"

strap that buckles round the waist. When the tiger saw him coming with his pucana, he thought it time to be off, and, springing up, began to run. A chase then commenced, the man's conversation also proceeding ::-"What, are you off now, are you? but you shall not pass quite so easily; we must have some further communication before we part.' In the mean time the tiger, either not liking the man's voice, or the appearance of his weapons, made a spring and got up a tree. A momentary pause ensued, when the man laying down his spears, if he had any (which I really do not know), began to make use of his pucana by blowing poisoned arrows at the tiger; but either the poison was old and not good, or the tiger's skin was too tough and glossy, as no deadly effect was produced; but the animal was annoyed; and, after several arrows had been blown at him, sprung or fell from the tree, and again started to run. The chase was renewed, and the man came up, the tiger turning on his haunches to defend himself. The pucana was now of no use, and was thrown aside; the left arm advanced to keep the animal off, whilst with the right the man felt for his knife. The exertion of running had broken the strap, and he was without arms. Desperation sometimes gives courage, and this man was evidently not deficient in what at that time might be considered a desirable quality; moreover, his strength was uncommon. He remained firmly on his guard. The tiger attempted to spring; the man struck him with his fist on the nose, still keeping his left side forward, and his arm extended, and continuing his conversation." I am without arms, but I am not beat." The tiger made another spring, and was again struck on the nose; some other remark was made, and in this manner the combat went on, until the tiger finding himself foiled in his endeavours to spring, made various other attacks. On one occasion he seized the man's left arm and bit it through, but was again struck on the nose, and fortunately let go, without injuring the bone: on another occasion he got one of his paws on the man's head, and the claws tore through the scalp to the skull; the marks and the man's height proved that they were no kitten's claws. In the end, the man would probably have fallen; but his brother, hearing him talk in rather an uncommon manner, came up with a spear and ran the tiger through the body.

BEAR HUNT.-A Hull whaler was moored to a field of ice, on which, at a considerable distance, a large bear was observed prowling for prey. One of the ship's company, emboldened by an artificial courage, derived from the free

use of his rum, which in his economy he had stored for special occasions, undertook to pursue and attack the bear that was within view. Armed only with a whale-lance, he resolutely, and against all persuasions, set out on his adventúrous exploit. A fatiguing journey of about half a league, over a surface of yielding snow, and rugged hummocks, brought him within a few yards of the enemy, which, to his surprise, undauntedly faced him, and seemed to invite him to the combat. His courage being by this time greatly subdued, partly by the evaporation of the stimulus he had employed, and partly by the undismayed, and even threatening aspect of the bear, he levelled his lance in an attitude suited either for offensive or defensive action, and stopped. The bear also stood still. In vain the adventurer tried to rally courage to make the attack; his enemy was too formidable, and his appearance too imposing. In vain also he shouted-advanced his lance-and made feints of attack; the enemy either not understanding them, or despising such unmanliness, obstinately stood his ground. Already the limbs of the sailor began to shake-the lance trembled in the rest—and his gaze, which had hitherto been stedfast, began to quiver; but the fear of ridicule from his messmates still had its influence, and he yet scarcely dared to retreat. Bruin, however, possessing less reflection, or being more regardless of consequences, began, with the most audacious boldness, to advance. His nigh approach and unshaken step subdued the spark of bravery and that dread of ridicule that had hitherto upheld our adventurer; he turned and fled. But now was the time of danger. The sailor's flight encouraged the bear in his turn to pursue; and being better practised in snow-travelling, and better provided for it, he rapidly gained upon the fugitive. The whale-lance, his only defence, encumbering him in his retreat, he threw it down and kept on. This fortunately excited the bear's attention: he stopped-pawed it-bit it, and then resumed the chase. Again he was at the heels of the panting seaman, who, conscious of the favourable effect of the lance, dropped a mitten; the stratagem succeeded, and, while Bruin again stopped to examine it, the fugitive, improving the interval, made considerable progress a-head. Still the bear resumed the pursuit with the most provoking perseverance, excepting when arrested by another mitten, and finally by a hat, which he tore to shreds between his teeth and his paws, and would no doubt have soon made the incautious adventurer his victim, who was rapidly losing strength and heart, but

for the prompt and well-timed assistance of his shipmates, who, observing that the affair had assumed a dangerous aspect, sallied out to his rescue. The little phalanx opened him a passage, and then closed to receive the bold assailant. Though now beyond the reach of his adversary, the dismayed fugitive continued onward, impelled by his fears, and never relaxed his exertions until he fairly reached the shelter of the ship! Bruin once more prudently came to a stand, and for a moment seemed to survey his enemies with all the consideration of an experienced general; when, finding them too numerous for a reasonable hope of success, he very wisely wheeled about, and made a safe and honourable

retreat.

LION HUNT.

MOUNT! mount! for the hunting with musket and spear;

Call our friends to the field, for the lion is near:

Call Areud and Ekhard and Groepe* to the spoor; t

Call Muller and Coetzer and Lucas Van Vuur. ‡

Ride up Skirly Clugh, and blow loudly the bugle;
Call Slinger and Allie and Dikkop and Dugal; §
And Gert, with the elephant-gun on his shoulder;
In a perilous pinch none is better or bolder.

In the gorge of the glen lie the bones of my steed,
And the hoofs of a heifer of fatherland's breed ;
But mount, my brave friends; if our rifles prove true,
We'll soon make the spoiler his ravages rue.

Ho! the Hottentot boys have discovered his track-
To his den in the desert we'll follow him back:

But tighten your girths, and look well to your flints,

For heavy and fresh are the villain's foot-prints.

Through the rough rocky kloof, through the gray shaggy glen,

By the wild-olive brake where the wolf has his den,

By mountain and forest, by fountain and sea,

We have track'd him at length to the covers of Kei.]]

Mark that black bushy mound where the blood-hounds are howling;
Hark! that hoarse sullen sound like the deep thunder growling;

'Tis his lair-'tis his voice !-from your saddles alight,

For the bold skelm-beast ¶ is preparing for fight.

* Mulatto or Basiard Hottentots, tenants on the lands of the Scottish settlers at Bavian's river.

+ Spoor, the track of an animal.

Dutch African boors, friends and neighbours of the Scottish settlers.

§ Names of Hottentot herdsmen.

The Kei is a considerable river in Caffreland, some of whose sources rise

on the frontier of the Cape Colony, near the mountain Winterberg.

¶Skelm or schelm, rogue or rascal.

Leave the horses behind-and be still every man ;
Let the Mullers and Rennie advance in the van;
Keep fast in a clump ;-by the yell of yon hound,
The savage, I guess, will be out with a bound.

He comes !--the tall jungle before him loud crashing,
His mane bristled fairly, his fiery eyes flashing;
With a roar of disdain, he leaps forth in his wrath,
To challenge the foe that dare 'leaguer his path.

He crouches-ay! now we'll have mischief, I dread:
Quick-level your rifles, and aim at his head;

Thrust forward your spears, and unsheath every knife-
St. George! he's upon us!-now fire, lads, for life!

He's wounded!—but yet he'll draw blood ere he falls :
Ha! under his paw see Bezuidenhout sprawls-
Now Diederic! Christian! right in the brain
Plant each man his bullet :-Hurra! he is slain !

Bezuidenhout-up, man! 'tis only a scratch

(You were always a scamp, and have met with your match); What a glorious lion !—what sinews-what claws!

And seven feet ten from the rump to the jaws.

Come, off with his hide. Why, his head's like a bull's;

(To the wise folks we'll lend it who lecture on skulls):
He has shewn a good pluck, too-and after we dine,

We'll drink to his dirge, boys, a flask of good wine.-PRINGLE.

Anecdotes of a Diana MonkEY.—Although anecdotes of monkeys are as numerous as the beings to whom they owe their origin—although they are brought forward to all ages and all times, still I have observed that no one gets tired of them-that their histories or portraits create an interest common to all human beings, of whatever race, or in whatever situation. The negro delights in relating the wonders or the rogueries they perform; and the saying, "that monkeys could talk if they liked, only they are afraid white men would make them work if they did," is every where to be heard among the more indolent inhabitants of the tropics. English men, women, and children, resemble their black brethren; and there is yet another feeling in which the most savage and the most refined seem to agreeit is the dislike or mortification, call it which you will, which we feel in seeing how nearly they resemble ourselves. There was a restless, tormenting, agile creature on board a vessel in which I sailed up the African river, who was incessantly teasing and hovering about me. If I called another he was sure to leap across the deck and come to perform that which the other would have done much better. I never thought myself quite alone, but this fellow's head was sure to start from some unexpected corner; and one day wearied with his officiousness, I perceived our black monkey

sitting opposite to us, and said to him, "Rapoynda, that is your brother." Kind words, presents, nought availed me afterwards, for I was never forgiven; the same feeling might be traced in a very different form when a friend of mine pulled me away from the contemplation of Landseer's admirable picture,* exclaiming, "How can you look at that so long, such things ought never to have been made, and I am sure ought never to have been painted." I obeyed, but the recollection of Rapoynda flashed across me.

After this I will not apologize for intruding an old ship companion of mine on your notice, although he belongs to the never-failing theme of monkeys. He was a native of the Gold Coast, and was of the Diana species (Simia Diana). He had been purchased by the cook of the vessel in which I sailed from Africa, and was considered his exclusive property. Jack's place was then close to the cabooce, but as his education progressed he was gradually allowed an increase of liberty, till at last he enjoyed the range of the whole ship, except the cabin. I had embarked with more than a mere womanly aversion to monkeys, it was absolute antipathy; and although I often laughed at Jack's freaks, still I kept out of his way, till a circumstance brought with it a closer acquaintance, and cured me of my dislike. Our latitude was three degrees south, and we only proceeded by occasional tornadoes, the intervals of which were filled up by the dead calms and bright weather. When these occurred during the day, the helm was frequently lashed, and all the watch went below. On one of these occasions I was sitting alone on the deck, and reading intently, when, in an instant, something jumped upon my shoulders, twisted its tail round my neck, and screamed close to my ear. My immediate conviction that it was Jack scarcely relieved me; but there was no help; I dared not cry for assistance because I was afraid of him, and dared not obey the next influence, which was to thump him off, for the same reason; I therefore became civil from necessity, and from that moment Jack and I entered into an alliance. He gradually loosened his hold, looked at my face, examined my hands and rings with the most minute attention, and took the biscuit which lay by my side. When I liked him well enough to profit by his friendship, he became a constant source of amusement. Like all nautical monkeys, he was fond of pulling off men's caps as they slept, and throwing them into the

*The monkey that had seen the world.