The Wesleyan Mission Ship. –The Committee of this Society have purchased a vessel, to be employed exclusively under their direction in conveying missionaries and stores between the colonies of New South Wales and Van Dieman's Land, the Friendly Islands, the Fejees, and other groups and islands of the Great South Pacific Ocean.

                      
---
Colonel Wyndham has sent out a commission to Canada to purchase an estate of 10,000 acres, and intends furnishing the same assistance to persons desirous of emigrating from his estates to Australia and Canada, as was given by the late Earl of Egremont.– *Morning Herald.*

                      
---
New Zealand. –A vessel selected to carry out emigrants to New Zealand, under the auspices of a company formed in this country, will sail in about a fortnight. She is called the *Tory*, and measures about 480 tons. A *dejeuner*  was given on Saturday by the proprietors on board, in the West India Docks, at which Lord Durham, Lord Petre, Sir G. Sinclair and several other distinguished persons were present. She is a fine vessel, well armed, and ample preparations have been made for the voyage. The company have purchased 600,000 acres of land from the native chiefs.

                      
---
Daryanthus Excelsa –This most magnificent and gigantic plant is now in full bloom in one of the hothouses at Dunkeld gardens. It is a native of New South Wales, and to be met with in this country in very few collections–this being the third plant of the kind that has flowered in Great Britain. It is one of the four plants which were sent from New Holland to the Duchess of Atholl, twelve years ago, and the only one that has survived the voyage. The seapus or stem is upwards of twelve feet in heigh, from the top of which diverge seven stalks, each bearing nine large flowers of a deep crimson and pink colour. The formation of the stalks and outer petals of the flower, remind one of the Crinum Amabile, but much larger. We had no communication as a guide to its culture, but kept it at all times, and in all season, associated with the most hardy green-houseplants.– *Dunkeld **Gardens, 24th May.*

By the death of Sir James Montgomery, the office of Presenter of Signatures in Scotland has become vacant. We understand that this office is no longer to be conducted by deputy.

On Thursday the 23d ult. the United Associate Congregation, Kendal, gave a unanimous call to Mr William Ritchie, preacher, to be their pastor.

                      
---
The ship St Mungo, Captain Robert Smith Orr, sailed from Leith Roads on Thursday forenoon last, bound to Port Philip and Sydney, New South Wales, having on board fifty-eight passengers, chiefly settlers for the former of these settlements.

                      
---
Collision at Sea. –We are sorry to learn that the fine new ship Palmyra, which sailed from Greenock on her first voyage for Sydney, New South Wales, on Wednesday week, having a large number of respectable emigrants on board, came in dreadful collision when at sea, on Sunday evening, with another vessel, and had her bulwark driven in and some of the masts dismantled, but providentially no lives were lost. She was towed back to Greenock on Wednesday morning, and the utmost exertions are making for her re-sailing from Greenock early next week.

                      
---
Emigration to South Australia, –On Saturday last, about twenty-five persons, male and female, left this town and neighbourhood, under the direction of Mr G. Rae, agent for her Majesty's Colonisation Commissioners for South Australia, and sailed that afternoon from Leith to London, to be there embarked on board the Lloyds, and were to sail for their adopted land on Thursday last. Their passage was paid by the Commissioner from Leith to London.– *Stirling **Observer.*

                      
---
Meeting on Emigration in Dublin. –One of the largest and msot influential meetings that we ever remember, says the *Dublin Monitor*  of Thursday, took place on Wednesday, at the Rotunda, to form an Association for the Promotion of Emigration to South Australia. In rank and numbers it was not surpassed. There could not be less than two thousand persons in the room. Colonel Torrens dwelt at considerable length on the causes of Irish misery, and proved fully, at least to our satisfaction, that a powerful and efficacious remedy was applicable in the objects of the meeting. The subject seemed to tell powerfully on the meeting ; the speakers were heard with great attention, and the applauses they received told that the public feeling was deeply identified with the future colony of New Ireland.

                      
---
Australia. –The splendid ship Superb, Captain Shannon, 1000 tons burthen, left Greenock on Saturday morning last, with 160 passengers and a valuable cargo of goods. A very considerable number of the passengers were from East Lothian, who all expressed themselves highly gratified with their accommodation. The owners, Messrs Andrew Steward & Co., spared no expense which might add to the comfort of the emigrants ; and the kind of attentions of Mr Adamson, Colonization Company's agent, were much appreciated by them all [?]

                      
---
A Man Shot. –On Tuesday evening a deliverate attempt at murder by shooting took palce at Greenock. A young man from Edinburgh, an intended emigrant for New South Wales, by the Palmyra, drew from his pocked a pistol, and shot in the head a person who had been appointed by his friends to see him on board, and to look to his affairs before the sailing of the vessel. The wounded man was taken to the Infirmary in a very dangerous state, and the assailant to the jail. It appears that the young man has for some time past been behaving in a manner which made his friends chary of intrusting him with money in this country, and that they had employed the individual referred to, to see him on board for Australia, before leaving any under his charge. This indignity is supposed to have lain heavy on his mind, and led to the commission of the act above recorded.– *Ibid.*

                      
---
First Scotch Colony for New Zealand – A numerous party of emigrants, under this title, are now making the necessary arrangements for embarking in the Bengal Merchant, to sail from Greenock in September. The committee for the west of Scotland, and their agents, are now employed in selecting eligible persons as settlers, and, judging from the number of applications, the directors will be called on to send a second vessel from the Clyde. A clergyman of the Scotch Church, who accompanies the colony, will officiate as chaplain on board. It is intended that the Clude shall be made the principal shipping port of Scotland for New Zealand, and that the strictest regulations shall be put in force in order to ensure the comfort, safety, and convenience of the passengers.– *New Zealand Gazette.*

                      
---
Selected Poetry

The Woodland, By the Late Robert Nicoll.

The woodland wild ! – wilt thou go with me, Where the squirrel is perchen on his oaken tree,– where the yellow fern doth wave its head,– Where the hands of night the dew hath laid,– And the winds, that wander to and fro, Kiss the brown leaflets as they go,– Where the morning sun peeps in, so mild, To the dark green nooks of the woodland wild ? The woodland wild ! –where the dun deer roam, And the song-birds build them a happy home,– Where the grass is green, and the turf so sweet, Seems shorn by the tread of fairy feet,– Where the daylight comes, so richly dim, And the cushat's coo seems a hermit's hymn, The care-worn heart might be self-beguiled To forget its woes in the woodland wild ! The woodland wild ! –where the hazels grow, Where the ladye-broom doth its branches throw,– Where the God-built sky is in patches seen Through the roof of leaves. There aye hath been The home of those wild and fairy flowers That gladden all Nature's life and ours, As they bloom by the stream,–that prattling child, That wanders along through the woodland wild ! The woodland wild !–If thy heart be pure, If thy faith in the right be firm and sure, Go, wander the woodlands parth within, And the love of Nature woo and win; Drink of the cup of beauty there, Where the breath of Omnipotence scents the air; For the Father of beauty in love hath smiled On the sweet green bowers of the woodland wild The woodlan wild !–long, long ago, I have buried myself its leaves below, And dreamed of its beauteous tenants all,– 'Tis the linnet's home and fairies' hall! 'Tis the spot where the wondrous monk of old, His hermitage reared in the pleasant wold; By its door a crystal springlet boiled, For the pilgrim to drink, in the woodlan wild! The woodland wild !–what pleasant stories Make sunlight over its olden glories,– Of Robin Hood and his bowmen bold, The raids they made, and the tales they told ! In winter, in spring, and in summer time, The glorious forests are aye in prime ; For glad thoughts forever are round them piled, Those grassy glades in the woodland wild! The woodland wild!–make haste.–make haste! Away with me, and its gladness taste; We will wander beside each gushing stream, Where flowers in the water reflected gleam; We will follow its paths and pluck its flowers, And lie on its grass in the evening hours, Till the dying sunlight, soft and mild, Warns us away from the woodland wild ! *Tail's Magazine*

Song of the Emigrants to New Zealand Steer, helmsman, till you steer our way By stars beyond the line– We go to found a realm–one day– Like England's self to shine. *Chorus. *Cheer up ! Cheer up! our course we'll keep With dauntless heart and hand, And when we've ploughed the stormy deep We'll plough a smiling land. A land whose beauties importune The Briton to its bowers, To sow but plenty's seeds and prune Luxuriant fruits and flowers, *Chorus* –Cheer up ! cheer up ! There tracts uncheered[?] by human words, Seclusion's wildest holds, Shall hear the lowing of our herds, The tinkling of our folds, *Chorus* –Cheer up ! cheer up ! Like rubies set in gold shall blush Our vineyards girt with corn, And wine, and oil, and gladness gush From Amalthea's horn. *Chorus* –Cheer up ! cheer up ! Britannia's pride is in our hearts, Her blood is in our veins, We'll girdle earth with British arts, Like Ariel's magic chains, *Chorus. *Cheer up ! cheer up ! our course we'll keep With dauntless heart and hand, And when we've ploughed the stormy deep We'll plough a smiling land. T. Campbell London, 16th August, 1839.

                      
---
Leith

Thursday  afternoon the splendid ship Indus, which has been some time in the docks, sailed with a full cargo and about sixty settlers, for Port Adelaide and Philip, South Australia. The Indus has been fitted up in that style of elegance and comfort, for which the agents, Messrs Broadfoot and Son, are so celebrated. The passengers consist of a number of respectable individuals of various professions, the greater bulk of whom are agricultural labourers, sent out by Messrs Adamson and Co., agents for her Majesty's Commissioners in South Australia.

On Wednesday forenoon a man fell from the deck of the Royal William steam-ship, and had his thighbone broken, and was otherwise seriously bruised. He was carried to the Dispensary Rooms, but upon examining the nature of his injuries, the medical attendants recommended his removal to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

                      
---
Church in New South Wales. –Dr Gordon, as Convener of the committee to whom the dissensions that at present existed among the Presbyterian churches in Australia had been remitted by last Commission, stated that the Committee had prepared a report ; but that since it was made up, several important documents had come to hand, which, in justice to Dr Lang, ought to be considered. He therefore asked leave to delay the report, and to have the matter, with these documents, recomitted to the committee.–This motion was agreed to, on the understanding that the question would be again taken up at the meeting of the Commission on the 11th December.

                      
---
Afflicting Case of Destitution. –Some time ago a vessel was advertised to sail from this port for Australia, and to take out Government settlers free of expense. A family in Shetland, consisting of the husband, wife, and six of a young family, sold off their effects and came to Leith for the purpose of availing themselves of this opportunity to settle in the above colony. On applying to the agent, however, they were informed that they did not come under the description of persons wanted. Since, therefore, they have lived in Leith till their little all has been exhausted, and the husband, from the combined effects of disappointment and want, has been thrown upon a sick-bed, and the whole family are literally in a state of starvation. Several private individuals, with a benevolence that does them the highest credit, have temporarily supplied their wants ; but the hands of private charity is soon crippled, and unless something else be immediately done, we may have soon to report one or more of their deaths from the actual want of the necessaries of life. The object of the present notice therefore is to draw forth the sympathies of the charitable, to relive a family thus suddenly involved in want and misery, who, from their industrious habits and every way excellent characters, left their native home with the good wishes of all their friends. Any donations, either in money or clothes, will be thankfully received by Mr Andrew Spence, of the firm of Messrs Cunninham & Spence, No. 62, Tolbooth-wynd, Leith.

                      
---
