Page:Stryker's American Register and Magazine, Volume 6, 1851.djvu/211

Rh To their delight, the geologists then found that their dauntless companions had once more committed themselves to the deep, had swam to an accessible part of the cliff, and returned to Llanrystid, where, with the exception of loss of hats, the officer's boots (which he had taken off on first starting from the ledge) and a few slight cuts and bruises, they appeared not a whit the worse for their perilous adventure.

30''th. Riot at Liverpool.''—An affray occurred at Liverpool, Eng., between the police and some soldiers of the 91st regiment stationed there. The riot was suppressed after some time by the energy of the authorities, but not before several persons had been killed.

Dreadful Ravages of the Plague in the Canaries.—A terrible pestilence raged during this month at the Grand Canary, which was introduced by fishing vessels from the adjacent coast of Africa, where it is said to have caused frightful mortality and desolation. At San Jose there were at one time 100 deaths per day; the city was mostly deserted, and several of the dead lay unburied. Six thousand died at Las Palmas, and about 16,000 on the island, in two months. It continued to rage till the middle of August.

Extraordinary Escape.—While the children of Mr. George Hickan, a citizen of Scott county, Virginia, were playing together in a field near the mouth of a fathomless sink-hole, one of them, a boy about eight or ten years of age, accidentally pushed his little brother, about four years old, headlong over the edge, and he fell into the deep, dark pit below. It was some time after the child was missed before any certain information could be drawn from the others as to what had become of him, and it was only by threats of severe punishment that they finally overcame their fear, and extorted from the boy who did the deed a confession of what had happened.

An effort was made immediately to ascertain the situation of the little fellow, and afford him relief, if he was not beyond its power. Ropes were tied together, with a stone attached to one end, and an attempt was made to fathom the depth beneath, but more than sixty feet of rope were employed in vain; no bottom could be reached. A lighted candle was then let down, but its light gave no hopeful indication, except that the pit was free from choke damp, or impure air, as far down as the candle descended. Night came on, and all further efforts were abandoned.

On the next day, further trials were made of the depth of the pit, but with no better success. In despair, the frantic parents were about to give up all hopes of recovery or relieving their child, and preparations were being made to close up the mouth of the