Miscellaned.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 1, Issue 52, 18 September 1858, Page 4

Miscellaned.

A New Breed of Sheep.^— D- J. Browne j£sq., the head of the Agricultural Bureau ■of the : Patent Office, lias received a very interesting letter from Mr. R. L. Pelt, of lilassachtisetts, concerning a new, breed of ■sheep --which has been lately imported from China. Three years since Mr. Theodore •Smith imported three ewes from Nankin, ■from which he obtained in 20 months, 72 sheep. One ewe produced 12 lambs in 15 months — three, four and five at a birth — and they commenced breeding at four-and-a-half months old. This breed is perfectly hardy, having enduied the past severe winter without any shelter, producing Jambs constantly, which bore the cold as well as tile old sheep, and matured rapidly, 'they will not jump fences, either stone or >ivoocL The flock we're separated last treason from a rye-field by a cobble-stone wall two-and-a-half feet high, over which they never attempted to pass ; nor can they be driven over any description of fence. The fibre of their wool is exceedingly strong and the fleece heavy. The mutton cannot possibly be surpassed, as it is entirely free from the strong flavour usual to sheep, and is tender, juicy and delicious. ' The tails are broad, and when properly prepared, much resemble marrow, and form a delightful morsel for the epicure. — Boston Advertiser. Laughter. — Laughter is not altogether a foolish thing. Sometimes there is even wisdom in it. Solomon himself admits "there is a time to laughs" as well as a time to. mourn. Man only laughs; man, the highest organised being ; and hence the definition that has been proposed of "Man a laughing animal." Certainly, it defines him as well as a "cooking animal," a "toolmaking animal," a "money-making animal," a "political animal," or such like. Laughter very often shows the bright side of. a man. It brings out his happier nature, and shows of whafsort of stuif he is really made. Somehow we feel as if we never thoroughly know a man until we hear him laugh. We do not ieel "at home" with him J:ill then. .We do not mean a mere snigger, but a good, round, hearty laugh. The solemn, sober visage, like a Sunday's dress, tells* nothing of the real man. He may be very silly, or very profound; very cross or very jolly. Let us hear him laugh, and we can decipher him at once, and tell how his heart bc-dts. We are disposed to suspect the man who never laughs. At all events, there is a repulsion about him which we cannot get over. Lavater says, "Shun that man v.ho never laughs, who dislikes music, or the glad face of a child." This is what everybody feels, and none more than children, who are quick at reading characters; and their strong instinct rarely deceives them. Mystifying " Mama." — A gentleman played pif a rich joke on his better half the other day. Being something of an epicure he took it into his head that morning that he should like to have a first-rate dinner. So he addressed a note to his wife informing her that " a gentleman of her acquaintance — an old and true friend — would dine with her that day. As soon as she receiv- - ed it all hands went to work to get everything in order. Precisely at the hour fixed she was prepared to receive her guest. The house was as clean as a new pin. A sumptuous dinner was on the tablf, and she was arrayed in her best attire. A gentle knock was heard, and she started with a palpitating heart to the door. She thought it must be an old friend — perhaps her brother — f r om the place whence they moved. On opening the door she saw her husband with a smiling countenance. "Why my dear," said she, in an anxious tone, " where is the gentleman of whom you- spoke in your note ?" — " Why," replied her husband complacently, " here he is/% — You said a gentleman of my acquaintance — an old and true friend — would dine with us today" — "Well," said he, good humouredly, am hot I a gentleman, of your acquaintance t— an old and true friend?" — "Oh!" she said, distressingly, ",is there nobody but you?"— -*• No. Nobody butnne." ;. S:,4kAGHiATioN.-^-Thomas;;T luller1 uller relates v "which is truly charac/te^nstic^^: gentleman, he says, having : led"a company- of children beyond their v ustfai.i<>uriiey, they; began to weary y and ':, jointly -^^;.|o>^to't^ i carry.''.tliein, r 'which, • : * l .#o£;>st '%0f tsd^vt%*n' -he; would-provide '^p^< ? to?e^qq«:'^ i|i^^^^^|h^^ge,',as;:nags: for-^thenV they: mounted,

Ed them,- captured five guns, and cut up a considerable number. Brigadier General Napier, who' displayed the greatest energy and~iritelligence in the pursuit, continues into Subdulgur. The day after the capture of Gwalior, I conducted- Sir R. Hamilton, and the Maharajah with a squadron of H.M. Hussars, and one squadron of H. M. 14th Light Dragoons, to the palace of Gwalior. The , streets were lined' by immense crowds, who received the Maharajah with every appearance of attachment." The fugitives from Gwalior appear to have taken the course towards Hindoun, and they are said to number 15,000 men. It is expected that their next movement jwill be directed either towards Bhuftpore, or Jyepbre. The Chief of Nargoond, who was instrumental in the death of Mr. Manson, the Political Agent, in the Maharatta country, was executed at Belguam on the 12th isist. His other murderers who were apprehended shared the same fate. - From Lucknow we have accounts of a successful engagement at Nawabgunge, between Sir Hope Grant and the Oude Moulvie, where the enemy suffered considerably with the loss of their, guns. It appears that information having been received of a strong gathering of the enemy -at Nawabgunge, Sir Hope Grant marched from Chinat, and fell in with the rebels, on the 13th ult. They numbered, it is 5aid,. 20,000 men, with 24 guns and made a good stand, attacking our troops in front, rear, and both flanks. Our guns opened on them at 200 yards, rriowing them down by dozens. Two squadrons of the Bays and one of Hodgson's Horse, with two companies of infantry, advanced upon the enemy, an d cut tip 500. Not a man of those around the guns escaped. We captured seven guns of large calibre. After this engagement the Moulvie made his way towards Powaque, apparently swelling in numbers as he proceeded. He arrived there on the 15th inst., surrounded the palace of the Raj ih, and commenced his attack upon the place. The Rajah and his two brothers led out their forces to oppose the Moulvie, and a desperate engagement took place, which lasted three hours. The Moulvie was killed in the engagement. His death will be a great blow to the mutineers in Oude. The last accounts report the Begum at Bonudee, where some of our burkandares are prisoners, it is asserted that they have been mutilated by having their hands and noses cut ofF. Tillodee Rajah, a chief friendly to us, is said to be shut up in his fort, surrounded l»y a force five times as large as his own. If no assistance reach in time, there is no duubt that he will be obliged to surrender himself to his enemies, and in all probability forced to join the insurgents. From Behar we learn that the rebels have returned to the jungle at Jugdespore, headed by MinmeerSing. The rebels have a clear stage before them, as our troops, worn out by fatigue, have been obliged to retire, some to Arragh and others to Benares. Bullea has been burnt, and Ghazepore and Buxar are in danger. Colonel Douglas had ceased to cut down the jungle at Buxar, as the rebels were said to have lefc it, and proceeded with his force to Benares. He had, however, hardly advanced a few miles when he was called back a^ain to Buxar, as the dispersed rebels took immediate advantage to re-occupy the jungle. Another body of the rebels attacked Gyah, and the Europeans had to retreat into the . entrenchments. They plundered the place • and released 150 piisoners. Apprehensions were entertained even at Patna, and additional troops have been despatched from Calcutta for the protection of that district. . A force, consisting of European infantry, Horse Artillery, and Seikhs, from Allahabad,' have driven a body of rebels who collected in the neighbourhood of that place, probably with an intention of attacking it. General Whitelock's column has captured Terdhan in Banda. The chiefs Narain Rao and Madho Rao surrendered without venturing a blow in their defence. A skirmish between the Shinghborne Naval Brigade and the Cabs took place near Opybassa, in which the latter were driven into their jungles. The Rajah of Mynpore, who has all along frond the commencement of the outbreak, taken up a hostile position towards us, has voluntarily surrendered. Ameerchand Bade, .treasurer to the Rajah of Gw^iliorv who in the late affray' joined the reBel-, has been captured at Wholepbre, one of the 1 Rajpootaria states. In Nagp'bre terntoryy a Hngleader of the Teb'elsj Yakut RaqV'lials J been : apprehended. : JDafa Shekoah and : Hajee Shekoahy "two -princes of

the Delhi family, have been apprehended in the Morababad district. The rebel chief Nishau Sing, a nephew of Kaer Sing, •has been captured. -~ He confirmed the death of his uncle-, and was. bio vrcv- away from a gun by sentence of a. court-martial. Thus several traitors have fallen into our power. But, amidst all this, and notwithstanding the most decided proofs that the rebels have of the hopelessness of their cause, there are individuals who are ready to embrace it. It must be confessed, however, that although the principal towns in India are protected by the European troops, yet our authority scarcely extends beyond the reach of our guns, and the intervening districts are overrun by rebels, who move about as they please. The details of the operations of the troops under Sir Hugh Rose against the fortress of Jhansi, have been published, and will be read by every one with deep interest. The number of the enemy killed on that occasion has been estimated at 5000.