This distrust was not lessened by the news from Guyaquil, which important town declared itself independent on the 8th of October. A merchant named Villamel was the chief instrument of the revolution, which was effected with singular secrecy and promptitude, and with the loss of only one life-that of a colonel of cavalry, who was shot by an Indian cacique, of one of the best families, and captain in a native regiment. M. Villamel, at the general desire, was made admiral of the squadron then in the harbour, and sailed on the 11th for Pisco, having on board the governor and principal officers of Guyaquil as prisoners. At Panama nothing has occurred of moment; but the fidelity of the Creoles was distrusted, and the Spanish power apparently tottering. The whole province of Quito has shaken off the authority of Spain.

The duke of Manchester (governor of Jamaica) has sustained a very serious injury by being thrown from his curricle, from which he was projected with so much violence as to fracture his skull and wound his head in several places.

TRISTUN DE ACUNHA; a newly founded hereditary kingdom in a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean. In the year 1811, Jonathan Lambert, an American sailor, took possession of the desolate island of Tristun de Acunha, in the Southern Atlantic Ocean, and issued on that occasion a manifesto, drawn up in strict diplomatic form, which was signed by his chief minister, another American sailor, whose name was Andrew Millet. He declares that on the 4th of February, 1811, he

took entire possession for himself and his descendants for ever, of the island of Tristun de Acunha, as well as of two neighbouring islands, "the Inaccessible Island,' and the "Island of Nightingales," of which he thereby declares himself the lord and prince. It is very remarkable, that the ambassador of the United States of North America at the court of Brazil, appears to recognize this new power, and is in some degree its agent. It has another agent at the Cape of Good Hope, accredited to the British government, and to the East India Company. The American Ambassador sends to the new king Lambert, from Rio de Janeiro, plants and seeds of all kinds, sugar canes, coffee plants, &c. which thrive extremely well in the new settlement. The American and British ships, knowing that this once desert island now affords refreshments and excellent water, touch there to supply themselves with what they want. Captain Lovell has visited it twice, and convinced himself that the establishment is very promising, and may in future become important. Out of gratitude for Captain Lovell's friendly and obliging visits, his majesty Lambert has issued a new manifesto, in which he declares, that the Inaccessible Island shall be called henceforth "Lovell's Island;" the Island of Nightingales, "Pintard's Island;" and the three islands collectively, "Isles of Refreshment;" which last name shall besides be especially appropriated to the great island, formerly Tristun de Acunha, where his majesty resides. It may likewise appear remarkable, that this

new

new and self-created prince, like many others, speaks in his manifesto of " chicanery; and of "the laws of nations; adding, "if any there are." It is farther worthy of remark, that the English author of a much esteemed hydrographical work, published in London in 1816, wishes success, welfare, and prosperity to this new Robinsonian dynasty. He concludes his notice of the newly founded insular state with these words:"May an enterprise so honorable to its author, and so beneficial to humanity, have the success it merits! Every honest mariner must cordially join in this wish." But what may perhaps excite the most surprise is, that in 1813, Lambert, through his agent and minister at the Cape of Good Hope, applied to the British government, and to the East India Company, for their alliance and assistance; reserving, however, his rights of possession and government; and that thereupon the governor of the Cape actually agreed to his desire, and granted to the agent of king Lambert a small vessef, in which he sent him five industrious families, who had voluntarily offered to settle under his government, Horned cattle, sheep, goats, and other things useful and necessary to the prosperity and advance ment of the young colony, were likewise sent thither by the British government. When it has one day become flourishing and important, those kind dispositions towards his majesty of the isles of Refreshment may, perhaps, be succeeded by different sentiments. At all events, Lambert must be considered as an extraordinary and remarkable man, who de

serves our admiration more than many others whom we have admired, and still continue to admire; and we may well wish this Robinson Crusoe of our times, who stands on a more real ground, and is worthy of his more enlightened age, a long, happy, and peaceful government. According to the latest observations of the British navigators, Tristun d'Acunha, or the Isles of Refreshment, lie in 37o 6′ 9′′ south latitude, and in the longitude of 11° 52′ east of Greenwich, and of 14° 12' 15" east of Paris.(From the Correspondance Astronomique of Baron de Zach.)

NEW SOUTH WALES.

The Tuscan has brought letters and papers from Port Jackson to the 7th of September, by which we learn that the indefatigable exertions of Mr. Throsby, who ascertained the route to the fine country beyond the Blue Mountains, have again been crowned with the most gratifying success. In a letter of the 5th of September, to a gentleman in town, he says

"You will see I am in a fair way of verifying my prediction, that ere long a route would be continued to the southward on our continent as far as Twofold Bay. The lake now discovered is full 140 miles S. S. W. of Sydney, to which an open carriage road will be clear in a month. The country is beautiful, and fully equal to my most sanguine expectations, for all the necessary purposes of colonization. Picture to yourself large extensive downs, not plains, some as large as from fifty to sixty thousand acres, without a tree, every where covered with fine grass, for sheep or cattle, (C 2)

and

and well watered, partly by rippling streams, partly by chains of ponds, in all directions. There are many plains, of different sizes, and the hills and broken country around are thickly clad with excellent timber. It is in fact, a most desirable country, and before next Christmas I confidently anticipate we shall prove that the snow and rain which fall on the mountains and high country seen to the S. W. have an outlet to the sea. The lake is called by the natives Warre waa, and is stated by them to empty its waters in a southerly direction, where we perceive an opening in the high land on its west margin, by a river they call Murrum hid gee. The lake runs from N. to S. about thirty miles and extends in breadth from two to ten miles, its margin abounding in the most picturesque bays and points."

Many respectable settlers had lately arrived; and we see in the Gazette of the 4th of September, that 210 grants of land were then awaiting delivery at the secretary's office. Some idea may be formed of the extent of society in New Holland, from 120 gentlemen having dined at the governor's table on the 4th of June last. The colony is so full of all kinds of merchandise, that the commodities of India are much lower than in this country, and European articles of domestic consumption at little advance on the English prices. Government having sent out duly qualified pastors, chapels are now erecting at Sydney and Windsor for the performance of the catholic rites of worship.

MARCH.

GREAT BRITAIN.

A return to an order of the House of Commons states the amount of duties on inhabited houses in Great Britain, for the year ending the 5th January, 1820, at 1,239,3291. 11s. 9d.; ditto, on windows, 2,569,9901. 9s. 41d. Total 3,809,3201. Is. 11d.

Ten millions of specie, in gold, have lately been coined in the royal mint, and are now ready to be issued at the bank of England,

Sometimes we hear people complaining of the gradual decline of good old customs, which they consider to be one of the most alarming "signs of the times." It may tend to the consolation of these worthy alarmists, to be informed that one of these venerable customs, that of sending "valentines on the 14th of February," still flourishes in undiminished vigour; it appearing by the returns of the two-penny post office, that the number of letters that passed through that office on the last date in question, exceeded the usual daily average by the number of 200,000 letters!

A short time since a young wo man of Exeter, named Whicker, who was in the habit of going out to day-work at her needle, was passing through a field which the servants of the house she had left, had represented as haunted, and the fears of the credulous girl being thus awakened, a black boy having wrapped himself in a sheet, concealing all but his face and hands, met her in the path. The shock was too strong for her reason

she became raving mad; and about a fortnight since was conveyed to the asylum near Exeter, deprived of all those noble

powers

powers of intellect which dignify human nature above the brute creation; and though the dreary void of her mind is occasionally irradiated by lucid intervals, she soon relapses into insanity, from which it is feared she will never perfectly recover!

1.-This morning at six o'clock, Mr. Harding, the artist of New Bond-street, was alarmed by a dense smoke in his bed-room. On going down stairs, it was discovered that the back drawing room was on fire. By the extreme activity of Mr. Harding and his servants, it was soon extinguished, but not before some part of his furniture was destroyed, and a great part of the stock of Mr. Dickenson, printseller, materially damaged. A curious circumstance occurred at the same time. A youth in following Mr. Harding out of the two pair of stairs window lost his hold, and was precipitated into a cellar forty-feet from the window. His fall was in some measure broken by his passing through a skylight: no bones were fractured, and the lad is likely to do well.

5. The wife of Mr. J. George, of the Union Inn, Stowe-in-theWold, feeling herself slightly indisposed, sent for an ounce of salts to a neighbouring druggist, who, by mistake, sent her oxalic acid, which occasioned her death in a few hours.

-Elizabeth Phillips, whose hus band resides at Illogan, having a swelling in her face, applied to a surgeon, who directed that linen cloths wetted with a mixture of sugar of lead and vinegar should be applied to the part affected. This preparation was given to the husband, with written directions for its use. The man conceiving

that the mixture was to be taken by his wife, gave it her. It was not until twenty-four hours after this deleterious mixture was taken, and when its effects had considerably alarmed those about the unfortunate woman, that the surgeon was applied to, and discovered the manner in which his prescription. had been applied. Every practicable means calculated to produce the decomposition of the metalic poison that had been swallowed were resorted to, but without success; the woman died on Saturday last.

A coroner's jury summoned on the occasion, after reading the written directions given by the surgeon, were satisfied that they were perfectly explicit, and found that the deceased came by her death in consequence of having taken mineral poison incautiously, and by mistake.

-A young man, of genteel address and appearance, waited upon Mrs. E. Stone, a respectable lady, who keeps a boarding school at Deptford, and presented her with a letter written in a regular lawyer's hand. The following is a copy :"To Mrs. Elizabeth Stone.

"Bath, March 2, 1821. "Madam,- My clerk waits upon you for the purpose of paying you a legacy, of fifty pounds due to you, under the will of the late Mrs. Mary Harris, of this place, and to take your receipt and discharge for the same. The legacy

duty being provided for by the will of Mrs. Harris, there is only the expences of my clerk's journey in attending you herein to be had. I am, Madam,

your very obedient servant (Signed) "Thomas Watson." "To Mrs. Elizabeth Stone, Schoolmistress, Deptford, Kent."

Enclosed

Enclosed was an order upon a banker, of which the following is a copy:

:

"To Messrs. Fuller and Co. bankers, London."

Bath, March 2, 1821. "At sight hereof, pay to Mrs. E. Stone, or to her order, the sum of fifty pounds stirling, which place to the account of

" £50. "T. Watson." The pretended clerk only charged 41. 13s. 4d. the precise amount of the expenses of his journey; but the good lady did not stint her generosity to the precise sum, but feasted him and gave him 51. for the welcome intelligence. The whole had so business-like and official an appearance, and the clerk too, so like a solicitor's clerk, that not the least suspicion was entertained; particularly as the good lady had a female acquaintance named Harris from whom she had some remote expectations. It is almost needless to say, that on arriving in town the next day, and presenting the order at the banker's for payment, the fraud was discovered. They knew of no such person as T. Watson, at Bath, and pronounced the order to be a forgery. The man in person is apparently about thirty years of age, of dark complexion, with particularly dark eyes, middle sized, decently dressed, and of genteel address.

7.-About noon, a man named Smith, of Sandgate, but lately residing at Deal, being suspected of having informed against some smugglers, was seized on the beach, stripped naked to his waist, besmeared with tar, and afterwards rolled in feathers, and paraded through the town of Deal in a cart. While passing Prospect-row, a Mr. A. Pain,

from motives of curiosity, came out to witness the procession, and he being suspected of having been guilty of similar practices, was also seized, placed in a cart, his face and clothes tarred, and feathers scattered over him. The procession round the town occupied upwards of two hours, and the situation of the unfortunate men, especially that of Mr. Pain, who is an elderly man, was truly pitiable. The noise and confusion of the mob, which consisted of men, women, and children, was beyond description.

8.-A public meeting was held at the city of London Tavern, for the purpose of establishing a floating hospital on the Thames for seamen, and it was attended by a most numerous and respectable assemblage of ladies and gentlemen. At one o'clock the lord bishop of Chester was unanimously called to the chair, and briefly addressed the meeting on the object for which they were assembled.

A series of resolutions was then proposed to the meeting in furtherance of the objects of the society, in the moving and seconding of which earl Darnley, Mr. Wilberforce, lord Rocksavage, and other gentlemen shortly advocated the utility of establishing a floating hospital on the river Thames. Mr. Rowcroft moved the thanks of the meeting, to the Mendicity Society for the protection they had afforded to seamen. He observed that upwards of sixty seamen were now receiving the attention of that society. This circumstance alone would shew the utility of the proposed measure.