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The angler will find LOCH LOCHY and LOCH OICH both fair sheets of water for angling. Very large pike are often taken out of these lakes. Trout are, however, not so plentiful here, as in some other lochs in this part of the kingdom. From Loch Oich the steam-boat goes on to Loch Ness, which is twenty-four miles in length, and, upon the average, about a mile and a quarter in breadth. Opposite to Fort Agustus, the river Sirff falls into it, and the angler will find this an excellent stream for the rod. Its banks are in many spots singularly wild and romantic. About midway down the loch, the river Foyers empties its waters into it, and this, too, will be found a good fishing station. The falls of this stream have been long famous. The waters dash over a cataract of 212 feet in height, and sends up a sheet of spray of splendid and dazzling whiteness. Nothing can be more grand and imposing. The banks of the river abound with the most wild and stupendous rocky chasms and eminences, many of which are beautifully ornamented with the birch and the ash.

The angling facilities from the termination of LOCH NESS to the MORAY FORTH are not of any moment to the tourist.

Good and suitable fishing-tackle may be obtained in almost all the towns and villages along the route of the Caledonian Canal.

The following is a list of the other lakes in Scotland, all of which will be found more or less productive of sport to the angler :-Loch Alive, Ard, Arklet, Arkey, An-nan-carp, Aiglort, Chou, Craignish, Crinan, Dubh, Earn, Eck, Eil, Ericht, Etive, Fevchan, Gilp, Loggan, Linnhe, Lochy, End, Lubnaig, Meikly, Melfort, Na Garr, Na Keal, Cluny, Lows, Ness, Oich, Rennach, Ridon, Skene, Slapin, Straven, Tay, Tummel, Vennachar, Voil.

THE STEEPLE CHASE.

PLATE III. "WELL OVER THE FIRST FLIGHT."

ENGRAVED BY E. HACKER, FROM A PAINTING BY J. F. HERRING, SEN.

Bravo over they go, all of a cluster! Packed like herrings, jumping like bucks, striding like greyhounds, and every one of 'em sure to win!

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We too often look upon Father Time, according to that happy instinct which makes it "only natural to think the worst, as the edax omnium rerum, without ever considering the proportionate good he effects in his march onward. Suppose he does now and then use up a man, or break down a horse, or take the edge off an opera-dancer, or wear out a potato-plant, isn't he improving, perfecting hundreds and thousands of other things just by the very same process? Isn't it this very edax omnium that tones your pictures, and flavours your wines, and hallows your genius, and sells your timber? Take our word for it, that if there

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is any real value in a thing," it will be none the worse, but all the better, for Tempus putting his mark upon it.

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Time has been the steeple-chase's best friend-has rid it gradually of many abuses and draw-backs, and as surely invested it with improvements and attractions. Take only, for example, this first fence from the post, as it was and as it is. By the rule, let us begin with the “as you were," when committees and clerks set about picking a line, in the most blessed state of ignorance of what they were about, or in most thorough independence of that unenlightened public's convenience who furnished them with the "hundred added." The first fence then no man ever saw-the run-in we'll say was a good half-mile from the town, in the long meadow at the back of the gaol; the start as long a four miles off that point as the ingenuity of man could possibly make it. For some reason or other, a straight a-head, as well as straight across country, was indispensable; and the only chance ever thought of for giving a glimpse of the race was to sometimes mark it out parallel with a high-road, or quite as often with a very narrow lane. Then of course four or five hundred "bold horsemen," some primed and some not, went down to the "further end" with those engaged, and set-to rattling along the said high-road, narrow lane, or bridle-way, as the case might be, directly the word was given, and the hard-pulling chesnut rushed away for " the first flight.' That was the time for mischief, if you like. Everybody looked over the hedge, and nobody looked where he was going. If one of the first division made a mistake, all the others must come over him, as sure as the clown's customers in a pantomime, or a flock of sheep at a broken hurdle. Talk about the danger of riding the chase! that was nothing to it. You had room there to pick your way and regulate your pace as you thought fit; but once in the crowd in the lane, and you were the victim of circumstance forthwith. A drunken butcher on one side, and quite as excited an exciseman on the other, who confirmed brandy-and-water wagers on "yaller" or "stripes," by shaking, or attempting to shake, hands across you-at full speed, mind; while close in your rear came an over-alarmed and completely exhausted lawyer's clerk, who steadied his horse every time he got a chance, by pulling him right into your hack's quarters. By Jove! it was awful; and then as to seeing anything in such a state of mind and place, with the mud too, most likely, flying up as thick as hail-spectas ut tu spectabere-you were too much in the heat of the action for that; and so the patient public who waited at the finish for four or five hours, smoking cigars and eating gingerbread, beat you by odds as far as a look at the race went, though they were often providentially so placed as to see no horse until he jumped

the last fence.

Our old friend Time, however, soon improved upon this by suggesting the two-mile-out-and-two-in or there-and-back plan, by which the spectators certainly got a little more fun for their money, and at less trouble. Still, the first fence was frequently their all-in-all, and for this reason the stewards, or Johns in office, judged, and perhaps correctly enough, the "jumping" to be the great point with the people; and so they used to select for this first and last something as grand and strong as the jocks would stand-an unshorn, overhanging bullfincher may-be, through which you certainly saw a horse "screwed;"

but that acted as a regular blind to your seeing anything more of him till he was brought through it "bock agen." The forlorn hope of amusement here was that some faint-hearted or awkward-tempered beggar would refuse, and so furnish an interlude to the first and second acts, or run out and run in of the regular drama. Anything of this sort was entertaining enough, and dug a great hole out of the ten or twelve minutes to be got through, like the aforesaid bullfincher, somehow or other. The rushes a mad devil would make till he came just to taking off, and then-round bang among the crowd of boys, helpers, and brandy-ball merchants; the half-and-half way in which a not-overconfident artiste would obey the word of the mob, and "put him at it;" or the out-and-out style in which ten or twenty particular friends would "lay it into" the horse, and now-and-then, by a chance cut into his jockey was unquestionably a gratifying sight; at least, so the populace always seemed to consider it. Still, it was not the sight. The ten or twelve others that did go over might be running the line and charging the brook, and smashing the rails, and so on; or, for what we know, may have pulled up under a hay-stack a few fields off, for a quiet chat till time's up to come home again. Though better, the system wasn't perfect; for still people who went to see the steeplechases did'nt see them. Like the Leicestershire yeoman, "who wouldn't give a d―n to be shown the country he was to ride over, as long as they let him have plenty of brandy-and-water," the gentle public were left to much the same sort of resources.

At him again, sir; and Time gave us another rub and another polish. If they make the line at the Grand National run under the Grand Stand, why shouldn't we take this as a grand rule everywhere? A good idea, and what's more, a practical one too, which is not the case with every brilliant thought that enters the human brain. It was admitted, on trial, that in most places a course might be taught to meander round your fixed stand, if the town had owned spirit enough to build one; or, quite at the command of the "trumpery" one, you might surely find some elevation or other to run it up on. Now and then, perhaps, this attention to the multitude's enjoyment may lead to a few more strides over the heavy, or to an awkward in-and-out at a lane that would have better been avoided altogether. There are drawbacks to most recipes; and, admitting the "fair hunting country" might occasionally be improved by changing the venue, what is the sum-total of thus affording your company a good view of the entertainment? Little more or less than to make the steeple-chase the most popular sport this country has. We stand to every word of what we have written; for it was proved this very spring that where hundreds only would come out to see a race one day, thousands would throng the same spot the next, when “ over the flat" gave way to “ across the country."*

There is an order now in the arrangements-a consideration, too, for

* "It was indeed as unpromising a morning as any kind of out-door amusement was ever unfortunately fixed upon; and considering that, in spite of all this, a much greater number of persons were assembled in the Stand before the races commenced than on either of the two beautiful days that preceded it, there could scarcely be a stronger proof how much more of public interest is excited by steeple-chasing than by racing."-Description of the Leamington Steeple-chase, Bell's Life, March 17.

actors as well as audience; so that our friend the Captain can walk out of the weighing-room as finished a dandy, and show off himself and his horse as prettily in the preparatory canter, as if he was going for that model measure of a gentleman, the Angleseas at Goodwood. And then, when he does condescend to get to the post and point the grey's head for the first fence, it meets him no longer as that ugly, awkward stopper that made the first blow half the battle. No; but a good, strong, fair set of hurdles, that will gradually warm the man to his horse, and his horse to his work; placed right under the stand, of course, so that Lady Jane--the tall, blue-eyed girl in the pink bonnet, at this corner of the balcony-may see how gracefully he flies his horse over them, and then watch him onward (as you may answer for it she will) with the happiest smile for every successful effort, and the saddest sigh for any misfortune-should, alas! Grimaldi dare to make a mistake, and give his gallant pilot "a cropper."

As, by the way, we don't know a better place for seeing these "moving accidents," suppose we fix our friend the gentle reader by her ladyship's side, to watch the course of them. If the Fates shall determine that the Captain is to break his neck, you will probably have the happiness of catching her as she falls fainting at the dreadful sight, and so making as much improvement from so good an opening as your ability or your impudence may allow. On the other hand, should the " soger officer" bring back his horse in half the style he takes him out, you may safely satisfy yourself on being cut out as clean as any gentleman in spectacles can expect, and as dead as any high-born beauty can do it.

There you are, sir! as much at the race and if you like that better.

Open your eyes and shut your mouth, and look as little at the lady as you can—or vice verså,

TO THE EDITOR.

BY JOHN HESKETH LETHBRIDGE.

SIR,-More than eight years have passed away since my pen was in my hand as a contributor to your pages: I will not, therefore, attempt anything like a description of all I have seen in the way of sporting during that period, as it would occupy more time than either myself or your readers possess, to give anything like a correct detail of; but I will break the silence that has so long existed, to compliment you on the very truth-like engraving of "Once more upon the Moors," in your number for this month, as anything more perfect in its way I never saw. It carries one back to past and pleasant days, and rouses a spirit in one's breast that might again have slept on, had it not been awakened by this beautiful work of art. And now that my pen has again stolen forth from its desk, I will make one or two observations on the past and the present, and those in the most concise possible form.

I will ask you then, Mr. Editor, how comes it that there has been no

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