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tion-they were very little excited by their introduction. They were strong, however, and lively crossed, apparently, the majority of them, between the bull and the mastiff breed; one or two showed a touch of the lurcher-a point in the descent of fighting dogs, which is held to give an increased capacity of mouth. The average weight of those which fought was from about five and thirty to five and forty pounds each; one had been brought over that weighed more than sixty, but he was excluded from the contest.

At a quarter past seven in the evening, from 400 to 500 persons of different descriptions being assembled, preparations were made for commencing the combat.

The dens which contained the animals on show were covered in with shutters; the lions' travelling caravan was drawn close to the fighting cage, so that a door could be opened from one into the other; and the keeper, Wombwell, going into the travelling caravan, in which another man had already been stay ing with the lion for some time, the animal followed him into the cage as tamely as a Newfoundland dog. The whole demeanour of the beast, indeed, was so quiet and generous, that, at his first appearance, it became very doubtful whether he would attempt to fight at all. While the multitude shouted, and the dogs were yelling in the ground below, he walked up and down his cage-Wombwell still remaining in it-with the most perfect composure, not at all angry, or even excited; but looking with apparently great curiosity at his new dwelling and the objects generally about him.

Wombwell having quitted the cage, the first relay of dogs was

laid on.

These were a fallow-coloured dog, a brown with white legs, and a third brown altogether; averaging about 40lb. in weight a-piece, and described by the names of Captain, Tiger, and Turk. As the dogs were held for a minute in slips, upon the inclined plane which ran from the ground to the stage, the lion crouched on his belly to receive them, but with so perfect an absence of any thing like ferocity, that many persons were of opinion he was rather disposed to play: at all events, the next moment showed clearly that the idea of fighting or doing mischief to any living creature-never had occurred to him.

At the first rush of the dogs which the lion evidently had not expected, and did not at all know how to meet-they all fixed themselves upon him; but caught only by the dewlap and the mane. With a single effort, he shook them off, without attempting to return the attack. He then flew from side to side of the cage, endeavouring to get away; but in the next moment the assailants were upon him again; and the brown dog, Turk, seized him by the nose, while the two others fastened at the same time on the fleshy part of his lips and under jaw. The lion then roared dreadfully, but evidently only from the pain he suffered-not at all from anger. As the dogs hung to his throat and head, he pawed them off by sheer strength; and in doing this, and rolling upon them, did them considerable mischief; but it is a most curious fact, that he never once bit, or attempted to bite, during the whole contest, or seemed to have any desire to retaliate any of the punishment which was inflicted upon him. When he was first "pinned," for

instance, the dogs hung to him for more than a minute, and were drawn, holding to his nose and lips, several times round the ring. After a short time, roaring tremendously, he tore them off with his claws; mauling two a good deal in the operation; but still not attempting afterwards to act on the offensive. After about five minutes' fighting, the fallow-coloured dog was taken away-lame, and apparently much distressed, and the remaining two continued the combat alone-the lion still working only with his paws, as though seeking to rid himself of a torture, the nature of which he did not well understand. In two or three minutes more, the second dog, Tiger, being dreadfully maimed, crawled out of the cage; and the brown dog, Turk, which was the lightest of the three, but of admirable courage, went on fight ing by himself. A most extraordinary scene then ensued: the dog, left entirely alone with an animal of twenty times his weight, continued the battle with unabated fury, and, though bleeding all over from the effect of the lion's claws, seized and pinned him by the nose at least half a dozen times; when at length, releasing himself with a desperate effort, the lion flung his whole weight upon the dog, and held him lying between his fore paws for more than a minute, during which time he could have bitten his head off a hundred times over, but did not make the slightest effort to hurt him. Turk was then taken away by the dog-keepers, grievously mangled but still alive, and seized the lion, for at least the twentieth time, the very moment that he was released from under him. He died on the following Thursday.

The keeper, Wombwell, went

into the cage instantly, alone; and carrying a pan of water, with which he first sluiced the animal, and then offered him some to drink. After a few minutes the lion laid himself down, rubbing the parts of his head which had been torn (as a cat would do) with his paw; and presently a pan of fresh water being brought, he lapped out of it for some moments, while a second keeper patted and caressed him through the iron grate. The second combat presented only a repetition of the barbarities committed in the first. In throwing water upon the lion, a good deal had been thrown upon the stage. This made the floor extremely slippery, and the second set of dogs let in being heavier than the first, and the lion more exhausted, he was unable to keep his footing on the wet boards, and fell in endeavouring to shake them off, bleeding freely 'from the nose and head, and evidently in a fair way to be seriously injured. The dogs, all three, seized him on going in, and he endeavoured to get rid of them in the same way as before, using his paws, and not thinking of fighting, but not with the same success. He fell now, and showed symptoms of weakness, upon which the dogs were taken away. The dogs were again put in, and again seized the lion, who by this time, besides bleeding freely from the head, appeared to have got a hurt in one of his fore feet. At length, Mr. Wombwell announced that he gave up on the part of the lion; and the exhibition was declared to be at an end.

The first struggle between the lion and his assailants lasted about 11 minutes; and the second, something less than five; but the affair altogether wanted even the savage interest which generally belongs to

a common bull or bear bait; for, from the beginning of the matter to the end, the lion was merely a sufferer-he never struck a blow. A few days after the match between Nero and his six opponents, a fresh match was made between a second lion, called Wallace, and six other dogs.

Wallace, like Nero, was a native of Edinburgh, but of a more ferocious disposition, and his weight was calculated at 400 pounds, about 100 pounds less than Nero. He was born in September, 1819; he lost his mother when two days old, and was suckled and reared by a bull bitch. The sire and dam of Nero died at the age of ten years. They were caught together when somewhat more than a year old, in a trap, on the coast of Barbary. The dogs intended for the battle with Wallace, were either bulls or half mastiff. They were called Tinker, Ball, Sweep, Turpin, Billy, and Tiger.

Wallace being turned into the den, Tinker and Ball, at a given signal, were led, in their collars, to the platform, and, as they approached, began to bark with great vociferation, and to show an anxious disposition to commence the attack. Ball was a tawny white dog, 2 years old, weighing 41lbs.; and Tinker was a red dog, 4 years old, and 46lbs. weight. Wallace, the moment he heard them, turned round, and, as if conscious that mischief was meant towards himself, watched their progress, with his head erect, his tail stiff, and his whole appearance indicating courage and resolution. At last the dogs came in his front, and he had them in full view. He approached close to the bars, and boldly waited their attack. Both dogs, although excited to the high

est pitch of fury, appeared overawed, and remained for four or five minutes upon the platform, without making any attempt to enter the cage; at length, Ball, going too near the bars, was forced into it by the lion's paw: the poor dog had scarcely got upon his legs, ere the lion caught him in his mouth, and carried him round the arena for several minutes, as a cat would do a mouse, and with the same ease. Tinker, who during the whole of this period was kept at bay by the lion's paws, made many ineffectual attempts to seize Wallace by the lip; at length, becoming more annoying, he succeeded in attracting the attention of the kingly beast, who, laying down poor Ball, then nearly dead, in one corner of the cage, directed his fury upon his other antagonist. Wallace furiously grasped him between the neck and the shoulder, and but for the timely assistance of one of the keepers, who held out a piece of raw meat to him, to entice him from his prey, would have killed him on the spot. This attack did not occupy more than ten minutes.

After an interval of twenty minutes, Turpin, a London dog, and Sweep, a native of Liverpool, were brought forth. The former weighed sixty-three pounds, and the latter forty pounds. The dogs having been brought to the platform, Wallace watched them, precisely as a cat would watch a mouse. The word, "let go," having been given, the dogs rushed upon their fate; and, in less than a minute, were disposed of. Turpin made the first spring, and and Wallace instantly caught him in his jaws, giving him a most severe bite. The attack of Sweep now induced Wallace

to drop Turpin, and turn to his new opponent, on which Turpin crawled out with all possible celerity. Wallace then seized Sweep with both his claws and mouth, and was about to give him a second crack between his jaws, when he made a spring and bolted out of the den.

For the third assault, Billy and Tiger were led towards the platform. Billy was first let go, being the largest as well as the most courageous dog, and Wallace, the instant he came within reach, grasped him across the loins with his jaws, and lifting him up, walked off with as much ease as if he carried a cockchafer. Tiger looked astounded, and with a rapidity quite equal to that of his entrance, turned about and ran off. As soon as the cage was cleared of his opponents, Wallace, seemingly disappointed of his prey, displayed his anger by lashing his sides with his tail, and roaring tremendously. His jaws were covered with crimson foam, and he continued to stride the arena from one end to the other for several minutes, printing each step with gore.

Ball died a few seconds after he was taken out of the cage, and Tinker on Tuesday morning. Tiger and Turpin were little hurt. Sweep had several of his ribs broken, and was otherwise much injured.

29. At three in the afternoon, the earth sunk in, and left a large opening in the district of Barbis: it was 100 feet in diameter, and continued to enlarge. It could not be seen how deep it was, but stones being thrown in, a noise was heard after the lapse of a minute and some seconds, as if they had fallen into water.

THREE FEMALES BURNT TO DEATH.-A fire broke out between 10 and 11 o'clock at night, at the house of Mr Jones, a tailor, in Cavendish-street, Oxford - street. At the time the flames first ap peared, there were six persons in the house. Mr. Jones and his daughter were taking their supper in the front parlour: in the first floor were Miss Morris, a dressmaker, who lodged in the house; and in the same room was a youth named Groves, and a girl named Mary Ann Jones, a servant to Miss Morris. In a room at the top of the house was Mrs. Groves, the mother of the youth. The fire commenced in the back parlour, or cutting-room, and the bursting of the flames through the door of that room first alarmed Mr. Jones, who escaped with his daughter through the front door. The flames rapidly ascended the staircase, the youth Groves ran up stairs and brought his mother down to the first floor, where she fainted and fell; and he with great difficulty escaped out of the window, letting himself down by the lamp-iron. Miss Morris and her servant girl ran to the second floor front room, closely pursued by the flames. Here Miss Morris was seen at the window, her arms extended, crying for assistance. A gentleman climbed up the lamp iron, and got as far as the first-floor window, when some of the crowd dragged him down by the skirts of his coat. The following instant, the flames burst through the first and second floor windows, and Miss Morris was seen to fall backwards into the fire. The flames were not subdued till nothing but the walls remained. The body of Mrs. Groves was taken out of the first-floor back room burnt nearly to a cinder. The

bodies of Miss Morris and Mary Anne Jones, were found on the following morning, reduced almost to ashes.

HAYMARKET THEATRE. A new comedy in three acts, entitled, "Quite Correct," was performed for the first time with great applause. The piece opens with the arrival of lady Almeria Milford, at the Imperial hotel in Brighton, in a great fright, occasioned by her. having heard that her son, Henry Milford, has fallen in love with Maria Rosemore, a girl "without blood in her veins," who is lodging there with her mother, Mrs. Rosemore. Sir Harry Dartford, a baronet, who is also lodging at the Imperial, being an acquaintance of lady Almeira's, undertakes, at her request, to prevent Henry Milford's marriage with Maria, by supplanting him in her affections. He commences operations by sending Grogan, the landlord of the Imperial, and prince of publicans, with a message to the mother, requesting permission to wait on her. This request is instantly granted, for Mrs. Rosemore is in reality lady Dartford, and Maria is their daughter. Grogan, who can endure nothing at the Imperial that is not quite correct," though he delivers the message, is shocked at the eagerness with which it is complied with. When at length Maria goes to meet the baronet, it is with the knowledge that he is her father; and at the moment when he recognizes her to be his child, by her mother's portrait which she wears, and his heart is softened by the discovery, his injured wife herself comes forward, and their sufferings are terminated by the tenderest reconciliation. As soon as it is known to lady Almeria that Maria is the daughter of an old

friend, she readily consents to her becoming Henry's wife, which is equally agreeable to sir Harry and lady Dartford. The dialogue of the piece is of a mixed character. Sometimes it rises to at least nearly approaches to genuine wit; but too often sinks below the level of the vapid common-place by which the stage has been for some time deluged.

TRANSMISSION OF NEWSPAPERS TO THE COLONIES.-By an act of parliament passed this session it is enacted, that from and after the 10th of October, 1825, printed newspapers, and other printed publications liable to the stamp duties, may be sent to any of his majesty's colonies or possessions beyond seas by the packet-boats, upon the payment of three halfpence for every such paper (the payment to be made at the time the newspaper is put into the post), provided the same be sent in covers open at the sides, and be put into the post-office in any town in Great Britain or Ireland on the day on which the same shall be published, such a day to be ascertained by the date of the papers.

Also, newspapers printed in the colonies may be sent (in covers open at the sides) by the packets to Great Britain and Ireland, for the postage of threepence on each paper, to be paid by the persons to whom the same may be addressed.

If any other papers or thing whatsoever be enclosed or concealed in such printed papers, or there shall be any writing, other than the superscription, upon such papers or their covers, they are to be charged with treble the postage of a letter.

And if any papers sent from Great Britain and Ireland, which are liable to the stamp duties, are

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