for Champagne, as perhaps the best and fastest in the stable, with a fair weight on him. At Houghton Meeting the steeplechaser is also among them.

Frank Goodall and Frank Gillard judged the Quorn puppies last week, and Tom Day was not required as umpire. An excellent lot of eleven by Boabdil, from Rakish, came well to the front. Rally, a small, but very handsome one, was sent back from her first walk for chicken killing, and Mr. Clowes also returned her; but Mr. King, V.S. of Melbourne, took her finally, and got the bitch cup. Crony, by Drake's Hector, was second, and won the whip for Mr. Nicholson, of Isley Walton; and Songstress, by Nelson, won a pair of spurs for Mr. Clowes. Crasher, brother to Crony, took the dog cup, and "only wants his puppy coat off and a little fining done to make a beautiful dog." So thought Frank Goodall. Rasselas, one of the Rakish litter, was close at him, and many fancied that his guardian, old Barrondale, the Donington butcher, would have handed down the cup instead of the whip to his heirs for ever. Roman, his own brother, stood next.

The Pytchley have done pretty well since Christmas. They went to Brigstock as usual; but the ground was hard, the weather cold and windy, and foxes rather short. Mr. Thomson was only down three times; but Dick Roake had a satisfactory day from Drayton Park, and killed his fox. The Prince's two days, March 13th and 14th, were luckily good, and on the Saturday it was dark when Mr. Thomson came off Shuck boro' Hill, and the hounds had 23 miles to travel. They had a good day's sport from Dodford on the 28th-found at Brockhall, hunted him to Badby Wood, changed foxes, and got, it was thought' on to the line of "the Prince's fox," which went to ground near Catesby, after a good cruise over the grass. On April 3rd they had a fair day from Cottesbrook over the grass. The entry is large and good, and the Master's horses, including Rainbow, go up to Tattersall's on May 4th. Mr. Thomson's head-quarters are now at Great Houghton Hall.

The Cumberland, which has now four masters (two baronets and two esquires), killed rather fewer foxes than usual last season; but they have had a good scent, and some very fine runs, with a brush after each. One was from Corby Wood to Croglin Fell (1 hours, without a check), and another from Peel Gill, beginning with a ring by Middlesceugh, and then right away over Sowerby Pasture and Greystoke Park to Berner Nettles-some laid it at 17 miles. There were also two very good runs from Brayton to beyond Westward, and one from Isell, beginning with Redmayne and the Tarnitys, and then down wind to Binsey and Skiddaw. The hounds ran right away from the field, and a shepherd saw them pull their fox down. Several couples were out on the Fell all night. The new huntsman, Martin Care, has drafted largely from the old pack, and is to fill up from the Herefordshire. Lord Middleton and Sir Watkin, The Cumberland "Tods,” will cut out the work both for him and them.

TEN DAYS' LEAVE IN THE JUNGLES.

With what feelings of inexpressible pleasure did we, after hammering away for weeks at that "bête noir" of most officers' existence, "setting up drill," hail the appearance of our names in orders for ten days' leave. There is a charm in that simple word "leave," which is almost unknown to our brethren in England, as it requires absence from one's native country to make it thoroughly appreciated. At home, "leave" unites us to our friends and relations, and enables us to indulge in amusements and gaiety of every description, while in India it relieves us from the monotony of cantonment life, and bids us roam free and unrestrained in the jungles and plains, often far removed from anything approaching civilization. We, therefore, who had been sweltering in cantonments during the hot season, passing as it were an artificial existence, under punkas, and behind khus-khus tatties, and thermantidotes, supported alone by that true friend of all exiles in India "Bass," supplemented by an occasional "peg" (brandy-and-soda), and had likewise dragged on a damp and dreary life during the monsoon, were in a position to value ten days' leave in all its bearings. The boon once granted, all the rest was plain sailing; and as our commissariat officer was a good fellow and a thorough sportsman, we soon obtained the loan of two elephants to carry our traps to the scene of our jungle exploits. They made their appearance on the afternoon before we started, and were soon loaded with a very heterogeneous collection of baggage. Not being very enthusiastic sportsmen, we were going out more with the idea of enjoying ourselves, and escaping from the sound of bugles, parades, and other concomitants of military life, than of distinguishing ourselves in the sporting line. Hence, we determined to make ourselves comfortable, and start with an unorthodox amount of baggage. A tent formed the substratum of the load on each animal; then chairs, easy and uneasy, tables, cooking utensils, and supplies of every description were heaped up, the apex being formed by our spare charpoys or cots, which being slung across, travelled very safely, and arrived in good time. How carefully we superintended the packing of our portable cellar, composed of a strong contingent of " Bass," supported by several bottles of Exshaw's brandy No 1, and their inseparable companion soda-water!

With almost maternal solicitude we wrapped them in their coverings of straw, regarding each as a contributor in some degree to our future sport and enjoyment. These valuable adjuncts to our existence in the jungles were not allowed to accompany the rest of the things, but were entrusted to the care of courie coolies, who carried them in baskets, suspended on either end of a strong bamboo, slung across their shoulders. In these preparations our sable domestics were not allowed to assist, as they have a playful way of breaking bottles, appro priating the precious fluid to themselves (utterly regardless of their supposed prejudices of caste), and then reporting the casualties to their masters with unmoved countenances, and not unfrequently condoling with them on the unforeseen accident.

All was complete at last, and tho servants were with difficulty col

lected and induced to take a long farewell of their numerous relatives, from whom one would think they were about to part for years instead of only a few days. The cavalcade started, marshalled by two or three sepoys of sporting propensities, who were allowed to accompany their Sahibs, and to whom were entrusted the guns, hogspears, &c., the rear being brought up by a motley crew of retainers of all denominations. Our major-domo, a venerable old Mussulman, rejoicing in the sobriquet "Soldier," now appeared for his final orders, which were-to push on and reach our encamping ground before midnight; to keep his moveable column together, and in a tolerable state of sobriety, to pitch our tents in a good tope of trees within easy distance of a tank, but beyond smelling distance of any native village, as the vicinity of these Augean Stables is not a site which would pass muster with any Sanitary Commission. The attentive domestic received his orders with profound salaams, mounted his bazzar" tattoo," and proceeded to take up his important command, leaving us with the full conviction that he would be the first to disobey our injunctions, by pulling up at the nearest toddy-shop, and refreshing himself with a draught of poison, as bazaar liquor is nothing better. The first bugle for mess aroused us, and we hastened to don our 66 war paint" for the last time for ten days, and to chaff at mess those of "Ours," who were less fortunate than ourselves in obtaining leave. We turned in soon that night, and werer aoused early next morning by our very unmusical domestic pronouncing, "Sahib! sahib! sahib!" in a melancholy and somewhat frightened strain, commencing in a very low key, and gradually swelling to a falsetto, as the prelude to his announcement, "Ujala hota hai" (day is breaking). Our matutinal cup of tea despatched, and a long Trichinopoly cheroot lighted, we mounted our horses, and cantered through cantonment, sympathizing deeply with the slumbering inmates of the bungalows we passed, who would so soon be serving their Queen and country on their respective parade-grounds. As we left military limits, the morning gun fired, followed by a chorus of bugles sounding the "Reveillée," which announced that another weary Indian day had begun. It was a splendid fresh morning, and our Arabs seemed to partake of their masters' exuberance of spirits, and we soon left civilization behind, and plunged into the jungles. On all sides the jungle cocks were crowing a welcome to their mates; the pea-fowls and partridges were calling; occasionally a disturbed black buck or doe would bound across our path; and once or twice a "sounder" of wild pig scampered among the adjoining thickets. The jungle was looking its best, the trees in full foliage, and nature altogether so smiling, that we really began to delude ourselves into the idea that we were cantering across some well-wooded park at home, when a jackal, who had been out late dining, or a shambling hyæna seeking its lair, would put in an appearance, and awaken us to the reality of our exiled position. We had about six koss, or twelve miles, to travel; so by the time the sun was up, we approached the village where our encampment was to be found. As we neared the spot, the canvas of only one tent appeared through the trees, which plainly foretold an accident to the other. Our suspicions were not unfounded, as "Soldier" met us, and, in most sorrowful and piteous accents, informed us that, through the carelessness of the other servants (he, of course, being in no way to blame), the wrong pole for the second tent had been brought, and that we

should therefore have to bundle beds, baggage, and all into one tent, should the missing bamboo not turn up before night. To complete our misfortunes, "Soldier" went on to report that our most useful and indispensable servant, the cook, had been left down with fever in a village six miles back, which being interpreted meant that he was helplessly drunk (fever amongst natives covers a multitude of sins), and would not, perhaps, put in an appearance until the evening. On the whole, we could not congratulate our aged friend on the efficient discharge of his duties; and having despatched a man for the delinquent cook, we made a scratch breakfast, and turned in for a snooze. As we did not intend shooting over the tanks that day, we busied ourselves with the arrangement of our camp, which was, strange to say, pitched in a very nice large tope :-I say strange, because natives have a happy knack of choosing the worst and dirtiest sites.

Our tents occupied the first line. Behind us, our steeds were stabled, or rather fastened with head and heel ropes under a widespreading mango-tree, and already quite enchanted with their sylvan quarters; and in the rear of all, under several trees, were our servants of all castes, generally clubbing together, and forming, for the nonce, a scratch mess. In the afternoon we strolled through the jungle on a voyage of discovery after small tanks or jheels, where the wildfowl congregate at night, and leave for the larger ones at dawn. The plan, therefore, is to visit these former before break of day, get a shot or two, as the ducks on the first alarm wing their flight to their favourite feeding-grounds, and then turn attention to these latter at noon, when the sun is at its height, and the birds not so wild. On our return to camp we sent for the head man of the village, an important individual, who is responsible for the good behaviour of the inhabitants, collects the revenue for Government, and is supposed to make himself generally agreeable and useful to any of the sahibs who pitch anywhere near his village, by levying supplies for them from his subjects, who often will not, without considerable pressure, part with an egg or fowl. We soon instructed the sable representive of Government to make us ready two native boats for our expedition on the tank. These boats or trunks (as they can be hardly dignified with the former name) consist of trunks of trees, hollowed out and shaped uniformly at stem and stern. Two of them are lashed together with cross pieces of bamboo, and propelled or paddled by two men sitting at the prow. Some sportsmen have boats or coracles, which always they carry about from tank to tank, formed of a framework of bamboo with a dash of naval architecture about them, covered with leather, and therefore both light and portable. We had nothing of the kind, so we fell back in our need on local skill to supply the deficiency, and accordingly ordered "the locals" to be ready next day. Our missing tent-pole had not yet arrived; but the cook arrived quite recovered from his feverish attack, which had nevertheless, left him very shaky. He, however, turned us out a good dinner, which ratified peace between us. After dinner we

amused ourselves by taking shots at flying-foxes, a large species of bat, which were winging their way over our tents to some favourite trees for their nocturnal meal. We made some fair practice at them with ball and cartridge, and brought a few of them down, to the great delight of the natives, who make them into curries (it not being a proscribed flesh); and it was most amusing to watch the series of rough and

tumble fights which took place among them whenever one of these nondescripts came fluttering and screeching down to the ground. The moon was now up in oriental splendour; and certainly appears, in my idea, to better advantage here than when exhibiting herself to the "old country." We had our long chairs brought out in the open, and with six inches of baccy in our mouths, and something stronger than water beside us, we gave ourselves up to the full enjoyment of the beautiful scene.

In lieu of Weippert's band, we were serenaded by a chorus of jackals howling out" Where? where?" or giving vent to a sound very much akin to, it in their search for food, and only waiting for our camp-fires to die out, to give us a visit and inspect the cook-room for the remains of the feast. An occasional hyena would chime in at one time imitating a child, at another a dog, according to its views of the exigencies of the occasion; so, what with jackals and hyenas howling chorusses, monkeys chattering in the trees, and owls screeching on all sides, we were treated to a most unmusical concert. Supplementary light was supplied by myriads of fire-flies, which lit up the trees all around, and recalled to our memories the stories and descriptions we had read of the gorgeous East. At the time they had made our mouths water to realize all these attractions; but, alas! India in books and India in verity are two very different things. Then we took a last look at our horses for the night, each guarded by his attendant horse-keeper slumbering close at hand, wrapped up in a cumbly or thick blanket, and, retracing our way to the tents, were soon in the land of dreams, with a jackal serenade.

We were up betimes, turning-out of bed very reluctantly, as it was bitterly cold, and set off for the nearest jheel, sending on our shikarree to reconnoitre. Every man out shooting ought to have a shikarree, as he is invaluable (if well paid) for bringing in "khubur" (news) of any game, big or little, which maybe within reach-and is generally well rewarded should he show good sport. Ours soon returned with the intelligence: "Sahib, Sahib, bahoot buduk hai; juldee maro akur, Sahib :"Sir, lots of duck; come sharp and shoot them." We responded, and commenced the operation of crawling some distance on hands and knees to the bund of the tank, which is anything but pleasant, when it is nearly dark, the ground full of holes and uneven, and the chief actor rather corpulent. We, however, succeeded, and were rewarded by seeing the jheel covered with duck apparently unconscious of our approach. The shikarree, previously instructed, took a pot shot with his long flint musket, generally consisting of a barrel of an old Brown Bess, mounted on a native stock, which, for a wonder, went off (the average times of ignition being one in twenty), and poured a harmless leaden shower over the victims' heads. Our friend, in his eagerness to let drive, had taken up an insecure position, and the gun kicking (natives' guns are always inordinately charged), he was precipitated by the recoil down the bank. The effect was, however, satisfactory, as we were enabled to dose the ducks pretty well with No. 5 cartridge, as they went quacking over our heads, and bagged several couple.

We visited two other jheels, but with less success, and as the sun was well up and the birds wild, we returned home, picking up a few partridge, rock-pigeon, or sand-grouse, and a hare or two, on our way.