Page images
PDF
EPUB

The evening mists, with ceaseless change,
Now clothed the mountain's lofty range,

Now left their foreheads bare;

And round their skirts their mantle furl'd,
Or on the sable waters curl'd

Or on the eddying breezes whirl'd,
Dispersed in middle air.

And oft condensed, at once they lower,
When brief and fierce the mountain shower
Pours like a torrent down.

And when return the sun's glad beams,
Whitened with foams a thousand streams
Leap from the the mountain's crown.

Here we roamed as free as the " Red Knight" of Black Mount Forest, though our labours were not rewarded by any great havoc amongst the finny tribe. The elements declared against us; we were overtaken by the thunder and lightning of Heaven, and forced to retrace our weary wanderings to the uncomfortable cabin on the verge of the moors. In passing Loch Lyden, we killed some ten brace of trout-merry little fellows; but our grand object on this day was to achieve a "Brach-More" (Scottish for muckle trout), in which, weather not permitting, we were doomed to disappointment. Still our wanderings among the "wilds" on this day shall never be forgotten.

66

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

On the following day we had moderate but fair sport on another lovely lake, killing six brace of trout; and as my friend, however, had ate little or nothing for the last three days, we now prepared to depart from our cabin of "peat smoke," "muddy waters," and moor mess." On the same evening we reached the "Tummel Brigg," where the creature comforts of this life were most thankfully received and more than usually enjoyed. Next day, Sunday, gave us another rest, and on the following we fished the romantic and far-famed Loch Tummel, with great and glorious success; once more, be it recorded, the "southern" came off the victor, but only by one brace of trout. In this lake a fish of small size is seldom caught. At the inn, in the evening, we met with an “ American skipper, a most intelligent fellow, who had travelled all over California. He gave a fearful description of that land of money and murder, and indeed seemed himself, weel acquaint" with the use of the 'revolver and bowie knife;" no doubt he has had seen some "wild work" in those quarters, and not many years ago either he owned to having left California some twenty months. Next morning we crossed the rapid running Lyon; but not tarrying to fish that lovely river, got domiciled for the night at the "Corrie Inn," one of the very best hotels in the Highlands for man and beast. Here our fishing tour terminated, and two days thereafter we began a pilgrimage among the moors, in order to obtain ocular demonstration" as regards the plentifulness of grouse on the front range of the Grampians; and in all our wanderings since that period up to this date (13th July) has the former testimony of the keepers and shepherds been fully borne out. We can truly say that a more beautiful supply of birds-of game of all sorts-has not been known among the hills for many years, perhaps not since the ever memorable season of 1846, when grouse were as plentiful as blackberries. With such bright and glorious prospects before us, we will

66

bring these stray remarks to a close, sincerely wishing good sport to all who may penetrate the far north in the approaching season.

Banks of the Almon, July 13th, 1852.

P.S.-Since writing the above, we have had another week among the mountains, and have rented a large tract of grouse shootings; further experience but increases the promise of sport. Most of the broods are strong on the wing, and will require strong and straight powder to kill them; in all our wanderings we have only seen one brood of chirpers. Many of the packs are large in numbers, and average from 8 to 10 birds in each; several, indeed, which we put up reached 12 birds of course including the parent birds in our statement. We may also add that the grouse are now past all danger from the weather; and if the moors are properly guarded, there can be nothing to spoil a glorious campaign. Let us, however, warn the shooter who may rent or have a good moor, to look well to it, for of late years too many birds have found their way to market long before the opening of the season. This disgraceful practice ought to be stopped; and with proper vigilance that injured man, the sportsman himself, may do much to diminish it.

[ocr errors][merged small]

BROOKLANDS: A SPORTING BIOGRAPHY. By Major Byng Hall. Newby, Welbeck-street.

Our readers have already had a taste of this work, although it is considerably extended in the volumes before us. · The career of an English country gentleman, his happy position at home, with his feelings and doings as a sportsman, wherever he may be quartered, are very attractively set before us by our gallant contributor. He has got the great secret for this kind of thing-of being thoroughly at home himself in every scene he gives you. And he is no ways squeamish, either, in telling the story just as he himself thinks it over. It is absolutely refreshing, in these days of "universal progression" and "hurrah for everybody" to find any one standing up so manfully for old times-→→→ the good old days when "everybody" knew his proper place; when the old squire was the greatest man alive; and farmers were farmers, and nothing more; and clerks didn't go a-hunting; and lawyers were thieves, as a matter of course; and railways infernal inventions, and as infernal innovations. Certainly, for a gentleman who devoted a good-sized volume to writing up the Great Exhibition of 'Fifty-one, the Major does maintain his respect for our ancient institutions and customs as heartily as we could expect. And we don't blame him, either—far from it, indeed. His "Squire Western" picture is as true a one as any we have seen for many a long day, and is none the worse for the evident admiration and sympathy the author has with his subject. There are many a lad, and many a lass too, will get a glimpse of home out of Brooklands, and be all the better for the " auld lang syne" it may recall. If any thing, the romance of the book is too much in the Minerva-press style:

[ocr errors]

Sister mine" and "brother mine," and "darling Fred" and the "laughter-loving one," won't bear much repetition anywhere; and the Major gives us a little too strong a dose of it. We have no great faith, ourselves, in these over-affectionate phrases. We know an old brute who, when his daughter-a quiet, shy girl-is pressed to exhibit, will walk up to her before half-a-hundred people with "Now, my dearest Mary, my own child, you know that opening scene in Norma so wellcome, now, darling!" And then the old villain will give her a pinch on the arm enough to make her face the Whissendine, and up he leads her-the most affectionate father in all England. There is seldom much heart in the maximè pii.

“Brooklands" is now further assisted by some very clever lithographs after sketches by a Mr. Horlor, a Cheltenham artist. His spaniels, terriers, and water-fowl are especially good; but, on the other hand, he has not much idea yet of either a hound or a hunter.

HUTSPOT A TALE FOR THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. Longmans. The author of this curiously-christened volume-more commonly read Hodge-podge”-declares in his preface that his is not a mere love-tale, nor a sporting story alone, nor of grave politics solely, but a sort of tria juncta in uno-ready for you anywhere, wherever you like to have it. Of course, we know nothing in our shire about handsqueezing or eye-making, no more than we do about Chancery-reforming or Roman Catholics; and so we hoik on at once to the sporting. Hark to him here! A great swell comes galloping up Rotten-row, supposed to be a little too deep in the Racing Calendar; and this is the way he talks about it:

"Good morning, Miss St. Just," he said, doffing with easy gallantry his white beaver hat, with crape-" a beautiful afternoou for a ride; but I see you prefer a walk. I was at Newmarket yesterday, Harry. There was a fine heat between Dunstanville's mare and Yeovil's; and we had very good fau with the gentlemenriders. The entries for our Cup next month are very numerous."

The gentleman with the easy gallantry and white hat and crapevery genteel, that may have been at Newmarket, but we will take short odds his friend Hutspot never has. We willingly admit he is more at home in his Highland sporting scenes; but he whips off very early here, and his best bit-the fight with the salmon-only serves to remind us how much better it has been done before. If we did mark him down at all, it would be into Chancery-lane, and there we should advise him to stop. His sketch of the old waiter at “ the Cock," and the new bread or stale? are quite touches of nature, and beat his "course of true love" and rural life all to sticks-or "in the very commonest of canters," as the man with the white hat would word it.

FINE ARTS.

Another gem of FORES'S MARINE SERIES has lately made its appearance. It is hight "The Cutter Yacht Volante," drawn by T. S. Robins, and exquisitely lithographed by E. T. Dolby. The scene is that in which

ing these strop camarks to a close, sincerely wishing go
wis may penetrate the far north in the approaching seaso
Junits the faa, July 15th. 1852.

?S.-Since wring the above, we have had another
ne noumteins, and have rented a large tract of grouse sh
der ergerence but increases the promise of sport. Most
r two de wing, and will require strong and stra

Lil temal our wanderings we have only seen

gers Many of the packs are large in numbers, ina 10 rds in each: several, indeed, which we put 22 aris—of course incinting the parent birds in our statem may uso alt that the grouse are now past all danger from tim m the moors are properly guarded, there can be nothin germs ampligo. Let us, however, warn the shooter who arve a good nor to look well to it, for of late years too we juni der way to market long before the opening of This disgraceful practice ought to be stopped; and with prope dist mured man, the sportsmen himself, may do much to di

[graphic][ocr errors][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][ocr errors]
« PreviousContinue »