We followed the - bagged a waterWe

Here we were accosted by a farmer, who had marked down a covey a short distance off, and had come to inform us of it. course we were on for some time, during which W rail, and then turned up the hill to the spot the farmer indicated. moved and thinned this covey also.

By five o'clock we had reached the road at the point where the dogcart for our return was awaiting us. Satisfied with the day's pleasure, and the result of our performance, we now gave over, and in half an hour found ourselves at home. After enjoying a warm bath-the greatest luxury a sportsman, after a hard day's shooting, can indulge in -we dressed, and joined the ladies in the drawing-room. On our way thence to the dining-room, we showed them the produce of the day's exertion, to their infinite amusement, for our hostess and her daughters had learned to sympathize and derive pleasure from the pursuits of the head of the house. Bolton had proudly set out the whole (with the exception of the game sent off as before stated) upon the floor of the hall, and a goodly array they presented. Dinner over, we were treated with some duets for piano and harp, executed with great spirit and taste; after which, as our host took no refreshment in the form of tea, contenting himself with a single cup of coffee directly after dinner by way of digester, we retired to his study, where the parson joined us, and we passed two hours in smoking, sipping brandy-and-water, and mirthful conversation; after which we retired, and sound and refreshing that night were the slumbers of the sportsmen.

"KILLING NO MURDER."

A SKETCH FROM A SPORTMAN'S NOTE-BOOK.

BY VENATOR.

I was returning into the Cape colony from a few days' wandering in Kaffir land-that region where the gnu, the eland, and the stately koodoo, to say nothing of elephants and lions, offer game worthy of the most adventurous sportsman, who are often tempted to penetrate its wild defiles, and scour its broad flats in their pursuit. Though not pretending to class myself among the most adventurous, it was on such an errand I had been bound; and that it had not been quite in vain, was proved by the horns and skin of one of the first-named, a wildebeest or gnu, which, with many other trophies of lesser game, formed the burthen of the spare horse led by my monkey-faced hottentot "after-rider." In my way lay a dark, canal-like, suicidal-looking river, which in this country would be death to the fatal attractions of Waterloo-bridge and the Serpentine. Running swiftly and smoothly between tall, precipitous hills, covered with pathless and impenetrable jungle, or presenting to its waters an inaccessible and rocky steep, and cut off in its sinuosities from its full share of the plenteous sunshine of that clime, it looks as fitting as most instruments for the deadly work of self-destruction. From some caprice of nomenclature, it is named the Great Fish River, though it is only near

its mouth that any sport is afforded to the angler. That it is sometimes sought there I know to my cost; but that was the experience of an after-day; and I had not yet made any personal acquaintance with the river, when having to cross it by a ford, ten miles from the sea, I led my horse down a rough, rugged, stony, neck-breaking declivity of some hundreds of feet in depth.

On reaching the strip of level ground which at that part formed its nearer bank, my attendant imp informed me, in his broken English, that the freshets were down, and the river swollen and impassable. Here was a dilemma; for going back was bad, even if going on were worse, and my inquiries at length elicited the fact of his having seen it crossed in safety when the waters were as high or even higher, but it was dangerous. "What of that?" exclaimed I, with heroism worthy of a Murat: "I also shall attempt the passage!"

I did so, and it had nearly proved my passage to another world. As my steed lost his footing, and began to swim, he jerked his head against my own, and his proved the hardest--so hard that, stunned and dizzy, I rolled off his back, and with the same disagreeable movement was proceeding down the rapid stream, when my guardian angel, in the form of a young and gallant fellow-countryman-who with his escort had, unobserved, followed us down the hill-dashed into the swift, strong current, and succeeded, at the imminent peril of his own life, in bearing me to the opposite bank, where my pugnacious charger had already landed.

My preserver from the water-snakes and fishes was an officer belonging to the company stationed at a small post, perched on the very brow of a lofty hill, looking down from a dizzy height upon the river. And in a room of that post, the lapse of a few hours found me very contentedly enjoying the hospitality of the detachment mess.

"Quite delighted, I assure you, Mr. M, to have the unexpected addition of your company here to-day," observed the senior officer;" and very happy also that you did not make our number fewer than usual by carrying off my lieutenant to visit the sharks and other water-monsters."

While I said what the occasion seemed to require, and gave utterance to a little of my own actual feelings, being neither land-shark nor monster, my guardian angel at the foot of the table muttered something about its "mattering little if I had done so."

"And pray why should it matter little?" demanded the former speaker, with a friendly roughness. "If a young lady can be content to love, honour, and obey a baboon, an idiot, and a sot, all rolled into one fascinating whole, because he happens to be as wealthy as contemptible, I don't see why his not pleasing so exquisite a taste should disgust any sensible man with life."

"You forget her mother's influence!" said the rejected, in a deprecating tone.

"No, I don't, Elliot, not a bit of it! I know she is suspected of teaching the fair Annie to look at everything, Mr. Frederick Long included, through her own gold-mounted spectacles-a nice accomplishment for seventeen."

"The very cause of all!" interposed the third of my new acquaint

ances.

"Creatures of every species are more easily tamed or kept under control, when young; it is the full-grown animal which we find it difficult to lead against its will."

Here Elliot contrived to lead that nondescript animal, conversation, in another direction; but whither it matters little to the tale I have to tell. The second day after this I was alone with my Hottentot guide, on a high broad plain, bounded by lofty hills, while here and there, along its verge, dark wooded kloofs (defiles) seemed to lead down into some mysterious lower region. A large herd of spring-boks, or antelopes, were on the flat, disporting themselves after their custom; now springing high into the air, with that peculiar leap which has won their Dutch appellation, now chasing each other over the plain, or rushing in a body along its whole extent, as though the wind pursued them. So shy and fleet of foot as they were, it was no easy matter to get near enough to have a shot at them. Used to the sight of travellers through their domains, they would sometimes stand still gazing at me until I came almost within gun-shot, then shaking their heads, as in mockery, would bound lightly away, pausing not in their wild career until they had gained the extremity of the flat. An hour was vainly spent in endeavouring to out-manœuvre them; but the leaders of the band evidently miscalculated the range of my Manton, and in the end allowed me to ride so close, that firing hastily, as they were taking once more to flight, my bullet struck one of the antelopes, which leaping several feet into the air, fell to the ground, then rose, wounded, yet not disabled utterly. But its companions were already far away; startled by the report of my gun, they had fled with redoubled velocity, and were crushing like a cloud of arrows to the shelter of their favourite hill.

After turning to cast one look on its flying comrades, the antelope struck at once into a rugged kloof, on gaining whose entrance I dismounted, to pursue the graceful animal on foot. It had by this time disappeared, but the drops of blood which stained the grass and stones enabled me to track it on; and my doing so led to my participation in one of the most whimsical occurrences to which my shooting mania ever tended. A long way this pursuit led me, through the wild kloof, and across a narrow valley, until beneath a clump of myrtles I found the antelope, where it had stolen away to die in peace. By this time the sun was low, but his burning rays still beat on me more fiercely, it seemed, than ever. I was heated, tired, and perched with thirst, from the sultriness of the day and scarcity of water, which had caused my huntingflask to be exhausted long before.

"Is there any water near?" I demanded of my after-rider, who was now at my side, having left our well-trained horses with their bridles thrown over their heads, to await his return in statu quo.

"Ich vit ne (I don't know), replied the hottentot.

"But see,

sur," pointing to a thin smoke-wreath curling above the side of a hill. S'pose one Boor's place over dere."

66

"Then I'll have a cup of coffee or tea-water from the good man," I exclaimed. "Do you lead round the horses, Christian, and I'll take care we have all we want, either for love or money."

A true sportsman has a sovereign contempt for roads, as should all wanderers in South Africa; and it was by forcing my way through thorny thickets, and climbing a slippery stony hill, that I came on a

peaceful scene of comfortable dwelling, barns, kraals, and fields, and lowing herds, all as rural and pastoral as might be. My fowling-piece proved sufficient credentials to the dingy domestics who came out to meet me, and they instantly ushered me into the presence of their mistress. She was English, and with considerable embarrassment I tendered an apology for my intrusion. But the lady continued staring at me as though she had never before seen a man in boor's hat and krakers (deerskin trousers).

"Mr. M., and here; is it possible?" she exclaimed. welcome to Witboom; whatever chance has brought you here."

"Most

And sure enough we had been old friends, though it was in distant England. But people are not life-long fixtures, especially in these locomotive days, when even hills depart per rail, and valleys are on the move; and I was soon convinced that it was the Mrs. Harrisson I had known in by-gone days who so kindly welcomed me, though with half another Mrs. Harrisson folded round the former. And she was very like that former self, in the way in which, husband and children being absent, she dilated on the misfortunes which had induced them to transport their penates to that distant land, where, however, her eldest daughter, Annie, was on the eve of a most brilliant marriage. Money, money, money, money, formed the sum total of the mother's speech; and by her account the bridegroom elect was a rare prize in the matrimonial lottery. Scarce was this communication ended when Annie Harrisson entered, and I had soon the pleasure of reading my cordial welcome in a pair of the prettiest blue eyes I ever saw. We were used to be great friends in former days; and when Mrs. Harrisson quitted the room, as I caught a glimpse of a cavalier and groom approaching the house, I took immediate advantage of her absence to remark to Annie that I might, I believed, venture to offer my congratulations on her approaching assumption of the title of Madame.

A change came over the spirit of Annie's features, and a half smile of bitter meaning sat on her lip, as she repeated-"Congratulations! There he is."

Following her eyes, I perceived the person whom my hostess was now addressing with considerable empressment, as he was dismounting the step. Appearance is not everything," I observed, glancing doubtfully at the fair and graceful creature by my side.

"You shall hear him, then!" said Annie; and immediately her mother and the stranger joined us, and I boasted the honour of an introduction to Mr. Frederick Long, which, as is usual, should by rights have been Mr. Frederick Short. But at that name the truth flashed on me at once: Annie Harrisson was the last love of my preserver Elliot.

"He he he! very happy to see you, Mr. M," said the prince. "He-he-he! Miss Annie, hope you're well;" and after what he considered a low bow to myself, the animal made a grab at the poor girl's reluctant hand with one of his own red paws. At this moment I thought I required to hear no more; but Mrs. Harrisson's guidance of the conversation enabled the creature for some time to wear so much the semblance of a reasonable being that I began to accuse myself of precipitancy in writing him down an ass. But within an hour our circle was increased by the arrival of Mr. Harrisson and two more guests, brother and sister, and from that time forward Mr. Long appeared in a very different light;

though obviously one far better fitted, in his own eyes, for the display his attractions.

"Have you heard Long sing?" asked Mr. Foster, as Long was raising his first cup of tea to his lips.

Of course I had not.

"Then you must hear him now," said Foster, "for no one sings at all like Long."

Long's little ferret eyes twinkled with evident pleasure at the request, though he deemed it proper to assume some affectation of reluctance. I saw at once that Mrs. Harrisson betrayed symptoms of annoyance, and of a disposition to change the subject. But do this Long would not permit her.

"He-he-he! I don't much think I can sing to-night," said he, taking advantage of the first pause.

"Why? you can always sing equally well," slily observed Miss Foster.

"Perhaps Mr. Long is fatigued," suggested our hostess, with a flushed cheek aud anxious air.

"Oh, dear no! not in the least!" volunteered Long, hastily, as though fearful of being cheated out of the opportunity for display. "What shall I sing?

By the sad sea wines?'

"Yes, do!" said Miss Foster. "You have no conception," she added, in a loud whisper to myself, "how beautifully he sings it."

Whereupon, with his cup in one hand, and the other moving convulsively near the region where the heart should have been located, Long squeaked forth, in discordant tones, the simple ballad, with a caricature of sentimental expression and ludicrous contortion of visage which occasioned me an absolute martyrdom, in my endeavours to preserve that decorum of feature for which my recollection of what position the creature held with respect to the Harrissons induced me to struggle violently. Then followed praises lavished by the unblushing Fosters on the foolish youth, which a Lind or an Alboni might have envied. And then to the obvious vexation of Mr. and Mrs. Harrisson, followed a love-song, to make me feel for that unattainable blessing-leave to laugh-I would gladly have bartered my night's rest.

"Will you not rival Mr. Long's melodious warbling?" asked Miss Foster, blandly.

I declined being tempted by this dubious compliment, my voice being somewhat like those of Ellis's nightingales, which by the learned in such matters, are described as ravens.

"We can't excuse you," said Miss Foster, "unless Mr. Long will be your proxy.

"He-he-he! I shall be most happy," simpered the grinning songster, flourishing his half-emptied cup of tea.

"Yes, Mr. M--," continued the wicked girl, " and we will look on Mr. Long while he sings, and imagine it yourself."

Very obliging, truly! thought I, as regarded the unconscious buf. foonery of my representative, which was nearly suffocating me with smothered merriment. But, alas! it was not to be smothered much longer: an unexpected falsetto squeak, high above his voice, as though it came from the roof of the house, with an amazed look of Foster's, fairly frightened me from my propriety, and I burst into an uncontrolable fit