Returning of a morning from the forest, I never found my breakfast appetite in the least injured by my nocturnal watch. That agreeable meal over, the soothing weed prepared me for the siesta on the cool grassy floor of the wigwam: refreshed thereby, I would rise after mid-day, and proceed to the stream in front of the camp, and from thence, whatever the weather, however hot the sun or still the air, and with the coarsest of flies, I always succeeded in drawing out a goodly dish of trout.

I fancy I can detect an incredulous sneer passing over the rubicund visage of your respected uncle, as, over the accustomed bottle, you indulge him with these my lucubrations:

"I don't believe it," he exclaims. "Who ever heard of trout being taken in the middle of the day, under a hot sun, and without a breeze?" Your observation, venerable sir, as regards fishing in our favoured isle, is doubtless true; but have the goodness to bear in mind, that on the river I mention, fly perhaps had ne'er been thrown, until my adventurous hickory (the production of an old pensioner at St. John) stretched its silken line and gaudy flies, for the allurement of the unpractised trout, the denizens of the Liverpool lakes.

You, my dear L, will certainly not have forgotten the result of the fishing expedition to Miramichi, when the number of trout and salmon captured almost exceeded belief. Having the data of the said trip somewhere, I shall perhaps add an account of it to my next budget.

Mais en revenant à nos moutons, I think from what I have seen of the Indians of this part of America, that they must be among the happiest of the human race. Hunting-to them the means of acquiring food as well as clothing; for, as the saying is, "all is grist that goes to their mill,"-hunting, I say, is pursued with an ardour that the stranger, acquainted only through the medium of fiction with the Indian character, would hardly credit. Instead of exhibiting the indifference and coolness so usually attributed to them, I have seen them at sight of their game almost wild with excitement; and this excitement does not, as some might suppose, proceed from the fact, that on the success of their hunts might depend their subsistence, for, from the traps which the Indians set for otter, sable, musquash, and other vermin, they can well sustain themselves.

"Question! question!" I can imagine you are crying out at my too frequent digressions. Well, then, as I have said, Glode's philosophy had its effect in keeping up my hopes of yet bringing the lordly moose under my ken, if not under my fire. Laying aside, therefore, all ideas of cariboo-hunting, I prepared myself once more to listen to Glode's magic horn.

Starting early in the afternoon, we pursued with our little Waterwitch, still through lakes, a south-westerly direction, crossing one short portage, about five miles from the camp.

At an island separated from the main land by only a tiny brook, the canoe was brought up, and Joe leaping lightly from it proceeded to examine some trees on which it appeared, some weeks before, they had set a sort of springe, in the hope of entangling in its folds the mighty antlers of the moose. It appeared, however, untouched; and

re-setting it, we once more continued our onward course. I may as well tell you that this plan of catching deer is often successful, as during my last cariboo-hunt in new Brunswick, I saw one caught in the above manner. As we advanced towards the termination of our brief voyage, we passed many delightful runs, which promised some capital fishing. The sun, however, sinking in its gorgeous beauty behind the wooded horizon, warned me to defer until morning my promised sport. By sunset we arrived at what appeared to me the termination of the lakes. I was, however, informed that they connected themselves, by a river which we had passed, with Lake Rossignol, the largest lake in Nova Scotia, being nearly thirty miles in length, or, as they termed it-the Big Lake; and from thence the before-mentioned communication by Liverpool River with the Atlantic. (To be continued.)

ON THE GAME LAWS, SHOOTING, &c.

BY CECIL.

(Concluded.)

In some districts great attention is paid to bushing the grass and stubble fields, for the purpose of preventing poachers using nets to take partridges: it is no doubt very well as far as it goes; but if it is supposed that a sufficient protection is by that means established, without the constant watchfulness of the keepers, should there be poachers experienced in their calling in the neighbourhood, the loss of many coveys will demonstrate the fallacy of this imperfect security. The most effective method of applying bushes is to strew the ground thickly with hip-briars or long slender pieces of blackthorn; these impediments will entangle the nets and spoil them, whereas the bushes, which are stuck upright in the ground, are more readily discovered and avoided or taken away altogether-a practice usually resorted to if the vigilance of the keepers be permitted to slumber. In such cases the poachers will go round in the afternoon, take up the bushes in certain fields conveniently situated for their purpose, and drive the birds from the adjacent grounds into them. This can only be prevented by the most assiduous attention; and now that the market is open for inducements held out thereby engame, the great courage poaching to a great degree.

The services of a shooting-pony, to those who from age or other causes may not be capable of enduring the fatigue attendant upon a long day's shooting, is a most important acquisition; but there are very few worthy of the name, so little pains is taken in their tuition, and that is frequently delegated to the gamekeeper, who is not in a general way a professor of equestrian manoeuvres; and thus, between

the want of skill in the instructor and the absence of intelligence in the pupil, both are compelled to undergo numerous tasks of perplexity, and are constantly at cross purposes. As the education of a shooting-pony is often attempted by persons not altogether conversant with the nature and tempers of horses, a few hints on the subject may not be inapplicable. The qualities requisite in an animal of this kind are, that he should be so docile and temperate as to allow his rider to shoot from his back without stirring, to jump all kinds of fences, and, when turned loose, that he will not attempt to run away. It is therefore necessary to describe how all these accomplishments are to be inculcated. One of the first lessons which every horse intended for the saddle should be taught, is to stand perfectly still for the rider to mount; but very few are properly restrained on these occasions it is, however, essential in a shooting-pony, as leading to the succeeding acquirement of standing still for the rider to shoot. The person, therefore, who undertakes his tuition should consider this as one of the preliminary lessons, and should mount and dismount frequently until the animal has acquired the habit of remaining quite still. The next consideration is to accustom him to bear the report of the gun, which is most easily and effectually done by discharging a gun or pistol, loaded at first with a very small quantity of powder, and immediately afterwards giving him his corn: this repeated a few times, increasing the quantity of powder, will render almost any horse quiet at the report of fire-arms. If it be apprehended, on the first two or three occasions, that the animal will be greatly alarmed, it may be most prudent to discharge the gun on the outside of the stable, approaching nearer by degrees. On all these occasions the greatest caution is necessary not to create alarm. It is fear that causes a horse to start when he hears the report of a gun; the object, therefore, is exceedingly simple by which the means of rendering him steady are to be produced, namely, that of giving him confidence by feeding him and caressing him immediately after the report; when instead of finding himself hurt thereby, he experiences the contrary effects, he will soon become fond of it. On no occasions in the management of horses is kindness more essential than when it is desired to accustom them to the report and even the smell of gunpowder: naturally apprehensive, the horse by instinct flies from danger; if forcibly restrained, he becomes sullen and refractory: possessing no positive faculties of defence, he is thus gifted for the purposes of security-a fact which may be observed in all animals. Those not having the power of protecting themselves enjoy certain instinctive qualities which are requisite for their preservation. The deer is endowed with fleetness; the hare is covered with a coat resembling the colour of the situations which she usually selects for her seat and this is wonderfully exemplified in mountainous districts covered with snow, where the fur frequently assumes an equivalent whiteness.

The shooting-pony being sufficiently accustomed to the report of the gun in the stable, is then to be led out, and similar lessons are to be given him in a yard or field, great care being taken not to alarm him by firing the gun too close to him at first, and that whatever

fear may be apparent, it be carefully subdued by the kindest treatment and caresses. Eventually the gun may be discharged over his back, and in due time by a person sitting in the saddle: all this must be a work of time, and the various progressions should be made with caution: if alarm be once established, a great delay of time must ensue before the timid animal can be reconciled.

Teaching horses to leap also requires patience and gentle treatment. It should be remembered the shooting-pony is not like the hunter, who having other horses in company, and hounds to excite him, is induced to leap from those causes. But there is another consideration: if noise and riot be had recourse to, birds will be disturbed, and of course many shots will be lost. On this account it is important that he be taught to leap before he is taken out for the purpose of shooting. A leaping-bar placed low at first, with a horse accustomed to it to go over, in front of the one about being taught, is the best introduction that can be offered, when the latter animal must be led over after his companion. It is a very common practice with many persons who require their horses to follow them over fences, to look them full in the face; but it is a plan which never ought to be adopted. Nothing has a more powerful effect than that of animals catching a sight of the human eye in such situations: they are naturally alarmed at the fence which they are required to leap, or rather at the idea of leaping it; and if, at the same moment, their attention is abstracted by catching the eye of the attendant, in all probability they will refuse to follow him unless driven over by an assistant with a whip-an expedient which should never be resorted to if it can possibly be avoided. Constant practice and kind treatment will induce most horses to leap; yet one remark must not be omitted: that is, never to take a horse too often over the same place for the sake of practice; or while tuition is the object, never to require him to leap so many fences as to create fatigue, or any that are so large as to create a difficulty. A circumstance occurred last winter, with a young mare, the property of a friend of mine, so conclusive on this point as to be worth relating. He had a very fine promising filly, nearly thorough-bred, which he sent into training; but as she proved unequal to his expectations after being tried, she came home again, when intending that she should be used as a hunter, he put a boy upon her, and had her ridden over the leaping-bar and some low fences, following an experienced horse; all of these she did admirably, nothing on this occasion being presented to her that she was not likely to get over; but the extreme cleverness which she manifested gave promise of very great things. On the subsequent day she was taken out again by herself; she was tried at higher fences; she refused some of them, and blundered over others; she became alarmed, but yet she was inconsiderately forced over or through various places, and the consequence was that on all future occasions, whenever put to a fence, fear overcame her faculties of leaping, she appeared to have lost her activity-symptoms which I can vouch for, having frequently ridden her to covert and with hounds until they found, in order to forward her education; but the difficulty I experienced with her was considerable, and very far beyond what I could have contemplated when I first saw her tried at

fences on her return from the trainer's. This is one proof how much mischief may follow rash and inconsiderate efforts.

I was much surprised, a few days since, at hearing the following conversation between a very celebrated sportsman-a hard-riding Meltonian, one whose experience would be a guarantee on most occasions and his groom, who was on a horse recently purchased :"Have you had that horse over the bar "No, Sir!" replied the groom.

yet?"

"Then put him over and let him have a fall!"

This latter mandate was given in such a manner as to leave no doubt on my mind that the practice was always adopted, when a fresh horse came to the stables, that he should be put at some fence to get him down, in order, as it is imagined, to make him more careful in future. My own experience, however, convinces me of the fallacy of the custom, as reason does of the principle; and in this I am borne out by the opinions of most of the best performers of the day. I have never yet possessed a young horse who has had a fall that has not exhibited more or less of alarm for some time afterwards, and I am therefore particularly careful to avoid such catastrophes until they have gained confidence and ability, and even then I must confess I never found horses benefited by falling. That reason cannot acknowledge the principle, is founded upon a very simple fact. The action of leaping as performed by the horse is an endowment of nature, and is cultivated by practice. If a horse has a fall which does not attract his attention so as to create any alarm, and which is the case with some easy-tempered dead-mettled brutes, it can have no effect upon him, and he will probably get a habit of taking his fences in a slovenly manner; if it does create alarm, it is decidedly mischievous, as that state of fear must be overcome before the animal is thoroughly accomplished. A very simple means of preventing shooting-ponies from escaping when turned loose is to have a weight attached to a spare rein, and that rein to the bit; this weight may be made of lead, and covered with leather, and must be suspended to the D of the saddle when its assistance is not required. This being detached from the saddle, and placed on the ground, will be the means of keeping the animal stationary; and as he becomes accustomed to the lesson, a weight of lighter make may be substituted; about 8lbs. or 9lbs. is sufficient to begin with; but when the animal has acquired perfect docility under the control of this apparatus, it may be dispensed with altogether.

The usual appointment of a shooting-pony is a pair of game-bags, for the purpose of carrying game, ammunition, and any other necessaries or luxuries that may be required. Those made of wicker-like panniers are, I am inclined to think, the best, especially if the condition in which the game is brought home is a consideration; they may be made narrow, so as not to extend far on each side the horsean object of considerable importance in coverts, and where high quick hedges are numerous. By having loops attached round the bags or panniers, the birds can be hung up by their necks, and will thus arrive at home in a much greater state of preservation than they would be if thrown promiscuously into the bottom. The careless