full and particular account of a most horrid murder, committed on the body of a young woman, at Ballinlick, ... supposed to be perpetrated by her sweetheart, a young man of the name of Gow

A full and particular Account of a most horrid Murder, committed on the Body of young Woman, at Ballinlick, in the District of Strathbraan, and parish of Little Dunkelk, supposed to be perpetrated by her Sweetheart, a young Man of the Name of Gow, who has been since apprehended, and committed to Perth Jail. Perth, October 20, 1799. DEAR SIR, I Am greatly concerned to inform you, that our family have been much shocked, a the relation of most bloody and inhuman murder, that was committed on the body of a respectable young woman, a few days ago, at Ballinlick, in the district of Strathbraan, and parish of Little Dunkelk, about fifteen miles from this place. The deceased is the daughter of Farmer Brown of Ballinlick. She had been for some time in terms of courtship with a young man of the name of Gow, who resided in that neighbourhood, and it is understood she had made an appointment to meet with him on the evening of Monday the 7th current. She went out of her father's house pretty late that evening on a ptetence of discovering what the dog was barking at, which, it is said, had been the agreed fignal of meeting. As she did not return soon, her parents concluded that she had gone over to a brother's house, who lived in the neighbourhood, and therefore were under no anxiety on accoont of her absence all night. The next morning, however, to their equal surprise and sorrow, they found her body in a well near their own house, with marks of violence on her neck, and belly, besides distinct vestages of a person's teeth on her right arm. Gow being suspected of having committed this horrid murder was apprehended on Thursday last, brought to Perth, and committed to jail to stand his trial. I Sincerely hope this melancholy affair will operate as a proper warning to all young women; and tend to make them conduct themselves in cases of courtship with proper circumspection. But, alas! not with standing every effort of parents to prevent it, young women too often err in this respect , and disregard all admonitions whatever; which, if paid attention to in time, would secure their future happiness. It is lamentable to observe the fatal consequences that often follow, when a young woman has once fixed her affection on the man with whom she would wish to be happy, and will not follow the instructions of her parents; she thinks every remark, made for her interest, meditates against her happiness, and never perceives, till too late, she has acted wrong. The infidelity of young men is but too conspicuous in many instances relative to promises of marriage; and, though there are daily proofs of the evil effects of female credulity, yet, it still appears evident that it has very little influence upon the minds of the fair sex in general. It is to be hoped, that every young woman who may hear of this cruel murder, will take care how she cooducts herself during courtship; and however strong her esteem and regard may be for the man she has made choice of, not to make any appointments at improper hours, nor unfrequented places; for it appears by this fatal catastrophe, and many others, that the consequence often is the loss of Character, and, alas! sometimes even Life. DESCRIPTION OF DAMIETTA, Damietta, or Damiat, a sea port town of Egypt, first built at the eastern mouth of the Nile, and called Thamiatis , under the government of the Lower Empire. Damietta is larger, and not less agreeable, than Rosetto —it forms a semicircle on easterrn shore of the Nile, two leagues and a half from its mouth. It contains about 80,ooo inhabitants, and has several squares, bazars filled with merchandize, okals, khans, under the porticos of which are Indian stuffs, silks from Mount Lebanon, sal ammoniac, and quantites of rice, be speak it a commercial place. The houses, especially near the river, are very high; most of them have pleasant saloons built on the terraces, from which, charming places, open, to every wind, there is a view of the grand lake lying on the other side, and of the Nile, which traverses a rich country between them both. Various grand mosques with high minarets, ornament the city.—The public baths, faced with marble , are similar to those of Grand Cairo. Multitudes of boats and small vessels incessantly fill the port of. Damietta. Some, named sherm, serve to load and unload the ships that anchor in the road; others are coasting pilot boats.—There is a great trade between this city and Syria, Cyprus, and Marseilles. The rice mezolaout, the finest of Egypt, is cultivated in the neighbouring plains, and its annual exportationamounts to between 200,000 and 300,000 pounds. There are likewise cloths, lal-ammoniac, wheat, &c. Laws, ruinous to the country, prohibit the exportation of the latter; but they are evaded, and it is passed as rice. The Christians of Aleppo and Damascus, for many ages established here, carry on the principa trade; they are suffered to grow rich by Turkish indolence , which contents it self with occasional extortions . Exportation of rice is forbidden, but by arrangements advantageous to the receiver of thecustoms, the people of Provence annually load several ships. The thing most disadvantageous to the trade of Damietta is its defective harbour; the road where vessels lie being totally exposed. Printed by Thomas Duncan, Glasgow.