locality. We lost no time even in abusing the boatmen, so rejoiced were we to find ourselves once more on terra firma, but proceeded at once to seck our quarters and rest, and what was equally desirable at the moment, something to cat; for we were well nigh famished. But it is a strange fact, though nevertheless a true one, that Highlanders either nourish themselves by stealth, or live on less than any other mortals under the sun. At these roadside inns, excepting in the tourist season, whiskey, oatmeal, and dried herrings, and these none of the best, is all the provision generally at hand. As regards the Lowlanders, in the summer they live on the hope of gain; in winter, as above described whereas the Highlanders substitute braccy for herrings.

We entered, as usual, into a smoky, dirty kitchen, too late to expect any reasonable comfort or consideration. A lazy, fat bare-footed girl half-dosed on a three-legged stool over a cauldron of potatoes, boiling for the pigs; and a lauky, red-haired, ill-looking fellow, probably her lover, lolled on a bench near the fire, smoking his short, black pipe, which he merely moved from his mouth on our entrance to give us a look of astonishment, and probably wishing us in Jericho for so untimely an intrusion on his tête-à-tête, resumed his puffing, in which occupation the ferrymen who had entered with us immediately joined him. Having received our promised reward, they were satisfied; and had any unfortunate traveller chanced to arrive with the same desire that we evinced to cross the ferry, the identical excuses would doubtless have been offered to his wish, though with somewhat more of truth.

We have to thank the Marquis of Carrabas that we went not supperless to bed that night. The hare was prepared and roasted; the remaining grouse split and broiled; we robbed the pigs of a few potatoes-and the disease had not then, luckily, made the best of vegetables uneatableand notwithstanding the toughness of puss, we managed to pass a very pleasant hour or two; and we had scarcely laid our head on the pillow ere the discomforts of the Ballahulish Hotel, the marquis and his deer forest, the fat gentleman, the Devil's Staircase, and the ferrymen, were forgotten.

We dreamt not of grouse or Highland mountains; yet of scenes not unlike, though more soft and genial. We saw the stag roused from his lair in the woods of North Devon, and we followed in pursuit o'er the hills and dales of Exmoor. Devon--scene of so many recollections of happiness unalloyed, of bitterness never-to-be-forgotten; Arcadia of pure streams and pastoral hills, rich vales, and softly genial climate; region of picturesque beauty, where spring first unfolds her mantle green; Nature to thee has indeed been bountiful, and though many may smile at your sporting pretensions, we contend that, take the county in every sense of the word, and there are very few which offer more sport

"Are not the mountains, waves, and skies, a part

Of me and of my soul, as I of them?

Is not the love of these deep in my heart
With a pure passion?"

Yes : the waters of the Leven ran calmly towards the sea; the bright sun glittered on the mountain tops; the dark yellow leaves of autumn still clung to tree and shrub, as if loth, by falling, to tell of summer past, undisturbed by the slightest breath of wind, as we walked forth after

the rest of night to look around us on a scene which hitherto had been hidden by utter darkness. The morning was one of those with which we are frequently gladdened during the latter days of October, which speaks forcibly of what the summer has been, what the winter may be bright, warm, and cheering in its sunshine; but clear, cold, and saddening in its shade; yet as unclouded as if it came to usher joy alone into this world of anxiety. Reader, bear with us a moment while we look on the beautiful scene before us; one not often sought, but yet unquestionably, if not more rare in natural beauty, equally so to almost any other spot in the Highlands, as offering a succession of varied and lovely landscapes. Among the singular-shaped mountains which rear their lofty summits as you stand on the south side of Ballahulish, that which most particularly attracts the eye is the Pap of Glencoe, a large conical mountain which overhangs the lake; the naked surfaces, abrupt declivities, and various colours of others, forming a most striking and interesting contrast to the green and woody slopes which border the shores of the Leven.

But we must dwell no longer on scenes like these, or we shall fail to reach the sporting locale whither we were bound, ere the castle-bell toll the hour of midnight; neither shall we attempt to say more in reference to the route we that day travelled o'er, save that few present more beautiful scenes, and few more abounding with interest alike for sportsman or tourist. We made our way as rapidly as a pair of ill-conditioned and ill-fed horses could drag a ramshackling old phaeton which we had hired at the ferry-house, arriving at Fort William ere mid-day, and at Fort Augustus in good time to reach Glenmoriston, four miles distant, ere the family dinner-hour. Most persons in the present day are well aware that Fort William and Fort Augustus-the one situated on Loch Eil, the other at the western extremity of Loch Ness-are two of the five Scottish forts retained by the terms of the union, though the latter is now garrisoned simply by a sergeant's guard, and the former by a subaltern's party detached from the regiment which, for the time, may be quartered at Glasgow or Fort George. We take this opportunity, therefore, to give a hint to the officers of such regiments, should there be sportsmen among them--and in what mess are there not many first-rate ones?-to look out for this detachment. Their military duties they will doubtless find not to be very onerous, and their sporting propensities may be gratified to the utmost bent of their inclination. Let them only be prepared with a good double-barrel, a rifle, and fishing rods; for flies, powder, and shot, &c., they can obtain at Fort William, some good cigars, and tobacco, with a few books; and if they have only half the gentleman-like manners and habits which officers of the British army generally have, there is scarcely a day throughout the season that they may not obtain permission to shoot, fish, and even stalk deer, ad libitum. Some of the best salmon-fishing is close at hand, grouse hills surround them, and deer may be found within the distance of a two-hours' ride on a shelty.

Well we recollect the time when we would have given a year's pay, had we been in the army, to have found ourselves thus located; and we doubt not but that, were all the subalterns now on detachment in Ireland told to hold up their hands for such a quarter in Scotland, the numerical uplifting would secure the Westminster election.

(To be continued.)

SPORTING LIFE FROM LONDON.

BY LORD WILLIAM LENNOX.

(Continued.)

Steeple-chasing-Fishing-Boating-Cricket-Larking at the Harrow Hunting

Grounds.

We now approach a most sporting event, namely, the celebrated steeple-chase for 1,000 sovs., play or pay, between Mr. Osbaldeston's br. g. Clasher and Captain Ross's Clinker, which took place on the 1st of December, 1829, in the neighbourhood of Melton Mowbray. The weights were 12 stone each; Clasher to be ridden by his sporting owner, and Clinker by the celebrated Dick Christian. In order to prevent any private trial, the starting and coming-in posts were only declared a few hours before the appointed time for meeting. The excitement created by this match baffles all description, it being looked upon as a struggle between two first-rate hunting countries-Leicestershire and Northamptonshire-of which the two horses were the respective champions. Clasher was well known in the Pytchley Hunt, and had come out of the crowd by winning the Welter Stakes at the previous hunt meeting. Clinker, formerly the property of the present Sir Francis Goodricke, was purchased by Captain Ross for 500 guineas, to run the great steeple-chase against the late Lord Kennedy for 2,000 guineas, and in which he proved successful. His prowess upon that as well as many other occasions in Leicestershire, and almost every sporting county in England, had gained him a very great name, and the Melton men were very sweet" upon him. At the hour fixed for the start, the principal parties, accompanied by their friends and troops of "sporting gents, and without any unnecessary delay, went away at a killing pace. They kept abreast from the starting post over Burrow Lordship, Twyfleet, Marfleet Lordship, taking their leaps, many of which were awful raspers, with the greatest coolness and judgment; and up to the last fence which separated them from the winning field it was as even a race as possible. Here, unfortunately, the Captain's horse fell, and of course put Dick Christain hors de combat, while Clasher, taking this leap as fresh as a four-year-old, landed the squire safely in the Tilton field. Neither Clinker nor his gallant rider were hurt by the fall, and so ended one of the finest races of the sort that ever took place in this paragon of a hunting country. The distance run was five miles, which was done -as were all the backers of the Melton nag-in sixteen minutes.

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The Captain being one of that class who "never say die," made another match with his successful antagonist, and which came off in Northamptonshire on the 5th of December. The terms were, Mr. Osbaldeston's Pilot, 12 stone, against Captain Ross's Polecat, 13 stone 7lbs., owners on, four miles; the Squire staking 500 sovs. to 200 sovs.

The two horses had met the previous year in Leicestershire, in a steeplechase, even weights, and Pilot winning in a common canter. But to the present race. Half-past ten was named as the hour for starting, by which time a large party of noble sportsmen were assembled near the blue covert. When the signal was given, away went the flying coursers at a slapping pace across Harrington Field, by Louthland Wood, to the Armytage on the borders of Leicestershire. Pilot took the lead and kept it, and it was soon apparent to the Melton men that the Captain was done to a tinder. At the brook near Harrington, Polecat adopted the cold-water cure, and went right through instead of over it, and from this point the Pilot found that he had weathered the storm, and that all was as right as the mail-the mail, gentle readers, of other days; for, alas! a-well! alack-a-day! the mail population is at the present writing totally annihilated. But to the race, which was run in fourteen minutes, and won by the Squire. Nothing could exceed his riding, which was steady throughout, never throwing away a chance by getting elated at his easy victory. No one knows better than this lover of fieldsports that "there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip," and a slight mistake, a flounder in a brook or a topper" at an ox-fence, might have changed the places of the respective horses.

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Within these last few years steeple-chasing appears to have greatly extended its influence, and almost every county can now boast of its annual meeting. Well do I remember the time when this amusement was so uncommon that the announcement of such an event about to come off attracted the notice of all the sporting characters of "Merrie England." Take, for instance, the celebrated Hertfordshire chaces in 1830; when Lord Ranelagh's Wonder, ridden by Captain, now Colonel, M'Douall, fully came up to his name, beating upon one occasion a large field of horses, and upon another two celebrated horses of that day jockied by Mr. Codrington and the Honourable Augustus Berkeley. Of the latter's riding it is of course useless to speak, notorious as he is for being one of the best horsemen of the age-possessing judgment, quickness, and nerves of adamant. What could exceed the excitement produced by these steeple-chases, especially upon the second grand Hertfordshire affair, in which Wonder, jockied by Captain Blane, was placed third; Mr. Caldecott's ch. m. and ch. h., the former ridden by Mr. Fiske and the latter by Captain Becher, taking the first and second posts of honour. The distance, about five miles, was done in twenty minutes-sharpish work, considering the heaviness of the ground and stiffness of the fences.

The mania for this sport has spread over the continent, and the late steeple-chase at Paris, to which we have slightly alluded, shows that the foreigners quite enter into the spirit of this break-neck work.

While upon this subject, we cannot refrain from giving publicity to a letter which has been addressed by Mr. Peel, the successful rider of Culverthorpe, to Mr. Bencraft, the spirited inventor of the patent elastic saddle, and which fully bears out the eulogiums of the sporting contributors to the Sporting Magazine, Sportsman, and Review.

"Paris, April 20th, 1846. "SIR,-I have great pleasure in stating to you that I rode Culverthorpe (the winner of the Great Paris Steeple-chase), yesterday, in one of your patent saddles, and willingly add my opinion to the numerous important and favourable ones already in

your possession, that the principle of it, from the protection it affords to the spine and dorsal muscles, must materially assist the hunter and racer to carry their riders with greater ease, and consequently with greater speed.

"S. Bencraft, Esq."

"I am, sir, yours truly,

We now turn to a summer's amusement, and to the followers of Isaak Walton. London is not a bad head-quarter, for it will enable them to have many a good days' sport from the metropolis. Henley, Oxford, Newbury, Esher, Basingstoke, Cobham, Weybridge, Shepperton Pool, and a variety of other places equally renowned for piscatorial pursuits, are now easily attainable by the rail; not to mention the more cockney spots for this diversion-Brentford, Isleworth, Twickenham, Teddington, Lea Bridge, Eel-pie Island, or Battersea Reach; and a lover of the "gentle crafte" can, thanks to the introduction of steam and rail, have a day's recreation by the side of the winding Isis, lunch at that seat of learning, Oxford, and be back for a late dinner in London. Basingstoke, too, furnishes a capital morning's sport; and a 'guide may be found at the railway station, who for a small consideration will conduct the fisherman to the most approved streams. Shepperton Pool and Walton Deeps are perhaps the best places in the "fruitful Thames" for the angler, who, if expert, may have his labour rewarded by a good basket of perch and trout. To those who merely wish to idle away a few hours or enjoy the fresh breeze from the Thames in a punt, and are satisfied with the exhilarating sport of line-fishing for dace, roach, and gudgeons, we strongly recommend Brentford or Richmond.

We now proceed from punting to boating; and from London a man may find ample amusement for his scull.

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"Some o'er the Thamis row the ribbon'd fair,"

,,

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writes Byron in that immortal romaunt "Childe Harold." And certainly, however agreeable it might have been in the days of the noble poet to have found yourself, like the "jolly young waterman, never in want of a fair," we should scarcely like in these days to trust any lovely danghter of Eve in a wherry to the tender mercies of the steamboat captains, for we should ever (however figurative it may appear) fancy ourselves to be in hot water. Besides, the cries of "Ease her, Stop her,' Go a-head," and the volumes of black smoke that issue from the chimneys, entirely remove the romance that was attached to a quiet row on the water. The Thames, like the roads of England, have been completely sacrificed to steam; and a morning drive or an evening pull on the river is now only to be treasured among the pleasures of memory. Some ten and fifteen years ago boating upon the river was a great amusement, both to the higher as well as to the humbler classesand in those days there were some splendid six, eight, and ten-oared boats, manned by the flower of the English nobility-but steamboats have entirely monopolized Father Thames, and since the time that these fire-flies have taken possession of the no longer “silent highway," sculls and oars are at a sad discount. Who now would venture his life in a wherry, when, owing to the modern innovation of "steam for the billion," boats are whizzing up and down the river from sunrising to sunset, dodging in and out, dashing and slashing very much upon the principle of the cutting-in, pannel-breaking coachman of the 4th George's