget hbftt Frenchmen possess many ennobling charac teristics, but he reminds them of a few weak points whioh show that, ofter all, Englishmen compare favourably with thera. Anglophobia is one of those weak points, and the irate language which M. Jules Ferry's "organ," the "Voltaire," used bsoauie the British Ambassador recently addressed the grand homme Frangais as Monsieur le Sanateur, instead of Monsieur l'Academecia, is quoted as an illustration. The author alio quotes expressions used in debates in the French Chambers to show that the most highly polished gentlemen in the world oan use Billingsgate as coarse and strong as anything to be heard in England. Recent returns,- observes the author, state that there are about. 250,000 persona in Paris who have no visible means of obtain ing a livelihood"; while the total population of Paris is little more than two millions-— not more than half that of London. And these 250,000—"blackguards" the author calls them —"hide their shameless heads in dens and rookeries the equal of which the worst parts of London cannot show." If the author has a fault, he is too serious. He cannot oomjilaoently regard the playful satire* of ingenious Frenchmen. In the lurid year of 1870, as all tbe world knows, tbe tigers came forth to take part in and gloat over the carnage and sehsefess and idiotic destruction. S hell bad'poured forth its worst fiend *, they would not have been more horrible, more cruel, more in human, more devilish, than were these devilish people. The hideous cruelty of the women and the insensate fury of the men could not be adequately described. Bather strong language this, many will say. Then, Paris has 161,000 indigents, as well as 250,000 nondescripts/ whereas Lon don, with nearly five milliqng c*f people," has only 125,000 to each tvfo millions of popu lation. But this, *t**o fee,r, is almost hair splitting. Cfirtainly a very horrihle picture of Paris }s drawn," however. Here is a sketch from the region of St.Denis:—. Here the bouses are six and seven stories in height. They are narrow, dark, reeking, incomprehensibly filthy. The average rent for one room is two and a-h^lf francs a week, and in many of these rooms are huddled m, seven, and eight human beings. We cannot here give all the details—they are too repulsive; but the author pro ceeds ;— There are absolutely.no sanitary regu lations, The old ory of Garde a vow! may be hoard at any hour of the evening by any one who has the "boldness to penetrate into this vile quarter. .. . The air of these places is absolutely overpowering. . . . In hot weather this quarter is the birth place of cbolera, typhus, and almost every disease under the -sun. In cold and wet weather the misery is appalling. The people who eke out their poisohous exist ence here are buman ghouls. The women, by dissipation, are bloated out of all sem blance to womanhood, while the men are hideouß in their skulking, hang-dog vil lainous expressions. The children grow old long before their "time 5 they are*utterly \yithoflt a*Fiy sens? of decenoy,' morality, or religion. They fere born flka dogs, and they die and are buried liko dogs. Suicides are of every-day occurrence, ond murders are frequent. And Belleville is becoming even worse_ than St. Denis. The author compares English with French bravery—of coijrse in favour of the English—and then gives us a peep into some vile scenes where wonjeti fight with ra*js, or dispiay.thems. yesinltes Si*«^ft^»Fw»feor.atthe'Ba?_H(W_',whieh is indecent without heing disgraceful. French mor-lit., French hypocrisy, French crime, French vanity, French misery— these and other aspects of French, life are dwelt upon with a candour and indignation whiob must surely leave Max O'Rell in con- j fusion. Some of the French cafe manners I described are certainly disgusting. Indeed, the author asserts that French politeness goes no further than taking t^e hat" W and putting it on again! The Frenchman wont sacrifice his place in a 'bus or car to a lady on a wet day any more than the beau ideal rude Englishman. At the railway station on s.fete day the Frenchman is !_6re an " animal" than a man. And the author triumphantly -.h; _ 'Englishmen _>,■**#be r*l*i_* than Frenchmen were. to'Klng. Al phonso at Paris, to the Marquis Tseng in the F-fenoh journals, or to Captain John stone at Tamatave t * ■ We are compelled to admit that "John Bull and His Island " is better reading'than "JohnßuU'sNeighbo-irinHer True Light." There is f. good-natured- exaggeration

*e-—memmmßm~*—m**e-e~*—*—*~e*?'. throughout, but the author is candid enough to epeak frequently of England and Englishmen and Englishwomen in terms of admiration. Here is a little of the satire and exaggeration. _ The writer is speaking of the extent of the British empire "upon which the sun never sets " :— He (John Bull) keeps it with an army considerably inferior in numbers to that of any of the other Great Powers, and partly composed of the refuse of society, in spite of which I am not aware that at the present moment any of John Bull's possessions are the least in danger. " But what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world and lose his own. soui?" says Scripture. This is just what John Bull thought, and so in the other world he has knocked to himself the King dom of Heaven—in his eyes as incontest able- a British possession as India or Australia. There is no attempt to conceal the ex aggeration there; and in the following there is an expression of sincere admira tion :— When England gave her the colonies the right to self-government, ehere were hot wanting people to prophesy that the ruin of tbe empire must be the result. Contrary to their expectation, however, the effect of this excellent policy has been to bind but closer the ties which held the colonies to the mother-country. If England relied ' merely upon her bayonets to guard her em pire, that empire would collapse like a house of cards j it is a moral force, something far more powerful than bayonets, that keeps it together. ' It is not givon to every ono to. be a colonist. John Bull is a colonist, if over there was one. This be owes to his singular qualities —nay, even to defects which are peculiarly his own. It is this John Bull, this personage who plays so important a part in the world, whom you meet in every, corner of the globe. And so on. There is no malice in this. In the following there is a touch of pathos as the writer speaks of an English home: — Home! This is a word that our language lacks. It is true we havo foyer \ but it is a word used chiefly Jn the elevated style, while in England there exists not a man, however lowly, but possessed of a heart to feel and love, who is not a little moved by tbe word home.. This may be to a certain extent explained by the fact that every Englishman has his own little bouse, and that the climate, whioh. does not foster open air pleasures, rpakes the intimate joys of the fireside better, appreciated. Go and try to feol poetically inspired over the subject of the domestic hearth, wheq you* live on a fifth-floor back I - Max O'Rell describes John Bull's maimers with the same combination o' accuracy and exaggeration whioh we admire in. a cartoon in s Vanity Pair '•'.— , John Bull can ojily lift his !_. on grand occasions', for. instance, wheq he hears "Qqd §ay« the' Queen "T^ayed or siaig. Them ha may be said to be saluting his country, his Queen, his flag—himself if you like. In most fashionable shops, in his blub, in Parliament even, he keeps on his hat, - ;£I know a Frenchman who threw up his situation because his employer did not return his bow, In bu.siufW. the Englishman throws overboard all the formalities imposed by ! politeness. His style is freezingly cold, ond would appear to us almost rude. - He invariably terminates hie letters, "Yours truly." And, after all, I can scarcely see why, when we send our creditor a cheque it should be thought necessary to beg him to accept tho assurance of the extreme respect with which we have the honour to sign ourselves his very humble and obedient servant, I prefer, "Yours truly." "Time is money." Ask John Bull if you are in the right train for such and such a plaoe, you will get Tee or So for an answer and nothing more, MaxO'-BeH's ideas of English politics are certainly amusing. . The most perfect order reigns throughout the House of Commons during the debates. The Liberals' and the Conservative, respect and esteem each other. Personalities are impossible^ thanks to the excellent system wb,ich obliges every orator to address his remarks to the Speaker, and never to call any member by name. . . . H the English member of Parliament is calm and strictly parliamentary in the House of Commons, he is nothing of the kind i^ tbe meetings at which he addresses his constituents. There he is violent, . ... I have heard Gladstone Bppiten or as "an old villain, a .Osary-headed i scoundrel and traitor, 'H miscreant aban doned of God m& wan. ©ieraeli as a Venetian a Jerusalem donkey. The right h0«... gentlemen were not the worse for it, . . _ ,- ' And he gives a very amusing list ef the " religions in England," including as sects "The Benevolent Methodists," "The Bible Defence Association," "The Qhriptian Teetotallers," " The Halifax Bsyehplogical Society," " The Israelites . as $stinct from "The Jews," " Welsh Wegleyans," and "The. Working. Man's Evangelistic i^Ussiop." This is a, cunious conglommera tion, $ut Mr Max O'Rell winds up with Voltaire's saying:—" If I had had to choosi; my birthplace, I would have chosen Eng land." . - , -■.— ■» ' ;".'' .-' ■ SSBSg-ggg - --'■'-*

Tight Lacing.—A learned doctor has giypn his opinion that tight* lacing is A public benefit, inasmuch as it kills offsil\ the foolish girls and leaves the wise only to.i grow into women. This might be a con-' soling theory! if the foolish :men who admire tight lacing could be kUle. off before they married the tight lacere, who generally, before they die, become the mothers Of' children inheriting their parents' foolish-, ness. ■ ,- ' ■' "';,' ■ ■

NEW GUINEA EXPLORATION.

Baitting Encounters -with Natives. The following news, telegraphed from Kir- . berley, was conveyed to that place WrM Thursday Island byaboat:-Tbe expedition entered the mouth of the Macassar Ei^er, New <3u! l?ea' on May 6. Proceeded north;-. ward and westward for 120 miles inlarid. .'" The party roughly explored a large extent. of- country, and discovered nine large rivers; which drain 10,000 square in.es of pastoral i country, which is highly timberedi•'• Aftet*' they left the coast the explorers found bm : traces of natives.' The *&rty, being -tofi weak for further work, decided to return to . | the coast in order to procure the asiirtanco - |of the friendly natives, if possible,';a_.r ■ 1 proceed with the exploration'to the! 'wisijT When close to the month of the ISlacoesar T Itiver, on the afternoon of the Queen's 'Bfctfc-^ day, they found the river blbckjaTby.23R large war canoes containing from 1000-to f 1200 natives. _*he canoes were tanged _ across the river and along;the ddes/eompf- * what in the form of a crescent, and they ' advance an attack; __ngthg^ war? songs,-" branafehlngspealrs and bows, and shouting - defiance. The report: says : —"Eeing"N unable to pierce .their ranks, as the Wina ?: was against us, we turned up the stream i firing all the time in self-defence,and;until '•■'■ nightfall we kept the native^ from closing .*: in. At sunset they- re_«ited .:to .the '. mangroves waitingfor thetam of.the -tide; in order to renew the attack. Ourarmai* bad proved to he uselfees, and as 'we *wer»' ,: unable either to resist or retreat success^ fully. Mr. Straehan decided to abandon the B boat. This was done shortly- after- mid 'M night, when the canoes were closing in JBt'~% sides. We had previously sent off wckete ~ and fireworks, which were answered by signals from the _a%es who were or the alert,^.escaped at midnight, our v«§ the »oL being sent up thej-treamwith m&fc i and helm lashed to deceive the native^ m'» landed in the mangroves^havingewamiieS-^ the'dingy, andw^ thenproceeded a shortl nCe jW. -an<l at dayhgbt struck %% south-east for the coast; Weta-vell*!^. day_througK the cane brakes with uridS-t1 Pl_? T 'i. 0-9-?' ,*** Meed plains, ?&M lightly timbered rises. Itorh&ihe next *v ■ two^days we continued *-_l^"bS: unable to cross the Brown JEUver. % S> midday on Tuesday, Mr. Sirach^ ffi. unable to go further, we campfed f^T?" hour, when we were attacked byTSj^S* natives, whom we ■ suceessfidfr' rmmi^S During the afflay Mr. _S^i ' wS*. I in the foot wit_fan arrbw^^xStfl*- expecting to be atte.ked iy aSl_sf .£. natives, we crossed the Brown Kvat wh!_i.; " is 600M8 wide, with MnSfSf 1 tte othersbeing too weak to swim. H^S' • dressed Mr ifenny's wound, we strucf ," southward forthe coastover op^Sy . andtimbejed rwesußed as hunting ccffiw * by the natives. Jfe succeeded, fi bo-Bhuf i pursuit, and arnvod at the coast 12 __$.!' . east or Cussa Mind On the inorhing of a___p 29. We marched eastward along thebeaffi.* being very weak from the w_l_t of fobd ' (winch consisted solely of oatmeal) -W„ shell-fish, but we sufferedgreatly from rt^" want of water, We c^n^^^^] groves for three nights, and we _na_S waist deep in the sea. taroughout _uyd_£. of the beach in orderto escape the maKs 1 influence. On Saturday afternoon wew^ opposite to, and four mihig distant from Saibai, and Mr. Scett wished to £_£ £g. . Wejjampcd at an old war camp,^mdbh Sunday constrwsted a strong raft of Sn!> and spear*, which Mess*. m*™.TvS' WalkeVoarridd for threediys 'X^£# 1 left at midday, the tide beim,hi h^i 3cotb andMr.StracVan sawh_n a |i^_&': for more than half wa^_^whSI 84?°^ y '- seemed to be aTjff tS fe^, however has. since been hearf^f l__m S we fear that he is lost. Ho K_ui«_. _f *r food »« water with him" The>£: « knocked up » Messrs. Stewart and wffi travelled[eastward on Monday fe?^fo„J miles, when. Mr,S, raohan A kS wentlnland, and succeeded ™i gBWnJSS". and water, with which they retaS. rt° Tuesday night our signal fires^L,^ attention atfcaihai ancf DowanT '«&^_*4 ■ rescued on Wedneeday, jZe « \Z ''*«*•■ teachers, Wh Sem^oS %J*_■**** ■ssst* _■ *■** w-^efrS' SMttalongthev^t,but pro vednbavai_ffiS r These^bowever, isW being cu.t^d, Qafow 6,tiefriendlySviK R m _^n lA ,lr!., hwe c »Ptaw an?M 0S Brown offered us every assistance. Th«t brought us to ThursdaflS^rJuS 6/ and we are thweAw_dtlng the steamer 41 bridged three fresh water bridS- a n? traversed pverßo miles. AltoEether^»-jSS' tr«\eHed In New Guinea on*SSfc [about6oo miles ThenattSofioW us and ca P M our bwtareblMkSa^ and canmbals from % neighbbASl^ Daruga They Are on their SfflS&J* eastward in searchof huihab vi^S™?^ ptirt years they have depopulatedlwiu^ BaihM, MrH/M; CbWter, tho^_S magistrate;, of ;Thun*d_y m£a& fbffii them last year, biitdid^otOTertkv^w? Kenny are still; suflfetfhtf,fnjraSS | Messrs. Stewart and Wilkor erofn ££* health, ** v ,v "^ ■ .

THJB AUCIU. AINU EVE_.I_N __ v _.___>-K, ;»__■uium ry uli_.j_ so. apo*'



-=£30,000 ! OF .'-' ;-■'■' ■ , -■- : .-' ''- . ■ "■».] DRAPERY AND CLOTHING] . NOW BEING '.'/ ■-';,- ". - ''''"'-.' i _vOZZ) .4 7* COST PRICE AND UNDER. \ S. COOMBES <&_ 00. ARE . - '■'■ v _ . GIVING UP BUSINESS , ' '• . AT THEIR CLOTHING MART 92 QUEEN STREET, As it is in the Builder's hands for extensive alterations for other purposes, ; and the STOCK cannot be removed to . CANADA BUILDINGS for want of space. MONSTER SALE IN BO TH SHOPS. * . NOW PROGRESSING. ■ - . • , '.''-' S^IMTJBL COOMBES cfe 00. Earnestly request the public to CALL AND SEE FOR THBMSELVES, as they are determined that at this S____L.ES sucn sacrifices will be made as cannot be *• REPEATED AGAIN. - :-S#. ':"' :' ■ ':■'■' :.-' { ■-■■'.'; '. '< ■'-'■' -■'„ . ,;\j .-■' ' -~' i I ...'■ i.-r.,:. (>_ I . - - -r ~~' •'.'■■.',,.,',/..,,-:'-,,-■-,,;,■ SAMUEL COOMBES & Co., QTT-EIEIISr STREET.