by Cosmas Indoplustes, reached beyond the Agows to a great nation in the interior called Sasou. Messrs. Antoine d'Abbadie and Lefevre were laboring at the same time in other parts of Abyssinia. They have both communicated many interesting notices to the journals of Paris and of this country. Mr. Lefevre reported particularly on the nature and commerce and character of the people on the Bahr-el-Azrek, or Blue S. W. direction, in order to discover the sources of the White Nile and of the Tchadda, or Niger, which two latter do not appear to be so far from one another as was once supposed. The Baron then proposes to explore the Quilimancy, into which, according to Mc Queen's and Major Harris's views, the great river Go-jub empties itself; the united rivers flowing into the sea by several mouths near Patta; but this is contradicted by others, who, giving to the Quilimancy Nile, and the district of Bertha, lying between its apparently correct orthography, of Kilimaji, that river and the Tumat. one of its tributaries. M. d'Abbadie, when last heard of, was at Adowa, engaged in compiling a dictionary of the Hamtonga, or Agow language, which already contained 1400 words. An English traveller of the name of Bell had arrived in the month of April at Adowa, whence it is said he continued his journey inland. The German naturalist Schimpfer was also with M. d'Abbadie. Messrs. Ferret and Galinier, of the French Etat Major, have also returned from a voyage into Abyssinia, whither they had been sent by the Minister of War; they are said to have identify that river with the Kilifi. The Baron hopes thence to return by the Mohammedan kingdom of Hurrar and the slave-trading Barbera. If only a part of this vast project be successfully executed, it will be a great deal; and considering what we have learned of the fine climate, productive lands, and populous regions, at the sources of the Blue Nile, there is every reason to suppose that the same exists to a certain degree, even if there are not mountains, at the sources of the White Nile and of the Tchadda. From a year and a-half's observation, the British Mission never found Shoa so hot nor so brought with them several maps of the country. cold as Great Britain. Beyond Shoa, and be Messrs. Krapf and Sapeto have also returned tween that kingdom and the sources of the from Abyssinia, the former after a residence of White Nile, the Baron may visit the people callthree years. M. Blondel, Belgian Consul-gen- ed Shats, the Christian kingdom of Susa, or eral in Egypt, who had undertaken a journey the river Anquer, and the larger river into Abyssinia, had been detained prisoner in Maleg,-probably the most distant tributaries to that country, but was happily released by the exertions in his behalf of the Pasha of Egypt. Mehemet Ali has fitted out in modern times two expeditions for the exploration of the Bahrel-Abiadh, or White Nile. The first, under the conduct of Selim Binsbashi, left Khartum on the 17th of November, 1839, and ascended the stream for seventy-two days. In this expedition, the party ascended the river to the sixth parallel of North latitude. The second expedition was accompanied by two Europeans, Messrs. Arnauld and Sabatier. They left Khartum on the 25th November, 1840, and ascended the White or Western Nile, for a distance of 518 leagues from Khartum, and reached a spot in lat. 4° 42′ N. The want of water at that season of the year prevented their further progress, but when the waters are high the stream may be navigated, it is said, as far as the third parallel of N. latitude. Arrived at their furthest, they yet saw no mountains, so that it would appear that the famed mountains of the moon do not exist in Central Africa, at least, at the most distant sources of the Nile. In the dominion of the Behrs, the king's palace is described as being on the waters, and as only to be approached by swimming. His guards are two battalions of women, armed with spears and bucklers, and his ministers never enter the palace but when the king is supposed to be dangerously ill, when it becomes their duty to strangle him, that he may not die a natural death, like the vilest of his subjects. Besides Mr. Rochet d'Hericourt, who has returned to his former field of exploration, Major Harris has offered his services to return to Shoa. and Baron de Wrede, a Frenchman, is also about to proceed to Shoa by Tagura and Houssa, or Aussa, following the Hawash. From Shoa he proposes to penetrate the country in a the Blue Nile; and thus there is every reason to hope, from any one taking such a line of route, for a proximate acquaintance with the great features and outlines of the geography of Central Africa. CONSUMPTION. From the Metropolitan. STRETCHED on the couch she lies-how frail The hectic spot is there; Her sorrowing friends around her stand, She feels her end is near. Hard seems it one in beauty's bloom, A mouldering corse be laid; Knocks, and must be obeyed. To the bright realms of day; THOS. D'OYLEY. Christ Church, Ozon, Nov. 1842. THE IRISH STATE TRIALS. - No. III. FROM THE NOTE-BOOK OF AN IRISH BARRISTER. those agents of mischief who enter into the plans of the disaffected, if any exist, and report due progress to the Secretary of State. Mr. Hughes did not conceal his calling as a reWe traced in our last number the progress porter, though he did as an informer-but then of the great issue to the close of the Attor- he swore only from his notes, and their corney-General's elaborate oration, which, like rectness was unimpeachable. The traversers, the theology of Zoroaster, was composed of availing themselves of the privilege of inquirtwo discordant principles-prodigality of ing into the conduct of adverse witnesses, to promise, and parsimony of proof. We may impeach their credibility, had, it is said, now speak with freedom, for the contest is over. We leave to others to sound the abysses of state policy, which, after all, are little deeper than common draw-wells; but, deep or shallow, that policy has had, and will have, a profound influence on the future fortunes made wide casts from some little memorabilia in his life, from which, even the most virtuous are not exempt. How far they succeeded is to us utterly unknown, but, from the cunning screw of the mouth, and the glance of the fox-like eye of Mr. Hatchell, we suspected of Ireland. There is a facetious saying of the that he was not unprovided with some crossemperor Nero, that his favorite ministers pellets. It was clear, however, from the "paid dear for their consular supper," and gentlemanly bearing of the witness, and the we suspect the continued feasting in the candor with which he not only answered but Queen's Bench will hereafter prompt a sim- even added to the questions of the Solicitorilar exclamation, with a slight variation in the General, that he sought to withhold nothing. phrase. Our province is not the political, This changed the course of Mr. Hatchell, but it is almost impossible to touch on events who probed Mr. Hughes with exemplary without the peril of perhaps an impolitic gentleness; and well he might do so for the opinion. With this brief preface, we take perjured informer," as it was the fashion to up the evidence of the Crown, and the designate him, bore testimony to the extraorspeeches for the accused, which will afford dinary peace and tranquillity of Mullaghmast to all matter of amusement or interest. All -to the high and necessary duties of the these, it is true, have already been spread O'Connell police--to the comfort of the new out in the most ample profusion-the press has carried them throughout the world, outstripping in its rapid diurnal whirl our more lazy monthly flight. But there are many incidents, not unworthy of note, which evaporate in such a mode of communication, or sink unobserved into oblivion and now that Celtic bonnet, which, he admitted, would be an excellent nightcap-and to the imposing splendor of the civic procession, as the worthy aldermen and councillors, in velvet and scarlet, ascended the historic Rath. He described the "inauguration" of Mr. O'Connell, who laughed most heartily at the novel the tumult has subsided, and life resumes its coronation, while the Solicitor-General turnordinary course, we may jot down our recol-ed up his keen eye to the jury, and looked lections of the evidence and of the orations, mysteriously grave. What was that municiwhich have revived the forgotten glories of pal march but the affectation of royal pomp? the Irish bar. What that foolish cap but the "likeness of a "Whoso had beheld him then, The examination of Frederick Bond Hughes was looked forward to as a rich feast. Wherever you moved, among the leading questions which agitated the circles of small talk, the first was-when will Hughes be in the stocks? In the first heat of prejudice, innocence has often fallen a victim to popular clamor. Public rumors should not be too soon encountered. Give the report of the day time to grow stale, and it either dies of itself, or time will not fail to rectify the false judgment. Mr. Hughes was, unfortunately, one of those against whom the whole weight of public reprobation was directed. As a governmentreporter, he was not bound to prosecute for the government; his duty was to note what he heard, instead of playing the "informer"-we use the word in the limited sense of swearing the informations, and not as one of accounted for the memorable mistake in iden The caution and safety of Mr. Hatchell elicited all that was possible from the witness, and kept out of view the unfavorable, among which was the "Behemoth" trifle which formerly submitted Mr. Hughes to a perfect storm of indignation. He established his truthfulness in each particular, and clearly tifying one of the traversers. We like to aid in yielded to " compulsion," and was on the purging away a cloud from a fair reputation. point of revelation, when the Solicitor-GeneBond Hughes was associated in the popular ral interposed, and stayed the confession. mind with the Armstrongs and Reynoldses, What gave the bar and the public an elevated and that eminent and patriotic engraver, opinion of the fine sensibilities of Mr. Ross William Holbrooke, was, it is said, engaged was the delighful uxoriousness which, like a in a line engraving of the perjured and thread of shining silver, ran through his faithless informer, to be supplied to each re- testimony. Dear Mrs. R was at the top peal warden, and suspended in the repeal rooms throughout Ireland, as a warning against Saxon treachery. The candor of the English spy has dispensed with the exercise of Mr. Holbrooke's artistic skill. and bottom of all his movements, sentiments, and opinions. What she said became an immutable law in his conduct. He would become another Erostratus and fire Westminster Hall, if Mrs. R only suggested the fatal enterprise. What a model of an obsequious partner is Mr. R—! Mr. Henn, a compact bachelor, was struck forcibly with the picture of conjugal happiness. Will he repent of his unsocial singleness? The next of the "battalion of testimony" was Mr. Charles Ross, who has acquired much reputation on this side of St. George's Channel. He had three heads issuing from one small trunk. He reported for Downing Street, and also for a liberal and conservative journal. So very disinterested was he, that the Chronicle shared his favors in common by two Irishmen, a Mr. Jackson, and a Mr. These were the only direct agents of the "Minister of Police." They were followed with the Standard, and Sir J. Graham with "John Ulick M'Namara." The former fared both. He came over to this savage country, miserably in confirming his notes, and the the victim of the most miserable apprehen- latter had nothing to tell. Then followed a sions. He dreaded the repute of a govern- long and formidable array of stipendiary mament informer, and would not take fifty gistrates, head-constables, sub-constables, and thousand pounds, as he confessed to Mr. common constables, who proved themselves Henn, to disclose his dangerous occupation, accomplished masters in what Tacitus calls though Mr. Bond Hughes was roaming about at large in jarvey and fly-boat, and feasting, unharmed, on repeal viands-there was, too, never a drop of an opiate infused into the Lord Mayor's "crusted port," with which he so freely indulged at the Rotundo dinner. With a political digestion so admirable as Mr. Ross could boast, it is surprising that his natural stomach should generate such dismal vapors and apprehensions of personal safety. He ventured, in deep alarm, to Donnybrook, quality. Whenever any thing of a seditious "noting the words of men, watching their looks, and warping every trifling circumstance into a crime." They showed, with all the good derivable to a government from the existence of such a force, the counterbalancing dangers and evils. They were the most expert of note-takers; long speeches and conversations were reported on the strength of accurate and powerful memory, for the police are all peculiarly gifted in that nature was spoken, out flew the scroll, and and all were so good-humored there that he had the courage to pass beyond the jurisdic- down went the treason. One of the most re tion of the new police, and commit his sacred body among the bloodhounds of Connaught. In his cross-examination by Mr. Henn, he afforded an excellent specimen of that fluctuation of opinion which is characteristic of his generous patron. Tel mastre tel valet. He opened the campaign of life in all the glowing pride of Radicalism, but, as he naively remarked, "All men's sentiments undergo changes in time from reflection and reading." Too much learning, on the authority of Festus, made an apostle mad-it had markable facts connected with the meetings was the facility of access and movement afforded on all occasions to the police. They went on the platforms, surrounded the presidential chairs, and when the Union was declared to be a "nullity," or the "sergeants" were promised promotion, or any special stimulant applied to the flagging enthusiasm of the multitude, in the shape of new tenures and titles, the policemen coolly took a note of the eloquent apostrophe, without menace, remonstrance, or violence. They did all in not quite so decided an effect on the editor of their power to back up the statement of the the Carlisle Patriot-it only subdued his Attorney-General in the drilling, and mar ancient fervor in behalf of abstract rights and shalling, and parade of multitudes. Of infanimaginary republics to the more quiet tone try and cavalry we had countless numbers, of conservatism. When pressed to reveal marching under their wardens, who ever the mysterious operations which deprived the and anon exclaimed, "Steady, men-keep radical world of such a "bright particular the step;" but of that very effective arm of star," he, most unlike Sir John Falstaff, field service, the artillery, there was no evi dence-that only was wanted to enable Mr. daughters of Eve, but, emulous of the O'Connell to take the field! renown which their sisters on the other side of the Shannon had acquired from the defence of Limerick, and of which they were unceasingly reminded by our national orators and poets, they accompanied their lords to the battle field, determined no longer to breed or suckle slaves. Had Mr. Smith discovered this manœuvre, he should have sent up a collateral issue to the jury, and they would, no doubt, the interview between Pope Leo and Attila, Now, the Ballinakill division was confessedly there is a mounted Hun in the foreground, the crack contingent of the Connaught levy, without bridle or saddle. His image was sug- according to police testimony. They called gested in the description of the Ballinakill these poor peasants "cavalry," who had light horse, whose accoutrements were al- come from afar off with their wives to see most as simple and primitive. "Splendid Mr. O'Connell, and as they moved together, force, eh?" quoth Mr: Whiteside, stroking distinct from the crowds on foot, they give his unwhiskered jaws, and with a malicious- them "marching order," and "military arly-humorous smile. "I have seen better," ray?" Miserable heather-fed ponies, and was the reply. "Did you? Well I am harmless holiday peasants, constituting "Reastonished! They moved, I dare say, with peal cavalry?" It was too ludicrous. One prodigious regularity!" And so he went on, could not laugh at its solemn absurdity, for amid a storm of laughter, to bring to light it involved an imputation on the national loythe imposing grandeur of the Cossacks of Con-alty. In describing the march of one of those nemara. On a total of two hundred, the irregular squadrons, we believe the Mallow amount of the Ballinakill contingent to the procession, the witness, a policeman, stated national army, saddles averaged about ten per that they moved in "close column," but that cent., the remaining horsemen contriving to occasionally they broke rank, when the "balance their bodies on the sharpened ledge "captains" restored, by a word the disjointed of spare back-bones." Bona fide bridles array. "Oh, I see," edged in the Attorney Of the cavalry, we will take as a specimen a very respectable and efficient force, "The Ballinakill Repeal Cavalry." They must have formed a most magnificent body, if one were to judge from the state of their equipments, the condition of their horses, and the regularity of the march. Mr. Whiteside brought out their points of military efficiency in brilliant style. In Raphael's picture of have found that the women were men! were about the same low average, the supplement being made up of twisted hay, which served the double purpose of control and fodWoman," observes a crabbed and unloving philosopher, "is the baggage that retards man's march in life." The heroes of Ballinakill did not agree with the sour stoic, for each carried his baggage behind him. In such style did the pride of occidental chivalry prepare themselves for the great national struggle. em General, "marshalling them." This was a most unfair inference, but it proved the overflowing anxiety of the Crown to establish the drilling, and conjure up the terrors of '98. Here we leave the Ballinakill cavalry, and the Shilmonier infantry, and the "close battled ranks," who were to fight under Mr. Holbrooke's oriflamme, amd renew the glories of the Yellow Ford. That there was considerable regularity in their movements is true enough, but that the road exercise was performed to habituate them to the labors of exchange broadsides with the gun-boats of the upper Shannon. We are surprised the Attorney or Solicitor-General did not make more of this re- future fields, as the Attorney-General suggestmarkable circumstance. It is matter of his-ed, is about as true as that the Loughrea tory that the Romans, in such secret expedi- light horse could measure swords with the tions as required a sure and decisive blow to Enniskillen Dragoons, or the canal turf-boats be struck, always mounted a foot soldier behind the regular horseman, so that they doubled their force at the point of attack, without the delay or fatigue of a foot-march. By a similar stroke of military policy, the French often surprised and defeated the Spanish generals in the last Peninsular war. Now, it appeared to us very likely, though the sagacious police did not detect the scheme, that the repeal leaders pursued a similar course, and that the blue cloaks and petticoats were merely the disguises of "warrior men." We may also assume another hypothesis-that the "baggage" were true The documentary evidence consisted of Mr. O'Connell's speeches, newspaper articles, resolutions and publications of the Repeal Association. The first were read at great length, and, notwithstanding the tedium of listening to one of the most untuned of voices mouthing through whole files of newspapers, it was impossible not to be struck with the numerous passages of striking beauty with which the speeches abounded. We read them all before, but when brought together, and contrasted with each other, the mass and variety of thought which they con- against the accused, is this. There lives a tained was astonishing. What seemed to us speculator on small sedition of this marketpeculiar in his eloquence is, the delicate sen-able character in Thomas street. He finds sibility with which he traces, and the natu- a ready sale for glowing descriptions of the ral expression with which he points out, his battles of Aughrim and Athenry, and the familiarity with whatever is sweet or majestic chivalrous bearing of heroes who have never in the simple aspects of nature. No orator existed. The Irish are an imaginative peoof our times indulges so much in what con- ple, and purchase with avidity, in the shape stitute the material elements of poetry. In of truth or fiction, whatever exalts the charthe midst of his most busy and practical acter of their country, and enables them to speeches, there are bursts of picturesque forget the degradation of the present, in the beauty, without effort or restraint, conjured real or fabulous glory of the past. This purup from the scene before him, without inter- veyor had touched a chord in his bulletins of fering with his proper business, or appearing Benburb and the Bloody Pass, and, with the to digress from love of applause or need of eye of speculating wisdom, he despatched his repose. The opening of his speech at Bal- licenciates to Mullaghmast with a cargo of tinglass was a beautiful landscape; and, as if inflammation. A policeman, looking far to show his triumph in humor, as well as into the future, purchased a copy for a single fancy and imagery, he lit up the faces of his penny, and made an entry thereof in the audience with the story of the attorney's messuage. Then followed the congress of tailors, to deliberate on the fate of the snail, an apologue which had a joint application to Mr. Brewster and the Under Secretary. The quatrain ran thus : diary. This was admitted in evidence against the accused-many conceived by a strained construction of the rule of law which makes the individuals who compose a public meeting responsible for every act performed at that meeting. In the whole mass of evidence, this was the only paper with which the public were not generally acquainted "Four-and-twenty tailors came to kill a snail, One heroic tailor trod upon his tailAnd the snail put out his horns, like a great dun before. It was, no doubt, vile and seditious, Cow Run away, tailors, or he'll kill you all now." What Mr. Sheil afterwards said in his speech appeared to us perfectly correct. Look at the vast quantities of thought spread over these speeches of nine months, and who, in ancient or modern times, has surpassed the effort? Look, also, at the oceans of words, many in the most exciting circumstances, and where is the leader of a people who, on the whole, has been so gentle and abstinent? In the documentary evidence, there was one foolish and wicked handbill produced by the Crown. It was one of those papers of authority which are circulated by clamorous hawkers, and contained "The only true and genuine account of a most barbarous and bloody massacre of four hundred Roman Catholics by their tyrants, the Saxons." In seasons of peace and order, such wretched vendibles may safely be left to their brown paper and rarely-dishevelled type-things to grow fat upon, if such be the result of vigorous laughter. But when the social state is disturbed, and governments grow unusually vigilant, these miserable grotesqueries are fetched out of their obscurity, blown out into extravagant importance, and the safety of the monarchy is made to hang on a "doleful ballad!" The history of this myth of Mullaghmast, which was allowed in evidence and the printer of such infamies ought to be severely punished, but, to charge its dissemination as an overt act to establish a conspiracy against Mr. O'Connell, was morally, and not far from legally, unjust. On the eleventh day, the Crown brought their case to a sudden close, and the meagreness of their testimony to prove such serious charges as "conspiracy and sedition," astonished all. The accusation of corrupting the army, which Judge Burton truly declared to be " awful," depended on a loose phrase of Mr. O'Connell -a penny pamphlet, openly published, but not recognized by the Association-and the injudicious letter of a Catholic clergyman. This was the analogous corruption with that of '98, read by the Attorney-General from the Secret Report! On the entire case of the Crown, there was scarcely a single person in court who did not think the indictment "not proven." But who is that little man with flashing eye and anxious leok, holding a torch on high, and just about to start for a noble prize! Palpitating crowds await with intense expectation, and he manifestly shares in the general solicitude. That is Richard Lalor Sheil. Saturday, the twenty-seventh, far surpassed in intense anxiety the portentous opening day The child of native eloquence was to appear at the bar, after a long absence, to renew those oratorical triumphs which have gained him an abundant crop of senatorial |