GENERAL POST-OFFICE.
The MAIL for England and the Cape of Good Hope via Mauritius, per Cygnet, Captain Rolls, will be closed on Friday next the 22nd instant.
- Charles Macfaull,
- Postmaster
- Charles Macfaull,
SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.
Lying in Gages roads. The Cygnet, and the Jolly Rambler.
It is reported that the Ellen Government Schooner, is to be laid up in ordinary for the present. In consequence of this arrangement, Captain Toby will have leisure to devote his attention to a most desirable object, the Pilotage.
THE
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN
JOURNAL
It is difficult to account for the diversity of opinion which we have heard expressed upon the subject of the proposed plan for remedying the inconvenience at present experienced, by those who have occasion to navigate the river beyond Perth. The Gentleman who suggested the plan, it is not to be supposed, would hazard his professional reputation, without a positive conviction of the ultimate success of the measures he proposes; neither is it reasonable to imagine that the Honorable Gentlemen to whose consideration it must have been submitted, could be so easily hood-winked to acquiesce in "dribling" away the public money, as "an old hand" ignorantly designates it, unless they were also satisfied with the practicability of the plan. We think it would have been as well for "an old hand" to have husbanded his "pudling" remarks, until he had lound his passage across the flats obstructed by the failure of the measure, the Government have considered it expedient to sanction. We are frequently fated to meet with individuals of the same stamp as "an old hand", most miraculously endowed, and enlightened, upon every subject of state policy, but lamentably ignorant of the simple rules for the improvment of their own estate, which their erudition, it might be presumed would instruct them to advance to perfection.
On Thursday last a report was circulated, that several of the native women had been speared, at their bivouack on the lake. In the course of the afternoon, one was taken to the Hostpital in a dangerous state. Dr. Milligan of the 63d. attended her, and humanely dressed the wounds, and bled her, which she submited to with great composure, from which it is inferred, that some similar practice exists amongst themselves. Yesterday morning Monday and his wife, were brought in, severely wounded. The endearing solicitude Monday evinced for his wife, was an example of conjugal affection worthy of imitation. Notwithstanding the unremitting attention and kindness they received from Dr. Milligan, a wish was expressed to return to their old haunts; in the afternoon their friends were therefore allowed to carry them away. There is little hopes of the recovery of one of the women, indeed they are both in a dangerous state. Jealousy is said to have given rise to this savage outrage, however, from our imperfect knowledge of their language it is difficult to arrive at the real cause; we expect to be enabled to give a more satisfactory explanation of the occurrence in our next.
NATIVE CORROBORY AT PERTH
At the solicitation of Yagan, who had not been present at the celebration of this native festival on previous occasions, Capt. Ellis was induced to allow the Swan River and the King George's men to hold a corrobory in Mr. Purkis's yard, on Wednesday evening last, which attracted an overflowing audience. About dusk the two tribes assembled, and commenced their preparations by chalking each others breasts in tastful devices, resembling the spangled decorations of the riders at Astleys, which cerimony was accompanied by a hurdy-gurdy chaunt chorused by the party. They appeared highly flattered by the interest the audience took in their manouvers, and preparatory to the entertainment, stalked to and through rehearsing their chaunts, and exercising their singular attitudes, with all the self complacency of our more cultivated Artists.
As a novelty the corrobory is well worth seeing, but much of its interest is lost to us, from the want of a programme of the performance. The representation of killing the Kangaroo, the one performer assuming the character of Huntsman, the other the Kangaroo, was striking from its fidelity indeed was a fine specimen of acting; but the necromantic dances, as they were termed, could only gratify the initiated, of whom we believe there were but few present. We are of opinion it would require some stretch of imagination, to construe, the knocking of noses together, dancing on their knees, and pulling each others legs, into necromancy, however, we yield to those whose experience and knowledge of their habits has led them to draw this conclusion. The display on the whole was interesting, but rather tedious. Towards the close the performers solicited the indulgence of being allowed to remain and sleep in the yard for the night, which was granted them. His Honor the Lieutenant Governor honored the natives with his presence, and we observed nearly the whole of the respectable inhabitants of Perth, including several ladies, all of whom seemed highly entertained. The figures of most of the natives of this part of the country displayed to advantage in this muscular exercise, would have formed a fine study for the artist; The King George's Sound men are far inferior to them, both in person, ingenuity and activety, in their native sports. Yagan was the master of the ceremonies, and acquitted himself with infinite dignity and grace.
The prices of manufactured articles, as well as general articles of consumption are still exravagantly high, with which the quality does not keep pace. When is this system of trade to have an end? The dread of extortion, deters many from resorting to the market, and forces them to many expedients, which the trader when too late, will find to his cost, have materially affected his returns. Our market is limited, but subjected to such prices as we daily suffer under, it must not be a matter of surprize, if less frequented.
R. Thorn was brought before G Leake, Esq., the Civil Commissioner, at the instancs of Mr Weavell, who complained that he had left his service without giving him due notice.—Committed to Jail for one week. This is the first commitment of the kind we remember to have heard of in the Colony.
To The Working Man.—However small may be a man's income, there is one very certain way of increasing it—that is Frugality. A frugal expenditure will enable almost every body to save something ; and as there are now established throughout the country Banks, where the industrious may safely deposit their savings, however little they may be, and receive the same sort of advantage which the rich derive from their money, that is, interest, there is every inducement to make an effort to save Dr. Franklin observes, in his usual forcible way, that six pounds a year is but a groat a day. For this little sum, which may be daily wasted, either in time or expense unperceived, a man of credit may, on his own security, have the constant possession and use of a hundred and twenty pounds." Many humble men in England have risen to wealth by such small beginings; but many more continue to expend the groat a-day unnecessarily, and never cease to be poor.—Penny Magazine
Slow Death.—Snakes eat lizards, and generally gorge the head of the lizard and fore legs first, in which case you see the tail and hinder legs projecting out of the snakes mouth; but it sometimes happens that the snake seizes the lizard by the tail, when its bright eyes will be seen peeping out of the destroyers mouth, quite alive, and struggling hard, but in vain, to get away. It is well known how slowly the serpent tribe swallow their food; as the lizard is very tenacious of life, its lower extremities are pretty well digested before the head and upper parts are dead or nearly swallowed.—London's Magazine of Natural History.
To the Editor of the Perth Gazette
Sir,
Having observed in your paper of last week a letter from an individual of the name of Lyon, dated, Woodbridge, Nov. 26th, 1832. I beg to state that I was at that time the occupant of Woodbridge, and that Mr. Lyon was not: I am at a loss therefore, to know his reason for addressing his letter from a place where he has never resided, as I am not aware of any other place in the Colony being named Woodbridge.
- I am Sir,
- Your obedient Servant,
- W. Locke Brockman.
- Your obedient Servant,
- I am Sir,
Mr. Editor,
- Sir,
In last weeks Perth Gazette I find my name so incorrectly made use of, and false statement attached thereto, both by yourself, and your correspondent, that I beg you will not for the future repeat the offence nor use my name at all in your paper without my authority. You are at liberty to publish this.
- I am sir, your obedient servant,
- John Butler.
- I am sir, your obedient servant,
Mr Butler shall have his wish, unless he should per chance appear at the Quarter Sessions. Editor.
We are happy to have it in our power to state that the subject of a new regulation to facilitate the conveyance of the mail between Perth and Fremantle, is now under consideration; it is fully anticipated that some steps will soon be taken to afford the public this desirable and essential accomodation.
Jefferies is the name of the soldier who found the lost notes, and restored them to Mrs. Birkett; this circumstance we have a pleasure in recording: it is as honorable to the character of the man, as satisfactory to his own feelings.
