a system of annoyances, which consist in wetting copiously about the hole, whisking all sorts of unpleasant matters about with his bushy tail, and filling the hole of the poor badger with the most disagreable odour possible. The latter is at length badgered to such a degree, that his patience gives way, and, leaving his home in possession of his crafty and ungrateful guest, he goes forth to form another for himself.

When this fox was about sixteen months old, his foster mother came in season, his attentions were immediate and assiduous, connection took place, and I guarded her so strictly, as to preclude the possibility of dogs coming at her. At the end of sixty-four days the bitch produced five puppies, which, as in the instance already related, closely resembled their sire in appearance and habits.

Being compelled about this time, to quit Edinburgh for London, I gave away both the mother and puppies, nor have I up to this time been able to ascertain whether the latter ever proved fertile. (To be continued.)

FOREIGN RIFLE-SHOOTING.

THE summer steam-boat that bears us to a foreign shore, carries us to a great change, be it where it may; and the remark holds equally good whether applied to the the graver or lighter affairs of life. The sportsman, as well as the statesman, or the philosopher, finds himself upon new ground, and, like them, must bend to circumstances. It is the general habit of modern travellers to record the odd and the ridiculous, but I shall deviate from that rule, and choose my present subject for its excellence alone. Accustomed to the field sports of England, I felt inclined to laugh at their grand battues, their wild boar hunts, and their racecourses, but I did not laugh at the foreign riflemen.

Beyond a few displays of picked men at the red house, this is an amusement but little seen in England. Neither in France, Belgium, nor Holland is it greatly in vogue; but when we get into Germany, especially as we draw towards the Oberland, it becomes more and more in request. Besides the rifle being used by the chas seur for the wild boar, the fallow deer, or the chevereuil, in the larger towns it is a common practice to form a rifle-shooting society, or club, as we should call it. A small subscription from each member is enough to defray all expenses, and, so long as the season of the year will permit, they have their occasional meetings. It is generally the custom to pay a trifling sum for a certain number of shots, and this allows small prizes to be distributed to the more successful marksmen. As I made acquaintance with Germany some time before I extended my

travels to Switzerland, it was there that I first witnessed one of these societies, and, besides being a pleasant way of occasionally spending a summer's evening, it appeared to me to possess this striking recommendation-that it was an amusement as much within the reach of the denizen of the crowded city, as of the largest landed proprietor.

At the fêtes also, which are annually held near most of these large towns (something in their way between an English race-course, and an English fair), it is usual to have shooting tents and butts erected for the public, to whose ambitious eyes are generally displayed, in a glass case over the middle tent, sundry silver tankards, ladles, &c. The first scene of the kind which I saw, amused me much, and as I took notice of everything, I suppose it is in my power to describe it correctly. There were three targets at the distance of what they called one hundred and fifty paces, but which I should not estimate at above one hundred and twenty-five measured yards, the inner-circle (black) being about seven inches in diameter, and the outer (white) about three quarters of a yard, but, as no ball in the white counted for anything, it was merely to gratify curiosity, and guide the marksman as to correcting his errors. Every ball in the black counted, but varying from one to seven, according to its distance from the centre speck. By way of a little stage effect, every ball striking near the centre speck, brought out from behind the butt, a gaily painted iron figure (a harlequin or a huntsman as it might be), who pointed in acknowledgement to the exploits. Upon this, the man in attendance upon that butt emerges, with his coloured jacket, from his bullet-proof seat,-signals the number of the shot, replaces the figure, and retires. When, as is commonly the case, neither harlequin nor huntsman condescend to appear, the shooter has to pull a suspended cord, as a hint to the attendant to examine the target, and give his report as usual. Without this precaution there would be danger; the three shooting booths being placed so near together, that the ear could not be depended upon to decide from which the shot came, and thus the attendant would come forth at some improper, and perhaps most unfortunate moment. Besides these three attendants at the butts, there is a registrar at each of the shooting booths, to take down each rifleman's name, and note against it each shot that counts.

As the officiating men are quick, and the riflemen on these occasions numerous, a pretty smart firing is kept up at the three targets, and it may be added, at times, a pretty effective one. I have myself seen, and more than once, two of the three painted figures out at the same time, -a sign more significant than words, as, when the shooting is indifferent, they only make their appearance like angel's visits," few and far between." The rifle commonly used by the Germans, is about the same size as our own, certainly not longer, but perhaps of rather

heavier metal; but the Swiss rifle, or something nearly approaching to it, is preferred by many. At the distance at which the Germans shoot, I am myself contented with the common-sized German rifle, and see no reason for being incumbered with some pounds of additional weight. In appearance (to speak technically, as far as the "finish" is concerned) it is but a rough looking instrument, compared with what are turned out by our London makers; but nevertheless it is an effective one, and that is the chief point after all. Some of them are furnished with magnifying glasses, of course attached to the stock, so as to come upon a level with the eye, the sight, and the target. To the short-sighted this must be an advantage, to others it may be. Having never used it,

I will give no opinion that must be entirely based upon theory.

I have hitherto only spoken favourably of German rifle shooting, but it is now proper to state a circumstance that does not sound so well-it is the common practice to fire from a rest. Rising from the wooden ledge in front of the shooting booth, and made to let up or down according to the height of the shooter, is a kind of wooden roller, turning round upon a swivel. On this the rifle may be rested, ad libitum, and though now and then comes a bolder man, who disdains its use, yet by the large majority, it seemed to be looked upon as a decided advantage; and as there was something more than honour depending upon the result, an advantage not to be thrown away. Why it was made to turn upon the swivel, instead of being stationary, I did not inquire, the most appropriate question seeming to be "why came it there at all?" Surely, I thought to myself, this is not done in Switzerland, or the Tyrol. The result will show.

I did not get into Switzerland till the great meeting of the Cantons was over: therefore, for the present at least, it is not in my power to give any account of that interesting spectacle. But (putting aside the gaiety and emulation of the scene-its "pride, pomp, and circumstance") I witnessed some of the best rifle-shooting; and thus the main point of my expectation was gratified. It was in the neighbourhood of Lausanne, where they know well both how to make and to use the rifle, that this happened. A little above that town is a ravine, on one side of which is an established rendez-vous for the admirers of what may be called the national amusement, and on the other a couple of targets. A better or finer position could not have been chosen, and the fact of shooting across the ravine (the opposite side of which was a rough uncultivated hill) precluded the chance of any stray ball doing harm, which cannot be entirely guarded against on level ground.

Even before a shot was fired, every thing seemed to give token that both the workmen and their tools were of a superior order. In the first place, there was nothing in the shape of a rest to be seen,—such a thing had probably never been heard of in those regions, although

the great weight of the Swiss rifle (about fourteen pounds) offered some excuse for it. The distance again was greater than that of Germany, and all harlequinado machinery dispensed with-I suppose as infra dig.—the attendant merely examining the target after each shot, and reporting by signal as before. After the shooting commenced, a very short time was sufficient to convince me that it was something

beyond the common range. From the rifle's mouth to the target I should now say that there were a good 150 English yards, and yet into the black ring (about seven inch diameter as before) I saw one man put two successive balls, and another three out of four. Two out of these five balls were near to the centre spot. This is pretty well from that imperfect hand, which, Sir John Herschel tells us, "never yet drew a straight line, or placed an instrument in perfect adjustment, unless accidentally, and then only during an instant of time."

The length and weight of the Swiss rifle make it a difficult weapon in the hands of a stranger: like the bow of Ulysses, it was not meant for every body. The long barrel, being nearly the same thickness to the end, produces a top-heavy feeling to those not accustomed to it, which ill accords with that great steadiness of aim so essential to rifle shooting. Upon this point I can speak from practical experience. My first shot with the lighter German rifle went-though but justwithin the black circle; my third brought out harlequin. In my first essay with a Swiss one, my ball went I know not where the signal being outside the white circle-that is, a total miss.

As I walked home that evening to Lausanne, a few reflections presented themselves not of an unpleasing order. The heart of the Switzer, like the echo of his mountains, responds to the rifle's sharp report, for it speaks to him in words of deeper import than mere amusement; but for this reason is that, mere amusement double popular. Then, Mercy herself cannot object to it, for it gives pain to nothing. It has also another recommendation, and that not a mean one-it enjoins temperance upon its votary. The drunkard may for a time do many things with tolerable success. I have seen him ride well to hounds, and shoot well with the common fowling-piece. I have known the hand, that shook in bearing the glass to the lip, play a good game at billiards, and hold the rein in a well-contested race. But let him who determines to enter upon a career of dissipation, fling down his rifle at the outset. Let him bear in mind the smallness of his mark-the distance at which it is placed-the nicety of aim that is indispensible. Let him remember that, for this purpose, he requires all that fine strung nerve, that steadiness of hand, and clearness of eye, which nature, in her bounty, gave him; for if he do not, his erring ball will admonish him of his mistake, and tell him of a change before either himself or his gay companions may deem that it has arrived.

NO. XVII.-VOL. III.-NEW SERIES.

2 R

A VOICE FROM THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.

To the dweller in fertile plains-the inhabitant of a cultivated country— the sojourner among civilised men,-a voice from the Rocky Mountains of the Far West must, at all events, have the charm of novelty. The Rocky Mountains! How many associations of peril and danger are connected with their name-how many days and nights of wild enterprise, and dangerous journey in traversing difficult passes, are linked with the bare mention of them. But the recollections are not all painful ones, many scenes of pleasant sport, shared with the loved companions of my youth, fond memory brings to light; many hours of enjoyment spent with friends, who added instruction to amusement by their society.

The Rocky Mountains are lofty elevations in North America, running to the South, which Nature seems to have designed as a barrier against the advance of civilization. This immense range of

elevated hills raise their glorious crests into the skies, the bounds of the western world. A wild, and as yet, undisputed tract of country, extending from the plains, tenanted by the red sons of the forest ;— the strong-bow Indians, with the tribes of the Haw and Beaver, and are continued, with little interruption, to the Gulf of Mexico, affording a mete asylum for all, whom the rapacity and advance of settlers compel to leave the territories where their fathers dwelt for ages, and seek among the fierce animals of the desert, that repose and undisturbed possession, denied them by their pale-faced brethren. Here, in this wild domain, where as yet no adventurous agriculturist has made a clearing, I have encountered the adventures now set forth. A mid the unbroken line of mountains, diversified only by the elevation of some, depression in altitude of others, I have pursued the wolf-heard the yell of the jackal-and seen the furious panther; while the swift gazelle and graceful deer, seemed deserving of a happier company than the rude rocks, and wilder beasts, by which they were surrounded.

and

Having arranged a party, some time was spent, before our start from New Orleans, in getting information, and making preparation for our expedition.

On the 1st of May, 1840, we reached the river, called by natives the Platte, or Shallow river. This is a splendid tributary to the waters of the Missouri. Its source is hidden among the remote mountains, and numerous islands dot its expanse. Close by the side of this river we called a halt, and proceeded in search of game.

We had not proceeded far, when one of my companions, a Yankee merchant, who had joined us on a tour of investigation, uttered a loud cry, and started back in the same manner Robinson Crusoe may be