rock before me, whose base was washed over a narrow place of loose earth, with by the dashing waters. Directly above a projection of perpendicular rocks above me the bank was in some places very me. With cautious tread I passed over steep, and in others perpendicular; but and reached a spot, from which by means there were trees and shrubs at various of trees and shrubs I was enabled to asdistances. Such however was the des- cend a considerable distance, and finally pairing aspect, that I should have consid- attained the woody summit,—far below ered all attempts at ascending perfectly which the waters were rolling in their hopeless, had not this declivity shown bed. I considered this a providential esme a shorter and perhaps a safer path cape, and felt grateful to the Present, than that of retracing my steps along the though Unseen, Power that had protected river's brink on slippery rocks. Using me. my hands and feet, I ascended about 30 feet from the river, and there found my course more difficult than it had at first appeared. The way seemed completely hemmed in. To descend to the river would have been unsafe, for in so doing there was more danger of the feet's sliding, or of losing the balance of the body, than in ascending. Having once lost my foot-hold or my balance,there would have been no escape from a plunge into the stream, to be swept away before the cur rent. I Night was approaching; I was in a strange land; I had no time to lose; moments were valuable. I carefully surveyed my situation, then took what appeared to be the most judicious course, a horizontal direction over some loose earth. moved forward, but the earth began to slide beneath me, and all hope of escape seemed beyond my power. I stepped back, regained a firm footing, then, after some exertion, reached another position about two feet higher up. From this place I attempted another horizontal move After a considerable ramble along the woody banks of the stream and through fields, I finally reached the great road from Berne to Soleure, and arrived at Hofwyl at a late hour of night. On the following morning I started with the boys on the three days' journey which was described in my last letter. Having traced the banks of the Emme. a few miles, I never lost sight of the original intention of going to its source. I accordingly improved every leisure opportunity for this purpose. A few weeks after the three days journey' I made another ramble to the Emme. Passing the villages of Jegisdorf and Fraubrunen I left the great road near the last village, crossed over fields, wandered thro' thickets, and reached the banks of the river near the place where I had formerly left them. On reaching the water side I stopped a moment to gaze on the swiftly flowing current; but not carefully observing the ground on which I stood, my feet slipped, and I soon found my nether limbs comfortably drenched. The weather be ing warm this partial evil was found of sand-stone which abounds in the level no inconvenience, and I wandered on. I followed the course of the stream, at times through thickets, at others, for a considerable distance, over an embankment like the levy of the Mississippi, to a town called Burgdorf or Berthoud.This, like many other Swiss towns and cities, has both the German and French names. Here Pestalozzi for a time had a school. Before reaching this place I had found the country comparatively level, but beyond, the river flows through a valley inclosed on both sides by lofty hills. This valley, called in German the Emmen-thal (Emme-valley), is one of the most pleasant and fertile regions of Switzerland. Nature has here lavished her beauties with a liberal hand, man enjoys them, and happiness seems to dwell on hill and plain. I A short distance beyond Berthoud excavations in the rocks on the opposite side of the river attracted my curiosity. passed over a covered bridge, and found that one of the objects of my curiosity was a natural opening in the soft sandstone that stretches its high wall along the river. The height of this grotto is about 50 feet, arching at the top, and the depth is of nearly the same extent. Here and there, over the curiously formed strata, the creeping moss had hung its mantle, giving the whole interior a beautiful aspect. A short distance from this grotto is a large excavation, 200 feet square and 50 feet high, formed by the removal of stone for building. The light-colored parts of Switzerland being soft, is easily quarried. The roof of this room is supported by two massive columns formed from rocks left by the workmen. I looked round awhile, observed the operations in this spacious hall, whose dimensions are daily increasing, and then continued my walk. I went that afternoon as far as the village of Luzelfluh, and returned by way of Berthoud and Hindelbank. On my next ramble I endeavored to reach the Emme in a more direct course than that which I had pursued on leaving it, at the time of the previous ramble. I therefore went east over hills and through valleys, now up some woody eminence which overlooked the plains and the distant Jura, and now descending to the low grounds, through which meanders many a purling brook. Not knowing the most direct paths, I found the distance of this rout greater than that by the way of Hindelbank. There was nothing lost however, for I made myself acquainted with portions of the country before unknown to me. I reached the stream about six, and hence had little time for a river excursion. I kept along the banks about an hour, and in the course of this time, in order to save the distance over a hill, I groped my way through a dark subterranean passage about 5 feet high, 3 feet wide, and nearly 200 long. My wandering staff, which I put before me to try the ground, was my only guide for a long distance. At last the faint glimmerings of light appeared, and it was not long be stream. fore I found myself erect before the night compelled me to retrace my steps. I passed as before near Berthoud, because it was unsafe for a stranger to follow any other than the large roads. With weary feet I entered my room after midnight, and soon found refreshing slumbers. More of this next month. I was once obliged to ascend a projecting bank, and it was difficult, performed mostly by drawing myself up by the branches of trees. After a little toil I was again on firm earth, and moved on till CHARLES. I STORIES ABOUT THE HORSE. THINK I will relate to you a few more anecdotes of that fine species of horse the English hunter. In our country this kind of trained animal is seldom or never seen. He is a very knowing and very affectionate creature. A gentleman of Bristol had a greyhound which slept in the stable along with a very fine hunter. These animals became mutually attached, and regarded each other with the most tender affection. The greyhound always lay under the VOL. VIII. NOVEMBER, 1840. manger beside the horse, who was so fond of him that he was unhappy and restless when out of his sight. It was a common practice with the gentleman to whom they belonged to call at the stable for the dog. to accompany him in his walks. On such occasions the horse would look over his shoulder at the dog with much anxiety, and neigh in a manner which plainly said 'let me go too! When the dog returned to the stable he was always welcomed by a loud neigh; he ran up to the horse and licked his nose; in return the horse would scratch his back with his teeth. One day when the groom was out with the horse and greyhound for exercise, a large dog attacked the latter and quickly bore him to the ground; on which the horse threw back his ears, and in spite of all the efforts of the groom rushed at the strange dog, seized him by the back with his teeth, which speedily made him quit his hold; and giving him a good shake let him fall to the ground. He no sooner got on his feet than he judged it prudent to make a quick retreat from so formidable an enemy. It would seem that when the affections of the horse are gained, whether by its fellow-brutes or by man, he becomes a steady and determined friend. Here is an illustration of this, which will bear a contrast with the fidelity of the dog. A gentleman, mounted on a favorite hunter, was returning home from a jovial meeting, where he had been so liberal in his potations as to make him drowsy, and so to destroy his equilibrium as to cause him to fall from his saddle, but in so easy a manner that it had not the effect of rousing him from his sleepy fit, and he felt quite content to repose where he alighted. His faithful steed, instead of scampering home as one would have expected, stood by his prostrate master and kept strict watch over him. He lay thus till sunrise, when he was discovered by some laborers sleeping very contentedly on a heap of stones by the road side. Anxious to afford all the assistance they could, they approached the gentleman with the intention of replacing him on the saddle, but every attempt to touch him was resolutely opposed by the grinning teeth and ready heels of this faithful and determined guardian. Here is another story of the horse's attachment to his master, and his great docility. At the table of a celebrated sportsman the conversation happening to turn on the docility of the brute creation, the host offered a wager that his favorite hunter would, at his request, quit his quarters in the stable and follow him into the dining room. The bet was instantly accepted. He accordingly went to the stable, and having untied the animal returned to the company closely followed by his quadruped friend. Not contented with this display, he proceeded to his bed-room, whither also he was followed by his horse. Here however the proofs of his obedient disposition ended, for neither intreaty nor force could prevail upon him to descend the stairs, and in the bed-room he insisted on passing the night. In the morning he manifested the same determination not to retrace his steps, and after all means of intreaty and intimidation had been in vain resorted to, his master was compelled to have a breach made in the wall, through which the steed was forced to leap to the ground, where a quantity of straw had been spread to receive him. The descent was accomplished in safety; but owing to the trouble and expense occasioned by the visit, the owner declined the parlour. for the future inviting his favorite beyond over a bar three feet six inches high, the spring was taken at the amazing distance of seventeen feet seven inches from it, and the whole space of ground passed over was nine yards and eight inches! He afterwards leaped over the same bar several times, and cleared upwards of eight yards without much apparent effort. That the horse possesses much ingenuity is undoubted. For example, in a recent work of lord Brougham, he tells of a horse which gained admittance to a certain pasture by pressing down the upright bar of the latch of a wicket, exactly as would have been done by a man ; and I have heard of a hunter belonging to a gentleman in Leeds, which, after having been kept in the stable for some time, and being turned out into the field, where was a pump well furnished with water, regularly obtained a supply from it by his own dexterity. For this purpose he was observed to take the handle into his mouth and work it in a way exactly similar to that done by the hand of a man, until a sufficiency of water was collected in the trough. In telling about the hunter, I must now say something of his speed, as well as of his other qualifications which fit him for the hunting field. In a hunter the power of leaping is an essential qualification, in consequence of the numerous obstacles which the inclosures of a cultivated country oppose to Here is an instance of of leaping, which some of these their progress. the power animals possess. A horse belonging to a person in Birmingham made a leap of such an extraordinary character as caused the gentleman who witnessed it to make an accurate measurement of the space over which it passed. It was found that in leaping A grey mare, being at Durham fair for sale, a person wishing to purchase her requested the owner's servant to ride her a little on the road between Durham and Sunderland bridge by way of trial; and while doing so, the mare being in high condition, ran away with him at so furious a rate, that on coming to the end of Sunderland bridge she was not able to make the sharp turn to go along the bridge but leaped over the battlement, and both rider and mare were precipitated into the river; and what is wonderful both escaped with scarcely any injury. The height of the bridge may be guessed from the fact that large vessels sail under it by striking their topmasts only. I have one more extraordinary leap to relate, which was made by a horse who managed to escape from the groom who had charge of him. Finding himself at liberty, he ran with all speed in the direction of a dry dock, and being unable to restrain himself when he came to the edge he leaped down and lighted on all-fours, on the flag-stones with which the dock was paved, a height of thirty-four feet. After trotting about for some time on the bottom of the dock, he again ascended |