In the "times of old" we have enjoyed ourselves exceedingly in making piscatorial pilgrimages among the Catskill and Sharidaken Mountains, but their wilderness glory is rapidly departing. We can now only recommend this region as abounding in beautiful as well as magnificent scenery. Now, while we think of it, however, we have one little incident to record connected with Shaw's Lake, which beautifies the summit of one of the Catskills. Having once caught a large number of small common trout in a stream that ran out of this lake, we conceived the idea that the lake itself must of necessity contain a large number of full grown fish of the same species. With this idea in view, we obtained the services of a mountaineer named Hammel, and tried our luck at the lake, by the light of the moon, with set lines and live minnows. During the night we caught no less than forty-two trout, averaging in weight over a pound a piece. We were, of course, greatly elated at this success; and, having enjoyed quite a romantic expedition, we subsequently published an account of the particulars. A few days after this, a party of anglers residing in the town of Catskill saw what we had written, and immediately posted off to Shaw's Lake, for the purpose of spending a night there. They did so, and also fished after the same manner that we did, and yet did not capture a single trout. They of course returned home considerably disgusted, and reported that the lake in question was covered with dead eels, that the water was alive with lizards, that they saw the glaring eyes of a panther near their watch-fire, and that we had been guilty of publishing a falsehood. It now becomes us to deny, and in the most expressive tone, this rough impeachment, although we fully confess that there still hangs a mystery over our piscatorial good fortune.

If the anglers of New York city are to be believed, there is no region in the world like Long Island for common trout. We are informed, however, that the fish are here penned up in ponds, and that a stipulated sum per head has to be paid for all the fish captured. With this kind of business we have never had any patience, and we shall therefore refrain from commenting upon the exploits or trespassing upon the exclusive privileges of the cockney anglers of the empire city.

But another trouting region, of which we can safely speak in the most flattering terms, is that watered by the two principal tributaries of the river Thames, in Connecticut, viz., the Yantic and the Quinnebaug. It is, in our opinion, more nearly allied to that portion of England made famous by Walton in his "Complete Angler," than any other in the United States. The country is generally highly cultivated, but along nearly all its very beautiful streams Nature has been permitted to have her own way, and the dark pools are everywhere overshadowed by the foliage of overhanging trees. Excepting in the immediate vicinity of the factories, trout are quite abundant, and the anglers are generally worthy members of the gentle brotherhood. When the angler is overtaken by night, he never finds himself at a loss for a place to sleep; and it has always seemed to us that the beds of this region have a "smell of lavender." The husbandmen whom you meet here are intelligent, and their wives, neat, affable, and polite, understanding the art of preparing a frugal meal to perfection. Our trouting recollections of this section of New England are manifold, and we would part with them most unwillingly.

THE PILGRIM IN INDIA.*

BY

فانی پارکس

So fertile in novelties and incidents as India must ever be to English travellers and sojourners-so curious and so varied as are the architecture of the country and the habits and appearance of the people in their several castes-so passing strange must be all that the eye sees on the land's surface, of things animate and inanimate-that we can readily believe it to be one of the easiest things imaginable to write an exceedingly entertaining book from any really sensible and observing traveller's notes upon Indian scenery, etc.

We doubt, however, if those ever publish who have the most to say, who see the most, who know the country best, and who have the closest or the least reserved intercourse with the people. For this there are necessarily reasons to be assigned, as for all things else in this world that men do or leave undone; but the result to us is, that we see less than we might see into Indian life, and know less than we might know of a country and its inhabitants, both of which are unquestionably among the most remarkable and the most interesting to us Englishmen of all that are on the earth.

To add something further to our information of India, of the private life of its people, of the country's productions in its animals and vegetables, and especially to bring us into closer acquaintance with the chief of the Hindoo deities, two large and rather gorgeous volumes have lately been published, into which we have looked with more than usual interest, partly because they are the production of a lady long resident in India, partly because of the very taking title of the work, and partly because of the number and variety and beauty of its illustrations.

The authoress would seem, however, to have persuaded herself that it would add greatly to the interest of the work, could she prevail upon the English public to believe, that she had become a convert to Hindooism. So, immediately upon a dedication "To the Memory of my beloved Mother," follows a solemn "Invocation" to that monstrous idol Guneshu, whose image and accessories, in gold and gaudy colours, form the frontispiece. And this, again, is followed by an "Introduction," which is, however, nothing more than a history of this same Ganesh, and a renewed invocation to him: "a mighty lord," she calls him, "her inspiration, her penates." Nor would the reader who took up this idea be undeceived, who read the work through to the end; for if the authoress was actually and in very truth a worshipper of the Hindoo idols, she could not well have said more than she has said in their praise, nor given stronger proofs how highly she venerated, and adored, and honoured them. A prejudice will, we fear, in consequence be raised

Wanderings of a Pilgrim in Search of the Picturesque during Four-andTwenty Years in the East. London: P. Richardson,

against the work in many a reader's mind, and the feeling then raised is certainly not likely to be allayed by a perusal of the whole of the two volumes.

These were compiled, it would appear, from a journal written almost from day to day for the gratification of the writer's mother, and it notices, in consequence, every passing occurrence that it was supposed could interest the dear home circle." Printed, seemingly, as it was written, the narrative conveys to us, very unreservedly, the opinions of an English lady upon all that was passing around her in a strange land, and among a people whose laws, customs, language, habits of life, and opinions, were as wide apart as the poles from our own. All, certainly, that she could obtain a knowledge of, or an insight to, she observes upon; and as she was very frequently on the move-sometimes travelling dāk, sometimes in a boat on the Ganges-and visited a variety of stations, and was personally known to natives of high rank, equally as to Europeans of all grades, very many and diversified were the characters that came under her observation: and the volumes abound with anecdotes of all classes of people, highly characteristic and explanatory of their thoughts and feelings. Many of these are highly amusing, some highly instructive, and all combining to give us a correct idea of the morals and manners of the Indian population.

The fair writer is undoubtedly entitled to have it said of her, that she kept her eyes open on all occasions, and availed herself, at all costs to herself of trouble and fatigue, of every opportunity afforded her, to see whatever there was to be seen within the range of her vision. Nothing, indeed, seems to have escaped her; active and enterprising, curious and daring a bold and expert rider-a ready and determined sketcher, and very inquisitive observer, she scrupled not to enter into places and among crowds of the people at their fairs and festivals, and religious gatherings, that Europeans in general are very careful to shun. Her sketch-book and her note-book were, in consequence, enriched with views and descriptions that were wholly unknown to others, and which enlighten us as to the scenery, and the buildings, and the customs of the people.

To illustrate the work, fifty plates are given, of various degrees of excellence and finish, and which refer chiefly to tombs, temples, costumes, scenery, and idols; but certainly the greatest care, and labour, and expense have been given to the idols-they glitter with gold and the gayest colours, and are evidently the writer's favourite subjects.

In a work of this description, the matters touched upon are necessarily so various as to be almost entitled to the term innumerable; they embrace everything that came or could come within the writer's observation, from the wild lawlessness of the soldiers in the Mahratta camp on the hills, to the sickening details of the consequences of the famine in the bazaar at Kanauj.

Scores upon scores of pages are, however, devoted to Hindoo temples and tombs; and many scores besides to the Hindoo deities-to their parentage, their histories and adventures, to their influence upon the people, and the horrid rites of which they are the object. But this is a subject that could not but be imperfectly reported upon, however diligent and patient and persevering the writer, since the Hindoo deities amount to the no inconsiderable number of three hundred and thirty millions.

THE PILGRIM IN INT

BY

پارکس

So fertile in novelties and incident travellers and sojourners—so curior ture of the country and the habits several castes so passing strang land's surface, of things anima believe it to be one of the easi ingly entertaining book from -notes upon Indian scenery, e

malaya range. Added or of whatever was curious ect has a very well-furnished s and singularities. Nothing ▲ butterflies, skeletons and skins, ag foxes, tiger-claw charms, coinsWe doubt, however, if t ace of curious and beautiful, that she who see the most, who kn cores. The stories of tigers, leopards, or the least reserved inte nd exciting enough to please the most necessarily reasons to b nd horrors, and several romances might be that men do or leave u of travel which the volumes contain. But than we might see inte ished from all others upon India, by their reveof a country and its ir Zenana, into which the authoress was admitted the most remarkable with her highness the ex-queen of Gwalior. What that are on the eart' must be left to her pages to explain, and what she

To add somethirves of royal and noble ladies must be new, or nearly life of its people, readers. We have as briefly as possible spoken of tables, and especi mes, and have purposely avoided entering upon their of the Hindoo ents; they speak of so many things that all classes of lately been pubessarily find therein the subjects they most desire to be interest, partly A certain measure of praise will therefore be given by in India, part measure of praise will thus be given by the whole to a because of th be read with the highest interest by all who take an The auth Indian empire, and in the wonderful people who form its

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THE PILGRIM IN INDIA.

621

nya reader's mind, and the feeling then raised is allayed by a perusal of the whole of the two

ld appear, from a journal written almost n of the writer's mother, and it notices, rrence that it was supposed could ted, seemingly, as it was written, reservedly, the opinions of an and ber in a strange land, and ge, habits of life, and opi w All, certainly, that be observes upon;

MP DOCTOR."

ading my way North to the forded me by an ingenious ep, of exchanging a well-worn pally in cash-for as fine a specihted the eye or ear of a naturalist; e back, six feet seven-eighths of an alar lightning, colours as gaudy as an -three rattles and a button, and a great heard, were the strong points of my pur

propitiatory offering to one of the professors, my nish him with a fitting habitation. Nothing better made him one out of a pine box, originally designed lling thin slats transversely, so as neither to exclude out sufficiently close, I thought, to prevent him from he day for my departure arrived, and I had his snakeship board the boat destined to bear me to V-, where I ke an Ohio steamer.

ortunately for the quietude of my pet, on the Yazoo boat was a g cockney lady, who, hearing that there was a live rattlesnake on ard, allowed her curiosity to overcome her maiden diffidence suffiently to prefer a request that the young doctor "would make 'is hanimal oller;" a process which the proverbial abstemiousness when in confinement of the "hanimal" was accomplishing rapidly without any intervention on my part. Politeness would not allow me to refuse, and as it was considerable of a novelty to the passengers, his snakeship was kept constantly stirred up, and his rattles had very little rest that trip.

The steamer at length swung alongside the wharf boat at V-, and transferring my baggage, I lounged about until the arrival of a boat would give me an opportunity of proceeding. The contents of the box were quickly discovered; and the snake had to undergo the same inflictions as the day previous-until, thoroughly vexed, I made them desist, and resolved thenceforth I would conceal his presence and allow him to travel as common baggage.

"The shades of night were falling fast," as the steamer "Congress" came booming along, and, after a detention of a few minutes for passengers, proceeded on her way, obtaining none however, except myself. The snake-box was placed with the other baggage on the cabin deck in front of the "social hall," jam up, as luck would have it, against one of the chimneys, making the location unpleasantly warm. It was one of those clear, luminous nights in autumn, when not a cloud dims the azure, and the heavens so "beautifully blue," (Alas! poor Neal,) are gleaming with their myriad stars, when the laughing breeze lifts the hair off the brow, and presses the cheek with as soft a touch as the pulpy lips of a maiden in her first essay at kissing. The clear, croupy cough of the steamer was echoed back in prolonged asthmatic strains