DREADFUL THUNDERSTORM IN THE ISLAND OF COLL.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 331, 22 August 1868, Page 3

DREADFUL THUNDERSTORM IN THE ISLAND OF COLL.

INJURY TO PERSONS AND LOSS OF PROPERTY A correspondent sends the following account of a fearful disaster in the Island of Coll:—"The island of Coll was visited about one o'clock a.m., on the 29 ult, by a storm of unusual asever ity, attended with much injury to person and property. The thunder was most terrific, and the lightning awfully brilliant. In the township of Cornaigurore there are five tenants of the name of M'Kinnon. The dwellings and outhouses belonging to three of them are built in a line at the foot of a hill. This hill seems to have been struck by the lightning, for the rock is split, and the earth is trenched and riddled as by a volley from a battery. Some of the electric fluid, after spending its strength upon the rock beyond seems to have run down the brow of the hill, and made passes for itself through the walls of the houses, and several breaches are seen in the walls stones of a considerable size having been broken as by a blast, and planks shattered into a thousand splinters. One of the tenants, named Donald M' Kinnon, lost ten head of fine Highland cattle, valued at £IOO. All his milkchcows were killed but one, which probably escaped owing to the circumstance of its being in a standing posture at the time. The other animals appear to have been caught while asleep. With smaller cattle and poultry, the electric fluid dealt in the same way. The other two tenants had three milkch cows killed, These men were previously in straitened circumstances and in consequence of this grievous loss they are reduced almost to beggary. On the thirteen head of cattle struck dead there was not a mark to be seen, and when dragged out of the byers they presented a most distressing and painful sight. But this is not all, nor perhaps the heaviest loss sustained. Donald M'Kinnon and his wife, their son and his wife, and one of the children have been injured by the lightning. The man and the child are now considered out of danger, but not so the woman. The elder one has remained ever since in a state of stupor. Her hair and night-cap were burned, her right ear almost roasted, and she received, besides, a dreadful wound on the crown, of the head. She is in a critical state

The young wife was asleep at the time of the accident, with her infant sleeping on her arm. The sleeve of her gown and the arm under the baby Were burned-, While the infant escaped. This poor woman's body has been fearfully burned, and she suffered much from internal injuries. Although able to get out of bed occasionally she is not yet considered Out of danger. The two other families received no bodily hurt, but in consequence of the loss they have sustained they are brought to the verge of pauperism. Each family consists Of nine persons, the eldest of the childred being about thirteen years. One of the wives is at present nursing twins. It is fondly hoped that benevolent and Christian persons who may chanee to read this account (hurriedly written by one who knows the people and visited the scene of desolation,) may feel disposed to relieve them." Donations for the relief of the families will be received by the Rev. Alexander Eraser-, Free Church Manse, Coll, by Tobermory- Mr. Duncan Grant, publisher, Edinburgh ; and Mr. John M'Cullum, Religious institution Rooms, Glasgow-.

We take the following from the " Southland News :—" A cruel hoax was perpetrated ou Thursday evening last, at the Carandini Concert. "While Miss Fannie Carandini was singing, " when the Quiet Moon is Beaming,' a messenger hastily entered the circle, and delivered to the Captain of the Invercargill Volunteers, (James Harvey, Esq.) what appeared to be a genuine telegraphic despatch, enclosed in the ordinary official envelope. On opening the missive, Captain Harvey found it contained an order to muster the Southland Volunteers in readiness to proceed to the North, to assist in quelling the Native Rebellion. Unmindful of etiquette at such a moment, Captain Harvey at once stepped over to a brother officer who sat near by, and hurriedly communicated the intelligence, which in a few moments circulated amongst several of the leading citizens present, who were so startled that some eight or ten of them at once rose and left the Theatre to join the cousultation outside. This proceeding was, of course, quite uninitsiiigiuic iu Hio full u./ «»j», .. Liu hjjpeared for a moment quite disconcerted at what must have seemed, to say the least, very extraordinary 'conduct. We understand that at the " council of war" 6 it Was determined to send a messenger to Riverton ; and a constable was hastily sworn in for the purpose, by a J.P, (John Blacklock, Esq, the Provincial Treasurer); who happened to be present. All this occurred in less time than it takes us to tell it -—' the news,' in fact, spreading like wildfire, and losing nothing by the way. Among the Volunteers present, the call 'to arms,' seemed to act very differently, according to the peculiar idiosyncrasy of the individual members. A few (a precious few) appeared delighted with the prospect of a ' brush with the natives >' others looked pale, and determined to do their duty ; while others, again, looked pallid, and equally determined ' not to go North for anybody.' It is but just to say that these constituted but a very small minority. How much further the joke might have been carried but for the opportune discovery that the "dispatch" was a forgery, is more than we can say. Threats both loud and deep of how they would treat the joker if they could but catch him, were, of course uttered by the indignant Volunteers, who, as they began to recover their presence of mind, reflected that in the present state of the law they could not be ordered to serve out of the province."

Wall Paper Superseded.—According to the Boston Transcript, a man in Cambridge, Mass., has made a newinvention by which wood hangings will take the place of paper. The Transcript says : —" A very delicate, simple, and beautiful machine has been constructed, which will take a portion of a tree after it has been cut the right length and width, and shave it up into thin ribbons as wide as a roll of house paper, making 150 to the inch. These rolls of wood are placed on the walls by paper-hangers with paste and brush, precisely in the same manner as paper. The wood is wet when used, and really works easier than paper,it is much more tough and pliable. In tbese days when variety is sought for, one can finish the walls of his house in different woods to suit his taste. One room can be finished in bird's-eye maple, another in. chestnut, another in cherry, another in white-wood, and so on. Thus he has no imitation, but the real genuine I article upon his walls."