dust, and a confusion seemingly inextricable, were placed by the guassos with the most perfect correctness over the parts aimed at. There cannot be conceived a more spirited, or a more picturesque scene than was now presented to us; or one which, in the hands of a bold sketcher, would have furnished a finer subject. Let the furious beast be imagined driven almost to madness by thirst, and a variety of irritations, and in the utmost terror at the multitude of lassos whirling all around him; he rushes wildly forward, his eyes flashing fire, his nostrils almost touching the ground, and his breath driving off the dust in its course: -for one short instant he is free, and full of life and strength, defying, as it were, all the world to restrain him in his headlong course; the next moment he is covered with lassos, his horns, his neck, his legs, are all encircled by these inevitable cords, hanging loose, in long festoons from the hands of the horsemen galloping in all directions, but the next instant as tight as bars of iron; and the noble animal lies prostrate on the ground, motionless and helpless. He is immediately dispatched by a man on foot, who stands ready for this purpose with a sharp knife in his hand; and as soon as the body is disentangled from the lassos, it is drawn on one side, and another is driven out of the corral, and caught in the same

manner.

on

"On begging to know why so many lassos were thrown at once these occasions, we learned that the first rush of the beast, when driven out of the corral, is so impetuous, that few single ones are strong enough to bear the jerk without breaking. As an experiment, a cow, in a very furious state, was let out, and directions given for only two men to attempt to stop her. The first lasso fell over her head, and drew it round, so that the horns almost touched her back, but the cord snapped without stopping her; the second was intentionally placed round the fore part of the body, but it also broke without materially checking her progress. Away went the cow, scour ing over the country, followed by two fresh horsemen standing erect in their

stirrups, with their lassos flying round their heads, and their pouchos streaming out behind them; an animating and characteristic sight. The cow galloped, and the horses galloped, and such is the speed which cattle acquire when accustomed to run wild, that at first the horses had but little advantage. The ground being covered with shrubs and young trees, and full of hollow places, and sunk roads, the chace was diversified by many leaps, in which, although the poor cow did well at first, the horses, ere long, gained upon her, and the nearest guasso, perceiving that he was just within reach, let fly his lasSo. The cow was at such a distance that it required the whole length of the lasso to reach her, and the noose had become so contracted by the knot slipping up, that it was barely large enough to admit the horns; had the cow been one foot more in advance, the circle would have become too small. When the rider saw the noose fixed, he stopped and turned his horse, upon which the poor cow, her head nearly wrung off, was cast to the ground with great violence. The second horseman dashed along, and on passing the cow, instead of throwing his lasso, merely stooped on one side, and laid the noose, which he had contracted to a small circle, over her horns. This done, the guassos turned their horses' heads and trotted back with their unwilling prize, not having been more than four or five minutes absent from the ground.

"There is another method of arresting the animal's progress without using the lasso, which is said to require even more skill and presence of mind than that formidable instrument itself. A horseman is stationed a little way from the entrance of the corral, armed with an instrument called a Luna, which consists of a steel blade about a foot long, and curved, as its name implies, in the form of a crescent, sharpened on the concave edge, and having a pole ten or twelve feet long screwed into the middle of the blunt or convex side; so that, when held horizontally, the horns of the crescent point forward. The rider carries this luna in his right hand, couched like a

lance, the blade being then about two feet from the ground, in advance of the horse, while the staff is kept steady by passing it under the arm. Having allowed the animal to rush past, he puts spurs to his horse, gallops after, and on coming close up, places his weapon in such a situation, that when the animal's right hind leg is thrown backwards, it shall enter the fork or crescent of the luna, and by striking against the edge, which is made as sharp as a razor, divide the tendon. The weapon is then quickly transferred to the left leg, where, in like manner, the least touch properly applied divides the other tendon. We saw this cruel feat performed by the principal guasso on our host's estate, who was described as being the best rider, and the most expert man in that part of the country. The ground was very dry and dusty, so that, by the time he overtook the bullock he was in chace of, there was such a cloud raised by the animal's feet, that we could scarcely see what was doing. The guasso contrived, however, to cut both ham-strings, but his horse becoming confused, fell over the bullock, and we were in considerable alarm lest the man should be cut in two by his own weapon, or be transfixed by the beast's horns: but he never lost his self possession, and ing first flung the weapon bigh into the air, raised both himself and horse from the ground, and rode out of the cloud unhurt, and without ever having lost his seat.

"While this more serious business was going on, a parcel of mischievous boys had perched themselves on a pile of firewood close to the corral, and being each armed in his way, with a lasso made of a small strip of hide, or of whip-cord, had the first chance to hoose the animals as they rushed out. They seldom failed to throw successfully, but their tender cords broke like cobwebs. One wicked urchin, however, more bold than the rest, mounted himself on a donkey that happened to be on the spot; and taking the lasso which belonged to it, for no description of animal that is ever mounted is without this essential equipment, and placing himself so as not to be detected by the

men, he threw it gallantly over the first bullock's neck; but as soon as it became tight, away flew the astonished donkey and his rider : the terrified boy soon tumbled off; but poor Neddy was dragged along the ground, till a more efficient force was made to co-operate with his unavailing resistance."

After witnessing these cruel scenes, the mind could hardly be attuned for contemplating the giant Andes. Yet Capt. H. gives at once a philosophical and poetical description of them

"On the 26th of May we sailed from Valparaiso, and proceeded along the coast of Lima. During the greater part of this voyage the land was in sight, and we had many opportunities of seeing not only the Andes, but other interesting features of the country. The sky was sometimes covered by a low dark unbroken cloud, overshadowing the sea, and resting on the top of the high cliffs which guard the coast; so that the Andes, and, indeed, the whole country, except the immediate shore, were then screened from our view. But at some places this lofty range of cliffs was intersected by deep gullies, called quebradas, connected with extensive vallies stretching far into the interior. At these openings we were admitted to a view of regions, which, being beyond the limits of the clouds, and therefore exposed to the full blaze of the sun, formed a brilliant contrast to the darkness and gloom in which we were involved. As we sailed past, and looked through these mysterious breaks, it seemed as if the eye penetrated into another world ; and had the darkness around us been more complete, the light beyond would have been equally resplendent with that of the full moon, to which every one was disposed to compare this most curious and surprising appearance.

"As the sun's rays were not, in this case reflected from a bright snowy surface, but from a dark-coloured sand, we are furnished, by analogy, with an answer to the difficulties sometime started, with respect to the probable dark nature of the soil composing the moon's surface."

ALLISTER CROTTACH.

IN the beginning of the 16th century, five of the Macleods, of Herries, returning from the Clyde with goods, were forced to take shelter in the island of Eigg, then and still the property of Macdonald of Claranald. A quarrel unfortunately arose between the Macleads and the natives, and one of the former lost his life. He was Coult, or foster-brother to Macleod, and his death could not pass unnoticed. Satisfaction was demanded, but the terms could not be amicably adjusted, and recourse was ultimately had to the sword, as too frequently happened in those cases, when justice was deemed cowardice, and resistance of right passed for bravery. The parties were very powerful, and not ill matched in strength and courage. They were supported on both sides by their relatives and allies. Maclean, of Duart, had long been connected by blood and marriage with the Herries family, and on this occasion he was called upon to support his friends. Maclean obeyed the call; and having ordered his vassals and followers to attend arrayed for war, he set out for Dunveggan, the residence of Macleod, accompanied by his force.

Claranald had intelligence of Maclean's intention, but he had been misinformed in regard to the time. He resolved on preventing the junction of the enemy's strength, and had determined on an expedition to the western extremity of Mull, with the view of occupying Maclean in his own country. Maclean's course was to the north; Claranald's to the south. On the point of Ardnamurchan the two fleets of Birlings, or Galleys, met. Claranald, who was celebrated for his stratagems as well as bravery, found that his antago nist was in greater force, and he instantly adopted a very extraordinary expedient.

He lay down on the bottom of his boat, and ordered a plaid of the family tartan to be spread over his body, as would have been done if he were lying dead. The pipers played the lament of the Claranalds, and black silk

handkerchiefs were instantly suspended from the bagpipes. Maclean immediately took it for granted that this was a funeral on the passage to Iona, and the emblems bespoke the rank and clan of the deceased. All hostile feelings at once subsided, and expressions of condolence were conveyed to the mourning followers of the brave but crafty Claranald. Maclean returned to Duart, and the pretended funeral proceeded to Icolmkill, which lies at the western extremity of Mull, then the property of Maclean. The next day, Maclean was informed that Claranwald, in person, had ravaged and laid waste the district of Ross, in Mull. But Maclean's men had been disbanded, and could not be again speedily collected from the various islands which they inhabited, so that Claranald succeeded in his original intention.

The Macdonalds were however doomed to suffer severely for the rapine committed in Mull and the slaughter of Macleod's foster-brother. Soon thereafter, when Claranald was occupied in a distant island, Macleod invaded Eigg, and the inhabitants finding he was too powerful to be openly opposed in the field, unfortunately took refuge in a cave on the south side of the island. This was indeed an injudicious measure, as there were positions at their command where they would have been able to resist any force, and they paid dearly for their choice. Macleod finding the country deserted, concluded that the people had gone to the mainland, and after remaining but a short time in the island, he departed for Skye.

The people concealed in the cave had sent out a scout, at day-break, to reconnoitre, and he was espied by the Macleods, who were just sailing out of the bay. They returned, and traced the scout to the cave by the prints of his footsteps on the snow. A cousin of Claranald was within, and Macleod proposed that the two brothers who had slain his friend should be delivered up, as a preliminary to further steps. It unfortunately happened that these