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"When," says Dr. Richardson, "it accidentally wanders abroad in the day, it is so much dazzled by the light of the sun as to become stupid, and it may then be easily caught by the hand. Its cry in the night is a single melancholy note, repeated at intervals of a minute or two; and it is one of the superstitious practices of the Indians to whistle when they hear it. If the bird be silent when thus challenged, the speedy death of the inquirer is augured; hence its Cree appellation of death-bird."

The great snowy owl, Nyctea candida of the Prince of Canino, Strix nyctea of authors, which is a mighty hunter, and adroit fisher by day, in the northern and arctic regions at least, striking at the hare in its course, and clutching his finny prey with one sudden stroke of his powerful foot as he sails over the water, or watches patiently, perched on a stone in the shallows, with his legs and feet defended from the cold by his thick feather-boots, has occasionally been driven to our shores, less frequently, however, than the great horned owl, or eagle owl, Bubo maximus of Sibbald, Strix Bubo of Linnæus, the Grand Duke herein before celebrated.

But even his visits are so few and far between, that we are not justified in inflicting upon our readers his natural history and the feats that he does in the cold starlight when he leaves his lofty abode, or those done to him by the old French falconers, who turned him out with the appendage of a fox's tail, in order to entrap the kite that was sure to fly after him, if there was one in the country, to observe what Mrs.. Tabitha Bramble would have called the "phinumenon," though the temptation thereunto be strong.

So we are fain to conclude with the old quatrain of 1557, lamenting at the same time that though the Italians named him Duco and Dugo they also called him Bufo (as Belon writes it, though we much doubt whether he has not omitted an "f") and, what is worse, give him at the present day the appellation of Gufo.

In truth he does appear to have earned for himself among them and our mercurial near neighbours the character of a very funny fellow, a character that we have often suspected from the accounts of the ancient dance ycleped Bubo; but there is but one step from the sublime to the ridiculous:

Le Duc est dit comme le conducteur

D'autres oyseaux, quand d'un lieu se remuent.
Comme Bouffons changent de gestes, et muent,
Ainsi est-il folastre et plaisanteur.

THE CONFESSIONS OF AN AVARICIOUS MAN.

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BY THE LATE HENRY D. INGLIS, ESQ.

66

AUTHOR OF SPAIN IN 1830," THE TYROL," "RAMBLES IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF DON QUIXOTE," &c. &c.

No sooner had I descended into the street, than I perceived that a great fire was raging at the far extremity of the street next to that in which my house was situated: fires were not, however, of unusual occurrence, and this being at so considerable a distance from my own house, I felt no alarm, having little doubt that it would be extinguished before it had made much farther progress, and probably even before I should have returned from transacting the little affair that had taken me from home.

But on my return, an hour and a half afterwards, I perceived that it burned with increased violence, and had made considerable progress in the direction towards my own dwelling; still I felt very little uneasiness upon my own account, though at the same time I could not avoid feeling that degree of anxiety which would not permit me to pass homeward, and forget the danger, small as it seemed to be; I lingered at a little distance, sometimes approaching the conflagration, and sometimes walking as far as my own door; but as the night passed on, the fire every moment making nearer approaches, I began to entertain some apprehensions. Still I had not much cause to fear any thing; the street in which the fire raged, although one of the next to that in which my house was situated, was separated from it by another street which ran transversely. It was not wide indeed, but as the night was calm, the flames, even if not checked before reaching that point, must necessarily take a different direction. But towards morning, when the conflagration had extended almost to this point, the wind sprang up, blowing directly across the street, towards my dwelling. My agitation now began to be excessive; on every hand I heard the cries of lamentation over the loss of both life and property,-crowds of naked and houseless wretches were retreating backwards, their eyes still directed towards the flames that had nearly swallowed up their all, while others, like myself, watched anxiously the progress of the fire; some walking to and fro, some standing still, wringing their hands, and others, to whom misfortune had come yet nearer, uttering a faint cry as the flames, wafted on by the wind, caught their own dwellings, or as the sudden crash and mounting volume of smoke and fire announced that hope was at an end. But the misery and ruin in which I saw others involved made small impression upon my mind. Which among them all, thought I, has so much to lose as I have? or who is there that cannot save his property more easily than I can? I now bitterly regretted that I had turned all my money into gold: to attempt removing my treasure would be to expose it to certain pillage; and if it were hid how should I recover it amid the ruins in which it might be buried: or might it not even be melted, and mingle with the rubbish that surrounded it? But these, nevertheless, were the only alterna

tives, and the latter of them it seemed alone possible to adopt. Yet I delayed, hoping that this expedient might still be rendered unnecessary; but as evening approached my worst apprehensions were realized -a furious wind arose, which not only drove the flames across the neighbouring streets, but carried with it millions of minute fragments of the burning materials, which fell like showers of fire upon the adjoining, and even upon some of the more distant buildings, so that every moment a new cry from the dense crowd, whom curiosity or misfortune had assembled, announced that flames had burst out in new and unexpected quarters.

There was no longer time for deliberation! I hastened with a sinking heart to the apartment where my treasure lay. I had fortunately taken the precaution to have it enclosed in smaller iron chests than those in which Solomons had kept it, otherwise it would have baffled my strength to remove it to any place of security. One by one I carried these to the cellar which had already been instrumental in obtaining for me the possession of this treasure, and which I earnestly hoped might again stand my friend in preserving it. This labour completed, I permitted the water to flow in, for the double purpose of concealing my treasure, and of diminishing in some degree the fervour of the heat, should my worst fears be realized.

Nothing more could I do; and I returned to the scene of horror to wait the event. Oh! it was agonizing to think, while I every moment saw the insatiate flames embracing and wreathing around new victims of their fury-oh! it was agonizing to know that no effort of mine could stay their progress, or avert the ruin that was about to be consummated. The fruits of all that I had done, of all my toil and anxiety, were about to be swept away; for as I looked back upon the scene of devastation, upon the wide, smoking ruins that spread on every handhow, alas! how, said I mentally, shall I be able to recognise the spot where my gold lies buried, even should it escape being mingled with the dust and embers? Tears-bitter as any that were ever shed over blighted hopes,—sincere as any that ever flowed from mortal suffering or human sympathy, fell from my eyes. They were the only tears I had ever shed from infancy, and surely the possessions for which I had toiled and plotted--the wealth, in pursuit of which so many anxious hours and agonizing moments had been endured, was better worthy of a tear than the baubles for which I have heard that men sigh and weep away their lives!

At length I saw the flames approach my own dwelling-they advanced -they receded-again the wind bore them forward--they touched my roof-once more they retreated-but now a vast pile of adjacent buildings fell to the ground; the flames and smoke burst forth like a volcano; torrents of fire rained down, and my house was enveloped in the general conflagration. Had my term of life upon earth extended to a thousand years, this hour would have ever seemed but newly past away. Soon my own dwelling was undistinguishable, amid the smoke and flames that alternately darkened or lighted up the cloudy sky; but at the imminent danger of suffocation, I lingered near, keeping my eye upon the spot where I supposed my treasures to be buried.

So rapid was the progress of the fire, that ere the morning dawned it had extended far beyond the scene of its midnight devastations. The

crowd had followed it, or fled before it; but the sufferers were left behind; and when day slowly broke upon the scene of desolation, these might be seen standing near the spots which they supposed to be the site of their dwellings, that perchance, when the heat of the embers should decrease, they might recover some wreck from the smoking ruins; others, eager after gain, were already raking among the red rafters; while frequent scuffles and loud words disturbed the otherwise silent scene, as trifles were appropriated by the finder, or claimed by the real or pretended owner.

Two days and two nights I watched near to the spot where I supposed my wealth might yet lie buried. The conflagration had done its worst upon me, and I now heeded no more the progress it made, and the ruin it occasioned to others. The distant hum that attended its progress was sometimes wafted towards me; and during the night the illumination of the sky, now brighter and now fainter, as the flames mounted or receded, and the fitful flare that was occasionally thrown around me, showed that during three days it was unextinguished. All this time the heat and smoke that rose from the ruins were too great to permit any attempt at discovery; there were many who, like myself, lingered during these days among the wrecks of their possessions,several, to recover the bodies of lost relatives,-but at first their number had been greater. Hunger had forced some to go in search of bread; sorrow and exhaustion had numbered others with the dead that Jay beneath the ruins; while a few, urged either by affection for friends they had lost, or incited by the hope of gain, had clambered among the half-burnt beams and blackened remnants of walls; but these giving way beneath them, they sunk among the smoking rubbish, and were doubtless suffocated, or were slowly consumed by the fire that yet smouldered beneath. One woman there was who had taken her seat upon a beam that had partly escaped the fire, and which lay close to the spot where I stood. Many times she entreated me to assist her in searching for her husband and child that were lost her misfortune had partly crazed her intellect; towards the morning of the second day she died; her outstretched arm lay close to me, and seeing upon one of her fingers a valuable ring, I took it off, thinking it might as justly be appropriated by me as by any other person.

It was now possible to prosecute a search; from only a few spots smoke still issued, and the torrents of rain that had continued to fall during the morning, now scarcely occasioned any hissing noise. I felt

a confident belief that I was not greatly mistaken in the site of my dwelling; but it was impracticable by my own unaided efforts to attempt removing the heaps of rubbish, beneath which I still hoped my treasures lay secure.

It was a fortunate circumstance that the ring I have mentioned had come into my possession, for otherwise I should not have had the means of paying those whose labour was necessary. I heard many around me imploring the bystanders, with the utmost earnestness, and even with tears, to assist in searching for friends or property; but these applications were rarely successful, because nothing could be offered as a reward by those who had probably lost their all. Attentively noting the spot I left, I hastened to another part of the city, and there dis

posing of the ring, returned with the means of obtaining men's good offices.

I soon found some willing to undertake what I proposed, for the reward I offered, and with the promise of a greater recompence if their efforts should prove successful. The agonizing doubts and fears, the tormenting uncertainty that agitated me as the work proceeded, were scarcely less endurable than the agony I suffered when I saw the fire rain down upon my dwelling. Many tedious hours I watched the slow progress that was made; I assisted in the work too; and towards evening we had reached the entrance to the cellar. But now the labourers refused to proceed further without more remuneration-I had no more to give, and they left me alone.

This, after a little consideration, was scarcely a matter of regret. The greatest difficulties had been surmounted; and if my treasures were really in existence, it might prove dangerous to expose it to the gaze of those who assisted in laying it open. The site now ascertained, the approach of darkness did not hinder the prosecution of my labour— some heavy beams had fallen across, and had prevented so great a quantity of rubbish from filling the cellar, as would have otherwise been the case. I crept beneath them, dug among the bricks and burnt wood, thrust my arm below, and at length, in the midnight darkness, I had my hand upon one of the iron boxes which I knew to be the depository of my gold.

What

How, at that moment, was my labour repaid? It was a moment of most exquisite joy. What now was the conflagration to me? the ruin it had brought to others? I still continued to labour during the greater part of the night, and with renewed success; but as morning dawned, exhaustion and want of food overcame me; I desisted from my task, covering my treasures with some rubbish, and sat down upon a beam. I dared not leave the spot, and yet food must be obtained. I had fortunately in my possession the means of gaining access to my gold, and having taken a few pieces, I beckoned to a ragged wretch that stood near.

"Friend," said I, "take this piece of gold, go and buy with it as much bread as both you and I can eat, and bring back the rest of the money."

The man took the gold, but never returned. Another man, not so ragged as the other, stood near to me; I beckoned to him.

"Friend," said I, "take this, go and buy me some bread with a small part; bring back the remainder, and I will reward you liberally."

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This man also took the gold, but he never returned. It was agony to be thus cheated out of my gold; but without bread I must die. "Friend," said I to a third, whom I beckoned near, "take this gold, buy me a small portion of bread, and bring it to me-all the rest of the money you may keep."

But this man returned no more than the other two. Fool! said I to myself, to suppose that men will bring back my gold, or even trouble themselves to bring me bread. I beckoned to a fourth man.

"Take this piece," I said, "buy me a little bread, and bring it to me, the rest of the money you may keep; and if you bring the bread quickly, I will give you another piece of gold."

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