hounds have run over three or four fields they have seldom been much overridden, and by the time they have gone as many miles they have been out of sight of all but a chosen few, none of whom are ambitious to encounter strong timber. William Long made a remark a short time since, which is certainly very characteristic of the huntsman, who is always delighted to see his hounds run away from the horsemen. A gentleman observed the very deep state of the country, when Long replied, "What does it signify how deep the country is, so that the hounds can run?"

A few years since I mentioned in these pages that the experiment had been tried in the Vine kennels of substituting sheep's trotters for flesh as the ordinary food, and I likewise mentioned that the result was a failure. I have lately read in Bell's Life a series of most interesting letters on the subject of breeding and training greyhounds, by Stonehenge, in which he recommends a portion of jelly from sheep's trotters or cow-heels, to be mixed with flesh; and from the very clear reasons which he lays down, I have no doubt beneficial results would ensue by adopting the same system with foxhounds. The remarks to which I especially refer appeared in the publication on the 2nd of January; but there are numerous other subjects which cannot fail to be highly interesting to masters of hounds and huntsmen.

The decline of steeple-chasing is evident; and how should it be otherwise? Without any organized rules by which it might have been guided on its first introduction, every opportunity has been laid open for the admission of malpractices. At one period it was countenanced because it was supposed that it would encourage the breeding of horses of a valuable character for hunting and other purposes. To what extent that anticipation has been realized may be at once explained by this remark, that the majority of steeple-chase horses consists of animals not either calculated for racing or hunting, worthless, weedy brutes, without speed for the former purpose or power for the latter. These animals being handicapped at ridiculously light weights have answered their owner's intentions; they have either become great favourites, by which the persons connected with them have been able to realize considerable gains by betting against them or by winning, as circumstances might render it most profitable. Much of this mischief has doubtless arisen from the custom of handicapping at very light weights; but there is one circumstance which must not be forgotten. It is naturally the desire of stewards, committees, clerks, and others having the manage ment of steeple-chase meetings, to attract as many horses as possible to the starting-post. Finding that purpose accomplished by handicapping a number of bad horses at very light weights, it has been resorted to; thus horses of pretension, and which were in the hands of noblemen and gentlemen of character, have been virtually excluded, if not from running, at all events from every reasonable chance of winning. The worthy citizens of Hereford have exerted themselves to reclaim steeplechasing, and by intimating that their handicaps will be set at a higher scale of weights than what has prevailed of late years, anticipate a better class of horses; but the entries up to the present period are not very flattering, either as to number or quality. The probability of the Aristocratic Hunters Stake of £100 each producing a race is, I imagine, more than doubtful. Let me be understood as taking the

responsibility of this conclusion on myself before the date when the stake closes, for although that event will take place before this meets the reader's eye, I am inditing my remarks a week prior to that time. The ostensible motive for proposing such a stake had its object in bringing together bond fide hunters of value, conceiving likewise it might induce masters of hounds to contend for it; but it is quite certain the majority of masters of hounds are decidedly opposed to steeplechasing in all its branches, much less would they be inclined to risk their valuable hunters with 15 stone on their backs. In the ranks of noblemen and gentlemen of fortune, who keep hunters for their pleasure, very few, if any, will, as I think, be found to forego the services of their horses during the necessary term of preparation, especially during such a season as the present. No: the doom of steeple-chasing is sealed; and I fancy the result of the Hereford meeting will prove it. It has got into the hands of a certain class, and will never be revived,

ERNEST ATHERLEY;

OR, SCENES AT HOME AND ABROAD.

BY LORD WILLIAM LENNOX.

CHAP. XI.

"The chiding billow seems to pelt the clouds;

The wind-shaped surge, with high and monstrous main,
Seems to cast water on the burning Bear,

And quench the guards of the ever-fixed pole :

I never did like molestation view

On th' enchafed flood."

SHAKSPEARE.

"Now the ship boring the moon with her main-mast; and anon swallowed with yest and froth, as you'd thrust a cork into a hogshead."-Winter's Tale.

The Lieutenant's Account of Simcoe's Rescue-Awful Gale-Reach Quebec.

As soon as Train had swallowed a glass of brandy-and-water, and ordered one for poor Simcoe and for every man of the boat (while changing his dress), I, among others, had crowded round him, hoping to hear how all had happened.

"A near touch," said he-" nearest I have ever had. I thought Simcoe was gone once. Did not doubt for myself, unless tugged down, for I never lost sight of the life-buoy; I tried hard and long to take him to it, and, like a sensible fellow, he did his best; and if he had not first struck his head against the bumpkin (for he fell from the head-rail), and if the ship had not gone clean over him, he would have done well, for there is no better swimmer on board. The seas broke nastily, unpleasantly over us, and the life-buoy could not near us fast enough, nor

could we near it. I'll have a small sail clapped to one of them. Well, Simcoe never tried to touch me, but I could see his struggles were becoming weaker and weaker, and that he was taking in more water than his lee-scuppers could discharge; so when he was blessing me, and saying, Try to save yourself,' as well as gulps of the briny liquid would permit him to do, I let him go, struck out about two yards for the buoy, now close to me (it having drifted a little faster than we did), reached it, with the other hand grasped for Simcoe, who was literally sinking; I only caught his hair, but that was enough. I raised him, and put the buoy against his breast; finding it was not soft, as he told me afterwards, but something hard, he clutched it (to use his own expression) like grim Death, and, with my help, got his head high enough for breathing. In the meantime I held on tightly by the opposite side, throwing weight enough on to keep him highest; I then had time to think of our position. I saw the blue-lights and the rockets, like flashes, as we were occasionally raised on the crest of the swells, and before the seas broke over us, but the boat nowhere. For a long time I thought all over, and that the poor captain of the forecastle and myself, who have been in three different ships together-in many a sea, boat, and longshore scrimmage-were doomed to ship for the last time together for Davy Jones's locker. I did as I suppose all men would do under our circumstances-and for both of us too, for Simcoe was insensibleI strained my eyes long and despondingly to where I thought the cutter should be, and once more gave my mind up to prayer, when I heard what I could not see, the oars as they were plied in their row-locks. My voice, you know, is a loud one; and this time, even amid the wash of mighty waves and roaring wind and waters, it stood me in good need. 'Where, sir? where?' I heard Cornwallis exclaim from to windward. 'Dead to-' and I was immersed before I could get 'leeward' out. Where, sir? where?' cried the boy. Leeward!" roared I, leaving out the dead to;' but before I got another sluicing I had time to say, 'Don't wind her! back, back! let her drop astern!' For now I made her out; my orders were obeyed; they backed nearly on us. We were clawed in, Simcoe bringing the life-buoy with him, from the deathclutch of which his hands could not be separated. I set the coxswain and the youngster to chafe and rub him, after the most approved method of the Humane Society, while I steered the boat. The sea ran high; the lights were clearly to be seen, apparently a long way off, but whenever I attempted to steer for them we shipped seas enough to keep two men baling. As I found I could not venture to go either in the trough of the sea or otherwise than almost before it, up went the helm, and we passed about a quarter of mile from the ship's stern before wind and sea; and when I thought myself far enough to round-to, we watched the last of a heavy topler, which almost broached us, and if it had would have swamped boat and all round I brought her head to wind and sea, all safe and right. It was clear to me that the ship would drift faster than we did, pulling head to it, and all doubt was over when I saw that, instead of forcing ahead she rather dropped astern, which was admirably and judiciously managed by some one. Thanks for nothing," said the 'first.' "So finally," continued Train, "without pulling so hard as to drive the boat into the seas, you fairly dropped upon us in time for me to be heard ere you glid away from us for ever.

So ends

I heard every order given, and did not begin to try my lungs until I saw what you were about, and that I had no time to spare. my yarn. Another glass of grog, steward!' "And then turn in," said the doctor, feeling his pulse, require rest. And, here, just swallow these," giving two sugar-plums: "nothing but a preparation of laudanum and calomel."

" for you

Excited and fatigued by the events of the day, we sought our hammocks; but none of us had much peace that night. The breeze, which I have recited, became a half-gale ere sunset-was a whole one before midnight-and the ship, when daylight dawned, and I was up to see, was under two close-reefed topsails, main, mizen, and fore staysails; all other sails furled, top-gallant yards on deck, top-gallant masts struck. It blew a steady gale from south-west, with a long swell and a nasty sea up, both of which kept rising in magnitude and force. We were now not far from the banks of Newfoundland, just about the longitude that "tails of hurricanes are said to reach. Tails they may call them; but, if that which we experienced was a tail, preserve them that were nearer the beast's body!

At eight Train's watch began; as usual, I found myself, soon after one bell, by his side. A rope had been run fore and aft, from the weather stauncheon of the waist rail to the mizen mast, and another further to leeward; these were to assist men going forward and aft, as the ship surged to leeward; she could not surge to windward, for the wind and sails kept her always with several degrees of list-over. Train, always standing at the gangway, peeping to windward over the waist hammock nettings, I had ensconced myself just behind him, listening to his conversation, as after every peep to windward he condescended to favour me with it.

"Too early in July" (it was the first), said he, "for a hurricane ; otherwise I should almost think one was coming. We ought to be on the starboard tack: I have told the captain so, but he and the master, because our head looks more for America, won't hear of it. Hope they may not rue it, that's all."

I ventured to ask why he thought the other tack best.

"Why," said he, "in these latitudes and longitudes, and I believe in most others, but hereabout, or anywhere on the American side of the Atlantic, the wind always flies round the same way as the sun; it is not an uncommon thing for it to do so without the slightest warning: perhaps just a flap of the sail, and if on this tack, with her head to the northward, aback she is in next to no time: then how do you think she would fare in such a sea as this?"

At the very moment he spoke, although the forecoming swell, which is the forerunner of the breaking wave, had healed her over; a heavy toplet plumped against her buttocks, ran up her side, emptied tons of itself into the waist, on the forecastle, the fore-part of the quarter-deck, fairly drenching both of us.

"There," said my companion, throwing the water off, but never moving a step, "that would have been a nice fellow for us to have been healing over to, as we should be if taken aback now; whereas, if the ship's head were to the southward, and the wind so shifted, as it has often and yet may, why then it comes right aft, and you can keep your ship in a safe position."

Just then a very heavy squall came on; the main-staysail blew into ribands.

"I thought so," said he. "Ay, haul it down, to be sure, now it saves you the trouble. This comes of bending the old sail. I asked for the new one, but that master of ours is always economising, and now I wish him joy. We must furl the fore topsail, for I think ere long we may want it more than we do now; and it's a new one, and worth saving."

The captain was standing on the after-ladder. Train asked leave to take the fore topsail in.

"Anything you like, Mr. Train. "Oh, no, sir; no occasion." Sims, the mate of the watch, to him. take a sail in, which I very much fear will take itself out when we once alter its position; but we must try. You go forward and place Simcoe at the lee fore top sail sheet; Johnson, the second captain, at the weather one. When I give the word, tell Simcoe he is to ease off, exactly two fathoms and no more; for, in Falconer's words of truth—

Won't you have all hands?" And back again he came, calling "Now, Sims, we are going to

"He who wishes the tempest to disarm,

Ne'er first embrails the lee land arm.'

So man the weather clewline well, and the weather buntline; but don't put too many on that at first, or you will carry it away. Let all stand fast with the weather-sheet until I give the word, then ease handsomely, and haul up as you can.

66

Aye, aye, sir!"

Down went Sims into the waist, and up again at the fore-end on the forecastle, not liking the gangway passage.

"Hand me the trumpet."

a point or two, quartermaster."

"Put the helm up: try to keep her off

"Aye, aye, sir." "She goes off sir."

"Ease off the

"Very well, meet her; don't get too much way." lee-sheet!" shouted he, in a voice that was heard above the elements; and off it went quietly and handsomely. "A little more." Away went another half-fathom, and the sail lifted itself as the ship heeled over, having half a mind to flap; and if it had-. "Hold on." "Ease off the weather-sheet." "Clew up." Away that went, and smartly too; up it came; and as it came gradually the belly of the sail was bound in with the buntline. That clew came safely up, and still there was no flapping. "Now man the lee clewline and buntline." "Ease off, and haul up." Up it came, all safe enough. Presently the buntlines were hauled so taut, and grasped the body of canvas so tightly, that furling seemed almost a work of supererogation, and so I ventured to say. "Not so," replied Train; "a heavy gust may yet so fill him, as to make him swell like a balloon, and burst every bond; but I must hold him tighter yet before the men go aloft." "Man the weather foretopsail." Brace, and haul in." "Ease off the lee one." This was done, and at the same time the helm was put down, and aback came the sail, with a shake certainly, but one that did no harm. Up, now, topmen.""Furl him over all-any how." "Be quick about it, for it is thickening again to windward."

66

All that Train had ordered was done. A new mainstay-sail was