QUEENSLAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 212, 25 August 1862, Page 5

QUEENSLAND.

Brisbane, 16th AugustThe Calliope diggings, near Port Curtis, are reported to be yielding well, and one miner has arrived at liockhampton with some quartz specimens of apparently a payable nature, and six pounds weight of alluvial gold. The Relief Committee have decided to send home the sum of L 530, to defray the expenses of the outfit of a number of Lancashire operatives; whose passage to this colony the Government ag^eetopay. • A new river, to be called the M'Kay, situate! thirty miles north of Cape Paimerston, has been opened up by Mr. Dalrymple. Its discovery adds greatly to the value of the stations through which it flows. In many parts of Queensland rain is much wanted, and large numbers of cattle are dying on account of the drought. Fever has broken out amongst the passengers landed from the Erin-go-Bragh, immigrant ship, which arrived here a short time ago, short & provisions, having been nearly six months on the passage.

An Acclimatisation Society has been formed here, and it is likely to become a permanent institution. - % 5*:.f3l

Jack Ashobe.—lt has passed into a proverb current enough amongst nautical men, " that sailors earn their money like horsss and spend it like asses," and if a telling; illustration of the truth of of the adage were "required, it would certainly be furnishes! in the conduct of the " liberty men " of H.M.5.3. Harrier, -» ho for the last week have been astonishing the nerves of our sober citizens b? their reckless frolics and laughable eccentricities. Practical joking, however, sometimes proves a dangerous eaine when carried too far, and a scene Y,-7ueh occurred on Saturday last showed the truth of this assertion. A part? of four " tars " in that peculiar " happy co lucky " condition, induced by copious libations "at the shrine of the "rosy god," came rolling up Willis-street, and when near our office, were met by an equal number of soldiers. "Sheer off you scarlet lobsters," roared Jack to his brethren of the other service. "Shut up," growled one of our military defenders in reply. Such were the refined courtesies exchanged, followed by a few further choice extracts from the vocabulary of the forecastle, when at last one of the soldiers finding his choler getting up at the repeated defiances offered mm, turned back for the purpose of settling matters nciarmis. Jack, nothing loth, met him half-way, and in a trice the pair of worthies were engaged in an encounter which must liave been highly gratif^m? ta admirers of pugilism. sporting reporter informs us that Jack got home heavily on the knowledge box of hi 3 opponent, darkening his daylights, and tapping the claret, while the "lobster "retaliated by getting the " tar's " head into chancery, and administering some heavy '•' fibbing/ The battle we understand was a drawn one, but the mishaps of our man-of-war's men were not yefcover. One of the party by not steering a straight course fell quash into the ditch on the right ride of the street, and with a philosophy that did him credit, went quietly to sleep. A messmate attempted to pull him out, out finding his endeavors ineffectual., gave the next best proof of true friendship, by lying down beside him. Meantime the fighting member of their party paraded the street, divested of his upper garments and offered an unlimited number of challenges to the bye-sfeuiders Uy-and-bye, however, peace was restored; Jack resumed his clothes; his mates were pulled out of the ditch, and the trio went on their wav, to the intense relief of all Her Majesty's peaceful subjects. Query —Where were the police l—WeUingt on Infovendent Aug. o. "*

" Puss ix a New Character.—A Kirkcaldv con«spondent sends us the following:_" An interestm? illustration of the curiosities of natural histo'-v occurred the other day at Kirkcaldy. A duct's es^ by some mistake, had been put amonsr the eg^s whicii a hen was at the time hatching. The chickens however, broke their shells five or six days before the duckling, and no sooner had the alien made its appearance than they flevr at it, pecking it,v«md seemingly determined to destroy it. An archangel cat which was nursing a family of kittens. seem« the illusage of which duckling was the object, seized the litUe victim, carried it off to her own nursery, laid it beside her kittens, and© has ever since tended it with as mnch care and interest as if it had been a gedume member of the feline species. Dnckey seems perfectly contented with its new mamma; and although it leaves her at intervals to be fed, never fails to return to its generous protector. The kittens we believe, have been equally kind to their new playmate, and manifest no signs of animosity.— Scotsman