a wounded officer had been able to sit upon the aforesaid mare; and as the boats were not adapted for taking equine passengers on board, she was fortunately brought back, and served "Jack" a good turn. Many were the jibes and jeers as the sailors' reserved guard passed from the rear to the front. "Holloa, Jack!" exclaimed one-"what, been acting rearguard?" 66 Light infantry, eh?" shouted another: "what, left behind in the long-boat?" Hitch your trousers up, and don't roll to windward!" ejaculated a third. "Steady, steady!" said a fourth; "why what have you done with your shoes?" The blue jackets, nevertheless, were loudly cheered as they passed to the front, and had the honour of being first to embark. Great was the marvel that the Yankees did not cut off this handful of men belonging to the Ramillies, who, for two hours at least, were six miles in the rear of the force. After a few days' rest, orders came: "up anchor!" and away we went before a northerly breeze, which soon amounted to a gale from the Chesapeak, leaving behind us no land forces, except the marines, and only a small portion of the menof-war, to watch, burn, sink, and destroy all they could lay hold of. South was our course, and in a few days Jamaica brought some up, while others proceeded to a rendezvous further to the westward. The ships and transports containing the 4th, 44th, and 85th, soon after proceeded to the Gulf of Mexico, and as near as we could get to New Orleans. After the gun-boats had been gallantly taken by the navy, under Captain Lockyer, we were landed in what, with our treading, soon became a swamp, here we were soon after joined by detachments, and whole regiments of conquering heroes, who had gone through, and gloriously put the finishing stroke to the Peninsula campaign before Toulouse. Keane commanded all that remained of our Chesapeak force the first that were landed; then followed Lambert; then Gibbs; then the brave and distinguished Packenham --each taking the command, and altering the disposition of the other, as he arrived in succession. It is not an agreeable thing for an old British officer to relate the events of that disastrous attack: suffice it to say, that the honour of the army was alone tarnished by a neglect of orders by the commanding officer of one regiment, who was afterwards dismissed the service by the sentence of a court-martial; that that neglect made it impossible to cross a deep trench, and then to surmount the cotton entrenchments; that, notwithstanding, they were all but carried; that thousands bit the dust on this untoward day; that three of our generals were killed, and the other wounded; that we were beaten off, and, with hundreds of disabled men, embarked again to attack Mobile-a place of no great consequence-while here the news arrived that peace had been proclaimed, and from hence as soon as arrangements could be completed (the transports again under convoy, for fear of meeting vessels under flags that had been inimical to whom the declaration of the cessation of hostilities was unknown), we again sailed for "merrie England." On our voyage home we passed close to Havannah, the Bahamas keeping to the southward in the strength of the gulf stream. Nothing worth relating occurred until we struck soundings in thirty fathoms; and fortunately for our cuisine, were becalmed a few hours on the banks of Newfoundland. A more amusing, exhilarating, and delightful seene could not be imagined in a few seconds hooks and lines were overboard, and in an incredibly short space of time the "catch was enormous. It is no exaggeration to say that the decks were covered with cod-fish and halibuts, sufficient being taken for the rest of our passage. La sceance de guelle was never more tested than upon the occasion I refer to, for every one suggested some new idea for the cooking of this piscatory luxury. Some suggested cod-fish soup, made of the following ingredients :-pork, beef, cod, cayenne, and a bottle of claret-a potage still greatly in vogue with our transatlantic friends, as those who had the good fortune to dine on board the "America clipper, when under the "stars and stripes," can vouch for; others recommended a crimp; a third stood up for a slice or two salted, with egg-sauce; a fourth propounded a hash of this fish mixed with mashed potatoes; a fifth, who was a modern Heliogabalus, invented an entrée of the most dainty portions of the skull, liver, and sound. Fortunately the quantity caught was so great that every one had a dish according to his own palate and taste; and certainly during the whole course of my rambles and voyages at home and abroad, I never enjoyed so excellent a fish dinner. The piscatory luxuries of the "Ship"-now, alas! "a naked wreck"-"Trafalgar," "Crown and Sceptre," Greenwich-names associated with the glories of our constitution (I speak nationally-not physically) could not be compared to the repast on board our Ship, or that of the convoy, who had fought for the Crown and Sceptre of the ocean, under Nelson, in that bay immortalized by the hero's victory and death. Instead of a diminutive room, bounded on the north by the muddy banks of the foul and foetid Thames, on the south by stable-yards, on the east and west by narrow alleys, redolent with the odours of decaying shrimps, bloated herrings, stale crabs, decomposed lobsters that had doffed their "blue jackets" for many a day; in lieu of a hot scorching sun, boys scrambling for halfpence, and the small Lilliputian finny fry, we enjoyed the Atlantic and its world of waters, a bracing air, cloudless sky, and the finest and freshest inhabitants of the deep deep sea. To return to our "log:" Towards evening we caught a northwest wind, which in thirteen days, took us into Plymouth, where we arrived early in May. The first news that greeted us upon our arrival was that Napoleon had escaped from Elba, and that more work was in store for us against our old enemy. Under these circumstances we were not allowed to land, nor take in any stores except those provided by the shore-boats. The blue peter was at the time flying on board a frigate, then getting under weigh to convoy more than fifty transports, which we joined, and with her we proceeded to Ostend, where, under a still favouring breeze, we arrived the next day. Here we disembarked; and by forced marches proceeded to join the army under Wellington. RED-DEER HUNTING IN THE NEW FOREST. MR. EDITOR,-In common, I trust, with every real sportsman in the United Kingdom, I pass a few very agreeable hours each month in the perusal of "Maga.' In the number for the present October I find a pleasant paper, entitled, "Red-Deer Hunting in the New Forest," in which the following observations appear : . "The last of the hounds' were, I believe, those which hunted in Devonshire, and were kept by Lord Fortescue, at his own expense. In 1819 they became a subscription-pack, under the care of Mr. Lucas, and hunted that country till 1825 or 1826, at which period may be said to have been wound first the recheat, and then the mort' of real stag-hunting in merrie England'-such, at least, as it was in days of yore." The author will, I trust, pardon me when I say, in all courtesy and kindness, that he writes in error; and if he will oblige me by reading an humble work, entitled, "Exmoor," published by Mr. Newby some few years since, a second edition of which, with corrections and additions, will soon appear, he will therein find a detailed account of the North Devon staghounds, which will convince him that the noble wild deer of Exmoor Forest are still roused from their native lair, and afford many a gallant run across one of the wildest and most beautiful countries in the world. But more than this-the red-deer of Exmoor have never been, and I sincerely hope never will be, exterminated, or the hunting given up. Indeed, it so happens that early last month I found myself at Dulverton, where I passed two or three days which I shall ever remember with pleasure, the details of which I shall more largely dwell on in a work I am preparing for the press in the meantime I will merely add, that on the evening of the 19th, I dined in company with Mr. Carew, the master of the Tiverton hounds, Mr. Russell, Mr. Lucas, and Dr. Collyns-sportsmen as well known in the West as are Lord J. Russell and Lord Derby in the political world; and on the morning of the 10th, as fine a pack of staghounds as were ever unkennelled, headed by that admirable woodland huntsman Beale, and commanded by their kind and courteous master, Mr. Carew, of Callegnest, followed by a large field, jogged merrily on for West Hill Wood, where a gallant stag was found, and killed after a chace of some duration. I have therefore said enough to prove that "real stag-hunting" is not over in merrie England on the contrary, that although the spirit of the hunt was somewhat depressed for a few years, owing to the lack of the means of war, thanks to Mr. Carew, their motto is now" Aveto splendore resurgam!" Your faithful servant, St. Myrtles, Oct. 8, 1852. LINTON. OTTER HUNTING IN THE FAR NORTH. A DAY WITH THE DUKE OF ATHOLL. BY HAWTHORNE. "Seas have their sharks; Rivers and ponds enclose the ravenous pike; Hunting the otter was once a very favourite British pastime. During the reign of Elizabeth many packs of otter hounds were kept by the nobles, with whom it was a very favourite sport. It is now again revived "in the far north" by his Grace the Duke of Atholl, who has established a capital pack of otter hounds, which are located at Dunkeld House, on the north bank of the river Tay, most comfortable and convenient kennels having been erected for them. The pack consists of twenty-four couples of working hounds, with a promising entry of some nine couple of young hounds for next season. They are hunted by his Grace himself, who has them under beautiful command; indeed, they are as handy as any pack of foxhounds we ever set eyes on, and free from riot of any kind, his Grace being ably assisted by his three "helps "—all hardy and true sons of the moun tains. Before giving any chronicle of the past season's sport, let us indulge our readers, particularly such as may not as yet have paid a visit so far north, with a short description of part of the country hunted over. Let it then be recorded that the Tay-yes, the noble river Tay, and its tributaries, are the favourite hunting streams-the Tay! so uniformly rich, and so exceedingly various and beautiful in scenery, that a volume might be written in its praises. Its vale, from the romantic hill of Kinnoul, a little below Perth, to the pass of Birnam, a little below Dunkeld, is everywhere brilliant and gorgeous; and its views above. this point are so exquisite, so diversified, so replete with attractions, that they can be etched by no one, except with dashes of enthusiasm. After passing Dunkeld, and rounding the base of Craigie Barns, the broadest part of the valley, for a space of many miles, is here detailed before the eye so minutely that every part of its various ornaments is seen in the most advantageous manner-the Tay winding along, from its junction with the Tummel, through the bright meadows interspersed with trees, till it buries itself deep among the wooded banks. Then on each ha rises a long screen of varied hills, covered with woods in every picturesque form, the whole vista terminating in the remoter mountains, which, equally rich and various, are softened by the blue haze of the distance, as they close in above the far-famed pass of Killiecran Kie. Though the western and upper branch of the Tay, from the junction of the Tummel, upward to Kenmore, is not perhaps equal in splendour to the lower and southern one, it still maintains the same character of richness throughout; while instead of the flat extended meadows which mark the latter, it displays a considerable undulation of ground. Thus the valley of the Tay-a distance of some twenty-five miles, is a continued scene of beauty-a majestic river winding through a highly-wooded and cultivated country, with a lofty mountain boundary in the distance. I believe it is but justice to say, that this "strath" of the Tay is, in point of splendour and richness, the first and fairest of all our Scottish valleys. But to our sport- The Duke, with great perseverance and proper drafting of his hounds, has now a most brilliant pack; and the sport with them has been in every way equal to their high character. Scarcely an otter found but what has been killed, or marked to "couch," while on several occasions out a brace of otters have been brought to book. On the last day of their season, namely, the 10th of August, they had a glorious day's sport at the Loch of Lundie. His Grace left Dunkeld House at an early hour, and with his well-appointed van for the hounds, drove with four gallant greys to the Dunkeld-road Station. The hounds were soon boxed on the Scottish Midland line; railed on to Cupar-Angus on the Isla, and then over the hill to the Loch of Lundie. Here they were welcomed by Lord Kinnaird and a large party from Rossie PrioryLord and Lady Duncan, Sir John M'Kenzie, Major Johnston, Mr. and Mrs. Watson of Keilour, Sir John Ogilvie and party, and a great many ladies and gentlemen from the Birmingham of Scotland (Dundee), as well as by carriages of all descriptions, containing many bright eyes and fair forms. No sooner were the hounds on the margin of the lake than the whole pack (twelve couple of hounds) opened on his seal or scent, their melodious music resounding over the hills, and floating on the waters of this beautiful little lake. With a burning scent they made him out to the west end of the water, from which, in two minutes, they bolted him in full view of the whole field, Victor sticking to him like wax, and giving him no time to vent. "Mr. Silky" then bent his watery course to a small island; but here he had no time to tarry, the hounds being close in his wake, and so away he steamed it at railway speed to the west end of the lake again, with every hound close on him. Here the scene baffles all description. The vast number of foot people from Dundee had got so excited by this time with the sport, and the merry music of the pack, that scores of the manufactory lads dashed in among the slimy mud and reeds, and nothing was heard but" Lord, Jock! |