justly add of agriculturists in general. The improvement of the estate has been an object of paramount consideration; and there are few, if any, whereon the necessities and conveniences of the farmers have been more judiciously observed in respect to their dwellings and homesteads. There is scarcely a labourer's cottage on the estate which is not either recently built or substantially repaired. Coeval with his Lordship's decease, may be named the completion of one of the most splendid specimens of architecture in England, intended for the family mansion in Cromhall Park, about a mile distant from the house in which Lord Ducie breathed his last. On Friday, June 10th, the remains of his Lordship were consigned to their final resting place in the family vault at Tortworth, attended only by the nearest relatives. The pomp frequently observed on these occasions was dispensed with. The funeral was strictly private-so much so that neighbours and parishioners were excluded from the church and churchyard during the performance of the ceremony. "WHICH WAY NOW?" ENGRAVED BY W. BACKSHELL, FROM A PAINTING BY A. COOPER, R.A. It is said to be a difficult matter to find any fair excuse for taking such a thing as a lunch. Invalids, or ladies just out of interesting situations; may indulge in this bread-and-cheese-and-bottled-stout diversion, but it doesn't look well to see a man, who hopes to dine afterwards wasting his appetite and his time on such an occasion. If, however, any one may show just cause for a little opportune sustenance in this way, it is the sportsman, and the shot more especially. Hunting luncheons are in very bad taste; people go at it in crowds, and come out again with flushed faces and muddled heads, prepared to do as much mischief as possible. We never knew but one master who could really relish them, and he was a currant-jelly old gentleman, who, if he had not killed her, contrived about mid-day to lose his hare close by the homestead he met at in the morning. The hill-side on an autumn afternoon comes in very agreeable contrast to this beer-swigging, bacon-eating business. With the soft, velvety moor for a couch, and the burn playing at his feet, the best hand out may be pardoned half an hour's rest-devoted to just that snack his early breakfast has prepared him for, washed down with the cold tea, or anything better that may be agreed on. It is a privilege the shooter rarely abuses; while he thus ponders over what he has already done, and determines, with may-be one "cloud-compelling" weed, as to "Which way now?" It is remarkable how frequently this break alters the character of the day's sport; so much so, indeed, that we have known some old shots, when the morning has not opened very well, hasten on the luncheon-with the view, no doubt, of so getting rid of the bad fairy who has followed on their early beat. With more reason we may trace it to a change in the day, or the movements of the birds. Certain is it, however, that this breathing time is a most critical one. The worst moor known has turned out very fair shooting with one glass of cold brandy-and-water, and a mild havannah to give a tone to its real merits; while many a brilliant opening has offered but little better a finish than the stroll home to dinner. Dulce est desipere, as the drunken gentleman pleaded to Mr. Coombe; but hang not too long over it, or the true glow of the thing will wear off, and little matter will it be "Which way now?" A FEW WORDS FROM THE MOUNTAINS. BY HAWTHORNE. "The hart at eve had drunk his fill, Deer stalking and grouse shooting have long been proverbial for their excellency; and in no quarter of the world can these sports be better enjoyed, or in greater profusion, than on the wild and rugged face of the Grampians. At the close of the past grouse season, your old correspondent "Hawthorne" was fully bent on giving a brief outline of what sport the different shooting parties located among the mountains had obtained in the past season; but Time, that swift-footed messenger, who is ever on the wing, went swiftly by, and left us still minus of our promised "paper" to Maga; still, as the old proverb says, "better late than never." So now for the "foray" of the past season. Let us begin with the sport of his Grace George Duke of Atholl, in his far-famed Forest of Glentilt. The Duke and party had some glorious sport; and many a gallant "red knight of the wilds" was "gralloched" in the deep glens, or gullies of Ben-y-gloe. The number of antlered monarchs slain" in the past season in this forest, by the Duke and his party, was one hundred and seventy-two; while the quantity of grouse and other kinds of mountain game killed, over the extensive Atholl grouse shootings, was immense, amounting to many thousands by the end of the season. We have also to record some brilliant sport with the Marquis of Breadalbane, near Blackmount forest. The number of harts killed, including a few yeld hinds, was not far short of 200; and the grouse and such "small game" killed during the season at Taymouth Castle, was very great. Nor must we forget that magnificent and noble bird, the capercailzie or cock-o'-the-Woods, which is now in great plenty at Taymouth. A few brace of these noble birds are killed at the end of each season, and forwarded by the Noble Marquis to Buckingham Palace, or Windsor, as the case may be, to help to adorn the hospitable board of our beloved Queen at merry Christmas. Lord Willoughby and party, in "lone Glenartney's hazel shade," had good fair shooting at deer and grouse, and left a bountiful supply of game of all kinds to replenish these moors. Our old friend Alexander Campbell, of Monzie, with his companion, Col. Markham, had famous sport in Dalness forest, and brought some gallant deer to book. One hart, whose antlers adorn the baronial hall at Monzie Castle, bears testimony to what the broad moor may furnish. The Earl of Mansfield and party had good grouse shooting on Rannoch. The number of the slain, of all kinds, from the monarch of the waste to the jack snipe of the mountain marsh, numbered nearly six thousand head: not bad sport for a six weeks' sojourn. We might enumerate many keen and true sportsmen who had grand sport in the past season-some of their books reaching from three to five thousand head. We may also add, that very late in the season we had occasion to visit the wild face of the Grampians; and never, in all our experience as a grouse shooter, have we seen such a beautiful supply of the red bird of the moors as we did on that occasion: the whole hills seemed to be alive with grouse, and since that period (March) we know of nothing to have come to injure the breeding of the grouse family, However, shortly after this brief paper sees the light in the pages of the "Magazine," your old correspondent, "Hawthorne" (health permitting) will again have a long wander over moor and mountain, and send a true report of what the moor may be able to furnish for the forthcoming season. We may also mention that the demand for Highland shootings is on the increase; indeed, in this locality of country there is not a square mile of moor to let. The demand is greater than the supply. Moors that were let at a fair rent, as we supposed some few years ago, have now doubled their rental, and the Highland Lairds are reaping a good harvest for their grouse grounds. To secure a good shooting in these FAST TIMES, one must begin to look out a season previous to the contemplated entry on the mountains. Hoping that a bountiful supply of all kinds of moor and mountain game is in store for the true sportsman in the coming season, and that we may be able to send a good account for the next number of your magazine. Believe me, dear Maga, your old friend, The Grampians, 14th June, 1853. HAWTHORNE, [The above was in type for our last number, but unavoidably "shut out." The promise contained in its conclusion is realized in the following "few more words"] Scotland has long been proverbial for her excellency in grouse shooting; and long may her dark mountains, and deep, deep "corries" rear in plenty, and be the cherished abode of her bird of the moors! Then there are her romantic and rapid running rivers, the favourite resort of that "prince" of all the finny tribe, the salmon. And then again there are Scotland's lovely lakes--so numerous that they are not to be numbered, and all tenanted by the silvery-sided trout. There, too, we have the boggy and barren "wastes of moorland," the favourite haunts of the red-deer. The very mention of these blue mountains, rapid rivers, and lovely lakes, bring to memory many happy days and glorious sport enjoyed among them. For where is the true sportsman, who has paid one visit to the bonnie moors, but longs again to revisit such heartstirring and lovely scenes? Many seasons have passed and gone since we first penetrated into them; yet the often repeated enjoyment of such sports come again and again on us with all the relish as if it were the very first day that we set foot on the "heather." Well do we remember that " Imerry morn" when in our " teens," we were up long ere "cock crow," and away with a steady old setter, in search of the grouse. The reader is aware that the last grouse season on the moors was a good one, and that a most bountiful supply of birds were left to replenish the mountains that the last winter was open and mild; but the spring months not so propitious. February and March frowned on us. The wild storms raged in all their glory o'er the mountain, and the nipping and dry frosts in April did harm to the birds, particularly on dry and mossy moors; on shootings of this description many birds suffered from disease; but on good sound ground, that was well watered, the grouse suffered very little-and on such we are happy to say that the breed of grouse will be good. But, as the truth must be told, the birds will not be better than they were last season; although many of the broods on the front range of the Grampians are strong on the wing, the grouse in that locality of country will be ten days later than they were last season: this was caused by the snow on the hills in March and April. We have had a report from Ross-shire that can be relied onthe grouse in that locality are to be good. We have also a communication from a sportsman who has rented a large portion of grouse-grounds in Lanarkshire, and his report is very favourable anent the grouse family; still the late heavy rains have done harm to the partridges and pheasants in our low" straths." Not so to the grouse, as most of the young broods were out of danger before the heavy rains came on; besides, grouse at this season cannot be hurt by rain. In the rivers we are all "cock-a-hoop" for a good season's salmon fishing; and if the British parliament would only legislate on a good "act" for the protection of the salmon-they have but to open those horrid stake-nets, and make a proper gap in the weirs on every river, and a close time to begin on the 25th of August, or sooner as regards net-fishing. But we must cease our scribbling, as we are anxious to be off to the mountains. "Lands may be fair beyond the sea, But Highland hills and lochs for me." The Grampians, July 23, 1853. P.S. The weather looks likely to clear up: how pleasant if this is to be the case! as it makes one look blue, does this bad weather on the hills. LITERATURE. SPORTING FACTS AND SPORTING FANCIES. By Harry Hieover. Newby, Welbeck-street." The various subjects now laid before the public, says our author, in his preface, "as uniform with my two prior works'Table Talk' and 'Stable Talk'-have, like the others composing those |