Untitled

Wellington Independent, Volume VI, Issue 505, 14 August 1850, Page 2

His Excellency Lieutenant-Governor Enderby arrived yesterday morning, in the cutter Auckland, from the Auckland Isles, having sailed on the Ist instant. We believe the settlement was progressing most favourably, and all the settlers were now comfortably located, and in high spirits. The soil is stated to be exceedingly fertile, and vegetables of various kinds had already been grown in great perfection. The winter so far had proved very mild, iio snow having even lain upon the ground. The sheep and cattle were doing remarkably well. The whales were just beginning to frequent the bays in great numbers, and sanguine' hopes were entertained that the fisheries would prove eminently successful. In a short time the Company will have a fleet of at least 15 vessels at sea. His Excellency, we understand, purposes to proceed Sydney in the course of a few days ; his object being to procure various supplies of which his settlement will shortly stand in need. We are not, however, without hope, that his Excellency will upon enquiring, find that lie can procure in this place all the supplies he requires, and that he may thus lay the foundation of a trade between Wellington and the Auckland Isles, which will prove, equally advantageous to both places. If such a trade were once commenced, a, constant communication would be kept tip, and considerable employment given to our small coasters.

A melancholy accident occurred on Wednesday the 6th Instant, at the Wairarapa Lake, by the upsetting of a canoo, whereby Mr: Donald Druminond, Mr

John Drummond, a half-cast child, and a native named E Rui, were unfortunately drowned. The particulars of the accident are nearly as follows :—

The Messrs. Druramond's, accompunied by Mr. Charles Luxford, started from Wellington for Wuirarapa with a herd of cattle on Tuesday the /sth inst. They arrived at the Lake in safety, and, as is the usual custom, unsaddled their horses, sending the saddles and bridles over in a canoe, and making the horses swim across. Mr. Charles Luxford was about to cross the lake, but at the request of Brigade Major O'Connell, allowed him to cross first. Mr. Lux ford's horse refused to ta-e the water, and he was therefore obliged to take the bridle in the canoe, and thus lead him across, which, however, was Ih-c means of saving his life, the canoe having swamped, would have sunk.but the horse being on the weather side, they managed to reach the shore. At this time it was blowing fresh from the N.W., and the Natives waited some tim-e, when the wind lulled, and they crossed for the Messrs. Drummonds. The canoe had reached about half-way across the Luke, when .it was caught with a heavy squall from the S.K., which came on so sudden and violent, that they were totally unprepared for it. There first act was to throw the sheep dogs out to lighten the canoe, but it soon after fille'J, and sunk from under them. Mr. Luxford, on observing this, rode off immediately to Mr. Drummond's station for assistance, (a distance of 3 miles from the place where the accident occurred , ), and returned with Mr. Ling and a stockman. When they arrived, the Maori had just swam ashore. Mr. John Di'ummond was last seen holding the child in his arms. Mr. Donald Drummond was seen up the lako upon the canoe. Mr. Lnxford then hastened back to the Pa to hurry the Maories for assistance. On his telling them that the Native was drowned, the Maories became very much excited, and appeared as if they contemplated a general attack, demanding titu for their countryman. He received several blows from a stick on the legs, and escaped from further molestation by his horse leaping the stile of the Pa. The body of Mr. Donald Drummond was found about 8 miles up the lake, and the canoe about three-quarters of a mile further on. Tlte bodies of Mr. John Drummond, the half caste child, and the Native E Rui, have not vet been found. The news was brought into town on Saturday last, and has created a great sensation among ;all those who knew them. Mr. D;>nalcl Druramond has left a widow and five children to kawent his loss.

BiRTFr.—At Lyttleton, Port Victoria, on the 25th ult., the wife of Samuel Madden, of a son.

Extract a a private letter received from a person who left this settlement for California a few months ago , :— San Francisco, March, 1850,

My Dear , Mr. .and I start to-morrow morning £>r the mines as the weather is now fine, and the rainy season over. * * Were you here, I would incline to became farmer once more—indeed if I had capitnl I would do so bow, as every kind of produce is high —potatoes '6d to 7d. per lb.—cabbages, 4s. to ss. each, and turnips, parsnips, •&c, in proportion—milk, Is per 'quart. Land can be bought for one dollar per acre a short distance from town.

The tide of immigration seems au the increase, unci I have no doubt it will continue 'for years, as there are new mines discovered every duy—in fuct they are not likely to be exhausted for many years, as it is now pretty well ascertained that gold is found in the mountains from Oregon to Panama. I would not wish to advise you too rawch to come hero (provided you are making a comfortable living where you are,) tut I assure you it is the only thing that would give me entire pleasure, if we had it in our power, to settle down comfortably together for the remainder of our lives in this world. We could choose our own climate, as the country is now rapidly improving all the way to Panama. '* * The mercantile coin in unity here are Jin" v a very bad state at present, owing to over speculation. Money is regularly borrowed here at 15 per cent per month, and sometimes at 20 for shorter periods. This is the dullest season for trade, as the gold diggers are not in full operation, or at least they are not coming from the mines with their bags of gold at this season— but there about 2000 people per week going. The average earning is about an ounce of gold per day—one-half'• or nearly so, goes to the gambling tables and for drink. Lumber is not worth freight hero. Potatoes, butter, cheese, or bacon would all pay,—also maize or oats. Hay is worth £50 per ton.

Wellington. Athenjeum and Mechanics' Institute. — On Thursday evening last, Mr. Marshman delivered the first of Two Elementary Lectures on Astronomy to a numerous audience. After stating by way of "introduction that his object was rather to present in a condensed form some of the facts already

ascertained, than to offer anything new , upon the subject, and referring to the works of Sir John Herschel, Professor Nichol, Dr. Dick, and others as containin <* more in detail., the substance of the Lecture about to be delivered. Mr. MarsUmau commenced witli some observations upon the Earths diurnal motion, and proceeded to describe the Solar System, as taken apart from I ho rest of the Universe ;—The magnitudes of the Sun and Pl' lliets aiK * t ' je ' r distance from each other were exhibited chiefly by comparison instead of numbers, as being the form in which the mind could more distinctly comprehend them. The constitution of the Sun according to the opinions of Sir Wm. Herschel and Sir David Brewster aud the telescopic appearance of the Planets, with the circumstances •which led to the discovery of the Asteroids ] and the new Planet Neptune were then ; referred to, and among the illustrations was introduced a transparent representation of Saturn, indicating the.appearance of his Rings, and other features..

The anomaly found to subsist between the pereiodic time of the planets and their distances from the Sun, as weU as the Sun's parallax, were next explained—upon the latter question,

Mr Marsh man observed that although some of the audience might not clearly understand all that was exhibited, yet it would be seen that the conclusions arrived at, were capable of proof, and not merely matters of speculation,—and that this was the main purpose for which they were introduced.

Reference was then had to the forces which operate to produce the orbitual motions of the planets, and the probable circulation of the whole system about a centre of gravity, as well as the circulation of the visible universe about a common centre.

Having made some observations upon the supposed Constitution of Comets, he proceeded to speak of the Fixed Sturs, their immense distances, and the successive discoveries that had taken place, as improvements in the Telescope had been effected. Of the magnificent instrument lately erected by Lord Ross, (of which some description was given,) it was stated that Stars were rendered visible by it whose distance was 500 times that" at which they would have been perceptible by the naked eye, and that Light which reaches us from the Sun in little more than 8 minutes, would occupy 60,000 years in reaching us from sonic of the Stars so observed.

After some observations upon the change of condition constantly going on throughout nature, —the Lecture was concluded with some quotations from Dick's Philosophy on " The Plurality of Worlds."