teach; for if their mothers are ever so notable and cleanly, yet they have seldom the opportunity of instructing them in the variety of things which are required in service, where the way of living is so very different. When you go to your first place, all is new to you; indeed, in every fresh place you will find something new, as the customs and habits of families vary; and it is your duty and interest to acquaint yourself with the rules of the house, and abide by them, thankfully receiving the instructions that are offered you.

Every one must know his business, before he can hope to succeed in it. The bricklayer, the carpenter, and the shoemaker, generally require a seven years' apprenticeship to perfect them. Household employments are your business, by which your livelihood is to be obtained, and for which desirable end, previous instruction is equally necessary. If young persons, at their first setting out in life, would view things in this light, they would not be perverse and uncivil, when attempts are made to instruct them; or when they are desired to do this or that, they would not turn away without answering, as if they did not hear. Nothing can be more improper than such behaviour: those who are guilty of it, can have little that is obliging in their dispositions; if they had, they would reply readily, and say that what is ordered shall be done; or, when fault is found, they would express their concern that they had not pleased, they would promise amendment, and be as good as their word; never forgetting that they are paid for civility as well as for labour, that they are hired to obey as well as to do. To mutter is also exceedingly wrong. If what is said is fit to be heard, it might be spoken aloud; if otherwise, nothing is gained thereby but the gratification of ill humour; and those who indulge such a temper, always injure themselves the most by it.

None are too old or too wise to learn. Even your mistress, if she is a sensible woman, hopes to grow wiser every year, and

345

takes pains so to do; while, on the contrary, those who are young and ignorant, but conceited and unteachable, might be asked, how they came by their wisdom; or, how it comes to pass that they already know all that is to be known, and that there is nothing further to learn. A girl with such an unhappy temper may, indeed, torment her employers, and occasion them a great deal of trouble and vexation; yet they can ease themselves of it when they please by parting with her; but to herself it will produce the worst consequences, by keeping her in ignorance, and thereby preventing her from rising to respectability in her station. "Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit ? there is more hope of a fool than of him." (Proverbs xxvi. 12.)

Can a servant who chooses to remain thus ignorant, expect to become a useful and notable wife? Or should she ever be a mistress herself, would she like to have a sturdy girl to maintain, who was too ignorant to do her work, and too unteachable to be taught it? But what is rather more likely to happen, she may in process of time have some such girl placed under her in the kitchen; in which case it is to be feared, that the spirit which will not now endure teaching, would then have little patience with the awkwardness, the dulness, and perverseness of another. Let such a one but suppose herself busily engaged with her own particular work, and that the girl under her, from want of care and attention, was by her continual mistakes rather hindering than helping, showing wilful negligence, and then giving ill language in return for just reproof, would this be patiently borne, though the maintenance and pay of such a useless person would fall upon the master and mistress? Those who feel that they could not endure this themselves, might be reminded of that divine precept which teaches us to do unto others as we would they should do unto us.-Taylor's "Present."

THE ELEPHANT.

"AT Barrackpoor," says Bishop Heber, "for the first time I mounted an elephant, the motion of which I thought far from disagreeable, though very different from that of a horse. As the animal moves both feet on the same side at once, the sensation is like that of being carried on a man's shoulders. A full-grown elephant carries two persons in the 'howdah,' besides the 'mohout,' who sits on his neck, and a servant on the crupper behind, with an umbrella. The howdah itself, which Europeans use, is not unlike VOL. II.

2

A

the body of a small gig, but without a head." Captain Williamson, who possessed, probably, much of the sportsman's desire of rapid motion, says, "The gait of an elephant is very peculiar, being similar to the artificial pace of ambling taught to some horses. It is far from displeasing in a horse; but

causes such a motion when mounted on an elephant, as rarely to be borne for any distance. Indeed, I know nothing more uncomfortable and tedious, I may even say painful, than a long journey in a howdah. It occasions a lassitude not to be described.

The

We must suppose that habit reconciles persons to it, as we see the natives travel for perhaps twenty miles or more in a forenoon, without any apparent uneasiness. largest elephants are, in general, the most uncomfortable in this respect." The smaller elephants are sometimes ridden with a saddle and stirrups. Others have a pad, on which six or eight persons can sit, some astride and some sideways. The animal kneels down, that the riders may ascend; and as he is generally impatient while being mounted, a man puts his foot upon his fore leg, and sometimes even presses it with a spear. A ladder is attached to the elephant's side, for the use of those who ride in the howdah. The natives descend from their seats upon the pad by means of a rope.

The guidance of an elephant upon which persons of wealth and authority ride, in British India, is invariably committed to the mohout. In Ava, the practice is different. Mr. Crawfurd says, "After the elephantcombats were over, the King prepared to take his departure. His elephant, one of the noblest animals I have ever seen, having the trunk, head, and part of the neck, of a white flesh colour, and in other respects altogether perfect, was brought up close to the shed under which we were sitting; and he mounted it with great agility, placed himself upon the neck of the animal, took the hook in his hand, and seemed to be perfectly at home in this employment. We afterwards saw the heir-apparent, a child of thirteen years of age, guiding his elephant in the same way. This practice is, I believe, peculiar to the Brahmans: for, in Western

India, at least, no person of condition ever condescends to drive his own elephant. There is, at least, some manliness in the custom; and I should not be surprised to find that the neck of the elephant would be found, on experience, the most agreeable and easy seat to the rider." The Emperor Akbar, in the same manner rode every kind of elephant, making them obedient to his command; and he carried his manliness even farther than the Kings of Ava, for, "in the rutting season, he frequently puts his feet upon the tusks of the elephant, and mounts him, to the astonishment of those who are used to these animals."

In the present times the employment of elephants in oriental travelling has little of the ancient pomp and splendour which used to attend the progress of the Mogul Princes. A native Rajah now and then comes into Calcutta, upon some missions to the British authorities, riding in a magnificent howdah, with his elephant covered with brilliant trappings. But generally, the stately animal is used for the conveyance of the manifold servants that wait upon the rich in India; or he is laden with tents and tent-poles, or with water-bottles, and pots, and saucepans, and every other paraphernalia of the kitchen, slung about his body in all directions. His appearance then is rather more ludicrous than dignified. But in the days of Timour, when the despot rode "in a chariot with four wheels, upon which is a fair chamber of sweet-smelling lignum aloes, which is within covered with plates of fine gold, dubbed with precious stones and great pearls, and

drawn by four elephants;' or in those of Akbar, when "magnificent amarees were put upon the backs of swift-paced elephants ;" or in those of Jehanghir, who rode on an elephant through the streets of his capital, followed by "twenty royal elephants of his own ascending, so rich, that in precious stones and furniture, they braved the sun," and whose "wives, on their elephants, were carried like parakitoes (paroquets), half a mile behind him;" in those days the journeys of the elephant were occasions of habitual pomp. The most minute description of these splendours may be found in Bernier's account of the progress of Aurengzebe, from Delhi to Kashmire, in the year 1664.

THE AITS ON THE THAMES.

Or all the things that are seen on the Thames, or beside it, none add more to its beauty or are more characteristic of it, than the aits, as the little islands, or rather islets, are called, with which it is studded through the greater part of its upper and middle course. These are extremely numerous, occurring everywhere, sometimes singly and far apart, and sometimes in clusters; and they are almost as various and beautiful as they are numerous. Not many of them are of any great size, and only two or three have dwellings upon them: excepting such as are used for locks, when it is not uncommon for the lock-keeper's house to be built on the ait; but several have toy-houses, taking the form or name of temple, or grotto, or summer-house, according to the taste of the proprietor. Some of them are planted with groups of good-sized trees, such as ash and abeles, and others that will thrive in damp soils; but the alder and the willow are the most common, and perhaps are most suitable for the situation. The smaller aits are generally planted with osiers. As these aits occur in the shallows, they are frequently surrounded by beds of rushes; while the willow-herb, and the tall loose-strife, and the similar flowers that love such places, grow in marvellous profusion about them, so that they are often encompassed by a belt of brilliant colours. Those that are used as pleasure-grounds by private possessors have their banks generally made up, and set about with piles and wattles, greatly to the injury of their beauty. The natural boundaries are pleasing in form, always taking the easy pliant varying line that most harmonizes with the opposite banks of the river. It is always thus in nature. The smallest bit of broken bank that nature is left to mould and dress, soon becomes an object that is graceful; and must be admired if a man will stoop to examine it: its curves, its furrows, the flowers that deck it, the flowing herbage, the rich-tinted mosses contrasting with the dark brown mould; look at them, and say whether they form not a dainty little picture of

347

nature's designing. And one thing that renders these aits so pleasant to come upon is, that you are almost certain to see some of the many graceful tribes of water-birds playing about them. If the birds are of the shyer kind, they take wing and away; and then their flight it is a pleasure to watch,-hardly inferior to that of watching the gambols of the less timid. The common water-birds are mostly, I believe, met with here, and at the proper seasons some that are not so common; but the aits are especially the abode of the two that are eminently Thames birds, I mean the swan and the moor-hen. Of the upper part of the river the moor-hen, or water-hen, (the common gullinule of naturalists,) is certainly the most attractive and characteristic bird. You meet with the field-birds along its banks, as you do everything; kingfishers are not very rare, and are always a gladsome sight, but they are gone like a sudden flash of splendour; while the water-hen is so abundant and so fearless, and with its nimble antics so diverting, that the most careless Thames rambler must form an acquaintance with it. It generally builds on the aits, and lives on the water, seldom rising even to the lowest branches of the trees on the banks, though it will do so sometimes; and when driven from the ground by the sportsman's dog, will nestle on a bough, and remain there quietly till the danger is over. What the water-hen is to the upper, the swan is to the middle, course of our river. This noble bird is familiar to every one who has ascended the Thames even to Richmond, and is seen in goodly flocks as low as Chelsea; but it is sailing on the clear water among the beautiful scenery between Windsor and Henley that it is seen to most advantage, and there it will be felt to be the very perfection of grace as it "floats double, swan and shadow." It is said to be decreasing in numbers; but it is still very plentiful. The Thames swans are property, the principal owners being the Queen, and the Dyers' and Vintners' Companies. The nests of the swan are built on the aits, or in the osier-beds beside the river. They are large compact structures, formed of twigs and osiers of reeds, and are built so as to be out of the reach of the water; every pair of the swans having its "walk," or proper district, within which others do not build. A great deal of pains is taken to preserve the swans; and a waterman, or some person living near the swan's walk, generally has charge of each pair, and receives a small sum for every cygnet that is reared. It is his duty to see that the nests are not disturbed, and to prevent, as much as possible, the eggs or young birds from being stolen; he also, within the influence of the tide at least, builds the foundation of the nest. During incubation, the birds are very fierce. The male swan, or cob, as he is called, takes his post at the edge of the ait, and attacks every creature that comes near. He is very strong, and by no means

an opponent to be despised at such times. Some men sent a large dog out to a certain nest in that neighbourhood, and he advanced boldly enough, but the swan met and seized him, and forced him under the water, at the same time spreading out his great wings he beat him violently with them. The dog yelled piteously; and the men went out in a boat, and with some difficulty succeeded in beating off the infuriated bird. But I must not gossip at this rate: I will only add about swans, that the City Companies make an excursion up the river to Marlow on the first Monday in August, for the purpose of taking up the cygnets and marking them, the marks being notches or nicks on the mandible. The mark of the Vintners' Company is two nicks, from which came the wellknown sign of the "Swan with the two nicks," or, as corrupted, "two necks." The annual excursion is called "swan-upping," which has got to be commonly called "swan-hopping." -Thorne's Rambles by Rivers.

NATIVE LION-HUNT IN CONGO. My attention was soon drawn from the enchanting scenery around me by the incessant blowing of horns and yelling of dogs, intermingled with the incipient growling of wild beasts. Scores of hyenas, and other wild animals of the smaller kind, fled before us; and occasionally one was shot down. I cannot say how many were killed that day. We did not fall in with any formidable beast till towards mid-day, when a tremendous lion was started. Instantly our whole troop was on the alert; and some who had been very forward at first, now exhibited symptoms of disinclination to be in the front. My father, however, seemed quite in his element, and told me to keep close to him, but a little behind. When I got a view of the lion, which was the first I had seen, I really felt very strange. It was quite a different-looking creature from the baboon. The beast retired very slowly, frequently stopping and looking round, lashing its sides with his tail, and uttering short, low growls, which, to my boyish imagination, appeared actually to shake the earth. It had been repeatedly fired at, but, as yet, evidently without serious effect; and at last it was brought to a stand in a small ravine through which there was no egress. When the lion discovered its situation, it turned full round, and glared with eyes of fire on its pursuers, still lashing its sides, and now and then, as some overventuresome dog rushed forward, striking its assailant to the ground with its paw as easily as a man could crush an egg-shell with his foot. My father, with his attendant, soon approached within thirty or forty yards. He levelled his rifle with the utmost coolness, telling me, in a suppressed voice, to fall back, and then fired. The lion uttered a

sharp roar and shook itself, but still stood its ground. Again my father fired, and then the animal advanced several yards. Its aspect was terribly grand. Its mane, which was long enough to reach the ground, stood nearly erect, like an immense ruff, around its neck; and stretching out its fore-feet, it crouched behind considerably, still keeping its glaring eyes fixed on its foe. My father coolly reached out his hand to his attendant and received his spear, and then advanced to within ten yards of the beast, holding his weapon in readiness. At this instant the attitudes of the man and the lion would have made a magnificent picture. My father, after a moment's pause, knelt on one knee, holding the butt of his spear firmly to the ground, with the point sloping towards the lion. He then uttered a loud and peculiar kind of cry, when the animal, answering with a tremendous roar, made a spring. My father, still holding up the spear, leapt on one side with great agility, and the huge monster was completely transfixed. It rolled and twisted about in every direction, until some of the hunters rushed in and despatched him. Had my father not leapt aside at the instant, he would probably have received some deadly wounds from the struggling beast. But he was experienced in such encounters. He told me, after we came home, that, having failed in both his last shots, he was determined to venture an attack upon the lion with his spear.-Life of Zamba, a Negro Slave.

TOADS.

The

THE common toad, which is generally esteemed the most loathsome of British reptiles, and which boys too often heedlessly pelt with stones, as if it were a creature injurious to mankind, is an animal of considerable use in the economy of nature, being evidently created for the purpose of destroying and clearing away worms and other small vermin which would injure vegetation. character of this inoffensive creature has been well described by Mr. Fothergill, a naturalist. "The common food of the toad," says he, "is small worms and insects of every description; but its favourite food consists of bees and wasps. When a toad strikes any of these insects, however, deglutition does not immediately take place, as in other cases, but the mandibles remain closely compressed for a few seconds, in which time the bee or wasp is killed, and all danger of being stung avoided. The mandibles are provided with two protuberances which appear to be destined for this office. Although capable of sustaining long abstinence, the toad is a voracious feeder when opportunity offers. To a middle-sized one the writer has given nine wasps, one after another; the tenth it refused, but in the afternoon of the same day, it took eight more. To see the toad display its full energy of character, it is necessary to discover

For

it in its place of retirement for the day, and, if possible, unperceived, to drop an insect within its sight: it immediately arouses from its apparent torpor, its beautiful eyes sparkle, it moves with alacrity to its prey, and assumes a degree of animation incompatible with its general sluggish appearance. When arrived at a proper distance, it makes a full stop, and, in the attitude of a pointer, motionless, eyes its destined victim for a few seconds, when it darts out its tongue upon it, and lodges it in its throat with a velocity which the eye can scarcely follow. It sometimes happens to make an ineffectual stroke, and stuns the insect without gorging it, but never makes a second stroke until the insect resumes motion. It uniformly refuses to feed on dead insects, however recent. several years a toad took up its abode, during the summer season, under an inverted gardenpot, which had a part of its rim broken out, in the writer's garden, making its first appearance in the latter end of May, and retreating about the middle of September. This toad, there is reason to believe, distinguished the persons of the family, who daily fed it, from strangers, as it would permit them to pat and stroke it. To try the indiscriminating appetite of these animals, the writer has dropped before a full-grown toad a young one of its own species, about three-fourths of an inch long, and the instant it began to move off, it was eagerly struck at and swallowed; but the writer, in repeating this experiment, found that more will refuse than devour the young of their own species. When living minnows were dropped before a toad, they were struck at and swallowed in the same manner. These experiments were made on toads at full liberty, and met with like results."

EFFECTS OF FEAR.

THE peasants of Sardinia are in the constant habit of hunting eagles and vultures, both for profit and as an amusement. In the year 1839, three young men (brethren) living near San Giovani de Domas Novas, having espied an eagle's nest in the bottom of a steep precipice, they drew lots to decide which of them should descend to take it away. The danger did not arise so much from the depth of the precipice, upwards of a hundred feet, but the apprehension of the numerous birds of prey that inhabited the cavern. However, the lot fell on one of the brothers, a young man of about two-and-twenty, of athletic form, and of a dauntless spirit. He belted a knotted rope round his waist, by which his brothers could lower or raise him at will; and armed with a sharpened infantry sabre, he boldly descended the rock and reached the nest in safety. It contained four eaglets of that peculiar bright plumage called the light Isabella. The difficulty now arose in

349

bearing away the nest. He gave a signal to his brethren, and they began to haul him up, when he was fiercely attacked by two powerful eagles, the parents of the young birds he had captured. The onset was most furious, they darkened the cavern by the flapping of their broad wings, and it was not without much difficulty that he kept them off with his sword; when, on a sudden, the rope which suspended him swung round, and on looking up, he perceived that he had partly severed it with his sabre. At this fearful sight he was struck with such a sudden terror, that he was unable to urge his companions to hasten to his delivery, although he still kept his fierce antagonists at bay. His brothers continuing to haul him up, while their friendly voices endeavoured to encourage him, he soon reached the summit of the rock; but although he continued to grasp the eagle's nest, he was speechless, and his hair, which had before been of a jetblack colour, was now as white as snow.Dr. Milligen.

CATCHING FISH IN CHINA.

THERE is another mode of catching fish, which I have frequently seen in the northern provinces, even more curious than that which I have just noticed. Every one acquainted with Chinese history knows that fish abound in all the rivers and lakes of the north; indeed, every little pond swarms with them. I was greatly surprised when I first saw the fish-catcher following his profession in these places. He is literally amphibious. He is to be seen perfectly naked, half walking, half swimming; now he raises his arms and hands above his head, and, bringing them down, strikes a sharp blow upon the water, making a loud and splashing noise. His feet are not idle: they warn him that a fish is at hand, and they are now feeling for him amongst the mud at the bottom of the pond. The next moment the fisherman has disappeared he is now under water, and he remains so long that you think something has happened to him. There is, however, no cause of fear: a few seconds more, and he appears, rubbing his face and eyes with one hand, and in the other triumphantly holding up the poor little fish which he has just captured. It is immediately placed safely in his basket, and the work goes on as before. The surface of the water is struck and splashed, as I have just described, in order to frighten the fish which are swimming amongst the feet of the Chinamen. Being frightened, they dive immediately to the bottom, amongst the mud, where they are felt by the feet, and are soon taken by these expert divers. Fortune's Three Years' Wanderings in China.